Nothing Much Going On

Despite a quick start to the offseason, things have cooled off lately, and that's why there hasn't been a whole lot of talk on here lately. So anyway, here's some comments on some of the minor stories over the last couple of months:

Rashard Lewis is probably the biggest recent story, as he has been found to have an illegal substance in something he took. It's understandable that this may have been an error, but when you're making as much money as Lewis is (much more than he really deserves, even though he is a very good player), you had better be careful to know every last thing you're putting into your body. He does get respect though for saying that he understands and accepts the suspension that he is getting.

Ramon Sessions still hasn't found a home, despite practically seeming to have agreed to terms with half of the teams in the league at this point. Honestly, it's time for the rumors to stop going and for sites to just wait until a signing actually happens before they say anything anymore. He's a good player, without a doubt, but that's when he's on. His inconsistency really makes him much less of a player than all the attention is making him seem.

Summer league was fun to watch. As a Bulls fan it was great to see James Johnson showing so much promise. His jumper went through a bit of a tough stretch, but his shooting stroke is almost picture perfect and he also showed the ability to be able to take over games when called upon, which won't be something that'll make a difference in the next year or two, but could be helpful after that. Taj Gibson showed some good scrappy play that should at least help him to stay on the team for a while. Going beyond the Bulls though, Blake Griffin showed why he was a #1 pick. Brandon Jennings looked great at times and horrible at other times. Jennings will likely put up some great stats, but not actually make his team too much better. DeMar DeRozan looks like he's still raw, but that promise is clearly there. Hasheem Thabeet doesn't look very good at all right now and has huge bust potential. However, chances are that he'll at least be a good defender. James Harden looks very good for the Thunder, bringing a good all-around game. The last one we'll go over right now is Tyreke Evans, who is showing a great ability to score, but still doesn't make sense as the draft pick for a team that needed a point guard, not a shooting guard, especially when Rubio was right there (and likely would've actually come to the NBA if the Kings had picked him).

Michael Beasley has checked into drug rehab. I really think this is being made into a bigger deal than it really is, but you have to give respect to the guy for actually recognizing a problem and making the decision to do something about it rather than just letting it get worse.

Back to Ricky Rubio, so he's drafted by a team that picks another point guard right after him. That's the reason he's using for not being eager to come to the NBA right now. However, you can't actually believe that the kid isn't being a diva either and upset about going to Minnesota. Nothing ticks me off more about people who are drafted than when they try to pick and choose which teams they play for. They're going to be playing in the top league in the world and making very good money. Many regular workers out there only have so much say as to where they get to work, and they don't make a fraction of the money that Rubio is going to make. The kid should either suck it up and play where he's been drafted to without whining about it or just stay out of the NBA. Kobe was a jerk for doing it, Mayo was a baby for saying he wouldn't play for certain teams, John Elway and Eli Manning were both losers when they did it as well. Just shut up and play.

Stephen Jackson supposedly wants out of Golden State. With the state of things there, I can't blame him.

Okay, that's it for now. As more stories come in there will be more commentary on them.

What were they thinking? The NBA Draft

This is basically going over every pick in this past NBA draft from last night and give you an idea of the rationalization of the picks. This will just be the first round since it's really a struggle at times to find out any real rationalization with the second round when you consider that many of those players won't even see playing time in the NBA. So here it goes:

1. LA Clippers - Blake Griffin

Could there be anything more obvious? Above and beyond the rest as far as talent goes.

2. Memphis Grizzlies - Hasheem Thabeet

With Marc Gasol there it's a little harder to understand this pick. Gasol's not a bad defender by any means, but by how they talked about Thabeet bringing down low defense to the Grizzlies you'd think that he was the worst defender at the 5 that the league has ever seen. Thabeet will bring little to no offense to the Grizzlies, but there is no doubt that he'll make it almost impossible for other teams to score down low, especially if he's on the floor at the same time as Gasol.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder - James Harden

With Russell Westbrook already there as your point guard of the future, passing up on the second best talent in the draft in Rubio. James Harden is an all-around point guard. He's someone who can hurt the other team in so many ways, through his defense, his shooting, his driving, or his passing. He'll always be able to give you whatever you need when you need it. As far as talent, yes, Rubio is better, but Harden is the better total fit and will make the team better than Rubio would.

4. Sacramento Kings - Tyreke Evans

Well, the Kings needed a point guard badly, and even though there was one with more talent available, they got a very good future point guard in Evans, even if he is more of a combo guard. However, I guess there's something in his style that Sacramento likes more, since he does have a different type of game than Rubio.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves - Ricky Rubio

This was beyond obvious at this point. Overdue for Rubio.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves -Jonny Flynn

This is a lot harder to justify. The Timberwolves said that they're planning on keeping both Rubio and Flynn, so it looks like they're expecting Rubio to go back to Spain for a year or two and will allow Flynn to grow into good trade bait during that time, or they're going to use Rubio as bait to trade to a team that needs a point guard. Either way, a trade will eventually go down, only that they're not saying it so that the players involved don't lose value.

7. Golden State Warriors - Stephen Curry

Immediate reactions has to be asking how Curry and Ellis will fit together, but when you look at how you score their points, Curry by shooting and Ellis by slashing, you realize that on offense it makes perfect sense. The Warriors have never cared about defense, so that's not an issue. Also, supposedly there's an Amare Stoudemire trade about to go down that Curry will have to be a part of, but there's also rumors that the trade is dead.

8. New York Knicks - Jordan Hill

The Warriors picking Curry actually saved the Knicks from making a bad pick here. While Curry is very good and would look very good in D'Antoni's offense, Jordan Hill will wind up being even better. He brings some defense to the 4 spot for the Knicks as well as a versatile offensive game that just needs to be refined some more. The Knicks are going to love having this guy in the future.

9. Toronto Raptors - DeMar DeRozan

This was an obvious pick at this point. DeRozan is loaded with potential and has drawn many comparisons to former Raptor Vince Carter. While he might never realize that potential, the potential that he does have is too high for him to not be picked here.

10. Milwaukee Bucks - Brandon Jennings

His attitude seems to be pretty immature still, there's no doubt about that, but there's also no doubt that the kid has pretty amazing talent. If he can just play with his head as well he could wind up being a superstar.

11. New Jersey Nets - Terrence Williams

The Nets struck gold last year with Brook Lopez. They also traded Vince Carter in what seemed mostly like a salary dump right before the draft. In the trade they picked up Courtney Lee, a draft pick by the Magic a year ago who has established himself as a strong perimeter defender and a solid offensive player despite being most known for missing what would've been a game winning lay-in during the finals. Either way, they picked up Williams likely to play the small forward spot, which was a horrible weakness last year after trading away Richard Jefferson.

12. Charlotte Bobcats - Gerald Henderson

The fact that Jordan was able to allow his team to pick a Duke player is amazing enough. Henderson brings almost the perfect guy to replace Raja Bell. A tough defender, but Henderson is better at driving and more athletic, so he may bring an extra dimension that Bell doesn't bring and could actually the the starting 2 by the start of next season.

13. Indiana Pacers - Tyler Hansbrough

Some fans gave a lot of heat to the Pacers front office for this pick, but Hansbrought gives them exactly what they need up front. They need energy and toughness up front, as Hibbert and Nesterovic provide neither right now and Murphy provides no energy and barely toughness. Hansbrough is going to breathe new life into that front line and he has the skill and drive to actually wind up starting in the future.

14. Phoenix Suns - Earl Clark

Tons of talent here, his potential is through the roof. The Suns took a home run swing here, and if it pays off they could, with the right moves otherwise, be right back to where they were only a few years ago within half a decade.

15. Detroit Pistons - Austin Daye

A bit of a surprise pick. Daye is very tall and long, but he's under 200 pounds. While due to length he can play power forward for most teams, for Detroit, a team that prides itself on it's rough and physical defense, he's not someone who you can play there. He's clearly a project there, and if he can wind up bulking up he might be able to play some 4 there, but he might be even better fit at the 2 than the 4. With Prince there you really don't put him at the 3. This could be a future trade move too.

16. Chicago Bulls - James Johnson

Getting a guy that could've gone 7 picks earlier, the Bulls got a steal here. Anyone complaining about this pick just simply do not make any sense. He's a player who can easily play either the 3 or the 4. He's very strong and brings both toughness down low and on the perimeter. He has developed himself a very good jump shot out to 3 point range and has a game that despite being physical, is silky smooth. Just take Andres Nocioni, a former favorite in Chicago. Add on plenty of athleticism and a more consistent jumper. Throw in a smooth game and more size to add to the physical style, and there you go. This was an excellent pick for the Bulls.

17. Philadelphia 76ers - Jrue Holiday

He didn't fall as far as he could have, but he did fall enough to draw some attention for falling in a draft that seemed to have falling as a common theme. Holiday has a ton of potential, but no one really knows why. He doesn't have much of a jumper, he plays like a combo guard, and his health is an issue. However, there's just something about him that makes teams think that he can wind up being really good, and there's a good chance that they can be right. Great pick by the Sixers, who may likely lose Andre Miller this offseason. Holiday will be no less than adequate for filling in.

18. Minnesota Timberwolves - Ty Lawson

Okay, not so fast. Yeah, it's a third point guard that the T-Wolves drafted, almost like they're trying to make history by drafting so many point guards, but this pick was traded to the Nuggets for a future first round pick. Supposedly the Wolves wanted James Johnson, but when the Bulls picked him they didn't want this pick anymore and that's why the trade was made. Lawson will be an excellent backup for the Nuggets and will provide a player that brings something different than what Billups brings, making him even harder to guard.

19. Atlanta Hawks - Jeff Teague

When they drafted Acie Law a couple of years ago you thought they wouldn't need to be targeting point guards anymore, but that didn't work out. So they traded for Bibby. However, Bibby's not young by any means and could very well be wanting more than what the Hawks can spend, so they go after Jeff Teague, a point guard who isn't entirely a true point guard, but who can shoot the ball. With the depth of this year's point guard crop, even though it's this low, Teague could be the guy who ends the pursuit for a while.

20. Utah Jazz - Eric Maynor

More of an all-around point guard, if Williams has any injury problems from here on out, the Jazz know that they have someone to back him up that won't allow the team to fall to mediocrity.

21. New Orleans Hornets - Darren Collison

Looking even worse without Paul than the Jazz looked without Williams, the Hornets had the same idea, making for the third point guard drafted in a row, but Collison is another very good one, bringing some very good defense along with a solid offensive game from all angles.

