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Jeremy LinRON: The Smartest Guy In The Room

The New York Knicks made everyone anxiously wait for their decision on Jeremy Lin. I haven't seen so many will they/won't they moments since Ross and Rachel sucked the life out of "Friends".

New York finally made their decision and opted not to match the offer sheet that Jeremy Lin signed with the Houston Rockets.

Lin, 23, will receive $25.1 million over three years, a price the Knicks couldn't see as the correct value for the point guard phenom.

Houston was sneaky and their offer sheet included a back-loaded contract that would have paid Lin $14.8 million in the third year of the contract. The Knicks would have been over the luxury tax and cost them nearly $43 million in salary + "repeat offender" luxury tax.

Lin came out yesterday and said that he would have loved to finish his career as a member of the New York Knicks. It's the politically correct thing to say, but it was sincere. Lin was a borderline NBA player before he found himself in New York.

Jeremy Lin didn't need his Harvard education to know that signing Houston's offer sheet was the smartest decision he could make. No one can blame Lin for signing it. He had a very exciting six-week run last year before injuring his knee. He had a few moments of vulnerability, most notably a 1-11 shooting night against the Miami Heat. A $25 million dollar offer might not be there in a few seasons.

Carmelo Anthony's comments earlier this week about Lin's offer sheet being a 'ridiculous' amount of money didn't help the situation. Lin had most of his success when Anthony was injured and one would have to believe that jealousy could have lead to that comment. If Lin had stayed, he would have taken away from Anthony's spotlight.

The Knicks wouldn't have been able to pay him near the $8 million annually that Houston will pay him. His marketability will be hurt by not staying in New York, but Yao Ming did very well as a member of the Rockets.

Goran Dragic and Kyle Lowy already out of town. The core players on the team are very young. Royce White, Terrence Jones, and Jeremy Lamb will be contributing right away as rookies (if they aren't moved in an escalated attempt to sign Dwight Howard...ugh).

The Rockets will be Lin's team. I look forward to watching them in 2012-13...they will be a lot of fun.

Must Watch: NBA TV's 'Dream Team' Documentary

There wasn't a definitive documentary about the most important basketball team ever created. HBO was rumored to be working on a documentary about 'The Dream Team', but nothing materialized.

ESPN's '30 for 30' documentary series raised the bar for sports documentaries. Bill Simmons once said in a podcast that he wanted to make a 'Dream Team' documentary, but the rights to the video from the 1992 Olympics were too expensive.

NBA TV stepped up to the plate and is debuting their documentary The Dream Team tonight at 9pm EST. I have viewed parts of the movie which is certain to be an instant classic. It contains never-before-seen video of a scrimmage that you will never believe the outcome. I list a few of the intriguing moments you will see tonight and post a video of the movie trailer.

The most talked about moment in The Dream Team will be the video of the Dream Team losing a scrimmage to a group of college all-stars. The college team consisted of Grant Hill, Chris Webber, Bobby Hurley, and other talent that ended up in the NBA. The 62-54 defeat wasn't an official loss and mostly forgotten about because of the team's complete domination in the 1992 Olympics.

The long-awaited footage of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson going head-to-head in a scrimmage is also one of the film's highlights. The MJ/Magic practice footage was one of the reasons why Bill Simmons wanted to include this topic in his '30 for 30' series. Karl Malone commented on the competitive nature of MJ and Magic when he appeared on 'The Dan Patrick Show' this afternoon. He was asked who were the two most competitive guys on The Dream Team? Malone answered, "Michael and Magic. They were never on the same team during scrimmage and coach (Chuck) Daly didn't have to worry about us playing hard."

The exclusion of Isiah Thomas is explained. Everyone believed that Jordan made sure that Thomas wasn't on the team because of the Detroit Pistons team snubbing the Chicago Bulls after losing in the previous season's Eastern Conference Finals. The call seemed to be made by the commissioner's office. They didn't like the unsportsmanlike conduct that Thomas was a part of in the Finals. It was clear that Scottie Pippen and Jordan didn't care for him, which could have helped the commissioner's office come to their decision.

Other topics include the forgotten fact that Charles Barkley was the team's leading scorer, the opposing teams treating Team USA like The Beatles, and how Larry Bird and Magic officially passed the torch to Jordan during the Olympics.

Here is a trailer for NBA TV's The Dream Team.

The Dream Team is a must watch for any basketball fan. You will feel nostalgic and see the team in a new light. That team did more for the international growth of the sport than any other team. In the last 20 years, European teams have challenged Team USA and have even beaten them in international competition.

'Friends of the White Boy' Links

The friends of 'America's White Boy' run some entertaining blogs themselves. I share some of their work each week with a link dump. Enjoy!

Project Shanks: NBA and Babies: A Gift to the Fans
H8torade: Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders Perform "Call Me Maybe"
Us Versus Them: Dear White People (and Gwenth Paltrow), You CAN NOT use the word 'nigga'
Hall of Very Good: Royals Catcher has a Bad Sense of Humor
Busted Coverage: A (flattering and not-so-flattering) Photo Gallery of Rob Gronkowski
The Sports Hernia: Lee Corso Appears to have a Thing for Big Ducks
Uncoached: 12 People Dressed as Nintendo's 'Mario'
Popping The Crowd: Interview with independent wrestler Stompin' Steve
Guyspeed: Kate Upton Skateboard Decks Makes Skateboarding Sexy
H8torade: Meghan Hardin Gives You More Than One Reason to Watch the LPGA
Project Shanks: '4 Guys, 1 Podcast': Gravybrain is the Word
The Classical: The Best Names in the MLB Amateur Draft

If you would like to become a friend of the White Boy, have a link you would think I'd like, or want to advertise on the site...email bobbymcrib@gmail.com.

Can Columbus, Ohio Support an NBA Team?

The mayor of Columbus, Ohio, Michael B. Coleman, thinks that his city is ready for an NBA team. He sent a letter to the NBA Commissioner, David Stern, and wanted him to know that "Columbus should be on the league's radar." The city just finalized the public purchase of Nationwide Arena, which is the home of Columbus Blue Jackets, an NHL team. The Columbus Dispatch reported the letter today and adds some strong reasons why the city could support three professional teams, if you count the Columbus Crew, an MLS team.

