Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

[trekfan]

The NBA First Trimester Report

December 24th, 2015

By Vonny Lee


The Southwest



1. The Spurs -- are doing exactly what we expected them to do with the signing of Aldridge and West; they're dominating. The Spurs have a depth that is only matched by the Cavs, Heat, Warriors, Clippers, and Thunder, but they've been together for years -- even the new additions seem to have been there for years. Aldridge's individual numbers are a bit down, scoring only 18 points and nabbing 9 boards a game, but his efficiency is up and he's only clocking in 30 minutes a night -- classic minutes management from Pop. Aldridge is pleased with the Spurs and the Spurs are pleased with him; this looks like a match made in heaven.

2. The Thunder -- avoided the worst thing that could happen to them; they resigned KD, extending him for another 3yrs/$64M. The price-tag was more friendly than needed be, but Durant wants to win and he wants to win in OKC. The team is the second-best in the West, but the Rockets and Clippers are lurking near; the Thunder will have to fight off those two teams to maintain their grasp on the 2nd seed but at least they no longer have to worry about this summer.

3. The Rockets -- are making it look easy. Houston is getting another MVP campaign from James Harden and they've seen a revival of D12. Dwight is having a great year, averaging nearly 20 points and 13 boards, while shooting 55 percent from the field and being perfect from deep (he's 1-of-1). Dwight is also in a contract year and, you guessed it, he's considering seeing what's out there. The fate of the Rockets in the playoffs will largely determine Dwight's future with the team, but would he really leave a Houston squad that so perfectly caters to his need? Depending on how badly he wants to be the star, he just might.

4. The Pelicans -- have not made the leap people believed they would under Alvin Gentry, a result of personnel that doesn't match the coach's style. Davis is, of course, being brilliant, averaging 26 points and 13 boards. Evans is having one of his best years, but Holiday has declined across the board and Eric Gordon is injured yet again (out for 6-8 weeks with a torn hamstring). The Pelicans are likely to let Gordon walk in FA and look to unload Holiday somewhere as they retool the team to be something more Gentry's style.

5. The Mavericks -- had early season aspirations for the playoffs but have gone on a prolonged losing streak, dropping their last 10 (I said 10!) games in a row. They're not hurt, they're just getting blown out left and right, the team's leaky defense finally dooming them after years of them just getting by. Mark Cuban is reportedly very dissatisfied with the way things are going, as is the normally composed Dirk, and Dallas could be a buyer as we approach the deadline.

[trekfan]

The NBA First Trimester Report

December 24th, 2015

By Vonny Lee


The Northwest





1. The Sonics -- the return of Seattle has been more successful than anyone in the organization would like to admit, but their division is absolutely horrible. Still, the team is five games above .500 and is sitting as the 7th seed, seemingly safe there as the team below them is the Pelicans. Gortat is having a career year, averaging 20 points and 11 boards, making opponent bigs look bad on a nightly basis. The Sonics don't have a true star at this point, but young players like Hollis-Jefferson and Noel are making their mark on the team with their defensive toughness. The Sonics will need more of that as the season goes on and will need a bit of luck, too.

2. The Timberwolves -- are still struggling to find their way, but they're closer than last year. Andrew Wiggins has hit a sophomore slump, averaging 15 points a game and shooting only 38 percent from the floor, while rookie Anthony-Towns is doing well with 13 points and 9 boards a game. Still, the Twolves are rising, but they may need to trade away some of their younger assets for difference makers if they want to be a playoff squad in the West.

3. The Jazz -- have not been able to carry the momentum from last season into this one. 7 games below .500, the season only gets tougher from here and Utah's front office is considering making some moves, either during the season or during the summer. The team has mismatched parts and the first one to go could be Derrick Favors; Favors' is averaging only 12 points and 8 boards a game, shooting an abysmal 41 percent from the floor. While Gordon Hayward has thrived as the new money man, Favors has seemed to hit a wall. With bigs Trey Lyles and Rudy Gobert around, they can afford to see what Favors might fetch on the market.

