RK LAST WK
1 (1) BULLS 40-10
The Bulls is perhaps the only team that actually plays hard on every possession. How else would you explain the Bulls record with and without Derrick Rose? With Rose in the lineup the Bulls are 28-6 and without Rose, the Bulls have a very respectable 12-4 record. This is the reason why Rose will not repeat as the league's MVP, even if the Bulls end up with the best overall record.
2 (3) THUNDER 37-12
The Thunder have been inconsistent as of late, but they sure saved their best for their last outing against the Heat. They dominated the Heat all game, with Kendrick Perkins scoring a season high 16 points and defending the paint against drives. Kevin Durant dominate Lebron for the time in their head-to-head matchup and the Thunder sure look like a team that expects to make it to the NBA finals.
3 (2) HEAT 35-12
It was shocking to see the Heat post a 4-1 record over their last 5-games, especially with Lebron playing the way he has over the last 4-games. I don't think Lebron has ever had a more horrific 4-game stretch during the regular season like he's had over the last four games. James averaged only 17ppg on a miserable .382 percent shooting. I don't buy the fact that he's hurt, I think he's just been disengaged, a sight that has become far too familiar over the last several years. The addition of center Ronny Turiaf should definitely help, because he can defend as well as Joe Alexander - the Heat current starting center- but Turiaf is a far better defender. When Joel Alexander is in the game, if feels likes the Heat are playing 4-on-5 on offense, because he is a definite non-factor.
4 (4) SPURS 33-14
Stephen Jackson could not be happier. After falling out of grace with Scott Skiles - the Bucks head coach - and barely playing for a Bucks team that probably won't make the playoffs this year, to re-joining a winning organization like the Spurs, Jackson is definitely a winner in this situation. Matter of fact, the re-union will is benefiting both sides, the Spurs and Jackson.
5 (6) MAGIC 31-18
The Magic did not pull the trigger on trading Dwight, and this will ultimately be a grave mistake. For starters, they will not even make the Eastern Conference Finals and in about a year from now, Dwight Howard will ask to be traded next season, once it becomes evident that the Magic are not good enough. I just feel bad for New Jersey.
6 (5) LAKERS 30-19
Ramon Sessions was an excellent trade for the Lakers. The team really needed an athletic backcourt mate for Kobe and they found it in Ramon Sessions. The key to the Lakers success would come do to whether Kobe is willing to share the ball and trust in his team.
7 (11) HAWKS 30-20
The Hawks have been playing well as of late. It took 4 OT against the Jazz, but the Hawks came out victorious and extended their current winning streak to four games. Over their last five outings, Joe Johnson - the Hawks $126 million man - earned his paycheck by averaging 23.2ppg to help lead the Hawks to a 4-1 record.
8 (13) PACERS 28-19
The Pacers have solid front court, but for most of this season, their backcourt has been a big question mark. After trading for Barbosa and welcoming back Hill - who was out with an injury - the Pacers now have a nice 3-guard rotation of Hill-Barbosa-Collison, which should serve them well down the stretch. On any given night, any of those three guards are capable of putting up big numbers to help the team as evident by Hill's 24-point performance on only 9 shot attempts in the Pacers 125-104 win over the Bucks.
9 (8) CLIPPERS 27-21
After losing three of their last four games and 12 of their last 20, whispers are getting louder that new Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro has lost his team. Rather than accept the fact that the team simply has not recovered from losing Chauncey Billups - the Clippers glue and emotional leader - the L.A. media are setting up Del Negro to be the fall guy and yes, he does share some responsibility, but he is definitely not the main reason why the team is free-falling right now.
10 (9) MAVERICKS 28-22
Mavericks fans have finally reached their limit with Lamar Odom's miserable performance this season and have now resulted into booing him. The poor guy DNP against the Spurs was followed by a 13-minute 0-for-2 stint against the Rockets. At this point, I think it is in everyone's best interest to buyout Odom's contract and set him free, because Dallas is simply not the answer.
11 (14) SIXERS 27-22
Just when it seem like Evan Turner was proving he was worth being the number 2 pick in last year's draft, he took a turn for the worst during the Sixers last 5 games. Even though Evans averaged 31 minutes a game, he only managed to score 30 points over the last 5 games for a 6ppg average. The Sixers have a 2-3 record during that stretch.
12 (15) JAZZ 26-23
I predicted that Devin Harris would have a much better second half of the season and obviously, as Harris goes, so does the Jazz. Over the team's last 5 outings Harris averaged 13.6ppg and 7.6apg to lead the Jazz to a 4-1 record during that stretch. Thanks to their 6-game winning streak which was finally ended in a thriller 4 OT loss to the Hawks in Atlanta, the Jazz are now a part of a 3-way tie for the seventh seed in the Western Conference.
13 (7) GRIZZLIES 26-21
The Grizzlies are going through a tough stretch since the return of Zack Randolph - the team's leading scorer from last season - and dropped in the standings since his return. I understand a 4-6 record over their last 10 games has Grizzlies fans a bit antsy, but I expect this team to get back on track.
14 (16) CELTICS 26-22
The Celtics lead the league in assist with 23.8 and they have the league's third best defense in terms of opponent points allowed at 90.5ppg, which is an indication that they do share the ball thanks to Rondo and their defense in still one of the league's elite despite the age of their aging star players. For as inconsistent as this team has been all season, I still consider them a major threat in Eastern Conference and they could surprise a lot of teams in the playoffs.
15 (19) ROCKETS 26-23
The Rockets are hanging on to the final playoffs spot for dear life, but with the Jazz emerging, the Rockets could be the odd team out. The Rockets 26-23 record has them tied with the Jazz and Nuggets for the last two playoffs spots in the West and at this point, they look like their weakest team in my opinion.
16 (12) SUNS 25-24
After a rough game against the Magic in which he had a season low 2 assist with 5 turnovers, Nash recovered to dish 17 assist against the Pacers to halt the Suns two games skid. Even though I'm rooting for Nash to make the playoffs and though the Suns are only a game out, I still believe this team will come up short, but I'm not going to bet against Nash either.
17 (10) NUGGETS 26-23
The JaVale McGee experiment has gotten off to a rough start, though no fault of McGee who is averaging 13.6ppg, 8rpg and 2.3bpg in his 3 games with the Nuggets. The team has a 1-2 record with McGee and are losers of their last two games. Danilo Gallinari - thumb injury and out indefinitely - is the most bothersome news out of Denver this week.
18 (17) KNICKS 24-25
The Knicks have a 6-1 record under new interim head coach Mike Woodson currently have a 1.5 game lead over the Bucks for the eighth and final playoffs spot in the Eastern Conference. I expect the Knicks to ultimately beat out the Bucks and make the playoffs.
19 (20) TIMBERWOLVES 24-26
Kevin Love has been as absolute beast as of late. He followed up a 51-point, 14-rebound game with a 30-point, 21-rebound performance to help his team beat the Nuggets 117-100 in the Wolves last outing. Nuggets head coach George Karl said Kevin Love is not a "poor man's" Larry Bird, he is simply Kevin Love and this drew some criticisms, but I didn't understand why? Love's 26.3ppg and 13.8rpg this season is as good as anything Bird, or any other power in league's history has ever posted. To me, he is no poor man's Larry Bird, he's simply KEVIN LOVE, the best power forward in professional basketball today!
20 (21) TRAIL BLAZERS 23-26
The Blazers have a 3-3 record since firing head coach Nate McMillan and are currently 3 games behind the Rockets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Basically I don't see anything changing. Like I said before, the Blazers problem is a players issue and not a coaching issue and until they change this current roster, the Blazers will not make the playoffs, which rules out this season.
21 (18) BUCKS 22-26
After winning 6 straight, the Bucks stumbled recently by losing 2 of their last 3 games. The Bucks are currently 1.5 games behind the Knicks and though that is not a huge margin to overcome, I don't think the Bucks have enough to get them over the hump. Newly acquired socring machine Monte Ellis could be the answer, but so far, it appears that he's doing his best to not be seen as a gunner. Unfortunately, the Bucks need Ellis to be their leading scorer for them to have any chance of making the playoffs. That was why they traded for him!