Do you think Columbus could support an NBA team? Is it even the best option in its own state? We'll dive deeper and look at teams that are in financial trouble and need to move.

Three years ago, a rumor started that Columbus could end up with an NBA team. A team that needed a short-term home could use Nationwide Arena while they finalize a long-term city. I commented on this rumor back then and my opinion hasn't changed much. Many of the same NBA teams are financially struggling (Milwaukee, Charlotte, Sacramento, Indiana) and a move could most of their issues. The new collective-bargaining agreement relieved some problems, but it can't solve attendance.

I have lived in Columbus for half of a decade and have attended most of the sporting events that the city has to offer. The Ohio State University has one of the largest student population in the country and its football squad is the most popular team in the city, if not the state. In order to explain the sports mind of the average fan in Columbus, I'll need to go through the year's sports schedule. OSU's football season runs from late August through early January (in a season in which they play in a bowl game). During those months, all other sports do not matter. The Blue Jackets, Crew, and OSU's basketball season all overlap this time of the year. The Crew's attendance isn't affected, because soccer is still arguably a niche sport. The attendance at Blue Jackets games is quite poor during this period of time, but spike after football season is over. At the end the season, they are always near the bottom of the NHL in season attendance. Columbus is a great sports city when you're winning, but the Blue Jackets have only made the playoffs once in their history. Columbus should not try to add another team right now. Instead, it needs to work on building up the teams that they already have.

Now that we got the other sports out of the way, I'll explain what the stereotypical Ohio State basketball fan is like. A lot of former alumni attend OSU basketball games and the student section, or lack there of, is not very rowdy. The overall crowd that attends basketball games at Value City Arena is one of the quietest in the Big Ten. The local radio station, 97.1 The Fan, often remarks that the fans "sit on their hands." The crowd is only alive when they play Michigan or face a team that defeated the OSU football team that season. The passion for basketball lacks in Columbus.

Why would the NBA grant a team to Columbus when larger markets are available? Seattle, Vancouver, Kansas City, and San Diego are without an NBA team and have all previously had an NBA team in their cities. I would include St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati in that list, but I have not heard anything from those cities about wanting an NBA team. You could argue that these cities have already had their shot. Here are the reasons why the NBA did not work in their cities.

Seattle - The owner wasn't able to get public money to fund a new arena, so the owner sold the team to an out-of-town group. That group moved the franchise to Oklahoma City.
Vancouver - The city was awarded a team, but the Canadian loonie wasn't holding up against the American dollar. Canada was having economic issues at this time. The franchise ended up moving to Memphis after an extensive search for a new city.
Kansas City - The Kings moved there from Cincinnati, but attendance was the issue in the early 80's. They moved the team to Sacramento in 1985.
San Diego - The team moved from Buffalo to San Diego in 1978. The team stayed in San Diego until 1984, when Donald Sterling, current L.A. Clippers owner, bought the team from Irv Levin.

The situations in those cities have changed and could all support an NBA franchise today. Seattle realized what its like to have its team taken away from them, so getting public money to build a new arena wouldn't be too difficult. Vancouver has turned into a great sports city and the Canadian loonie is much stronger. A few years ago, Kansas City built the Sprint Center in hopes of luring an NBA or NHL team to their city. Lastly, San Diego could end up as the home of the former Sacramento Kings franchise.

To wrap this up, I don't believe Columbus could support an NBA team. I only need two examples to prove my point, the Charlotte Bobcats & the Charlotte Hornets. On paper, having a professional basketball team in North Carolina is perfect. The state has a rich college basketball history and the residents clearly love the sport. The NBA found out that the state really loves college basketball, but not professional basketball. After the Hornets moved to New Orleans, the NBA awarded Charlotte another expansion franchise. The team has struggled in every way since their inaugural season. The team even started to draft players who played for the North Carolina Tar Heels and Duke Blue Devils, in hopes of boosting their attendance. The NBA should be weary about putting another team in a college town.

I applaud Mayor Coleman for his ballsy move. It will earn him some votes at the election. His heart was in the right place, but it isn't feasible at this time. Nationwide Arena is a great place to watch a sporting event and the area surrounding the arena is perfect for post-game debauchery. I hope that I am wrong and Columbus is awarded a team, but it does not add up.

Re-Do - 2008 NBA Draft

I have done a few of these "Draft Re-do" posts and you really can't judge any professional sports' drafts until after three years. You always have a few late-bloomers that still makes you look at a draft and wonder "why didn't my team draft him?"

The 2008 NBA Draft class is full of All-Star selections, an MVP, and a few guys who blossomed during the NBA Playoffs. You also have a few players that didn't materialize in the NBA. The last time you heard Joe Alexander's name was when David Stern called his name as the 8th pick. Overall, this draft class is quite deep and much better than the top-heavy 2007 draft class. There are a few guys that we're still waiting for them to peak, but I'm optimistic that they will come through. Does Michael Beasley and O.J. Mayo make it into the Lottery during our re-draft?