22. Portland Trailblazers - Victor Claver

A potential pick, he's a very athletic 3/4 type of guy. It's a good pick, because the Blazers are a pretty stacked team, and they can afford to pick a project. This is a guy who could have a high reward, but also could likely never really ever amount to much.

23. Sacramento Kings - Omri Casspi

This is a good pick in that it at least gives the Kings someone to challenge Francisco Garcia for the starting spot at the 3. Casspi is ready to play right now and will at least be able to back Garcia up very well.

24. Dallas Mavericks - Byron Mullens

Now he's Byron, not BJ. Either way, he's actually a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder right now. The Thunder already have what's looking to shape up as a scary lineup with Westbrook, Harden, Durant, and Green. With Kristic at the 5 they were looking good, but if Mullens can develop into the center that he has the ability to develop into, then the Thunder can just plain flat out be scary.

25. Oklahoma City Thunder - Rodrigue Beaubois

The other half of the Mullens trade, the Mavs get a future point guard. Both him and Mullens are players that are very high reward, but high risk. If Beaubois fills his potential out, then the Mavs have nothing to worry about when it comes to losing Kidd.

26. Chicago Bulls - Taj Gibson

He's drawn comparisons to guys like Joe Smith and Vin Baker. If he can play like those guys then this is a SERIOUS steal for the Bulls here. He's got a refined offensive game with good versatility on that end and can block shots like it's nothing on the defensive end. I can't think of much more you could ask for at this point in the draft. Sure, they could've gone for DeJuan Blair, but Blair is a very high risk player and his reward is not nearly high enough to go after him at this point. Those who bring up guys like Paul Millsap tend to forget that Blair has nothing that resembles a jump shot.

27. Memphis Grizzlies - DeMarre Carroll

He may have liver disease, but he can play. Drafted as a backup he could wind up being a very strong player off the bench for a very long time.

28. Minnesota Timberwolves - Wayne Ellington

It's not a point guard!!! It almost seems like Ellington is being brought in to fill Mike Miller's spot. Ellington is a great shooter that will be able to have a strong place for the Wolves as a backup shooting guard.

29. New York Knicks - Toney Douglas

He sort of is like a combo guard version of Chris Duhon. He's a very good defender who doesn't make a lot of mistakes, but he's more of a shooter than Duhon is. He's not going to give you a record number of assists, but he'll still be able to facilitate the offense.

30. Cleveland Cavaliers - Christian Eyenga

Tweener forward...okay, that's all that anyone really knows about him. A pick for the future for a team whose future is now. However, he's also got some solid trade value.



So there it is. Rather you agree with the picks or not, there's the actual logic that is behind the picks that every team made. In fact, that may not be their actual logic, but some logic that actually makes the picks not look so bad.

Final Mock Draft

Here it is, the end of the first round of the draft is less than 24 hours away while moves are being made like mad. This is already looking like it will be a very interesting draft with all of the moves being made, so here is one final mock draft with several trades being made. The trades will be mentioned at the first draft spot they show up at. Without any further introduction, here is the final mock draft here:

1. Los Angeles Clippers - Blake Griffin

This is the obvious pick, no one comes close to the impact that Griffin is expected to have. When you throw in that the Clippers said that they were going with Griffin shortly after they won the lottery, and again, this is obvious.

2. Minnesota Timberwolves - Ricky Rubio

Minnesota has been trying hard to trade up for that #2 pick with the Grizzlies and the Grizzlies have been playing hardball. With the Grizzlies rumored to be trading away Darko Milicic, it would make sense for them to accept the #5 pick and Craig Smith for the #2 pick. The Timberwolves have realized at this point that Sebastian Telfair just isn't an NBA quality starting point guard. He's a guy who would be excellent in backup, but not a starter. With Randy Foye gone, that means that their other option is gone as well. The Wolves need to make sure to move ahead of the Kings in order to secure Rubio, and this could very well do it.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder - James Harden

This is a tough choice between Harden and Thabeet. In the end, Thabeet really seems like more of the Olowokandi type of player. Olowokandi was not drafted as the best player in the 1998 draft. He was simply seen as the best big man, and seeing as how the Clippers wanted a big man, they went with Olowokandi. Thabeet will likely be better than Olowokandi, especially since he is such a good defender, but he's really not as good as some of the other players available at this point, and one of those players is James Harden. Harden is a shooting guard, which is a position that the Thunder are thin at, who has great all-around skills. He will compliment the Thunder very well due to this. He's the best player available for the Thunder at this point.

4. Sacramento Kings - Tyreke Evans

While he's really more of a combo guard, Evans is at least someone with solid point guard skills that the Kings can put at point guard over Roko Ukic. Stephen Curry is another option at this point, but he would not compliment Kevin Martin very well at all. Evans brings great size for a point guard and a very well rounded game. He will be able to fill that void that the Kings have at point guard very well and is not a bad pick at this point in the draft.

5. Memphis Grizzlies - Jordan Hill

Wow, Thabeet has fallen this far? Despite teams seeming high on him, due to need he could really fall. The Grizzlies, like mentioned seem to be trading Darko Milicic. They're getting Craig Smith in the trade already, but since they were already thing at the 4 spot anyway, getting another 4 with high potential is a good move. Hill has the ability to be a Chris Bosh Lite type of guy. However, his defense is superior to Bosh's, even if his offense isn't quite as good as Bosh's.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves - Hasheem Thabeet

After an unexpected wait, Thabeet finally gets drafted to play in Minnesota. The Timberwolves are desperate for more size in their front court, and with Love and Jefferson already having good offensive games, they can afford to bring a defensive minded player with a very raw offensive game into their rotation up front.

7. Golden State Warriors - Stephen Curry

Monta Ellis has supposedly been vocal about not wanting the Warriors to draft a point guard, but Curry is more of a combo guard. Despite his size mixed in with Ellis' size, he could actually compliment Ellis very well in the back court. The Warriors are almost entirely offensive minded, and while Ellis is more of a slasher who likes to score by the basket, Curry is more of a shooter. They both could also benefit from their scoring skills and be able to find the other for easy scoring opportunities as well.

8. New York Knicks - Jonny Flynn

While it will be tempting for them to take Brandon Jennings here, especially because of his street ball style that is so popular in the city of New York, Jonny Flynn is the type of point guard who will thrive much more in Mike D'Antoni's style of offense. Having him with Chris Duhon at the point guard spot will really give the Knicks a more complete offense.

9. Toronto Raptors - DeMar DeRozan

The Raptors could use two things above all else. A physical big man and a good wing player. With DeRozan they get that wing. He is without a doubt a project, but his upside is way too much to ignore at this point in the draft, especially when he fills a need for your team.

10. Milwaukee Bucks - Brandon Jennings

The Bucks are in desperate need for a good point guard and this may be the one for them. While Jennings does have a bit of a street style, he still has the skills to be a good NBA point guard. At this point he is without a doubt a good player for the Bucks to take a chance on.

11. New Jersey Nets - James Johnson

The Nets could use a good small forward. With Johnson they get that and more. He's a small forward who is big enough to play the 4 as well. His tough and physical style of play will compliment both the front court and Vince Carter very well.

12. Charlotte Bobcats - Gerald Henderson

While Terrence Williams is the flavor of the week right now, in the end the Bobcats will go with the player who seems to be more of a safe pick. Henderson is a good slasher with a solid jump shot. He's got good size to play the 2 in the NBA, and he is a fundamentally strong player. The only thing that should really stop them from making this pick would be if Jordan just can't stand watching a Duke player get drafted onto his team.

13. Chicago Bulls - BJ Mullens

The Bulls have been showing interest in Mullens throughout the draft process, and after seeing that he is still available at this point they will pull the trade, giving up both their 16th and 26th picks for the 13th pick of the Pacers. Supposedly it's been a debate in the front offices of the Bulls rather they should go with Blair or Mullens. The bottom line is that Blair has knee problems at the age of 21, he's a very heavy person, he is very limited athletically, and his weight likely won't get much lower playing in a city that has the food that Chicago has. Mullens has his questions, but he's a skilled and athletic big man, which isn't common at all. With both the Pistons and Suns showing interest in Mullens, the Bulls will have to make this deal in order to get their man.

14. Phoenix Suns - Ty Lawson

Steve Nash is getting old and it's not sure thing that Goran Dragic will ever be what the Suns were hoping he would be when they traded for him on draft night last season. Lawson has a very good chance at being a very good point guard for many years in the league. The biggest questions that arrive with him are about his health. However, those questions tend to be highly exaggerated, and he can get over them. Nash is still the guy in Phoenix for at least another year, and in that time Lawson will be able to back Nash up along with Dragic during that time. When Nash is gone, Lawson will be a good option to take over for him.

15. Detroit Pistons - Earl Clark

With Mullens and Johnson gone, Clark is another guy that the Pistons have had their eye on. At 6'10" he is a small forward as far as style goes, but he's tall enough to play power forward, a position that the Pistons are going to have to address since they're losing a key big man in Rasheed Wallace, most likely, this offseason.

16. Indiana Pacers - Tyler Hansbrough

Hansbrough brings a level of toughness, hustle, and energy to the frontline of the Indiana Pacers that they desperately need. After the combine measurements were taken it was found that he's actually got plenty of size and strength to play the power forward position in the NBA. He likely won't bring huge stats, but as a backup power forward he will be more than adequate.

17. Philadelphia 76ers - Eric Maynor

The Sixers could lose Andre Miller this offseason, and if they do they could use someone to take his place. While he might not be a good starting point guard right away, Maynor has the skills and potential to eventually be a very good point guard. He's a complete package and can very well be very similar to Andre Miller withing a couple of years.

18. Chicago Bulls - Terrence Williams

With Minnesota having four first round picks, the Timberwolves may very well be willing to sell picks. The Bulls, after having traded away one of their two first round picks could be looking to buy this pick here, especially since bringing back Ben Gordon is clearly no sure thing. Williams is a shooting guard with great size for the 2 spot. He can also spend some time at the small forward spot as well, which would be nice if Deng is either traded or injured again. He's a very good defender and very athletic. He's a good slasher who should be able to put up adequate scoring numbers as well. His only question marks are his shooting ability and his mental maturity. Both of those can come around.

