Since Kevin Durant chose the Golden State Warriors as his new team, the Thunder need to counteract that move. They have already expressed interest in moving Westbrook for the right price. The reason to move him is because now that Durant is gone, Westbrook's chances of staying have slimmed immensely. Here are 2 teams that make sense for Russell and for the Thunder franchise.
Los Angeles Lakers - The Lakers would have no reason to keep D'Angelo Russell, so sending him in the trade is a no brainer. Lou Williams is going to have to be sent as an incentive as well. There is no way the Lakers give up Julius Randle or Brandon Ingram in this trade. In addition a first round pick will round out this trade. The Thunder could make a quick turn around by builing around Oladipo and Russell. Obviously there would be other players involved in the deal to make the salaries work.
New Orleans Pelicans - The Pelicans have less up and comers to offer in this trade. Buddy hield would probably have to go along with Jrue Holiday and a first round pick. This would leave the Pelicans with Westbrook, Evans, Pondexter, Hill and Anthony Davis as the starters. They would probably have to absorb the contract of one of the Thunder bigs.
It’s time to face an ugly truth, which everyone has accepted except the Cleveland Cavaliers and Kevin Love himself. The experiment has failed. In 152 games played for the Cavs, Love had averaged only 16.2ppg compared to the 26.1 the year before. He never truly found his niche in the offense. His game had dramatically declined, yet he’s still only 27 years old. Finding a place where he fits the system rather than the other way around is key for bringing back his drive and determination. Putting him on a younger team is also ideal, seeing as he can feel like more of a focal point in the offense while providing guidance for younger teammates. Granted, his contract situation isn’t the best, but with the cap rising the next two season teams should be less cautious to take on money for a legitimate star. With that being said let’s take a look at the five best spots for him to be traded this offseason.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers had their worst season in franchise history this past year. The drama surrounding the locker room and the constant coverage of Kobe Bryant’s last season stagnated the development of the young players on the roster. Coming into a new season with the second overall pick in the draft they have a great chance to right the ship. Adding a legitimate star to mentor and become the focal point of the offense would be a great help, and this is where Love enters. The second pick would probably go a long way to helping this trade, and helping this once great franchise return to the playoffs
Boston Celtics
This has been rumored for a while, and it definitely makes sense. The Celtics are on the cusp of becoming a power in the Eastern Conference, making the playoffs the past two years, their rebuild has been swift and effective. Aided by smart trades under the leadership of Danny Ainge and with the next big coach in Brad Stevens this team can utilize Kevin Love better than most teams on this list. The Celtics have the picks to make this trade happen, and with Isaiah Thomas as the floor general, Love would have a young, legitimate, point guard together with a young team to be able to compete in a weak conference for years
New York Knicks
Admittedly this is a longshot, yet it makes too much sense to pass up on. LeBron James is frustrated, wanting to bring a title to Cleveland for the first time in the Cavs history. He has a very close friend in a similar situation by the name of Carmelo Anthony. Calling up Melo in the offseason and asking to waive his no trade clause and come to Cleveland isn’t so far-fetched, and they have the perfect player for the Knicks in return, Kevin Love. A tandem of Love and budding superstar Kristaps Porzingis should make Knick fans excited, especially now that Jeff Hornacek is the head coach seeing as the faster tempo would help his game reach heights not seen in years if ever. Adding a point guard in free agency would not only a scary team with the pick and roll, but a legitimate playoff contender for years. This is a win win trade for both teams.
Miami Heat
With Chris Bosh questionable to return to the court due to blood clots, the heat must start to try and look for his replacement. While Love has less explosiveness than Bosh, he is a good shooter, passer, and can space the floor just as well. Again sticking in the weaker conference will help him, as well as having very solid pieces around him in Dwayne Wade, Loul Deng, Justice Winslow, and good point guard in Goran Dragic. The heat would be a dark horse to make it out of the East and to the Finals.
New Orleans
Again this a longshot, but just the idea of Love being paired with Anthony Davis should make basketball fans giddy with excitement. Davis is in desperate need of a teammate he can count on to help him realize his true potential. Adding Love into the mix, together with Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans, would give the Pelicans a solid core of players to go toe to toe with any team in the stacked Western Conference for years.