1. Derrick Rose – Chicago Bulls - This isn't much of a surprise. I would have bet money that Rose would be one of the game's best by now. The Bulls got pretty lucky with this pick, but as deep as this draft was, they would have still received a pretty good player later in the lottery. After everything is said and done, Rose should have a few rings and many other accolades. (Rose went #1 to Chicago)

2. Russell Westbrook – Miami Heat – I have to admit that I did not love Westbrook when he came out after his sophomore year at UCLA. I thought that he needed another year and when he went #4 to Oklahoma City, I thought that was insanely high. He has done everything to prove me wrong since he's been in the NBA. What is scary about Westbrook? He hasn't even peaked yet and he's looking like an All-Star. (Westbrook went #4 to Seattle)

3. Kevin Love – Minnesota Timberwolves (traded to Memphis) - I was a big Kevin Love fan when he left UCLA. Come to think of it, how did UCLA not win a championship with Love, Westbook, & Collison? Memphis would be a fantastic team with Love, but they wouldn't have traded for Zach Randolph. A duo of Marc Gasol and Love would be a bit soft, but you would get scoring and rebounding production all day. (Love went #5 to Memphis)

4. Roy Hibbert – Seattle Supersonics – I have to put Hibbert at #4 because he's one of the lone players in this draft to have already earned an all-star selection. I find it hard to believe that Joe Alexander and Marreese Speights were drafted before him. Once Hibbert learns how to shoot a nice 10-foot jumper, he'll be more similar to Patrick Ewing. He's a legit 7-footer with post moves, which is quite rare these days in the NBA. Hibbert has a chance to be great and his best basketball is yet to come. (Hibbert went #17 to Indiana)

5. Serge Ibaka – Memphis Grizzlies (traded to Minnesota) - An argument could be made about not taking Ibaka at #5 from this year's draft class. You would be basing your information by taking about a year and a half of basketball. I have seen enough of him to know that he's going to win a couple Defensive Player Of The Year awards during his career. If his offensive game improves, you could eventually move him up a few spots. (Ibaka went #24 to Seattle)

6. Brook Lopez – New York Knicks - If Lopez could stay healthy, he would be higher in this re-draft. In 2008, the Knicks were bad...really bad. Lopez would have been the franchise's savior. They ended up picking Danilo Gallinari at this spot, who was in the package that they flipped for Carmelo Anthony. The Knicks didn't lose anything by picking Gallinari here, but Lopez would have been interesting in New York. (Lopez was picked #10 by New Jersey)

7. Danilo Gallinari – Los Angeles Clippers - Gallinari is one of those guys that everyone is waiting on. You have seen flashes over the last few seasons, but he's still improving. I expect that he'll grow in Denver and be the face of that franchise. The Knicks may regret trading him for Carmelo in the long-term. (Gallinari went #6 to New York)

8. Eric Gordon – Milwaukee Bucks - I have loved Eric Gordon since he was in college. He is a pure shooter and a bit underrated. He was included in the Chris Paul trade and he's been injured for most of the season. It would have been nice to see him have more time with Blake Griffin. He will be a free agent this summer and he will be a coveted guy. I added him this high because of his playing skills and his ability to down two pieces of Sbarro's pizza in less than two minutes (I saw him at the Charlotte airport Sbarro's in 2009). I am hoping that Gordon will find his way on the Pacers, for purely selfish reasons. (Gordon was chosen #7 by L.A. Clippers)

9. Mario Chalmers - Charlotte Bobcats - Chalmers is a player that you either love or hate. The people that hate him say that he's a system point-guard and that anyone could play with Wade, Bosh, and Lebron James. The people who love him think that it takes a special player to be able to hang with the best trio of players in the NBA. He's a very good defensive player, but could improve with his mid-range game. The Bobcats would have benefited from picking Chalmers over D.J. Augustin. (Chalmers was picked #34 by Minnesota - traded to Miami)

10. O.J. Mayo – New Jersey Nets - Mayo should be higher on this list, but he's blocked by Rudy Gay. He has earned more playing time, but he's a trade chip for the Grizzlies. If he was on a team that needed SG & SF help, he would be a starter. Mayo was all hyped up coming into college and he didn't do anything special at USC (besides allegedly getting Tim Floyd to hand deliver money). I still think that he's a special player, but he has to start working at getting better at the NBA level. (Mayo was picked #3 by Memphis)

11. Michael Beasley – Indiana Pacers (traded to Portland) - Beasley is another guy who came into the NBA with a lot of hype, but lacked any sizzle his first couple years in the NBA. He was a casualty in the Lebron James saga and landed in Minnesota. He has done very well for them and doesn't have to be the #1 or #2 scoring option. He will flourish in a system in which he doesn't have a lot of pressure on him. The Pacers currently have a player like him on their roster, Tyler Hansbrough. (Beasley was picked #2 by Miami)

12. Goran Dragic – Sacramento Kings - In a few years, Dragic could be much higher on the list. He's currently on the Houston Rockets and getting his first shot at running the offense. He has been a star for them, but they need a few more pieces. Dragic can make his own shot and help others do the same. I really like watching him and hopefully the Rockets can build around him. In hindsight, he would have done very well with the Kings. (Dragic was picked #45 by San Antonio traded to Phoenix)

13. Nicolas Batum – Portland Trail Blazers traded to Indiana - Batum is another "we are still waiting on you" type of player. He hasn't had the type of playing time needed to showcase his skills, but you know that they're there. You'll still need to wait and see what he turns into, but I'm optimistic.(Batum was picked #25 by Houston traded to Portland)

14. Brandon Rush – Golden State Warriors - This is quite convenient. If he was picked by the Warriors, he would have struggled in Indiana. He seems to fit the system in Oakland and I like his current role. He's a guy that can come off the bench, shoot some 3's, and play a little defense. He could be a fill-in starter, but I like what he does off of the bench. (Rush was picked #13 by Portland traded to Indiana)

Next Three Picks - D.J. Augustin, Jason Thompson, George Hill

Here's the Re-Do posts for the 1999 NBA Draft, 2005 NBA Draft, 2006 NBA Draft, & 2007 NBA Draft.

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Van Gundy v. Howard - What To Do?

Dwight Howard isn't making things easy for the Orlando Magic. He has been denying rumors about him wanting Stan Van Gundy fired. The story really started to pick up steam a few weeks ago when a story came out that if he were to re-sign, the team would give him the ability to fire the general manager and head coach. He has been denying everything negative and has kept a pretty squeaky clean image throughout this whole ordeal. Van Gundy just made the Orlando Magic situation a little more awkward.

During an interview this morning, Van Gundy was quite candid about his position with the Orlando Magic. He said that until he is told otherwise, he is the coach of the Orlando Magic. He said that "if I am fired later today, I'll still have a good day. I'll go home and find something else to do."

