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Old 02-27-2011, 05:41 AM   #1
Izulde
Head Coach
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
I, Izulde Jestor = Idiot. In New York. (DDS:PB 2)

"Mr. Jestor, it's the Detroit Pistons. They're offering us the #7 pick and Chris Wilcox for Danilo Gallinari."

Just when I thought I was out the game, they pull me back in. Back here in the Big Apple, where I'm again in charge of the Knicks. My first draft back. No Joakim Noah this time. Just a trade offer before I've even had time to look at the scouting reports.

Things move a hell of a lot faster than they used to.

Danilo Gallinari. Lot of split opinions about this kid. Some say Mike Dunleavy, others say a poor man's Dirk. I've heard Josh Smith, Hedo Turkoglu, Rashard Lewis. All kinds of things.

Some think he's a legit All-Star and we need to hang on to him. Others think he'll just be a serviceable fourth option. Me? I'm not really sure what to think. The game has changed a ton from my day. Back then, you had a clear and neatly organized hierarchy and it was easy to sort out players by their scouting and statistics. Now? Everybody seems to fall into a blobby medium.

I call my assistant GM. He says it's a crap deal way favoring the Pistons, so forget it anyhow. I do.

After looking over our workout reports, I'm even more glad I turned it down. There's not a single damn prospect in the class likely to be at #7, let alone #9, who fits the Jestorball model.

Oh well. Let's see how this rolls.

2010 NBA Draft 1st Round
1. PG John Wall - Washington Wizards
2. SG Evan Turner - Philadelphia 76ers
3. SF Wesley Johnson - New Jersey Nets
4. C Demarcus Cousins - Minnesota Timberwolves

Somewhere about pick 4, I get another call. This time it's the Thunder, offering Daequan Cook and #21 for Wilson Chandler. That's much more to my liking, as I'm not high on Chandler at all, but nor am I sold on the deal.

I try to get Russell Westbrook, but even the #9 pick won't cut it for them. We come close on another deal, but can't make salaries match, so I tell them to call me after the draft.

5. PF Derrick Favors - Sacramento Kings
6. C Cole Aldrich - Golden State Warriors
7. PF Epke Udoh - Detroit Pistons
8. SF Al-Farouq Aminu - Los Angeles Clippers

Talking heads are saying we'll pick Xavier Henry. I can see why, but my choice is clear.

9. PF Greg Monroe - New York Knicks

I love, love, -love- big men who have good passing and handling ability and Monroe fits the bill, in my opinion. Plus, picking him, we can keep Gallinari at the SF spot.

10. SG Xavier Henry - Indiana Pacers
11. SF Gordon Hayward - New Orleans Hornets
12. PF Ed Davis - Memphis Grizzlies
13. SF Paul George - Toronto Raptors
14. PG Terrico White - Houston Rockets
15. PF Larry Sanders - Milwaukee Bucks
16. C Daniel Orton - Charlotte Bobcats
17. SG Avery Bradley - Chicago Bulls
18. SF Luke Babbitt - Miami Heat
19. SG James Anderson - Boston Celtics
20. PF Patrick Patterson - San Antonio Spurs
21. SF Quincy Pondexter - Denver Nuggets
22. SF Da'Sean Butler - Portland Trailblazers
23. SG Jordan Crawford - Utah Jazz
24. SF Damion James - Atlanta Hawks
25. SG Dominique Jones - Denver Nuggets
26. PF Craig Brackens - Phoenix Suns
27. C Hassan Whiteside - Dallas Mavericks
28. PG Grevis Vasquez - Houston Rockets
29. SG Eric Bledsoe - Memphis Grizzlies
30. SF Stanley Robinson - Cleveland Cavaliers

So Landry Fields from Stanford, a projected first round pick, is still sitting there at #39. But then Solomon Alabi seduces me with his 7'1 foot body and ability to block shots, so we take him instead.

The pick's trashed, but whatever.

First look after the draft says I should be pretty happy with Monroe and Alabi could be a serviceable reserve in time. Probably should have taken Fields, but oh well.

There were a bunch of trades during the draft, none of which I'll cover right now because it was a long, long draft day. I didn't feel quite the excitement that I used to. Probably because everything's gotten so damned noisy and busy.

I renounce everyone prior to free agency, giving us $39 million and change to work with. No, we will not be chasing after LeBron. I don't like him. I realize much of it was the media machine that consumed him as a young boy, but I think he needs to stop this silliness and stay in Cleveland; become who he was born to be.

Summer League
PG Tony Douglas
SF Wilson Chandler
SF Danilo Gallinari
PF Greg Monroe
C Solomon Alabi

22 points from Tony Douglas in our opening 96-80 loss to the Grizzlies. Not sure if I'm excited about our new head coach's strategies. Oh by the way, we hired Del Harris as our head coach when I took over. I didn't want Mike D'Antoni's no defense ass around anymore and I couldn't convince Jeff Van Gundy to come back to New York, so I went with the elder statesman in Harris. Really elder, at 73.