19. Atlanta Hawks - Jeff Teague

Bibby is possibly on his way out soon and it looks like Acie Law could be traded soon as well. This would leave the Hawks very thin at the 1, so picking a guard with Teague's potential would be a great move here, especially since he'll have a year to settle in. Teague is very athletic and quick, has a good jump shot and is a solid passer. His game will likely continue to develop, and if it does he can be a strong point guard for years to come.

20. Utah Jazz - DeJuan Blair

The free-fall for Blair ends here. After being favored to be a top 10 pick only a couple of weeks ago bad news about his standing vertical, him being shorter than expected, and the news about his knees have really killed his draft stock. However, with either Boozer or Millsap leaving soon they're going to need another down low presence, and is where Blair comes in. Also, it's hard to see Blair falling any further than this. If nothing else they draft him and trade him.

21. New Orleans Hornets - Chase Budinger

Stojakovic is still there with the Hornets for a bit, but when you have someone who can penetrate like Chris Paul can you really cannot have too many shooters. Having Budinger and Stojakovic at the wings gives Paul two very good options to pass the ball out to once he's able to get down low. Either guy can shoot the lights out from the outside. Budinger also brings very good athleticism and has been said to be a lot quicker than initially thought.

22. Portland Trailblazers - Austin Daye

This is more of a best player available type of pick for the Blazers here. Daye is a bit of a project, but he's almost 6'11" and can play the 3. He'll likely split time between the 3 and 4 due to his height, but the Blazers could use some depth at the 4 and having a player with as much potential as Daye is always nice to have.

23. Sacramento Kings - DaJuan Summers

A do it all, well rounded small forward. Not amazing at any one thing, but he'll be an excellent backup almost right away and a possible starter down the road.

24. Dallas Mavericks - Wayne Ellington

A great shooter, but Ellington doesn't bring a whole lot more. However, having another shooter out there on the floor is not a bad idea at all for the Mavericks who already have plenty of guys who play the more penetration style between the 1 and 3.

25. Oklahoma City Thunder - Darren Collison

Westbrook is an excellent point guard, make no mistake about it, but he isn't a true point guard. He still can more than hold his own as a starter in the NBA, but having a solid true point guard, especially one that plays very good defense is always a good idea for your rotation.

26. Indiana Pacers - Omri Casspi

A sub for Danny Granger. Casspi is ready to come in right away and will fill the role of backup small forward and possibly occasionally as power forward (though sparingly).

27. Memphis Grizzlies - Jrue Holiday

With Mike Conley and OJ Mayo already running the backcourt in Memphis, Holiday is a bit of a project, but a player who'll be able to really give the Grizzlies a strong rotation in their backcourt. Holiday is more of a combo guard, Mayo is more of a shooting guard, and Conley is purely a point guard. To be totally honest, having Holiday fall this far seems crazy, but GMs are beginning to realize that they're not sure what they really like with Holiday, so the doubt which have seen so many players tumble in the past may pick Holiday as their main victim this year.

28. Minnesota Timberwolves - Jonas Jerebko

Jerebko will feel right at home going from Sweden to Minnesota, despite the lack of fjords in Minnesota. He's a small forward with a world of potential. His all around game is strong with no glaring weaknesses.

29. Los Angeles Lakers - Taj Gibson

The Lakers like to go after the occasional local guy, and that's what they'll do with Gibson, giving some added depth at the power forward position.

30. Cleveland Cavaliers - Josh Heytvelt

The Cavs are going to need some added strength to their front line, and Heytvelt is a big body that can do just that. He's got solid skills for a big man as well as a good jumper that goes out further than most would expect to see.


Okay, there it is. The second round this season doesn't really seem to have any real rhyme or reason to it, so doing a mock for that is just something that really doesn't make much sense. Early second round picks will likely be Derrick Brown, Toney Douglas, Sam Young, Rodrigue Beaubois, Victor Claver, and Patrick Mills.

Another Mock Draft

With 2 weeks left until the draft, there are going to be two or three more mock drafts to come. However, things are starting to work out, and we're starting to hear more and more of what teams are saying. Same trades as last time are going to be in as last time, especially since one of those teams is really a wild card right now as to what they will do.

1. LA Clippers - Blake Griffin (obvious)

2. Sacramento Kings (From Memphis) - Ricky Rubio (assuming the trade this is the obvious move)

3. Oklahoma City Thunder - Hasheem Thabeet (another pick that, although you may not agree with it, seems to be the move that will obviously be made at this point)

4. Memphis Grizzlies - Jordan Hill (impossible to see them going for anyone else at this point)

5. Washington Wizards - James Harden (would compliment Arenas very well and is a guy who can come right in and be a very good player)

6. Minnesota Timberwolves - Tyreke Evans (climbing and standing steady on almost all draft charts)

7. Golden State Warriors - Jonny Flynn (Jennings is the second best point guard in the drat, but Flynn fits in better with this team and is considered higher at this point)

8. New York Knicks - Stephen Curry (if he hits this point the Knicks and D'Antoni's system won't pass on him)

9. Toronto Raptors - DeMar DeRozan (at this point Toronto doesn't even think of passing on him)

10. Milwaukee Bucks - Brandon Jennings (need a good, consistent point guard, and Jennings is clearly their best shot at that)

11. New Jersey Nets - Gerald Henderson (they seem to want to trade Carter, and until then Henderson can still learn while backing up)

12. Charlotte Bobcats - DeJuan Blair (while I don't think much of him, I don't see him going past here. Also seems to be a guy that could compliment Okafor well.)

13. Indiana Pacers - Jrue Holiday (everybody likes him, nobody knows really why. Pacers could really benefit from taking a chance on him here)

14. Phoenix Suns - Earl Clark (project with a ton of upside. Combo forward that reminds me a bit of a weaker version of Marion)

15. Detroit Pistons - James Johnson (slightly undersized power forward who pretty much defines the classic Pistons style of play)

16. Chicago Bulls - BJ Mullens (Center project who could potentiall change the fortunes of the Bulls as far as centers go)

17. Philadelphia 76ers - Ty Lawson (they could use a point guard, and Lawson is ready to come right in and perform at a reasonable level)

18. Chicago Bulls (from Minnesota) - Tyler Hansbrough (at very least will be a very good role player, after the combine it appears he could wind up being more than that, but we'll wait and see)

19. Atlanta Hawks - Eric Maynor (some tough workouts, but he still appears as a point guard who could wind up being a good starter for years to come)

20. Utah Jazz - Austin Daye (Tons of potential and could finally be the guy to actually add some excitement to a good, but otherwise boring, Utah Jazz team)

21. New Orleans Hornets - Terrence Williams (if he doesn't go to the Bulls, despite how good he is, he's falling all the way down to here. Very good prospect at the 2, and he can play the 3)

22. Dallas Mavericks - Jeff Teague (With Kidd as old as he is they're going to need another point guard. Barea is good, but he's a bench guy)

23. Sacramento Kings - Patrick Mills (The guy tore apart the Redeem Team all by himself, falling just short of victory, when your point guard is Beno Udrih this is a clear improvement)

24. Portland Trailblazers - Sam Young (tough small forward that'll help them out)

25. Oklahoma City Thunder - Chase Budinger (adds serious long range threat to the Thunder)

26. Chicago Bulls - Darren Collison (high college experienced backup to Derrick Rose that costs a tenth of their current backup, this pick is assuming the Timberwolves trade is made)

27. Memphis Grizzlies - Gani Lawal (wouldn't hurt to go after 2 big men with that team that only has Marc Gasol and is likely losing Darko (can't believe I said that, but he is decent))

28. Minnesota Timberwolves - Wayne Ellington (just because he's probably the best guy left here)

29. LA Lakers - Taj Gibson (Local guy who can be a strong player down low)

30. Cleveland Cavaliers - Marcus Thornton (Never before has the team with the best record in the league had so much room for improvement, but adding a true point guard would be a start)



Not as in depth with the descriptions, but the rumors and such are starting to be incorporated more and more.

New Mock Draft (With Trades!)

Next mock draft is ready to go, the full first round, but there won't be too in depth reasons for each pick. There are also a couple of trades that either very well could or should go down with this draft.

Trade #1 - The Memphis Grizzlies trade the #2 pick to the Sacramento Kings for the #4 pick and Kenny Thomas.

Trade #2 - The Minnesota Timberwolves trade the #18 pick and Mike Miller to the Chicago Bulls for Kirk Hinrich and a 2012 second round pick.

Now for the draft:

1. Los Angeles Clippers - Blake Griffin 6'10" 250 lbs. Forward

This is the obvious choice for the Clippers. Griffin was already a lock for the first pick, but with his strength and athletic ability shown at the combine (35.5" vertical leap, 22 bench presses), it couldn't be any more of a lock.

2. Sacramento Kings (from Memphis) - Ricky Rubio 6'3" 180 lbs. Guard

The Kings need a new point guard badly. Beno Udrih is just not even close to cutting it. Ricky Rubio is not only the best player at this point, but he fills a need for the Kings.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder - Hasheem Thabeet 7'2" 270 lbs. Center

Many teams have been very interested in how Thabeet has been in workouts. His combine numbers didn't hurt him either. The Thunder/Sonics have been hurt by drafting project centers in the past (Petro, Swift, and Sene), but Thabeet seems to be much more the real deal. He isn't nearly as much of a project as past Sonics/Thunder center draftees, and he's already been able to prove his defense at the next level down.

4. Memphis Grizzlies (from Sacramento) - Jordan Hill 6'10" 230 lbs. Forward

Memphis also gets something they want here. It'd be hard to pass on a talent like Rubio at the second spot, and while Thabeet is nice, they do have Gasol and really don't have nearly as much at the 4 spot as they do at the 5. Hill is a power forward with a very versatile offensive game, great athletic ability, and someone who can play some defense as well.

5. Washington Wizards - James Harden 6'5" 220 lbs. Guard

The Wizards have not had a decent shooting guard in a little while. James Harden can really help to fill this void. Haywood may not be great, but he's at least a solid guy to have at the center spot, and they have JaVale McGee for the future, who can also play the power forward spot. Jamison and Butler are likely going to be with the Wizards for a little while and Arenas is locked into a long term deal. Clearly the spot to address is the shooting guard spot, and it's either Harden or DeRozan here. Drafting another combo guard will not work well with Arenas. Harden, with his all-around game is the guy to go to here. He doesn't have to be scoring to be effective, and that does work well with Arenas.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves - DeMar DeRozan 6'7" 210 lbs. Guard/Forward

The Timberwolves do have serviceable players at the wing spots, but they can do a lot better. DeRozan has the ability to be that man to make them a lot better.