He kept answering questions and his responses really started to cut with a knife. He made a vague comment about "one of the people here doesn't like his boss" and that he has been told by management that Howard wants him to be fired. He ended the press conference that he isn't worried about any of that right now and that he's just worried about stopping Carmelo Anthony tonight...this is where things got even more awkward. Howard saw an opportunity to do a little "PR photo op" in front of the press, but he didn't know that Van Gundy just told them that he wants the head coach fired. He started to hug Van Gundy and said that we have to win tonight and we don't have anything to worry about. As Van Gundy exited, the press corps started to tell Howard what was just said. He looked like he just got his hand caught in the cookie jar. He denied everything said that he has not been told anything. I have never witnessed him look so uncomfortable, he was clearly not telling the truth.

It is odd how Howard managed to keep such a positive image over the last year. He has been stringing the fanbase along and being very passive about what he's going to do. He has denied that he has every been shown a contract to sign, has been negative when asked if he's taking a Shaq-like career path, and at times, he has been visually upset on the sideline. He brushes off any negative questions with an aura of ignorance and a smile. He has a very good PR person, they deserve a raise.

What should the Orlando Magic do? I think they have to give Dwight Howard what he wants. Van Gundy is a great coach and if he's fired, he'll get a job coaching next season. Otis Smith has been a sub-par General Manager and he should be evaluated...even if Howard signs with another team. Howard brings in millions of dollars in ticket and merchandise sales. You can replace these guys and you will not be able to go out and replace the face of your franchise and one of the best 10 players in the NBA. I don't agree that it is a morally correct decision, but this is the business of the NBA.

I am guessing that Stan Van Gundy's height will not be a determining factor in keeping his job, but Howard clearly has the height advantage. There needs to be a height requirement if you're an NBA head coach. You need to at least come up to your center's armpits. I love Van Gundy, but can you blame Howard for not respecting this guy?

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The Best NBA Team Blogs

I'm going to post a series that highlights the best team blogs out there. You have a lot of blog networks popping up and it's hard to differentiate between the good and the bad. Some of the guys that run them only post a few times a week and some sites go out of their way to inform the team's fanbase. I tried to pick a few for each team, so you will have an option or find out even more information on your favorite NBA team. Here are the best NBA team blogs on the internet.

Atlanta Hawks
Peach Tree Hoops
Hoopion Blog
Human Highlight Blog

Boston Celtics
Red's Army
Hardwood Houdini

Charlotte Bobcats
Rufus On Fire
Queen City Hoops

Chicago Bulls
Blog A Bull
Pippen Ain't Easy

Cleveland Cavaliers
King James Gospel
Cavs the Blog

Dallas Mavericks
Mavs Ball
The Man Game

Detroit Pistons
Life On Dumars
Motown String Music
Need 4 Sheed

Denver Nuggets
Dunking Nuggets
Roundball Mining Company

Golden State Warriors
Golden State Of Mind
Warriors World

Houston Rockets
Rockets Buzz

Indiana Pacers
Pacers Place
Indy Cornrows
Always Miller Time
8 Points 9 Seconds

Los Angeles Clippers
Clippers Chat
Clippers Blog

Los Angeles Lakers
Lake Show Life
With Malice

Memphis Grizzlies
3 Shades Of Blue

Miami Heat
All U Can Heat
Peninsula Is Mightier

Milwaukee Bucks
Brew Hoop
Bucksketball

Minnesota Timberwolves
Twolves Blog
Howlin Twolf

New Jersey Nets
Scorching Nets
Nets Are Scorching

New Orleans Hornets
Hornets Hype
Hornets 24/7

New York Knicks
Posting And Toasting
Knicks Fanatics Blog
Knickerblogger

Oklahoma City Thunder
Hoops Of Thunder
Blue Blitz
Daily Thunder

Orlando Magic
Howard The Dunk
Third Quarter Collapse

Philadelphia 76ers
Sixers Court
Liberty Ballers

Phoenix Suns
Valley Of The Suns

Portland Trailblazers
Blaze Of Love
Rip City Project
Beyond The Beat

Sacramento Kings
Sactown Royalty
Kings Kingdom

San Antonio Spurs
Project Spurs
Pounding The Rock
Spurs Of The Moment

Toronto Raptors
Raptors Republic
Raptors Talk
Jurassic Hoops

Utah Jazz
Salt City Hoops

Washington Wizards
Bullets Forever
Truth About It

Michael Beasley Goes To Rehab

Multiple outlets are reporting the Michael Beasley, last year's first round pick of the Miami Heat, has entered a rehab facility in Houston, TX. We wish him well and hope that he can get his addictions and demons under control and be a force in the NBA.

Michael Beasley posted a picture on his Twitter page showing off his new tattoo. He got "SuperCool Beas" tattooed across the back of his shoulders, but what was so troubling was what was in the background of the picture. There was a mysterious baggie next to a 7-Up bottle. Soon after his posted the picture, both of his Twitter accounts were shutdown. Here is the picture that he posted showing the tattoo and the baggie.

I don't know what's going on that the dude, but the tattoo was enough for me to question his mindset. The angel wings tattoo is horribly done, probably something he had done before the NBA money started rolling in. Anyways, I must have written ten posts about Michael Beasley and how dominate he was at Kansas State. If the NBA rule stating that his graduating class must be one year out of school in order to enter the NBA draft, he may have went straight to the pros. If he had done that, I doubt anyone outside of Miami Heat fans would be rooting for this guy.

He had a decent season last year with the Heat, but Miami must have heard some rumblings of his problem. Rumors started going around that they were offering Beasley for a draft pick. I hope he turns things around and gets cleaned up. If he was playing last year with lungs dull of THC, he should play much better this season. I hope Miami does the right thing and sticks with him, because if they cuts ties with him now, he could come back and hurt them by excelling on another team. But also, Miami is kind of a party town, maybe it would be best if he played for Indiana or Milwaukee...just saying.

Bill Simmons: NBA GM?

I recently wrote an article over at Gunaxin.com about Bill Simmons, "The Sports Guy," possibly becoming an NBA GM. It's more of a "What could happen if he ever landed his supreme gig." It deals with some of his "theories" and his obsession with things like "The Real World" and "Teen Wolf."