102-74 loss to the Thunder and our lack of offense is alarming, especially since these are the main guys we're going to war with if nothing major happens in free agency.

Danilo Gallinari breaks out with 28 points, but we lose 100-84 to the Magic. One of our scrub invites got 12 bench points too, but no one cares.

120-85 loss to the Kings. I need to make a FA splash or this trip will be as short as last time Semih Erden, by the way, has now scored 12 bench points in the last two games. Solid game by Greg Monroe with 13 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and a block.

Semih Erden with 15 bench points, Danilo Gallinari with 23 points and Wilson Chandler with a pleasant 15 point, 10 rebound double-double to give us the 95-83 win over the Pistons and salvage something out of the summer league.

Hunting around before free agency, I do my damnedest to pry Stephen Curry from the Warriors. I even offer Danilo Gallinari. They tell me to go take a flying leap.

But then the 76ers give me the tired BS line about matching the best thing or close to it from their side of the trade. Really? Really?! GO **** YOURSELF! Jrue Holiday has substandard handling for a PG and is extremely raw right now and you're telling me Wilson Chandler and Solomon Alabi, plus even a 2nd rounder I'll throw in isn't enough?

I hate this league.

I really, really do.

Free Agency
Here's us throwing all of our money at Dwayne Wade. We also throw a sizeable contract at two other players.

And yes, we steal Paul Pierce on a 4 year, $60 million contract with a team option in the last year.

...Only to have the New Jersey Nets steal D-Wade and LeBron on the same day.

We strike back by signing Amare Stoudamire to a max deal a few days later.

Pierce is 32. If we want to win, we need to go all in.

So I hit the phones and after long hours and long talks, I make the following happen.

New York Knicks receive
PG Steve Nash
Phoenix Suns 2011 1st
Phoenix Suns 2013 1st

Phoenix Suns receive
SF Wilson Chandler
C Eddy Curry
PG Tony Douglas
New York Knicks 2011 2nd

What this means for the Knicks
Nash, Pierce, and Stoudamire all in one offseason. The Lottery GM, Jestor, is taking a blitzkrieg route to rebuilding the Knicks, especially after the Nets' coup of Wade and King James. Nash will be the perfect floor general for Pierce and Stoudamire and with Phoenix likely much worse now, those firsts could hold considerable value.

What this means for the Suns
What a shocking offseason this must be for Suns fans. First they lose Stoudemire to the Knicks. Now they trade Nash to New York and include two first round picks besides. How does this deal make sense for them? Financially. This is all about having another $14 million come off the books next season. They're already $8 million under the cap and Jason Richardson's contract alone is worth $14.4 million in expiring. 28.4 + 8 = 36.4 million, plus the other expirings. That means money to go after their choice of Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Yao Ming, maybe Carmelo Anthony if he opts not to take his option. Let's also not forget Blake Griffin, Brandon Jennings, etc.

Winner: New York
Phoenix will be very, very bad without Nash and Stoudamire. So bad that it's a guaranteed lottery selection in 2011, maybe even 2013. A dear price for the Suns to pay and they'll need to land somebody like a Rose, Noah, or Griffin to make it worth their while for having done this.

6 players under contract. $11 million and change in cap. I've got my starting five set, now I just need the role players.

Like Chris Duhon back in New York at a $3 million one year deal to be the backup point guard and Big Ben Wallace for $6 million and a shot at maybe another ring.

Interesting use of the cap by Miami. After missing out on the big two, they get Rudy Gay and Al Harrington on the same day I spend the rest of my money on Josh Howard. I told Charles Rolen I'd be under the cap but losing. Oops. Let's just hope he likes winning lots more.

9 players left, so I need at least 3 guys on min-sal.

Wow. Joe Johnson to the Chicago Bulls and the overrated Luis Scola to the Suns.

The Heat pay good money to Earl Watson to take him from us. We counter by getting Steve Blake on a one year min sal, but lose Mike Sweetney to I forget who just now. The Lakers gave AI a two year min sal. Wow.

Ahmad Nivins upside intrigues me enough to sign him to a two year deal and Von Wafer gets the one year min sal to make our minimum 12.

Preseason mags are picking the Nets and.... us... as the favorites. As one writer put it, "This is the most exciting NY/NJ basketball war since the NBA/ABA fracas of the '70s. Both teams have a great three star core and quality role-players to fill in the gaps. It should be a thrilling fight all season long."

Heh.