(February 21nd 2016) By: Ira Barasch There are rare moments in sports where a trade can truly make a difference for all of the parties involved. Its even rarer when those trades are blockbusters that could shake up the entire league. There is a certain art to making a deal, a kind finesse that only comes out when you try to make the biggest deal possible. You know your team needs that reset button, that star to build around, or that last piece to finally get over the hump, and you go out and make it happen. Fans will riot, cheer, cry, applaud, and various other things that fans do, yet you stick to your guns and make it happen. This is the art of the deal. Now you can be saying “well gee, the deadline has passed, why is there yet another article about a trade?”. Well there are two reasons for that. 1) this trade can still be made possible in the offseason, however little to no chance there is that it happens. 2) this is a win-win-win (as Michael Scott would say) for all parties involved. So I'll stop with all the drama and build up and lay out my master plan. Cleveland Cavaliers receive: Carmelo Anthony New York Knicks receive: D'angelo Russell, Julius Randle Los Angeles Lakers receive: Kevin Love
Now before all of you start yelling and saying “this will never happen” while snorting and rolling your eyes, let me lay out why each team would do this. Lakers: The Lakers are losing Kobe Bryant this offseason, the face of their entire franchise for almost two decades. While there is never a simple way of dealing with that kind of loss there are ways of making sure Hollywood has a star. The Kevin Love experiment has completely failed in Cleveland, but that doesn't mean Love is a bad player. The year before coming over to Cleveland he averaged a career high 26.1ppg, 12.5rpg, and another career high in 4.4apg. The man is still only 27 and can ball, but has to have players around him that can play his style of ball. It just so happens that one player will be a free agent in the coming years that would fit perfectly with him in Los Angeles, a player that played with love in L.A in college and who has championships of his own on his mind, Russel Westbrook. These 2 players together in California, who know each other's game so well, would be a dynamic duo that can easily keep the Lakers in championship contention for years to come. Knicks: The Knicks are in a strange place right now. They have a team built around an aging star, with another one just on the rise. They are in the playoff race, yet they are still rebuilding. To watch this team say how they should be making a legitimate run for the playoffs while playing under not one, but now 2 sub-par head coaches, having rookies making rookie mistakes, and their superstar wasting away his prime is just mind boggling. This is all on top of the rumors that their president Phil Jackson may be looking for a way out of New York to go back to L.A. The best bet here is to start totally fresh and build around their prodigy in Porzingis. Now how does one do that without any picks this coming year? Just get the number two pick from last year. Having Russell and Porzingis together is enticing enough, but throw Randle in the there? That's the making of a young core that could potentially dominate the east for years to come. The latent potential from all three is to good to pass up, this allows the Knicks to grow at a slower pace, with a new coach in the offseason, in a weaker conference, while having a ton of cap to spend on people who compliment their trio of budding stars. Cavaliers: The Cavs never thought they'd have a problem after creating one of the most intriguing super teams to date. Kyrie Irving is the young blood, Kevin love was the missing piece, and LeBron was the prodigal son come home. The story could have just written itself at that point, then Steph Curry decided to show up. The new way of basketball that the Warriors are playing has started to create a panic across the league. Teams are starting to question if their methods are outdated and archaic in light of the new style of small ball that the Warriors are playing. Yet something has got LeBron paying more attention, people calling Steph Curry the best player on the planet. People like James don't take threats to their throne well, they tend to massacre their opponents to leave a message to everyone else that this is his league until he decides to give it up. Getting rid of Love would be a great step in that direction, playing the small ball game the Warriors decided to make, and beating them at it alongside one his closest friends, Carmelo Anthony. They would only have a small window, and they would have to play on a level we have not seen in a while, yet is there any doubt that these two close friends and megastars could make it work? The East would be theirs for years, they would vanquish their foe in Curry, and keep that torch until they decide to pass it on. Not everyone is going to agree with this, nor should they, we're all entitled to our opinions. Yet you can't deny the underlining points made for each team, and the potential for each team to thrive for years to come. Financially with Kobe on their roster this would be tough to pull off, yet once he retires at year's end, all the money works out. Regardless of if this happens or not, its always fun to dream.