If you're interested in reading it, Clck Here for "Bill Simmons: NBA GM?

2009 NBA Draft - Best Undrafted Players

Not everyone can be drafted in the NBA Draft. Many players go on to become undrafted free-agents and sign on with teams. Most of these players will either sign with an NBA team, play in the NBDL, or go onto Europe and play. I was surprised that my boy, Ben Woodside, didn't garner a late 2nd-round pick. He is small and played at North Dakota State, but the kid is a scoring machine. Jeremy Pargo and Josh Shipp were two others that surprised me, since they both come from good programs and were stars. Here is a list of the best players who didn't hear their name called last night.

Josh Heytvelt - Gonzaga
Paul Harris - Syracuse
Dionte Christmas - Temple
Jerel McNeal - Marquette
Chris Johnson - LSU
Courtney Fells - NC State
Tyrese Rice - Boston College
Leo Lyons - Missouri
Jeff Adrien - Connecticut
Curtis Jerrells - Baylor
Eric Devendorf - Syracuse
Shawn Taggart - Memphis
Jeremy Pargo - Gonzaga
Ben Woodside - North Dakota State
A.J. Abrams - Texas
Josh Shipp - UCLA
Alex Ruoff - West Virginia
Andrew Lovedale - Davidson

2009 NBA Draft - Team Grades

You can't judge a draft in any league for about three years, but everyone has a knee-jerk reaction to a team's draft picks. The NBA Draft makes or breaks General Manager's careers. If you miss on a guy, you're screwed. If you pass up on a guy, you're screwed. If you have a high pick, but draft for need, and a guy who is drafted after your pick turns into a superstar, you're screwed. The draft has about a 75% failure rate and is the reason why you never see a GM without some gray hair. Here are my draft grades for the 2009 NBA Draft.

Boston Celtics - They only had one pick in the draft and it was a late one. They ended up picking Lester Hudson from Central Florida. He is a scorer and will probably be a NBDL all-star, but doubtful to make the team the next two seasons. Draft Grade: D

New Jersey Nets - The Nets also only had one pick, but their pick was in the Lottery. Terrence Williams will be a good player in this league, he's eccentric and fun. He isn't that mature and scouts say he loses focus, but he dominated in the Big East last season. Draft Grade: B-

New York Knicks - The Knicks need young talent, since after this season, they will have about $50 bucks on their payroll. They picked Jordan Hill and traded for Toney Douglas, good solid picks. This draft makes me miss the Isiah Thomas-led drafts. Where was the random Renaldo Balkman kind of pick? Draft Grade: B

Philadelphia 76ers - Jrue Holiday was their lone pick in this draft. I'm not a fan of Holiday, but he did upstage Darren Collison at times. He is a few years away, by the time he's ready, Elton Brand will be ancient. Draft Grade: C-

Toronto Raptors - You can blame Tim Floyd for my low draft grade for the Raptors. DeMar DeRozan came into USC has a game-changing stud, but his numbers never took off. Toronto was reaching a little by picking him #9. Draft Grade: D+

Chicago Bulls - The Bulls made a good showing in the NBA Playoffs last season. They are still relatively young and need to build around Derrick Rose. Taj Gibson and James Johnson are two good pieces, only if Johnson grows up and learns to get along with his teammates. Draft Grade: B

Cleveland Cavaliers - The Cavs knew that they were not able to improve their team this year with this draft. They pick Christian Evenga and Danny Green, two guys that will not make the team this year. Evenga will probably stay in Europe and Green can help their NBDL affliate. Draft Grade: D

Detroit Pistons - Detroit had a typical Pistons draft. They got guys who showed defense ability and the ability to play team basketball. Austin Daye and DaJuan Summers will be Pistons and will contribute. Jonas Jerebko could be a decent bench player for a team that doesn't need to add any expensive free agents. Draft Grade: B+

Indiana Pacers - Indiana shocked the world when they picked Tyler Hansbrough. Everyone thought that they were picking a point guard, but they waited until the 2nd round and got A.J. Price from UConn. It was a weird draft for them and took some risks. Draft Grade: C-

Milwaukee Bucks - The Bucks traded away Richard Jefferson and needed to add some offense. Brandon Jennings will not help you offensively, but could turn into a nice point guard. Jodie Meeks could step in and score points immediately. He could turn into a Ben Gordon-type player coming off the bench. Draft Grade: B+

Atlanta Hawks - The Hawks are re-building their backcourt and by drafting Jeff Teague, they have themselves a possible future star. He's a combo guard and can run the point if Bibby leaves. Draft Grade: B-

Charlotte Bobcats - I don't like the strategy the Bobcats use by only drafting UNC and Duke players in the first round. Gerald Henderson may have already reaching his ceiling and Charlotte should have went in another direction. The Derrick Brown and Robert Vaden picks could bolster their bench, but unfortunately Larry Brown and rookies go together as well as hot sauce and a guy with IBS. Draft Grade: D-

Miami Heat - The Heat needed some size in the paint, but drafted a guy who is small for his position. Robert Dozier is not great fit for the Heat, but with no first round pick, they had to pick from what was left. Draft Grade: F

Orlando Magic - The Magic didn't have any picks in the draft this year.

Washington Wizards - The Wizards traded their lone draft pick to Houston.

