the great Garnett gangbuster

Well, THIS is a change....

After all the Garnett deals that were discussed earlier, this is the one that goes through? I won't make any McHale-is-still-secretly-part-of-the-Celtics jokes. That's too easy. I'm just going to address the good and bad sides of this deal:



THE GOOD FOR BOSTON, BAD FOR MINNESOTA



- Boston has three guys who have been all stars and now would like nothing more than to win.

- I'm not worried about people needing shots. Garnett had his best year when he could share the ball with Sprewell and Cassell. He doesn't have to be lead scorer. This is Pierce's team offensively, and I know Allen and KG will be fine not having to carry them. They need a break from that.

- I'm also not worried about KG wearing down so soon. He's still got time. Plus, he won't have to carry the offense anymore, again, and he gets to play in the East. That will make his stress level go WAY down.

- Compared to everyone in the East, they look pretty good now, eh? They have one of the best big men in the game when all the others are out West. The only teams that have bigs who can match up with KG are Detroit, Toronto, and Orlando, and those last two don't have the supporting casts.

- Yes, I know Jefferson might eventually be a franchise big man, but you already know KG is. And he's much better defensively.

- Celtics fans (and NBA fans in general) have to be happy that the Celtics went all out to get better, instead of being cheap and waiting for young guys to develop.

- They managed to get KG without giving up that big draft pick. How crazy is that?

- They weren't sold on any of the young guys they gave up besides Jefferson.

- One of the draft picks the Celtics gave up actually belonged to Minnesota in the first place, so it's not really a loss for them.

- McHale managed to get young guys, but he didn't give up any of the bad contracts they have. Other trade scenarios I mapped out for them had them cutting payroll somehow. Now they still need to wait a few years to get these guys off their payroll. I know the cap hindered them, but my guess is that Boston would have taken a few of these guys for some depth. They could have looked for other teams to get involved.

- Jefferson has to replace the only great player in franchise history, and this team is going to be bad right away.

-Boston managed to get rid of Telfair and Ratliff for something positive.

- Why did the Wolves pick up Juwon Howard if they were serious about moving KG? Doesn't seem like a great move now. He's another old guy they have to pay for a few years.

- Along with that, would they have drafted Corey Brewer if they knew KG would be gone? Maybe they would have sprung for someone lower rated but with more potential. I don't know who... Brandan Wright? Meh, I guess Brewer was still the best available. I just think he's worth more on a contender.

- If I found out that they could have had Stoudemire straight up, I would seriously punch them in the face. But I think Phoenix would nix theat deal first.


- I was going to put the Wolves having a high draft pick next year in their good list, but is it going to the Clippers? This could be very good or bad for them, because they will absolutely be picking in the top five next year.



THE GOOD FOR MINNESOTA, BAD FOR BOSTON

- Boston now has no depth. I don't know what the rules are for using mid level trade exceptions, but I think with the cap space gone, they'll have a hard time picking up people. They really could use a veteran backup at the point and at center.

- Boston's three wing players they rely on (Tony Al, Ray Al, Pierce) all missed a huge chunk of last season with injuries.

- Rajon Rondo has to be the man now. This isn't all terrible, since Boston needed to straighten up the point situation, but without Delonte West or Telfair, he's got to be it.

- Kendrick Perkins is the only center Boston has, and besides him, the only big men they can sub are Leon Powe, Big Baby Davis, and Brian Scalabrine. Yikes.


- To go along with that, my main complaint about this trade on both sides is including Ryan Gomes. He's a nice backup for Boston, but without him, they have no depth down low. Perkins can get into foul trouble easily and then there's no one with any experience left. Meanwhile, he doesn't help Minnesota much because they have Howard and Craig Smith already, and they're all decent guys who basically do the same thing. He's not going to ever be a star for them; Jefferson and Green have a chance to do something. Boston isn't giving him up for salary reasons either.


So why put him in there? Minnesota can take Big Baby, who at least might develop into something if he trains right, or Powe, or more draft picks. Boston can keep a guy who gives them important minutes. This is the part I don't get.

