View Single Post
Old 02-25-2009, 04:10 PM   #563
Izulde
Head Coach
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Philadelphia 76ers receive
PF Marcus Givens

Miami Heat receive
PG Scott Miles

What this means for the 76ers
The 28 year old Givens has some scoring and defensive ability, but he's a mid-low bench player for Philadelphia and he can't rebound worth anything.

What this means for the Heat
Miles has some good pass skills, but he's a horribly inconsistent shooter and is merely mediocre on defense. On the other hand, both their contracts are the same length, this year and next, and Miles will be worth more when his contract expires.

Winner: Miami
Miles rates higher on the depth chart than Givens and will be more valuable next year financially, but this isn't a noteworthy deal for either team.

Denver Nuggets receive
PF Dennis Edwards
Philadelphia 76ers 2029 2nd round pick

Philadelphia 76ers receive
PF Tommy Kent
SF Gerard Dudley

What this means for the Nuggets
Edwards may not be able to play defense, but he can shoot from anywhere on the court (52.4% conversion) and as in underrated rebounder. A pure scorer who scarily enough has some upside and should have the #1 pick in last year's draft. He's an instant jolt of offense for a Denver squad primarily noted for its defense.

What this means for the 76ers
Kent, taken 6th overall last year, is very raw but has promising upside as a shooter and scorer and projects as a better rebounder than Edwards, though it's a wash defensively. Terrible work ethic and a lack of basketball intelligence suggest Kent won't reach those lofty heights. Dudley's a 24 year old with an accurate shot, but ultimately unremarkable, save for some defensive toughness.

Winner: Denver
The Nuggets pull off an absolute steal here, getting a much more polished player and a potential franchise scorer for relatively little when all factors are weighed in. The front office learned well from GM Jestor how to rob someone on the trade market.

Portland Trailblazers receive
PG Bryan Hankar
Golden State Warriors 2029 2nd round pick

Golden State Warriors receive
SF Dionsio Harrick
PF Ron Echols

What this means for the Trailblazers
The 19 year old Belgian Hankar can't shoot worth a lick, but if the #4 overall selection from last year can improve on that and his defense, he should be a solid pass-first PG, but he's not going to start for a team that has another 19 year old PG taken last year, Lithuanian Kaluj Kazlauskas, taken 11th, who has all the hallmarks of a potential franchise PG. Fortunately for Portland, Hankar's $2.9 mill. rookie salary expires after the season since the Warriors didn't pick up his option.

What this means for the Warriors
Harrick, 22, taken 14th overall by Portland this year, is nothing special and a probable borderline bench player/career D-Leaguer. 25 year old Echols is in the same boat.

Winner: Portland
The Traiblazers get financial flexiblity and a good backup guard for a couple of youngish scrubs, whereas Golden State merely trades one draft mistake only to take on another one.

I'm not at all happy about Denver pulling off that swindle. It'll make the Nuggets that much tougher to beat come playoff time.

What does make me happy is a pair of easy back-to-back wins to kick off February. Justin Richler and Vladimir Tupolev score 23 points a piece in our 106-72 squash of the Knicks and carry us in our 122-103 victory in Portland as well, netting 29 and 34 points respectively.

After a few days off, we whip the Suns 111-88 as Justin Richler scores 29, Jim Johnson puts up 26 points and 13 rebounds, Vladimir Tupolev scores 20 and Luke Smith doubles for 10 points and 11 rebounds.

The Sonics stop our streak in Seattle 93-80 as we can only manage Vladimir Rachupchin's 19 points and 12 rebounds, but we rebound for an always pleasant 118-106 victory over the Mavericks the next night. Justin Richler scores 35 and Jim "Twizzler" Johnson barges his way to 22 points and 10 rebounds.

Vladimir Tupolev rattles the Celtics for 31 points, Justin Richler and Vladimir Raschupchin adding 21 points each in our 127-108 win in Boston. Jim Johnson and Luke Smith double-double for 16 points, 13 rebounds and 13 points, 11 rebounds respectively.

An away doubleheader doesn't frighten us as we win both. The Bulls trip up 113-100 as Justin Richler gores them for 33 points, Vladimir Tupolev nets 13 points and 10 assists and William Tackett wakens up from our too-long silent bench with 14 points. The 120-97 cutting of the Nets the next evening is driven by 4 Kings with 20+ points - Vladimir Tupolev (25 points), Justin Richler (24 points, 12 assists), Jim Johnson (21 points, 10 rebounds) and Vladimir Raschupchin (22 points).

It's a great way to go into the All-Star break.

Dennis Edwards is a king among peasants with 25 points and 14 rebounds in the Sophomores 85-72 win over the Rookies. Ugly game offensively except for Edwards, who I'm still unhappy to see wearing powder blue.

As dull as the undercard was, the main event was thrilling, as the West's rally fell just short in a 107-104 loss to the East. Our only All-Star was Justin Richler, who scored 14 points in 12 minutes as a reserve. Corey Neal showed in this game why he's the best PG in the NBA, putting on a breathtaking performance of 26 points, 19 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 steals on his way to MVP.