22 (22) WARRIORS 20-27
Well, for as much as it hurts me, being that I live in the Bay Area, I think it's fair to say that the Warriors will not make the playoffs this season. Fans expressed their disapproval of the Monte Ellis trade, by booing the Warriors owner during Chris Mullin's number retiring celebration, which to me was classless and thoughtless. Even with Ellis, the Warriors were not going to make the playoffs this season, so the Warriors management used this opportunity to bring in Bogut, a top 5 center in the league. My only concern is whether he can stay healthy, because if he does, the Warriors will be a far better defensive team and will definitely make the playoffs next season.
23 (25) CAVALIERS 17-29
If you are a Cavaliers fan, don't be mad because your team lost 6 of their last 7 games, be thankful and enjoy the development of Kyrie Irving. The more the Cavs lose, the more they increase their chances of drafting Kentucky's Anthony Davis, a player who could make the all-nba defensive team as a rookie next season.
24 (23) KINGS 17-31
The Kings have been playing well as of late. After a 3-game winning streak, the Kings suffered two heart breaking losses in their last two outings, a 103-102 loss to Utah, followed by a 111-108 loss to the Warriors. Both games were winnable, but ultimately wouldn't have changed anything. This team is still lottery-bound, but their future sure looks bright.
25 (26) RAPTORS 16-33
Before sitting out against the Bulls due to sore knees, the Raptors DeMar DeRozan had been playing well as of late. In the Raptors previous 4 games, DeRozan averaged 22.5ppg on .522 percent shooting, but the Raptors were still only 1-3 during that stretch. Obviously this team is also lottery-bound.
BOTTOM FEEDERS
26 (24) PISTONS 16-32
The Pistons were playing well before embarking on their current road trip. The Pistons had won 4 of 5 before the road trip, but since then, the team has won only 1 of their last 7 games. What more do expect from a team that is 28th in the league in both scoring at 90.2 points and rebounds at 39.5 per game?
27 (27) NETS 16-34
Since joining the Nets, Gerald Wallace is averaging 13.4ppg on .392 percent shooting from the field and .279 from 3s, I doubt those kind of numbers will do anything to sway Deron Williams to re-sign. Chris Humphries on the other hand is having a career year, averaging 13.5ppg and 11rpg, but obviously he's playing for an extended contract, because he is currently only has a one-year $8 million deal with the Nets. So as it stands, the Nets have Wallace, Humphries, Lopez, rookie MarShon Brooks as their cornerstone and to me, that is not going to be enough to sway Williams to stay. The good news is, those players are good trade pieces, not to mention, the Nets still have some nice draft picks this summer.
28 (28) HORNETS 12-36
The Hornets Emeka Okafor has been sidelined since Feb 13 due to sore knees and may be out for a while, so buying out Kaman contract became less attractive to the Hornets management. Now that the deadline has passed, Kaman will not be bought out, so teams like the Heat, Pacers and Rockets that were hoping to add Kaman for their playoff run, will have to wait until he becomes a free agent this summer.
29 (29) WIZARDS 11-37
Adding Nene should give the Wizards the post scorer they desperately needed, but his overall health is what concerns me in the long run. Nene has already missed 2 of the 5 games he's been with the Wizards due to back spasms. Obviously the Wizards will go as far as Wall will take them, but unfortunately Wall has been very inconsistent all season long.
30 (30) BOBCATS 7-39
The Bobcats will finish the season as the worst team in the NBA, so I expect them to hold on to their 30th rank for the rest of the season. They are the lowest scoring team in the league with a miserable 87.4 points per game and 29th in rebounding with 39.4 per game. Those numbers will not change, but at this point it really doesn't matter because this team is already looking to next season, beginning with this summer's draft.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
NBA WIZARD 2011-2012 POWER RANKING: WEEK 13
RK LAST WK
1 (1) BULLS 37-10
The Bulls just keep winning, even without Rose and Rip Hamilton, the Bulls managed to pull off a 106-102 win over the Miami Heat last week. The Bulls have the best record in the league at 37-10, so it came as no surprise that the team decided not to make a trade.
2 (2) HEAT 33-11
The Heat are once again banking more on talent and less on effort, a very familiar trait that caused them an NBA title last summer. Maybe it's a long season, but recently the Heat have put together some lackluster performance as if they just show up and expect for their talents to win games. The Heat did not address their hole at the center position before the trade deadline, which leave Kaman as the team only viable option, assuming his contract gets bought out by the Hornets.
3 (3) THUNDER 34-11
The trade deadline came and went with the Thunder making no moves. Durant and Westbrook continues to impress, but of all the top teams in the Western Conference, the Thunder to me, definitely needed a trade, but unfortunately they chose to stayed pat. Maybe they too could join the Chris Kaman sweepstake if he indeed gets bought out by the Hornets.
4 (5) SPURS 29-14
Stephen Jackson trade from the Bucks to the Warriors only lasted a day, before Greg Popovich decided to reunite him with the Spurs. Pop has always been fond of Jackson, going back to their championship days when Jackson last played with the Spurs. Richard Jefferson has fallen out of grace with coach Pop for a while now, so it came as no surprise when the Spurs traded him for Jackson. Basically, the Spurs are counting on Jackson to start at the small forward position, as well as backing up Ginobili at the shooting guard spot.
5 (6) LAKERS 28-17
The Lakers had an offer of Andrew Bynum for Dwight Howard on the table before that deadline, but the Magic opted not to trade Dwight. The Lakers also had a trade on the table for Timberwolves' Michael Beasley, but that trade was also turned down by the Wolves. As a consolation, the Lakers traded for the Cavs Ramon Sessions and the Rockets Jordan Hill. An Athletic point guard like Sessions is something the Lakers desperately needed to help Kobe in the backcourt, and his acquisition allowed the team to trade Derrick Fisher - the slow-footed aging veteran point guard - for Jordan Hill. Hill is expected to backup both Bynum and Gasol.
6 (4) MAGIC 29-17
Magic owner Richard Devos made a desperate plea on a last second conference call to Dwight Howard and that was said to be the determining factor that swayed Howard to sign with the Magic. The Magic were successful in convincing Dwight to stay for an additional year, but unless the Magic add another star player within the next year, Dwight Howard will ultimately leave for another team.
7 (7) GRIZZLIES 25-18
The Grizzlies were not active before the deadline because of the anticipated return of Zack Randolph, the team's leading scorer from last season. The Grizzlies have a 1-1 record since Z-Bo's return and may be looking to bolstering their backcourt by adding Gilbert Arenas.
8 (10) CLIPPERS 26-18
The Clippers have been determined to fill the void created at the shooting-guard position since Chauncey Billups went down. The team finally were able to fill that void by trading for Nick Young from the Washington Wizard. The good news is Young's 16.4ppg is more than adequate to fill the scoring void, but his erratic temperament is what concerns me. He could be gunner because he's in the last year of his contract and playing for an extension, but then again Chris Paul controls the ball, so maybe Young's gunning ways will be put under control.
9 (15) MAVERICKS 26-20
The Mavs breathe a sigh of relief when Dwight Howard decided to stay in Orlando, because their chance of signing Deron Williams - who is from Dallas - increased to over 50 percent. I don't expect them to repeat as champions, but this team won't go down without a fight.
10 (11) NUGGETS 25-20
The Nuggets traded Nene to the Washington Wizards for JaVale McGee and many criticized the trade, because McGee has a bad rep of being a "hothead." I truly believe that players tend to develop bad habits on terrible teams and those habits are usually magnified, which is unfortunately what happened to McGee. For the season Nene is averaging 13.4ppg,7.7rpg and .9 blocks with a PER of 16.83 while McGee is averaging 11.9ppg, 8.8rpg and 2.5 blocks with a PER of 19.84 per game. Offensive Nene has a slight edge, but McGee is a far better defensive player. Overall I think the Nuggets really improved their team, especially on the defensive end. I think McGee has a chance to completely revamp his image, which should earn him a contract in the neighborhood of a $12 million average come next season.
11 (9) HAWKS 26-19
The Hawks did not make a trade before the deadline, which was very shocking to me. When Dwight Howard became unavailable, I expected the Hawks to trade Josh Smith for the Lakers Pau Gasol. I felt that trade would have benefited both team, but the Hawks decided to stay pat. I don't see this team getting past the Second Round, so I really don't understand why they didn't make a trade.