- Minnesota needed a true point, and if Telfair lives up to anything, he can help.

- Same deal with Green. He and Brewer have the tools, but can they figure it out? If so, they have a nice wing combo.

FINAL ANALYSIS (cue Richard Gere looking solemn) :

Boston wins big time. This trade puts them amongst the best teams in the East. You can complain about their depth, but only a few teams in that conference have anyone close to KG, and they don't have the supporting cast. This threesome is worth 50 wins, right? It's not much worse than KG, Spree, and Cassell in 2004. Those guys won 58 in a loaded conference. They can challenge for the conference title. League, not so much.

Minnesota managed to get one future star and some nice pieces for Garnett, but they're going to be bad for a while. At least the foundation is there, plus the next few high picks they will surely get. If McHale steps aside, after loading up his old team, well, it wouldn't be so bad.

I have a strange feeling that somewhere down the line, once the cap is set, Boston will make a "thank you" move to Minnesota. I don't know if they can do this with the cap, and they definitely can't do it right now, but I think they might actually take some of those guys with contract problems that Minnesota has. They need depth. They'd bring back Mark Blount as a backup if they could fit him under the cap. They'd probably take Marko Jaric or Trenton Hassell too. Once the season starts, I think they will find a way to do this to get depth and help McHale clear some cap space. Remember, he's made a bunch of deals with Boston in the past few years. No coincidence. He and Ainge will keep talking and finding ways to help each other out. I think Ainge kinda owes it to him for this deal.....

FOR THE REST OF THE LEAGUE.....

- Conspiracy theorists are harping that Stern got this deal done because it helps an eastern team with a passionate fan base get better. Also, it detracts attention from the scandal. Nah. I think that it happened for these reasons: Phoenix was too cheap and/or didn't want to give up Stoudemire; the Lakers didn't have a good enough package; and Chicago is content to stay with the team they have (hence them not even biting anymore on Pau Gasol, who'd cost less). Boston was the only team left able to give Minnesota something valuable for their star.

Regardless, it does make the Celtics a lot better and the East better as well. Now, the Celtics will be on TV much more. Yes, Stern has to be happy about it. Yes, it's shady McHale gave up so easily.

But he's never been sharp, has he?

- This puts even more pressure on the Lakers to make a deal. Without KG in the mix, they now have even more desperation to go after Jermaine O'Neal, plus they have to hear about their old rivals for a while.

Here's an interesting problem the Lakers face: I've been saying that they need to find a third team that would be interested in Lamar Odom, because the Pacers sure aren't. One of those teams was Boston, potentially. Now they're out, obviously, and I think New York is going to stay where they are or get Artest. So that leaves Miami, Jersey, and Philly, but the Sixers and Heat don't have enough assets (other than their main guys they'll never give up) to get it done. So the main trade partner is Jersey.

Ironically, however, Jersey and Indiana have already been discussing a deal amongst themselves for O'Neal. Indiana wanted Nenad Kristic, Richard Jefferson, and maybe Marcus Williams from the Nets. Jersey said no. So now the Lakers not only have to convince Indiana that they can offer a good package, but maybe convince Jersey too that a three-way is the best way to go. I already traced out a bunch of three-way trades with these guys earlier on here. If Indiana can get Kristic and Jefferson from Jersey straight up for O'Neal, doesn't that trump anything the Lakers can do? Can the Lakers possibly convince the Nets to take Odom instead, trade Jefferson to Indiana, and get Indiana to accept Bynum, Kwame (for the contract), and Crittendon? Let's see this again:


Indiana Pacers
Incoming Players
Andrew Bynum
Salary: $2,172,000 Years Remaining: 1
Jason Collins
Salary: $6,100,000 Years Remaining: 2
Richard Jefferson
Salary: $12,200,000 Years Remaining: 4
Kwame Brown
Salary: $9,075,000 Years Remaining: 1
Bernard Robinson
Salary: $1,080,000 Years Remaining: 1
(Javaris Crittendon)
(once he clears restrictions)
Outgoing Players: Jermaine O'Neal, Mike Dunleavy

