NBA Noise

NBA Noise has moved!

2008-12-06T13:05:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! Just wanted to give you a big NBA Noise update. You may have already noticed if you have typed NBAnoise.com in your browser in the past week that things looked very different. That is because I'm packing up my bags and moving over to MVN (Most Valuable Network). Please, if you have this page bookmarked to the blogspot address, change it to just NBAnoise.com

NBA Noise will be bringing you the same content on its own personal page, but now you will have easy access to articles from MVN writers that cover the league broadly. I hope you take a moment to register with MVN for quick commenting access on our future posts, but of course, you can continue to post anonymously if you are the sneaky type.

Thank you for all of your support in the past and for making NBA Noise a success.

Studs and Duds: 11/29/08

2008-11-29T23:30:00.000-08:00

Studs: New York Knicks (138-125 victory over Golden State)

Despite the fact that the Knicks were playing against one of the few teams equally disinterested in playing defense as they are, they had a few players put up some ridiculous numbers. Chris Duhon set a franchise record in assists with 22, David Lee chipped in 37 points and 21 rebounds, and the new-Knick Al Harrington contributed 36 points and 12 boards. If only I had just one of these guys on my fantasy team...

Duds:

Mike Miller, Minnesota Timberwolves

Aside from a few assists, Mike Miller didn't do much to help his team tonight, as he shot an ice cold 2-10 from the field and scored only four points (in 3o minutes of play). The T'Wolves fell to the Denver Nuggets 106-97. [boxscore]

Raymond Felton, Charlotte Bobcats

While Raymond Felton was active in several facets of the game (7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals), he was ice-cold from the field as he only connected on two of 15 attempts. Felton finished with only four points a night after he poured in a career-high 31. The Bobcats fell to the Celtics 89-84. [boxscore]

Studs and Duds: 11/28/08

2008-11-28T23:59:00.000-08:00

Studs:

Dwyane Wade, Miami HEAT

Dwyane Wade was spectacular in the HEAT's first meeting against the Phoenix Suns since the Shaquille O'Neal for Shawn Marion trade. The HEAT got the better end of the matchup this time around, as Wade poured in a season high 43 points (on 15-24 shooting) along with six assists. [boxscore]

Emeka Okafor, Charlotte Bobcats

Emeka Okafor logged 43 minutes in the Bobcats' 115-108 overtime win against the Indiana Pacers. In that time, he contributed 14 points on an efficient 6-9 shooting, and amassed an impressive 20 rebounds. [boxscore]

Duds:

Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics

Paul Pierce was a virtual non-factor in the Celtics' 102-78 romp over Philadelphia, as he was limited to six points on 1-6 shooting from the field. [boxscore]

David West, New Orleans Hornets

David West was largely ineffective against the Trail Blazers tonight, as he scored only 10 points on 5 of 15 shooting. The Hornets lost to the Blazers 101-86 [boxscore]

Backcourt insubordination

2008-11-27T19:56:00.000-08:00

Allen Iverson apparently decided that practicing on Thanksgiving day was too much to ask, as he was the only Detroit Pistons player absent from a mandatory practice today. Pistons coach Michael Curry said that Iverson will be issued a "hefty" fine and hasn't decided if A.I. will play in Friday's matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks. I can't wait to hear Iverson's reasoning on why he missed practice, but I'm sure the Pistons brass are finding this press-conference to be much less funny at this point.

Stephon Marbury's boycott to play for the Knicks continues as he declined to play for the team last night against the Pistons. This leaves the Knicks in a very difficult situation as they are down to two healthy guards (Chris Duhon and Anthony Roberson). Marbury is slated to make $20.8 million this season, and it looks like he has no intention of doing anything to earn this money. I know this is a deep and complicated situation that we will likely not get to the bottom of anytime soon, but Marbury isn't doing himself any favors by not playing. His boycott further portrays himself as a headcase, and as a player whose attitude and actions outweigh his on-court talent. According to the New York Daily News, Marbury's actions will lead either to his release from the team or to be ordered to stay home indefinitely.

Maui Invitational: Texas tandem

2008-11-27T17:02:00.000-08:00

The University of Texas has produced some of the best NBA prospects in the NBA over the last several years. Among them are D.J. Augustin, Kevin Durant, LaMarcus Aldridge, Daniel Gibson and T.J. Ford. The past several days I was able to get an up-close look at Texas in the Maui Invitational, and two players stuck out in my mind as serious NBA prospects.

Damion James - Texas, Jr.

It's clear when you see Damion James step onto the court that he has a body that was made to play in the NBA. Standing at 6'7, much of Texas' high hopes for the season rest on his broad shoulders. James has a good feel for the game and has the ability to created good looks for himself. Having played in the post for his first two seasons at Texas, he seems most comfortable when slashing in the paint and is a solid finisher around the hoop. James has the potential to be a lottery pick in upcoming drafts, but he will have to diversify his game and play at a consistent level for this to happen. Increasing his accuracy from the perimeter will be crucial to his draft stock this year. If he is able to develop that consistencey, I can see James eventually developing into a Corey Maggette type of player.

A.J. Abrams - Texas, Sr.

Although undersized, A.J. Abrams is great at moving without the ball and creating great looks for himself. He is a solid shooter and is effective at both spotting up and coming off of screens. His range demands respect from opposing defenses. Texas uses an NBA-distance three-point line during their pick-up games, and in Abrams case - it shows. In the NBA, I can see Abrams playing the role of a scoring point/combo guard, in a similar role such as Juan Dixon or Eddie House. To improve, Abrams should look to expand his distribution skills and use the attention he receives from defenses to get his teammates involved.

What I'm thankful for - NBA edition

2008-11-27T13:11:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you from NBA Noise! I'm spending Thanksgiving in Maui, since I'm still over here after the EA Sports Maui Invitational, but I have family here with me so life is good! There's lots that I am thankful for in this current NBA season:

Shaquille O'Neal is on Twitter. Nothing is better than getting short updates from Shaq himself. You never know what's going to come out of his crazy mouth. Imagine if Twitter was around during the Wilt Chamberlain era - that would be interesting to say the least.
An exciting crop of rookies. What's not to love about this group of newcomers? Derrick Rose is exceeding all expectations. O.J. Mayo is showing some serious firepower. Michael Beasley is showing his offensive versatility. The Blazers have an exciting rookie combo in Rudy Fernandez and Greg Oden. Gotta love it.
NBA League Pass Broadband - Now I can stay glued to a digital screen and stay on top of all of the NBA games I can stand, no matter where I am, even when I should be socializing.
The dominance of the Celtics (14-2) and Lakers (12-1) - Having these two teams excel like they are this year is a fantastic thing for the NBA. Major markets, major players, major marketability. It would seem as though these two teams could be poised to have a Finals rematch this year, and with Andrew Bynum back in the Lakers' lineup the Celtics vs. Lakers rivalry is even more intriguing.
And as always, thank you Stephon Marbury. You always give me something to look forward to writing about.

What are you thankful for thus far in this young NBA season?

Maui Invitational: Bigs with potential

2008-11-27T10:27:00.000-08:00

This year's Maui Invitational tournament had its fair share of NBA-prospects, but here are a few post players who I think may eventually develop into solid pros.

Luke Harandody - Notre Dame, Jr.

At 6'8" and 250 lbs., Notre Dame junior Luke Harangody is a force to be reckoned with in the paint. He has more than adequate size and strength to be a solid power forward at the next level. Although it looks a bit awkward, he has a decent mid-range jump shot for a big man (18-20 feet), which allows him to impact the game in a variety of ways. Harangody also has the ability to improvise in mid-air to evade opposing defenses. He has a good knack for coming up with loose balls and rebounds and finds a way to get involved on the court wherever the action is. One thing I specifically noted with Harangody was his ability to establish position on offense, which is crucial in helping his perimeter players feed him the ball. I think that Harangody will develop into an offensively superior Jason Maxiell-type of player.

Michael Dunigan - Oregon, Fr.

Michael Dunigan was a McDonald's All-American last year and is now Oregon's prized recruit. He might be the most heralded big man that Oregon has ever landed. Dunigan isn't ready to make the leap to the pros just yet, and maybe won't even be after next season - but when he does, he will surely be an impact player. Dunigan has a soft touch around the hoop and has a well-developed drop-step and baby-hook in his arsenal. While he has tried to incorporate a baseline fade and mid-range jumpshot, he still has a lot of room for improvement. I get the feeling from watching him that he isn't in top condition right now, which is somewhat encouraging to what he could be with the right kind of training. Already, he is a double-double threat, and a noticeable presence on the defensive end. As this Oregon team learns how to incorporate Dunigan more within their offense, I think we will start to see his production (and future draft stock) increase.

Ahmad Nivins - St. Joseph's, Sr.

Ahmad Nivins has a great NBA body and has a non-stop motor on the court. He puts in a strong effort on the glass and is active in the paint. Although he is not a natural scorer, his athleticism creates quality looks for him around the basket. Nivins also has a respectable mid-range shot from 10 to 15 feet out. Because of the Hawks' emphasis on perimeter play, Nivins often draws double teams when he receives the ball in the post. On defense, on several occasions I noticed Nivins changing or blocking shots while playing help defense, which speaks well for his defensive awareness. While he is a power-forward by NBA-size standards, Nivins plays more like a center. His size and effort could make him a serviceable big at the next level.

Tom Pritchard - Indiana, Fr.

While he is by no means NBA-ready at this point, I think that Hoosier freshman Tom Pritchard has the potential to develop into one of the better post players in the country with the proper progression. While he didn't impress me much by the numbers he was putting up, I was impressed with his size, coordination and (most importantly) his composure. In their first game of the tournament, Pritchard was matched up against Harangody, and while he didn't win the battle he played confidently and made some solid plays. Indiana is one of the youngest teams in the country, so Pritchard will likely be a focal point for them for years to come.

Maui Invitational: UNC is full of NBA talent

2008-11-26T23:05:00.000-08:00

In the following day, I will take a look at the numerous NBA prospects that we saw in action throughout the tournament. But as the University of North Carolina was crowned tournament champions after a convincing win against Notre Dame, I think it is only fitting that we start with the immense amount of potential NBA talent that is on the Tarheel's roster.

Ty Lawson - 5'11", 195 lbs, Jr.

Lawson came away with the tournament's MVP award, and rightfully so. Throughout the tournament, Lawson had 22 assists and only two turnovers (that's an 11/1 A/TO ratio for those non-math whizzes) Lawson is a rare mix of speed, handles and scoring ability that makes him a serious NBA prospect. I was particularly impressed with his smooth stroke from outside, and his ability to finish in traffic. Lawson is highly effective in the open court, and has shown that he has solid playmaking abilities. His height is a bit of a concern, but his skills will help to make up for that deficiency. I see Lawson as being a smaller-version of Baron Davis. He's like Baron Light, or shall I say Diet Diddy. Either way, Lawson will be a factor at the next level, and I would expect him to enter his name into next year's draft pool.

Tyler Hansbrough - 6'9", 250 lbs, Sr.

Psycho T was selected to the Maui Invitational's All-Tournament Team in only two games of action. While he has been knicked up with shin and ankle injuries, he seemed as good as ever in the championship game against the Irish. Hansbrough dropped in an impressive 34 points, that came from a variety of methods and distances (including a three-pointer). He has clearly extended his range in the offseason, and he should only become more effective as his conditioning improves. Hansbrough realistically could have been drafted in each of the last four years (including after his senior year in high school) had he made himself eligible. Hansbrough plays with an intensity on the court that is rivaled by none. He plays his heart out every night, and is an impact player on both ends of the floor. I'm always impressed with his soft touch around the hoop, and his ability to make difficult shots. If he continues to hone his jumpshot, his draft stock will continue to rise - and if you think he is the second-coming of Mark Madsen, you are out of your mind. This is the consensus 2007 National Player of the Year we are talking about, here.

Danny Green - 6'6", 210 lbs, Sr.

Danny Green was the third Tarheel to be named to the Maui Invitational All-Tournament team, after several stellar performances. He had declared himself eligible for last year's NBA Draft, however he pulled his name out before the deadline. Green has good NBA size and athletic ability, and he will be a solid shooting guard at the next level. He has adapted well to his starting-role with UNC and hit his offensive groove in the first two games of the tournament (career high 26 points vs. Chaminade; career-high 5 three-pointers vs. Oregon). Green has an effective stroke from outside and he is a fundamentally sound defender, which will make him very appealing to NBA teams in need of some perimiter help next season.

Wayne Ellington - 6'4", 200 lbs, Jr.

Ellington is a pure scorer, and one of the focal points of this high-octane UNC offense. He has a quick-release shot and is serious threat on the outside. Ellington also runs the floor well and is a capable ball-handler, allowing him to run the point if need be. He will likely need to hone his playmaking skills to boost his draft stock, as he is a bit undersized for a traditional two-guard in the NBA. However, Ellington's all-around talent and athletic ability will make it difficult for many NBA teams to pass him up.

Also keep an eye on:

Deon Thompson - at 6'8" Thompson has great NBA size, and he plays very naturally in the post. He has a nice mid-range touch, and is beginning to prove himself as a force on the boards. Thompson is usually overshadowed by Hansbrough, but he was a key contributor in their win against Notre Dame. If he decides to stay at UNC another year, I wouldn't be surprised if he emerged as one of the best bigs in the country when he doesn't have to share time and stats with Psycho T.

Ed Davis - While only a freshman, Davis is a silky smooth lefty that could be a big deal for the Tarheels in the following years. He has already shown solid rebounding and post-scoring ability, and he will only improve. If he can put some muscle on his lanky frame, he could become a household name amongst college hoops fans.

Studs and Duds: 11/25/08

2008-11-25T22:29:00.000-08:00

Stud: Andray Blatche, Washington Wizards

Apparently having interim head coach Ed Tapscott at the helm lit a fire under (the enigma otherwise known as) Andray Blatche. In 29 minutes off the bench, Blatche contributed 25 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, five blocks and two steals. For a guy who was averaging under seven points per game thus far, this is a monster performance. [boxscore]

Dud: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

Thank goodness for great teammates, because Kobe Bryant's play tonight certainly wasn't a main factor in the Lakers' 120-93 thumping. Bryant shot 5 of 17 from the field (including a 1-for-9 first-half performance) and only scored 12 points for the game. To be fair, he only logged 28 minutes, and would likely take the win over good numbers any day. [boxscore]

Manu Ginobili returns to the Spurs

2008-11-25T15:40:00.000-08:00

Manu Ginobili made his season debut yesterday, chipping in 12 points off the bench to help the San Antonio Spurs defeat the Memphis Grizzlies 94-81. This will be a huge boost to the Spurs who have been without point guard Tony Parker since the first week of the month after an ankle sprain.

"It's a tremendous boost," said Spurs center Tim Duncan. "He played well. I think psychologically more than anything, having him on the floor and seeing him move around is going to be great for the team. I know it's great for me personally because it is good to start seeing our team getting back to full strength."

In the long run, Parker and Ginobili's injuries might only strengthen this team, as reserve players have had to play important roles in their absences. Rookie George Hill has scored 20 points or more in the last three games, getting solid amounts of run as the team's floor leader. Roger Mason is also having a career year, as he is averaging 15 points and 4 rebounds per contest, and has started eight games for the Spurs. While the team hasn't exactly "excelled", their 7-6 record is certainly commendable for their depleted roster.

NBA Noise on MVN Live radio show

2008-11-25T01:54:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to let you know that I will be making an appearance on the MVN Live radio show today. The main focus of the show is the Maui Invitational, where hosts Sam Panayotovich and Jon Burkett (and guests such as myself) will analyze the teams in this year's field, break down the intriguing matchups and examine the superstar talents that you'll just have to see for yourself.

Other interviewees include Addicted to Quack's Paul Thompson as well as writers covering North Carolina, Notre Dame and Texas.

The show will begin at 5 p.m. EST, and I will be joining the program shortly after 6 p.m. EST. You can listen in by heading over to mvn.com/live. Hope you can join us!

Wizards fire coach Eddie Jordan

2008-11-24T16:37:00.000-08:00

It's a cold, cold world in the NBA - which is leading this year's bottom-feeders to go scrounging for their winter jackets. Eddie Jordan is the most recent coaching casualty, as he was fired after leading the Washington Wizards to an abysmal 1-10 start. While such a record would typically warrant such a firing, some might consider Jordan's firing to be preemptive.

The Wizards have been without regular starters Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood for all games thus far. While Arenas' absence has come to be more of the norm for the Wiz, Haywood's absence has left Washington thin up front and having to rely more heavily on Etan Thomas and sporadic rookie JaVale McGee. On the flip side, Jordan still has his two all-stars (Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler) to lean on, and has not produced the necessary results. Ed Tapscott, the Wizards' director of player development, will replace Jordan on an interim basis.

Do you think that Jordan needed to be fired at this point in the season?

NBA Noise Giveaway: Maui Invitational T-Shirt

2008-11-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

**UPDATE**

The winner, which was drawn out of a hat by a neutral party, is sid. Congrats! Email me at sholdren@gmail.com with your name and mailing address and I will ship you the shirt when I'm back in the mainland.

In the next few days, I will be fully engulfed in some of the best college basketball action that any hoops junkie could ask. Since you can't be here with me in person in Maui, I wanted to pass on some of the spoils to you in the form of this Maui Invitational T-Shirt (size XL). Winning the T-shirt is easy, here's how:

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post telling us which college basketball player(s) or team you are looking forward to watching this season.
You may leave one comment per calendar day pacific time. Posters of multiple comments per day will be disqualified. We'll accept entries until Wednesday, November 26th at 11:59PM pacific time. This giveaway is open only to residents of the U.S.
On Thursday morning, we'll pick a winner via a random drawing, and update THIS post with the name of the winner.

Easy enough, right? Comment away!

Studs and Duds: 11/23/08

2008-11-23T22:52:00.000-08:00

Speaking of the Pistons and Nuggets, their respective games tonight seem to sum up the studs and the duds of the evening.

Studs: The Denver Nuggets (114-101 win over Chicago)

The trio of Carmelo Anthony, Nene, and Kenyon Martin combined for 68 points (on 23-34 shooting), 27 rebounds, 12 assists, six blocks and four steals. Additionally, Chauncey Billups chipped in 21 points and eight assists.

Duds: The Detroit Pistons (106-80 loss to the Timberwolves)

If getting absolutely trounced by the Timberwolves wasn't means enough to win tonight's dud award, some of their personal performances certainly are. The trio of Rasheed Wallace, Richard Hamilton and Allen Iverson combined for 23 points on 8-32 shooting, spearheading the Pistons' abysmal shooting night (37% as a team).

Antonio McDyess to return to the Pistons

2008-11-23T22:14:00.000-08:00

After being shipped to Denver alongside Chauncey Billups in the Allen Iverson trade, Antonio McDyess was eventually bought out by the Nuggets. McDyess has been weighing his options regarding who he would like to sign with, and had received interest from several teams including the Charlotte Bobcats and Boston Celtics. In the end, though, McDyess' heart has always been with the Pistons, and those feelings will prevail as he is expected to re-sign with his old team on December 3.

"It was a very difficult decision for him. He was weighing good offers financially, along with other variables he thought were important," agent Andy Miller told ESPN.com. "But going into the year he had a team goal set, and to not finish up with it, he didn't want to do that. He wants to finish the year, finish what he started in Detroit, then reevaluate after the season is over."

This is great news for the Pistons, as McDyess provides added stability in their frontcourt. A team can never have too many talented bigs. By re-joining the Pistons, especially in considering the amount of money he could have landed by going elsewhere, McDyess really showed his confidence in (and commitment to) Detroit's squad. I can't help but wonder how things might have played out had he stayed with Denver, though. The Nuggets are 8-2 since acquiring Billups, and McDyess would certainly play a larger role in Denver's frontcourt-thin team. That being said, he has a much greater chance of winning a championship in Detroit.

Source: ESPN

Xbox 360 Players' Party: NCAA Basketball 09

2008-11-23T01:22:00.000-08:00

I spent the evening bumping elbows with the players who will be participating in the 2008 Maui Invitational. The event featured an Xbox 360 tournament of EA Sports' NCAA Basketball 09 (which has a cover featuring Kevin Love of the T'Wolves I might add). Each team nominated their two best gamers to represent their team within the bracket. Both North Carolina gamers (Ty Lawson and Mike Copeland) made it to the finals, guaranteeing the championship to be won by a Tarheel. It won't be long before some of these players are able to play as themselves in an NBA videogame. Check out the video above for a picture slideshow of the event.