I recall last trade deadline pretty vividly, I was covering it intently and was pretty underwhelmed, until all hell broke loose. By 3pm I was stunned by all the trades that had happened, all those last minute deals by a GM tinkering, toying with the hope of fans to get his team to the promised land. Fans love the deadline because anything can happen, its a second lease on life or a nail biter for a fan to see how savvy a GM could really be. This year is different though, with the salary cap set to rise by 20 million next year, teams are more hesitant with making a deal, not wanting to take up too much space and hoping to make a splash in free agency. No need to worry, as here at NBA Sports Talk we love a good juicy rumor as much as the next person, so here are 3 mega deals that we'd like to see happen:
1) Los Angeles Clippers receive: Carmelo Anthony
New York Knicks Receive: Blake Griffin
This would be a bold move by both teams, and a win win for both parties involved. Melo would have an experienced coach in Doc Rivers, he would get one of the best point guards in the league in Chris Paul, along with a host of solid role players around him on a team ready to make a significant push towards a title.
Now the Knicks would have a scary tandem. Granted they would be a point guard away from making itwork, but the thought of Blake and Porzingis side by side is scary. Blake is more aggressive inside the paint, allowing Porzingis to move around more. Best of all? This trade is financially feasible (via ESPN's trade machine http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=mtxz2xd)
2) Washington Wizards receive: Kevin Durant
Oklahoma City receives: Nene, Otto Porter Jr, and Bradely Beal
Your superstar is a free agent after the season, you're going through a 'will he or wont he' scenario and you have a shot to bolster the next young core of your team with Otto Porter Jr and Bradley Beal as your starting foundation? Sign me up. The Thunder would be smart to take precautions to protect them from potentially losing Durant in the summer for nothing.
Kevin Durant has been rumored to go back home (sort of) to Washington since last year. The comfort of having family and friends around you is priceless. Also there is John Wall, who desperately needs some fire power around him. Now granted the Wiz can only make this deal if Durant says he re-signs after the season is over, but the idea of Wall and Durant as running mates in a weaker conference would and should put fear into every team in the East
Cleveland Cavaliers receive: Marcus Smart, David Lee, Jared Sullinger
Another win win deal. While Boston gets a legitimate superstar to pair with Isaiah Thomas, Cleveland gets some nice bench depth in Lee and young players in Smart and Sullinger. This would need to come out of desperation for both teams but the whispers have definitely been out there that this might
(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.
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.
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.
The years have not been kind to the Philadelphia 76ers. This once great franchise has fallen so deep into a chaotic spiral that it seems it just has given up trying to break out of it. Claiming to continually be in a rebuilding phase, the team constantly and consistently loses to try and build up draft picks, yet for four years since their last playoff berth, has nothing to show for it. Since the 2011 – 12 season they have continually regressed in wins (34, 19, 18 respectively) and as of today they have one one game against a Laker team with a beaten down Kobe. The did not have a win this season and had lost 28 straight games dating back to last season.
What is wrong with this team? Shouldn't the draft have helped? It seems to have all started after taking part in a trade that helped Dwight Howard to the Lakers, while trading away Andre Iguodala to the Nuggets, and their acquisition of Andrew Bynum. Bynum was coming off an incredible year for the Lakers and the move was looked at in a positive light, that is until Bynum didn't play a single minute for the Sixers. He injured himself in almost comical ways (bowling....really) the team hasn't made the playoffs since. The next few years came with the same initial hope only to collapse as the season dragged on. In the 2013 – 14 season they traded Jrue Holiday, a budding star for the rights to Nerlens Noel and drafted Michael Carter–Williams themselves. Noel was coming off a tremendous year in college but tore his ACL at the end of his college career and didn't play for the Sixers the entire season after. Carter – Williams fared much better actually winning Rookie of the Year but the team still struggled. The following season they drafted yet another big man in Joel Embiid, also coming off an injury and still has yet to see an NBA court. To add to the frustration halfway through the season they traded Carter – Williams to the Bucks. This past offseason they drafted their third PF/C in a row with Jahlil Okafor who, despite playing well, has started to have numerous off the court problems.