New Jersey Nets
PG Devin Harris
SG Dwayne Wade
SF Lebron James
PF Yi Jianli
C Brook Lopez
Courtney Lee
Wesley Johnson (R)
Terrence Williams
Linus Kleiza
Craig Smith
Ramon Sessions
Ryan Hollins

New York Knicks
PG Steve Nash
SG Danilo Gallinari
SF Paul Pierce
PF Greg Monroe (R)
C Amare Stoudamire
Ben Wallace
Josh Howard
Chris Duhon
Steve Blake
Von Wafer
Ahmad Nivins (R)
Solomon Alabi (R)

I feel like our depth is a ton better than New Jersey's. Their PG and big man depth suck the big one. On the other hand, our starting five is much weaker, with only two go-to guys on offense.

Man, I hope I did the right thing here. Bulls #3 in the East and I can't help but think the D-Rose/Joe Johnson backcourt won't work. West favorites are Lakers/Jazz/Kings.

That last one I don't see at all.

Speaking of last...

Phoenix Suns
PG Tony Douglas
SG Jason Richardson
SF Wilson Chandler
PF Luis Scola
C Robin Lopez

Yeah. That lineup alone tells you why the Suns are picked for last in the West.
__________________
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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)

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Old 02-27-2011, 06:20 AM   #2
Izulde
Head Coach
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
I should be sleeping, but I just *have* to see how this team does.

As fate would have it, our first game of the year is in New York against the D-Wade and Bron Nets. Instant national game of the week... and we get hammered 103-80. LeBron James scores 21 and holds Paul Pierce to 1 of 8 shooting. It was the key matchup of the game and the difference right there. How demoralizing.

23 points, 8 assists, just 1 TO from Steve Nash the next game to go with Amare Stoudamire's 20 points and 11 rebounds... and we lose 105-87 to the 76ers.

119-105 the next night and we finally win on the back end of the doubleheader in Atlanta. Steve Nash dazzles with 22 points and 14 assists, Amare Stoudamire with 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks, and Josh Howard with the great 12 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists off the bench. Oh, Ben Wallace scored 11 benchside too.

I've notice in the early games that we do much better when Danilo Gallinari limits his shots. I'm considering trading him.

To .500 we go after a 115-106 trackmeet over the Warriors. Amare Stoudamire electrifies with 26 points and 10 rebounds and somehow Ben Wallace scores 20 bench points with 8 rebounds.

21 points from Amare Stoudemire and Ben Wallace's 15 points and 8 rebounds off the bench can't hide that we suck in a 102-81 drubbing by the Bobcats.

Paul Pierce finally breaks out for 25 points and Danilo Gallinari scores 27. Ben Wallace with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks off the bench. Steve Nash 13 points and 15 assists, and Chris Duhon 11 bench points. Result? 121-109 loss to Orlando. Dwight Howard triple-doubles with 15 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 blocks.

28 points from Amare Stoudamire, a cool 12 point, 12 assist double double from Steve Nash, and 12 and 10 bench points from Ben Wallace and Chris Duhon pilot us to a 110-85 squash of the T-Wolves.

But it's another back end game, this time in New Jersey. 107-94 loss not quite as bad, so maybe we just need to gel. 21 points, 9 rebounds Amare Stoudemire, whose name I never spell right, and 12 points, 10 assists for Steve Nash.

Paul Pierce's 23 points and 11 rebounds, Amare Stoudemire's 15 points and 16 rebounds, Steve Nash's 19 points and 11 assists and Josh Howard's 11 bench points all ensure we keep Detroit winless to the tune of 106-94.

Really? Another back-to-back? But it's okay because we smash the Thunder 103-86 on defense, Steve Nash's 25 points, and Ben Wallace's 10 bench boards.

****! 124-122 heartbreaker in Utah to drop us below .500. Don't want to talk about it.

Harrowing 95-93 win over Clippers next. Very gunky game with no standouts.

100-85 loss to the Lakers because of course we can't be over .500. Forget Paul Pierce's 25 points when we're shooting 37.8% as a team.

Grrr!!!!!!!! 100-97 loss to a shitass 2 win Heat team, now 3. Way to waste Steve Nash's 30 points and 8 assists. Oh, they also got Chris Bosh in FA, so they're underachieving relative to the talent level.

Upsetting the Magic 98-81 helps a bit. 21 points, 13 rebounds enables Amare Stoudemire to hold Howard to a draw, the spaces filled in by Steve Nash's 17 points and 13 assists and Josh Howard's 13 bench points.

We're 7-8 at the end of the month, tied with the Bobcats and 76ers for the #8 seed in the East. Indiana Pacers somehow went 12-2 to tie the Nets for NBA's best record.

Our defense sucks and it really shouldn't. Then again, Harris doesn't like to play tough defense or hit the boards. Maybe I should fire his ass.

...No, I'll give him time to legitimately take this team to a playoff spot.
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Old 03-06-2011, 04:54 PM   #3
Izulde
Head Coach
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
No trades in the first month of the year and the moment's passed for reviewing the draft deals.