7. Golden State Warriors - Brandon Jennings 6'1" 170 lbs. Guard

Jennings is a guard who can compliment Monta Ellis very well in the backcourt. He can throw some amazing passes to just about any player. While his game is raw, the Warriors are not going to need him to come in right away and play great, although he should be able to at least be serviceable in his first year.

8. New York Knicks - Stephen Curry 6'3" 180 lbs. Guard

Curry has supposedly been given a guarantee by the Knicks at this spot, so he gets it by that. However, he also has a game that fits in well with a D'Antoni system and could wind up being the Barbosa of D'Antoni's Knicks.

9. Toronto Raptors - Tyreke Evans 6'5" 220 lbs. Guard

With Calderon at the point the Raptors are just fine. However, at the next two spots up, the 2 and 3, the Raptors are in need of a good shooting guard and Evans has the potential to be a very good shooting guard.

10. Milwaukee Bucks - Jonny Flynn 6' 200 lbs. Guard

Flynn is not only a good distributor, scorer, and very quick. It also turns out that at the combine he unveiled a 40" vertical leap, something that really puts him at a higher level of athleticism than most basketball fans realized. The Bucks have Luke Ridnour and Ramon Sessions as their point guards. Ridnour can't defend while Sessions is horribly inconsistent. Flynn reminds many scouts of a Damon Stoudamire type, only taller.

11. New Jersey Nets - Chase Budinger 6'7" 210 lbs. Guard/Forward

Ever since the Jefferson trade (okay, it's only been a year) the Nets have not had much to write home about at the small forward position. Budinger can change that. While he's not the slashing type of small forward, he doesn't need to be with someone like Devin Harris out there who can slash and penetrate as well as he can. Budinger will be a great option for Harris to kick it out to on the perimeter, as Budinger is lights out with any open jump shot.

12. Charlotte Bobcats - DeJuan Blair 6'6" 277 lbs. Forward

While Blair will never be a guy to put up a whole lot of numbers outside of his rebounding, and once a shot's being taken he won't be able to do much on defense, he's still a guy who can body up down low and prevent other team's players from getting too close to the basket. This really compliments Emeka Okafor down there. While he isn't the best player for the Bobcats to pick at this point, he has enough hype around him that this is likely as far as he will fall.

13. Indiana Pacers - Eric Maynor 6'3" 165 lbs. Guard

Maynor really brings a complete package as a point guard. He's a solid defender with good speed and solid athletic abilities. He's a solid scorer and a very good passer. The Pacers could use at least a backup point guard, and Maynor is an ideal guy for the job.

14. Phoenix Suns - Jeff Teague 6'2" 175 lbs. Guard

Nash is starting to be able to play less and less as he gets older and older. He likely doesn't have a whole lot of time left in his career, and possibly not much left with the Suns either. At this point the Suns have Goran Dragic ready to take over for him, and that's not good for them. Jeff Teague will likely be a better point guard, and at this point he has the best chance of any point guards left in the draft to be a good starter.

15. Detroit Pistons - Terrence Williams 6'6" 215 lbs. Guard/Forward

This would be a great choice for the Pistons. Not only brings great athletic ability and a great all around game, but he also brings a good level of toughness, which is something that the Pistons seemed to be missing last season. That's what the Pistons have always thrived on when they've been good, and that's what Williams can bring back to them.

16. Chicago Bulls - BJ Mullens 7'1" 260 lbs. Center

The Bulls still could use that very good center. Right now they have Brad Miller, who is as fundamental as a big man comes, but he is older and slower than almost every other center in the league. However, if they draft Mullens they will be able to put him deep enough on the bench where he won't have to be depended on, but not so deep that he can't get some playing time. He'll also have Brad Miller to help mentor him, which is a nice added bonus for a project.

17. Philadelphia 76ers - Ty Lawson 6' 200 lbs. Guard

The Sixers are in danger of losing their starting point guard in Andre Miller and could really use at least someone who can come in and backup whoever it is that they use to take Miller's spot. Even if Miller does stay with them for a few more years, he's getting older and is relying more on his veteran intelligence than anything else right now. Lawson is pretty ready to come right in to the NBA right now though.

18. Chicago Bulls (from Minnesota) - Tyler Hansbrough 6'10" 235 lbs. Forward

Hansbrough suddenly opened a lot of eyes out there just by getting measured at the draft combine last week. He went from a great college player who was supposedly too small to make it in the NBA to a legitimate power forward prospect. However, prospect isn't even a great word to use for him. Hansbrough is a very NBA ready player, and one that can really be effective. He's got a solid jump shot, he's strong, he plays hard, and he'll also aggravate players on other teams with his physical and energetic style of play. He won't move up too far, but considering he was predicted by some to fall to the second round before this, he's already moved up an awful lot.

19. Atlanta Hawks - Jrue Holiday 6'4" 200 lbs. Guard

Holiday is fairly mysterious. It's not that he's shying away from workouts or anything like that, but more that everyone feels like he's going to be this very good player, but he really hasn't done anything to show it yet. However, for the Hawks it would be a great idea to take a shot at a player with this much upside at this point in the draft.

20. Utah Jazz - James Johnson 6'8" 255 lbs. Forward

Johnson is considered by most to be a small forward, but he has the overall size to also play power forward. If the Jazz lose Carlos Boozer this offseason it would be very valuable to have someone with his size to be able to step in and back Millsap up from time to time, but he also can spend plenty of time playing small forward, giving the Jazz a versatile and physical option off the bench.

21. New Orleans Hornets - Gerald Henderson 6'5" 215 lbs. Guard

Henderson would be a great compliment to Peja at the wing spot. Paul penetrates and either kicks it out to Peja for the open jumper or to Henderson who's able to get to the hoop before the defense has time to recover. Henderson is a very good all-around shooting guard and would work out very well with the Hornets. It's tough to see Henderson falling this far, but it very well could wind up happening, and the Hornets will be right on top of that.

22. Dallas Mavericks - Wayne Ellington 6'5" 200 lbs. Guard

Ellington is a sharp shooter in every sense of the word. While Dallas does have Dirk who can already shoot from the outside, Ellington isn't someone who's going to be called on in the post too much who can really hang out more at the perimeter. Dallas could use another point guard, but there really isn't anyone worth stretching for at this point.

23. Sacramento Kings - Earl Clark 6'10" 225 lbs. Forward

Despite his height, Clark is better suited to be a small forward. The player he would best compliment on the team though would be Ricky Rubio. He has that versatile game that will help Rubio out no matter who else is out there, he'll always have Clark there who can score in any way possible. Clark also has some good passing skills, and while not a point forward, he can help to facilitate the offense, creating some nice versatility and bringing the Kings back to what made them so good at the beginning of the decade, being a team with great ball movement.

24. Portland Trailblazers - Toney Douglas 6'2" 185 lbs. Guard

At this point do the Blazers go for that one player to put them over to the next level as a team, or do they just go ahead and draft a project who can put them over later? The answer is simple. You're not going to find that player at this point who can put you over the top without just getting lucky. Therefore you go for a bit of a project, especially since it looks like Oden's going to need another year or two before he's ready to be that big man that will be the anchor of a championship team. Toney Douglas is a guy who can run the point, but can also shoot very well, almost like the point guards that the Bulls had during their first championship run, which will compliment someone like Roy, who can run the offense, very well. His passing and ball handling are very underrated by most at this point.

25. Oklahoma City Thunder - Omri Casspi 6'8" 210 lbs. Forward

He'll be a bit of a project, but he does have the ability to come in and give quality minutes right away. Casspi helped his cause out at the combine and should be a nice pickup for whoever drafts him.

26. Chicago Bulls - Darren Collison 6'1" 165 lbs. Guard

Collison would be to the Bulls much like Chris Duhon was to them in 2004. He's a point guard who put in a good four years in college and is very NBA ready. He won't develop into any sort of superstar point guard, but he's a good defender who is solid at running an offense. With Kirk Hinrich gone at this point (assuming the Minnesota trade goes through) the Bulls will need a solid backup for Derrick Rose.

27. Memphis Grizzlies - Patrick Mills 6' 175 lbs. Guard

Mills would almost be the type of person that the Grizzlies would bring in to replace Navarro or Lowry. He's a small scoring point guard. Mills actually does have the ability to run an offense, but he's so quick and can penetrate so easily that he'll be a great fit as more of a scoring backup point guard.

28. Minnesota Timberwolves - Damion James 6'7" 225 lbs. Forward

The Wolves would likely go for a point guard at this spot, but all of the point guards worth looking at by this point have been taken. However, now with Kirk Hinrich and Sebastian Telfair backing him up, the Wolves should be pretty solid at that spot. This means that they'll go for more help at the wing spot, and James is a great guy to go for. James is an excellent defender with decent offensive ability.

29. Los Angeles Lakers - Taj Gibson 6'10" 215 lbs. Forward

Gibson won't give the Lakers anything outstanding, but he'll give them a little bit of added defense down low, and of course the Lakers like to pick guys who play in their general area (see Jordan Farmar), so it's not unlikely that they'll grab Gibson with this pick.

30. Cleveland Cavaliers - Tyler Smith 6'6" 210 lbs. Guard/Forward

He's got good size and abilities to play either the 2 or the 3, but what really puts him above other players at this spot is his ability to pass the ball. While he won't be starting any time soon, he'll be an excellent player and possibly even a facilitator off the bench.



Keep in mind that what seems like it will happen takes priority over what will happen at this point, but there's still not a whole lot out there as far as to tip anyone off as to what will happen. When there has been that, it's been included.

NBA Finals Preview

The 2009 NBA Finals are now set. It's the Orlando Magic against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Orlando Magic were able to make it into the finals mostly be creating horrible matchup problems with the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers only had two guys big enough who could actually step out and defend one of their 6'10" three point shooters, and those were LeBron James and Joe Smith. Smith did not get a lot of playing time and James was only one man. With the Lakers it looks like it could be a similar number, only that this time you have two guys who are on the floor an awful lot in Pau Gasol and Trevor Ariza. The Magic still present a matchup problem for the Lakers, but the problem is not nearly as bad as it was for Cleveland.