The rebuilding process has merit, just look to this year's Minnesota Timberwolves. The team who had been constantly bad since the departure of Kevin Garnett actually brought him back to the fold by the trade deadline last season for a strong veteran presence to mentor their young and talented group. The team is slowly building up momentum and with Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns, Ricky Rubio and others. This team seems to be on the right track and should be a Western Conference powerhouse in the years to come.
Want more proof? Take a look at the Undefeated Golden State Warriors. Those of you who are old enough know that the Warriors weren't always this good, they actually struggled for more than a few seasons. Yet with the right management, draft choices, and key moves during offseason and trade deadlines, the team has built a juggernaut that plays small and quick basketball. The formula continually works and has worked throughout history (I.e the Thunder and Spurs) So what exactly has gone wrong for the Sixers? Could it be the management? The lack of a veteran presence on the team? Both? Or could it all be just a string of bad luck? Bad luck seems highly unlikely at this point. Hopefully this team will improve though, as seeing such bad basketball being played by a once great franchise in a huge city is not only embarrassing to the fans, the team, and the NBA in general, but just embarrassing to the game itself.
In the name of all that is holy on this earth, Dell Demps, the GM of the Pelicans had better sign Seth Curry. Reason one is because his name is Curry. Reason two is because he has averaged 26 points in summer league. Usually players that can average 26 points in summer league, can average decent NBA numbers.
He's also not being one dimensional. Shooting, driving, and making threes. He's doing it in every way. So I beg you Pelicans, don't give him up and look like absolute fools.
The Wolves haven't had a player as good as Towns since KG. They need someone who can defend and don't need a scorer. Hopefully Wiggins will become that scorer for them. They need defense, and this is how they will supercharge theres.
Karl-Anthony can wreak havoc in the transition game, which will be a great fit for Ricky Rubio who moves the ball around so well.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
– Jahlil Okafor (C, Duke, Fr., 19, 6-11, 272):
As much as the Lakers need a rim protector, the team has an old-school mentality that strives for the traditional Center. They will get it in Okafor. He has the best footwork I've seen in a while. I also believe that defense can be taught and is something that the lakers can develop down the line.
It all comes down to them needing to draft a player that can contribute right off the bat (see Embiid and Noel's first years). He can spread the floor for them with his shooting, while Noel is inside for the rebounds. He can end up being the best player in the draft if he lives up to the hype.
4. New York Knicks
– D'Angelo Russell (PG/SG, Ohio State,
Fr., 19, 6-5, 193):
The Knicks will be roasted for any move they make in this draft...except drafting Russel. He is a polished shooter, NBA ready and can flat out play. He is also very tall and will only continue to add muscle to his slender 195 lbs frame. He is a player that is willing to learn the triangle, which basically makes him more usefull than Carmelo Anthony. How they will gel, will determine his success.
The Magic can have a monster lineup with Winslow in the mix. Payton, Oladipo, Winslow, Vucevic and can try to bring in Lopez at Center. Those are 3 players that can all handle the ball and push the ball up the court to play a very fast paced offense that will be a force to be reckoned with.
6.Sacramento Kings -Willie Cauley-Stein (C, Kentucky, Jr., 21, 7-1, 242): To put a defensive genius like WCS next to Cousins would be the Kings best move. They would be impossible to score off of in the paint. The term twin towers comes to mind with the two 7 footers. 7.Denver Nuggets – Emmanuel Mudiay (PG, Guangdong/International, 19, 6-5, 200): He tore up the CBA this year along with Stephan Marberry. Ok he's a really good, tall, built and smart PG. That is exactly what the Nuggets need especially since they are most probably getting rid of Ty Lawson. His ceiling is Russel Westbrook (very very high) and his floor is proabably Shaun Livingston. Which is a solid role player in the NBA, he happen to be a big part of the Golden State Warriors championship run this year.
