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.
(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
Its neither heaven nor hell. You're not great, you're not terrible.... you're in purgatory. Yes, it exists even in basketball. So how do we define purgatory for the sake of this article? Simple, any team that has legitimate hopes for the playoffs and more on their mind coming into the 2015-16 season, yet the teams constructed (at least today) does not have the firepower to get to the title game. Rebuilding teams, such as the Knicks, Wolves, Jazz and Magic will not be included due to the fact they are in the earlier stages of their rebuilding phases and have no legitimate deep playoff run hopes.
5: Atlanta Hawks What has happened in Atlanta? Yes Dennis Schroder and Kent Bazemore are looking good, but between losing DeMarre Carrol, Kyle Korver's enormous drop off, and Jeff Teague just not being the same player as last year, this team just doesn't have the presence such as teams like the Raptors and the Cavs do. This was built top to bottom defensively last year, yet their OPPG has actually risen by over 2 points this year. Hope is not lost, with good consistent play from Milsap and Horford the Hawks are still in good position to make a run, but they must make a trade of some sort to have any hope of beating the East's top teams.
4: Memphis Grizzlies I'm going to probably get some flack for this, but hear me out. As currently constructed the Grizzlies have a solid team, so why are they in this spot? Solely because of the conference they are in. When you know you're going to be dealing with teams such as the Warriors, Spurs, and even the Clippers you must up your arsenal. Yet the grizzlies didn't have much turnover from last year only losing notable players in Tayshaun Prince and Kosta Koufos (at the trade deadline, yet his presence is still missed). The players brought in to replace the production in Mario Chalmers and Vince Carter are good role players but don't quite put fear into an opponent. Yet Memphis has a scarier problem. Gasol, Randolph, Lee, Allen and Green have all been scoring less by an average of about a point or more this year compared to last. If this team can somehow pull off a big trade at the deadline they still have a shot at being the dark horse for the title, but barring that scenario, this team will maybe make it out of the first round but never further. With Gasol and Randolph aging and Conely potentially leaving come free agency,it might be time to blow it up and start from scratch.
3: Houston Rockets Disappointment is an understatement. Firing Kevin McHale was a bit of a head scratcher at the beginning of the season. Combined with the decline of James Harden's MVP caliber play of last season and Dwight Howard's usual trade drama, this team just seems like a mess. They have holes everywhere, and while they could still make some trades and hope to salvage their season, there is no way they are making it past the top three teams in the west. This is the prime example of trying to band-aid a situation too many times and being stuck with the results. The rockets must retool somehow while Harden is still under contract and in his prime. Otherwise this team is destined for a small playoff run and then ousted by one of the more well put together teams in the West, not even considering the up and coming teams in the conference such as New Orleans and eventually Minnesota. Houston, we have a problem
2: Washington Wizards John Wall is a great player, they have great role players in Otto Porter Jr and Bradley Beal. Yet this team is just built all wrong. With mostly just role players they have no Robin to Wall's Batman like last year when having Paul Pierce. Wall is only 25, so they have some time to retool, yet with consistent mediocrity from most positions they aren't built to win long term. There is no fall back option if Wall has a bad game, or in the future decides to leave. The frustration on the team is palpable, actually falling out of the playoffs recently (in the 10th spot as of this today). A second scoring option is a must if this team ever hopes of making it to the Eastern Conference Finals or further. With young teams making great strides in rebuilding as of late. The future is now for the wizard's, they just have to capitalize.
Honorable mentions:
Milwaukee Bucks:
Most of their deals from the past year since last deadline have not panned out. They were never looked at as any sort of favorite to make a deep playoff push or to win a title so that keeps them off this list.
Miami Heat:
Aging veterans and a stronger conference hasn't boded well for this team, yet Riley's continued savvy for finding solid players through the draft and undrafted players keep them off the main list.