There will be two major x-factors for the finals this season. The first is their three point shooting for the Magic. When they're making their three point shots, they generally win their games. When they aren't hitting them, they don't usually win their games. The next x-factor for this series is, of all people, Andrew Bynum. The young center is going to have a lot on his plate going up against Dwight Howard. If he gets into foul trouble early on in games, then it could be curtains for the Lakers. The Lakers without Bynum were as soft as they came last year in the finals against Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Garnett. Nothing against Garnett, but it's more the versatility of his offense that makes him a threat. Now it's Dwight Howard down there, and if the Lakers put the same two guys up against him as they did last year to Perkins and Garnett, then the Lakers could seriously be in trouble. If the Magic are not hitting their three point shots, this is one thing that could keep them alive, as they could put Marcin Gortat on the floor with Howard, which has been proven to be a strong duo when they're looking to gain an advantage down low. Gasol and Odom will be way too soft to stop them.

Another major issue in this series, but not necessarily an x-factor is going to be Kobe Bryant. Last year in the finals Kobe did not have his best series. He had a couple of good games, but as a whole did not shoot the ball well and did not involve his teammates like he really could have. If the Lakers are going to win this series, then Kobe is going to have to step his game up a notch from last year. There is no doubt that Kobe has the ability to do it, and all things point at him being able to do it, but it actually being done is the important thing.

This is a very difficult series to predict. The Magic do present a lot of problems for the Lakers as far as matchups go, and if one x-factor isn't working, they at least can have another x-factor go their way and can still manage to have an advantage. However, there is a good chance that neither x-factor can go their way, and in that case they are in serious trouble. The Lakers are in the finals for a very good reason. They didn't steamroll over the west like predicted, but they were the best team in the west, easily. The Magic, on the other hand were arguably the best team in the east, but you could just as easily say that they made it to the finals based on matchup problems. However, these matchup problems still exist for the Lakers, so it isn't this is going to be a completely different beast for them.

The final prediction here is the Lakers in 7, although with all the different factors for each of these teams, it could be the Magic in 5 or the Lakers even in 4, it's just too hard to say for sure, but the advantage here is going to go to the Lakers.

(note, I hope I'm wrong)

Draft Order Decided, Early Lottery Mock

With the NBA Draft Lottery taking place earlier tonight, this is the time to go ahead and put forth a mock of the lottery. This isn't as much of what the teams will actually do, as there are a lot of workouts that have to happen still, but it's what really makes the most sense for the teams in the lottery.

1. LA Clippers - Blake Griffin 6'10" 252 lbs. PF

Yes the Clippers do have Zach Randolph, but he has never translated into team success. In fact, teams have regularly been very poor when he has played for them. The reason for this is not only that he doesn't play defense, but that the man is a black hole on offense, and his percentages really are not even good enough for him to be that. Blake Griffin, on the other hand is a power forward with better height and athleticism than Randolph, but one that while not a great defender yet, at least plays with effort on the defensive end and has the athletic ability and strength to become a very good defender. Everyone knows what Griffin can do on the offensive end, although he really can do even more. Too many people underrate his jump shot, which out to about fifteen feet is nearly automatic. Griffin won't be a superstar right away, but he's going to be good off the bat, and the guy just has too strong of a work ethic, is too strong, is too athletic, and is too smart to not turn into a very good power forward in the future.

2. Memphis Grizzlies - Ricky Rubio 6'3" 180 lbs. PG

Rubio is the clear cut second best player in this year's draft. A future stud point guard, Rubio has all the skills to really help make everyone on a team better, and he's only eighteen years old. Memphis does have Mike Conley already, but so far he has not panned out as hoped, although he still has plenty of time. However, they should go ahead and maybe package Conley out of town and try to get a decent power forward in return and then just go ahead and draft Rubio here, he's too far ahead of those behind him to pass up on, much like Blake Griffin at the one spot.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder - James Harden 6'5" 220 lbs. SG

This is where things start to get blurry and teams should start to draft based on team needs. The Thunder have two areas where they could improve. At shooting guard and at center. While Russell Westbrook does play more like a shooting guard than a point guard, he does have the skill to develop his game into more of a point guard style and let someone like Harden come in and take over at the two. Thabeet isn't anything more than a shot blocker right now, and the Thunder really have a chance to make some noise if they can get someone who can contribute more now rather than later, and Harden is very clearly NBA ready enough to come in and make a difference right away.

4. Sacramento Kings - Hasheem Thabeet 7'3" 265 lbs. C

They already have Spencer Hawes at center, but Thabeet is something different. Thabeet is that huge presence down low where Hawes is more of a high post center. This gives the Kings a versatile punch at the center spot and can also give them a nice rotation of big men with Jason Thompson as well. There is still some distance for Thabeet to go, as he will be a project, but he's also good enough that he'll be able to come in and at least provide some help almost right away.

5. Washington Wizards - Jordan Hill 6'10" 235 lbs. PF

Antawn Jamison is getting old, no one will deny that. Hill is going to be a bit of a project, little doubt about that. However, within a couple of years Hill will be ready to really compete at the NBA level while Jamison will be well into his decline. This just works too well for the Wizards in the future. Should be an interesting front line for the Wizards in the future with Hill and McGee as their four and five.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves - Brandon Jennings 6'1" 170 lbs. PG

Minnesota has several needs, but point guard is one of the biggest ones. Sebastian Telfair isn't a bad point guard, but you can really improve on him as far as starting goes. While Jennings still does have to prove himself, he's a guy who could potentially be a very good point guard. Recent reports say that he's improved his passing by leaps and bounds and really almost looks like a pass first point guard in Europe, which with the bigs that Minnesota has, is exactly what they need.

7. Golden State Warriors - DeMar DeRozan 6'6" 210 lbs. SG

At this point you don't pass up on a guy like DeRozan. Sure, there's some questions to him, but the guy has the through the roof potential and just overall skill to really become a star in the league. In Golden State he might wind up as more of a small forward type, but he'd fit in great with Golden State's uptempo style of play.

8. New York Knicks - Stephen Curry 6'1" 180 lbs. PG/SG

This is one where what teams are saying comes into play. Rumor has it that the Knicks have already guaranteed that if he's there, they'll draft him. Curry fits in well with the D'Antoni fast paced offensive style though. He's a great shooter who was only quieted in college when there were at least 3 people guarding him. In New York he has a chance to really put up some fast points.

9. Toronto Raptors - Wayne Ellington 6'5" 194 lbs. SG

Ellington has a great jump shot and is solid everywhere else. In Toronto he should fit in very well with the current roster and fit in well with the style of play as well.

10. Milwaukee Bucks - Jonny Flynn 6' 185 lbs. PG

The Bucks do have Ridnour and Sessions, but Ridnour doesn't play defense and Sessions is very inconsistent. They can likely trade away Sessions for something helpful elsewhere and use Flynn eventually as their starter. Ridnour makes a good backup, but also can step in for the time being until Flynn is ready. Flynn is a point guard who can come in and score, or he can distribute. On offense he's just tough to stop. On defense he is fairly undersized, but he's also pretty strong and can use that strength to his advantage.

11. New Jersey Nets - Earl Clark 6'10" 230 lbs. SF/PF

The Nets look pretty weak at small forward, which is the position that Clark is best suited to play. He's tall for a small forward, but he has the skillset for that position. He'll not only eventually be able to be a good small forward, but also create matchup problems for other teams.

12. Charlotte Bobcats - Gerald Henderson 6'4" 210 lbs. SG

Henderson will give the Bobcats a good option off the bench at the two. He's very athletic and pretty solid all over the board.

13. Indiana Pacers - Chase Budinger 6'7" 218 lbs. SG/SF

Budinger can give the Pacers a wing off the bench who can shoot the lights out and dazzle the fans with his athletic abilities. He doesn't dribble well or move very fast, but he has room to improve, and again, he can really shoot the lights out.

14. Phoenix Suns - Eric Maynor 6'3" 180 lbs. PG

This is a tough pick between Lawson and Maynor. While Lawson looks like he'll be a solid point guard who can wind up being a solid starter, Maynor is a bit more of a risk, but with a higher reward, as some scouts see him turning into a real star. It's no secret that with Nash showing his age more and more every year, the Suns are hoping to find someone to replace him in the future. They took a bit of a risk on Dragic last year, and while Dragic didn't have the best season, he did do some things rather well. However, just in case he doesn't work out, it's good to have someone else there, and if both of them look good, then it never hurts to be able to trade away a good point guard.



It's more than likely that this board will change by the next mock draft once we get closer to the actual draft. There will be an extra mock added to the usual 3 done, in fact there will probably be a lot of mocks posted before the draft or just changing positions.

Looking at the Prospects for Next Year

Now that March Madness is quickly approaching it's time to take a look at some of the top players expected to be drafted and really start to throw out opinions about them.

This is going to be organized into three groups. The first one is big men, as we will have mainly centers and power forwards here. Some combo forwards would also fit into here as well. Next up is wing players, mainly the small forwards and shooting guards, and combo forwards who fit in here. Lastly we have the little men, the point guards and small combo guards. So here's the top ten from each of those groups as they'll be ranked here:

Big Men

1. Blake Griffin
2. Hasheem Thabeet
3. Jordan Hill
4. BJ Mullens
5. Greg Monroe
6. DeJuan Blair
7. Craig Brackins
8. Tyler Hansbrough
9. Patrick Patterson
10. Jeff Pendergraph

Wings

1. James Harden
2. Earl Clark
3. Al-Farouq Aminu
4. Chase Budinger
5. Demar DeRozan
6. Gerald Henderson
7. DaJuan Summers
8. Damion James
9. Sam Young
10. Terrance Williams

Little Men

1. Ricky Rubio
2. Jeff Teague
3. Brandon Jennings
4. Eric Maynor
5. Stephen Curry
6. Jonny Flynn
7. Patrick Mills
8. Willie Warren
9. Ty Lawson
10. Darren Collison

Now, for the long part, let's take a look at each of those players and see who's really the best for the NBA game.

Blake Griffin has put together one of the best sophomore seasons that I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing. He's both scoring and rebounding in huge numbers. However, can his game translate to the NBA? It's an easy yes. Not only is Griffin a very good scorer and rebounder, but he plays with a lot of energy, he's very athletic, and most importantly, he's a very smart player. There is nothing that he's bad at on the floor. The only things that are worries are his body control and his health. While he did miss time after the concussion, the health seems to no longer really be an issue, and his body control has improved greatly since his freshman year. Griffin is the first pick for almost any team in this draft and will be a future star.