Tonight: Greg Oden and Shaquille O'Neal go head-to-head for the first time

2008-11-22T12:24:00.000-08:00

Tonight, the Portland Trail Blazers (8-5) head to Phoenix to take on the Suns (8-5). While the Blazers are hot right now, having won their last two games in blowout fashion, they have lost their last eight games in Phoenix. The Suns on the other hand, have lost their last two games and are looking to get back on track.

These storylines aside, everyone's eyes will be glued squarely on the first matchup between the perennial powerhouse - Shaquille O'Neal and the burgeoning rookie behemoth - Greg Oden. O'Neal appears to be rejuvinated this year, averaging a solid 15 ppg and 8 rpg in about 27 minutes of play. After a start slowed by a foot injury, Oden is quickly playing himself into an integral role for the Blazers. He has been impressive lately, averaging around 11 ppg, 8 rpg and 2 bpg throughout November in only around 22 minutes per game.

These are two players at opposite points of their careers. One who has accomplished everything you can hope to do, and one who hopes to have a similar impact by the end of his career. I can't wait to see these guys battle it out tonight. But please, Shaq, don't hurt him!

For those of you that have been hiding under multiple layers of rocks. O'Neal is now on Twitter and taking to it like a natural. I want to point out one of his recent tweets:

Stuart scott from espn said greg oden looks 42 , lol dats funny

I cant wait to see O'Neal's Twitter aftermath from his encounter with Oden.

*UPDATE*:
O'Neal certainly outperformed Oden in their first matchup, and led his team to victory.

Oden: 5 points, 1 rebound, 5 fouls
O'Neal: 19 points, 17 rebounds, 1 assist

P.J. Carlesimo fired

2008-11-22T09:16:00.000-08:00

Even for a team with relatively low expectations, a 1-12 start isn't acceptable by anyone's standards in the NBA. After an 80-105 blowout loss to the New Orleans Hornets at home, the Oklahoma City Thunder fired their head coach P.J. Carlesimo (according to sources).

Assistant Scott Brooks will take over as the interim coach starting with tonight’s game against the Hornets in New Orleans - probably not the easiest way to start your head coaching career.

This is bad news all around for the Thunder, who more than anything need a stabilizing influence from the top. It's like the old adage, before it gets better it's going to get worse. That's certainly the case with the Thunder with this recent development. But they will get better as they build through the draft and players like Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook mature and progress. In the meantime, this could be a very long season for Oklahoma City.

Stephon Marbury declines to play for short-handed Knicks

2008-11-21T22:36:00.001-08:00

In wake of the trades made by the New York Knicks today, they were left with only seven players on their active roster. Stephon Marbury, who has remained out of action as he and the Knicks have been unable to come to terms on a buyout, was finally given a chance to contribute to the team.

He declined. The reason why he declined is still seemingly vague.

"The only thing I'm at liberty to say is that I was told that they were moving forward, and I'm not the person who chooses who plays or doesn't," Marbury said.

Marbury, reportedly, was told this both at the beginning of the season and today. Still, that doesn't seem to line up Marbury's reasoning of sitting out this game, as D'Antoni did request his participation - so it was certainly Marbury's decision to not play. I understand Marbury likely doesn't feel his talents are appreciated in New York, and it is clear that he isn't in their long-term plans. However, it seems like if your employer (who is paying you $21-plus million per-year to play) asks you to play - you play. No? What am I missing here?

Aloha, from Maui!

2008-11-21T22:15:00.000-08:00

I've finally touched down in Maui and settled into my hotel room! I'm here to attend the 25th annual Maui Invitational college basketball tournament, which is featuring some of the top college teams this year. This year's lineup includes North Carolina (1), Notre Dame (8), Alabama, St. Joseph's, Oregon, Texas (7), Indiana and tournament host Chaminade . This will be an up-close look at some of tomorrow's NBA studs. Through the course of the tournament, I will be sharing my perspective of some of these NBA-bound players and their potential impact on the league.

Just to give you an idea of the caliber of players the Maui Invitational has seen, the Maui Invitational has been graced by stellar NBA talents such as:

Glen Rice
Anfernee Hardaway
Kerry Kittles
Dell Curry
Raef LaFrentz
Mike Dunleavy
Jay Williams
Drew Gooden
Jason Kapono
Ronny Turiaf
Keith Bogans
Raymond Felton
Rashad McCants
Adam Morrison
Darren Collison

Coverage of the tournament begins this Monday (the 24th) at 10 a.m. with a matchup between Texas and St. Joseph's. The full bracket from the tourney can be found here. Tune into ESPN2 to follow the games, and check back here for more exclusive Maui Invitational coverage.

Knicks trade Randolph and Crawford, create cap flexibility

2008-11-21T19:35:00.000-08:00

The New York Knicks made some major moves today that have changed the integral makeup of several teams, including their own. More importantly, the Knicks' moves will save them around $28 million in cap space for the 2010 free-agent fiasco where big names such as Lebron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will be available. That is the real story amongst all of the players swapping uniforms today. But lets take a look at what went down from the perspective of what it means to these teams today.

Their first trade of the day had the Knicks sending their star shooting-guard Jamal Crawford to the Golden State Warriors for their disgruntled forward, Al Harrington. The Knicks' second deal of the day sent Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley.

How I see it:

For the Knicks
These trades make perfect sense for the Knicks. While I don't think they came out ahead from a pure talent standpoint, they certainly achieved their goal of staying competitive while creating some serious future cap-flexibility. Not that Randolph was performing poorly at all, but having Harrington and Thomas man the four would seem to make more sense in Mike D'Antoni's uptempo offense. Harrington seems like a perfect D'Antoni player in that he is versatile, long, athletic, and can shoot the ball. The same can be said for Tim Thomas, who performed well in D'Antoni's system during his brief stint in Phoenix. Mobley will have a good chance of taking over the starting shooting guard role for the Knicks, who will rely on his toughness and ability to knock down shots. In all likelihood, the Knicks were (and are) a long shot to make the playoffs, so enduring another season or two of mediocrity before the 2010 payday is well worth the price.

For the Warriors
This is an interesting deal for the Warriors. Harrington recently found himself on the injured reserves list with a phantom injury, which could have easily have been diagnosed as a case of an inability to see eye to eye with Warriors coach Don Nelson. Essentially they are adding a great player in exchange for a player who they have had no real intentions of playing. Crawford is a bonafide scorer, giving the Warriors another dangerous weapon to their free-wheeling arsenal - which they desperately need in the absence of Monta Ellis. Once Ellis returns to full strength, this team could give opponents some fits. Still, this is a team that is built to win games on sheer scoring power, and this trade doesn't really address some of their defensive deficiencies. Sadly, this trade will likely put an end to rookie Anthony Morrow's short-lived bid for rookie of the year!

For the Clippers
This trade fills the major need of the Clippers for an inside scoring presence. Randolph is certainly all-that and more, and should be a great frontcourt partner to either Marcus Camby or Chris Kaman. Randolph is one of the best in the league at finding a way to score in the paint, as he has a great feel for how to get shots off and has a soft touch around the basket. He has proven himself to be a legitimate 20-10 threat everytime he steps on the floor. After a 2-10 start for the Clippers, it was crystal clear that a change was needed. I do think that they will miss Mobley's presence on the floor, so Ricky Davis and rookie Eric Gordon will certainly be looked to to step up and fill the backcourt void. This trade likely wont put them into playoff contention either, but it certainly helps to balance out their roster and address their glaring weakness of post-scoring.

Who is Anthony Morrow?

2008-11-18T20:23:00.001-08:00

I was dumbfounded after Golden State Warriors rookie Anthony Morrow dropped 37 points and snagged 11 boards in his first NBA start. I shook it off though as a fluke, beginners luck, one of those freak occurrences when a player inexplicably gets in the zone. But, Morrow continued his solid game in his second NBA start as the Warriors took on the Portland Trail Blazers. Morrow scored 25 points on a highly efficient 8-12 from the field, including four of five from downtown. With his buttery-smooth J, he really seems to fit in nicely with Don Nelson's free-wheeling, small-ball offense.

A little about Morrow. Morrow played for four years at Georgia Tech and had a career scoring average of 11.4 ppg (with his best season coming in at 16 ppg). The Georgia Tech Web site describes Morrow as "an excellent shooter from both mid- and long range ... Long, wiry player with good athletic ability and a quick release..." Morrow was not only an undrafted rookie, but he wasn't even in the draft day media guide profiling all of the potential draftees. Before being added to the Warriors summer league roster, he was poised to head to Ukraine to pursue a basketball career. Fortunately for Morrow, he impressed the Warriors enough in summer league (averaging over 14 ppg) to be added to the Warriors' opening-day roster. He still doesn't have a car, an apartment or a guaranteed contract with the Warriors, but if he keeps playing like this, it's hard to imagine that he won't get all that and more in the near future.

Houston Rockets show glimpses of productivity, instability

2008-11-18T19:14:00.000-08:00

By most accounts, this year is one that brings extremely high expectations for the Houston Rockets. Bringing in Ron Artest to the already lethal duo of Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady and a talented group of role players has Houston striving for nothing less than an NBA championship. We've seen glimpses of what this team is capable of, beating good teams like New Orleans and Phoenix decisively. However, when faced against each of last year's conference champions (Lakers and Celtics), the Rockets have come up short both times, including a 29-point drubbing by the Lakers. They are currently sitting on top of the surprisingly mediocre Southwest division with a ho-hum 7-4 record.

Yao has been productive, but he hasn't had this low of a scoring average (16.9 ppg) since his rookie season. He also left yesterday's Oklahoma City game with a foot injury, which wasn't deemed to be serious. Yao wasn't the only casualty that game, as both McGrady (knee) and Artest (ankle) left the game with their own injuries. While these injuries might not keep this trio out of much action, this fragility is just more of the same for Houston's stars, who have developed a bad reputation for being injury prone. Staying healthy will be the key for this team to have any hope in the postseason this year. Surely, they are still developing their chemistry, and we know they have the potential to let loose on a win-streak at any given moment (see last year's 22-straight), so it will be interesting to watch how this team progresses.

What does your crystal ball hold for the Rockets this year?

NBA Noise Hair Watch: Chris Andersen goes punk

2008-11-06T20:02:00.000-08:00

Chris "The Birdman" Andersen of the Denver Nuggets has gone through a variety of hairstyles throughout his career. There is the pimpish long locks, there is the relatively normal-guy cut, and then there is this atrocity. Andersen is at it again, expressing himself through the art of hair, with this punk-style long-haired fauxhawk. What's your favorite look for the Birdman?

Trail Blazers partner with Banfield to feed Pets in need

2008-11-05T22:02:00.000-08:00

As some of you may know, my day job is with a PR firm (Edelman) and one of our clients is doing a great program with the Portland Trail Blazers for a cause that I really believe in. Our client, Banfield, The Pet Hospital and the Blazers are partnering up to help hungry Pets in the Portland-metro area. This Saturday, November 8 at the Blazers home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Banfield will be gathering unopened Pet food as part of their Seasons of Suppers campaign, which is a Pet food drive for Pets in need. If people don't have any Pet food to spare, they can also provide a monetary donation to help support the campaign. This is very important, particularly for homebound seniors who need help supporting their Pet - who in many cases is one of their main companions.

As a Blazers fan, it's always great to see the team getting involved in great causes within the community. They have really been committed to making a positive impact within the community through countless outreach efforts over the past several years. Most recently, they have coined their Community Relations program with a term that makes perfect sense, and that they are certainly backing up with their work - "Make It Better."

If you are attending the Blazers game this weekend, please remember to bring your unopened Pet food for this great cause!

Nuggets to trade Iverson to the Pistons for Billups

2008-11-03T09:35:00.000-08:00

The NBA wires are ablaze this morning as it is being reported that the Denver Nuggets will trade their star guard Allen Iverson to the Detroit Pistons for a package including Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess and Cheikh Samb. I'm a bit in shock myself, as you would've thought that this deal could've been consumated in the offseason, and not just one week deep into the season. Here's how I see this deal breaking down.

For the Pistons:
While this Pistons group has had a great deal of success together, their ability to get over the hump in recent years has been a major point of frustration. Bringing in Iverson would give the Pistons a hard-nosed guard who is a prolific scorer and relentless competitor. I wouldn't be surprised if an extra edge is added to Iverson's attitude when he is playing for a legitimate title contender. How Iverson will mesh in with this team will be interesting. The Pistons have largely played within the team concept, catering to several players who can be considered "stars." But Iverson is a different beast altogether. He is a volume-shooter, and he has been for his entire career. Still, Iverson did show that he could co-exist with another volume-shooter in Carmelo Anthony, and I'm sure the Pistons will be able to integrate him into their system. I view this as a last-ditch effort for the Pistons to win a championship with this core group. They know their window is beginning to close, so bringing in a still highly capable Iverson should give them a boost. This is also a somewhat low-risk deal for the Pistons, as if it doesn't work out Iverson's hefty contract will be off the books at the end of this season, and they always have the up-and-coming Rodney Stuckey to fall back on.

For the Nuggets:
The Nuggets also have something to be excited about in this trade. By acquiring Chauncey Billups, they bring back a hometown favorite who is (more importantly) a pure point guard. He is a stellar floor general who has a solid post up game and the ability to stretch defenses with his pure shooting. Anthony should highly benefit by having a facilitator like Billups in the lineup. Nuggets fans are also familiar with McDyess, who had some of his best years in Denver. McDyess is still an effective player in this league, and he will be welcomed with open arms to one of the thinnest frontcourt teams in the West. I think that the combination of the two players could make the Nuggets a stronger team this season, but I still think they will be battling for that final playoff spot in the West.

UPDATE: It's official

Members of 2005 draft class get contract extensions

2008-11-01T16:43:00.001-07:00

Over the past couple of days, several promising young players from the 2005 draft class have agreed to contract extensions with their respective teams. While a bit anticlimactic, the ability to retain young cornerstones of a franchise is essential to a teams growth, chemistry and overall success. Here are some of the players that have re-upped with their squads:

Andrew Bynum, Los Angeles Lakers - 4 years, $58 million
Bynum has the potential to be a dominant big in this league, and his contract extension solidifies himself as a major piece of the Lakers' future. If all goes as planned, Bynum could be the main man in the middle for the Lakers for the next decade and join the long list of elite centers that the Lakers have been privileged to have. At only 21 years of age, the sky is the limit for Bynum and the future of this franchise. link

Danny Granger, Indiana Pacers - 5 years, $60 million (incentives for up to $65 million)
As the Pacers continue to rebuild their roster, Granger will be a major part of that. Already the team's leading scorer last season at 19.6 ppg, Granger came out with guns blazing in his 2008 debut dropping 33 points against the Pistons. It is clear that he is the man in Indiana, and will bolster their frontcourt for years to come. link

Martell Webster, Portland Trail Blazers - 4 years, $20 million
While he was expected to be the Blazers' starting small forward this season, Webster suffered a foot fracture in a preseason game that will have him sidelined for two months. At 21-years old, the Blazers think that Webster still has loads of untapped potential, and are hoping that he will be a primary outside threat to compliment Greg Oden's inside presence. Due to what he has accomplished so far, I think this deal is fair, but I can imagine this being a steal of a deal for the Blazers near the end of those four years. link

Jason Maxiell, Detroit Pistons - 4 years, $20 million
Maxiell is an integral part of the Pistons' high-energy, young second-unit. As a power-forward, what he lacks in height (6'7") he makes up for in strength and surprising athleticism and hops. Lord knows that Pistons frontcourt players like Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess aren't getting any younger, so having Maxiell locked in for the next four years is a great investment for this team. link

NBA Noise Hair Watch: Adam Morrison gets a buzz-cut!

2008-10-30T16:55:00.000-07:00

This is probably the most monumental NBA Noise Hair Watch in its brief history. The long-locked Adam Morrison showed up to practice yesterday with a buzz-cut. Yes. I repeat. Adam Morrison has a buzzcut. They have the video of the hilarity that ensued after his new hairstyle was revealed to his teammates.

Of note:

"Now Adam's got a short haircut so I'm sure he'll be a lot better" -- Head Coach Larry Brown

"Adam got a nice little cut. He looks like Jim Carrey in Cable Guy." -- Jared Dudley

Don't fret though, 'Stache afficiaonados, the facial hair is still in full effect!

Watch the full video here. You owe it to yourself!

Season-debut surprises

2008-10-30T12:02:00.000-07:00

One game does not make a season, but a few players have made some surprising debuts for their teams. Fantasy owners take note!

Yi Jianlian, New Jersey Nets - The Nets gave up Richard Jefferson for the future investment that is Yi Jianlian. After opening night, the Nets are hoping that his contributions will be making a positive impact on the team sooner than later. Yi posted a line of 17 pts., 6 rebs. and 2 blks. while shooting 2 for 2 from behind the arc. As they don't have many real scoring forces outside of Vince Carter and occasionally Devin Harris, Yi will be looked to to help shoulder some of the scoring load.

Mario Chalmers, Miami Heat - Despite how much we've loved Chalmers' offseason incident, and how I've openly criticized the HEAT's personnel at the point guard position, Super Mario came to play in his season debut. After being the game-time decision of HEAT starter, he put up an impressive stat line of 17 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists. They'll take those kind of numbers anyday, I'm sure.

Jason Thompson, Sacramento Kings - Thompson is a highly athletic power forward who should be a cornerstone of the Kings for quite some time to come. And while most didn't think he'd need to produce this quickly, with Brad Miller out of the lineup and only Spencer Hawes and Mikki Moore ahead of him, Thompson responded in a big way in his debut. In only 22 minutes of play, Thompson had a monster contribution of 18 points and 10 rebounds. This is a guy to definitely keep your eye on.

Of these guys, do you see this trend continuing this year? Who else have you been surprised with in this two-day-old season?

Greg Oden injures right foot in debut

2008-10-28T21:27:00.000-07:00

It's another somber night for Portland Trail Blazers fans, as Greg Oden sustained a right foot injury in the first half of his first NBA game. He never returned from the locker room after halftime, and he underwent X-rays to determine the severity of the injury. This comes after a season out of action due to microfracture knee surgery. This is a disappointment not only for fans and the Trail Blazers organization, but surely to Oden himself, who anxiously awaited his chance to contribute to his teams success. After a wrist injury in college, the knee surgery, a sprained ankle in the pre-season and now this - is it safe to say that Oden is injury prone or am I jumping the gun here? We'll be hoping Oden has a speedy recovery and is able to be a major part of this young Blazers team.

Update from OregonLive:

"9:57: Report from the Blazers on Oden: Mid-foot sprain. X-rays inconclusive. Will undergo another MRI Wednesday morning."

New update from OregonLive:

"An MRI performed on the 7-foot player revealed some relatively good news: Oden has a mid-lateral right foot sprain and is only expected to miss between two and four weeks."

While I'm disappointed I won't be seeing Oden in the home-opener tomorrow, Blazers fans can let out a collective sigh of relief to know that he won't be sidelined for an eternity with this injury.

Welcome back NBA!

2008-10-28T21:01:00.000-07:00

Today is like Christmas for all of us NBA freaks out there. Opening day. We got to see the Champion Celtics get their rings and battle against King James, and we got a first glimpse of Greg Oden and a Bynum-infused Lakers team (still in progress so I'll save my judgments for later).

A few quick observations:

The Lakers are playing some tenacious defense. They seem to have an edge that they were missing in the NBA Finals.

I could go without the minute-long NBA Live 09 ads with the videogame/real footage mashup - it really doesn't need to be that long. And if you ARE going to run it that long, please choose some at least decent rap music. Who signed off on this?

I think they need more Fall-themed flowers in the TNT studio. There really just isn't enough.

08-09 Team Preview: The rest of the West

2008-10-27T19:45:00.000-07:00

Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder have their work cut out for them (again) this season. This is still a young and developing team, and they will have to take their bumps along the way to get where they want to be. Look for Kevin Durant to assert himself even more this season as a leader and as a premiere player in this league. I like the draft pickup of Russell Westbrook. Although he might be a bit turnover prone right out of the gate, I think he'll develop into a very solid guard in this league. Also, the offseason acquisitions of Joe Smith and Desmond Mason, while by no means game changers, will provide the Thunder with positive veteran influences. I think the Thunder will finish at the bottom of their division, and near the bottom of the league this year.

Phoenix Suns
The Sun might be beginning to set in Phoenix, but it isn't quite bedtime yet. This is an aging group, but they still have some of the best players in the league in Amare Stoudemire and Steve Nash. Of course, Shaquille O'Neals health and conditioning will play a major role in the success or failure of this team. The biggest transition of all will be the absence of Mike D'Antoni and the run-and-gun offense. The good news, is a slower paced offense is likely to increase the effectiveness of O'Neals game - but how will the rest of the team react? This team still is talented enough to compete with anyone, and they certainly should be a playoff team again this year.