Most of my guys aren't trade eligible yet, but I notice the Bulls have Luol Deng on the block. Something to think about, maybe.

Danilo Galinari goes off for 32 points in our 121-110 win over the Raptors to open December. Steve Nash picks up 21 points and 17 assists and Amare Stoudamire hammers home 24 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocks.

The win costs us [b]Josh Howard, who breaks his ankle and is out for a month and a half/b]. Not cool. He's been extremely solid for us, averaging 8.3 points and playing good defense. We sign swingman Antoine Wright as injury cover. He's averaging 15.5 points and shooting 50% in the D-Leagues.

Finally back over .500 after whipping the Cavaliers 107-88. Amare Stoudamire with 34 points, 12 rebounds and 4 steals, Steve Nash with 20 points and 12 assists, and Paul Pierce with 22 points.

A couple nights later we go to Cleveland and win again, 108-103. Paul Pierce tears them up for 34 points, Steve Nash hands out 10 points and 20 assists, Danilo Galinari scores 21 and Ben Wallace gets 10 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocks off the bench.

Now Antoine Wright gets hurt, but it's only a wrist sprain, so he'll just have to suck it up.

No victory yet for the Suns after we douse them 118-95. Fun game to watch with 4 Knicks with 20+ points. First up, Steve Nash with 20 points, 17 assists, and 7 rebounds. Then Danilo Galinari with 22, Paul Pierce with 21 and Amare Stoudamire with 20. Oh and all five starters scored 13 points or more.

Indiana ends our winning streak in a hard-fought 117-114 game. 23 and 20 points from Amare Stoudamire and Danilo Galinari just didn't do it and nor did Steve Nash's 14 points and 12 assists.

The very next night we're in New York, knocking out the C's 111-99 on Amare Stoudamire's 25 points and 16 rebounds and Chris Duhon's ridiculous 6/6, 4/4 from 3 point shooting, for 18 points in just 15 minutes.

A nice little break ensues before beating the Bucks 121-113 via Amare Stoudamire (27 points), Danilo Galinari (28 points), Steve Nash (22 points, 15 assists) and Ben Wallace's 10 bench points.

The Bucks return the favor when we go to Miwakee, a 109-88 loss that marks the first time this month we've failed to score 100 points in a game. I quit watching this one early.

We rebound on the backend of the doubleheader to squish the Wizards 108-91. Steve Nash the hero with 20 points and 10 assists, although Chris Duhon's 15 bench points sure helped.

118-87 romp over the very good Bulls is keyed by Paul Pierce's 27 points, Amare Stoudamire's 23 points and 11 rebounds, and 13 and 10 bench points from usual suspects Chris Duhon and Ben Wallace.

Defense carries us in a 96-89 road win in D.C. That and 19 points, 11 assists out of Steve Nash, 13 points, 17 rebounds from Amare Stoudamire, and Ben Wallace's 14 bench points.

Doubleheader? doublewin as we complete the back end by bouncing the Pistons 101-78. All five starters with 10+ points, led by Amare Stoudamire's 28 points. Chris Duhon sparked the second team with 13 points.

The holiday season's good cheer continues with a 109-104 victory in Toronto. Amare Stoudamire does his thing with 20 points and 15 rebounds, Danilo Galinari tops scoring with 27 points, Steve Nash doubles my favorite number with 16 points, 16 assists, and Chris Duhon, who is well earning his $3 million paycheck, chips in 13 bench points.

Portland ends the merriment just before New Year's. 110-98 trouncing and Amare Stoudamire's pair of 16s in points and rebounds are pretty poor alongside Chris Duhon's 15 bench points. We didn't play D at all that game.

To make matters worse, Danilo Galinari breaks his elbow and is out 2 months. Now this is a very serious injury. Gallinari is our third leading scorer and ballthief, not to mention our most disciplined starter by far.

Unfortunately, it looks like the free agents all have a Day 90 rule attached to them, so we can't make a move. So we make Chris Duhon the starting SG and sign old as hell Antonio Daniels as a backup.

And because I have to see what this disaster portends, I carry on to our New Year's Day game.

113-105 loss to the mediocre Timberwolves. 26 points from Amare Stoudamire, 11 bench points from Ben Wallace. Sadly, Chris Duhon chucked the hell out of the ball, taking a team high 20 attempts in his nervousness, and making only 7 of them.

Yeah.

18-12 puts us 2nd in the Atlantic, 6.5 behind the Nets, who at 25-6 have the league's best record. We're also currently the #5 seed with homecourt advantage over the lesser #4 seed Southeast leaders, a dead-heat tie between Charlotte and Orlando.

Let's see just how long we can keep this charade up without Danilo Gallinari, though. Hell, we still have two weeks left until Josh Howard comes back.

