[Izulde]

NBA Lottery
1. Phoenix Suns (+8)
2. Miami Heat (-1)
3. New Orleans Hornets (-1)
4. Boston Celtics (-1)
5. Indiana Pacers (-1)
6. Washington Wizards (-1)
7. Memphis Grizzlies (-1)
8. San Antonio Spurs (-1)
9. New York Knicks (-1)
10. L.A. Clippers
11. Seattle Supersonics
12. Atlanta Hawks
13. New Orleans Hornets
14. Philadelphia 76ers

A fantastic coup for the Suns, who rise all the way up to the top spot. Other than that, a surprisingly in order lottery, perhaps the most ordered one I've ever seen since I've been in the league.

NBA Awards

MVP
Andrew Bynum - Los Angeles Lakers - 17.7 PPG 11.5 RPG 3.4 APG 2.2 BPG 0.7 SPG
Defensive Player of the Year
Greg Oden - Toronto Raptors - 13.6 PPG 14.7 RPG 4.0 APG 2.5 BPG 1.0 SPG
Rookie of the Year
Jon Ward - Phoenix Suns - 11.8 PPG 5.0 RPG 2.6 APG 1.7 BPG 1.3 SPG
6th Man of the Year
Matt Michaels - Phoenix Suns - 14.1 PPG 4.5 RPG 3.1 APG 0.5 BPG 0.8 SPG
Coach of the Year
Larry Krystowiak - Milwaukee Bucks

Stupid MVP choice if you ask me. Even more puzzling Coach of the Year selection.

All-NBA 1st Team
PG Kenny Graham - Sacramento Kings
SG Justin Richler - Toronto Raptors
SF Devone Allen - Dallas Mavericks
PF Federico Gomez - Minnesota Timberwolves
C Andrew Bynum - Los Angeles Lakers

All-NBA 2nd Team
PG John Aylsworth - Cleveland Cavaliers
SG Mateen Yeaton - Denver Nuggets
SF Georghiois Kairis - Houston Rockets
PF Kelvin Moody - Minnesota Timberwolves
C Greg Oden - Toronto Raptors

All-NBA 3rd Team
PG A.J. Dunkley - Utah Jazz
SG Nigel Abel - Miami Heat
SF Brooks Smith - Seattle Supersonics
PF Henry Fisher - Utah Jazz
C Tim Davis - Milwaukee Bucks

Jonte Jones got screwed. So what if he missed a month? He still should be up here. Same with Marcelino Augusto. It's a ridiculous year for awards all around, it seems. By the way, I'm not arguing about Richler over Yeaton for the 1st Team. That was a perfectly valid selection.

All-Defense 1st Team
PG Derrick Sterett - New Jersey Nets
SG Charles Seegars - Chicago Bulls
SF David Anyan - Toronto Raptors
PF Tyrus Thomas - Philadelphia 76ers
C Greg Oden - Toronto Raptors

All-Defense 2nd Team
PG Leland Peterson - Washington Wizards
SG David Davis - New York Knicks
SF Julian Wright - San Antonio Spurs
PF Federico Gomez - Minnesota Timberwolves
C Patrick Riley - Sacramento Kings

All-Rookie 1st Team
PG Adam Braun - Houston Rockets
SG Jon Ward - Phoenix Suns
SF Antwan Carson - Memphis Grizzlies
PF Terry Vinson - Chicago Bulls
C Lee McRae - Indiana Pacers

All-Rookie 2nd Team
PG Mark Johnson - Miami Heat
SG Austin Forte - L.A. Clippers
SF LeRoy Romano - Boston Celtics
PF Clifton Snyder - Golden State Warriors
C Jarion Calloway - San Antonio Spurs

I spend the next several weeks calling teams and trying to put together a deal, but nobody's willing to trade with me, not even the Supersonics, who have an extremely raw player in Freddie Tackett, who'd be a gamble to acquire anyway. Golden State absolutely refuses to consider moving Walter Coleman, which makes sense. He's a young Mateen Yeaton and the Warriors want to build around him.

We go round and round with the Suns centering around 25 year old PF Antonio Sarchet, but just when we're about to agree to a deal, I pull back. I love Sarchet's obscene 61.5% from the floor, but he can't be a playmaker on the defensive end to save his live, nor is he a very good defender in general. Plus, we'd have to give up either Victor Gipson, Nolan Hill or a 1st round pick besides to get him and I'm just not comfortable doing that for a player I have any reservations about.

A player I -don't- have any qualms about giving 1st rounder for is Portland's Sonny Boxler and for a moment, it looks like an absolutely insane deal is going to be reached that pulls it off, but they change their minds at the last minute.

We take a long, hard look at 29 year old Knicks SF Jeremy Leach and almost make the move to get him, but his mediocre defense and his 6'5 height stop me just short of completing the transaction, even if it would mean acquring the #9 pick in the draft in the bargain. Chris Gearheart intially gets a look, but his playoff numbers take a huge drop, as in the last 3 times he's been to the playoffs, he's shot less than 40%, even shooting 29.6% last year.

Finally, I'm forced to concede defeat. There's just nobody worth moving for that wouldn't sully our chances to win a fourth straight title. That's not to say that we'll remain largely the same, though. We could be swinging a deal even in free agency.

Coach Hiring
I don't even pay attention to who goes where anymore. Not much to report on our end either, save that Monty Williams is signed to a 3 year deal as our 3rd assistant.

Oh yes, Emeka Okafor retired and put himself out there as a coach, but he's terrible right now, rated Poor/Average/Poor/Average/Average by the National Coach Scout Services (NCSS). If he ever becomes even a semi-viable option, I'll sign him as a 3rd assistant.

Mock Draft
We currently have picks 25 and 27 and are tabbed to take two SFs that I have no interest in. Well, Rod Greene, the 20 year old out of Michigan State, intrigues me slightly, but 22 year old Tim Felix from Notre Dame impresses me not one bit.

The top player in the class is a tossup. The mocks say PF James Bellairs, younger brother of Golden State forward Jeremy Bellairs. Others, including me, award that distinction to SG Rasheed Wheeler, who the mocks have falling to Washington with the 6th overall pick.

We probably aren't going to get a top player unless somebody falls through the cracks, but I've got a feeling we should be able to move up and get a value pick. Or we may sit back and collect two guys, depending on what shakes out.

I can't wait to see what happens.