I'm amazed at some of the names on the trading block, including Oswaldo Apolonario, but even with Vladimir Tupolev and Luke Smith offered together in a package, Atlanta's not listening.

No worries as we simply go out and crush the Hawks 122-99 for their impudence. Justin Richler scores 29, Vladimir Tupolev adds 27 points and Brandon Edmond booms off the bench for 16 points.

With that great temptation done with, we beat the Mavericks 109-96 in Dallas on matching 25 points from Justin Richler and Vladimir Raschupchin and 15 points and 10 assists from Vladimir Tupolev.

The road doubleheader up next is a split decision. We top the 76ers 122-110 as Justin Richler scores 35, Luke Smith tacks on 17 points and 11 rebounds and David Jackson shows off his 50 Ninja skills, exploding off the bench for 22 points. But then the Wizards dispel us 106-95 the next evening, despite 26, 24 and 21 points from Vladimir Tupolev, Justin Richler and Vladimir Raschupchin respectively and not even 50 Ninja's 11 bench boards are enough.

Dallas/Philadelphia/Washington are the first half of a 6 game road stretch, for what it's worth and Games 4 and 5, both wins, finish out February. We stuff the Bobcats 105-84 as Justin Richler scores 27, Vladimir Tupolev doubles for 21 points and 11 assists and Jim Johnson chips in 14 points and 11 rebounds. The Magic give us hell in Orlando, but we escape with a 103-98 win on Luke Smith and Vladimir Raschupchin igniting for 23 and 21 points respectively, while Jim Johnson completes the strong frontcourt effort with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Rough night for the backcourt, save for William Tackett, who bails us out with 17 bench points.

48-11 and we've got a 16 game lead in the Pacific over the Suns and a 5 game edge on the 36-21 Nuggets for the West's #1 seed. Denver's only fending Seattle off by 1.5 games, as the Sonics have adapated marvelously to losing Vladimir Tupolev while 35-21 Dallas is 2.5 up on the Spurs.

Out East, 41-15 Indiana is 13 games in front of the .500 Bulls and 40-18 New Jersey has a 5 game advantage on the Celtics. Miracle of miracles, a .+500 leader in the Southeast in the 30-26 Wizards, with the Magic 2 games back at .500.

NBA Leaders

Points
1. Damian Thomas (SA) - 31.1
2. Marcelino Augusto (DAL) - 27.7
3. Filip Mikulic (HOU) - 27.3
5. Justin Richler (SA) - 24.2

Assists
1. Ameirin Qipani (SA) - 13.6
2. Waldemar Althusser (ATL) - 12.6
3. Caleb James (TOR) - 12.5

Rebounds
1. Dontay Williamson (DEN) - 14.5
2. Victor Gipson (MIA) - 12.5
3. Oswaldo Apolonario (ATL) - 12.3

Blocks
1. Dontay Williamson (DEN) - 3.4
2. Patrick Riley (NO) - 3.3
3. Tariel Abashize (MIA) - 3.0

Steals
1. Russell Sims (SEA) - 2.5
2. David Johnson (IND) - 2.3
3. Corey Westbrooks (PHI) - 2.1
4. Walter Hicks (NJ) - 2.0

Rookies Leaders

Points
1. Fred Cole (CHA) - 18.5
2. John Tulley (GS) - 7.6
3. Ben Weaver (PHI) - 6.7

Assists
1. Jamaal Davenport (MIA) - 4.2
2. Fred Cole (CHA) - 2.4
3. Gary Crawford (CHI) - 2.1

Rebounds
1. Ben Weaver (PHI) - 8.4
2. Aaron Anderson (DAL) - 5.9
3. Ben Webber (LAC) - 5.0
4. Fred Cole (CHA) - 4.4

Blocks
1. Ben Weaver (PHI) - 2.2
2. Ben Webber (LAC) - 1.2
3. Fred Cole (CHA) - 0.9

Steals
1. Ben Weaver (PHI) - 1.1
2. Fred Cole (CHA) - 0.9
T3. Aaron Anderson (DAL) - 0.6
T3. John Tulley (GS) - 0.6

Horrible, horrible rookie class, as you might have guessed from the Rookies/Sophs game.

Weaver, the #3 overall pick, can rebound and shotblock and that's it. Cole, a Gonzaga senior, taken 7th by the Bobcats, is easily the most polished and best player of the class and is a real steal. No upside from where he is though, really.

But when 3.5*/3.5* is the highest in a draft class and even the #1 overall pick is 2*/2* as is the case with Mario Mihm, you know just how awful it is.

In fact, I'd call this the single worst draft class in NBA history.
__________________
2006 Golden Scribe Nominee
2006 Golden Scribe Winner
Best Non-Sport Dynasty: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty)

Rookie Writer of the Year
Dynasty of the Year: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty)
Izulde is offline   Reply With Quote