"Suitors for Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans"

(January, 28th 2016) By: Efraim Graber

Eric Godon has a fractured finger and is still going to be sitting at home for 4-6 more weeks. However, that is not stopping Dell Demps, the GM of the Pelicans from shopping him to contenders. Well lets be honest, they're not getting rid of him in an off season move because of his enormous contract. 

The Pelicans are just hoping they can get a decent return on a player that scores 15 ppg and is a good tough defender despite his size for a 2 guard. He's also frequented injuries throughout his career, which always seem toi be in the wrist/hand/finger range. 

Tyreke Evans is an athletic player, there is no doubt about that. For the Pelicans its just about getting a change of scenery for Anthony Davis. They need to start winning games and winning a lot of them. The playoffs are still in sight in a beaten up Western Conference. 

As a PG, Evans is a monster, at 6'5" and with the scoring ability he has, he is scary. As a two guard it comes naturally, especially since he improved his perimeter shooting these past few years. He sometimes can even play the 3, and whats surprising, is that he can defend it well. He has a contract of a little more than 10 Million for next season so they should be getting more offers on him than on Gordon. 

Here are the teams that will be interested in Eric Gordon: 

Detroit Pistons: 

They might just be willing to do a Brandon Jennings/Eric Gordon swap. The Pelicans should take this deal, especially since they have shown their willing to play smaller players in the 2 hole. 

Miami Heat: 
They need a scorer off of the bench to compliment Bosh and Wade. Eric can provide that spark. In terms of what they would send back can be a package of Gerald Green and maybe Beno Udrih. Not so enticing for the Pels. 

Here are the teams the would be interested in Tyreke Evans:

Brooklyn Nets:
The Nets would welcome his size to bolster their already gigantic lineup of Lopez and Young and having Evans as a PG would be a dream come true for them in the mismatch department. In terms of return, the Pelicans might be willing to take on Joe Johnson but then they would have to include something else from their end to match the salaries. 

Sacramento Kings:
They at one time wanted Ryan Andersen for a Rudy Gay deal but they might be willing to do it for Tyreke Evans. It would be a perfect fit for both teams. Evans would be happy to be back in Sac Towna nd Gay would be a perfect fit for a team that needs a slasher and 3 point threat. 

"Is Jennings Available??"

(January 25th 2016) By: Efraim Graber

That should be the question of every GM in the NBA. The Pistons phone line should be off the hook and Jeff Baur, the one time New Orleans GM/Interim Coach, no Pistons GM should be jumping for joy. Brandon Jennings in a household name, even with all of the antics and craziness over his years in Milwaukee.

His meager 7.2 PPG and 3.5 APG is not indicative of the player he is. First of all he is only playing 17 and a half minutes a game so far. With more minutes come more responsibility (Uncle Ben: Spiderman). He is also in a  crowded back court with Reggie Jackson, Stanley Johnson, and Steve Blake. It's worth is for any team on the cusp to take a chance on him on the chance that a change of scenery and an uptick in minutes will bring him back to the player he used to be.

A few buyers that can really benefit from his presence are as follows:

Brooklyn Nets:
I know they're not on the brink of a playoff spot but he would fit perfectly in their system. He can pass in the pick and roll with Lopez and he can get to the basket and create his own shot. He would compliment Joe Johnson's shooting by drawing defenders off of him.

Oklahoma City Thunder:
They can definitely use him as a spark plug off the bench. If you think having Westbrook fly at your players at 90 MPH wasn't enough, when he goes to the bench Jennings will replace him and be just as pesky. He can also play his ideal position as a 1 off the bench and have waiters in with him as another ball handler.

Miami Heat:
It wouldn't be his ideal situation but he can also come off the bench for Goran Dragic as a Six-Man. He can come in and fire on all cylinders in Miamis Mid-range jump-shooting party. He can also play off of Wades double teams and have wide open looks.

It's buying season people!

“The Cleveland Outcasts”

(January 23rd 2016) By: Ira Barasch

Minnesota hasn't been every sports player's ideal landing spot for a while now. The cold and dreary weather seemed to mimic the way their sports team would lose year after year. Recently though there has been an awakening in the land of 10,000 lakes. The Vikings have been on the upswing lately, the Twin's have legitimate young talent, and even the Wild have had some bite to them, yet the Wolves have the most interesting situation. The sheer amount of talent on the team is incredible from, Andrew Wiggins slowly realizing his potential, Karl Anthony-Towns having a fantastic start to his rookie year, Ricky Rubio staying healthy and playing like the superstar point guard he was hoped to be, Zach Levine, Shabbaz Muhammad and more. The presence of their greatest hero, Kevin Garnett is felt with the intensity that is brought nightly. Yet since the unfortunate death of Flip Saunders, they have struggled to find the right coach in Sam Mitchell. This kind of talent needs more of a push then what is being given. So why not get some fresh blood? And in the coincidence of the day there just happens to be a new head coach on the market. This very head coach has an unusual connection to the Wolves, specifically that of Andrew Wiggins.

David Blatt has had a couple of hard days, he was ousted by his job, after starting 30 – 11 this season (and 83 0f 40 overall), by his star player and his own assistant head coach. Blatt was brought in and  told he would have a young team to coach up in his style of play which has young championships overseas. Although once LeBron decided to come back, Blatt's world crumbled. Andrew Wiggins, his prized draft pick at #1 was off too Minnesota with former #1 pick Anthony Bennet and in came Kevin Love. Love is an incredible player but didn't mesh well with his new teammates, Blatt found himself in the title hunt and a public feud with his newly returned icon in LeBron and on top of it all, his point guard and newly acquired power forward, Kevin Love, was injured. His tenure in Cleveland has been uncomfortable to watch to say the least, and it has thankfully ended right when a young inexperienced team could use an experienced coach.

The reunion for Blatt and Wiggins could potentially be explosive.

Blatt's many years coaching overseas could be a great stepping stone, but more so could the now newly formed chip on his shoulder, an identical problem as that of the other Cleveland outcast Wiggins. They were both brought in at the same time to the same team in desperate need of a new start, and both forced out by the same player. It was originally the plan for these 2 to be player and coach, to combine the untapped potential of Wiggins with the knowledge of Blatt. This feels too much like destiny to let it pass.