Dallas Mavericks - The Mavericks are getting long-in-the-tooth and need youth to help re-build their team. Dallas acquired Rodrique Beaubois, who will likely stay overseas, and drafted Ahmad Nivins from St. Joseph's. This draft was a wash and didn't accomplish a whole lot. Draft Grade: D-

Houston Rockets - Houston didn't have any picks in this draft, but they were active in acquiring players for future considerations and picks. Jermaine Taylor, Chase Budinger and Sergio Llull were gained in the draft process. I don't know how their odds of making the team this year, but Budinger had a lot of upside. Draft Grade: C+

Memphis Grizzlies - Not only did Memphis get rid of Darko Milicic, but they had a pretty good draft. Hasheem Thabeet, DaMarre Carroll, and Sam Young are all big guys that should help them defensively. They were one of the worst defensive teams in the league and needed size. Draft Grade: A-

New Orleans Hornets - Chris Paul is a great point guard, but he is small. They needed a back-up for Paul, but they picked Darren Collison, who is just as small. Is this a swing and a miss? Draft Grade: F

San Antonio Spurs - The Spurs are known to always do their homework on European players and make the most of their 2nd round picks. They didn't have a first round pick this year, but got DeJuan Blair, a first round talent, in the second round. He is missing both ACLs, but in San Antonio, he doesn't need to play a lot of minutes. Jack McClinton was another great 2nd round pick, but his maturity is in question. Draft Grade: A

Golden State Warriors - The Knicks thought that they had Stephen Curry, but the Warriors stole him. The rumor is that they may send this pick to the Suns in the Amare Stoudemire deal. If Curry stays in Oakland, he will put up monster numbers in Don Nelson's offense. Draft Grade: B+

Los Angeles Clippers - It isn't hard to do well in a draft if you're picking #1 in a one player draft. The Clippers will have to try really hard to mess this kid up. Draft Grade: A+

Los Angles Lakers - The Lakers came into the draft with three picks, but left with only one. The only player they kept was Chinemelu Elonu, who was picked in the late 2nd round. He will probably end up in the NBDL, but he could end up joining a team as a defensive replacement. Draft Grade: D-

Phoenix Suns - Steve Kerr has had a rough time as the Suns GM. The Shaq deal didn't work out and he's taking a lot of heat. He needed a great draft to distract from his rough start. Unfortunately for Mr. Kerr, he whiffed on another draft. The Earl Clark pick was a reach and someone should tell him that he wanted "Blake Griffin," not "Taylor Griffin." Draft Grade: D

Sacramento Kings - The Kings came into this draft needing impact players. They traded away a lot at the trading deadline last year and basically only have Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson as cornerstones. Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi will help them immediately and I really love the Evans pick. They traded for Jon Brockman, so they will have an all-Huskies frontcourt in Sacramento. Draft Grade: A+

Denver Nuggets - Denver didn't have much to do in this draft, but they did get a player that they coveted. George Karl is a UNC alum and he loved Ty Lawson. He can spell Chauncey Billups and will benefit from learning under him. Draft Grade:B-

Minnesota Timberwolves - The T-Wolves set themselves up for an extremely busy day. They traded Washington for their first round pick and ended up with a total of six picks for the day. They chose two point-guards with the #5 and #6 picks. It was a little confusing, but from what I hear, Ricky Rubio does not want to play in Minnesota. They could package a deal and receive instant talent and maybe a future #1. Jonny Flynn will be a good player in the NBA and I liked that pick a lot. Wayne Ellington and Nick Calathes was also picked by Minnesota, both fell down the draft to them and they clearly picked them as the "best player available." Draft Grade: A+

Portland Trail Blazers - Jeff Pendergraph adds to the young talent in Portland. The late pick of Patrick Mills will only add to the excitement about the Blazers. Draft Grade: B

Oklahoma City Thunder - The Thunder are looking for the future. They have picked smart and the future is looking bright. James Harden will make their offense even more scary. B.J. Mullens is a nice addition, but needs a few years to mature.Draft Grade: B

Utah Jazz - The Jazz are smart and take players who have good fundamentals. Eric Maynor will be a great back-up for Deron Williams. Maynor may end up developing into something better than they expect. Draft Grade: B

Vince Carter to Orlando

ESPN reported that the New Jersey Nets will trade Vince Carter along with Ryan Anderson to Orlando for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie, and Courtney Lee. Orlando was looking to move Alston, since he was more of a short-term fix when Jameer Nelson went down mid-season. New Jersey have been trying to trade Vince Carter for over a year and they look to have finally succeeded. Carter will helped Orlando put points on the board, but he doesn't have to carry the team.

The Nets didn't need Rafer Alston since they have Devin Harris running the team. Alston doesn't do well coming off the bench, but to make the contracts match up, Alston had to go. Courtney Lee is interested on the Nets, he proved that he belongs in the league last season. He could end up becoming a star with Harris and Brook Lopez, but they are still a couple pieces away from really doing damage in the East.

Orlando had to make a big move to keep up with Cleveland and San Antonio. The Magic are looking to keep competitive and be perennial title contenders for years to come. I don't like trading Lee, but they needed a veteran on the team.

We'll see how this trade helps the team in 2009-10, but I think it will help both teams. It's unusual to see a trade these days that isn't just a salary dump.

Why "Shaq To Cavs" Could Be Bad For Lebron

The rumor mill is busy tonight with a pending Shaquille O'Neal trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs will send Sasha Pavlovic and Ben Wallace to Phoenix for basically two expiring contracts. Shaq resurrected his career last season and wants to win another championship before he retires. He got into great physical shape, thanks for the Phoenix Suns trainers. This trade is great for Cleveland, but is it good for Lebron James?

Cleveland is Lebron's team from the first day he grabbed a wine-colored jersey. He has been hyped as the "next great player" and a championship would be a given. He has flourished with the talent around him, but never seemed to have enough talent to get him a ring. Lebron has never had a true big man, even though Big Z is a good player, he isn't much of a physical presence in the paint. Shaq will help Cleveland and probably land Cleveland a championship.

Do you remember the talk about Kobe Bryant won a championship with Shaq and didn't win one without Shaq until this past season? All the talk on sports radio and with fans never really recognized that Kobe even won any championships, since they were just with Shaq. Will the same argument be made if Lebron wins a championship with Shaq and then struggles the next couple seasons?

The Cavs do need a big man, it's a no-brainer. The way that Dwight Howard man-handled them and scored at will, even with the offensive post-moves of a toddler. The Cavs need a tall-wing player more than a big man. Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu hurt the Cavs more than Dwight Howard, it's not even close. The backcourt in Cleveland are short and fast, but not physical. If the Cavs made a trade for Vince Carter or maybe even sign Trevor Ariza. A tall wingman isn't available in this year's draft. If Lebron James is Michael Jordan, he needs a Scottie Pippen. It's going to be hard when you 2nd best guard is Mo Williams, a guy who seems to disappear in big games.