12 (18) SUNS 23-22
With four straight wins, the Suns have moved up to only .5 games behind the Rockets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. All I have to say is, poor Steve Nash! Once the Suns started winning, I knew the team was not going to trade him. With a salary of $11.7 million, Nash is definitely the most valuable player per dollar in the entire NBA. Unfortunately he'll have to wait until the summer when he becomes a free agent, if he expect to play for a championship contender.
13 (12) PACERS 25-18
The Indiana Pacers traded for Leandro Barbosa, but he's not expected to join the team until Tuesday. He was certainly missed in the team's back-to-back losses to the New York Knicks, but his acquisition will definitely help solidify the Pacers backcourt.
14 (8) 76ERS 25-20
The Sixers was another team I really expected to go after the Lakers Pau Gasol, because they clearly need inside scoring and Gasol fits the bill perfectly not to mention, the team had a fews assets to entice the Lakers with. The Sixers decided to stay pat even though they continue to fall in the standings, which to me makes absolutely no sense why this team didn't make a move.
15 (20) JAZZ 23-22
The Jazz have moved back into the playoff picture by winning 4 of their last 5 games and are currently only a half game behind the slumping Rockets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Devin Harris did not get traded and believe me, it wasn't because the Jazz weren't trying. I think the Jazz made every effort, but they simply couldn't find any suitors for Harris. I expect this to motivate Harris and I look for him to have a much better second half of the season.
16 (13) CELTICS 23-21
The Celtics made the absolute best move possible and that was to stay pat and roll the dice with their current roster. Obviously once KG and Ray Allen contracts come off the books this summer, the Celtics will be $25 million under the salary cap and will be in a great position financially to go after free agents.
17 (23) KNICKS 21-24
Former Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni resigned after leading the Knicks to as very disappointing 18-24 record. Since taken over, interim head coach Mike Woodson - who was previously the Knicks assistant coach - has the team off to a 3-0 start. Obviously the Knicks are going through a honeymoon period, but even after it fizzles, one thing's for sure, this new Knicks team will play a lot better defense under Woodson and Carmelo and Amare will both be the focus on offense.
18 (21) BUCKS 20-24
The Bucks are sporting a 5-game winning streak and the team made a big splash by trading injured center Andrew Bogut and disgruntle guard/forward Stephen Jackson to the Warriors for Ekpe Odoh, Kwame Brown and former all-star Monte Ellis. This trade was made to give the Bucks the best chance of making the playoffs this season and if their recent 5-game winning streak is any indication, I think the Bucks are on the right track.
19 (14) ROCKETS 24-22
The Rockets traded away Jordan Hill for Derrick Fisher, who contract was bought out. And the team also acquired Marcus Camby from Portland to help fortify their center/power forward position. Of course the trade makes the Rockets better, but whether it's enough to secure a playoff spot remains to be seen.
20 (16) TIMBERWOLVES 22-24
The Timberwolves opted against trading Beasley to the Lakers in a 3-team-trade that would have netted them Jamal Crawford in the interest of team chemistry. The Wolves management realized that their playoff hopes pretty much went out the window when Ricky Rubio - their sensational rookie point guard - went down, so rather than make drastic changes and tinker with team chemistry, they decided to simply play out the season with their current roster and let the chips fall where they may. Not a bad move in my opinion.
21 (17) TRAIL BLAZERS 21-24
The Blazers finally pulled the plug and fired Nate McMillan - the team's head coach for the last 7 years - after a very disappointing season. At 21-24, the Blazers are currently 2.5 games behind the Rockets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference so I definitely expected McMillan to get fired. Unfortunately, unless the Blazers players really do some "soul searching," this team still may not make playoff this season.
22 (19) WARRIORS 18-24
The Warriors have been trying to get a scoring center all season, beginning with Tyson Chandler and then Dwight Howard, so it came as no surprise that the team traded for Andrew Bogut. The fact that Bogut is injured and may not return this season to help the Warriors make the playoffs, is the only thing that has me confused, especially since management proclaimed that their number one focus was to make the playoffs this year. Moving forward, I think Bogut acquisition allows David Lee to finally move over to the power forward spot - his natural position - and that could improve the Warriors from being one of the NBA's worst to best rebounding teams. I really liked the fact that the Warriors were able to get Stephen Jackson, but his stay was short-lived. The team traded him to the Spurs for Richard Jefferson, who is not a bad player, but I would have preferred Jackson - who played on the Warriors last playoff team - instead of Jefferson for this current Warriors team.
23 (26) KINGS 16-29
Why make a trade if you're bad team and are clearly in rebuilding mode? The Kings were right to stay pat, because a trade would not have landed them a playoff spot, unless of course they were adding Dwight or Lebron. Like I predicted before, the Kings will be a playoff team by the 2013-2014 season.
24 (24) PISTONS 16-29
The Pistons decided to stay pat as well - a trend taken by most of the bad teams - in an effort to hopefully land a high draft pick. This team reminds me a lot of Kings, because they both have nice young centers and some promising guards. I was a bit surprise that the team didn't move veteran forward Tayshaun Prince and guard Ben Gordon, but then again, maybe they simply couldn't find any suitors.
25 (22) CAVALIERS 16-26
The Cavs Kyrie Irving got his first double-double of the season as in points and assist and found that to be a very surprising stat. I had no idea Kyrie had never had more than 10 points and 10 assist in the same game. What that tells me is that Kyrie needs to really work on distributing the ball. The Cavaliers will make the playoffs next season if Kyrie Irving becomes a 20/10 player next season. His 18.6ppg proves he can score with the best, but the next step for him would be to average over 9 assist a game and that could come as early as next season.
BOTTOM FEEDERS
26 (27) RAPTORS 15-30
I understand teams like the Raptors are rebuilding for the future, but I don't understand why they traded Leandro Barbosa to the Pacers for a future second-round pick and cash consideration. Maybe the cash considerations was in the $3 million range, in which case it might have made sense and especially since the team is not going to make the playoffs this season anyways.
27 (25) NETS 15-31
The Nets suffered a major, major blow, one that may have a trickle down effect. After losing out on Dwight Howard, at least for another year, keeping Deron Williams may prove to be more difficult. Trading for Gerald Wallace should help make the team better, but I don't think it's enough of an improvement to convince Williams to stay with the Nets. Then again, Brooklyn New York and a new arena may be the ultimate issue that sways Williams.
28 (28) HORNETS 11-34
The Hornets decided not to trade Chris Kaman and have made it known that they would like to re-sign him when he becomes a free agent this summer. I don't see Kaman re-signing with the Hornets unless they are willing to overpay him which I doubt. My prediction is that the Hornets might buyout Kaman's contract before this season is over.
29 (29) WIZARDS 10-34
Trading Nick Young made sense, but trading McGee for Nene was an even more calculated move from the Wizards standpoint. McGee is going to be a free-agent this summer and wants a contract with an average of $14 million. I don't expect him to get that, but he could easily get between $10-12 million and the Wizards were not willing to pay him that either. So they figure, Nene was more of a high-character guy and felt he was worth the $13-15 million investment. They also felt, McGee had reach his ceiling in Washington and I agree. I think the Nuggets got the better talent, but the Wizards got a solid center, whose a high-character guy and that was what they wanted.
30 (30) BOBCATS 7-36
The Charlotte Bobcats were in talks with the Warriors to get Steph Curry, but things went sideways after the Warriors traded Ellis. It wouldn't surprise me to see the Bobcats revisit that trade this summer. Until then, they will remain the worst team in the NBA.
1 (1) BULLS 37-10
The Bulls just keep winning, even without Rose and Rip Hamilton, the Bulls managed to pull off a 106-102 win over the Miami Heat last week. The Bulls have the best record in the league at 37-10, so it came as no surprise that the team decided not to make a trade.
2 (2) HEAT 33-11
The Heat are once again banking more on talent and less on effort, a very familiar trait that caused them an NBA title last summer. Maybe it's a long season, but recently the Heat have put together some lackluster performance as if they just show up and expect for their talents to win games. The Heat did not address their hole at the center position before the trade deadline, which leave Kaman as the team only viable option, assuming his contract gets bought out by the Hornets.