Portland Trail Blazers
Big things are expected out of this young Blazers group. They added a trio of talented rookies in Greg Oden, Rudy Fernandez and Jerryd Bayless to an already .500 team led by all-star Brandon Roy. The Blazers are counting on Oden to make a big impact, but there will be an adjustment period for him as well. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Fernandez was the Blazers rookie everyone was talking about by the end of the year. Portland has been battered with injuries as of late, but health permitting, I see the Blazers sneaking into the playoffs with one of the final seeds this year.

Sacramento Kings
It could be a rough year in Sacramento. They got rid of arguably their best player in Ron Artest, but the Kings are hoping that they will be the recipients of "addition by subtraction" in that deal. They did pick up some promising young rookies in Jason Thompson and Donte Greene, both of who could be contributors this season. Don't sleep on Beno Udrih or Kevin Martin either. This team might not win many games, but they will be competing night in and night out as they have some unheralded firepower on their roster. Still, they will be friends with the Thunder at the bottom of the heap this year.

San Antonio Spurs
Every year we feel like the Spurs are getting too old and are going to have a dramatic dropoff. I'm still not ready to bet against them. Tim Duncan is still one of the best power forwards in the game, and Tony Parker still one of the fastest guards. They are returning nearly all of their core players, they have a rapport of success together, and have established a team chemistry that is second to none. The main thing that the Spurs should be worried about is the health of Manu Ginobili, who is out until December after surgery on his left ankle. If he isn't able to come back at full strength this season (which he should), or reagrivate his injury at some point it could spell serious trouble for the Spurs.

Utah Jazz
The Jazz, at full strength, are the best team in the Northwest Division. Unfortunately, they will have to start the season without point guard Deron Williams, as he sprained an ankle during pre-season. The injury could have him out of action up to a month. Still, the Jazz are not absent of talent as they still boast a solid frontline of Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur and Andrei Kirilenko. Look for breakout seassons from Ronnie Brewer and C.J. Miles. Once the Jazz are at full strength, I think that they could be contenders in the West this season.

Read the rest of the NBA Noise 08-09 Team Previews

08-09 Team Preview: The rest of the East

2008-10-27T19:01:00.000-07:00

New York Knicks
New head coach Mike D'Antoni should be a stabilizing force for a Knicks team that was in utter turmoil under Isiah Thomas. It will be interesting to see how the up-tempo experiment works with the Knicks' roster. I can see this working very well for Jamal Crawford, Nate Robinson, Quentin Richardson, and even David Lee (among others). But it also has me wondering where the slower bangers like Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry fit into the equation. Now, can D'Antoni take an almost identical team from last year and turn it into a winner? Well, let's just say I think they'll be better than last year, but they are still not ready to compete for the playoffs.

Orlando Magic
There's a lot to like in Orlando. Of course you have Superman himself, Dwight Howard who is an absolute monster on the block on both ends of the court. I have a feeling that Rashard Lewis will be coming out with a vengeance this year, now that he is comfortable in blue. And Hedo Turkoglu believes he should be an all-star, so he has a lot to prove as well. Back-court depth and Howard's free-throw woes are concerns I have for the Magic, and they will ultimately hinder their chances of competing with the elite teams of the league. That being said, I think the Magic are still the best team in their division

Philadelphia 76ers
With the offseason acquisiton of Elton Brand and a strong cast of role players, the Sixers have vaulted themselves right into the discussion of Eastern Conference favorites. Along with Andre Iguodala and Andre Miller, the Sixers boast their own talented trio. If Brand can return to his pre-injury form, then Philadelphia will truly be a threat to contend in the East.

Toronto Raptors
You've got to like the personnel that the Raptors are putting on the floor this season. Most notably is their two-headed monster (Raptor) in the post that is Chris Bosh and newly acquired Jermaine O'Neal. While O'Neal has had trouble staying healthy in recent history, he could be a major pickup for this team if he is in shape and ready to contribute. Not many teams in the league would have a better PF/C combo. I also think Jose Calderon will have a big, big season this year, as T.J. Ford is no longer lurking in his shadow. I think that he will contend for an all-star spot this season. If this team can get its chemistry right, they could make some major noise in the Eastern Conferenc Playoffs this year.

Washington Wizards
Oh, the sad, sad, Washington Wizards. You've got to feel for this team. Gilbert Arenas had yet another off-season knee surgery, Antawn Jamison had an injury scare in the preseason, and their main big Brendan Haywood had right-wrist surgery and is out indefinitely. I personally don't believe that Arenas will come back and be the Agent Zero that we've all come to know and love. However, the Wizards are no strangers to major injuries, and Caron Butler and Jamison should be able to keep the team afloat until they get more help. It could be a rough going though. It isn't beyond imagination that this team could limp themselves right out of the playoff hunt.

Read the rest of the NBA Noise 08-09 Team Previews

08-09 Team Preview: New Orleans Hornets edition

2008-10-26T20:14:00.000-07:00

The New Orleans Hornets took the league by storm last season, and finished one game short of reaching the Western Conference Finals. They will be returning nearly their entire 07-08 roster this season, and have added perennial winner James Posey to the mix. While the Hornets were somewhat of the darling of the league last season, finishing much better than expected, they wont be sneaking up on anyone this year. For the Hornets, the ultimate goal this season is an NBA championship - and while lofty, it is a goal that is attainable for this group.

Key Additions
James Posey (from Celtics)
Devin Brown (from Cavs)

Key Losses
Chris Andersen (to Nuggets)
Jannero Pargo (to Dynamo Moscow - Russia)

What to be excited about

A collection of burgeoning stars
The Hornets have quietly assembled one of the most talented rosters in the league. Behind their MVP, and in my opinion the best point man in the league, Chris Paul, the sky is the limit for New Orleans. But it isn't just CP3 that makes the Hornets a special team. Many forget that they have another All-Star in David West, one of the most underrated power forwards in the league. Add that to defensive specialist and USA team member Tyson Chandler, and you'll see why the Hornets are a team to be reckoned with...right now. What makes this talented trio even more special is the ruthless attitude that they all bring to the court night in and night out. While off the court is a different story altogether, on the court they are passionate, scrappy and emotional. These are all good things, in my mind, as it only shows how much they care about the game and about winning at all costs.

The addition of James Posey
James Posey brings the Hornets something that they are hoping will come in very handy this season. That is: championship experience. Posey has played major roles for championship teams in Miami and Boston, so he is familiar with what it takes to win. He will give the Hornets added flexibility, both offensively and defensively, as he has the ability to play and defend multiple positions. He will give them a lockdown wing defender, which is oh so important to have on good teams. He will also provide yet another dead-eye shooter on the wing alongside players like Peja Stojakovic and Morris Peterson, poised to knock down big shots when Paul slashes to the hoop and draws additional defenders his way.

Areas of concern

Depth of the bigs
While the Hornets love their frontcourt combo of David West and Tyson Chandler, there is a significant dropoff in talent behind the two players. Both have had injury issues in the past, so this is certainly an area of concern. While they have serviceable players such as Hilton Armstrong and Melvin Ely, if either of those players had to log major time as a replacement it could spell some trouble for the Hornets. However, although the situation wouldn't be ideal, the Hornets could even run Julian Wright or possibly James Posey at the 4 if needed. The good news is, when you have a point guard like Paul, everyone on the floor looks a bit better don't they?

Overall Verdict

It's NBA Finals or bust for the Hornets. They have as talented a team as anyone, and after last season they are certainly considered to be amongst the West's elite. They have an excellent mixture of youth and experience, and go-to players to rely on when they need it most. It's difficult to predict who comes out of the hyper-competitive West, but the Hornets will certainly be in contention. I see nothing less than a trip to the Western Conference Finals, if not further, for the Hornets this year.

Up next in the NBA Noise 08-09 Team Preview: New York Knicks

08-09 Team Preview: New Jersey Nets edition

2008-10-26T14:14:00.000-07:00

This isn't the New Jersey Nets team that you're used to. Gone are the familiar franchise staples of Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson. Even some of their best role players have headed for greener pastures, as Nenad Krstic and Bostjan Nachbar packed their bags for Russia.The Nets are clearly in a re-building phase, and now have an infusion of young talent. However, the exciting (and at times equally frustrating) Vince Carter still remains. That isn't to say that the Nets wont be looking to unload Carter as soon as possible as they brace for the riches of the 2010 free agency. Prepare for a season of transition with the Nets.

Key Additions
Yi Jianlian (from Bucks)
Bobby Simmons (from Bucks)
Brook Lopez (Drafted no. 10)
Ryan Anderson (Drafted no. 21)
Chris Douglas-Roberts (Drafted no. 39)
Keyon Dooling (from Magic)
Eduardo Najera (from Nuggets)
Jarvis Hayes (from Pistons)

Key Losses
DeSagana Diop (to Mavs)
Bostjan Nachbar (to Dynamo Moscow - Russia)
Nenad Krstic (to Triumph Moscow - Russia)
Richard Jefferson (to Bucks)
Marcus Williams (to Warriors)

What to be excited about

Devin Harris is the real deal
Nets fans are certainly accustomed to having a point guard with great playmaking abilities. When Jason Kidd was traded to Dallas, they saw one of the best ever leave their team. But what they got in return was more than just a consolation prize. In Devin Harris they got a young, fast and dynamic floor general that will be integral to the future of this franchise. I feel that Harris' true potential has yet to be seen, as his game seemed a bit restricted under Mavs coach Avery Johnson. I think if given the freedom to create and learn from his mistakes, Harris will develop into one of the better point guards in the league. In Harris' very first game as a Net, he came off of the bench to score 21 points in 21 minutes, leading the team to victory against the Bucks. At that moment, Nets fans surely knew that they had something special.

A stockpile of young potential
Aside from Harris, the Nets have several young players who will have a great opportunity to develop as the team goes through this re-building phase. Among them is Yi Jianlian (acquired in the Richard Jefferson trade), who posesses rare fundamental skills and finesse that are rarely seen in seven-footers. If the cards play out as they hope, he could become a Dirk Nowitzki type of player. Brook Lopez also gives the Nets a very serviceable center, and will give the Nets stability in the middle years to come. While he likely wont start off the bat, Lopez should see time when the matchups call for a bigger presence in the paint (as there are no other true centers on the roster). I also thought that the Nets got an absolute steal in Chris Douglas-Roberts with the 39th pick in the draft. Douglas-Roberts was one of the most dynamic scorers on the Memphis team that reached last year's NCAA Championship game. He is a player who has the ability to create for himself, and should give the Nets some flexibility on offense.

Areas of concern

Vince Carter - the enigma
When he is motivated, Vince Carter is still one of the most dangerous offensive players in the league. When he doesn't settle for fadeaways and three-pointers, Carter can really make a difference in the outcome of a game. It will be interested to see how his play and attitude are affected when he plays for a team that doesn't legitimately have a shot to be a contender, and will likely be accumulating quite the collection of losses. It's no secret that Carter doesn't particularly fit in the Nets' long-term plans, so it would be in their best interest to keep Carter's stock as high as possible if they are looking to get fair value in a trade.

Frontcourt depth and talent
The Nets just don't have a frontcourt that is ready to compete with the leagues best night in and night out. They have a collection of one-trick ponies, good defenders, good rebounders, decent shooters, etc., or players that haven't fully developed (Yi Jianlian, Sean Williams). The Nets will need to rely on veterans Bobby Simmons and Jarvis Hayes to be third-options on offense - which isn't necessarily a happy thought for Nets fans. I won't be surprised if Brook Lopez emerges as one of their top bigs this season. If somehow Yi can become a reliable scoring option on offense, the Nets will be in much better shape.

Overall Verdict

This season isn't really about this season for the Nets. It is about developing its players, and learning to compete together as a team. Depending on how Carter comes to play, the Nets could surprise some people. However, I don't see the playoffs as a real possibility, and I think this team will be "successful" if they can just keep their head above water for this season.

Up next in the NBA Noise 08-09 Team Preview: New Orleans Hornets

08-09 Team Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves edition

2008-10-26T12:46:00.000-07:00

The Minnesota Timberwolves are coming off of a season that they would likely love to forget. After finishing the first two months of their season with only 4 wins (and 23 losses - ouch), they eventually ended up with a 22-60 record. The good news is, this team has added some legitimate talent in the offseason without giving up much at all. This being the case, the Wolves will be expected to produce much more this year. They added the fundamentally sound Kevin Love through the draft, while concurrently trading to bring in the sharpshooting Mike Miller from Memphis. The Wolves are also adding the oft-injured Randy Foye, who should provide additional stability and firepower in their backcourt.

Key Additions
Mike Miller (from Grizzlies)
Kevin Love (Drafted no. 5)
Brian Cardinal (from Grizzlies)
Jason Collins (from Grizzlies)
Calvin Booth (from Sixers)
Rodney Carney (from Sixers)

Key Losses
Greg Buckner (to Grizzlies)
Marko Jaric (to Grizzlies)
Antoine Walker (to Grizzlies)

What to be excited about

Presence in the post
The Timberwolves hope that they have their frontcourt tandem set for years to come with Al Jefferson and Kevin Love. We all know that Jefferson is a legitimate 20 and 10 force in this league. He is extremely hard to handle in the post, and we have even seen him develop a decent mid-range game. Love should compliment him well, as his range and passing abilities should provide even more opportunities for Jefferson. I can imagine these guys running some highly effective high-low scenarios. Only time will tell how Love's game will transition to the pro level. His athletic ability has been somewhat scrutinized, but his offseason conditioning has yielded some promising results and he has had some solid preseason games. What he lacks in sheer athletic ability, he will make up for with a high basketball I.Q. and great feel for the game.

A veteran leader
The acquisition of Mike Miller should be big for the Wolves this season. For a young team that is still developing their identity as a team, it will be a luxury to add a player of Miller's talent to the mix. Miller is a career 14.4 ppg scorer who shoots at a 40% clip from downtown. Miller will be a stabilizing force for this young squad, and his presence should also result in a few more Ws this year. Having a consistent shooter like Miller on the perimeter will be big when it comes time for Big Al to get to work in the post.

Areas of concern

Can this team make stops?
While I rave about the talent that Jefferson and Love possess, neither is particularly heralded on the defensive end. I wonder about their ability to match up with the more athletic frontcourt players, as well as how well they will deal with playing against up-tempo offenses. While Corey Brewer is known for his defense, he is still only in his second year and getting a feel for dealing with NBA offenses and locking down premiere players. Outside of Brewer, I'd say that the majority of the Wolves' players are decidedly average on the defensive end. Learning to play team defense will be crucial to the success of the Wolves this season.

Still developing
The Wolves' talent level is certainly headed in the right direction. They have made some solid acquisitions through both the draft and trades, but most of these guys are nowhere near their full potential. Youth and time are certainly factors at play here. Outside of Mike Miller, the rest of the Wolves' projected starters have averaged just over 2 years of experience each. While this bodes well for the future of the Wolves, it doesn't exactly correlate to wins right now. Even within their own division, they are well behind the talent level of Utah, Portland and Denver.

Overall Verdict

The Wolves will be an improved team this season, and wont be an easy win for anyone. Their roster is slowly beginning to take shape, and while they wont be contending for a playoff spot this season, they will likely be a dangerous team in years to come. In my mind, the Wolves are a lock for fourth place in the Northwest Division.

Up next in the NBA Noise 08-09 Team Preview: New Jersey Nets

08-09 Team Preview: Milwaukee Bucks edition

2008-10-25T10:39:00.000-07:00

With the amount of talent that they had, the Milwaukee Bucks certainly underachieved last season, posting a 26-56 record. While much of their core group is still in tact coming into this season, they do have a slew of new players who should be integral contributors to this Bucks team. The most notable changes between this year and last year will be the absence of Mo Williams and Yi Jianlian, and the entry of Richard Jefferson and Luke Ridnour, who will be immediately entering the Bucks' starting lineup. The addition of new head-coach Scott Skiles should also prove to be a motivating factor for the Bucks, and we will likely see a new emphasis on defense in Milwaukee.

Key Additions
Richard Jefferson (from Nets)
Luke Ridnour (from Thunder)
Joe Alexander (Drafted no. 8)
Damon Jones (from Cavs)
Tyronn Lue (from Mavs)
Francisco Elson (from Thunder)

Key Losses
Mo Williams (to Cavs)
Yi Jianlian (to Nets)
Bobby Simmons (to Nets)
Desmond Mason (to Thunder)

What to be excited about

A stellar wing tandem
The offseason acquisition of Richard Jefferson will have a bigger impact than most people think. Sure, Milwaukee gambled a bit in trading away some future (Yi) for the present, but Jefferson still has a lot of mileage left on his tires too. Jefferson is a battle-tested player who has been a key player on an NBA Finals team, who will provide the Bucks with the aggresiveness and toughness that they had been lacking on the wing. Jefferson's ability to draw defenses with his knack for driving to the hoop should open up even more uncontested opportunities for sharp-shooter Michael Redd. Opposing defenses will have their work cut out for them when trying to contain both Jefferson and Redd at the same time. Hopefully Redd can bring some learnings from the recent Olympic victory back to Milwaukee.

Areas of concern

Frontcourt depth
The departure of Yi opens up a greater opportunity for contribution from Charlie Villanueva, and the Bucks will need every bit of it. Villanueva has shown flashes of brilliance throughout his career, but has never really received the extended minutes to take his game to the next level. He certainly should have that opportunity this year. Alongside Andrew Bogut, the Bucks have a nice set of bigs, although the talent level drops off drastically after these two. While they have other solid role players on the bench, like Dan Gadzuric, Francisco Elson and Malik Allen, these guys are essentially non-factors on the offensive end. The Bucks will have to have their fingers crossed that rookie Joe Alexander can be some sort of contributor this season, or else they might be skating on thin ice with this frontcourt.

Scott Skiles' defensive mantra
While there should be some positives that come out of Scott Skiles' emphasis on defense, I'm just wondering if this is a square peg/round hole situation. Sure, every team ought to make defense a priority if they hope to be winners. For quite some time now, the Bucks have not been known as a "defensive" force. We all know that Skiles is what you might call a "vocal" coach. I'm just wondering how quickly he will lose his voice after Luke Ridnour gets crossed over, Bogut lethargically leaves his man to help, and Villanueva fails to rotate on D, giving up a posterizing alley-oop. I just don't look at this roster and see a lot of great defensive players, and those who I would consider to be solid defenders are rather deficient on the other side of the court. Bucks fans are hoping that Skiles will be able to mold this team into a cohesive defensive unit, but he certainly will have his work cut out for him.

Overall Verdict

I thought the Bucks were a playoff team last year, and they weren't even close. However, I do like the additions they have made, and I can see this team doing some damage if they are hitting on all cylinders. That being said, I don't think the changes will translate into enough of a dramatic turnaround to get the Bucks back into the playoffs, but they should at least be knocking at the door.

Up next in the NBA Noise 08-09 Team Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves

08-09 Team Preview: Miami HEAT edition

2008-10-25T09:32:00.000-07:00

The Miami HEAT are coming off of a horrific 15-67 season that was plagued by injuries and instability. Shaquille O'Neal was rarely in uniform, and Dwyane Wade played only 51 games for the second straight season. Nearing the end of the year, the HEAT severed their ties with O'Neal (the man largely responsible for their one NBA championship) in a deal that brought Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to Miami. This marked the end of an era, and a beginning of a new one. After landing the second pick in this year's NBA draft, the HEAT also added one of the most talented players of the draft class in forward Michael Beasley. With this re-vamped and significantly more athletic roster the HEAT should be an exciting team to watch this season.

Key Additions
Michael Beasley (Drafted no. 2)
Mario Chalmers (Drafted no. 34)
Yakhouba Diawara (from Nuggets)
James Jones (from Blazers)
Jamaal Magloire (from Mavs)

Key Losses
Ricky Davis (to Clippers)
Jason Williams (to Clippers - then retired)
Earl Barron (to Fortitudo Bologna - Italy)

What to be excited about

Back to the Future
If this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing were any indication, Dwyane Wade is back and in full effect. Wade led the USA in scoring with 16 ppg in only about 19 minutes a game. He looked to have regained the DWade swagger of old, and had the explosiveness to go alongside it. Everyone I talk to is fully expecting Wade to be back in full effect, as long as he can stay healthy. The HEAT desperately need his leadership and presence on the floor this season, and I don't think he will disappoint.