Quick side note: Amare Stoudamire is 16th in the league in both points and rebounding. Steve Nash is #2 in assists with 11.3, 0.3 behind Chris Paul.
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Old 03-10-2011, 11:21 AM   #4
Izulde
Head Coach
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Once again, no trades. The new restrictions put in place by the latest CBA have really hampered player movement in the early season.

Embarrassing. The Clippers play us on the back end of their doubleheader and they rout us 105-84. Not even going to talk about it.

We snap back a couple nights later with a 118-109 victory over the Rockets. Steve Nash doubles for 25 points and 11 assists, Amare Stoudamire scores 25, Paul Pierce scores 21, and Greg Monroe gets what I believe is his first pro career double-double, with 17 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Antoine Wright, of all people, scores 14 off the bench.

25 points, 15 rebounds and 6 assists from Amare Stoudamire propel us to a 111-104 win over the Spurs on the back end. Steve Nash also scores 25, making it two straight games they've both scored 25 points. Two straight nights, no less. Steve Blake leads the reserves with 10 points.

I'm thrilled beyond compare when we sting the Hornets 121-105. [b[Paul Pierce[/b] torches New Orleans for 31 points, Greg Monroe gets 10 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks, Steve Nash 11 points and 15 assists. The real reason we won, though, was Steve Blake and Antoine Wright going off for 16 and 15 respective points in second unit duty.

A shocking 130-90 rout of the Bulls in Chicago the next night is huge for playoff seeding purposes. Paul Pierce leads us with 27 points, Amare Stoudamire bangs in 17 points and 22 rebounds, and Steve Nash gets 13 points and 14 assists. Ben Wallace rose up to remind us of why we originally considered him the key to our bench, producing 18 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks. Antoine Wright continues his torrid form with 11 points. He's fast earning his way to another contract from us next year.

Our Big Three help us narrowly avoid the upset from the Heat, our 112-110 victory the result of Steve Nash (28 points), Paul Pierce (26 points), and Amare Stoudamire (24 points).

Atlanta does pull off the upset, beating us 102-94. Amare Stoudamire's 22 points and 11 rebounds were nice, but the only highlight I think is worth mentioning.

A few days off recharges our batteries and that rest is the key in a thrilling 143-135 OT win over the West-leading Denver Nuggets. Steve Nash is amazing with 26 points and 18 assists, Greg Monroe toughens out a 12 point, 10 rebound double-double, and Ben Wallace and Antoine Wright serve as the cavalry with 16 and 11 respective bench points. But the real hero? The one who shocked the hell out of me and everyone? [b]Chris Duhon - coming out of nowhere to score a career high 39 points[. More impressively, he held C.J. Miles, his opposite, to an 0 for 7 night/b]. But wait, there's more! We won despite Carmelo Anthony dropping 56 points on us.

I'm not surprised to see us lose 118-112 to San Antonio a couple nights after that emotional victory. Steve Nash's 22 points and 10 assists and Ben Wallace and Antoine Wright with 12 and 10 bench points each, the latter also matched by Von Wafer, couldn't overcome a horrible night from our two big men.

Amare Stoudamire snaps out of his slump for 27 points and 11 rebounds and Steve Nash dishes 16 points and 11 assists to lead us to a gritty 102-93 win in Philly the night after. Ben Wallace hauled in 10 rebounds off the bench.

A newspaper reporter calls me that night to talk about Chris Duhon's 39 point game. I talk about what an incredible performance that was. Unfortunately, the next day, Chris is all talking smack about how wonderful he is. I hope it's just him having fun, because if he keeps it up, I think Amare will stuff him in a trash can.

113-107 revenge of the Rockets. 15 points, 10 rebounds, 4 blocks Amare Stoudamire gets. Greg Monroe settles for 15 and 11. Steve Nash tries with 24 points and 11 assists and Antoine Wright scores 11 bench points, but we did a bad job of defending the 3 point shot.

It's after that loss that it dawns on me that Josh Howard became healthy about a week ago. He hasn't complained about his lack of playing time, at least. I talk to Del Harris about the situation and he says that while Josh is a better defender and has a better +/-, Antoine is a much more accurate shooter and not bad on D in his own right.

But there's room for both of them on the court and it allows us to shift Von Wafer to the inactive list.

Paul Pierce scores 25 and takes home Player of the Game in a 105-75 rout of the 76ers. Amare Stoudemire contributes 19 points and 11 rebounds, Steve Nash 12 points and 16 assists, and Ben Wallace matches those 12 points off the bench.

Then, of course, we play like crap in a 99-82 loss to the Grizzlies. Whatever.

Last game of the month, a 92-81 loss to the Hornets. Two straight games we've shot under 40%. That just won't cut it.

The good news is, at 26-18, we're in second place in the Atlantic, tied with the Orlando Magic for the #3 spot in the East. We're 7.5 games behind the Nets, so not much chance of catching the D-Wade/LeBron duo.