3 (3) THUNDER 34-11
The trade deadline came and went with the Thunder making no moves. Durant and Westbrook continues to impress, but of all the top teams in the Western Conference, the Thunder to me, definitely needed a trade, but unfortunately they chose to stayed pat. Maybe they too could join the Chris Kaman sweepstake if he indeed gets bought out by the Hornets.
4 (5) SPURS 29-14
Stephen Jackson trade from the Bucks to the Warriors only lasted a day, before Greg Popovich decided to reunite him with the Spurs. Pop has always been fond of Jackson, going back to their championship days when Jackson last played with the Spurs. Richard Jefferson has fallen out of grace with coach Pop for a while now, so it came as no surprise when the Spurs traded him for Jackson. Basically, the Spurs are counting on Jackson to start at the small forward position, as well as backing up Ginobili at the shooting guard spot.
5 (6) LAKERS 28-17
The Lakers had an offer of Andrew Bynum for Dwight Howard on the table before that deadline, but the Magic opted not to trade Dwight. The Lakers also had a trade on the table for Timberwolves' Michael Beasley, but that trade was also turned down by the Wolves. As a consolation, the Lakers traded for the Cavs Ramon Sessions and the Rockets Jordan Hill. An Athletic point guard like Sessions is something the Lakers desperately needed to help Kobe in the backcourt, and his acquisition allowed the team to trade Derrick Fisher - the slow-footed aging veteran point guard - for Jordan Hill. Hill is expected to backup both Bynum and Gasol.
6 (4) MAGIC 29-17
Magic owner Richard Devos made a desperate plea on a last second conference call to Dwight Howard and that was said to be the determining factor that swayed Howard to sign with the Magic. The Magic were successful in convincing Dwight to stay for an additional year, but unless the Magic add another star player within the next year, Dwight Howard will ultimately leave for another team.
7 (7) GRIZZLIES 25-18
The Grizzlies were not active before the deadline because of the anticipated return of Zack Randolph, the team's leading scorer from last season. The Grizzlies have a 1-1 record since Z-Bo's return and may be looking to bolstering their backcourt by adding Gilbert Arenas.
8 (10) CLIPPERS 26-18
The Clippers have been determined to fill the void created at the shooting-guard position since Chauncey Billups went down. The team finally were able to fill that void by trading for Nick Young from the Washington Wizard. The good news is Young's 16.4ppg is more than adequate to fill the scoring void, but his erratic temperament is what concerns me. He could be gunner because he's in the last year of his contract and playing for an extension, but then again Chris Paul controls the ball, so maybe Young's gunning ways will be put under control.
9 (15) MAVERICKS 26-20
The Mavs breathe a sigh of relief when Dwight Howard decided to stay in Orlando, because their chance of signing Deron Williams - who is from Dallas - increased to over 50 percent. I don't expect them to repeat as champions, but this team won't go down without a fight.
10 (11) NUGGETS 25-20
The Nuggets traded Nene to the Washington Wizards for JaVale McGee and many criticized the trade, because McGee has a bad rep of being a "hothead." I truly believe that players tend to develop bad habits on terrible teams and those habits are usually magnified, which is unfortunately what happened to McGee. For the season Nene is averaging 13.4ppg,7.7rpg and .9 blocks with a PER of 16.83 while McGee is averaging 11.9ppg, 8.8rpg and 2.5 blocks with a PER of 19.84 per game. Offensive Nene has a slight edge, but McGee is a far better defensive player. Overall I think the Nuggets really improved their team, especially on the defensive end. I think McGee has a chance to completely revamp his image, which should earn him a contract in the neighborhood of a $12 million average come next season.
11 (9) HAWKS 26-19
The Hawks did not make a trade before the deadline, which was very shocking to me. When Dwight Howard became unavailable, I expected the Hawks to trade Josh Smith for the Lakers Pau Gasol. I felt that trade would have benefited both team, but the Hawks decided to stay pat. I don't see this team getting past the Second Round, so I really don't understand why they didn't make a trade.
12 (18) SUNS 23-22
With four straight wins, the Suns have moved up to only .5 games behind the Rockets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. All I have to say is, poor Steve Nash! Once the Suns started winning, I knew the team was not going to trade him. With a salary of $11.7 million, Nash is definitely the most valuable player per dollar in the entire NBA. Unfortunately he'll have to wait until the summer when he becomes a free agent, if he expect to play for a championship contender.
13 (12) PACERS 25-18
The Indiana Pacers traded for Leandro Barbosa, but he's not expected to join the team until Tuesday. He was certainly missed in the team's back-to-back losses to the New York Knicks, but his acquisition will definitely help solidify the Pacers backcourt.
14 (8) 76ERS 25-20
The Sixers was another team I really expected to go after the Lakers Pau Gasol, because they clearly need inside scoring and Gasol fits the bill perfectly not to mention, the team had a fews assets to entice the Lakers with. The Sixers decided to stay pat even though they continue to fall in the standings, which to me makes absolutely no sense why this team didn't make a move.
15 (20) JAZZ 23-22
The Jazz have moved back into the playoff picture by winning 4 of their last 5 games and are currently only a half game behind the slumping Rockets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Devin Harris did not get traded and believe me, it wasn't because the Jazz weren't trying. I think the Jazz made every effort, but they simply couldn't find any suitors for Harris. I expect this to motivate Harris and I look for him to have a much better second half of the season.
16 (13) CELTICS 23-21
The Celtics made the absolute best move possible and that was to stay pat and roll the dice with their current roster. Obviously once KG and Ray Allen contracts come off the books this summer, the Celtics will be $25 million under the salary cap and will be in a great position financially to go after free agents.
17 (23) KNICKS 21-24
Former Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni resigned after leading the Knicks to as very disappointing 18-24 record. Since taken over, interim head coach Mike Woodson - who was previously the Knicks assistant coach - has the team off to a 3-0 start. Obviously the Knicks are going through a honeymoon period, but even after it fizzles, one thing's for sure, this new Knicks team will play a lot better defense under Woodson and Carmelo and Amare will both be the focus on offense.
18 (21) BUCKS 20-24
The Bucks are sporting a 5-game winning streak and the team made a big splash by trading injured center Andrew Bogut and disgruntle guard/forward Stephen Jackson to the Warriors for Ekpe Odoh, Kwame Brown and former all-star Monte Ellis. This trade was made to give the Bucks the best chance of making the playoffs this season and if their recent 5-game winning streak is any indication, I think the Bucks are on the right track.
19 (14) ROCKETS 24-22
The Rockets traded away Jordan Hill for Derrick Fisher, who contract was bought out. And the team also acquired Marcus Camby from Portland to help fortify their center/power forward position. Of course the trade makes the Rockets better, but whether it's enough to secure a playoff spot remains to be seen.
20 (16) TIMBERWOLVES 22-24
The Timberwolves opted against trading Beasley to the Lakers in a 3-team-trade that would have netted them Jamal Crawford in the interest of team chemistry. The Wolves management realized that their playoff hopes pretty much went out the window when Ricky Rubio - their sensational rookie point guard - went down, so rather than make drastic changes and tinker with team chemistry, they decided to simply play out the season with their current roster and let the chips fall where they may. Not a bad move in my opinion.
21 (17) TRAIL BLAZERS 21-24
The Blazers finally pulled the plug and fired Nate McMillan - the team's head coach for the last 7 years - after a very disappointing season. At 21-24, the Blazers are currently 2.5 games behind the Rockets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference so I definitely expected McMillan to get fired. Unfortunately, unless the Blazers players really do some "soul searching," this team still may not make playoff this season.
22 (19) WARRIORS 18-24
The Warriors have been trying to get a scoring center all season, beginning with Tyson Chandler and then Dwight Howard, so it came as no surprise that the team traded for Andrew Bogut. The fact that Bogut is injured and may not return this season to help the Warriors make the playoffs, is the only thing that has me confused, especially since management proclaimed that their number one focus was to make the playoffs this year. Moving forward, I think Bogut acquisition allows David Lee to finally move over to the power forward spot - his natural position - and that could improve the Warriors from being one of the NBA's worst to best rebounding teams. I really liked the fact that the Warriors were able to get Stephen Jackson, but his stay was short-lived. The team traded him to the Spurs for Richard Jefferson, who is not a bad player, but I would have preferred Jackson - who played on the Warriors last playoff team - instead of Jefferson for this current Warriors team.