Detroit Pistons:
Losing Monroe has been tough, yet Drummond is looking good. With only a few pieces away from a legitimate contender and a young core, this team has plenty of reason for optimism
New Orleans Pelicans: Anthony Davis needs a sidekick, and this team must get a bit younger to compete in this stacked conference. Failure to do so will lead them to being on this list next year
1: Chicago Bulls The drop-off from this team has been a sobering experience for Bull's fans. Currently falling to the 6th spot in the East, they have been a complete mess. Some point to Joakim Noah's injury but this would have happened even if he was playing. The East just isn't the pushover it has been for the past few years, with teams like Indiana bouncing back, the Raptors capitalizing on their young and explosive team, and even young teams like the Celtics, Knicks, and Magic building their teams up to make a run in the future. We haven't even mentioned the Cavs still being the titan everyone is trying to topple standing in the way of the Bulls continuous tries to make it to the top of the mountain. Pau Gasol's age is starting to become apparent, Rose has flashes of his former brilliance but for the most part is a shell of what he used to be.
This team is a nightmare from which everyone involved or invested wants to wake up from. The sole bright spot has been Jimmy Butler proving this is now his team, on the flip side of that it's when Chicago's window is pretty much closed. A total breakdown and rebuilding around Butler is needed and asap. Sell high on whatever you can get rid of at the deadline to teams looking to make a push, this season is lost. How the mighty have fallen.
Ahhh the NBA off-season, the most hectic two weeks in the summer, where everyone briefly cares about basketball until October. There are three different kinds of outcomes that can happen during the off-season. Which teams were good, which were bad, and which were just plain old, ugly
The Good:
The San Antonio Spurs:
As good a place to start as any. The Spurs started by re-signing Kawhi Leonard to a five year $95 million dollar deal, and Danny Green to a four year $45 million deal. They followed that up by shipping Tiago Splitter to the Hawks and signed LaMarcus Aldridge to a 4 year $84.1 million deal, but wait! There's more! They the sign David West to the veteran's minimum when he turned down $12 million to return to the pacers. The spurs excel at not only signing the perfect players to fit their system, but also at great prices. A fantastic free agency through and through.
Los Angeles Clippers:
We're going to ignore the elephant in the room for most of this conversation (*ehem* Deandre) and focus on the signings they made (don't worry I'll get to the drama a little later). Signing Paul Pierce was a nice addition to an already impressive squad, as was Josh Smith. Making a move for Lance Stephenson was an underrated move for them that in all likelihood will work out. And of course re-signing Deandre Jordan was crucial to their off-season. While they had some bumps along the way, a very solid free agency.
Honorable Mention: Indiana Pacers, signing Monte Ellis, Lavoy Allen, Jordan Hill and of course getting rid of Hibbert.
Bad
Los Angeles Lakers:
Hollywood is where it's all happening, everyone wants to go there. Just not to the Lakers. With all the cap space and the absolute privilege of playing alongside the greatest teammate in history, Kobe Bryant, the Lakers completely whiffed on the free agent market. They got a reclamation project in Roy Hibbert via trade, and drafted D'angelo Russell which keeps them out of the ugly. Not signing a single even mid-level free agent? That's just bad
Portland Trailblazers:
It's mostly out of pity that I'm keeping this team out of the ugly column, because wow that was a rough few weeks. When four players of your starting lineup sign elsewhere in free agency and you bring in mostly unproven and role players, you know you hit a new low. While Damian Lillard took a few steps back last season, I still feel like he was worth the money. Portland fans buckle up, it's going to be a rough couple of years....
Honorable Mention: Phoenix Suns, Signing an aging Tyson Chandler and trading to make room for a max free agent, yet no LaMarcus
The Ugly
Dallas Mavericks:
Remember I said I'd come back to the drama?! Well here it is in all it's glory! In one of the absolute nuttiest stories in free agent history, The Mavericks managed to sort of sign Deandre Jordan for about a week until he spurned them and went back to the clippers. Of course at that point there really wasn't anyone out there to sign anymore. No, Deron Williams does not count, he's a shell of his former self and it just a hope and a prayer that he somehow regains the form he had in Utah (hopefully Dallas has head coaches for him on speed dial, seeing as he goes through so many). After Deandre left (sort of) so did Richard Jefferson who chose to renege on his deal and signed with Cleveland. And whats with that contract to Wesley Matthews? Four years and $70 million for a player coming off an achilles injury? This was a summer for Mark Cuban to forget....
Sacramento Kings:
Can someone PLEASE explain the logic behind the off-season here? This team looks more like a time bomb than a once prominent franchise. Between George Karl trying to move his best player DeMarcus Cousins (snake in the grass) or trading Nik Stuskas and signing Rajon Rondo (one year and $10 million?! Literally nobody else offered him anything close, if at all. Who were you bidding against?!) and signing Kosta Koufus (4 years, $33 million) this team looks primed for a meltdown of epic proportions. Get your popcorn ready for the show!