Hasheem Thabeet has been watched for quite some time now. He came into UConn as a 7'3" project, and now after his third year he's really improved his game and has become a much more refined player. No, he isn't perfect yet, but on defense he is an absolute monster. When he's by the paint, no one dares try to enter. His timing on his shot blocking is very good, he's fairly athletic, and he's improved his quickness an awful lot since his freshman year. On offense he's still not someone who will demand much attention. Occasionally he could put the ball in the hoop, but he's nothing more than that. For an early lottery team lacking size down low he is a good pick.

Jordan Hill is compared by many to Chris Bosh, and as far as style, skillset, and appearance go, they're pretty right on with him. He's an offensive minded power forward with a decent post game and very good jump shot who is soft on defense. It's doubtful he'll be a player of the same calibur as Bosh, but he does look like he can still be a very good player. His defense is actually not terrible despite being soft. He is an early lottery pick for sure for any team who needs a good power forward.

BJ Mullens came into college with a world of hype around him, and like the past two seasons when centers came to Ohio State with a lot of hype around them, he has been terribly underused and likely has had a lot of his value killed because of that. However, this is a kid that could really become a very good big man. He's got great size, good post skills, and a nice jumper out to about fifteen feet. While he will obviously be a bit of a project, as all NBA big men tend to be, he will still be a good player right away.

Greg Monroe is kind of a combo big man. He could be either a center or a power forward at the NBA level. He's an athletic big man with a nice versatile offensive game. His strength and post skills could really use some work right now, and it really wouldn't hurt him to go back into college for another season to refine his game, which very well may happen. If he goes into the draft right now he's a late lottery pick.

Here's the toughest guy to analyze. There's a number of undersized big men who've been in the league in recent years. From guys like Anthony Mason, Charles Barkley, Jason Maxiell, Elton Brand, and Paul Millsap to guys like Danny Fortson, Mike Sweetney, and Lonny Baxter. There's been a lot of them and with mixed results. Blair is extra small though. At 6'6" he's as tall as a shooting guard or small forward, but he's got the extra girth at 287 lbs. He's only somewhat athletic, but he has a long wingspan. He puts up monster numbers in college, but that's not the pro's where he'll be even more undersized. Look for him to be a middle first round pick, as there is risk involved with drafting him.

Craig Brackins is more of a combo forward, but he's a bigger one who'll work out well as a power forward. His biggest downside is his strength and defense, but he has a versatile offensive game that features a very good jump shot. He could very well wind up in the lottery as it's really tough to say where he'll be picked.

Tyler Hansbrough is another big man with a game that's been great in college, but there's question as to how his game can translate to the NBA. The things that he has are his insane motor, he's got solid post skills, a solid jump shot, and he's got good strength. His downsides are his height, defense, and body control. His height really isn't all that small for a power forward, but he's slightly undersized. He'll likely fall to near the end of the first round though.

Jeff Pendergraph likely will not be picked until the second round, but he has a chance to be a real sleeper. He's got solid size for a power forward and solid fundamentals. He has what it takes to be a good player at the NBA level.

James Harden went from a very good college player last year to one of the top in the country. He does almost everything well. Kind of has scouting reports that remind me of Brandon Roy. Bottom line is that there is no way he isn't a top three pick without a GM getting fired.

Earl Clark is a big small forward with very good athleticism. He still needs to work on his jump shot, and is fairly raw as a whole, but he'll still be picked in the lottery.

Al-Farouq Aminu came into Wake Forest with a ton of hype around him. He's unbelievably raw, but also has a great amount of potential. Think of Luol Deng with more speed, which is where he will likely be when he's at his peak, which is actually something that seems pretty nice.

Chase Budinger is someone that no one seemed to see lasting three seasons in college. He's an unbelievably athletic wing who makes a big shooting guard and an average sized small forward. He's got a great jump shot, but can't really get to the basket due to his weak ball handling abilities. His defense is also very weak still. He should still be picked in the middle of the first round.

Demar DeRozan is another freshman that came in with a lot of hype around him, but he really hasn't been able to live up to the hype so far at USC. He's got all the physical tools to be a success, but he's very raw and is questionable if he's ready mentally. He really should stay in school for another year, but it's likely that he'll still go for the pros.

Gerald Henderson has gained great fame playing at Duke. He's a slightly undersized shooting guard. He does almost everything well and is very athletic. Look for him to be a lottery pick.

DaJuan Summers is yet another player that should probably stay in college for another year. He's played well at Georgetown and is yet another player that seems to be good at everything, but not great. He is still a little bit raw, which leads me to believe that he'll miss the lottery by a little bit if he enters the draft this season.

Damion James is a defensive small forward with a solid offensive game to compliment it. Very athletic and still a little bit raw, he could be a mid to late first round pick if he went into the draft this season.

Sam Young defines the Pittsburgh style of play. He's a shooting guard/small forward with a physical style of play. However, what he is now is likely what he'll be throughout his basketball career. He really doesn't seem to be a guy with a whole lot of potential. He's a late first round pick.

Terrence Williams rounds up the wing players. He's unbelievably athletic and very strong, but he has no jump shot at all. Late first round pick or early second round.

Ricky Rubio, if he does enter the draft this season (which he actually can do, as the rules for international players differ slightly to the rules for American players due to the schooling system), could possibly be a top 3 pick. He's got all the tools to make a great point guard and could wind up being a superstar in the NBA. He's easily a top of the lottery pick.

Jeff Teague has no defense and is clearly a project, but he's a point guard who could really be a star at the NBA level, loaded with potential. Possibly a top five pick, but not much below that.

Brandon Jennings has been able to get himself into the news throughout the last year. Instead of playing in college he went to Europe so he could get money to play basketball. Right there you have to question the kid's attitude. However, in Europe he hasn't had the best of times. Occasionally showing signs of greatness, he hasn't shown to be a very good shooter and more of a playground style of point guard. He'll still be an early to middle lottery pick.

Eric Maynor is solid all around. He's a late lottery pick who'll likely make a solid starting point guard or a good backup point guard, possibly even better.

Stephen Curry is by no means an NBA point guard. He's an undersized shooting guard, and while his numbers have fallen since the start of the season, the guy's getting triple teamed regularly, it's tough to score when you have that going on. The kid's an excellent shooter and should make a good scoring option off the bench, a microwave scorer type of guy. A middle first round pick.

Jonny Flynn hasn't got the press of many of the other guys, but this guy really can play and will be an excellent point guard at the NBA level. He'll likely be picked in the mid to late 20's, but should start off as a great backup point guard and eventually be running his own team.

Patrick Mills first really turned heads in the Olympics last season when he torched the American team. That right there showed that he can play at the professional level, but it's how well he can play and his small size that'll hurt him. At very least he's a very good backup point guard.

Willie Warren is a very good point guard at the college level and should be able to still be very good in the NBA. He could be as high as a middle first round pick.

Ty Lawson will likely move up in the draft based on his name and being able to play at North Carolina. However, he likely won't ever be much more than a good backup point guard, which is nice, but not great. Likely he'll be a late first round pick.

Darren Collison is the last guy I'll cover. He could've gone in last year and likely would've been a higher pick, but he'll still be drafted in the first round and will be a good backup point guard.



Okay, so now that we've got all that covered, it's time for the tournament to come and completely change everything around. When that happens, that will be covered as well.

Trade Reviews

Another trade deadline has come and gone. There were a few big moves and a bunch of small moves. Here's my analysis on the trades that went down.



Rafer Alston to Orlando
Kyle Lowry and Brian Cook to Houston
Adonal Foyle, Mike Wilks, a first round pick (Orlando), and cash to Memphis

Lots seemed to go on at first with this trade, but really, the biggest thing was that Orlando got Rafer Alston. I like this trade for Orlando. They didn't give up a whole lot, but they got a guy that'll be a great guy to come in and take over for the injured Jameer Nelson. Obviously they didn't want to have to be in a position to have to make this trade, but since Nelson got hurt, it's a good trade to make with the given situation. Alston is a guy that can really help Orlando right now.

Houston seems to come in second in this trade. Kyle Lowry is a very streaky and undersized shooting guard, but when he's on he can put up points very quickly. However, I do wonder how he'll fit in with a backcourt that already has Aaron Brooks, although Brooks is a little closer to being a true point guard. It still doesn't really seem to be a move that will work into the long term plans of the Rockets.

Memphis seemed to just be looking to pick up guys to dump here. They obviously were not aggressively going after Adonal Foyle or Mike Wilks here. I think all they really were looking for is the draft pick, which should be in the mid to late 20's for them. There's always a chance at picking up something good at that point, but it's not very likely.



Thabo Sefolosha to Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City's worst first round pick to Chicago

Sefolosha wasn't going to get the chance he really deserved with the Bulls. If he continued to play for the Bulls he wasn't going to be going anywhere. Going to Oklahoma City gives him a chance to play in a new system and with a new surrounding. He's got the skill to flourish in the right environment, and this could possibly be it. He's an outstanding defender who just needs to put his offensive game together, and who knows, this could be the place for it. As for the Bulls, they're getting a trade probably in the middle 20's, and like I said before, there's always the chance that you could get something good here, although it's not very likely. Still, I'd say it's worth the shot for the Bulls considering where Sefolosha was going with them. I hate to see him go, because I really liked him, but it was the right move to make and a fair trade.



Patrick O'Bryant to Toronto
Will Solomon and cash to Sacramento
Conditional second round pick to Boston

Patrick O'Bryant went into the 2006 draft as a project that had the potential to have a high payoff. Well, it's been a few years now and we're still waiting for that payoff. Then again, there's been players who've become stars who have taken longer, so I don't see this as Patrick O'Bryant being traded as a total lost cause. If he gets enough minutes he could wind up playing very well in Toronto.

Will Solomon really just isn't that good of a player. He can put up good numbers from time to time, but he's also a guy who will mess a lot of things up. I don't know if he's going to Sacramento to actually play or just to free up another $700,000 for them in the offseason (although they didn't give up anything outside of a pick for him, although they're getting cash for him). I don't see this move being much of anything for Sacramento.

Then again, I don't see it being much for Boston either. I don't know what the conditions are on the second round pick, but usually when you see that conditional word there it means that the team trading for it only did it so that something was there. Boston likely won't ever see that pick. In other words, they gave up a seldom used center and really didn't get anything back, so I don't see this trade as really doing anything for or against Boston.