23 (26) KINGS 16-29
Why make a trade if you're bad team and are clearly in rebuilding mode? The Kings were right to stay pat, because a trade would not have landed them a playoff spot, unless of course they were adding Dwight or Lebron. Like I predicted before, the Kings will be a playoff team by the 2013-2014 season.
24 (24) PISTONS 16-29
The Pistons decided to stay pat as well - a trend taken by most of the bad teams - in an effort to hopefully land a high draft pick. This team reminds me a lot of Kings, because they both have nice young centers and some promising guards. I was a bit surprise that the team didn't move veteran forward Tayshaun Prince and guard Ben Gordon, but then again, maybe they simply couldn't find any suitors.
25 (22) CAVALIERS 16-26
The Cavs Kyrie Irving got his first double-double of the season as in points and assist and found that to be a very surprising stat. I had no idea Kyrie had never had more than 10 points and 10 assist in the same game. What that tells me is that Kyrie needs to really work on distributing the ball. The Cavaliers will make the playoffs next season if Kyrie Irving becomes a 20/10 player next season. His 18.6ppg proves he can score with the best, but the next step for him would be to average over 9 assist a game and that could come as early as next season.
BOTTOM FEEDERS
26 (27) RAPTORS 15-30
I understand teams like the Raptors are rebuilding for the future, but I don't understand why they traded Leandro Barbosa to the Pacers for a future second-round pick and cash consideration. Maybe the cash considerations was in the $3 million range, in which case it might have made sense and especially since the team is not going to make the playoffs this season anyways.
27 (25) NETS 15-31
The Nets suffered a major, major blow, one that may have a trickle down effect. After losing out on Dwight Howard, at least for another year, keeping Deron Williams may prove to be more difficult. Trading for Gerald Wallace should help make the team better, but I don't think it's enough of an improvement to convince Williams to stay with the Nets. Then again, Brooklyn New York and a new arena may be the ultimate issue that sways Williams.
28 (28) HORNETS 11-34
The Hornets decided not to trade Chris Kaman and have made it known that they would like to re-sign him when he becomes a free agent this summer. I don't see Kaman re-signing with the Hornets unless they are willing to overpay him which I doubt. My prediction is that the Hornets might buyout Kaman's contract before this season is over.
29 (29) WIZARDS 10-34
Trading Nick Young made sense, but trading McGee for Nene was an even more calculated move from the Wizards standpoint. McGee is going to be a free-agent this summer and wants a contract with an average of $14 million. I don't expect him to get that, but he could easily get between $10-12 million and the Wizards were not willing to pay him that either. So they figure, Nene was more of a high-character guy and felt he was worth the $13-15 million investment. They also felt, McGee had reach his ceiling in Washington and I agree. I think the Nuggets got the better talent, but the Wizards got a solid center, whose a high-character guy and that was what they wanted.
30 (30) BOBCATS 7-36
The Charlotte Bobcats were in talks with the Warriors to get Steph Curry, but things went sideways after the Warriors traded Ellis. It wouldn't surprise me to see the Bobcats revisit that trade this summer. Until then, they will remain the worst team in the NBA.
Monday, March 12, 2012
NBA WIZARD 2011-2012 POWER RANKING: WEEK 12
RK LAST WK
1 (1) BULLS 34-9
After losing to the Orlando Magic, Derrick Rose was quoted saying that he is tired of the Dwight Howard trade chatters, especially when it pertains to the Bulls. Personally, I think the Bulls would be a lot better if they were to trade Noah and Boozer to the Magic for Dwight and Hedo. I guess Derrick Rose feels he can win a championship all by himself, or at least he feels the Bulls current roster is good enough to compete for a title and though he may be right, I think they are one player away from winning the title.
2 (2) HEAT 31-9
Entering the season, the Heat had two holes to fill, the point guard and the center position. With the emergence of Mario Chalmers and the surprising play of rookie Norris Cole, the Heat may have settled the point guard issue for now. Unfortunately the Heat are getting absolutely nothing from their centers, which is why I wouldn't be surprised to see them make a trade. The dream scenario though would be for the Hornets to buyout Kaman, because he will almost certainly sign with the Heat.
3 (3) THUNDER 32-9
There have been reports that if the Thunder are willing to trade Serge Ibaka and James Hardin, the Magic would be willing to give up Dwight Howard. However, if I were the Thunder management, I would try to sent Kendrick Perkins instead of Hardin. I think a Durant-Westbrook-Howard-Hardin foursome would be good enough to win the NBA championship this season. Convincing Dwight to stay past this season will be the challenge, but winning the championship, or at least making it to the NBA Finals, will be enough to convince him to re-sign with the Thunder.
4 (8) MAGIC 27-15
From the looks of things, It wouldn't surprise me if Howard was still with the Orlando Magic on March 16. The team really believe they can convince Howard to re-sign, which is why I expect Orlando to make a splash before the trade deadline, but I don't think it will involve Howard.
5 (5) SPURS 26-13
The Spurs are going to stay pat and make one last run with Duncan, Parker and Ginobili. If the team does make a trade, it will be on a minimum scale. Duncan and Jefferson are the Spurs top two trade baits, but Jefferson simply doesn't have quite the value to bring back any major player and Duncan - in the expiring year of his contract - will not be traded. Before the season,Tony Parker was the most likely candidate to be traded, but he has been the team's MVP, so It would really shock me to see him traded.
6 (6) LAKERS 25-16
If I were the Los Angeles Lakers, I would offer Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum to the Magic for Dwight, but I will make sure Hedo is not included. Rather, I would ask for Jameer Nelson and Ryan Anderson. At the very least, I would want to get Nelson and Howard. There is no way this current Lakers team can win the championship, so this is the time to make a move.
7 (9) GRIZZLIES 24-16
Nuggets head coach Lionel Hollins is my leading candidate for the NBA's Coach of the Year Award. The Grizzlies are the fourth seed in the West, which is amazing considering Zack Randolph - the Grizzlies best player - has been out all year. The Griz are not going to make a trade, their improvement will have to be in the form Zack Randolph, who is expected to rejoin the team later this this week.
8 (12) 76ERS 25-17
The Sixers are sporting a 3-game winning streak, because Evan Turner finally emerged into the player that Sixers were hoping for when they drafted him with the second pick last season. During the the winning streak, Evans averaged 22ppg and a whopping 12rpg on a massive 60 percent shooting. I believe his great play open the door for the team to trade either Jrue Holiday and/or Lou Williams. If I were the Sixers, I would package both Williams and Holiday for a scoring big, a position they desperately need help with. These would be options not in any particular order. The Lakers Gasol, the Hawks Josh Smith, or the Bucks Andrew Bogut.
9 (10) HAWKS 24-17
The Hawks are believe to be offering Josh Smith and Al Harford to the Magic for Dwight Howard, who is from Atlanta. Unfortunately I don't think the core of Joe Johnson, Jeff Teagues and Marvin Williams would be enough to keep Dwight Howard past this season, but the trade does make the Hawks better, especially since Harford - the Hawks starting center - is out for the rest of the season. Now if I were the Hawks, I would try to package Josh Smith, Marvin Williams and a draft pick for Dwight. I think once Harford returns next season, he could play his rightful position, which is power forward making it a lot easier for Howard to re-sign. I believe a core of Horford-Johnson-Howard led by a point guard like Jeff Teagues, would be better than any team that Howard has ever played with.
10 (7) CLIPPERS 23-16
The Clippers really missed Chauncey Billups and since his injury they have been an average team, at best. Just for conversation sake, I wonder how the Clippers would look if they traded Griffin and DeAndre Jordan to the Magic for Howard and Ryan Anderson? The Clippers would have a core of CP3-Howard-Anderson-Butler and in my opinion, would overtake the Oklahoma City Thunder as the best team in the Western Conference. The Clippers problem right now is that both Griffin and Jordan do not have consistent jump-shots, which often times make the team very predictable on offense. Ryan Anderson outside shooting would allow Howard to dominate the paint and "lob city" between CP3 and Howard will truly be in full effect.
11 (13) NUGGETS 23-19
Nuggets head coach George Karl made a comment earlier this season and I gather from that the Nuggets will not make a move before the deadline, at least not a significant one. He said rather than have a "big 3," he would much rather have 10 players that were the top ten in the league at their respective position. His concept is that if you have a top ten starting-five and a top ten bench, you should be able to compete with teams that have the new infamous "big 3."