The Rook
The HEAT landed a gem of a prospect in Kansas State's Michael Beasley. He is arguably the most NBA-ready player in the draft, and should give the HEAT another solid scoring option on offense. He has a silky smooth mid-range game, and has a great combination of strength and finesse to operate effectively in the post. He is a bit of a positional tweener, not fitting the traditional mold of a small or power forward, but the Heat will welcome his versatility and talent with open arms. I'm envisioning a front-court of Beasley alongside Shawn Marion and Udonis Haslem. While they won't be out-muscling the opposition, it would be an offensively dynamic trio with the ability to get up and down in transition. To give you some sense of his own expectations, Beasley isn't even thinking about the Rookie of the Year award...he's thinking league MVP. Of course, that is a stretch for any sane person, but at least the guy believes in himself.

Areas of concern

The point guard position
When there is a three way battle for the starting point-guard position between unproven rookie Mario Chalmers, inexperienced Chris Quinn (26 total starts) and Marcus Banks (37 starts over five seasons), your team might be in trouble. Don't get me wrong, I think that all of these guys deserve spots on NBA squads and can be solid contributors. But do I feel comfortable with them going head-to-head with Chris Paul, Steve Nash or Deron Williams for the better part of a game? Absolutely not. Don't be surprised to see a point-guard by committee system implemented this season. However, having Wade in the backcourt as well certainly will take some of the playmaking burden off of whoever is chosen to run the point for this team.

The injury bug
Of course we know Wade's history with injuries, but the injury bug has already bitten some of the HEAT's top offseason acquisitions. Center Jamaal Magloire, who was expected to compete for a starting position, broke his left hand in a preseason game, shelfing him for six weeks. Small forward James Jones, who was so instrumental in the success of the Portland Trail Blazers last season, underwent surgery to repair a ruptured extensor tendon in his right wrist. His surgery will keep him out of action for around three months.

Overall Verdict

The HEAT will be much better than they were last season, and should have a drastic improvement in the win-column. As Dwyane Wade goes, the HEAT go - so if he can stay healthy, I think the HEAT will have a legitimate opportunity to make the playoffs as a low seed. I'm predicting a season that lands them right around a .500 record. In years past, that has been more than enough to get you into the East postseason - but that might not be the case this year.

Up next in the NBA Noise 08-09 Team Preview: Milwaukee Bucks

08-09 Team Preview: Memphis Grizzlies edition

2008-10-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Memphis Grizzlies are a team that is certainly in the re-building mode. They shipped out their disgruntled franchise player, Pau Gasol, to the Los Angeles Lakers for next to nothing (albeit freeing up future cap room) and ended up with an atrocious 22-60 record. They also spun a draft day deal with Minnesota that sent their then-leading scorer (Mike Miller) to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a package that brought USC-phenom O.J. Mayo to the Grizzlies. Memphis is quietly stockpiling some great young talent, but they are still a couple seasons away from being competitive.

Key Additions
O.J. Mayo (Drafted no. 3)
Antoine Walker (from Timberwolves)
Marko Jaric (from Timberwolves)
Marc Gasol (2007 draft pick)
Darrell Arthur (Drafted no. 27)
Greg Buckner (from Timberwolves)
Quinton Ross

Key Losses
Mike Miller (to Timberwolves)
Juan Carlos Navarro (to FC Barcelona - Spain)
Brian Cardinal (to Timberwolves)
Jason Collins (to Timberwolves)
Kwame Brown
Casey Jacobsen

What to be excited about

A trio of young studs
What I'm most excited about right now if I'm a Grizzlies fan is watching Mike Conley, O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay develop into a star-studded trio. Rudy Gay is already on the brink of stardom, showing flashes of brilliance last season as he averaged 20 ppg in only his second year. We know he is legit. Conley struggled with injuries last season, but showed real potential as a floor general. Conley will surely be expected to have an increased role this season with their depleted roster. Add Mayo to the mix, an athletic wing and a bonafide scorer, and you've got yourself some hoops excitement in Memphis for years to come. I am really expecting some great highlight-reel moments from this crew.

Areas of concern

A lack of depth and experience
Let's face it, this team probably wont have enough fire-power to win very many games, and aside from their three studs, they will need some big performances from their role players to even stay close. They are especially thin in the frontcourt, with the erratic and frustrating Darko Milicic and the lumbering beast of a man Marc Gasol - neither of which I expect to be major contributors in the upcoming season. Then at the four, your starter is Hakim Warrick, and then probably Darrell Arthur. Who knows what kind of condition or mindstate Antoine Walker is in, but I guess you can pencil him in as Rudy Gay's backup. You see where I'm going with this? It just isn't pretty.

Searching for leadership and identity
Having seen their identity ride off into the sunset with Pau Gasol and Mike Miller, they will have to find a suitable replacement as soon as possible. I think one has to assume that the keys to this ride have been handed over to Rudy Gay. But as a mild-mannered third-year player, one shouldn't expect an abundance of success right away. They will have to discover who they are as a unit, and what they're all about. Hopefully they will find a way to parlay their youth and athleticism into a competitive advantage, but this team is still very raw. On the bright side, this should present some great opportunities for these players to establish themselve in the league and gain some invaluable game experience.

Overall Verdict

This season could be rough, Grizzlies fans. I hate to say it, but even with the pieces they have added, their thin roster might prohibit them from exceeding their 22 wins last season. As they say, before it gets better it's going to get worse. Just know that in the next few seasons, things will be a lot better for the Grizzlies. This season Memphis will see some growing pains, but hopefully also some hope for the future.

Up next in the NBA Noise 08-09 Team Preview: Miami Heat

08-09 Team Preview: Los Angeles Lakers edition

2008-10-14T18:22:00.000-07:00

The Los Angeles Lakers finished last season with a bad taste in their mouth, but finished with a more successful season than 28 other teams in the league. After a 57-win season that ended with an NBA Finals loss to the Boston Celtics, the Lakers will be looking for redemption in their next campaign. They will certainly have that opportunity to do just that - as they are returning nearly their whole Finals lineup, and essentially adding a star center in Andrew Bynum, who missed 47 games last season.

Key Additions
Sun Yue (2007 draft pick)
Josh Powell

Key Losses
Ronny Turiaf (to Warriors)

What to be excited about

The return of an elite group
The Lakers clearly have one of the most talented teams in the NBA. Aside from one of the best players on the planet, Kobe Bryant, they have one of the best collections of quasi-stars in the league in Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum. They also have a great group of players such as Luke Walton, Sasha Vujacic and Derek Fisher who, while relatively unheralded, understand their roles within the team and provide the Lakers with the extra ammo that ultimately shows up in the win column. We shouldn't underestimate the value of team chemistry for the Lakers either. For the most part, this is a group that has grown together and knows what it takes to win. Although they came up just short of a championship last season, they certainly should be in the hunt for a title again this year.

Kobe Bryant is (still) in his prime
Bryant just turned 30, but don't get it twisted, he still isn't out of the prime of his career just yet. I'm not even sure he has missed a step, but I would say he is relying less on his athleticism. But is that really a bad thing? If anything, I think it makes him more dangerous. Bryant still has the ability to drop 50 on your face in any given night (he averaged just over 28 per contest last season) but he now seems to understand that he can't do it all himself. The beauty of it for the Lakers is, he doesn't need to anymore. With more burden that can be placed on the shoulders of Gasol, Odom and Bynum, Kobe will be able to pick and choose his battles, and expend more energy shutting down opposing threats on defense.

The addition of Andrew Bynum
Sure, Andrew Bynum didn't miss all of last season, but he did miss the whole latter half which included the addition of Gasol. Now, Lakers fans are salivating at the prospect of a daunting frontline of Bynum, Gasol and Odom. Bynum aspires to average 20 and 10 this season, and while Phil Jackson (nor I) really think that is a possibility, he will provide them with ultimate stability in the frontcourt especially in the rebounding and blocked shots department.

Areas of concern

Kobe's pinky
As little of a deal as it may turn out to be, I genuinely feel that the lack of offseason surgery on Bryant's injured pinky will be a legitimate threat to the success of the Lakers this season. True, Bryant is a warrior and he has already played through this very pain for quite some time now. But, by not treating injuries, you only make yourself more susceptible to worsening that injury. And this injury happens to be on the very (shooting) hand that holds the keys to success for the Lakers. While the Lakers have enough talent to win a fair amount of games without Bryant, they would not be able to compete with the West's elite in a playoff series without him - he's just too important to this team.

Frontcourt chemistry
The addition of Andrew Bynum provides a welcome challenge for the Lakers to find a system of managing their frontcourt that works. At first glance, one would assume that the Lakers would start the frontline of Bynum, Gasol and Odom, however it will be interesting to see if this is really in the Lakers' best interest. Odom, while having above average ball-handling skills for a man his size, really is more of a power-forward than a small-forward. The Lakers might want to consider a three-man rotation with these guys within the center and power-forward positions, and utilizing players that can spread the floor at small-forward, like Walton and Vladimir Radmonivic. I'm not saying that Odom can't play the 3, but it will be interesting to see how the dynamic between these bigs develops.

Overall Verdict

The Lakers are stacked and motivated to return to the Finals this season. While nobody is a shoe-in in the wild Western Conference, I think that the Lakers truly have as good of a shot as anyone and I wouldn't be surprised if they put together a 60-win season this year.

Up next in the NBA Noise 08-09 Team Preview: Memphis Grizzlies

Stephon Marbury has a new workout video

2008-10-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

It always makes my day when Stephon Marbury news graces my eyes, especially when it isn't basketball related. There is just something about his story that fascinates me. This ongoing saga, coupled with awkward event after awkward event, followed by scalp tattoos, keeps me coming back for more. Enter the new Stephon Marbury workout video preview that was posted to YouTube this past weekend. It features a variety of what I would consider to be uncommon exercises...well, aside from the carnival-esque hammer swing. Fancy an overhead throw of a medicine ball against a wall (shattered glass effects included)? Of course, shirts are optional, and the workout has the appearance of added-credibility with the addition of a physical trainer with some kind of weird accent.

Let me know if you are planning on picking this up. This could be the most entertaining thing I've popped in the DVD player since R. Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet" series.

Tip of the hat to SLAMOnline for the scoop.

Monta Ellis suspended for 30 games

2008-10-12T10:51:00.000-07:00

The aftershocks of Monta Ellis' moped accident from earlier this summer are still being felt by the Golden State Warriors. Warriors president Robert Rowell suspended Ellis for 30 games without pay Saturday for violating his new ($66 mil.) contract. Reportedly, Rowell's decision went against the wishes of top basketball executive Chris Mullin and coach Don Nelson, both of whom are in the final year of their contracts and have not been approached about an extension.

"Chris Mullin made it perfectly clear to both Mr. Cohan and myself that he didn't think this was a big deal at the beginning, and we happen to think it's a very big deal," Rowell said. "We happen to think that it's a big deal for our fans, it's a big deal for our season ticket-holders, it's a big deal for our business partners, it's a big deal for the Warriors organization."

From a basketball standpoint, this suspension probably wont have much of an impact on the team. Ellis' recent surgery to repair ligament damage in his ankle was already expected to keep him off of the court until mid-December. The 30-game suspension will prohibit Ellis from playing until December 17. What it does do, is rob Ellis from approximately $3 million worth of pay.

Sounds like there is a real rift between decision makers on the basketball and business side of things in Golden State, which doesn't bode well for the future stability of the franchise. The Warriors will now have to rely heavily on Marcus Williams at the point, and have even toyed with the idea of running Stephen Jackson in a point-forward kind of role. I'm anxiously awaiting what the next episode of moped-gate brings us!

Blazers' Martell Webster out indefinitely with stress fracture in foot

2008-10-08T21:33:00.000-07:00

It is quite possible that the Portland Trail Blazers have become, pound for pound, the most injury prone team in professional sports. In this offseason alone, Greg Oden rolled an ankle, Channing Frye had surgery to remove bone spurs, Raef LaFrentz had shoulder surgery, Steve Blake suffered a hamstring strain and Brandon Roy went under the knife for arthroscopic knee surgery. All this, coming off of a season where Oden was out for the year, LaMarcus Aldridge and Roy both dealt with heel/foot issues, and Joel Przybilla broke his hand. For one of the youngest teams in the NBA, they sure have their fair share of medical concerns. Add Martell Webster to the recent list of casualties as he sustained a stress fracture of his fifth metatarsal in his left foot during the recent exhibition game versus the Sacramento Kings, and he will be sidelined for the forseeable future.

This is quite disheartening for Blazers fans as Webster looked to be in excellent condition and was poised to be a major contributor from the get-go. What this does mean now, is that Travis Outlaw might get his wish to start granted afterall. It also wouldn't be out of the question to start Rudy Fernandez at the 3 if spreading the floor is the concern the Blazers are looking to address. Thankfully for the Blazers, they have some real depth which provides them insurance for all of these injuries and surgeries.

UPDATE: Rudy Fernandez sprained his ankle in tonight's exhibition game. It isn't thought to be serious and he will probably only miss a few days, but COME ON!

Luke Walton has a stalker

2008-10-07T10:58:00.000-07:00

Oh Luke Walton, you heartthrob you. Who can resist your awkward dancing man tattoos? Stacy Elizabeth Beshear of El Segundo, CA sure couldn't.

Apparently back in September, Beshear has been harassing him since late last year. Walton claims that she waited outside of his home numerous times and wrote on his car with a marker after he refused to sign an autograph.

More recently, Beshear pulled up in Walton's driveway and pretended to fire gunshots at him with her hand. The imagery of this story is something that dreams are made of! One of Walton's quotes that is included in the ESPN recap of the situation is absolutely classic.

"She was in my driveway. But when we were interacting, I could tell by the stuff she was saying that she's not all there in the head -- which makes me feel bad for her...At the same time, most people who go on killing sprees are people who aren't all there in the head."

Touche' Luke, touche'.

08-09 Team Preview: Los Angeles Clippers edition

2008-10-06T20:09:00.000-07:00

The Los Angeles Clippers are looking like a drastically different team these days. Big name players like Elton Brand and Corey Maggette are out of the picture, and in their place are equally big name players in Baron Davis and Marcus Camby. The Clippers were one of the worst teams in basketball last season with a .280 winning percentage. This year they are hoping for a big turnaround and a trip to the playoffs.

Key Additions
Baron Davis (from Warriors)
Marcus Camby (from Nuggets)
Eric Gordon (drafted no. 7)
Ricky Davis (from Heat)
Brian Skinner (from Suns)
Jason Hart (from Jazz)
DeAndre Jordan (drafted no. 35)

Key Losses
Elton Brand (to 76ers)
Corey Maggette (to Warriors)
Shaun Livingston
Smush Parker
James Singleton
Paul Davis
Quinton Ross
Brevin Knight (to Jazz)

What to be excited about

Baron Davis is running the show
Clippers fans will have plenty to cheer about with Baron Davis at the helm. Davis is undoubtedly one of the best point guards in the league when healthy, and he will be one of the most dynamic backcourt players that the Clippers have had in years. He has the ability to affect the outcome of games, and he is a legitimate go-to player in the clutch. It's too bad they lost Brand this offseason, but picking up Davis is not a bad consolation.

Spark plugs on the bench
It's always nice when you have guys that you can bring off of the bench to give the opposition a different look or sustain a lead when starters need a rest. The Clippers certainly have some players that fit this description. If they can accept their roles well, bringing in players like Ricky Davis and Tim Thomas off of the bench could serve the Clips very nicely. They also have Eric Gordon, who although a bit undersized for a two-guard, proved he could be a legitimate scoring force while he was at Indiana.

Defense in the post
I'm looking forward to watching Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby operate on defense together. They should be gobbling up every shot that doesn't go in, as both are exceptional rebounders. Camby should especially be patrolling the paint for this team. Despite his reputation for injury woes during his career, this is a guy who played in 79 games last season and averaged 13 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game. Not too shabby eh?

Areas of concern

Frontcourt offense
While I'm convinced that Kaman and Camby will be a great defensive tandem, I'm not so convinced about the other end of the court. Camby will be playing out of position at the four, and he will have to try to be a bit more creative on the offensive end to get his. Although Camby actually has a pretty decent mid-range shot, I've always considered him to be somewhat of an auxiliary offensive player. It's always interesting to see how two similarly skilled position players end up co-existing (or not). This all means that Kaman is their go-to big in the post...which isn't exactly a good thing. Don't be surprised to see Tim Thomas and Al Thornton get some legitimate time at the four, depending on matchups. Luckily the Clips also have guys like Baron Davis and Cuttino Mobley, who never met a shot they didn't like (let's not even get into Ricky Davis!).

Team chemistry
Altogether, this is a major overhaul of a team. In the first two units, over half of the players are new to the Clippers' roster. There will be a learning period of these guys getting to know one another, both on the floor and off. A lot can be said for really knowing the intricate tendencies of your teammates, having a history of trust, and knowing what your bread and butter is when you most need some points. This team has a lot of talent, but they also have several guys who I would classify as "unpredictable" personalities.

Overall Verdict

The Clippers have a lot of talent, and I really like some of the pieces they have on this team. They will have a marked improvement from their abysmal season last year. However, I still don't see them finishing ahead of either the Phoenix Suns or the Los Angeles Lakers within their division. I think the Clips will battle for a playoff spot, but ultimately get edged out in the hyper-competitive western conference.

Up next in the NBA Noise 08-09 Team Preview: Los Angeles Lakers

08-09 Team Preview: Indiana Pacers edition

2008-10-05T10:19:00.000-07:00

The Indiana Pacers are coming off of a season to forget. With their marquee player Jermaine O'Neal injured for half of the season, and underperforming when he did play, the Pacers scraped to finish with a 36-46 record. Indiana then swung a major offseason trade that sent O'Neal to the Toronto Raptors in a deal that landed the Pacers speedy point guard T.J. Ford and veteran center Rasho Nesterovic. The Pacers are clearly in a re-building period, and are moving in the right direction, but they could be in for a long season.

Key Additions
T.J. Ford (from Raptors)
Rasho Nesterovic (from Raptors)
Jarrett Jack (from Blazers)
Brandon Rush (drafted no. 13)
Roy Hibbert (drafted no. 17)

Key Losses
Jermaine O'Neal (to Raptors)
Flip Murray (to Hawks)
Kareem Rush (to 76ers)
Ike Diogu (to Blazers)

What to be excited about

The progression of Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger
With the departure of Jermaine O'Neal, the Pacers will be a team looking to establish a new identity to move forward with. O'Neal's departure might almost seem like a relief for the Pacers as they can finally move away from that reliance on O'Neal in a relationship that wasn't leading them anywhere. Much of the scoring burden will be placed squarely upon the shoulders of Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger. Dunleavy had (by far) his best season as a pro last year as he averaged 19 ppg and shot better than 42% from downtown. Granger has quietly established himself as the Pacers' best player, also averaging over 19 ppg and shooting 40% from downtown. The development of these players has really been remarkable, and their talents will be relied on heavily if the Pacers hope to have much success this season.

Depth at the point
The Pacers will have one of the better point guard tandems that they have seen in a while with the offseason acquisitons of T.J. Ford and Jarrett Jack. Jamaal Tinsley appears to be out of the equation, but they also have Travis Diener who is no slouch either. Ford, in particular, should provide the Pacers with the ability to really put pressure on the opposition. His quickness and ability to slash to the hoop should require defenses to collapse, freeing up players like Dunleavy and Granger for open looks at the hoop. Jack showed in Portland that he has the ability to be the floor general on a team, and while he occasionally makes careless decisions, his tenacity and strong effort typically makes up for it.

In an IndyStar article, Ford recently spoke on the issue, saying:

"We definitely could be one of the top tandems in the league," Ford said Thursday. "Coming into the places I've been, nobody felt the point guard was going to be that dominant in Toronto and Milwaukee, and look at what we turned it into. I don't see why the same thing won't happen here."

Areas of concern

No star player
The re-shuffling this offseason has left the Pacers without a defined "go-to" player with the ability to change the game by himself. While they do have several capable scorers, no one on the roster stands out as the main candidate to get green light in the clutch. It will have to be an ultimate team effort night in and night out for the Pacers. Another issue is, all of their primary scorers are perimiter players, which has the potential to make for long nights when the jumpers aren't falling quite as easily. Even power-forward Troy Murphy is more known for his jumpshot than anything else. The Pacers will need to realy establish player roles and find out who they can count on when a big bucket is needed.

Lack of depth
Aside from the point guard position, the Pacers are clearly lacking in the depth department. While they have what I'd consider to be serviceable players at each position, they Pacers don't have a second unit that you can depend on to build (or even maintain) a lead when the starters need a breather. In some cases, it comes down to youth and inexperience. That being said, they do have some bench players that may just need time before they become consistent NBA contributors. I like the potential of rookies Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert, and I even think that Josh McRoberts could be a good player for them at some point. The time just isn't now.