8.Detroit Pistons
-Devin Booker (SG, Kentucky, Fr., 18,
6-6, 206): Caldwell-Pope can slide into the 3 spot and Ilyasova can be the 4. That said, Monroe is probably not coming back.
9. Charlotte Hornets -
Stanley Johnson (SF, Arizona, Fr., 18, 6-7, 242):
With the departure of Lance Stephenson and his infamous ear blowing the Hornets need to take a young, and very strong SF in Johnson.
Deng might be gone which will fill a big whole in this Heat rotation. Plug it in with a guy who can flat out score and also defend pretty well, and you'll be in good shape.
Frank the Tank can really open the floor up for George to dribble penetrate. he can also catch and shoot or drive off of Hibbert passes from the deep post.
The Suns love players who can run the floor and defend. He can be a very good role player. Also the classic Suns type of player.
14. Oklahoma City
Thunder - Tyus Jones (PG, Duke, Fr., 19,
6-2, 185):
Star power rules! Coming off winning a National Championship is always good for the confidence. Look for the Thunder to try and maybe get a real PG as a backup to take over for Jackson. Maybe eventually usurping Westbrook and making him revert to his original SG spot.
Since the Golden State Warriors won the NBA championship with such a young team, lets look at other teams who seem to be gearing up with young players and may be primed for a deep playoff run in the near future.
Honorable mentions: The Charlotte Hornets (33 – 49) The Boston Celtics (40 – 42) The Minnesota Timberwolves (16 – 66)
5. The Orlando Magic: After a breakout year from point guard Elfrid Payton, the magic have added another piece to their already slowly growing arsenal. Along with Victor Oladipo and Nikola Vučević their young roster is growing more and more talented. The upcoming draft is crucial to add another piece, look for the magic to be on the rise.
4. The Utah Jazz: After going 38 – 44 this past season the jazz have started to climb out of the cellar. With Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors, Alec Burks, and Gordon Heyward leading the way with young players in Dante Exum and Trey Burke still developing, this team is loaded with talent. Also a very crucial upcoming draft for them.
3. The Washington Wizards: John Wall. Need I say more? Ok fine, Bradley Beal, Otto Porter Jr., happy now? This team made a decent playoff run this past season thanks to veteran leaders such as Paul Pierce, Nene and with Marcin Gortat also having a nice season. Expect this team to keep on improving and starting to cause some chaos in the Eastern Conference.
2. The Milwaukee Bucks: This team just keeps getting more and more intriguing. We haven't seen much out of Jabari Parker, but he seems to be a dominant big man. Together with Giannis Antetokounmpo (A.K.A the 'Greek Freak') and Michael Carter – Williams they have a young core that just keeps improving. Don't be surprised if this team becomes a staple in the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference.
1. The New Orleans Pelicans: Ladies and gentleman, Anthony Davis has arrived. This kid has “future MVP” written all over him. His backup in Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday are not to be taken lightly either. This team is legitimately only a few pieces away from a title, so expect to be hearing their name a lot, because they're not going anywhere.
He is a major contributer who can play major minutes. Defensively, he can use a bit of training. Look for a desperate team like the Lakers to make a wildly large offer sheet to him.
5. Reggie Jackson
Restricted / Point Guard / 6-3 / Team: Detroit
14.5 ppg, 6.0 apg, 4.2 rpg
The Pistons give him a chance to become a full-time starter for the first time. Sounds like they have every intention to keep him. Look for them to match any offer that comes his way.
Any child dreams of a world where all of their favorite heroes assemble. In pop culture you have the Justice League and The Avengers, and in sports you have the big three. In layman's terms; it's the grouping of three All Stars together on one team, with the mindset of winning a championship. The concept of having really good players around each other has actually been around for a while. Magic Johnson (Kareem Abdul Jabar and James Worthy) and Larry Bird (Kevin McHale, Robert Parish) both had one, and even Michael Jordan (Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman) had one. The Spurs have had one for years with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginóbili. Yet it's only been fairly recent where players, rather than general managers, have started to manipulate the roster movements by forcing themselves out of losing situations.