New Jersey Nets
Incoming Players
Brian Cook
Salary: $3,500,000 Years Remaining: 2
Mike Dunleavy
Salary: $8,219,008 Years Remaining: 4
Lamar Odom
Salary: $13,248,596 Years Remaining: 2
Maurice Evans
Salary: $1,740,000 Years Remaining: 1
Outgoing Players: Jason Collins, Antoine Wright, Richard Jefferson, Bostjan Nachbar, Bernard Robinson

Los Angeles Lakers
Incoming Players
Jermaine O'Neal
Salary: $19,728,000 Years Remaining: 2
Antoine Wright
Salary: $1,680,600 Years Remaining: 1
Bostjan Nachbar
Salary: $2,500,000 Years Remaining: 1
Outgoing Players: Andrew Bynum, Brian Cook, Kwame Brown, Lamar Odom, Maurice Evans (also Javaris Crittendon, once available)

Hey, this trade doesn't look so bad now. All three teams do something positive. Indiana gets Bynum, Jefferson, and Crittendon, while getting major cap relief. I think they've been really ruing the midseason trade with Golden State. In earlier trade scenarios, I had them trying to get rid of Dunleavy, but failing. Now, with Jersey picking up big men, they can do more to swing that. Jersey gets rid of Jefferson, but they keep Kristic, get Odom, and then majorly improve their bench. Even if Odom-Kidd-Carter is less of a trioka than Jefferson-Kidd-Carter, they still have Kristic and finally have some depth for once. That's not bad.

And the Lakers get Kobe a real post guy. DO it, Kupchak.

The question will be if Indiana thinks they can still get Kristic and Jefferson from Jersey straight up. That's better than the Lakers' offer.

- Yes, it changes the balance of power in the East for now. Detroit is getting younger, but that may not make them any better right now. They're mostly the same as last year. Cleveland hasn't changed much (for now). Chicago was my pick to break through next year, but like Detroit, they're going with quantity over quality. Miami is the only other team that could be considered a true contender, but they need Shaq to get back, and he hasn't looked motivated in a long, long time. Jersey? Maybe. Pending on moves.

Charlotte, Atlanta, Orlando, and New York all got better, but they aren't contenders.

This team, assuming a few guys come in cheap, can win 50 games, which puts it near the top.

- Finally, some of the forwards out West can breathe a little easier. And look at all star selections. With Garnett, Lewis and almost-been-theres Zach Randolph and (likely) Odom gone, you can finally get in the midseason showcase.

- One last thing: I know we'll probably never get the real story on this, but we'll always wonder how close Phoenix got, or how close they both got with Atlanta, or if the Lakers ever really had a chance. Did someone really turn this down? On either side? With respect to Stoudemire as well?

Maybe those fans don't want to know....

BLOR!!!!

Gamblor.

The dark beast that has stolen your mother.

This is bad, and for fans, it's downright infuriating. We've always half-expected the officials to be on some kind of agenda. But not like this. Sarcastic glances at Stern aside, this is bigger than that. Because now the idea is raised that the refs can be bought and the whole mob angle is kinda scary. We expected that to be a thing of the past. The mafia hasn't done much lately.... surely, they couldn't touch a billion dollar business. And hopefully, he's the only guy involved.

Will you ever look at games the same way? Will you be able to not go through hours of tape to look at Timmy O'Toole and all the calls he made? I'm going to let the league do that, but I wonder if they'll admit to how much he really did. They might say he's guilty, once the legal stuff is completed, but will they ever say for how many games?