12 (4) PACERS 23-16
The Pacers lost their last 4 games, but those losses has to be blamed solely on the schedule. Imagine a week in which you have to go up against the Bulls in Chicago and then come back home and play the Hawks. But then go right back on the road to play the Heat and Magic, that was what the Pacers had to deal with last week. The good news is backup point guard George Hill status was recently upgraded to day-to-day. Also, from what I hear, they are still in the running for Chris Kaman.
13 (14) CELTICS 21-19
The Celtics could go in many directions, but if I were them, I would just stay pat. I would not trade Paul Pierce and I certainly wouldn't trade Rondo. Obviously K.G and Allen contracts are coming off the books after this season, so those should be the only players the Celtics should consider trading. K.G makes too much, but Allen $10 million salary makes him the most likely Celtics to be move. If I were the Celtics, I would be trying to package him for a few First Round Draft picks.
14 (16) ROCKETS 22-20
I expect the Rockets to be very active over the next several day, because they could be in danger of missing the playoffs if they don't make a move. Currently, they are the eighth seed in the West and are only one game ahead of the Timberwolves. I believe the Rockets will try to revisit their previous trade for Pau Gasol, if not, expect them to go after the Hornets Chris Kaman. Regardless of what happens, a trade is almost enevitable.
15 (11) MAVERICKS 23-20
The Mavs are currently on a 3-game skid and losers of 8 of their last 10 games. Unfortunately don't expect anything to get done before the deadline if you are a Mavericks fan, because Mark Cuban - the Mavs owner - is set on trying to go after Dwight Howard and Deron Williams this summer, when they become free agents. At times the Mavericks have looked like they are ready to defend their title, but recently they've been looking more like a team that's going to get bounced out of the First Round of the playoffs.
16 (16) TIMBERWOLVES 21-21
My heart goes out to the Timberwolves rookie sensation, point guard Ricky Rubio, who is out for the rest of the season after tearing his ACL. Rubio had turned the Timberwolves into must-watch T.V. and the Wolves were in perfect position to make the playoffs. Currently the team is 1-game out of the playoffs, but without Rubio, I simply don't see the Wolves making the playoffs this season.
17 (19) TRAIL BLAZERS 20-21
The Trail Blazers have two options. One would be to blowup the team and the other would be to fire head coach Nate McMillan. Personally, I don't think McMillan is the problem, I think the real problem is that half of the roster wants him out and the other half could care less either way. The only problem with trying to trade is that most of the Blazers players are considered cancerous with very low trade value, which is why I think McMillan may be the first to go.
18 (18) SUNS 19-21
The Suns are sporting a 3-game winning streak and it's looking less likely that Steve Nash is going to be traded. The Suns are only 2-games out of the playoffs and with Houston and the Blazers slipping in the standing, the Suns might just try to make a run at making the playoffs.
19 (21) WARRIORS 17-21
GSW are extremely busy and are doing everything to pull the rabbit out of the hat. The latest rumor has the Warriors sending Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Ekpe Udoh to the Magic for Dwight Howard. That would be the greatest heist since the Heat landed their "big 3" if the Warriiors can pull trade with those players. Imagine being able to get Howard without given up Monte Ellis or David Lee? Wow! The Warriors tandem of Ellis-Lee-Howard, would be the second best trio in the entire league and they will definitely make the playoffs this season.
20 (20) JAZZ 19-21
The Jazz are seriously shopping Devin Harris, but I doubt they will get fair value for him. I expect them to move him for future draft picks, because his trade value is very low right now. He could really help a contending team, but don't expect the Jazz to trade him to a contender, because good teams usually have terrible picks and the Jazz would be looking to get a lottery pick, or two for Harris.
21 (22) BUCKS 17-24
The Bucks are 3-2 over their last 5 games and Ersan Ilyasova has been the main reason for their recent success. His numbers have been off the charts, especially his shooting percentage. Over the last 5-games Ilyasova averaged 23.6ppg and 10rpg, while shooting 62-69.2-91.3 as in field-goal, 3-point and free-throw percentage. I expect a lotof teams to call the Bucks over the next few day to inquire about Andrew Bogut and Brandon Jennings.
22 (23) CAVALIERS 16-23
Five straight losses by the Knicks have allowed the Cavs to climb up in the standing and they are now only a game behind the Knicks for the eighth and final playoffs seed in the East. I still don't expect the Cavs to make the playoffs so making a trade is highly unlikely. The Cavs have made it known that they are not trading Varejao, but Jamison and his $15 million expiring contract may be available. Don't expect the Cavs to trade Jamison for players, because they've made it clear that they don't want to take on additional salaries, but if they could get a lottery pick or two, they would pull the trigger in a heartbeat!
23 (15) KNICKS 18-23
The hype surrounding Jeremy Lin is slowly dwindling and his 16.4 points on 15.2 shot attempts over the last 5-games has not been enough to get it done. Melo's 20.4ppg on .391 percent shooting hasn't helped the cause either. This is the same team that the Knicks Baron Davis predicted would win the championship this season. I would definitely be trying to trade for Dwight Howard if I were them. I think a Chandler-Stoudemire for Howard-Anderson trade, make the Knicks a championship contender this season.
24 (27) PISTONS 15-26
The Pistons are sporting a 3-game winning streak and it came against the Lakers, Hawks and the Toronto Raptors, which was very impressive. The Pistons are now only 3-games behind the Knicks for the final playoffs spot in the East. I don't see the Pistons making any significant trades before the deadline, but it wouldn't surprise me if Joe Dumars - the Pistons G.M. makes a move.
25 (26) NETS 14-28
Even though X-Rays came back negative, the Nets decided to rest Brook Lopez for 3-weeks. Lopez is listed day-to-day, so he's very capable of playing, but I think the Nets want to make sure Lopez is completely healthy in order to hopefully trade him for Dwight Howard. I believe if Howard gets traded, it would be to the Nets in a three or four team trade.
BOTTOM FEEDERS
26 (24) KINGS 14-27
The Kings have a nice young core and now that the city of Sacramento finally approved the new arena, the Kings future sure looks bright. I expect this team to be a playoff team by the 2013-14 season.
27 (24) RAPTORS 13-28
The Raptors are going to stay pat, unless someone wows them with a trade that they simply can't pass up and that is just not going to happen. The Raptors are going trough the rebuilding process, so I don't foresee any major changes before the deadline.
28 (28) HORNETS 10-31
The Hornets are in the process of collecting drafts picks and not players, so I expect two things to happen within the next week. One, they might trade Kaman to the Timberwolves or a team that might yield them a lottery pick, or they might just buyout Kaman's contract and allow him to be a free agent. If I were a betting man, my money would be that Kaman gets traded by the deadline.
29 (29) WIZARDS 9-30
The Wizards are believe to be shopping JaVale McGee and Andray Blatche, but McGee is probably the only player that has any real trade value. If it does happen, the Sixers are Warriors would be in play for his services. Even if McGee doesn't get traded, I definitely expect the Wizards to be very active before the trade deadline.
30 (30) BOBCATS 5-34
I definitely expect the Bobcats to make a trade, but it won't be to improve the team this year, rather it would be to add more First Round draft picks. Jordan probably realizes that this season is pretty much over for the Bobcats, so there's absolutely no reason to try to improve the team this season. Boris Diaw and Tyrus Thomas are the two players most likely to get traded by the Bobcats.
1 (1) BULLS 34-9
After losing to the Orlando Magic, Derrick Rose was quoted saying that he is tired of the Dwight Howard trade chatters, especially when it pertains to the Bulls. Personally, I think the Bulls would be a lot better if they were to trade Noah and Boozer to the Magic for Dwight and Hedo. I guess Derrick Rose feels he can win a championship all by himself, or at least he feels the Bulls current roster is good enough to compete for a title and though he may be right, I think they are one player away from winning the title.
2 (2) HEAT 31-9
Entering the season, the Heat had two holes to fill, the point guard and the center position. With the emergence of Mario Chalmers and the surprising play of rookie Norris Cole, the Heat may have settled the point guard issue for now. Unfortunately the Heat are getting absolutely nothing from their centers, which is why I wouldn't be surprised to see them make a trade. The dream scenario though would be for the Hornets to buyout Kaman, because he will almost certainly sign with the Heat.