The first modern day “Big Three” were the 2007 Boston Celtics, where they combined Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett with an already productive Paul Pierce (and a young budding point guard named Rajon Rondo). The three combined players took the Celtics from winning a total of 24 games in 2006 to wining 66 games in 2007, and eventually the NBA finals the very same year. The accomplishment was unprecedented, never before had a team changed that drastically. Teams began trying to copy the formula, but more importantly, player's tried as well. As I've written before (see: The baby faced champion) and NBA title is what most players dream of their entire career. The allure of being on a super team is tempting to many. Evidence of that became apparent after “The Decision” when LeBron bolted from the Cavs to the Heat to join Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. The Heat made a remarkable four straight finals, winning two of them, in what can only be described as dominance. Carmelo Anthony then tried it with the New York Knicks, literally forcing his way out of Denver to join with Amar'e Stoudemire and eventually Tyson Chandler, to a lesser degree of success. Dwight Howard forced his way out of Orlando to join with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol in L.A to disastrous results. However, most recently has been LeBron returning to Cleveland, and Kevin Love forcing his way out of Minnesota to join him, with an already talented Kyrie Irving. There are a few obvious flaws with the concept. First off is the money. Believe it or not every player in the NBA is not playing for free, and the better they are, the more they want to get paid. The players that make up a Big Three are All Stars, demanding high salaries, thus depriving the team of any cap room for other players to compliment them. Second is ego. Again, when dealing with stars they are used to playing a certain style, and more importantly, used to carrying most of the burden of scoring themselves. When joining with a few of these kinds of players you never quite know what you're going to get. It can work beautifully such as with the Heat, or it can be a train wreck like with the Lakers.
Lastly is the sad example of what we saw this post season with the Cavaliers, which is the venomous injury bug. If an injury bug bites your team its bad news, yet usually you can have another player ready to step up to take his roll, or be able to at least make a trade or signing to supplement the loss. Yet when you have a Big Three; if one goes down, let alone two, your entering a nightmare. You have no money, no players to replace that kind of talent, and a whole different kind of cohesion with this team. After Love went down, we all knew the Cavs would be in a tough spot, and when they lost Irving it was only a matter of time till it they lost. Iman Shumpert and J.R Smith are not second options, they are roll players. As is Matthew Dellavedova and Timofay Mozgov. They can play well with a team, yet don't think that they can salvage a season.
In the end be it trading an arm and a leg for an all star, or paying for one in free agency, you compromise your future. It's a risk that sometimes seems too good to pass up. Sometimes that's actually the case, LeBron can attest to that, other times it never really comes to fruition which LeBron can no attest to as well. Either way, buyer beware, the age of the super team is coming to a close. Whats next? Well we'll find out on October 27th, when the whole season starts over again.
The New York Knicks are a complete joke. There, I admitted it, its out in the open. There really isn't much else to say about a franchise that hasn't made the finals since 1999. It seems like every time this team has taken a step forward, it manages to take 3 leaps back.
Every summer feels like they clean cap space, strike out on every big name free agent, and then they throw money at the best player left. The problem is, once people take a bite out of the big apple, they realize the real problem, it's core (core, apple, funny right?). Throwing money at the problem is not going to work for this colossal heap of garbage that played in MSG this past season, it sure isn't going to keep Carmelo Anthony healthy and playing like a player in his prime. So what is the answer for Knicks fans seeking some sort of quick fix to this situation?
Well, there isn't. Now I know, what I'm suggesting isn't probable, but its the best and most proven way to win. Look to the San Antonio Spurs, the Golden State Warriors, the 2012 Oklahoma City Thunder, and most teams back in the 90's. Build your team. What do those teams have that are proven to win? Core players gotten through the draft. The recipe for success must start at the core. The Spurs are the prime example. Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker were all acquired through the draft. The most the Spurs did after that were minor adjustments in the off season, never spending freely, always getting the right players rather than the flashy ones. That's the reason they've made and unprecedented 18 straight post season appearances. They stand as the model everyone should be emulating to win.