Overall Verdict

The Pacers have acquired some nice pieces and should be competitive night in and night out. However, from a talent standpoint, they are definitely on the lower-end of teams in the league right now. A successful season for the Pacers would be a .500 season, however I don't think they will be able to meet that goal. I think they will ultimately come in last in their division, but that doesn't mean that this team doesn't have a bright future ahead of them.

Up next in the NBA Noise 08-09 Team Preview: Los Angeles Clippers

08-09 Team Preview: Houston Rockets edition

2008-10-04T17:19:00.000-07:00

The Houston Rockets had a stellar season last year, putting together an impressive 55 wins. It's even more impressive when you consider that Yao Ming ant Tracy McGrady missed a combined 43 games. The Rockets utilized stellar teamwork and hustle on each end of the floor to string together 22-straight wins and solidify themselves a playoff spot. Unfortunately, they drew the Utah Jazz in the first round, and the Rockets lost the series in six games - leaving McGrady (still) without a playoff series win.

Key Additions
Ron Artest (from Kings)
Brent Barry (FA from Spurs)
D.J. Strawberry (from Suns)

Key Losses
Bobby Jackson (to Kings)
Donte Greene (Drafted no. 28, to Kings)

What to be excited about

A triple threat
It is commonly believed that you have to have a reliable "third option" on offense to be successful. This can be crucial when star players go cold, matchups are not necessarily in your favor, or if your team suffers from injuries. Injuries amongst the Yao and McGrady have plagued the Rockets for years, so the addition of Ron Artest should play into the "power of three" theory. Anymore these days, title contenders do have at least three players who are or have been all-stars. The trio of Yao, McGrady and Artest is certainly amongst the other elite trios in the league.

Lockdown defense
The addition of Artest also makes an already good defensive team potentially great. Yao is an immovable mountain in the paint and has the ability to change the shot on anything that gets past the perimiter. They also have other hard-nosed, defensive-minded frontcourt players like Carl Landry and Chuck Hayes, who are both consumate role-players. Perimeter defense was already fairly good last season, spearheaded by the gritty Shane Battier and the pesky Rafer Alston. Now, with Artest, they have arguable the best perimeter defender in the league, giving them ultimate flexibility in how they match up with other teams.

Areas of concern

Can Yao and TMac put together a healthy season?
Over the past three seasons, Yao has missed an average of 35% of his games and McGrady has been absent for more than 25% of his. This being the case, the Rockets have been robbed of some of the potential from this dynamic duo because of injuries. Yao seems to have healed well from last year's season-ending stress fracture injury, and was more and more productive for China each game as the Olympics went on this summer. But despite the fragility of these two stars, nearly half of the Rockets' 22-game win streak was achieved in the absense of Yao - so they seemed to have learned to adapt fairly well. Artest should provide somewhat of an insurance for the Rockets if Yao or Tmac have any health problems.

Will Ron Artest serve as a distraction?
While Artest was on relatively good behavior during his stint with the Kings, it's still a valid question considering his history. Artest seems genuinely excited to be a member of this Rockets team (see exhibit A) and he realizes that this is probably the best opportunity he will have to compete for an NBA title. With this in mind, he probably will be happy to play third fiddle behind Yao and McGrady. He is also joining one of his favorite coaches in Rick Adelman, who seemed to be able to connect with Artest in a way that previous coaches have been unable to. It's for these reasons that I think Artest as a Rocket will actually work out nicely, but still, Artest is a wildcard and an unpredictable personality.

Overall Verdict

The Rockets have the potential to be one of the best teams in the league and compete for a title this season. I think that it will all come down to team chemistry and health. As long as Artest has his head screwed on straight this season, I cant imagine McGrady getting snubbed out of a first-round playoff win this season. I predict they will end up 2nd in the Southwest Division (behind San Antonio) and have another 55 (or so) win season.

Up next in the NBA Noise 08-09 Team Preview: Indiana Pacers

Eye troubles in training camp

2008-10-04T09:18:00.000-07:00

Training camp is less than a week in, and we have already (strangely) seen two cases of eye injuries, providing minor setbacks to the players involved. The first was Amare Stoudemire, who received an inadvertent finger to the right eye from Boris Diaw during a scrimmage on Wednesday night.

The Suns' team ophthalmologist Dr. Jay Schwartz described Stoudemire's injury:

"Amare had a small tear of what is called the iris root. This is where the colored part of the eye meets the white part of the eye on the inside."

It was determined that Stoudemire's injury wasn't highly serious, and he attended the Suns' shoot-around on Friday morning wearing sunglasses. He might need to get used to the feeling, as coach Terry Porter indicated that Stoudemire might need to wear protective goggles when he returns. This prompted Suns center Shaquille O'Neal to refer to Stoudemire as "Kareem Abdul Amare."

The second eye-injury of training camp was sustained by the Chicago Bulls' Joakim Noah. Noah also suffered an inadvertent jab to the eye from a teammate, Thabo Sefolosha. Sounds like this is a bit more serious than Stoudemire's injury, as Noah is expected to miss around five days of practice. According to the Daily Herald, blood has accumulated in the anterior chamber of the eye, and a bright red streak was visible at the bottom of Noah's left eye.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a goggled Noah by the time the season starts, making him hands down the most ridiculous-looking player in the

Miami Heat sign Shaun Livingston

2008-10-03T18:57:00.000-07:00

Shaun Livingston has finally landed back on an NBA roster. After Portland declined him recently, it seemed as though the final two suitors would be the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Miami Heat. Well, bienvenido a Miami, Shaun. The Heat signed Livingston today, and while terms of the deal were not disclosed, the Heat cut point guard Tre Kelley to make room on the 20-man training camp roster (yes - a 20-man training camp roster, only God knows why).

I was behind the Blazers signing Livingston, and I definitely like it for the Heat as well. The Heat are a young team in the process of re-building, they aren't expected to be contenders now, but they have a nice core of young players. Also, their point-guard position is anything but shored up, and in my estimation is currently one of the worst in the league. They currently have no defined starter, with Mario Chalmers, Chris Quinn and Marcus Banks duking it out for the role. I still don't expect Livingston to be much of a contributor this year (if at all), but if he can return to his old form, he will be a signifigant upgrade in talent at the point.

Dwyane Wade summarized the situation quite well, saying:

"I think a lot of people will be surprised by how good he looks because of the injury he had," Heat guard Dwyane Wade said. "Of course we all know he still has a ways to go. But I think for the future I think it's going to be good. Give him time to get back in shape and time to get healthy and you've got a 6-7 point guard for the future at a very young age."

That being said, it is still a big question if he can become a productive player again, but I'm pulling for him.

NBA 2k9 demo now available

2008-10-03T18:18:00.000-07:00

For some reason I woke up early this morning, not giving my alarm clock the opportunity of startling me out of my sleep. While I usually have a very standard morning routine, today I decided that I would boot up the old Xbox 360 with hopes that the delayed NBA 2k9 demo would finally be available (NBA Live 09 has already been out a while). To my complete surprise, it was! I started downloading it and bolted into the shower. I did all of my other necessary morning duties, got in my work clothes...and sat down on the couch to play me some 2k9 for a half an hour before heading out the door. The only problem was, once I got to work, all I could think about was my 2k9 demo waiting at home for me!

Needless to say, I'm very excited about this game coming out. Some general thoughts from the demo: The demo (as all NBA demos do) pits the NBA Finals matchup together for some limited action, in this case a four-minute quarter. At first glance, this game seems very similar to last year's version (and in many cases it is). 2k already had some great graphics and player models, certainly the best player faces of any other game. From the short amount I've seen, the player models look even better than ever, which is readily apparent when they do close up cut scenes. However, it's the gameplay that was the most interesting to me. It feels much more like real basketball than ever before, with players making sensible cuts and moving on offense in a way that makes sense. The game also seems to encourage team play, as it was somewhat difficult to break down a defender by yourself (this is probably also attributed to my unfamiliarity with the game as well). All in all, I think that this is a good thing, that hopefully will prevent those terrible online players from attempting a fast-break dunk or 3-pointer contest for the entirety of a game.

I was a bit disappointed in how brief the demo is, the lack of any play-by-play commentary, no player-controlled substitutions, and no statistics. Of course, these are all issues that will be completely absolved once the full game is released. The game drops next Tuesday, I will be picking up my copy for sure.

Ben Gordon re-signs with Bulls

2008-10-02T20:06:00.001-07:00

The Chicago Bulls can breathe a bit easier knowing that they will have Ben Gordon back in a Bulls uniform...for the next year at least. Right before the Wednesday night deadline, Gordon signed a 1-year contract with Chicago worth $6.4 million. Gordon is likely banking for a more lucrative deal at the conclusion of this upcoming season. Whether that will be with Chicago or not is anyone's guess.

Clearly some changes will need to be made on the Chicago roster, and their backcourt seems like a logical place to start. They are two-deep with starting-caliber players at each backcourt position with Derrick Rose and Kirk Hinrich at the one and Larry Hughes and Ben Gordon at the two. This will be a good season for the Bulls to determine what combination has the potential to be the most successful.

While Gordon was one of the top 4th quarter scorers in the league last season, he is somewhat of a defensive liability at the two because of his size - and doesn't quite have point-guard intangibles. If Gordon either underperforms this season or can't land a deal to his liking in the offseason, don't be surprised if he looks at overseas options, as many players are already capitalizing on more lucrative deals from European teams.

NBA Noise Hair Watch: Robert Swift goes mop top

2008-10-01T19:25:00.000-07:00

When it comes to the Oklahoma City Thunder's Robert Swift, we have seen a wide spectrum of hairstyles. We have seen everything to a buzz-cut to an impressive ponytail. More recently we've seen him rocking the mop top. While this hairstyle wont serve as much of a surprise for all of you dozen Swift fans out there, I would like to point out that the red hair works must better with the Thunder orange than it did with Sonics green - wouldn't you agree? Now the black-painted nails, that's another story altogether.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

New uniforms wrap-up

2008-09-30T00:30:00.000-07:00

This offseason has brought us a whirlwind of cosmetic changes amongst NBA teams as several squads introduced new uniforms. In most cases the new looks weren't major overhauls, just updated versions of their existing image. It's getting hard to keep track of all of the changes, but NBA Noise has you covered with a comprehensive wrap-up.

The Minnesota Timberwolves modernized their uniforms a bit with sleek side panel designs, and returned to their roots by having the text on the home uniforms simply say 'Wolves'. - link

The New Orleans Hornets made a bit more of a substantial change as they added new uniforms, logos and court design, all to reflect the spirit of New Orleans. The new uniforms also see a subtle change in the color of blue that the Hornets are rocking. - link

The Orlando Magic updated their uniforms for their 20th anniversary season. They look fairly similar to what we are used to, but they feature tapered pinstripes and a minimal change on their main text. - link

The Toronto Raptors joined the craze of adding black alternate-away uniforms to their arsenal. Wonder if they know they are at least two years late on this trend? - link

Of course, we all saw the recent Oklahoma City Thunder uniforms. Feel free to chime into the debate of which team they look like the most (the Knicks seem to be the frontrunner at this point). - link

New Oklahoma City Thunder uniforms unveiled

2008-09-29T13:06:00.001-07:00

After an uproar of speculation from NBA 2k9's leak of the new Oklahoma City Thunder uniforms. The new uniforms include a home white uniform with the text 'Thunder' across the chest, and the away uniforms are blue with the text 'Oklahoma City' across the chest. I can't say that I'm whole-heartedly inspired by these uniforms, as they are very traditional. However, I didn't find their logo to be very ambitious either, so I cant say that I'm surprised here as there wasn't much room for creativity based off of what they were given. Anyone else feel like the combination of the blue, orange and black on the away uniforms are a bit too similar to that of the New York Knicks?

All that being said, these are official and it's nice to see OKC finally have a full image behind their team. What are your thoughts on the new uniforms?

08-09 Team Preview: Golden State Warriors edition

2008-09-28T19:22:00.000-07:00

While the Golden State Warriors put together another respectable 48-win season last year, they didn't qualify for the playoffs in the absurdly competitive western conference. Starting with the departure of their leader Baron Davis, the Warriors have had a very active offseason. They have added solid talent that seemingly fits well into coach Don Nelson's fast-paced offense. However, Davis seemed to be the heart and soul of that Warriors team, and his absence leaves a void in the Warriors backcourt (especially when you take into consideration Monta Ellis' recent "moped-gate"). His departure also leaves the team without any true "star" players.

Key Additions
Anthony Randolph (drafted no. 14)
Corey Maggette (FA from Clippers)
Ronny Turiaf (FA from Lakers)

Key Losses
Matt Barnes (to Suns)
Baron Davis (to Clippers)
Patrick O'Bryant (to Celtics)
Mickael Pietrus (to Magic)

What to be excited about

Up-tempo and talented
Even with B-Diddy heading to L.A., the Warriors still have the personnel to be a very exciting up-tempo squad. Their bigs are still undersized by NBA standards (with Andris Biedrins and Al Harrington as their starters) but they make up for it with athleticism and speed. Even Ronny Turiaf should see an increased role with the Warriors, as he often plays with the reckless abandonment and max effort that the team is accustomed to. The addition of Corey Maggette will give them yet another hyper-athletic player who will be capable of supplimenting the scoring lost by Davis' departure, both on the fastbreak and in the half-court set. Once Ellis is healthy, this Warriors team will be putting up some BIG numbers on scoreboards throughout the league.

Intriguing depth
Aside from the point-guard position with Ellis' moped injury, the Warriors have some compelling bench players that could develop into important contributors this season. Marcus Williams will get a great opportunity to lead the team as Ellis recovers. Kelenna Azubuike who averaged 8.5 ppg last season off the bench should see an increased role with the team. Aside from the aformentiond Turiaf, the Warriors also have frontcourt help in second-year player Brandan Wright and rookie Anthony Randolph who was impressive in summer league. The Warriors have a lot of versatile players who can be interchanged in multiple positions within Nellie's system.

Areas of concern

The post-Baron Davis era begins
It will be interesting to see how the Warriors operate without Davis at the helm this season. He was the emotional and on-court leader of the team, and contributed a wicket stat line of around 22 ppg, 7.5 apg and 2 spg. When Davis is healthy, he is one of the most productive point guards in the league. Increased production from players like Ellis and Azubuike, and the addition of Maggette should make up the numbers, but that doesn't necessarily translate to wins. The Warriors will have to figure out who their "go-to" player is. Who are they going to go to in the clutch to make a big play? I think that Davis will be missed, no matter how you look at it.

Monta Ellis' health and increased role
The timeline for Ellis' return still isn't completely clear, but he definitely wont be ready on opening night. His healthy return to the lineup is absolutely crucial for the success of the Warriors this season. As a player who relies on speed and utilizes change of direction moves, making a full recovery will be imperitive. Once healthy, Ellis will relieve some of the offensive pressure on this team, as he has an uncanny ability to create his own shot. Ellis is also one of those interesting combo-guards, who doesn't fit the prototype for the 1 or the 2. As the new playmaker on this team, Ellis will be looked on to score, but he will have to make more of an effort to get his teammates involved.

Overall Verdict

Depending on how quickly Ellis comes back, I think the Warriors should be able to put together a winning season. They have enough talent to give teams some problems, and the up-tempo offense is always good for a few automatic regular season wins against unacquainted or unprepared teams. However, they couldn't reach the playoffs last season with Davis, and I don't think their offseason additions are enough to get them there this season.

New Oklahoma City Thunder uniforms leaked?

2008-09-27T18:25:00.001-07:00

The Oklahoma City Thunder are doing a pretty poor job of keeping their new image under wraps. First, their name and logo were leaked on a team basketball, and now, screenshots from the upcoming NBA 2k9 videogame seem to have leaked the basic structure of the new Thunder uniforms. If this is indeed a real representation of the new uniforms, they are indeed as plain as their terrible logo. Who knows, maybe they will look better when we see real photos.

Via Pasta Padre

*UPDATE* - There is also an accompanying video of an NBA 2k9 demo featuring the Thunder. the video provides a glimpse to the Thunder's new court design, as well as a closer look at the uniforms. Check it out HERE (don't be surprised if it gets pulled at some point).

08-09 Team Preview: Detroit Pistons edition

2008-09-27T16:25:00.000-07:00

After their third consecutive season of losing in the sixth game of the Eastern Conference Finals, Joe Dumars fired coach Flip Saunders and vowed to mix up the Pistons roster this season - deeming no player untouchable. With training camp rapidly approaching, the Pistons have made no major changes to their roster, leaving the team with a very familiar makeup heading into the season.

Key Additions
Kwame Brown (FA from Grizzlies)
Walter Sharpe (Drafted no. 32)

Key Losses
Jarvis Hayes (to Nets)
Theo Ratliff (to 76ers)
Juan Dixon (to Wizards)

What to be excited about

Still one of the most talented teams in the East
So we didn't see the roster shake-up that we all expected. It can be argued that this is a good or a bad thing. What is undeniable though, is that with their current roster the Pistons still have one of the most talented rosters in the East and are still among the league's elite teams. Sure, they are all a year older, but Rasheed Wallace seems to be their only core player who has seen (the minimal) effects of aging. These guys have developed some of the best chemistry a team could ask for, and have been knocking on the door of the Finals for the last several years. While their championship window is closing, it isn't closed quite yet.

An infusion of youth
Aside from the Pistons' traditional core players, Detroit is quietly developing a strong stable of promising young players. This year we should begin to hear the names Rodney Stucky, Jason Maxiell, Aaron Afflalo and Amir Johnson more and more. Stuckey, in particular, seems to be poised for a breakout season. In only 19mpg last season, Stuckey averaged nearly 8ppg and was a valuable spark off the bench. He increased his production a bit in the playoffs, and began to draw comparisons to Dwyane Wade. New coach Michael Curry envisions getting 25 to 30 mpg for Stuckey during the upcoming season, so he will have a great opportunity to make his mark on this team.

Areas of concern

Is a new coach the answer?
After Flip Saunders led the Pistons to a .715 winning percentage (yes - .715!) over a three-year period, he was given the boot for failing to lead the Pistons to the promised land. Harsh, indeed. But knowing that the Pistons have had the talent to be a championship contender and not delivering has to sting a bit. Enter Michael Curry, a well-respected ex-Piston player and assistant coach, who will now have the challenging task of getting this talented Pistons squad over the hump. While a change of leadership has the potential to motivate players, I'm not putting all of my money on a coach with zero head-coaching experience. You also have to wonder if there are any lingering psychological effects on the players who were implicitly told by Joe Dumars in the offseason that their collective group didn't have what it took to get to the Finals. Much will hinge on Curry's ability to connect with the players and command their respect.

Overall Verdict

The Pistons have all of the necessary talent to be very successful in the East, and I fully expect that they will be. The Pistons should be challenged by Dumars' lack of confidence, and the young players they have will give Detroit a jolt of athleticism and energy. As the East continues to improve, the Pistons road to to the Finals only gets tougher. However, people always seem to discount the Pistons and focus on the sexier teams. But make no mistake, Detroit is still a major threat. I expect the Pistons to make another deep push in the playoffs, but whether they can finally get past the Eastern Conference Finals remains to be seen.

Up next in the NBA Noise 08-09 Team Preview: Golden State Warriors

Jason Williams retires

2008-09-26T20:23:00.000-07:00

File this under the "saywhaaat?!" category. Jason Williams, an offseason acquisition of the Los Angeles Clippers has announced his retirement. It's not often that a player signs as a free agent, only to announce his retirement shortly thereafter. The news came via press release on the Clippers Web site, and did not include any direct quotes from the man we've come to know as White Chocolate. I was pretty enthused about the Clippers backcourt depth with the acquisition of Williams and thought that he would be a good edition. Well, many players don't make it through ten years in the NBA, and many more never win an NBA championship - and Jason Williams has done both.

What's your favorite J-Will memory? Elbow pass anyone?

08-09 Team Preview: Denver Nuggets edition

2008-09-25T19:16:00.000-07:00

Last season the Nuggets brought a high-octane offense to the hardwood and shot their way to a 50-win season. Defense didn't appear to be a major part of the Nuggets gameplan, as they were only focused on outscoring their opponent. While this method led them to a successful regular season, they still managed to give up the second most points per game (106.95) and were blown out by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs. The Nuggets will seemingly embrace their offensive focus even more this season as they gave up their top defensive player, Marcus Camby, for a second-round pick and a Snickers bar.