Want to know how insane the West is? They have four teams with 70% or better winning percentage. The teams are: the Lakers (73.9%), the Mavericks (73.3%), the Nuggets (73.3%) and the Hornets (70.2%).

I'll also note that we finally have everyone eligible to be traded. At last. It's been far too long since I could make moves.
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Old 03-11-2011, 06:38 PM   #5
Izulde
Head Coach
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Another month until Danilo Gallinari comes back.

And we had a trade at the end of last month.

Oklahoma City Thunder receives
SG Terrence Williams

New Jersey Nets receive
Oklahoma City Thunder 2011 1st round pick

What this means for the Thunder
6'6 SG with good passing and handling for a swingman. Could be a pretty good defender someday, and disciplined on top of it. Unfortunately, there's a logjam in OKC with youth and players, so Williams is currently stuck behind James Harden on the bench.

What this means for the Nets
Williams wasn't getting used much and New Jersey, like OKC, is an all-under 30 team, making him expendable. So essentially they traded a guy who didn't have a place in their future plans for a first round pick that looks to be mid-late. The Thunder are currently #6 in the West playoff game.

Winner - New Jersey
Doesn't make much sense for the Thunder, in all honesty.

And sure enough, we get a deal done, because I've been hungry to make a trade.

New York Knicks receive
C Omer Asik
Chicago Bulls 2011 2nd round pick
Chicago Bulls 2012 2nd round pick
Chicago Bulls 2013 2nd round pick

Chicago Bulls receive
SG Von Wafer
PG Antonio Daniels
C Solomon Alabi

What this means for the Knicks
New York's GM Jestor knows that Ben Wallace won't be around forever, so he snaps up the 24 year old Turk in Asik who is already a promising high percentage shooter with some defense and rebounding potential, along with a boatload of 2nd round picks to be used as future trade bait. He also sheds three salaries of players he has no interest in bringing back next year.

What this means for the Bulls
Chicago was looking for depth in case of injuries and that's basically all most of these players represent. Alabi does give them a shotblocking presence the Bulls lacked, but considering he's a 12th man, it's going to be really hard for fans in the Windy City to accept this deal, especially with all the seconds surrendered.

Winner: New York
A real headscratcher for Chicago and nice work by the Knicks.

We sign 38 year old Brent Barry as injury cover and move forward, as this team's playing too well to risk a major shakeup.

99-77 win over Washington begins the short month. Amare Stoudemire does his 22 point, 17 rebound thing, while Steve Nash scores 23, and Chris Duhon, moved back to the bench in favor of Josh Howard, rips off 20 points.

Next night, 100-91 win over the C's, courtesy of Steve Nash's 22 points and Chris Duhon's 11 bench points.

We destroy the Raptors 114-88 behind a balanced effort signified by Steve Nash's 19 points and 14 assists and Ben Wallace's 10 bench points.

Ugly 97-69 win over Detroit. The Pistons shot so poorly, Amare Stoudemire's 22 points and 10 rebounds almost beat them singlehandedly.

Our first February loss comes 100-89 at the hands of the Bobcats. Amare Stoudemire's 21 and 12, Steve Nash's weak 11 and 12 assists and Chris Duhon's 18 point sniping from the bench didn't get it done.

Steve Nash saves us with a 36 point bombing as we barely eke past the Kings 99-98. Man, that game scared me, as it'd meant we have lost two straight home games to mediocre teams.

We show off our scoring chops in a 118-111 track meet victory over the Mavericks. Steve Nash gets in 24 points and 11 assists, Amare Stoudemire's right behind with 23 points and 11 rebounds, and our old bench stalwarts Ben Wallace (11 points, 11 rebounds) and Chris Duhon (17 points), add to the onslaught. A bloody beautiful Valentine's Day victory before the All-Star break.

Josh Childress and Anthony Morrow win the slam dunk and long distance contests.

The Rookies/Sophomores game is crazy fun to watch, with a 137-123 final for the first years. Evan Turner won MVP with 35 points. Greg Monroe played 12 minutes for the first years and got 4 points and 3 rebounds.

Kobe Bryant's 32 points made the difference in the West's 124-109 win. Steve Nash started and had 9 points and 13 assists, but shot horribly. Amare Stoudemire had 8 points and 4 rebounds in 10 minutes.

Nice to see Knicks representation in both games.

And then I pull off a deadline stunner.

New York Knicks receive
PF Zach Randolph
SG Ronnie Brewer
Memphis Grizzlies 2011 1st round pick

Memphis Grizzlies receive
SF Paul Pierce
PF Greg Monroe
New York Knicks 2011 1st round pick
New York Knicks 2012 1st round pick

What this means for the Knicks
The biggest piece here is actually the Grizzlies' 1st round pick. They've won only 18 games this season and are a lock for the lottery. Randolph just got named to the All-Star Game and his ticket's punched for a playoff team as a double reward. Brewer brings defensive toughness to the bench. The Knicks also put themselves in the position to be free agent players again this offseason as Randolph and Stoudemire are $21 million worth of expiring contracts.