Malik Rose to Oklahoma City
Chris Wilcox to New York

I honestly don't understand this trade. They're both similar sized expiring contracts, so it's not like it's a money move for either team, and Chris Wilcox is clearly a better player than Malik Rose. Wilcox isn't any sort of superstar, but the guy can give you 8 and 8 on any given night, which is pretty solid. When he was given good minutes he was even better. I think this might wind up coming back to New York doing something nice for Oklahoma City later on.



Jerome James, Anthony Roberson, and Tim Thomas to Chicago
Larry Hughes to New York

While there's a chance that Larry Hughes will go to New York and put up some solid numbers, especially in D'Antoni's system, the bottom line is that he still probably won't help the team. Hughes has a history of padding his own stats at the cost of his team, and I don't know if that will ever change. He mainly brings them a contract that expires by the 2010 offseason.

However, New York already had that in Jerome James and Tim Thomas. Not only that, but most of James' contract is going to be paid for by the insurance that was bought on it. That means that the Bulls have the same amount of money coming off the books by 2010, but it's split into two contracts, making it easier to move if they decide to try to get rid of it earlier, and they don't even have to pay the whole amount. On top of that the Bulls get someone in Tim Thomas who can help their team out. Last time Thomas was on the Bulls it wound up being a disaster, but things are different now. The Bulls are now coached by someone that Thomas really does respect and has a past working relationship with. He can spread the floor and create matchup problems, which is enough to help the Bulls out right there. Throw in that he'll likely average at least 8 and 4, and this move continues to look better and better for the Bulls. I have no clue as to who Anthony Roberson is, but looking at his stats, he looks like he was just a throw-in for this deal. Still, the Bulls look like they win this one, especially since they were actually able to convince someone to take Hughes off their hands. I give it 2 months before New York realizes their mistake.



Rashad McCants and Calvin Booth to Sacramento
Shelden Williams and Bobby Brown to Minnesota

Well, Sacramento becomes the best team in the league by picking up Calvin Booth here, easily the greatest big man the NBA has ever seen. Brad who? I think the Kings have already forgot about that guy.

In all seriousness though, I actually like this move for both teams. McCants has an expiring contract, and I think Booth has an eternal expiring contract, so it frees up some money for the Kings. That's what the Kings have been looking to do throughout this trade season, and they've done well at it. This also gave them the chance to release Quincy Douby, who has not been what the Kings have hoped he would be, and they get back a better version in McCants.

For the Kings, they get a backup power forward and another big man in Shelden Williams, which given the Al Jefferson injury, could help Minnesota out. Williams hasn't really shown to be the best of players since getting drafted, but given his defensive skill in college, it's hard to count him out still. He'll likely never be much on offense, but I can see him at least adding some defensive toughness down low for Minnesota. I'm also a bit more of a Bobby Brown fan than I should be. He'll likely ride at the end of the bench, but he can come in and score in bunches from time to time.



Chris Mihm to Memphis
Conditional 2013 second round pick to Los Angeles

This is pretty much a little for nothing trade. Chris Mihm isn't much, but he can at least do a little bit out there. Once a highly touted prospect, he was drafted in 2000, and we all know that not a whole lot of good came out of that draft. The conditional second round pick I'm thinking is conditional upon the Lakers actually remembering that they have it. 2013? What the hell is going on here? Something tells me this was just the Lakers dumping off Mihm on the Grizzlies, maybe some extra thanks for that Gasol trade.



Andres Nocioni, Drew Gooden, Michael Ruffin, and Cedric Simmons to Sacramento
Brad Miller and John Salmons to Chicago

This was the big trade of the day on Wednesday and actually made my day. The Bulls were able to free up some roster space with this trade and so much more.

The big thing the Bulls did with this trade is pick up a legitimate center in Brad Miller. Sure, his numbers are down from past years, but the guy still has the ability to demand respect as a guy who can score in the post or step out and shoot from 15-17 feet out. On top of that, he's one of the best passing big men in the league still today, and that can be a huge help for any team. John Salmons, the other main piece the Bulls picked up, is an improvement over Nocioni, and he'll also make it easier to watch Gordon walk during this offseason if the Bulls decide to do that. He can do anything Gordon can do, but better, and more. He plays better defense and shoots for higher percentages. He'll also turn the ball over less and demand to hold it less.

The best actual player the Kings picked up here is Andres Nocioni, who really brings so much more than just the statistics show. He's one of the toughest men in the entire league, he gets into the head of players on other teams, and he hustles like no one else. He can get a bit wild and out of control at times, but the bottom line is that he brings a work ethic and heart to any team he plays for that far outshines his statistics, which are not terrible in the first place. Drew Gooden is a good player as well, but is a mediocre defender and is coming off of an injury. He's a fairly classic power forward, but just takes too many jumpers. Simmons is still a long away from being a productive player, but he does know how to finish strong. As for Ruffin, I'll get to him in just a second....



Michael Ruffin to Portland
Ike Diogu to Sacramento

Another move to clear out more money. I don't see either player giving a lot, if anything to their team on the floor. At one point I did see Diogu as a legitimate prospect, but I hadn't even heard his name in over a year before this trade went down.


Okay, from here on out I'm going to pass on conditional second round pick trades, so yeah, Cassell was traded to Sacramento (and I believe released) and Alex Acker was traded to the Clippers.



Adam Morrison and Shannon Brown to the Lakers
Vladimir Radmanovic to the Bobcats

As far as player quality goes, Charlotte gets the slight edge here, but it's really not a whole lot. Radmanovic can be helpful when his shot is falling, but if it isn't he's really not a whole lot to write home about.

On the other hand, Adam Morrison is probably the most interesting piece to this trade. The guy has been nothing short of disappointing throughout his NBA career after putting up very impressive scoring numbers in college and playing with more heart that any college player we've seen in quite some time. However, it's hard to build that heart up again when you're playing against players at such a high level. Morrison didn't dominate when he came in to the NBA, and there's still a chance that he could find his groove like he did in college, but I wouldn't bet on it. As for Shannon Brown, he can be nice in spurts, but he's more of a throw in.



Alright, that's about as far back as I'll go with the trades possibly related to the trade deadline. Considering that last trade was 12 days before the deadline, I'm thinking even that is pushing it right there.

So really, who is the winner of this trade deadline? Well, ESPN is reporting it's Chicago, and yeah, I'm a bit biased, so I'll pick the Bulls as well. They were able to get a legitimate center for the first time in a long time, then they were also able to add some nice intangibles, and a big shooting guard who can actually play. On top of that, they solved their biggest problem, and that's how to remove a cancer without hurting themselves, getting rid of Larry Hughes and his huge almost unmovable contract. On top of that, they cleared stuff out a bit in the backcourt/wing by trading Sefolosha away for a late first round pick.

Halfway Through, Team Grades!

Alright, we're at the halfway point of the season for most teams, or just about there, so I figured I'd take this time to give out grades to all the teams out there.

These grades are not necessarily based on the team's record or standing in relation to the rest of the league, but more based on the expectations that many fans and analysts had for the teams. In other words, it's where the team is based on where they should be (okay, so my expectations will have the largest influence).


Atlanta Hawks: B+

No one expected them to get out to such a quick start. They came right out of the gates going full force and took every team they played by storm. How Joe Johnson can be so far down on the all-star voting, I don't know, but then again, all-star voting has been known to be a joke for quite some time now. I expected the Hawks to be a little bit above a .500 team, and I think most people had them right around that mark as well. Since the quick start that's been about where they've been, but with that quick start they get their marks up quite a bit.

Boston Celtics: B-

They're the fourth best team in the league right now, but they were expected to be a top two team. However, with that run they went on earlier this year they really were going to be hard to knock down. The stretch after that run knocked them down quite a bit, but they seem to have broken away from that tough stretch and have won their last three again. While they're not doing as well as expected in relation to the rest of the league, they're still putting up a record about what you'd expect from an elite team.

Charlotte Bobcats: C-

I expected this team to at least be at a level of mediocrity at this point. They still have themselves down there among the poor teams in the league though. The Diaw/Bell for Richardson trade is one that I feel helped the team, and surely helped guys like Wallace and Okafor, but they still have a long way to go before they're the team that's winning at least 35-38 games like they should be.

Chicago Bulls: B-

No one expected Rose to be as good as he has been this year. That kid's been amazing, I don't care about the horrible ESPN Rookie Rankings that currently have him at #4, if you don't have him in your top 2 for this year, then you're completely nuts. However, the Bulls have been a different story. They got off to a solid start, dancing around .500 for a good portion of the first half of the season, but then they went on a rough run that knocked them down to 6 games below .500, which is clearly worse than expected. However, they've won their two games since then, a win on the road against Toronto and then a huge win at home against the team with the best record in the league at the time, the Cleveland Cavaliers. With Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng returning the team's looked completely different, and this boosts the grade from a C to a B- just since they look so much better than they did just a short time ago just from having a few players return from injuries.

Cleveland Cavaliers: A

I know that most of us had the Cavs pegged as one of the best teams in the east and many of us had them as the top team in the Central Division. However, who had them pegged as the team with the best record in the league? Who said they could win around 10 games by something like 12 points or more for each game? LeBron has cemented himself as the best player in the league right now, as great as Kobe is, not even he can carry a team anymore like LeBron can now, it's almost Jordanesque right now, it's scary, LeBron is almost too good right now and he's doing it by taking his game so much above the stats that he puts up, which are already as good as anyone's in the league. Mo Williams has also been a great addition to the team, Ilgauskas is still being productive, Varejao is as annoying to other teams as ever, and Ben Wallace is having his best year in his recent career.

Dallas Mavericks: C

This team has been pretty weak this year. They got off to a horrible start, and that's the main reason for their low grade, especially since they've played very well since then, but that slow start really knocked them down hard and may have knocked them out for the count. They're only a game out of the 8 spot, but they're behind teams like Phoenix, Utah, and Houston who will all be very difficult to knock out of the playoffs. I don't know if many people had them being past the 7th seed or so this year, but most people still had them in the playoffs.

Denver Nuggets: A+

This is a team that I had winning something around 30-33 games this season. They're 3-6 wins from that spot now (depending on which number of expected wins you go by) with 27 wins. The biggest thing they've done this year is make moves. They looked like a team that would be nothing but offense before this season started, so they made some moves, the biggest one being the trade for Chauncey Billups, which has given them the boost to move back into being one of the top teams in the west. In fact, they're the #2 team in the west right now. They're really playing great right now in a year where they were expected to be very mediocre if not poor.