Key Additions
Chris Andersen (FA from Hornets)
Dahntay Jones (FA)
Renaldo Balkman (traded from Knicks)

Key Losses
Marcus Camby (to Clippers)
Yakhouba Diawara (to Heat)
Eduardo Najera (to Nets)

What to be excited about:

The Nuggets will be a fun team to watch
The Nuggets have a team that can score, and score in bunches. The combination of Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson makes the Nuggets a serious offensive threat, and are tough to handle when they are hitting on all cylinders. The biggest positive move for the Nuggets during this offseason was the re-signing of the expressive 2-guard J.R. Smith. Smith's provides athleticism, an ability to stretch the floor with his outside shooting touch (almost 40% from behind the arc last season) and a legitimate third-option on offense for Denver. At only 22-years old, Smith has an opportunity to thrive in Denver and develop into a special player. Linas Kleiza is also no slouch, and should provide the Nuggets a good spark from off the bench.

Areas of concern

Lack of frontcourt depth
After trading away Marcus Camby for what eventually resulted in Renaldo Balkman, the Nuggets are skating on thin ice with their current frontcourt situation. If the season started now, the oft-injured Nene and Kenyon Martin would be your Nuggets' frontcourt starters. Both players have struggled with health issues, and are shadows of their younger selves. With that in mind, if one of those players go down they are in a world of hurt. Their current backups include Chris Anderson, Steven Hunter, Balkman, Kleiza and rookie Sonny Weems. Even if they are able to make it through a full healthy season, a frontcourt of Nene and KMart will struggle to handle the league's high scoring bigs.

George Karl needs that fire
Maybe it is the natural maturation process or maybe it is complacency, but Nuggets coach George Karl just doesn't seem to have the passion that he had back in, say, his days in Seattle. He never seems to get too riled up on the sidelines, but that needs to change this season. He has vowed to take an aggressive approach to defense, which is supremely necessary with the loss of their two best defenders (Camby and Najera). Karl certainly has his work cut out for him, and he will have to develop some great team chemistry if they are going to produce another successful season.

Overall Verdict

I am fairly confident that the Nuggets will come in third within the Northwest Division behind the Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers. The Nuggets still have some elite talent and will outscore a lot of teams, but their inability to defend will haunt them this season. Let's face it, from a talent standpoint, Denver got worse this offseason, while many of their rivals in the West got better. This being the case, I don't see them making the playoffs this year, but they will have an outside shot at the 8th spot.

Raptors unveil new black uniforms

2008-09-25T17:45:00.000-07:00

The Toronto Raptors joined the subtle jersey change craze as they unveiled new alternate road uniforms. These new unis are predominantly black, and as the Raptors say, "black is the new red." Whatever the hell that means. Anyway, I think they look pretty slick, but again, not too far away from their standard design. Teams having black alternates tends to be pretty commonplace nowadays. Their desire to look like the Blazers is stronger than ever, I suppose.

What's your take on the new uniforms?

If you are a Chris Bosh fan, download the above image in wallpaper form here.

Monta Ellis was injured in a moped accident

2008-09-24T23:13:00.000-07:00

First, Monta Ellis lied about the situation in which he tore a deltoid ligament in his ankle and sustainined a high-ankle sprain, saying that it happened during a pick-up game. Then he came clean that he in fact wasn't playing basketball when he got his injury. Ooh, the plot thickens. Today we learn the real origin of Ellis' injury -- which was sustained in a "low speed" moped accident. For some reason I was hoping for something a bit more dramatic.

As the San Francisco Chronicle reports the Warriors have the option to terminate Ellis' newly signed $66 million deal, because riding a moped is prohibited under the uniform player contract. While this is highly unlikely, a fine or suspension for Ellis' careless and dishonest actions wouldn't be much of a surprise.

Does Ellis have a nickname yet? If not, I motion to officially deem him Monta "Moped" Ellis. It's just too easy.

The Blazers will not sign Shaun Livingston

2008-09-24T22:56:00.000-07:00

So it is now official. At the Portland Trail Blazers' media day today, Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard announced that Shaun Livingston would not be signed. The Blazers had conducted private workouts with Livingston to evaluate his current status after a devastating knee injury that kept him out for all of last season. I had felt that Livingston would have been a great low-risk / high reward investment for a Blazers team that is already set in the backcourt and wouldn't need Livingston to perform anytime soon.

Regardless of my personal opinions, I wholeheartedly trust in Pritchard, as he has a nearly flawless track record in managing the Blazers roster. Well, so much for my Shaun Livingston pipe dream, but at least I have my homer Luke Jackson hopes to fall back on! But even that is a long shot, as Jackson will be competing against Shavlik Randolph, Jamaal Tatum and Steven Hill for the final roster spot.

The other teams rumored to be interested in Livingston are the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Miami Heat.

The Orlando Magic have new uniforms

2008-09-23T12:36:00.000-07:00

The Orlando Magic have teased us all month about the unveiling of their new 20th anniversary jerseys, and today they were finally showed in public. It isn't much of a startling change from previous jersey iterations, but there are several subtle details. The main thing that jumps out is the"tapered" pinstripes. Another interesting change was the removal of the arm-hole detail borders. The away jersey's are the same vibrant blue, with the main text of "Orlando", and the home jerseys of course are white with the main text of "Magic". Overall, I think they look fine, but not much to write home about. What do you think of the new unis?

Check the Orlando Sentinal for more pics

08-09 Team Preview: Dallas Mavericks edition

2008-09-23T00:05:00.000-07:00

The Dallas Mavericks are just more than two seasons removed from a remarkable 67-win regular season. Unfortunately that incredible run ended with an a first-round exit at the hands of the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors. The Mavs' swagger from that point on has been noticeable dissipated. Last season, as they were beiginning to see the window of opportunity to win a championship closing, they pulled a blockbuster trade that shipped out their point guard of the future (Devin Harris) for an aging Hall-of-Fame lock (Jason Kidd). Even this couldn't change their fortunes as they were 3 and 11 against winning teams since the trade, and had another first round exit in the playoffs. But with the talent that Dallas has assembled, they are highly capable of being a very dangerous team in this league.

Key Additions
DeSagana Diop (FA from Nets)
Gerald Green

Key Losses
Malik Allen (to Bucks)
Tyronn Lue (to Bucks)
Jamaal Magloire (to Heat)

What to be excited about:

There's a new sherriff in town
I think that we all loved Avery Johnson, if for no other reason than to listen to him talk in the post-game interviews. But after the team put together back-to-back successful seasons, only to flop in the playoffs, it was clear that a change needed to be made if they wanted to reach the next level. Enter Rick Carlisle, who is well known for having a great feel for the game, has had great success as a head coach for Indiana and Detroit, and has a career winning percentage of .571. While Carlisle might not be a "dream" fit for the Mavs, he is a highly capable coach, and an upgrade over staying pat. He will be ultimately judged on if he can lead this team to postseason success.

Jason Kidd will be better
Well, Jason Kidd will be better than he was in his limited time with the Mavericks last season, in which he was largely ineffective. It is very difficult for a point guard, as the primary facilitator of the offense, to be thrust into a new situation. Kidd will have had the training camp and pre season to understand his teammates tendencies, and the Mavericks' system. Let's not forget, because they have a brand new coach in Carlisle, all of the players will be on the same page and learning the offense together. You better believe that Carlisle will be designing their offense with Kidd's abilities in mind. When Kidd is on, he makes everyone on the floor better.

A growing fish in the pond
Brandon Bass seemingly came out of nowhere last year and became a solid contributor for the Mavs. Although he struggled a bit with consistency, he showed flashes of brilliance and the ability to be a dependable low-post presence. I definitely expect for Bass to improve on his 8.3 ppg average this season. I'm calling Bass as a serious contender for this year's Most Improved Player award.

Areas of concern

Will Josh Howard continue to be a distraction?
I've never seen Josh Howard to be a bad guy in this league, but honestly, he's been in the news all too much recently for things that aren't related to basketball. In the past year he has had speeding and reckless driving charges, openly admitted to smoking marijuana, been criticized for partying during the playoffs and most recently drawn major attention for his lack of support for the national anthem. Does this mean that Howard wont produce on the court this season? Of course not. But it does mean that he will need to make an effort to stay out of the news for the wrong reasons. Howard is right up there with Dirk Nowitzki when you are talking about importance to the team. I don't anticipate that it will be a problem, but it is an issue none the less.

How much does Kidd have left?
No question, Jason Kidd is one of the greatest point guards the game has ever seen. He has unparalleled court vision and competitive drive. While Kidd IS something to be excited about, he also raises some question marks. Let's face it, the guy is getting old, and will turn 36 later this season. Watching the Olympics this summer definitely made me question what kind of player Kidd would be this upcoming season. Granted, on a team like that, you don't need to do too much - but in five games (of which he started all) Kidd only averaged 1 ppg and 1.4 apg. Still even last season Kidd played about 36 minutes per contest and averaged a double double (pts/ast), so it's hard to imagine that he wont be an impact player again. Let's just hope he doesn't have a hangover from his Olympic mediocrity.

Overall Verdict

The pieces for success are there. The Mavs still have one of the best individual scorers in the league with Nowitzki, let alone other serious scoring threats in Howard and Jason Terry. Much of their success will hinge on the play of Jason Kidd. I predict that the Mavericks will have between 45 and 50 wins and be a lower playoff seed in the West this season.

Up next in the NBA Noise 08-09 Team Preview: Denver Nuggets

Shareef Abdur-Rahim retires

2008-09-23T00:02:00.000-07:00

It's sad when health issues ultimately hinder the potential of a players career. Such was the case for Shareef Abdur-Rahim, who announced yesterday that he would retire because of a persistent right-knee injury.

"I came to grips with the fact that, health-wise, I won't be able to get back to the condition and level that is needed to play in the NBA," Abdur-Rahim said. "My right knee has become arthritic over the years, and is to the point where it won't allow me do the things and play at the level at which I'm accustomed to playing. As tough as it is to come to grips with, it's the reality."

Abdur-Rahim leaves the game with a career scoring average of 18.1, but will likely be remembered of a very good player who never played for a very good team. Until the Kings landed the 8th seed in the West in 2006, Abdur-Rahim held the NBA record for most games played without a playoff appearance. Nobody, however, will question Abdur Rahim's character or commitment to the game. I think in the right situation he could have been able to thrive. We'll miss you 'Reef!

NBA Noise in Week in Review: September 15, 2008 - September 22, 2008

2008-09-22T22:14:00.000-07:00

This week brought us several team previews from around the league (we're going down the list in alphabetical order), and a lot of other random noise - including number changes, trade denials and admissions of guilt. Read on if you missed any of this week's Noise!

2008-2009 Team Previews:

08-09 Team Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers edition
The Cavs will go as far as Lebron takes them

08-09 Team Preview: Chicago Bulls edition
We could be in for a rough one again, especially if Gordon isn't there

08-09 Team Preview: Charlotte Bobcats edition
The Bobcats could be tough if they can only stay healthy

08-09 Team Preview: Boston Celtics edition
They could be equally tough again this year

08-09 Team Preview: Atlanta Hawks edition
The Hawks are a team of the future in the East

Other Noise:

Knicks and Grizzlies trade talks dead?
Looks like neither team was willing to pull the trigger on a risky deal

Steve Francis hoping to return to full strength
Me too Stevie, me too

Michael Beasley was involved in the rookie orientation incident
Should I have been more surprised?

NBA Noise Hair Watch: Renaldo Balkman implicitly hates barbers
This haircut is NOT aerodynamic. Seriously.

Rasheed Wallace changes jersey number back to 30
Nicolas Batum, are you listening? 88 is not a real basketball number.

Gilbert Arenas has knee surgery
This is looking worse and worse for Gilbert and the Wiz

Deron Williams expected to be back for 2012 team
Certainly will be an upgrade over an aging Jason Kidd

08-09 Team Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers edition

2008-09-21T00:54:00.000-07:00

The Cleveland Cavaliers are coming off of a successful season that ended at the hands of the (eventual NBA champion) Boston Celtics in a tough 7-game series. Lebron James put himself in high-contention for the MVP award, and will be looking to build onto his ever-dominant status this season. What's different now is, he actually has some help.

Key Additions
Mo Williams (from Bucks)
J. J. Hickson (drafted no. 19)
Tarence Kinsey (FA)
Lorenzen Wright (FA from Kings)

Key Losses
Devin Brown (to Hornets)

Joe Smith (to Thunder)
Damon Jones (to Bucks)

What to be excited about:

Being witness to Lebron James
When you have Lebron James on your team, the possibilities are endless. Spouting off about James' importance to the Cavs is certainly redundant, but I don't think it can be said enough. Lebron James IS the Cavs. Last season James put up staggering numbers at around 30 ppg, 8 rpg and 7 apg. This summer, James was a team-voted captain of the USA's gold medal "Redeem Team" in Beijing. Cavs fans are hoping that James will be able to bring some of his winning ways to Cleveland this upcoming season.

Lebron has help
The Cavs made a key offseason deal that ultimately sent the aging Joe Smith and sparsely used Damon Jones packing, and brought in Mo Williams from the Milwaukee Bucks. Williams provides James with something he has never had in his 5 year career - a legitimate perimeter scoring threat. Williams is an aggressive point guard who can score in a variety of ways, and has averaged 17 ppg over the last two seasons. The hope is that Williams will help spread the floor, relieve defensive pressure on James, and provide the Cavs with an offensive force when James is out of the game or deferring. Let's hope that Williams does a better job of playing James' sidekick than Larry Hughes did.

The Cavs run deep
The Cavs will have a much deeper team than they have in years past. A key acquisition was the internal one of retaining swing-guard Delonte West. West will provide the Cavs with versatility and stability in the backcourt alongside Williams and Daniel Gibson. The Cavs should also be a more cohesive unit this season, as they went through some growing pains after their midseason trade that brought in West, Wally Szczerbiak and Ben Wallace. It's not too bad when you can bring in a second unit that features Gibson, West, Szcerbiak and Anderson Varejao. In addition, rookie J.J. Hickson should also provide some athleticism from off the bench.

Areas of concern

Will Mo Williams be the "right" fit?
No one questions the ability of Mo Williams, but it has yet to be seen how his game will mesh with that of Lebron James. James has been the primary playmaker on the Cavs for the past few years, so the Cavs will have to adapt their style of play a bit with the addition of Williams. That being said, is a scoring point guard really the "right" kind of player to put alongside James? The Cavs certainly added talent in Williams, but the jury is still out on how much better of a team this will make them.

Can they stay healthy?
Sure, health is an important area of concern for every NBA team. However, there are some reasons why the Cavs might be even more susceptible to the injury bug. Lebron James has been playing non-stop for nearly the past year, as his team went deep in the playoffs, and then he has been training for and playing in the Olympics. Despite his uncanny athletic ability, it isn't beyond ones imagination that he could start wearing down throughout the season. Then there is Zydrunas Ilgauskas. While he is still an effective scorer in the post and has a solid mid-range shot for a big man, you always get the feeling that he is a play away from a season-ending injury from the way that he uncomfortably lumbers up and down the court. And Szczerbiak? He hasn't been remotely healthy during the past two seasons. It will be interesting to see if he can be a consistent contributor for the Cavs.

Overall Verdict

Health permitting, the Cavs should be a major force to take over the Central Division. The addition of Williams should give the Cavs the extra boost that they have been missing, and defenses will not be able to completely key in on James game-in and game-out. James should only get better, and I'm not one to bet against the King. Look for the Cavs to put together another solid season and finish in the top half of the Eastern Conference's playoff picture.

Up next in the NBA Noise 08-09 Team Preview: Dallas Mavericks

Knicks and Grizzlies trade talks dead?

2008-09-20T12:01:00.000-07:00

According to Newsday, it now appears that the initial trade talks between the New York Knicks and Memphis Grizzlies are now dead. The trade would have involved Zach Randolph headed to the Grizzlies in exchange for Darko Milicic and Marko Jaric. The Grizzlies were also interested in obtaining additional pieces such as a draft pick and having the Knicks pay a deferred portion of Randolph's massive contract. Supposedly, Donnie Walsh wasn't going to be sweetening the pot and left it up to the Grizzlies to come back with a better offer, which they haven't.

So the Grizz basically give up on a high risk / high reward trade, and the Knicks now have to figure out how to incorporate Randolph into coach Mike D'Antoni's up-tempo offense. This could be quite a challenge, as Randolph excels in the half-court set, and hasn't ever been noted for his ability to run the floor. If nothing else, they will have to help Randolph produce so they can increase his value for a future trade. Currently Randolph's well-known character issues and hefty contract have scared away potential suitors, even though he is a proven 20-10 player.

08-09 Team Preview: Chicago Bulls edition

2008-09-20T00:30:00.000-07:00

Just a few years ago the Bulls were seen to be an up-and-coming team in the East that was expected to contend with the elite in only a few years. Sadly, the Bulls today are a team that has failed to meet expectations and has had several areas of frustration lately. A mid-season trade sent Ben Wallace and Joe Smith packing and brought in Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes. The team finished last season with a disappointing mark of 33-49. However, their failures during last season resulted in an unexpected victory when they landed the number one pick in the draft, allowing them to select Derrick Rose. The Bulls are hoping that Rose can help them lead the Bulls on the road to recovery.

Key Additions:
Derrick Rose (No. 1 draft pick)

Key Losses:
Chris Duhon

What to be excited about:

And with the number one pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls select Derrick Rose
The Bulls' prayers were answered when they got the unlikely win in the 2008 draft lottery. They got a great point-guard prospect in Rose, who is extremely athletic, has good size for a point and also has exhibited excellent court vision. It will be interesting to see how the point guard situation plays out next season, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Kirk Hinrich as your opening day starter until Rose can learn the ropes a bit more. However, Rose is certainly considered to be the Bulls' playmaker of the future, so don't be surprised if Hinrich finds a new home sooner than later (especially if he struggles as he did last season).

Luol Deng returns
Let there be no question about it, Luol Deng is the Bulls' key player - and their success will hinge largely on the performance of Deng. The Bulls and Deng had been in stagnant contract negotiations for the past year, and were finally able to get him inked this summer. Deng missed nearly a quarter of last season, and his numbers were slightly down from the previous year. However, an offseason of resting up and not having to worry about his status of the team will hopefully produce a reinvigorated Deng this season.

Defensive potential
The Bulls have some great tools to give other teams fits on the defensive end. They are a young, long and athletic team. They have two point guards capable of applying pressure on the ball. They have solid wings in Deng, Larry Hughes and Thabo Sefolosha that are capable of getting into the passing lanes. They have Andres Nocioni who isn't afraid to back down from anybody. They have Tyrus Thomas who has gained a reputation as a solid shot-blocker. Their only questionable area will be defending the scoring bigs of the league, but even then Joakim Noah and Drew Gooden will at least serve as a legitimate speed bump.

Areas of concern

Will Ben Gordon be back?
This question really will need to be answered before giving a fair assessment of this Bulls team. Gordon was the Bulls' leading scorer last season, and one of the top 4th quarter scorers in the whole league. If the Bulls cant come to terms with Gordon, I can assure you that he will be missed in Chicago this season - especially when it comes to crunch time. Then, even if he comes back, there will be quite the clog of solid players in the Chicago backcourt, which will provide the Bulls with a different issue to deal with. But, having too much talent is always a better problem to have.

How will the team respond to Vinny Del Negro?
This team seemed to be slowly but surely drifting out of Scott Skiles' grasp last season. Interim coach Jim Boylan couldn't do much better. It will be interesting to see how new Bulls Head Coach Vinny Del Negro, who has ZERO prior coaching experience in the NBA (or elsewhere as far as I could tell), meshes with the various personalities on this team. Who wants to take bets on the first Del Negro vs Noah clash that results in Noah getting suspended as a result of a team vote?

Overall verdict:

The Bulls have some good talent and they will continue to improve as a unit. They have a lot of challenges ahead of them though, and one of them will be discovering what their roles on the team will be. This will be an even more important issue if Gordon doesn't return to the team. If that ends up being the case, I don't see the addition of Rose off-setting Gordon and Chris Duhon's absences in a positive manner. This team then will have to rely on the development and health of its individual players because they didn't upgrade much from a personnel stand point. With this in mind, I'm not expecting the Bulls to make a playoff appearance again this year.

Up next in the NBA Noise 08-09 Team Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers

Steve Francis hoping to return to full strength

2008-09-19T14:27:00.000-07:00

After Steve Francis re-joined the Houston Rockets last season, he only appeared in 10 games and seemed like only a shadow of his old self. He had been struggling through injuries and eventually had to have season-ending surgery to repair a torn quadriceps tendon in his right knee. Francis really hasn't had a healthy season since 04-05, and his numbers have dropped significantly since the injury bug caught on. It doesn't sound like he is quite ready to return to being "Stevie Franchise," but here is what he had to say about his rehab status (from Rockets.com):

"I'm not going to sit here and say I'm 100% because I'm not. I still have a ways to go. It's going to be a tough process, but I'm willing to sacrifice. Even if I don't start the season, I know within the next three or four weeks I'll be 100%. I don't want to go out there if I'm not 100% and possibly re-injure myself."