And as far as that Suns-Spurs thing goes, I doubt any connection to actual outcome, but I think he could've had an efect. I disagreed with conspiracy theorists who immediately called for Stern's head because I doubt the league even likes the Spurs that much. The Suns are a much more attractive team. Now, people are wondering if Donaghy called that game to help the Spurs. The numbers don't show that. He called lots of fouls on both teams.... but that might be a sign. I do think that if he helped push the over on that game, which is possible, then maybe we should hold him somewhat accountable there. You can look at that game and see how pissed D'Antoni was (Simmons had great quotes on this). I wonder, if in his excessive foul calling, he helped raise the ires of both teams for that series. Perhaps he affected the eventual outcome by putting everyone in a pissy mood. I think part of the reasons tempers flared so much in that series is because the officiating was so inconsistent - not necessarily good or bad, but it changed a lot from game to game. So if he contributed to that, for his own purposes, then you could say he had an indirect hand in how that all went down. Which is awful.

I know folks from Cardinal O'Hara. This is a Philly Catholic school with a history of sports pride. I don't get it.

Anyway, I'm not going to stop watching, following, or talking about the league. I guess that's obvious. I wonder if casual fans will. I actually wouldn't mind it if the league became more niche oriented like hockey. I've always been willing to be part of a cult movement in any art. But that's a whole other argument.

NEWS & NOTES

After bashing Milwaukee for many moons now, I do like the Des Mason signing, even if he can't shoot. They needed a defender, not another shooter. Now if they could just trade Yi for some rebounding and passing.... they can get a decent four and backup point out of this, can't they?

Wait, oh wait, they signed Jake Voshkuhl. That solves EVERYTHING!!!!!

McDyess came back to Detroit. Smart. He can still play. I think they ought to let Webber go and give more time to Maxiell and Amir Johnson. I can't imagine paying both those old guys when they have lots of youth coming in.

Travis Diener to Indiana is a very nice under-the-radar move. He's a big change of pace from Tinsley. But they need more depth in the backcourt, so I hope Larry Legend isn't done yet.

I guess the Hornets did good by signing Mo Pete. I think he would've been better off in Utah. But at least he gives them some Peja insurance. That's not bad.

Here's a thought: if Paul Millsap is doing so well in summer league, and sure to be a more important part of the Jazz, shouldn't this make it easier to trade Kirilenko? They likely thought AK47 was needed in case Boozer got hurt and they could just move him back to the four, where he might be more useful. But with Millsap there, maybe they will be more confident making a deal. Sixers? Nets? Celtics? Anyone?

(Kyle Korver, Rodney Carney, Louis Williams, and a future pick? Please?)

I wish the mob had contacted Robert Sarver first

Maybe then the Suns would be more interested in making an offer other people couldn't refuse.

Seriously, what the f is going on lately? Free agency is getting weirder by the minute, and then today this betting scandal explodes onto the front page. Yipes. This is the last thing the league needs.

I have no idea who this guy is... I expected to hear a name like Salvatore or Bavetta in there. But maybe Stern pays them better than the mafia to fix things. ZING!

Anyway, onto moves....

1. The Suns dumping Kurt Thomas wasn't surprising, given that they hated his salary. And I guess them giving up first round picks isn't a surprise, since they do it all the time. But they treated this deal like they were burdened by all of this.

Umm... a guy with a fairly-soon-expiring contract is an asset. So are picks. You don't want to give up BOTH. Boston is trying to do the same thing with Theo Ratliff in order to GET someone, not get rid of him. That's nuts. Especially when Thomas can still play a little. Don't they want another big man besides Diaw on the bench? Someone with some energy? They have the best seven man key rotation in the league, but it helps to have two or three more in case someone gets hurt.... considering that Hill, Bell, Stoudemire, and Nash have all had injury problems in the past few years, they're getting dangerously frugal. Trading away contracts and picks isn't helping that. Maybe you can see why Bryan Colangelo left....

They're like the anti-Knicks: they actually have a great chance to go somewhere, but won't spend that extra cash to do it. With San Antonio losing momentum, I think they should go into next season as the favorite, even without a KG trade. But they won't make those extra steps to ensure a win, mainly, it seems, for cash reasons. Sarver, you're gonna get heat for this.