3 (3) THUNDER 32-9
There have been reports that if the Thunder are willing to trade Serge Ibaka and James Hardin, the Magic would be willing to give up Dwight Howard. However, if I were the Thunder management, I would try to sent Kendrick Perkins instead of Hardin. I think a Durant-Westbrook-Howard-Hardin foursome would be good enough to win the NBA championship this season. Convincing Dwight to stay past this season will be the challenge, but winning the championship, or at least making it to the NBA Finals, will be enough to convince him to re-sign with the Thunder.
4 (8) MAGIC 27-15
From the looks of things, It wouldn't surprise me if Howard was still with the Orlando Magic on March 16. The team really believe they can convince Howard to re-sign, which is why I expect Orlando to make a splash before the trade deadline, but I don't think it will involve Howard.
5 (5) SPURS 26-13
The Spurs are going to stay pat and make one last run with Duncan, Parker and Ginobili. If the team does make a trade, it will be on a minimum scale. Duncan and Jefferson are the Spurs top two trade baits, but Jefferson simply doesn't have quite the value to bring back any major player and Duncan - in the expiring year of his contract - will not be traded. Before the season,Tony Parker was the most likely candidate to be traded, but he has been the team's MVP, so It would really shock me to see him traded.
6 (6) LAKERS 25-16
If I were the Los Angeles Lakers, I would offer Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum to the Magic for Dwight, but I will make sure Hedo is not included. Rather, I would ask for Jameer Nelson and Ryan Anderson. At the very least, I would want to get Nelson and Howard. There is no way this current Lakers team can win the championship, so this is the time to make a move.
7 (9) GRIZZLIES 24-16
Nuggets head coach Lionel Hollins is my leading candidate for the NBA's Coach of the Year Award. The Grizzlies are the fourth seed in the West, which is amazing considering Zack Randolph - the Grizzlies best player - has been out all year. The Griz are not going to make a trade, their improvement will have to be in the form Zack Randolph, who is expected to rejoin the team later this this week.
8 (12) 76ERS 25-17
The Sixers are sporting a 3-game winning streak, because Evan Turner finally emerged into the player that Sixers were hoping for when they drafted him with the second pick last season. During the the winning streak, Evans averaged 22ppg and a whopping 12rpg on a massive 60 percent shooting. I believe his great play open the door for the team to trade either Jrue Holiday and/or Lou Williams. If I were the Sixers, I would package both Williams and Holiday for a scoring big, a position they desperately need help with. These would be options not in any particular order. The Lakers Gasol, the Hawks Josh Smith, or the Bucks Andrew Bogut.
9 (10) HAWKS 24-17
The Hawks are believe to be offering Josh Smith and Al Harford to the Magic for Dwight Howard, who is from Atlanta. Unfortunately I don't think the core of Joe Johnson, Jeff Teagues and Marvin Williams would be enough to keep Dwight Howard past this season, but the trade does make the Hawks better, especially since Harford - the Hawks starting center - is out for the rest of the season. Now if I were the Hawks, I would try to package Josh Smith, Marvin Williams and a draft pick for Dwight. I think once Harford returns next season, he could play his rightful position, which is power forward making it a lot easier for Howard to re-sign. I believe a core of Horford-Johnson-Howard led by a point guard like Jeff Teagues, would be better than any team that Howard has ever played with.
10 (7) CLIPPERS 23-16
The Clippers really missed Chauncey Billups and since his injury they have been an average team, at best. Just for conversation sake, I wonder how the Clippers would look if they traded Griffin and DeAndre Jordan to the Magic for Howard and Ryan Anderson? The Clippers would have a core of CP3-Howard-Anderson-Butler and in my opinion, would overtake the Oklahoma City Thunder as the best team in the Western Conference. The Clippers problem right now is that both Griffin and Jordan do not have consistent jump-shots, which often times make the team very predictable on offense. Ryan Anderson outside shooting would allow Howard to dominate the paint and "lob city" between CP3 and Howard will truly be in full effect.
11 (13) NUGGETS 23-19
Nuggets head coach George Karl made a comment earlier this season and I gather from that the Nuggets will not make a move before the deadline, at least not a significant one. He said rather than have a "big 3," he would much rather have 10 players that were the top ten in the league at their respective position. His concept is that if you have a top ten starting-five and a top ten bench, you should be able to compete with teams that have the new infamous "big 3."
12 (4) PACERS 23-16
The Pacers lost their last 4 games, but those losses has to be blamed solely on the schedule. Imagine a week in which you have to go up against the Bulls in Chicago and then come back home and play the Hawks. But then go right back on the road to play the Heat and Magic, that was what the Pacers had to deal with last week. The good news is backup point guard George Hill status was recently upgraded to day-to-day. Also, from what I hear, they are still in the running for Chris Kaman.
13 (14) CELTICS 21-19
The Celtics could go in many directions, but if I were them, I would just stay pat. I would not trade Paul Pierce and I certainly wouldn't trade Rondo. Obviously K.G and Allen contracts are coming off the books after this season, so those should be the only players the Celtics should consider trading. K.G makes too much, but Allen $10 million salary makes him the most likely Celtics to be move. If I were the Celtics, I would be trying to package him for a few First Round Draft picks.
14 (16) ROCKETS 22-20
I expect the Rockets to be very active over the next several day, because they could be in danger of missing the playoffs if they don't make a move. Currently, they are the eighth seed in the West and are only one game ahead of the Timberwolves. I believe the Rockets will try to revisit their previous trade for Pau Gasol, if not, expect them to go after the Hornets Chris Kaman. Regardless of what happens, a trade is almost enevitable.
15 (11) MAVERICKS 23-20
The Mavs are currently on a 3-game skid and losers of 8 of their last 10 games. Unfortunately don't expect anything to get done before the deadline if you are a Mavericks fan, because Mark Cuban - the Mavs owner - is set on trying to go after Dwight Howard and Deron Williams this summer, when they become free agents. At times the Mavericks have looked like they are ready to defend their title, but recently they've been looking more like a team that's going to get bounced out of the First Round of the playoffs.
16 (16) TIMBERWOLVES 21-21
My heart goes out to the Timberwolves rookie sensation, point guard Ricky Rubio, who is out for the rest of the season after tearing his ACL. Rubio had turned the Timberwolves into must-watch T.V. and the Wolves were in perfect position to make the playoffs. Currently the team is 1-game out of the playoffs, but without Rubio, I simply don't see the Wolves making the playoffs this season.
17 (19) TRAIL BLAZERS 20-21
The Trail Blazers have two options. One would be to blowup the team and the other would be to fire head coach Nate McMillan. Personally, I don't think McMillan is the problem, I think the real problem is that half of the roster wants him out and the other half could care less either way. The only problem with trying to trade is that most of the Blazers players are considered cancerous with very low trade value, which is why I think McMillan may be the first to go.
18 (18) SUNS 19-21
The Suns are sporting a 3-game winning streak and it's looking less likely that Steve Nash is going to be traded. The Suns are only 2-games out of the playoffs and with Houston and the Blazers slipping in the standing, the Suns might just try to make a run at making the playoffs.
19 (21) WARRIORS 17-21
GSW are extremely busy and are doing everything to pull the rabbit out of the hat. The latest rumor has the Warriors sending Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Ekpe Udoh to the Magic for Dwight Howard. That would be the greatest heist since the Heat landed their "big 3" if the Warriiors can pull trade with those players. Imagine being able to get Howard without given up Monte Ellis or David Lee? Wow! The Warriors tandem of Ellis-Lee-Howard, would be the second best trio in the entire league and they will definitely make the playoffs this season.
20 (20) JAZZ 19-21
The Jazz are seriously shopping Devin Harris, but I doubt they will get fair value for him. I expect them to move him for future draft picks, because his trade value is very low right now. He could really help a contending team, but don't expect the Jazz to trade him to a contender, because good teams usually have terrible picks and the Jazz would be looking to get a lottery pick, or two for Harris.