Detroit Pistons: B-

The Iverson trade has really been confusing for me when it comes to how much it's helped the team. At times they look great with him out there and other times they look miserable. It all depends on when you ask as to the answer you will get when you ask what that trade has done to the team. However, Iverson trade or not, the Pistons have gone this year from being the elite team in the east for the last half decade to being just another team in the league. Sure, the emergence of teams like the Cavs, Hawks, and Magic has had a lot to do with that, but the Pistons are starting to show signs of wearing down. Luckily players like Rodney Stuckey have kept a positive future in tact for the Pistons.

Golden State Warriors: F+

This has been a disaster of a year for the Warriors. No one's happy being on the team, the players are getting fed up with the coach, and they really just simply look terrible. The trade for Crawford has only given them another wing who throws the ball up too much. Of course, before the season things were not looking good after Baron Davis signed with the Clippers, but the pickup of Corey Maggette was seen as something that could help the team out. Since then Maggette's become a complete ballhog, and Stephen Jackson really hasn't gotten any better, shooting the ball way too much still without a reasonable reward for it. The fact that they have young prospects like Brandan Wright and Anthony Randolph give the team some hope along with Andris Biedrins, but if the team doesn't show something soon, both of those guys will do whatever it takes to get out of there like the rest of the team seems to want to.

Houston Rockets: C

True, we all knew this would probably happen, but still, when all of your star players start going down with injury it still really hurts the team. From the start Shane Battier was out, possibly the best glue guy in the league today, then Artest has some injury problems, and of course T-Mac's back problems continue to hold him down. The Rockets have a team that could possibly contend for the Western Conference title, but with how things are going right now it's not looking likely.

Indiana Pacers: C-

No one expected the Pacers to be a whole lot, and likely not a playoff team, but I think a lot of people have at least expected the team to be mediocre. However, despite beating some top teams this year, the Pacers have done next to nothing this year. Mike Dunleavy being out for so much of the year hasn't helped things, but with a star player like Danny Granger on the team you'd expect this team to at least be contending for a playoff spot right now.

LA Clippers: D

I don't think anyone really knew what to expect from this team this year. Would their moves, mainly the one for Marcus Camby, make them into a playoff team or would they be just a solid western lottery team? The answer is neither. The Clippers now sit down at the bottom of the league, tied for the fewest number of wins in the league. Chris Kaman's injury has hurt them, but the team as a whole just looks really bad.

LA Lakers: A-

It depends on who you would ask at the start of the season. Some Lakers fans I know even had brought up the word undefeated (although following it up with "probably not, but still..."). The return of Andrew Bynum really had Lakers fans riled up, expecting him to be a 16 and 12 type of guy "at worst". There's no denying that Bynum has been a huge influence on the Lakers and has brought them up quite a bit, but 12.6 and 7.8 is far from the 16 and 12 that Lakers fans had predicted. The Lakers themselves are doing better than I expected. I figured they'd be a team that would win 55-58 games this season, but right now they're at a pace to win about 63. While this isn't all that much above expectations, they started the year with a run that brought up the '95-'96 Bulls to some Lakers fans. They've been strong every since and are the team to beat in the west.

Memphis Grizzlies: C

They ended last year with some things to be excited about, mainly the play of the young Rudy Gay, who was starting to look like he could be a future star. Since then they've added an excellent rookie center in Marc Gasol and a future star shooting guard in rookie OJ Mayo to really give the team a great base to build on. The problem? There just isn't much else. They traded away Mike Miller along with draft pick Kevin Love in order to get a hold of Mayo, and their point guard spot is being run by a couple of guys who really are not starting point guard material in the NBA with Kyle Lowry (who's more of a 2 guard in a point guard's body) and Mike Conley (who's going to be good, but still has to figure things out). I expected them to be a little better at this point, but I guess I couldn't have expected much more out of them.

Miami Heat: B

I may take some "heat" for this one, but really, with how Wade played in the Olympics, having him return healthy, could you have expected anything less than this? It's just a rational look at things for the Heat. Having a healthy Wade pretty much guarantees a team to be above .500, especially when you have guys like Udonis Haslem, Shawn Marion, and #2 overall pick (who could've gone #1) Michael Beasley on the team. I'll say that I had them at a straight .500, especially since I knew they wouldn't be trying their hardest to tank this year (dishonorable on their part last year), they've beaten those expectations by a little bit.

Milwaukee Bucks: B

I didn't really expect the Bucks to be a .500 team, but they've still beaten my expectations in a similar way to how the Heat have. The Bucks have a healthy Michael Redd now along with guys like Andrew Bogut, Luke Ridnour, and Ramon Sessions. I also thought rookie Joe Alexander would be able to come in right away and at least be a solid player, although he's wound up being more of a project than expected. However, rookie Luc Richard Mbah a Moute has come in an has been a very effective player. Right away he was putting up excellent stats, and although those have gone down since his hot start, he's still managed to play above his stats, playing some great defense.

Minnesota Timberwolves: C

Until a few weeks ago this was a D- team. However, since the coaching change they've been much better. I thought that Kevin Love would bring a little bit more to the table than he has so far, but it looks like he's finally starting to figure some things out, regularly putting up good rebounding numbers and starting to put up solid scoring numbers. He has a very high basketball IQ and will likely get better as the season goes on. Mike Miller hasn't been as good as he can be either. However, Randy Foye has really caught fire, and Sebastian Telfair is looking like he's got himself together finally this year as well. Al Jefferson, of course, has been playing like an all-star.

New Jersey Nets: A-

I had them pegged as a lower third of the league team, and I knew people who thought they'd be the worst team in the league. However, Vince Carter has regained a lot of his old form, Devin Harris has suddenly had a resurgence, and rookie Brook Lopez has been a very pleasant surprise (not only falling that far in the draft, but playing like a top 3 pick). The Nets may be slightly under .500 and not quite in the playoffs at the current time, but they're playing so much better than anyone expected.

New Orleans Hornets: C+

This was many people's pick for the best team in the west. Not most, but there were many out there. However, things just haven't worked out as expected. The Hornets are still a team who could walk out of this season as the top team in the west, but they're taking a much tougher path right now than most people expected.

New York Knicks: C+

Well, as bad as they are right now, nobody expected them to get off to the start that they got off to, especially after realizing that Gallinari probably wouldn't be playing much at all this year. Now we're wondering if he'll play much at all throughout his career. However, they've made some big moves to set themselves up for the future, only at the cost of the team quality for today.

Oklahoma City Thunder: C-

Before the last week or so it was a straight D or worse. No one expected the Thunder to be anything this year, but Kevin Durant has suddenly shown that he is ready to be an elite player in the league. On top of that, Jeff Green has been nothing short of a stud this year while Russell Westbrook has suddenly come in and been playing very well himself despite low shooting percentages from the field. They still only have 8 wins, but considering that they were looking to set a league record for futility in winning just a month ago, things are suddenly looking much better for the Thunder.

Orlando Magic: A

This team took the next step perfectly. They didn't make any huge moves during the offseason, but now they're among the best in the entire league. Dwight Howard has cemented himself as a top of the top type of player in the league while the rest of the team has complimented him perfectly. The Magic can be the most dominant team in the league on any given night. I knew they'd be good this year, but not this good.

Philadelphia 76ers: B-

Well, they've been on fire lately, so I brought them up from about a D+ to this point just for the last couple of weeks of play. Before this they were looking really bad. Everyone expected them to push for 50 wins, and they were one of the poorer teams in the league up until recently.

Phoenix Suns: C+

1 ball and a host of big scorers has created a bit of a problem for Steve Nash. He went from having a lot of guys who would be happy to score with what they have to a bunch of guys who expect to be the guys to get the shot. It started with the trade for Shaquille O'Neal last year, then this year it took a whole new life when they gave up Raja Bell and Boris Diaw for Jason Richardson. Throw Amare into the mix and they have a lot of guys who want a lot of touches. While things have not worked perfectly, they've worked about as well as could be expected and the Suns are still a tough team.

Portland Trailblazers: B

They've beaten expectations despite Greg Oden struggling for the most part during his rookie year. Oden's struggles are somewhat encouraging though. While he's not putting up the numbers anyone expected, a lot of it has to do with the fact that he's getting into foul trouble, picking up very ticky tack fouls. After this year I can guarantee these problems will start to fall quickly, as he'll have more respect from the officials, and with the rest of the team being as strong as they are, things are only looking up for the team. However, this is based on right now, and the Blazers are looking very good. Brandon Roy has been amazing for them, and the rest of the team has been fitting together perfectly for the most part.

Sacramento Kings: D+

It's strange, because even as I see what the team's doing I keep thinking that they're a better team than they've really been. Brad Miller is still a good center and Spencer Hawes is coming in as someone who will be a great replacement for him. Francisco Garcia has been doing excellent since coming back from injury, and Kevin Martin is back now as well. Since Martin's been back he's been playing well, but the Kings still haven't been winning. For a team that I expected to put up about 35 wins this year, they're playing well below expectations.

San Antonio Spurs: B

You expect at least 50 wins out of the Spurs every year. However, this is an odd numbered year, so you expect a little more out of them, as they're supposed to be the champions this year. However, things didn't start off so great for the Spurs, as they had some big injury problems to deal with. They managed to pull through, and since those problems have been as good as anyone in the league.

Toronto Raptors: D

This is a team that was starting to look like a team that you could rely on to be in the playoffs year in and year out for quite some time now. However, suddenly they're looking like a weak team. They are not above .500 at home or on the road. They've just looked very poor this year and it doesn't look to be getting any better.

Utah Jazz: B-

They really have been good this year, especially with how they've managed to deal with injuries to both Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer this year, and they're playing very well as a whole. However, they're really not playing any different than expectations this year. I gave them an edge for dealing with the injuries, mainly due to the emergence of Paul Millsap.

Washington Wizards: F

Best for last? Far from it. The Wizards have been horrible this year. Sure, Gilbert Arenas has been injured all year, but they were still a playoff team without Arenas last year. Has the injury to Brendan Haywood taken them down that far? Really? I just really don't totally buy it and feel like that could be it. They're just really playing poorly this year, although they've given a lot of teams good fights, the bottom line is that they haven't been able to get the wins throughout the year, and that's what matters.



Okay, that's the league. If you don't like it, tough luck, you're not going to change my mind without a very good and well thought out response that has enough substance behind it to actually change my mind. However, feel free to comment, there's another half to the year, so who knows how things will change by then.