If things go rough the first month of the season, expect Shaq to throw out a couple of Tweets that will bash Lebron or Mike Brown. Shaq is a fun-loving guy, but when he's on a contender, he tends to be not so light-hearted. You are always gambling when signing Shaq, I'm not saying that he's like Terrell Owens, but you have to worry a little. The Phoenix Suns training staff is the best in a league and works miracles on guys. If Shaq and Grant Hill play more than 90% of games in a season, you know that they are doing some special. When Shaq leaves the training staff, is he still going to be motivated enough and stay healthy for a full season?

Can a season with Shaq, turn Lebron into a bitter Kobe-like player? If Cleveland wins next season, will Lebron leave and try to win in another city without Shaq? There are so many question marks with this trade. The Cavs are smart and realize that they may only have one season to make a run with Lebron, but I'm wondering if the cons outweigh the pros for Lebron James.

Hedo Turkoglu: Prized Free-Agent?

Why is Hedo Turkoglu smiling? Well, he played his way into a possible new, huge contract. "The Jordan of Turkey" didn't take very long to opt out of his contract and test free agency. Trevor Ariza and Turkoglu could be the two best free agents out there this year. They weren't considered in the top 10 possible free-agents before the beginning of the year, Ariza wasn't even in the top 30.

Turkoglu started out very slow this year, but turned it on in both the Boston series and in Cleveland. He could very well re-sign with Orlando for a major contract, a very smart choice, or could a pretender turn into a playoff team with the signing of Turkoglu? Here are some teams that could turn their fortunes around.

Indiana Pacers - This would be my personal choice, but I don't think that the Pacers have a shot. Turkoglu's old running mate, Peja Stojakovic did very poorly in Indiana and doesn't have many pleasant memories of his time there. He does fit Larry Bird's mold. He's tall, can shoot the 3, and he's white. I don't think Lary Legend has a penchant for the European players, but he would look good next to Danny Granger.

Phoenix Suns - If the Suns trade Shaq for Ben Wallace and Pavlovic, they should offer Wallace a buyout, let him retire, and sign Turkoglu. He is a better shooter than Pavlovic and can spread the floor. I would love him in Phoenix.

Chicago Bulls - The Bulls will lose Ben Gordan and probably Hinrich soon. They need another shooter and Turkoglu can do everything those guys can, but he can start and play 40 minutes a game.

Oklahoma City Thunder - The Thunder could have a huge turnaround if they get Rubio in the draft. Turkoglu to go along with Durant and Westbrook would look like a possible playoff team in maybe two seasons. Would Turkoglu want to wait? OKC definitely has the cap room to afford a nice free agent.

New York Knicks - I don't think the Knicks have the cap space to pull this off, but D'Antoni would like to add an experienced playoff veteran to his team. He would do well in the fast-paced system and he loves to shoot the ball. He could be the piece the Knicks need to make the playoffs.

Hedo Turkoglu should re-sign with the Magic. After his stint with Sacramento, he was a free agent and signed with San Antonio. He didn't do very well there and got lost in the rotation. He needs to choose his next team wisely and not go after money, but try to find the team where he would fit in the best. On the right team, he could be the piece to put a team over and make a playoff run.

What If: NBA Team In Columbus, OH

The rumors of many NBA teams having financial problems have been floating around for the last few months. The NBA borrowed tons of money to try and keep the league afloat during the economic depression that we are facing. I personally think that they could rid themselves of the WNBA and get companies to sponsor NBA jerseys and the league would be as stable as the NFL. Many of the teams that could be moving look towards cities with a new NHL stadium as an easy fix. Columbus, Ohio has a great NHL stadium and was even in the conversation when the Sonics were moved to Oklahoma City (sorry Bill Simmons). What would happen if a team would move to Columbus, Ohio?

First I wonder what they would name the team. I think when the city of Columbus was given an NHL team, they had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to get "Blue Jackets." I can't think of a logical team name right away. I would think that the term "Buckeyes" would work, but The Ohio State would like that very much. Here are a few names that I would like, but probably never get past the first brainstorming meeting.

- Columbus Hop (named after the Gallery Hop)
- Columbus Not Buckeyes
- Columbus Construction (see High Street)
- Columbus Twitter (first ever NBA team named after a company)
- Columbus Capitols

There are really no great names for a team here, but I do think that they should have a company buy the team's name. Unfortunately for Columbus, Nationwide Insurance, Ohio Health, and Huntington Bank are three major players in town and none of them sound like a good team name.

I can't see an NBA team flourishing here in Columbus. It has taken the city 10 years to really get behind the Blue Jackets. It took one season of making the playoffs for it to happen, but this city loves a winner. They kind of turn their backs on teams that don't win, the people here are used to Ohio State winning football games.

Columbus is too close to Cleveland and with Lebron still there, I don't see the Cleveland fanbase in Columbus jumping ship. Columbus would have to get a phenom in the first 2 or 3 drafts in order to stay here.

I do agree that Columbus is a great short-term fix for an NBA team that is struggling (New Orleans, Memphis, Milwaukee), but Kansas City would be more of a longer-term city to maintain an NBA franchise. I went to KC last month and walked by the new Sprint Center. It looks like a mix between a UFO and a diamond. I would like to throw out a name for a Kansas City....The KC Masterpieces. You like?

J.J.Redick To Pacers?

J.J. Redick seems to be a little lost in the backcourt of the Orlando Magic. He has started five games this season, but when he came into the NBA he didn't expect to be averaging roughly 5 points a game in his best season. It makes sense for both teams for the Orlando Magic to trade J.J. Redick to the Indiana Pacers for Jamaal Tinsley. Neither of these players are being used by their team properly and since Jameer Nelson may be lost for the season, it makes sense for the Magic.