What this means for the Grizzlies
One of the most interesting things to watch the next couple of years is how Pierce molds with O.J. Mayo. We still have trouble believing the Grizzlies got the Knicks to include Monroe in the deal. The rookie is having a very solid all-around season and has the passing and handling Jestorball loves so much. The 2011 pick is obviously a late first, but Memphis is also betting with Steve Nash due to retire sooner rather than later, that the 2013 1st will be worth something.

Winner: Memphis
The Grizzlies are still under the cap and will be a much improved team with Pierce and Monroe. New York is taking a huge risk by dealing those two players and there's still a lot of season left.

New Knicks Lineup
PG Steve Nash
SG Chris Duhon
SF Danilo Gallinari (7 days until full health)
PF Zach Randolph
C Amare Stoudemire

The trade review forgot to mention that Randolph is 28, Pierce 32. I talk to Zach after the trade to see if he wants to sign an extension, but he says he's going to wait for free agency. Fair enough.

Our first game after the deal - 101-92 loss to the Pistons. Steve Nash with 17 points, 10 assists, Amare Stoudemire with 16 points, 17 rebounds and Zach Randolph with 14 points and 12 rebounds in his debut. It takes time for chemistry to develop.

101-80 loss the next night to Portland and I'm wondering if I made a horrible mistake.

Bobcats beat us 109-85. Shit!

Fourth straight loss, 100-93 to the Celtics. Fuck, can we please buy a fucking win?

Low point. 106-103 loss to the Wizards.

I'm so sick I haven't been able to trust looking at the highlights.

And yet, we're still tied for 4th best record with the Magic, at 32-24.

We also, don't forget, hold Phoenix and Memphis's 1st round picks, and both are among the worst teams in the league. The chance for a retooling will be here, provided we can snap the drought.
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Old 03-12-2011, 11:16 PM   #6
Izulde
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Join Date: Sep 2004
"We all do shit like this, stuff that's no good for you. You do it and there's no feeling positive about it afterwards." - Junot Diaz, "Aurora", from the Drown collection

I could tell you about the time I held a drunken one minute conversation with Diaz, where I was trying to avoid fanboying, but I'll spare myself that. In any case, I consider "Aurora" one of the most powerful, moving stories I've ever read, and it ranks right up there with Rabindranath Tagore's "Hungry Stones" for my favorite short story of all time.

Note: To those of you considering reading it, be warned in advance that the language is quite graphic in places. The above quote is actually fairly mild compared to some of the lines in it.

But in any case, that first line is in my head as I survey the train wreck I made with that Zach Randolph trade. Not one single win since then.

Before we continue on with the season, trade deadline reviews.

San Antonio Spurs receive
SF Andre Iguodala

Philadelphia 76ers receive
SF Richard Jefferson
San Antonio Spurs 2011 1st round pick

What this means for the Spurs
Hefty contract, but the 26 year old has some serious defensive game and is a decent all around SF outside of that. More importantly, he represents a starting upgrade at the 3 spot for a Spurs team fighting to make the playoffs.

What this means for the 76ers
A $15 million expiring contract and a mid-late first is not bad at all for a player the 76ers felt wasn't the right one to build around, now that they have Evan Turner.

Winner - Draw
So much of this is dependent on San Antonio making the postseason. They're barely hanging on to the #8 seed right now. If the pick goes lottery, the 76ers win this deal.

Los Angeles Lakers receive
PG Mo Williams

Cleveland Cavaliers receive
PG Terrico White
SF Jason Kapono

What this means for the Lakers
The only other true PG the Purple and Gold had on the roster? Allen Iverson. Williams is more of a combo guard in our opinion, but he's already the best floor general on the roster and immediately a starter. Pretty good shooter and scorer, too. An excellent filling for need.

What this means for the Cavaliers
White was taken 14th overall in this past draft. He's extremely raw, but already shows promise as a 3 point shooter. 6'5, 203 lbs is excellent size and that large body should help him play better. Could develop into a decent player down the line. As is, he's a starter, so will get lots of minutes. Kapano is a $6.6 mil. expiring contract.

Winner: Lakers
The rest of the West just swore, as Showtime addressed its only real problem.

Chicago Bulls receive
C Chris Kaman

Los Angeles Clippers receive
PG Kirk Hinrich
Chicago Bulls 2011 1st

What this means for the Bulls
Poor shooting for a big man, but his 7' height allows him to grab rebounds and block shots. Bit of a shot eater, so Chicago has to be careful he doesn't take away attempts from Derrick Rose. New starting PF, signed through next season.