4. The Blazers -- are suffering, greatly, without LaMarcus Aldridge. His absence has turned this team from a playoff participant into a cellar dweller. The fall has been fast and furious; though Lillard is killing it this year, averaging 29 points and 10 dimes, shooting 47 percent from the floor and 38 percent from deep, he has no help. The Blazers have stockpiled plenty of 1st round disappointments around him -- Ed Davis, Gerald Henderson, Aminu, McCollum, Myers Leonard, Vonleh -- but all those young, former 1st round picks aren't doing a damned thing. Lillard's window starts now and he needs help -- look for the Blazers to stand pat and make big changes in the offseason, when they'll have tons of cap space and a bonifide star ready to go to bat for them.

5. The Nuggets -- are a mess. If they were actually the mountains depicted on their jerseys, that mountain would be in the midst of being demolished by dynamite. Everyone not named Mudiay and Nurkic is on the block for the Nuggets and teams know it. The Nuggets want picks, they want to have good players, but teams are hesitant to pull the trigger on any trades at this point for two reasons: one, a number of players on that Nuggets team quit on Brian Shaw last season (not a good look) and, two, a few of those players have some ugly contracts attached to them. Luckily for the Nuggets, with the rising salary cap, those contracts will look better in the offseason, but for now they aren't a pretty sight -- much like this team.

[Gronk4M13]

Loving this, great job.

[trekfan]

The NBA First Trimester Report

December 24th, 2015

By Vonny Lee


The Pacific



1. The Clippers -- the Clippers are again the leaders of this division, benefiting from the Warriors lack of Andrew Bogut (out for 2-4 more months with a broken kneecap). The early-season trade for Nene and Andrea Bargnani have greatly helped the team (as will their expiring contracts at the end of the season), allowing Doc Rivers to mix and match at will. With Chris Paul having his best season in seven years (averaging 21 points, 10 assists, shooting 50 percent from the field and 43 percent from deep), the Clippers finally look to be in position to conquer the West. As has become tradition with this team, nothing can be certain till they get into the playoffs, but things are looking good.

2. The Warriors -- are staying afloat without Bogut thanks to their insane depth. The Warriors might have the best team out of the entire league, just from a chemistry standpoint, as everyone is on the same page and rocking along. The Splash Brothers are having career years and Curry might be in line for another MVP; though their record isn't as good as it was this time last year, don't sleep on Golden State; they'll make noise as the season goes on.

3. The Suns -- find themselves firmly in the playoff picture; getting there hasn't been a problem with this team, but staying there has. The addition of Tyson Chandler has been good for this team -- Chandler is averaging 12 points and 11 boards -- and he's provided the veteran, championship calm that this young squad needs. If Chandler can survive the season and the Suns can hang on, the playoffs should be very entertaining for all of us.

4. The Kings -- are imploding. There's no other way to say it, as the team is just self-destructing and Boogie Cousins is tired of it. Cousins and his camp have made it known that he wants to be moved before the deadline or during the summer, and teams around the league are eyeing the Kings hungrily. George Karl is publicly clashing with the front office and the whole organization just seems pulled into multiple directions. The Kings will be players in the trade market sooner rather than later (guess who owns their pick if it falls out of the top-10? The Bulls! I know, not Philly!) and teams armed with draft picks (the Celtics, in particular) are dangling those in front of the them, hoping they'll get a bite.

5. The Lakers -- wish they had their draft pick back right about now. Sitting at 10-19, they're definitely in the top-7 worst teams in the league, but, in order to get that pick back, they need to be top-3 bad. Philly is laughing at them as they continue to struggle to win. Russell is having a great rookie year, scoring 20 points a game, and the Lakers are seeing Julius Randle make progress (10 points, 7 boards a game) but the lack of Kobe has doomed the franchise another season. If they miss out on that top-3 pick, the last three years will go down as one of the worst series of management decisions in recent history.