J.R Smith:
While not a team, this had to be mentioned, as a great man once said “stupid is as stupid does”. Our good friend Mr. Smith obviously didn't get the memo that not only is he not the sixth man of the year anymore, but that the grass is always greener on the other side. To be fair it wasn't greener at all, seeing as after he opted out of his contract and hit the free agent market, no teams called him. None, at all. After realizing his folly, Mr. Smith than decided to call up Cleveland and ask for his old job back to which he got back a really emphatic “Maybe”. We're still waiting on the verdict. Can anyone say China?
Honorable Mention: Oklahoma City Thunder for signing Enes Kanter to a 4 year $70 million deal, because, reasons.
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.
(June 29th 2015) By Ira Barasch
Since Thursday there have been two words that have sent fear and dismay into the hearts of all Knicks fans; Kristaps Porzingis. From the booing on draft night to the now infamous shot of the young fan crying, fans have been outraged by this pick. They passed up on players such as Justise Winslow, Mario Hezonja, Willey Cauley-Stein and Frank Kaminsky to pick him. One season ticket holder I've spoken to has stressed his outrage at this pick and is currently rethinking his decision to keep his tickets for the upcoming season. And now reports of Carmelo Anthony feeling betrayed by the Knicks and debating about astking for a trade have come out, the franchise seems to be in disarray. Everyone should bail out now, they will never win, all hope is lost. The team is doomed I tell you, DOOMED!
Lets all calm down and look at the facts here, starting with the one thing everyone is seeming to forget. No draft choice is a bust or a superstar until they actually step on the floor, and even more so, just because they played in the united states doesn't mean that they are automatically going to work out. Greg Oden seemed like a worthwhile pick, so did Adam Morrison and every other bust there has ever been. Not all forigen players have been great but not all of them have been bad either. Dirk Nowitzki is a prime example, and actually is what Kristaps Porzingis is being compared to. He is a stretch four who actually has more of a defensive presence than dirk. The kid is only 19, is 7'1 and has a 7'6 wingspan, you can't teach that.
Lets look at fact number two, this is actually what Knicks fans have been asking for all along, and that to build through the draft. With respect to Carmelo Anthony, who is a phenomenal scorer and a great player, he is never going to win a championship by himself. He isn't that kind of player, he's not going to do what LeBron did in the finals. The best and most proven way there is of winning is to build through the draft (as I've actually stated before in the article “Rebuilding the Apple”) and build around a player like Melo. As far as him not being happy, I'll quote the ever popular NFL guru Adam Schefter when he tweeted “Here's what the Knicks owe Carmelo Anthony: $101,606,280 million more. Isn't that enough? They don't owe him anything more”. The best option the Knicks had is to start a slow rebuild, draft a few players at a time, develop them, which recently has not been their strongest suit, and develop a core and an identity. This was only the first step, and if what every scout and GM has been saying about Porzingis is true, than the Knicks might have a transcendent talent on their hands. There was no Jordan in this draft, no player who was going to come onto their team and make them instant contenders. Porzingis was the biggest risk, yet the biggest reward (for where they were drafting) and has a legitimate shot at being a superstar.
To Knicks fans though they don't want to wait, they want to compete every season. It's an admirable trait which really makes them one of a kind and a very loyal fan base. I hate to break it to you guys, but the team stinks. I don't mean the kind of stink that will just go away the next season. I mean the kind that you have to start from scratch and suffer until you're great again, and for that to ever happen you need the one thing that's so hard for all of you, patience. This is all a process, laying the foundation for what can one day be a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference. Every team goes through these kind of slumps, teams that have once been dominant. The Celtics and Lakers have, two teams which radiate championships. If you think Kristaps Porzingis is the reason why the Knicks will be terrible, you're dead wrong. It was from years of bad management, trading away young players for aging veterans and constantly trying to put a band – aid on a gunshot wound. Knicks fans are going to have to suffer for a bit, watch their team grow, but if Porzingis reaches his ceiling, hits the level scouts and and managers think he can, than there is nothing to worry about. New Yorkers just have to do the second hardest thing behind being patient, be optimistic. The Knicks have plenty of cap space and will get solid players to add to this team in free agency. It's all going to be okay.
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!
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 