Seattle gets another vet to help now and then create cap space down the road. Plus more picks. Savvy. Presti is off to a good start.

2. I didn't really get the Steve Blake move, or why Denver thought Chucky Atkins was a better pick, but it doesn't really change much. Both teams stay the same there.

3. I'm kinda surprised to see Steve Francis back in Houston, especially after they drafted Brooks and traded for James, but that's potentially a steal for them. If he can adjust to being a supporting guy, he might be able to turn it around. I did like the trade fro Luis Scola. The Rockets are looking interesting.

Some fans out here thought for sure Franchise would rejoin Cuttino Mobely with the Clips, but it's not so bad that he didn't. Having those two and Cassell in the back court would mean that everyone else would see the ball a lot, lot, lot less. If they need a fill in for a while, please look to Brevin Knight. He passes.

4. Speaking of Knight, I was curious to Charlotte letting him go, then re-signing Wallace and Carroll to go along with Richardson. Now Charlotte has wings and no points or centers. I jus thtoguht of this trade the other day to clear up two logjams at once:

Adam Morrison for Jarret Jack

Works for both parties! Morrison goes back to the Northwest, to a team that needs scoring and a three man. Jack gets out of the three-way battle at point in Portland and gives Ray Felton a boost. This trade makes too much sense not to happen.

5. Chris Mihm and Derek Fisher came back to the Lakers. Well, that'll sure convince Kobe!!!!

But actually, this is nice. With these guys and Luke Walton resigned, they can now more confidentally consider trading away prized youngsters like Bynum and Crittendon. Which will help their trade plans this summer, if they do it right.

6. Magliorre to Nets. Mikki to Kings. Yawn. What good does this do anyone? Just lateral moves.

That's all for now. Things are only going to get stranger, I presume....

whoa oh oh it's NOT magic

Umm...

I might have to take back those comments on Orlando.

I like Rashard Lewis. But at 20 million bucks a year? They could have paid just a little more than half of that. I refuse to believe that Seattle really wanted to spend a lot on him, especially with their young guys coming in. They wanted to cut salary... they would have never poined up for 15 million, let alone 20. Houston can't have that much cap space. Toronto went after Jason Kapono, oddly enough. Who were they bidding against???? They really needed him, but they didn't have to spend all that. He's going to be making more than Dwight, even with the new extension, and DH is the franchise. Bizarre.

And, then, they alienated Darko, who might not be worth it, either, but he's a nice fit with DH they have no post depth. They'll have to scramble to find more big guys for cheap alongside DH and Tony Battie. There's no one else! Strange, strange moves in the Magic Kingdom.

Speaking of Darko, it looks like Memphis is committed to winning. Their lineup suddenly looks very good, with everyone healthy. And even if Conley needs time to develop, Lowry might step up. I thought for sure that they'd trade Gasol and start over, but now, they're back in the mix. The West isn't getting any easier.

Teams are surprising me. I thought that Jason Richardson's arrival in Charlotte would mean that they'd let Gerald Wallace go, but they kept him. They're really showing no faith in Morrison, maybe too early. Now, they actually have a lot of guys fighting for time at wing, when the last few years was barren. They still need a center, but I'm thinking now that they will be going small often and running with these guys. People are talking playoffs in Carolina, but that's a litttle soon. Still, I'm very interested in watching this team now.

free darko!

With the first wave of free agency results in, here are some thoughts:



- I've been projecting the Magic to go after Rashard Lewis for a while. It worked. But they might as well spend all the cash to bring Darko back too. Who else are they going to get? They have no big guys. He might not be worth it, but then, they already overpaid to get the guy they wanted.... just do it.


- Toronto has a similar roster to Orlando: big stud in the post, foreign shooting big man to complement him, two decent but not great point guards, and a bunch of solid wings without any stars. But while Orlando nabbed Lewis, Toronto spent a lot for Jason Kapono. Ugggh. They needed shooting, perhaps, but why not save their money and make a run at Gerald Wallace? Bosh needs scoring help, too.