The 2012 Thunder have come closest to that model. Drafting a solid core of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook (also Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson and Nick Collison) they home grew their talent making the team cohesion even stronger. Even the Knicks have used this method before. Remember Patrick Ewing? Mark Jackson? The Knicks had 15 years of being a successful franchise mainly because of their drafting skills.
So how does this apply to the Knicks? Well they're in a tough spot. With the fourth pick in this year's draft they don't have much of a chance of landing one the three players that they covet so much. They don't have much as far as tradable assets either. What they do have is money and an aging All Star in Anthony. Now to rebuild this team he must go. With his hefty contract and his prime years coming to a close who would take him? How about the Los Angeles Lakers? The Lakers have never been scared from a blockbuster trade, and with cap space themselves they would be able to take his contract. What do they have that would appeal to the Knicks? They have only 2 players under contract (Kobe Bryant and Julius Randle) they also have the second overall pick. Melo for the second pick would benefit both sides (be greedy and ask for Randle as well, but this is fair enough). The Lakers get their star to take them the next few years after Kobe retires and with the cap space they currently have, could potentially lead to a future big three. The Knicks get another young player they can build on, which together with their fourth overall pick, could be the beginnings of a core for years to come.
Like I said before, this is more than likely not going to happen. For New Yorkers it's even less plausible, seeing as its a win now culture, but this is the best long term course of action. Hasn't it gotten tiresome? Throwing money at players, hiring coach after coach, every year wondering how they're going to pull off some magical trade or free agent signing to finally get them their first title since 1973? This is the best shot they have at long term success, the draft. Yet with the ownership they have it seems improbable that it would ever happen. So Knicks fans wait, and wait, and wait. And with a city with a skyline that is made from scratch, that is breathtaking to behold, maybe its time to build it's own team, its own identity and be a force to reckon with for years to come.
Here are your Top 3 Restricted Free Agents for 2015
Per http://www.nba.com/knicks/freeagency/faqs.html A Restricted Free Agent is defined as follows: The player's original team has the chance to keep the player by matching the offer sheet signed with another team. This is known as the "right of first refusal."
1.Kawhi Leonard
Restricted / Small Forward / 6-7 / Team: San Antonio
16.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.3 spg
Best Option: This depends on if Tim Duncan comes back. So its really simple, Tim stays, you stay. Tim leaves, you leave.
Other Option: I can see a number of teams in the league taking a shot and offering him one on the chance that Pop makes a crazy move and doesn't match the offer. However his ideal situation outside of San Antonio would be the Golden State Warriors, who can use a real 3 on their team.
2.Jimmy Butler
Restricted / Shooting Guard / 6-7 / Team: Chicago20.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.3 apg Best Option: Go back to Chicago and continue to usurp Derrick Rose as the number one option. He would also have the opportunity to continue building a rapport with the teammates hes spent his whole career with. Other Option: Teams like the Bucks and Lakers who have money can definitely offer him a max offer sheet. The Bucks are a better option because they are knocking on the door and need one more piece to put them over the edge. He fits their mold of a big 2 guard that can score and they are already in a winning atmosphere.
3.Draymond Green
Restricted / Small Forward / 6-7 / Team: Golden State
11.7 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 3.7 apg Best Option: Stay with the Golden State Warriors and try to make another run to the finals. Especially because most of that team will be back and they will only get better in Free Agency. Other Option: He can be a great defensive piece on a team that is almost over the hump, for instance the Spurs. However something tells me his attitude might not fly with Coach Pop. Stay tuned for the next 3 Restricted Free Agents next week!
Welcome to Top 5, where once a week we will be making a ranking of random NBA topics. This week is affordable free agents.
Honorable mentions: these players didn't quite make the Top 5, but deserve a mention regardless
Al Jefferson (19.2 ppg, 9.6 rbpg last 2 seasons)
Tyson Chandler (9.5 ppg, 10.5 rbpg last 2 seasons)
Corey Brewer (11.2 ppg last 2 seasons)
Jeremy Lin (11.85 ppg, 4.35 apg last 2 seasons)
Andrea Bargnani (14.05 ppg last 2 seasons)
Gerald Green (13.8 ppg last 2 seasons)
Top 5:
5) Louis Scola (8.5 ppg 5.65 rbpg last 2 seasons) Sneaking into the 5 is Scola, who admittedly hasn't been his best the last few seasons. Yet this is about finding a bargain, a diamond in the rough. For a team looking for some depth in the front court and is willing to take a risk and hope he returns to form, it might be worth signing him.