I sincerely hope that Francis can return to 100 percent. He was one of my favorite players to watch when he was in his prime. Sadly I don't have incredibly high expectations for a complete return, only because his game before relied so heavily on quickness and explosiveness. Honestly, I had completely forgotten that he was on the Rockets' roster, but I'm hoping he can come back and silence the doubters like me.

08-09 Team Preview: Charlotte Bobcats edition

2008-09-19T01:51:00.000-07:00

The Charlotte Bobcats had a tough season last year. No doubt about it. They had a first-year coach in Sam Vincent and a team absent of any true star who could be counted on to take over the game in the clutch. They also struggled with injuries, as Adam Morrison (ACL) and Sean May (microfracture) sat out the entire year with an ACL injury. Gerald Wallace, the Bobcats' second-leading scorer also missed nearly a quarter of the season due to injury. With all of these factors considered, the Bobcats seemed to finish right about where you would have expected them to - with a 32-50 record.

Key Additions
D.J. Augustin (Drafted no. 9)
Alexis Ajinca (Drafted no. 20)

Key Losses
Earl Boykins (to Virtus Bologna - Italy)

What to be excited about:

They have a heralded coach
Not to dog on Coach Vincent, but you know that Larry Brown is the real deal. Brown has the fifth-most wins in NBA history, and is a lock to be a future Hall of Famer. He is the only coach in the history of basketball to win both an NCAA championship (Kansas, '88) and a NBA championship (Detroit, '04). Aside for Brown's disasterous stint as the Knicks coach, he has earned his keep by being a turnaround artist (prounounced 'are-teest'). For instance, as San Antonio's head coach in the late eighties Brown went 21-61 in first season but was able to improve to 56-26 in his season, leading them to the playoffs. The Bobcats are hoping he can work some of his magic in Charlotte.

Emeka Okafor is back
The Bobcats did what they had to do to bring back their enforcer, locking up Okafor to a $72 million deal over the next six years. Okafor is the Bobcats' all-time leader in rebounds, blocked shots and double-doubles. Speaking of double-doubles, Okafor averaged nearly 14 ppg and 11 ppg last season, which puts him in the company of Tim Duncan, Steve Nash and Dwight Howard as the only players to average a double-double in each of the last four seasons. If they didn't bring back Okafor, they would've had to have been outbid substantially or be clinically out of their collective minds.

Backcourt help
While Raymond Felton has always been a bit of a stat-packer, posting a respectable 14.4 ppg and 7.4 apg last season, he has struggled with consistency and never seemed like the ultimate answer for the Bobcats at the point. Enter D.J. Augustin, one of the most NBA-ready point guards in this year's draft. A confident, quick, pass-first point guard, Augustin should provide stability for the Bobcats backcourt, especially when Felton is off his game. Being that Felton and Augustin are quite different types of players, I can actually see them trading off playing time based on the situations and needs within any given game.

Areas of concern

Still thin in the middle
The Bobcats have some solid frontcourt bangers in Okafor and May, but if the season started today, Nazr Mohammed would likely be your Bobcats starter at center. Who knows, maybe Mohammed's late season performances were an indication of good things to come. Don't get me wrong, I think Mohammed is a solid contributor, but as a starting center who isn't particularly game-changing on either end, it is definitely an identified weakness for the Bobcats.

Bouncing back from the injury bug
It will be interesting to see how the Bobcats intent to re-incorporate Adam Morrison and Sean May into their rotation this season. Morrison's injury was particularly unfortunate, as he was looking for some redemption from a highly inefficient and disappointing season. A year in street clothes with a bad taste in your mouth cant be great for the psyche. Also, it wouldn't hurt for Gerald Wallace to take his nickname "Smash" less literally as he has had several concussions due to his agressive style of play.

Overall Verdict

The Bobcats have the pieces in place to be successful in this league. Last season they competed at a very high level and lost a lot of close games. Another year of experience, a great coach and a healthy team could have the Bobcats thinking playoffs this season.

Up next in the NBA Noise 08-09 Team Preview: Chicago Bulls

Michael Beasley was involved in the rookie orientation incident

2008-09-19T01:22:00.000-07:00

Over two weeks ago, Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur got booted from the NBA's mandatory rookie orientation for supposedly having women and marijuana in their hotel room. They were both fined $20,000 for their actions. Yesterday evening it was reported that Michael Beasley has been fined $50,000 for his involvement in the incident. . .Wait, what? Michael Beasley was involved? Oh Michael, you are a sly fox aren't you? You let your buddies take the fall, finish out the orientation camp, and then have a conversation with the tiny angel on your shoulder who urges you to "do the right thing Michael." Is that about right?

"The NBA said Beasley, the No. 2 overall pick, originally failed to cooperate with the league investigation of the matter. The Heat said Beasley eventually chose to reveal that he was part of the incident."

While I don't know of the circumstances that Beasley came forward with this information, it wouldn't surprise me to hear that this information was tactically urged out of him. I'm imagining David Stern interrogating Beasley in a dimly lit room with an overhanging lamp as Chalmers and Arthur peer in through the double-sided mirror.

The details of Beasley's involvement were not revealed, which only leads to speculate whether the upped anty on his fine is related to the original withholding of information or because he was more intimately involved than Chalmers and Arthur. What's your best guess?

NBA Noise Hair Watch: Renaldo Balkman implicitly hates barbers

2008-09-18T09:04:00.001-07:00

Really, this is none of my business, but I read this interview and I just had to share this excerpt from an interview that the Denver Post did with new Denver Nugget, Renaldo Balkman:

Q: Now, in college you made the decision to never part ways with your hair again.
A: I actually said that because my coach, Dave Odom, was joking about making me cut my hair. And I told him I'd never cut my hair again. Eventually one day I would cut it, but while I was there I would never cut it.
Q: So you've steered clear of the clippers for how long?
A: It's been like five years.
Q: Wow. So how long is it?
A: They're down my back.

How do you feel about long hair on NBA players? I feel like it would be a bit of a distraction to have five years of hair flopping around while you were running up and down the court. I suppose we should just be happy that he shaves his beard occasionally...

Rasheed Wallace changes jersey number back to 30

2008-09-18T09:04:00.000-07:00

NBA conspiracy theorists recently speculated on what the lack of Rasheed Wallace uniforms on the Detroit Pistons' Web site meant. With Joe Dumars' past comments of shaking up the roster, the general assumption behind "jersey-gate" was that 'Sheed would be headed elsewhere. The Detroit News' Pistons Blog has the supposed real deal behind this issue:

"The reason the Wallace jerseys were pulled is because he's changing his number. He will go back to No. 30, after wearing No. 36 since 2004-2005."

My reaction to this is: thank you Rasheed. In my eyes, 36 is a terrible basketball number, so I approve of this decision. Etan Thomas, please take note. Now if we could only put an end to the 90's jersey numbers, those just get under my skin.

08-09 Team Preview: Boston Celtics edition

2008-09-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Boston Celtics are your returning NBA Champions. Your emphatic NBA Champions. And they are returning nearly their entire core that got them there. You better believe that they will be a major factor in the East, and an early favorite to return to the NBA Finals.

Key Additions
J. R. Giddens (Drafted no. 30)
Darius Miles
Patrick O'Bryant

Key Losses
James Posey (to Hornets)

What to be excited about:

The 'Boston Three Party'
What's not to love about returning your three studs in Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen? True, they are all a year older, and probably aren't exactly getting more athletic, but they also have a year of experience playing with eachother behind them. When the three were joined together, there was some debate as to whether or not they could coexist. They responded with a resounding "yes" by leading the Celtics to yet another NBA title. In the two All-Stars (KG and Pierce) and Allen, they will continue to make nightmares for opposing defenses.

Young role players

The Celtics should be excited with the young players they have surrounding their big three. There were several players who played integral roles in the success of the Celtics last season. Among them are players like: Rajon Rondo, who is learning to handle the reigns on a championship club; Glen Davis who brings hustle, emotion and beef in the post; Kendrick Perkins, who showed he can impact a game with his work on the glass; and Leon Powe, who was one of the surprising heroes of the NBA Finals.

Areas of concern

James Posey departs
I think that losing Posey is bigger than a lot of fans realize. Posey was SO key to the Celtics' championship run. He is the player who always matches up against the other team's best wing scorer. While this is important in itself, it also allowed Allen and Pierce to expend less energy on defense. They will miss his positional versatility. They will also miss his clutch shooting, particularly from downtown. If the Celtics had a 'Big 4' last season, the fourth would have been Posey.

The whole age thing
While honsestly, I think this will be somewhat of a non-issue in the upcoming season, KG, Pierce and Allen may start losing their competitive edge over the next few seasons. Garnett is 32, Allen is 33 and Pierce will be 31 in October. While this isn't too far removed from a player's prime, an area for concern might be their susceptibility to injury. One injury from the big three could spell bad news for the Celtics.

Overall Verdict

I think you can expect to see a lot of the same with the Celtics this season, and that's a good thing for Boston fans. The fact that they are returning nearly their whole championship team, maintaining their winning chemistry, is worth more than most free-agent additions they could have acquired. If they can stay healthy and have a young player step up and fill the void of Posey's absence, I think the Celtics have an excellent shot at repeating again this season.

Up next in the NBA Noise 08-09 Team Preview: Charlotte Bobcats

Gilbert Arenas has knee surgery

2008-09-17T12:57:00.000-07:00

Gilbert Arenas, who missed the majority of last season recovering from an off-season knee surgery, went under the knife again on Wednesday. This recent surgery was intended to extract debris that had been causing swelling and discomfort in his knee during his rehabilitation. This marks the third surgery that Arenas has had on his troubled knee in the last 1.5 years.

"I just had some floating debris in there that was slowing me down," Arenas said, according to the Post. "It was irritating the knee so we decided to go in there and clean it out. This should actually allow me to come back faster."

Obviously, this has to be somewhat of a concern to the Wizards brass as they just signed Arenas to a six-year deal worth a whopping $111 million this past summer. Supposedly, such debris found in the knee are fairly common after micro-fracture surgery, and Arenas has stated that he will be back in the lineup by December. If I were the Wizards, I would keep Arenas off the court until he is as healthy as he is possibly going to get. They have a great luxury of having two All-Stars in Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison to make up for his absence. They also have a serviceable back-up at the point in Antonio Daniels, who got serious experience as a starter last season. These reasons, among the other 111 million, are why the Wizards should be in no rush to get Agent Zero back on duty before he is ready.

08-09 Team Preview: Atlanta Hawks edition

2008-09-16T22:00:00.000-07:00

The Atlanta Hawks finished last season with a mediocre 37-45 record, but it was enough to land them the final playoff spot in the East. Much to everyone's surprise, the Hawks pushed the would-be champion Boston Celtics to seven games, claiming every home game along the way. The development of promising young players and the overachieving playoff performance has Hawks fans looking forward to an exciting 2008-09 campaign.

Key Additions:
Maurice Evans (from Magic)
Flip Murray (from Pacers)
Randolph Morris (from Knicks)

Key Losses:
Josh Childress

What to be excited about:

Josh Smith returns
After rumblings that Smith wasn't interested in returning to the Hawks if Mike Woodson remained their head coach, the Hawks were able to retain their star free-agent. After Smith signed an offer sheet with the Memphis Grizzlies for $58 million, the Hawks quickly matched it - ensuring his return to Atlanta. Smith is absolutely crucial to the Hawks, as he is somewhat of a jack-of-all-trades. He has the ability to affect the game on both ends with his sheer athleticism and long build. Last season he averaged around 17 ppg, 8 rpg, 1.5 spg and nearly 3 bpg. The only other player out there that fills up the stat sheet even close to J-Smoove is Shawn Marion.

A full season with Mike Bibby
After acquiring Bibby, the Hawks were 15-17, and this was while Bibby trudged through nagging injuries that affected his mobility. Not too bad for a guy immediately handed the reigns, needing to learn a new system and new player tendencies. Having a leader like Bibby comfortable and healthy at the helm this season should result in a marked improvement for the Hawks, and expect Bibby to improve substantially on his averages of 13 ppg and 6 apg. It's also worth noting that this is a contract year for Bibby, which tends to be a motivating factor for performing at a high level.

Joe Johnson, Joe Johnson, Joe Johnson
Johnson has quietly become one of the best wing players in the league. While his stellar stats have earned him back-to-back All-Star appearances, at home against the Celtics we saw his ability to be a legitimate go-to player. He consistently demanded a double-team, and showed that he can carry a team. However, he will have to perform more consistently in the post-season to reach the next tier of stardom.

Al Horford is a rock in the post
Coach Mike Woodson was upset when Horford didn't come home with the Rookie of the Year honors this past season. A case was there to be made (although ultimately unrealistic with Kevin Durant in the equation) as he was able to average nearly a double-double, and helped the Hawks to a seven game improvement in the win column. Another year of development will only help Horford, as he provides a solid force down low, and provides frontcourt flexibility for the Hawks.

Areas of concern

The absense of Josh Childress
The Hawks lost a key rotational player in their lineup when Childress decided to take a more lucrative offer with Greece's Olympiakos. The Hawks have tried to fill the void by adding in Maurice Evans and Flip Murray, however this is considered to be somewhat of a downgrade. But both Evans and Murray have proven that they can be key players on NBA rosters, so they might just do the trick.

Marvin Williams, the time is now
The Hawks have been constantly maligned for selecting Williams before Deron Williams and Chris Paul. Williams was somewhat of an X-factor for the Hawks this past season, showing flashes of his outstanding potential, and then bouts of inconsistency. Altogether he put together a solid year, averaging about 15ppg and 6rpg, but the Hawks will be expecting even more from him. This will be Williams' fourth season in the NBA, and the rookie grace period is over. It's time for him to show why he was the second pick in the draft - and I think he will this season.

Overall verdict:

The Hawks should be a playoff staple in the East for years to come, as their young core is one of the best in the entire league. That being said, all of their talent isn't fully developed, and they still lack the winning attitude and postseason experience that equates to major success in the NBA. I expect the Hawks to be competitive every night, and finish with a record close to .500 and a trip to the playoffs.

Up next in the NBA Noise 08-09 Team Preview: Boston Celtics

Deron Williams expected to be back for 2012 team

2008-09-15T21:17:00.000-07:00

Deron Williams got a game against some NBA faces yesterday at a University of Illinois alumni game yesterday. Among those in attendance were Dee Brown, Frank Williams, the perpetually-in-shape Kendall Gill, and three-point bomber Nick Anderson.

While Williams scored a game-high 19 points, the real story permeating from this game was the ovation that Williams and managing director of USA Basketball, Jerry Colangelo. In front of a packed house, Williams received a standing ovation and chants of "U-S-A" from those in attendance. Colangelo spoke about the selection of Williams to the USA team and the prospects of him returning:

"Deron was one of my top picks at point guard because I believed in him," Colangelo said. "He did the University proud, the country proud...And he wants to continue representing this country going forward, so I'm sure you'll be seeing him in 2012 in London."

A week after winning the gold medal, Williams mentioned that he would be interested in returning to the team in 2012:

"If you asked me right now, I said, 'Yeah, I want to play,"' Williams said talking about his Olympic experience. "If they want me back, I'm there."

I think we all expect that Williams would be a top choice in 2012, regardless of if he wants to or not. He is unquestionably one of the best point-guards in the league right now, and in four years he will only be hitting his prime. Having Jason Kidd out of the lineup should also increase Williams' playing time and role on the team. Alongside Chris Paul, the USA should be set at the point for its next quest for the gold.

Sources: Daily Illini, Deseret News

NBA Noise in Week in Review: September 7, 2008 - September 14, 2008

2008-09-14T17:41:00.000-07:00

This week we had a slew of news about re-signings, retirements and players on the comeback trail. The NBA Noise Hair watch also continued with some unique cuts.

A Look Back: Anthony Mason
We forget how good this beast of the east really was

Shaun Livingston to sign with the Blazers?
I'm dreaming of sugarplum fairies and a healthy Shaun Livingston in a Blazers uni

Delonte West re-signs with the Cavs
Just say no to Moscow, Delonte

The Big Cactus to retire in two years
In case you were wondering how long he was going to ride the wave of his legendary status

Pat Garrity to retire He was a professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic, you may or may not know

Mo Cheeks and Doc Rivers get contract extensions
Fun fact of the day: Doc's real name is Glenn

NBA Noise Hair Watch: DeShawn Stevenson edition
He's rocking the J.R. Rider-slash-Kenny Smith hairstyle...I guess?

Kobe Bryant is putting off pinky surgery
If I were Kobe, my pinky would be so money by now

The NBA ditches its composite ball development
"We just realized leather is what our guys wanted."

Greg Oden's amazing karaoke performance
If N'Sync ever gets together, I think Oden could be a viable addition

NBA Noise Hair Watch: Ron Artest edition
Guess he really likes being a Rocket

Allan Houston coming back with the Knicks?
Does shooting touch decrease with age?

Darius Miles working towards a full recovery?

2008-09-14T15:04:00.000-07:00

Since we are on the subject of returning to full strength after serious knee troubles, we got a bit more perspective today about the Darius Miles situation. Miles, who recently signed with the Boston Celtics, has been out of action for the past two years due to micro-fracture surgery. There has been plenty of speculation as to whether or not he would be able to even come back and play AT ALL, let alone be a solid contributor. Miles' take on the situation was covered in today's Boston Globe:

"I've been past the rehab stage since June," Miles said. "I am ready to go, but I just need to get in better shape. It's about maintaining the strength in my legs and getting my timing. I'm excited and anxious and ready to go and play. I don't think my leg will ever be 100 percent again, but I feel like I'm 90-95 percent."

While Miles is probably the best judge as to whether he will ever return to 100 percent, trainer Tim Grover had a bit of a different perspective on Miles' readiness, and potential of returning to his old form.

"He is going to Boston a little sooner than we'd like," said Grover, a fitness specialist who has trained Michael Jordan and other stars from the Attack Athletics gym in Chicago. "But, from an explosiveness and quickness standpoint, he is 80-85 percent from where he used to be, and my guess is he should be back to 100 percent by Christmas."

Really? So Miles says he is at 90 to 95%, Grover is claiming that he will have 100% of his quickness and explosiveness back by Christmas, and the Blazers cut Miles loose after he was officially diagnosed as having a "career-ending injury."

Something just doesn't sound right. Either Miles had some terrible doctors assessing him, or his readiness to play is being highly exaggerated. My opinion tends to sway toward the latter, but it will be very interesting how this plays out. If Miles truly is at 90-95% then we definitely should be seeing some head-bopping in Beantown shortly - and the Blazers will be forking over his league-exempted medical retirement salary.

Photo credit: Oregon Live

A Look Back: Anthony Mason

2008-09-13T19:22:00.000-07:00

A reader comment in regards to Ron Artest's appearance on the on the NBA Noise Hair Watch jogged my memory about a player I loved but hadn't thought about in quite some time. Not only was he known for his etched hair designs, he was a muscular enforcer, a tenacious defender, and outspoken leader. Not just a bruiser, it wasn't an oddity to see this player consistently knocking down mid-range J's, or even throwing precision passes. Certainly this description could fit a number of players, but the one we are talking about here is Anthony Mason.

Mason primarily made his mark with three teams - the New York Knicks, the Charlotte Hornets, and the Miami Heat. Pat Riley ended up coaching him for both the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat, as Mason was a Riles favorite because of his workhorse-style game and his take-no-shit demeanor on the court.

Although it's hard to remember Mason as a "great" player, his career was not without some notable milestones. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team and the All-NBA Third Team in 1996-97 - not too shabby. This same year he also led the league in minutes played per game (at 43.1) which really shows how valuable he was for that Charlotte Hornets team. It also may surprise you to hear that Mason was an NBA All-Star in 2001 for the Miami Heat. This was during the year that he flourished out of necessity when Alonzo Mourning went out with kidney problems, and averaged around 16 ppg and 10 rpg.

What was your general perception of Anthony Mason?

And now, your Anthony Mason moment of zen:

Shaun Livingston to sign with the Blazers?

2008-09-13T10:42:00.000-07:00

According to two league sources, the Portland Trail Blazers are the favorites to sign ex-Los Angeles Clipper guard Shaun Livingston. Among the other teams believed to be in contention for Livingston are the Miami Heat and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Blazers have one roster spot open and signing Livingston would be a rather low-risk proposition for them. That is, however, depending on what kind of contract they would be signing him to, but after the severity of his previous knee injury it is unlikely that it would be a major commitment. The Blazers have been mulling over what to do with their final roster spot, wondering whether they should keep it free for a future deal, or sign center Steven Hill or wing Luke Jackson who have been working out with the team this summer.