- I still don't like the Zach Randolph trade, but if Isiah turns around and ships him to Sacramento for Ron Artest, maybe it all makes sense. They could trade him for Artest and Shareef and it would be an almost exact match (it works). Then, the Kings would have a real post player again, younger guys, a new head case but who's not as crazy as the last one, and they could get rid of Reef's bad contract. Meanwhile, the Knicks would make up for Eddy Curry by having two defensive forwards next to him. And Artest, though you never know, would get to play at home, with his former coach Isiah. I think that works way better for the Knicks than just keeping things as they are.

And if the Knicks somehow manage to get Artest WITHOUT trading Randolph or Curry.... I mean, I'd fear for my life at Knicks games. There is NO WAY a whole season would pass without someone fighting to the death, as Simmons likes to say. That would be the most dysfunctional team ever.

And just what the f@#* is Starbury doing now? This team can't add more crazy. It can exchange one, but it can't add more.

- If the Jazz aren't as serious as they say about holding onto Kirilenko, someone needs to make a move and do it now. He can be a serious impact at the four spot, for any team, preferrably in the east. If the Celtics can still swing a move, given that they have Theo Ratliff's contract and some young guys, they should do it. Or the Nets. Or the Sixers. Or anyone who wants some D help. Utah isn't wasting him, really, because he's still the guy on D, but he might do better somewhere else. Morris Peterson and Des Mason are free agents who would fit better there.

- I still hate the Yi pick, no matter if he looks good... he looks like a Chinese version of Charlie Villanueva with hair. Horrible pick.... and the Bucks seem to be ignoring all logic in this. It's bad enough that his people don't want him to go there; he's not going to help them either. I need to know what they are thinking. If they even manage to screw up Mo Williams coming back, they're at the new top of the list for worst management.

- Andres Nocioni: part of a deal? Or no? Hope yes.

More as things develop. Wedensday is the official signing day.

draft review 200.... seven

A team-by-team report on the biggest night in the NBA in a long, long time....

ATLANTA - Thank GOD. They're not falling apart... for now. They did the best thing possible, unless Stoudemire was really coming there. What happened? Who knows. If the Hawks really were the ones to pul the plug on that deal, that's awful. I doubt it was them; I'd like to think the Suns blinked at giving up Amare. I was worried there for a while, though. Imagine if the Hawks turned down a chance to grab Amare, THEN took Yi with that pick. That might have killed the franchise for good. I half-expected to read the news atricle later:

"Former ESPN Page 2 intern Kevin Cott was found dead today after apparently jumping off the Stone Mountain monument. He was found with a ripped picture of Amare Stoudemire and was last seen wearing a 1986 Dominque Wilkins throwback and drinking heavily."

But, they stayed to their senses, I guess, and made the best of it. I think they can start Horford, go small, and be very interesting in the East next year. We'll always wonder... maybe Billy Knight isn't all bad, but more like Elgin Baylor, harassed by terrible owners.

BOSTON - This had to be the most controversial move of the night. I think it's okay. Most are skeptical. If they want a scorer to help out Pierce, they can't do much better. There's no one at that spot who could come in and score like this immediately. They also managed to get someone who can let Pierce stay at the three, and they got rid of Wally. Not bad. They also didn't have to give up Gerald Green or Theo Ratliff's contract. Also good. Then, they drafted Gabe Pruitt and Big Baby David in the second round. So they're not so bad off. That threesome of Pierce, Jefferson, and Allen is better than any trio they've had in the past 15 years. They can make the playoffs next year. It's up to the younger guys to see how far they go.

CHARLOTTE - Despite what certain writers said, I don't know why they would ever want Brandan Wright, with Okafor and May there. They need a center or an off guard who can score. They got that in Jason Richardson. Nice move. Their chances of landing Rashard Lewis or Vince Carter aren't that great, so why not get a wing this way? Jared Dudely was a nice pick later. They might lose Gerald Wallace, but they've got people coming in.