The Top Ten in the West

[trekfan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Gronk4M13

Loving this, great job.

Whew, thank you! It's a lot to write for 30 teams (good lord!) but the storylines are fascinating. Will the Lakers get their pick back? When will the Kings trade Boogie (and to who and for what?)? What is Philly's master plan? Can the Magic right the ship? Can the Bulls progress under Hoiberg?

So much to look at, so little time. But fun. Oh so fun.

[trekfan]

Sonics Gift Fans Loss on Christmas Day

December 25th, 2015

By Vonny Lee

The Seattle SuperSonics fall to 17-13 after their most recent loss to the Bulls, reminding fans that some years you don't get what you want for Christmas. The game was a shootout from the beginning, defense an optional part -- and a fleeting one at that -- of both teams' strategy. The Sonics were led by Carl Landry, who continues to serve well as the starter despite his time in the starting lineup ending soon with the return of Noel.

The loss of this game can be pinned on the Sonics alone as the Bulls gave them plenty of opportunities, but the Sonics didn't take them. Chief offender in this was rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who blew four easy layups on fast breaks in the second-half. The rookie knew it, too and had this to say after the game:

"It's on me, this one. I know it's a team game, but this is my fault; I whiffed too many times on too many bunnies; instead of passing it out, trying to find a better shot, I forced up my own *hit and lost this for us, for the fans, for the city; you all deserve better."


Coach Lionel Hollins appreciated the rookie's bluntness, but didn't pile on:

"Were there things I wish he did better? Sure. But did he lose the game for us? No. We lost this game at the end, when we had a chance to pull away, by getting too fast and getting ourselves out of rhythm. We lost our pace, they made us play theirs, and that's why we got an 'L' today."

The Sonics still have the 7th seed, but have dropped three of their last five games, their only two wins coming against the woeful Lakers. If this team is going to be a threat in the playoffs, it'll have to win games against teams that are better than that. The Sonics next play the Nuggets on the 27th, then the Bucks on the 29th, and the Suns on the 31st -- all games coming at home, thankfully.

[trekfan]

Boogie Lands in Boston

December 31st, 2015

By Vonny Lee


The Boston Celtics have agreed to a trade with the Sacramento Kings, sending DeMarcus Cousins, Seth Curry, and Caron Butler to Boston for their 2016 1st rounder, the Mavericks 2016 1st rounder, the SuperSonics 2018 1st rounder, David Lee, James Young, and RJ Hunter.

The bounty the Kings got back will set them up for the now just as much as in the future; Hunter and Young are both young players (22 and 20 respectively) and David Lee's contract will allow the Kings to breathe during this offseason. The picks Boston sent are all likely to be conveyed as Boston has put no protection on their own pick, the Mavs pick is only protected in the top-7, and the SuperSonics pick in 2018 is also unprotected; the Kings could nab two lottery picks. With Boogie out of Sacramento, the franchise center now is filled by Cauley-Stein. With this trade, one has to infer that George Karl has one the front office power struggle -- Karl likes a fast paced, starless offense and he has the beginnings of one here, as Cauley-Stein will run the floor better than Boogie.

The Celtics had to give up multiple assets -- reports indicate they wanted to send Marcus Smart as opposed to RJ Hunter, but the Kings didn't want him. All those picks and players finally turned into a tangible result and Danny Ainge has struck again, grabbing a star center who's in his prime for multiple picks and players, while still retaining flexibility. Cousins is reunited with Isiah Thomas, a player whom he likes, and gets a head coach who was in college more recently than him; the Celtics environment should allow Boogie to do what he does best -- dance over fools who try to defend him in the post.

[infamyice]

Following.

Boogie in Boston, that's a good look for my C's

Nice that the Sonics are above .500, looking good.