I thought about this post before the Magic pulled a trigger on a trade that sent Keith Bogans to Milwaukee for Tyronn Lue. I believe my trade makes much more sense for Orlando and could possibly still happen. Lue had his lone moment of glory as a member of the Lakers when he basically shutdown Allen Iverson in the NBA Finals all by himself. Lue signed a huge free agent contact that following season and has never been the same. Orlando will still need to fill the void that Nelson left and could still possibly make a trade to acquire a much better point guard.

A trade for Jamaal Tinsley makes sense for Orlando, since the Pacers have given him the "Starbury" treatment since the end of last season. He hasn't even been allowed to be with the Pacers all season and they ever went as far as removing his name off of his locker. In order to trade Tinsley to the Magic, the Pacers would need to offset the contracts. If the Magic would put Redick in the package, the Pacers would probably have to take the bad contract of Brian Cook and might possibly have to send Roy Hibbert. Another possibility would be that the Pacers would pay a large amount of Tinsley's contract and send him to the Magic for either Redick alone or maybe just a 2nd round draft pick.

As it stands right now, the Pacers are needing to rid themselves of Tinsley. He has had off-court troubles since the beginning of his career. At this point, the Pacers will take anything they can get for him and the Magic and the rest of the league probably knows that. The J.J. Redick trade may not happen for that reason, but I believe it makes sense for both sides. The Magic need a true point guard with scoring ability and the Pacers need a Jason Kapono-type of shooter to help free up Granger and Dunleavy, plus it would help fill out their team with yet another "white boy."

NBA Trade Frenzy : Pack Your Bags

In between Christmas and the trade deadline in February, expect many NBA teams to jockey for position by making a few trades to improve their teams going down the stretch. A lot of contenders have some key players, and more importantly, expiring contracts, to dangle out there for the best deal. Who will make the trades and what players will go? Who will clear more cap-space for the 2010 free agency period? Here are the top eight expiring contracts likely to be traded before the deadline.

8. Ben Gordon - Chicago Bulls ($6,404,750) - Chicago could make a starting line-up filled with guards, and need front-court help. They have just a one-year qualifying offer and it will be hard to trade Gordon since he had what is the equivalent of a "no-trade clause," since he would get Larry Bird rights at the end of this season. It will be hard to trade him, but I have a hard time believing that if Chicago lines up a trade that would put Gordon on a contender, that he would decline the trade.

7. Bobby Jackson - Sacramento Kings ($6,487,888) - The Sacramento Kings are off to one of their worst starts in the team's history and looked like they have already packed it in. Their coach was already fired and appears to be playing for more ping-pong balls in the lottery. The Kings could move Jackson to clear cap space for 2010 and maybe get a draft pick in the process. He has been a deadline gem the last fe seasons and it seems like that could be the case again this season.

6. Andre Miller - Philadelphia 76ers ($10,333,334) - Philadelphia had high hopes coming into the 2008-09 season with a positive showing in the playoffs last year and the signing of Elton Brand. The season didn't start off as they hoped and their coach was fired just a few weeks ago. The 76ers aren't going to be players in the 2010 free agency bonanza, so if they move Miller, it would be a move to build for next year. Philadelphia would be looking for first round picks and maybe a young point guard, something similar to the Devin Harris/Jason Kidd trade last year.

5. Lamar Odom - Los Angeles Lakers ($14,148,596) - The Lakers could be looking to make a move if some other Western Conference teams start improving their rosters. Odom, who hasn't played well in the playoffs, is now the Lakers sixth-man and looks like the most movable piece. Odom seems like he is content with his role with the team, but that could change with a more prominent 4th quarter role for Andrew Bynum. If Portland, New Orleans, or Boston make some moves, look for the Lakers to dump Odom to compete.

4. Eric Snow - Cleveland Cavaliers ($7,312,500) - Eric Snow is basically the Keith Van Horn of this season. He hasn't played in a game this year, but with his contract due to expire at the end of the season, it could be worth dangling out there for teams looking to make a run at free agents this off-season (Carlos Boozer) or the coveted 2010 off-season. Snow's contract isn't Cleveland's only expiring contract worth-noting as you will find out later.

3. Shawn Marion - Miami Heat ($17,610,000) - Miami has had its share of deadline trades and Marion's move has been rumored since the end of last season. The Heat are currently floating around .500 and in the Eastern Conference its good enough to make the playoffs, but probably not get out of the first round. Marion is the biggest impact-players currently on the market and I'm positive that a deal will come across Pat Riley's desk that will be too good to pass up. Shawn Marion will not be in South Beach by mid-February.

2. Wally Szczerbiak - Cleveland Cavaliers ($13,275,000) - It's amazing that Wally Szczerbiak actually signed a contract where he is getting paid this kind of money, but worst contracts have been signed. He is still a great shooter and can put up 20 points on any given night, but Cleveland doesn't need him and can use him to obtain a player to help them win a championship. Rumors of a possible deal with Milwaukee for Michael Redd could be where Szczerbiak lands. His contract is the ace up Cleveland's sleeve, the other elite teams (Boston and L.A. Lakers) can make a trade and improve their club as much as the Cavaliers.

1. Raef Lafrentz - Portland Trailblazers ($12,722,500) - Once the apple of Mark Cuban's eye, Lafrentz is relegated to the bench. His expiring contract could lead to a large power shift in the Western Conference. Portland is a young, explosive team and a trade of Lafrentz could land them some veteran leadership that they desperately need. A veteran point guard would be first on their list, someone to spell Rudy Fernandez and can maximize their offensive ability, since they have some great defenders in the low-post. If Portland can get a veteran or two in a trade, the Blazers instantly jumps up a few spots and could guarantee a spot in the playoffs.

The trade activity this season has only just begun. I think there will be more trades this season than in year's past and will change the playoff landscape. I wonder if Keith Van Horn will make a comeback for some of this action?

Merry Christmas

America's White Boy would like to wish everyone a merry Christmas. I hope everyone is enjoying NBA basketball while your children are playing with their gifts. I'm sure the children's favorite white boy, Santa, brought them plenty of gifts to keep them occupied so you can watch some amazing NBA action today.

What did Santa bring to you?

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