CHICAGO - Noah doesn't answer their post scoring, yes, but maybe there's something to this. We know Memphis was torn between him and Conely for their pick. Is he part of a deal for Gasol? It could happen. So I'll hold off on judging them.

They got a nice pick in the second roung with Pitt's Aaron Gray. He dropped because they think he's slow, but he's the only real center they have now.

CLEVELAND - Do they make a deal for Wally and Rashard Lewis now? They could try. They need shooters.

DALLAS - Nick Fazekas is good, and now they don't ahve to spend cash on people like Austin Croshere and Keith Can Horn just to back up Nowitzki. But they could use a real post scorer...

DENVER - Meh. They got Iverson. They need to be healthy and hope it's enough.

DETROIT - Stuckey and Afflalo are a big help to the bench. They could really use a true center soon, but they'll probably go one more year with older big guys.

GOLDEN STATE - See Charlotte. I like this move. And the Italian shooter, Bellinelli, could be a steal. Now they can go big if they want, and there's no pressure on him right away.

HOUSTON - Really don't understand Aaron Brooks after they just picked up Mike James. Carl Landry helps, but they could have used a big man more.

INDIANA - What to do now.... (blow it up?)

LA CLIPPERS - Everyone is wondering why they took Al Thornton, even if he is a value, when he plays like Magette. I would've gone with Nick Young or Stuckey, but maybe they have something planned. They did get a nice backup point late in Jared Jordan. Do they have enough at center, though?

LA LAKERS - Crittendon is a tall point. That makes sense. Marc Gasol is big. Makes sense. Sun Yue is intersting wing and could be a big draw here. Makes sense all around. Too bad no one is paying attention here to these guys, who are not named Kobe.

MEMPHIS - Conley was nice. They need to make the Gasol to Chicago trade happen. If they can get Noah, Thomas, and Selfosha, they'll have the most athletic team in the league. I don't know if they'll win anything, but they'll be fun to watch.

MIAMI - I thought they wanted a point, but whatever. Crittendon, Law, and Stuckey were gone. Daquean Cook can play next to Wade, I suppose. That's not such a hard task.

MILWAUKEE - Forget what Yi says or how tough it will be to get him there. His style alone is making Mailwaukee look dumb. He's a seven footer who likes to stay outside and shoot, and we don't know if he can rebound or play D yet. Umm.... isn't that just like Charlie Villanueva?

Bad pick, Milwaukee. Bad on several levels. I do like getting depth at the point later, but this made no sense.

MINNESOTA - Brewer and Chris Richard, two Gators, offer immediate help. But do they really want help now, or do they want to make the KG trade work?

NEW JERSEY - Nice move in picking up Sean Williams. They always need post help. Do they now make a big deal to get that last piece?

NEW ORLEANS - Most had them pegged for Nick Young, but Julian Wright was too good to pass up. He can be a great part of this team, and it won't matter much if Peja can ever be healthy.

NEW YORK - I sincerely doubt that Randolph and Eddy Curry will be able to not kill each other this year. It's too hard to have two low post guys getting the ball anymore; usually, like in Toronto or Utah, they have contrasting styles. And where do they play David Lee? Strange trade all around, until you remember that Isiah is in control. At least they got rid of Steve Francis. Maybe they'll just send Zach along later, if he doesn't stab anyone.

ORLANDO - No picks. Too bad their last management team was completely stupid and ditched Gooden and Varejao too quick, then drafted a guy who didn't even bother playing for them. That set off a bad chain of events that led to them shakily investing in Darko and trading away more picks. But if they can land Rashard Lewis and keep the Human Victory Cigar at a decent price, they'll be in good shape.

PHILLY - Ah, yes, the hometowners. They made quite a splash, didn't they? Everyone thought they had Al Thornton down for sure. Then they took the first surprise in Thaddeous Young. I don't think he's much different from Thornton or even any worse. Perhaps teh Sixers realized they couldn't get any decent four man at that spot, so they waited and took the guy with the most potential. Okay. Reasonable move, especially considering that the only decent big guy left, they got anyways with a lower pick.