4) Robin Lopez (10.35 ppg, 7.6 rbpg) Lopez is an under the radar steal this year. He might not be as effective or high profile as his twin brother, but he is also bery effective. While others are worried about big names such as Rajon Rondo, Kevin Love, Marc Gasol, and Lamarcus Aldridge; Lopez is effective and can be snatched up by anyone needing a potential dominant big man.
3) Jeff Green (15.18 ppg last 2 seasons) in our 3 spot is a man who can flat out score, but not much else. Green was traded from the Celtics to the Grizzlies over this past season and his scoring suffered as a result. Yet he's a perfect one or two year contract for a team looking for a second option or looking for some help off the bench.
2) Amar'e Stoudamire (11.45 ppg last 2 seasons) Standing Tall And Talented at number 2 is the biggest question mark on this list. Amar'e is injury prone but the past 2 seasons have showed a lot of promise. When looking at his average over 36 minutes his scoring skyrocketed to 23.5 pts. Any team lacking in the front court and willing to take a risk might just strike it big with S.T.A.T if he's used primarily off the bench and only in spurts.
1) Thaddeus Young (14.08 ppg 5.45 rbpg last 2 seasons) Our number one bargain of the off season is Thad Young. This man needs a stable job on a team. After bouncing over 3 teams the past 2 seasons (Phi → Min → Bklyn) his talent has been misused and he has been taken for granted. Easily one of the most serviceable big men in the league, he could be a big piece for any team looking for a starting big man or an edge to get them over the hump. A must sign.
If you take
a look back at the Cleveland Cavalier
players in the middle of the 4th quarter of game 1 of the Finals, something seemed
to be different about them. Fast forward to the end of the 3rd Quarter of game
2. Something is up with these players. Now we're in the first 2 minutes of the
second half of game 3. These Cavs players are absolutely exhausted.
LeBron is
averaging over 45 minutes a game, granted there were two overtime games. There
is no excuse for that. Shawn Marion is a more than capable player who actually
has finals experience himself. The same can be said about the two big men for
Cleveland. Tristan Thompson and Timofey Mozgov are huffing and puffing down the
court in the first three games in the 4th quarter. It's just going to get worse
as each game goes on. An alternative for them is Kendrick Perkins, throw him in
for at least 8-10 minutes as a viable rim protector. Then again, there might be
something we don't know about these players that Coach Blatt is not telling us.
To further
this case, we saw Mathew Dellavedova put up 20 points last night in Cleveland's second win in the finals. He was then immediately shipped to the hospital and
put on I.V. with severe cramping and dehydration. These Cavs players are being overworked.
Golden State has been throwing out some very weak lineups, giving Blatt the
perfect opportunity to leave in a scorer like J. R. Smith and bring in some
bench players to give the starters a rest. If the series goes to 6 or even 7
games, this team is going to be in trouble.
For your
information LeBron cramped up in the 4th quarter of last night's game. Imagine
it was like last year where he couldn't get back up. This is from playing 48-50
minutes a night (overtime).
Rhetorical question time! Is Joe Harris that much worse off than James Jones?
Can you leave Shumpert out there to guard Curry a little bit longer? Can
Perkins come in and make a difference defensively for this squad? Nobody knows,
but David Blatt better try it out soon before they ship the whole Cavs bus to the
hospital for I.V. fluids.
Since Kevin Durant chose the Golden State Warriors as his new team, the Thunder need to counteract that move. They have already expressed interest in moving Westbrook for the right price. The reason to move him is because now that Durant is gone, Westbrook's chances of staying have slimmed immensely. Here are 2 teams that make sense for Russell and for the Thunder franchise. 
New Orleans Pelicans - The Pelicans have less 