What this means for the Clippers
Hinrich wasn't seeing much time with the Bulls, but he'll be a very good 6th man with the Clippers. That first round pick is going to be late, but dealing Kaman opened up a spot for Timofey Mozgov, who shockingly went undrafted and who is a very promising youngster. Horrible free throw shooter (38.6%) but 55.6% shooting from the floor makes up for it.

Winner: Clippers
Not a great move by the Bulls. There was nothing wrong with beefing up their frontcourt and dealing Hinrich and a first to do it. It's just that Kaman is the wrong option.

We finally snap the losing streak with a 106-104 barnburner over the 76ers. Amare Stoudemire leads the way with 32 points and 11 rebounds, Chris Duhon surprises with 28 points, Zach Randolph picks up 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Steve Nash goes for 15 points and 16 assists.

The next night we embarrass the Magic 117-86 thanks to Amare Stoudemire's 30 points and Steve Nash's 20 points.

Our joy over a mini win streak is marred by reports of Danilo Gallinari and Omer Asik getting into fights. Something about Italian/Turkish relations I don't quite understand, or maybe it was that Danilo called Omer a girl for complaining about a shoulder injury. One of the two won't be here next year.

Despite the sniping, we rip off a 122-92 rout of the Grizzlies to help our draft position. Steve Nash is again the main man with 24 points and 12 assists, but Amare Stoudemire's 20 points don't hurt and neither do Ronnie Brewer or Josh Howard popping off for 15 and 12 bench points.

The win streak continues, 111-99 over the Mavericks. All five starters score 12+ points, Zach Randolph the key man with 24 points, but ups for Amare Stoudemire's 19 points and 10 rebounds and Steve Nash's 12 points and 16 assists.

112-100 loss to the Thunder snaps the streak at four, but Danilo Gallinari scores 23, Amare Stoudamire garners 22 points and 21 rebounds, Steve Nash has 17 points and 11 assists, and Josh Howard picks up 11 bench points. We really, really need a new SG.

117-112 loss to the Nets, but at least it was close. Chris Duhon scores 21 and neutralizes Dwayne Wade. Must have heard my new SG comment. Steve Nash magics up 21 points and 12 assists and 14 and 12 bench points from Ben Wallace and Josh Howard.

Close game against the Cavs, but we eke out the 109-103 win on Zach Randolph's 24 points and 17 rebounds, Amare Stoudemire's 26 points and 10 rebounds and [b]Steve Nash[/b['s pair of 13s.

Big playoff position battle goes the wrong way in a 116-110 loss to the Bobcats. 24 points, 12 rebounds from Amare Stoudemire, 19 points, 13 rebounds out of Zach Randolph.

Now Ben Wallace is bitching about playing time. Since he went to the media about it and he's so old, I fire right back, telling him he's a valuable part of the team at 38, and there's no need for him to be griping. He gets pissy but I don't care.

Defense, Zach Randolph's 23 points and 18 rebounds, and Amare Stoudemire's 21 points and 16 rebounds net a 93-80 win over Phoenix in another draft pick battle. I have to say, after some initial struggles, the Zach/Amare frontcourt is working really well for us.

Back end's in Sacramento and we win 109-105. Steve Nash goes off for 34 points and Amare Stoudemire does his thing with 20 points and 14 rebounds.

Ronnie Brewer doesn't like the coaching staff, but after I talk to him about it, he feels better.

No surprise the Lakers beat us 103-85. They're my pick to win the title after that brilliant Mo Williams trade.

It's a good thing Danilo Gallinari is a free agent after this season, because we can just let him walk. I'm done with his foolishness with Omer Asik and it's only those two guys who are fighting. Plus, he's shooting 39%. That's unacceptable.

Win #40 is 111-96 over Golden State. Amare Stoudemire with 25 points, Steve Nash with 11 points and 12 assists, and Steve Blake with 14 bench points.

112-98 loss to the Nuggets, but it's the second frame of a doubleheader and in Denver so I'm not worried.

We clinch .500 with a 116-75 de-stringing of the Jazz. 16, 13, 10 bench points from Ben Wallace, Josh Howard, and Ronnie Brewer.

On the last day of the month, we roll up the Heat 113-106 to guarantee a winning record. Zach Randolph grabs 24 points and 11 rebounds and Steve Nash bookends with 23 points and 10 assists.

The Nets have already clinched the Atlantic title. We're again tied for the #4 seed, this time with the Indiana Pacers. I believe New Jersey's also locked up the #1 seed in the East.

Out West, the Lakers already have the Pacific title sewn up, but the #1 seed is still very much in play with Dallas and Portland chasing. San Antonio appears to have made the right choice in getting Andre Iduogala. They're 44-28 and firmly in control of the #6 seed, also within striking distance of a #4 or #5 seed.

Phoenix? 14-58, dead last in the league.
Memphis? 23-48, 4th worst in the league.
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