Still....

I don't know.

This was, for the most part, a good draft. It seemed like teams really knew what they were doing, for once. Very few teams messed up. People questioned the Celtics and Knicks for trades, the Bucks for taking Yi, and that's about it. The only real draft question most people had was, you guessed it, the Sixers. They weren't overly upset. It wasn't a dramatic surprise. Young was rated in the top ten earlier this year, but slipped a little after Green and others moved up.

So, you could say, they were tunfairly scrutinized, being the onyl team peopel could talk abotu because most made good picks. And people weren't even dissing them that much. So it's not like this is another SB move (the official mascot of this blog)... I just hate being the team that raises eyebrows. That always makes me nervous.

Oh well. I like Young, although I will (as I'm sure ohter Sixers fans will) be closely monitoring Young's career compared with Thornton. I don't know if Al would be that better, and they're both wings and unlikely to ever be real four men. Smith can play right away, though we'll see if he has the muscle.

But why trade that last pick? I wanted Big Baby Davis for some muscle. They wanted to dump it. Fair enough. Derrick Byars was a steal in the second round and I think he's got a good chance to stick. So does Herbet Hill, a natural four with good size.

I just wonder what the deal is with taking a wing (and then another late) when they just spent money and/or draft picks on Rodney Carney, Kyle Korver, Willie Green, and Louis Williams. All of those guys figure into theri plans, or at least, I thought they did. The other wing spot is clearly dominated by Iggo... so... why all the wings? Are they stockpiling athletic 6-7 guys for a reason? For now, I'm suspicious.

PHOENIX - I don't care how much your owner is a dick, or how much you hate bringing in rookies. Your team is not as deep as you think, and some of those later round guys could help. I like Tucker here, but they could have also gone for shooters or true points and decided to do nothing. Frustrating.

PORTLAND - I already made the case on Oden vs. Durant. When it was clear they wanted Oden and also wanted Zach out badly, I could understand. But Channing Frye and cap relief? They couldn't do better? They still have no small forward. They did make some nice picks late with Kopponen, McRoberts, and Fernandez. I gues they think free agents are going to come play with Oden. Maybe. Still have to wait on these guys.

SACRAMENTO - Yeah, yeah, everyone's made the joke abotu taking the next Brad Miller when they have the first, and he's going downhill. But really, they needed a big guy. They've got loads of young wings. Unless they know for sure that Artest is going. And even so... this made enough sense... but they have a lot to consider.

SEATTLE - I like this move. I was in favor of them moving Ray for young guys. In Jeff Green they get a guy who can be the perfect complement to Durant. I know they have a bunch of small forwards now, but I expect Sczerbiak to be moved again, and Durant could play a couple positions. I think they might even start the season with him at off guard. Don't really understand bringing in Delonte West, who's a good backup but not any better than the guys they have, unless they're trying to make a bigger deal. And Rashard Lewis is definetly gone now, but that's all part of the process. At least they got the two forwards to build around.

SAN ANTONIO - Tiago Splitter has been mentioned in draft rumors for years. He slipped because of contract issues, but then again, the Spurs don't need him yet. They've drafted well with late overseas picks, and in the next few years, they'll keep brining him in. And unlike Parker or Ginobli, he's a known commoditty. Damn you, Spurs. Marcus Williams has a chance to make it as a wing; they're getting old outside.

TORONTO - No picks, save for anotehr European they mgith use someday. Rumored to be signing Jason Kapono, who's not worth THAT much. I think they go after Gerald Wallace the hardest.

UTAH - Needed defense and shooting at the two. Got shooting with Morris Almond, will likely get defense in free agency.

WASHINGTON - Without any killer big guys left, they pick up even more offense with Nick Young. Nice move. If Blatche or their first rounder last year (perichevo? Pericheov?) ever develops, maybe they'll finally have that post presecne.