I think signing Livingston would be a great move for the Blazers. They are already very deep in the backcourt with Steve Blake, Jerryd Bayless and Sergio Rodriguez - not to mention Brandon Roy who will handle some of the playmaking duties. The Blazers aren't expected to be among the elite in the west this season, so Livingston would have ample time to continue rehabbing. Currently, league executives project Livingston's health status to be at about 70 to 85 percent.

“I don’t think you’ll get anything out of him this year,” one NBA executive said. “He’s going to need a year to adjust.”

When Livingston was healthy, he was projected to have a an extremely high potential with his mixture of height, athleticism and court vision. I see this as a similar situation to the Boston Celtics signing Darius Miles. You don't quite expect him to make a full return to what he used to be, but if he can achieve any semblance of his old self, then it is worth the relatively small risk.

Can you imagine a healthy Livingston in the Blazers backcourt with Roy, Martell Webster, LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden? Quite the pipe dream, but man, that is a young and scary core right there. Do you ever expect to see Livingston to return to anything close to his old self?

Delonte West re-signs with the Cavs

2008-09-12T17:38:00.000-07:00

The Cleveland Cavaliers continued to bolster their back court today as they announced that they have re-signed Delonte West to a multi-year deal. Exact terms of the deal weren't disclosed. This comes as good news for Cavs fans who were fearing the worst, that West and the Cavs would fail to come to an agreement and that West would head elsewhere. Europe was even a possibility as Dyanamo Moscow reportedly have offered him a 2-year deal worth around $10 mil. West was looking to come close to $5.5 million per season, and I wouldn't be surprised if he came close judging by his comments:

“This is the first time since I was offered a scholarship at St. Joes that I feel like I am valued as a person and a player. Dan Gilbert and the Cavaliers have shown me that they value me as a person and a player and that was the most important thing to me,” said West.

West is an excellent combo guard who will likely need to focus on playing the shooting guard position as the point is relatively shored up with Mo Williams and Daniel Gibson. A multi-talented player like West shouldn't have trouble finding playing time though. I think that Cleveland really would have regretted letting West slip through their hands.

Shaquille O'Neal to retire in two seasons

2008-09-11T19:39:00.000-07:00

Speaking of retirement, Shaquille O'Neal recently stated that he would be playing out the final two years of his contract with the Phoenix Suns, and at that point he intends to retire.

From Central Florida News:

"My basketball career will be over in 735 days, and being an educated man, I've always had things to fall back on. So one of my options is law enforcement. But if Jerry Demings is going to be the sheriff I would love to work for him," O'Neal said.

File this under "non-news" for me please. Or maybe at least under "thank you for not completely destroying my memory of your dominant post game." O'Neals health and production have been steadily decreasing over the past three seasons, of which he has appeared in just over 40% of his team's scheduled games. The past three seasons have also marked the first time that O'Neal's scoring average has dipped under 20ppg, bottoming out at 12.8 ppg last season. Now that Shaq is more accustomed to his Suns teammates, I expect that he will actually increase that average next season. That is if (a big IF) he can stay healthy.

Orlando Magic's Pat Garrity to retire

2008-09-11T19:22:00.000-07:00

After ten seasons in the league, the Orlando Magic's Pat Garrity will be retiring from the NBA. Likely many of you could care less about this, but I think this is a prime example of a player who knows his role and makes one hell of a career for himself - albeit one that probably gets overlooked by most casual NBA fans.

In the past five years, Garrity has only averaged over 15 minutes per game once, but he has always been a consumate professional. Always a reliable three-point shooter, Garrity finished with a stellar career percentage at .398 with a playoff average of .407. He had some of his best years with the Magic in the 2001 and 2002 seasons when he started over half of the games and scored in double figures in each season. Not to mention, Garrity spent nine of his 10 years in Orlando (his rookie season was with the Phoenix Suns) and he finishes his career as second all-time in regular-season games played for the Magic (513).

Photo via the Orlando Sentinel

Doc Rivers and Maurice Cheeks land contract extensions

2008-09-10T19:29:00.000-07:00

After what were considered to be successful seasons from both teams' standards, the contracts for Doc Rivers (Boston Celtics) and Maurice Cheeks (Philadelphia 76ers) have been extended.

Cheeks was an integral part of the success of the overachieving 76ers, who notched a respectable 40-42 record and claiming sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. They drew a matchup with the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the playoffs, and made a strong effort in a series which they were destined to lose (Det. took the series 4-2). After already raising the bar for the Sixers, they went ahead and bolstered their roster with Elton Brand, Donyell Marshall and Theo Ratliff (not to mention re-signing Andre Iguodala) the Sixers have high hopes for next season and are expecting Cheeks to lead the way. Details of his extension were not provided.

"I always wanted to be here, no matter what," Cheeks said during a conference call.

Potentially standing in the way of any success the Sixers might be looking for in next year's playoffs are the Celtics, who just hooked up Rivers with quite a nice extension in a contract that inks him for the next three years and pays around $5.5 million annually. He has certainly seen the highs and lows in Boston. I know that some of you might discount the coaching factor involved in a championship team that has three of the best players in the league, but the fact that they did the expected is enough (in my mind) to warrant a contract extension.

"Doc molded a championship team last season through his leadership and we are confident that he is the man to lead this franchise on the court now and in the future," general manager Danny Ainge said in a statement.

NBA Noise Hair Watch: DeShawn Stevenson goes with the flat top

2008-09-10T17:15:00.000-07:00

Classic, yet unrefined. Screw it, I really don't know what that suggests in this context, but it seemed applicable when I thought of it.

DeShawn Stevenson on his new haircut (via The Washington Post):

"I've got a flat top, that's what I'm doing this year. Just the new thing. Just call it the J.R. Rider-slash-Kenny Smith. All year. No more beard...You know me, the season start, I'll be thinking about so many things, but right now it's just the flat-top."

You got it, J.R. Rider-slash-Kenny Smith it is, DeShawn.

Kobe Bryant puts off surgery on his pinky finger

2008-09-09T19:27:00.000-07:00

Are NBA players pulling a page out of the Barack Obama playbook? Kobe Bryant informed his horde of fans that they would have to tune into his Web site on Monday to find out what his plans were to repair ligament damage in his injured pinky finger on his shooting hand. As we all sat home on Monday staring at KB24.com waiting to hear the news on Bryant's surgery, we finally refreshed and found out that his surgery announcement was that he wasn't going to have surgery at all!

From KB24.com:

"I have always felt that I can still focus and play at a high level even through various injuries. That's really just part of the game. When the doctors told me recovery from a procedure could be 12 weeks, I just decided now was not the time to have surgery. What it really came down to for me is that I just didn't want to miss any time 'punching the clock' for the Lakers, given all we are trying to accomplish as a team this NBA season. I am just really excited and looking forward to being there with the guys when camp opens in a few weeks. That is a real bonding process and if I can avoid being on the sidelines for that, God willing, I will," said Bryant.

My initial reaction to this is that this was a bad idea. If it takes up to 12 weeks (which it wouldn't necessarily) he would only be missing about four weeks of the season. I suppose if they did horrendously, it could ding their playoff chances a bit. But do you really think that would be the case? I think the Lakers should at least be able to go .500 with Kobe out of the lineup with a roster that made it to the NBA Finals and includes a healthy Andrew Bynum alongside Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. It is truly commendable that Kobe wants to be their working hard with his team and helping them win from the time the season starts, but this kind of decision might be a bit short-sighted. Should he re-aggravate his pinky at some point during the season, he could seriously jeopardize the Lakers' playoff chances. He will need to get surgery at some point here, isn't that what the season is for?

Sadly, bloggers like me inadvertently encourage these baiting announcements by linking back to his blog, but hey, it's borderline newsworthy. Now the question is, for a Los Angeles Democrat, what online announcement is bigger - Joe Biden as VP or Kobe not having pinky surgery. I'm testing your patriotism and your fandom. Which will you choose?

The NBA ditches its composite ball development

2008-09-08T22:49:00.000-07:00

It's the day that cows have been fearing over the last few NBA seasons. The NBA recently announced that for the time being, they will not be trying to re-introduce a composite ball into the NBA game. They had been testing it out in the NBA's developmental league, but that will no longer be taking place.

"We are committed to leather for the foreseeable future," said league spokesman Tim Frank. "We just realized leather is what our guys wanted."

That's what she said? Anyway, synthetic basketballs are used at most other levels of basketball (high-school, college, etc.), because of the lower production costs and higher consistency from ball to ball. The problem is, the synthetic balls tend to be a bit more slick when in contact with players known for their high-levels of perspiration like Chris Kaman, Shaquille O'Neal and even Patrick Ewing when loose balls fly into the Orlando Magic bench.

Supposedly a "two paneled" basketball is in development right now. Right now, a standard basketball has eight panels, and production costs increase with each panel. So I'm trying to envision this. Is it just a ball with one black grip around it? Feel free to enlighten me.

Greg Oden's amazing Karaoke performance

2008-09-08T14:47:00.000-07:00

In front of a large audience of mentors and mentees, Greg Oden threw down potentially one of the greatest sober Karaoke performances of all-time in his rendition of N'Sync's "It's Gonna Be Me." If the singing wasn't brilliant enough, Oden makes up for it with some killer dance moves. Looks like the knee is doing fine! I might also point out that Oden is repping with his Obama '08 shirt.

This was in conjunction with Oden's partnership with Oregon Mentors. The event was specifically designed to reward “Team Oden” mentors with a day of fun and games to enjoy with their kids.

Via Blazers.com

NBA Noise Hair Watch: Ron Artest...the Rocket

2008-09-07T20:47:00.000-07:00

I'm a few days late on this, but this NEEDS to be included in the annals of the NBA Noise Hair Watch. Ron Artest now has his new team's logo etched in the side of his head. Pretty solid barber-work if you ask me. As we all know, Artest is no stranger to expressing himself via hair art.

As the entire Rockets article regarding this picture states: "A picture tells a thousand words..."

Tip of the hat to Bethlehem Shoals of The Sporting Blog

Is Allan Houston eyeing a comeback with the Knicks?

2008-09-07T16:53:00.000-07:00

While we have been hearing rumblings of a possible comeback for the 37-year-old Allan Houston for the past year or so, Newsday is reporting that Houston is indeed trying to get back into the league. Houston supposedly contacted Donnie Walsh about an invitation to the Knicks' training camp. Remember, Houston retired nearly three years ago due to chronic knee ailments. Most healthy players have a difficult time keeping up at 37, let alone those who have been away from the competition and conditioning of the NBA season for three years. I find it difficult to believe that he would be very productive on an NBA roster at this point. That being said, Houston was a great shooter, which teams always can use. He reportedly had been working out throughout the winter and played at the Nike Pro City league this summer.

In one instance I read about Bouncemag, Allan Houston sounded like he was playing well in the Nike Pro City league.

"Houston showed glimpses of his old self when he scored five quick points on Artest with a three-pointer in his grill and a blow by for a lay up...Houston led Dyckman with 25 points..."

Is there any way you see Houston being a valuable addition to an NBA roster this season?

NBA Noise in Week in Review: September 1, 2008 - September 7, 2008

2008-09-07T10:27:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week at NBA Noise, full of that off-season drama and speculation that NBA fans everywhere get off on. Is ZBo headed to Memphis? OKC has a crappy logo. Who's smoking weed at the rookie orientation camp. That's not everything either. Click on to catch up on anything you might have missed.

NBA Live 09 Demo is up on XBL Marketplace
The new NBA Live 09 demo is out, and while it is intriguing, I just can't quit you 2k

Darrell Arthur and Mario Chalmers get a one way ticket out of training camp
That's what happens when you bring weed and women to an orientation about weed and women

The aftermath of the Arthur/Chalmers incident
They are sorry and we should cut them some slack

Monta Ellis lied about the origins of his ankle injury
We still don't know what happened, but we know his pants are on fire

Griz and Knicks discuss a Darko for ZBo swap
One ray of sunshine for another?

NBA, teams and players are donating to the presidential campaigns
The NBA hooked Obama up with more than $24,000

A Look Back: Chris Mullin
Why I love this flattopped sharpshooter

OKC officially announces their name and logo
I'm still not impressed

Rudy Fernandez rocks the Blazers red
Another potential-laden player comes to Portland

Donyell Marshall signs with the 76ers
You owe it to yourself to watch the video associated with this post

NBA fans = self-described anarchists?
As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words

Travis Outlaw ready to take it to the next level
But is there enough playing time or shots to go around?

A Look Back: Glen Rice

2008-09-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

Glen Rice was one of the most exciting scorers throughout the 90s. As an athletic, determined forward with a confident swagger, he was one of the greatest shooters the league has ever seen. In my opinion, the fundamental beauty of his jump shot is only outdone by that of Ray Allen. Rice is currently fourth all-time for most three-point field goals made in the NBA, at a 1,559. While Rice is best known for his time with the Miami Heat and the Charlotte Hornets, he had stints with four other teams (Lakers, Rockets, Knicks Clippers). Some of his career accolades include: Miami Heat's all-time leading scorer (9,248), three-time All-Star (including 1997 All-Star game MVP), scored a career-high 56 points for the Heat in a nationally televised game against Orlando in the days of Penny and Shaq. He also led the Michagan Wolverinces to an NCAA title in his college days, and won a championship on the next level with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000.

Where do you rank Rice among the pure shooters in the modern era of the NBA?

NBA Live 09 demo is up on Xbox LIVE Marketplace

2008-09-06T17:09:00.000-07:00

If you are an Xbox 360 owner, you can download the new NBA Live 09 demo from the XBL Marketplace. I did, and gave it a quick whirl today. Right off the bat, I can tell you that they have a great presentation and have clearly spent a lot of time on the player models. They still look a bit lanky to me, though.

Right when the demo boots up, they have a quick presentation that draws attention to their new feature: NBA Live 365, which tracks the progression of teams and players throughout the season and updates the game accordingly on a daily basis. This means, for instance, if Dwyane Wade is going through an amazing hot streak and is shooting particularly well from the corners, you will see the changes made in his attributes to reflect that. Same goes for cold streaks, and team transactions. This means your game will always be up to date with the current season. You also will be able to play specific games after they have been played, reinacting the game based off of the results of an already played game in real life. Pretty damn cool if you ask me.

This years demo actually allows you to have some in game action (two 2-minute quarters) with the Lakers vs. Celtics. The gameplay was still a bit clunky to me. That being said, it is always difficult to get a good feel for a new basketball game. Once you get used to how the previous year is, any new iterations make the game feel weird. It happens every year. Anyway, I felt a bit limited in what I could do on the court, but this is likely due to unfamiliarity with the controls. Chris Mihm dunked on a computer defender twice - I had to scoff at that. I also don't like having one button be assigned for dunk/layup. I accidentally pressed it when Garnett had the ball right around the elbow. Without dribbling, he took two steps to the hoop for an easy layup. How difficult is that? One thing that I loved (which may or may not be new) was their free-throw shooting system. It was simple but effective.

I will give EA some props for getting the demo out there early, and really showcasing some of the cool stuff they are doing with this years game. However, I'm a 2k guy at heart, so I will still be going that route. While we have yet to see their new demo, I think 2k is truly committed to demonstrating realism and smooth controls into their gameplay. That's what is important to me, so I will excuse the shiny bells and whistles that NBA Live 09 is bringing out this year. I will say that it looks like the gap between the two games might be getting a bit closer than it has in the past.

The aftermath of the Chalmers and Arthur incident

2008-09-06T14:38:00.000-07:00

So people have had a few days to calm down about the dismissal of Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur from the NBA's annual rookie camp for having women and (evidence of) marijuana in their room. I think everybody realizes (including Chalmers and Arthur) that it was a bad decision, an embarrassing situation, but also probably a bit of a wake-up call for the players involved and other rookies at the camp.

Chalmers and Arthur have both apologized for the incident, but both deny actually smoking marijuana.

"Everyone who knows me knows I am a good person and I pride myself on doing the right thing," Chalmers said. "I am embarrassed this happened. I broke the rules, but I did not smoke marijuana."

It is reported that when hotel security entered the room, it had that oh-so-familiar stench of weed. One person was also locked in the bathroom, and was repeatedly flushing the toilet. It's my guess that they didn't just have an overactive bladder. I'm not saying that Arthur and Chalmers were indeed smoking the weed, but I would be surprised if no weed was smoked (by somebody) if the details of the report were true.

Memphis Edge is also reporting that Nike had made a verbal commitment to sign Arthur to a shoe deal, and are still intending on signing him despite his involvement in this incident. This is good to hear, because while these guys definitely screwed up, I think we need to give them a chance before we pass judgment on what kind of guys Chalmers and Arthur are. This is a good chance for them to realize the accountability factor that exists for an NBA player. A $20,000 wrist-slap will probably do the trick. It's just a shame that they weren't able to finish out the rookie orientation, which could have been helpful in preventing such situations in the future.

Monta Ellis lied about details of ankle injury

2008-09-06T14:17:00.000-07:00

The Mercury News is reporting that Monta Ellis has come clean and admitted that his torn deltoid ligament and severe high ankle sprain were not sustained while playing basketball. While there aren't specific details on what happened, we do know that it happened outdoors.

Why does any of this matter? Well, in July, Ellis got one of the biggest pay-raises in NBA history when he landed a fat six-year contract worth $66 million. If the team finds out that he injured himself by participating in an activity that is explicitly prohibited within his contract (i.e. motorcycle riding, snowboarding, etc.), then Ellis could have a fine or suspension coming his way.

My guess is that he probably did injury himself during a "prohibited activity," why else would you lie about it - unless it was horrendously embarassing. Either way, we won't be seeing Ellis on the court for another three months or so.

Friday Noise

2008-09-05T18:35:00.000-07:00

Your Hall of Fame class of 2008: Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, Adrian Dantley, Pat Riley, Cathy Rush, Dick Vitale and William Davidson

My favorite quote of the day, from Sam Mitchell regarding memories of playing with Olajuwon (via the Houston Chronicle):

"The thing I remember about Hakeem is if practice started at 10, he would get there at 9:45 while the rest of us were stretching and jumping rope to get loose,” Mitchell said. “He would walk on the court, touch his toes once, then throw up the ball and he was the best player on the court."

As expected, the Cleveland Cavaliers officially signed F-C Lorenzen Wright. This wont be a game-changer for the Cavs, but it is decent frontcourt insurance.

Lakers center Andrew Bynum is reportedly back to 100% after knee-surgery and claims to be in even better condition than before the injury.

"Actually, I'm better," Bynum said when asked to compared his fitness to last summer. "My times on the track are better and I'm able to lift more weights. I'm stronger. I weigh about the same, I'm 285 [pounds] with less body fat."

Blazers guard Rudy Fernandez might be having quite the culture shock at the NBA's rookie orientation. First, Darrell Arthur and Mario Chalmers get the boot for having weed and women in their hotel room. Then there is this quote from Rudy Fernandez about other on-topic discussions from the camp (via Marca):

"Yesterday they asked if there was anybody in the class with friends on drugs. You have no idea how many of them raised their hands!"

Image via NBA.com

Zach Randolph to the Grizzlies?

2008-09-05T10:16:00.000-07:00

The Memphis Edge is reporting that a deal involving Zach Randolph is now in the New York Knicks' court. In exchange for Zach Randolph, the Memphis Grizzlies would be sending a package that includes Darko Milicic and Marko Jaric. Supposedly the Griz would also like the Knicks to take care of more of the deferred payments owed Randolph in the latter year of his contract as part of the deal.

Certainly if such a trade was to go through, the Knicks would be getting a bad deal from a talent standpoint. They would be trading away a 20-10 guy for a still-developing center and a solid role player. However, while I actually think that Milicic will still end up being a solid player in the league, his stats haven't showed much improvement over the last three seasons (hovering around 7.5 ppg and 5 or so rpg). If this trade were to go through, I think you would see very similar numbers out of him in NY, as he would play second-fiddle to Eddy Curry at the center position. From a positional standpoint, such a trade would bring some good balance to the Knicks.

Let's not forget about the own can of worms that Memphis will be facing either. Despite the undeniable talent Randolph is, he isn't considered to be a "winner" and character issues have scared away other potential suitors. Randolph can score in the post with the best of them, and he also has a fairly sweet mid-range jumper. But along with that, at times he can be a black hole on offense, and offenses end up standing and watching when he has the ball. Don't forget, the Blazers traded Randolph away in a deal that they undeniably got the weaker side from a talent standpoint (Channing Frye), but the Blazers had essentially added by subtracting Randolph and have never looked back. If the trade goes through, it will be interesting to see how that team dynamic changes with the addition of Randolph and rookie O.J. Mayo in the lineup.

If I'm the Knicks I pull the trigger on this one.