21 (22) BUCKS 17-24
The Bucks are 3-2 over their last 5 games and Ersan Ilyasova has been the main reason for their recent success. His numbers have been off the charts, especially his shooting percentage. Over the last 5-games Ilyasova averaged 23.6ppg and 10rpg, while shooting 62-69.2-91.3 as in field-goal, 3-point and free-throw percentage. I expect a lotof teams to call the Bucks over the next few day to inquire about Andrew Bogut and Brandon Jennings.
22 (23) CAVALIERS 16-23
Five straight losses by the Knicks have allowed the Cavs to climb up in the standing and they are now only a game behind the Knicks for the eighth and final playoffs seed in the East. I still don't expect the Cavs to make the playoffs so making a trade is highly unlikely. The Cavs have made it known that they are not trading Varejao, but Jamison and his $15 million expiring contract may be available. Don't expect the Cavs to trade Jamison for players, because they've made it clear that they don't want to take on additional salaries, but if they could get a lottery pick or two, they would pull the trigger in a heartbeat!
23 (15) KNICKS 18-23
The hype surrounding Jeremy Lin is slowly dwindling and his 16.4 points on 15.2 shot attempts over the last 5-games has not been enough to get it done. Melo's 20.4ppg on .391 percent shooting hasn't helped the cause either. This is the same team that the Knicks Baron Davis predicted would win the championship this season. I would definitely be trying to trade for Dwight Howard if I were them. I think a Chandler-Stoudemire for Howard-Anderson trade, make the Knicks a championship contender this season.
24 (27) PISTONS 15-26
The Pistons are sporting a 3-game winning streak and it came against the Lakers, Hawks and the Toronto Raptors, which was very impressive. The Pistons are now only 3-games behind the Knicks for the final playoffs spot in the East. I don't see the Pistons making any significant trades before the deadline, but it wouldn't surprise me if Joe Dumars - the Pistons G.M. makes a move.
25 (26) NETS 14-28
Even though X-Rays came back negative, the Nets decided to rest Brook Lopez for 3-weeks. Lopez is listed day-to-day, so he's very capable of playing, but I think the Nets want to make sure Lopez is completely healthy in order to hopefully trade him for Dwight Howard. I believe if Howard gets traded, it would be to the Nets in a three or four team trade.
BOTTOM FEEDERS
26 (24) KINGS 14-27
The Kings have a nice young core and now that the city of Sacramento finally approved the new arena, the Kings future sure looks bright. I expect this team to be a playoff team by the 2013-14 season.
27 (24) RAPTORS 13-28
The Raptors are going to stay pat, unless someone wows them with a trade that they simply can't pass up and that is just not going to happen. The Raptors are going trough the rebuilding process, so I don't foresee any major changes before the deadline.
28 (28) HORNETS 10-31
The Hornets are in the process of collecting drafts picks and not players, so I expect two things to happen within the next week. One, they might trade Kaman to the Timberwolves or a team that might yield them a lottery pick, or they might just buyout Kaman's contract and allow him to be a free agent. If I were a betting man, my money would be that Kaman gets traded by the deadline.
29 (29) WIZARDS 9-30
The Wizards are believe to be shopping JaVale McGee and Andray Blatche, but McGee is probably the only player that has any real trade value. If it does happen, the Sixers are Warriors would be in play for his services. Even if McGee doesn't get traded, I definitely expect the Wizards to be very active before the trade deadline.
30 (30) BOBCATS 5-34
I definitely expect the Bobcats to make a trade, but it won't be to improve the team this year, rather it would be to add more First Round draft picks. Jordan probably realizes that this season is pretty much over for the Bobcats, so there's absolutely no reason to try to improve the team this season. Boris Diaw and Tyrus Thomas are the two players most likely to get traded by the Bobcats.
Monday, March 5, 2012
NBA WIZARD 2011-2012 POWER RANKING: WEEK 11
RK LAST WK
1 (3) BULLS 31-8
Derrick Rose will not repeat as MVP this year, even though the Bulls may end up with the best record in the NBA. Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau won the NBA's Coach of the Year Award last season as a rookie NBA coach and his defensive imprints is clearly the reason why the Bulls have been even better this year, even with Derrick Rose missing games this season.
2 (1) HEAT 28-9
The Heat definitely missed Chris Bosh, who missed the team's last three games due to the death of his grandmother. The team's 9-game winning streak was halted by the Jazz in Utah after Lebron passed the ball to Haslem who missed a wide open 18-footer. It was a solid basketball play, but Lebron had made 8 of his last 9 shots, so many including myself expected him to take the last shot. Lebron's critics were quick to point to the all-star game, when Lebron forced a pass to Wade, which led to a turnover, instead of taken the last shot despite being " red-hot" like he was against Utah. I think we all have to just accept the fact that the guy loves to pass and as a fan, it's the most disappointing thing to watch, because this guy could averaged 40 points a game if he wanted to.
3 (2) THUNDER 29-8
Kevin Durant has turned the MVP into a two-man race between him and Lebron and after a subpar week by the Heat, he may have taken a slight edge in the MVP race. With only a week left before the trade deadline, it would be in the Thunder's interest to make a move, though I doubt they will.
4 (5) PACERS 23-12
After a 5-game losing steak, the Pacers clearly took advantage of the schedule. They are currently sporting a 6-game winning, with all five wins coming against sub .500 teams.
5 (4) SPURS 25-12
Manu Ginobili is back and that should help the Spurs down the stretch, but the team's MVP this season has to be Tony Parker, who is averaging 19ppg and 8apg this season. The Spurs had a rough stretch going 2-3 over their last five games, but I still consider this team to be one of the two most dangerous teams in the Western Conference.
6 (10) LAKERS 23-14
After a broken nose and a concussion during the all-star game, Kobe Bryant was expected to miss some games, but deep down anyone who really knows Kobe, knew that wasn't going to happen. Kobe has been on a tear since the all-star game. He has been playing with a mask over the last three games and is averaging 34ppg on .543 percent shooting. The guy is an iron-man and his focus has been off the charts.
7 (6) CLIPPERS 22-13
I expect the Clippers to make a move and it wouldn't surprise me if they try to trade for the Celtics Ray Allen. Trading for Allen will immediately put them in the class of the Thunder, Lakers and Spurs. He will definitely fill the void left by Billups. Since losing Billups, the Clippers are 5-5 and even if they don't trade for Allen, the Clippers have to make a trade if they expect to compete for a title.
8 (7) MAGIC 24-14
The Magic have one of the best records in the Eastern Conference, which is why the team continues to hang on to Dwight in hopes of convincing him to stay. Well, the Magic have two options and within a week that option will be determined. Either sign and trade Dwight, or play out the season and hope that he would be willing to do a sign-and-trade, because the Magic will be able to offer him a 5-year instead of only a 4-year deal. That to me is a major gamble to take and if I were the Orlando Magic management I would trade Dwight if he does not sign an extension by the deadline.
9 (11) GRIZZLIES 22-15
The Grizzlies are poised for the return of Zack Randolph and winning 8 of their last 9 games allowed the team to buy more time, so that Z-Bo is close to 100 percent when he return. The coach of the year award is now a three-coach race between the Griz Lionel Hollins, the Pacers Frank Vogel and the Bulls Tom Thibodeau.
10 (12) HAWKS 22-15
I expect the Hawks to receive a ton of phone calls this week from teams looking to trade, but it wouldn't be for their all-star Joe Johnson. I doubt any team will be willing to commit almost $100 million over the next four years to an almost 31-year-old shooting guard averaging only 17.6ppg on .423 percent shooting. Josh Smith is the player most teams will likely going after. I will put the chances of Smith getting moved at about 50 percent, because I think a few teams may step up with a solid offer to Hawks.
11 (8) MAVERICKS 22-16
I'm glad the Mavs did not make a complete PR disaster by sending Odom to the D-League, even if it was just for one game. The Mavs are not going to buyout or trade Odom, because Mavs owner Mark Cuban is counting on the fact that Odom will be playing well by the the playoff rolls around and that's a gamble I would take as well.
12 (15) 76ERS 22-16
After losing five straight, the Sixers are slowly getting back on track by winning 2 of their last 4 games, with their two losses coming against the Thunder and Bulls. A 4-point loss to the Thunder and a 5-point loss to the Bulls - the teams with the league's top two records - tells me that this team is ready to get back on track. I think the Sixers could also benefit from a trade. I think Chris Kaman would definitely help the Sixers, because post scoring is what this team desperately needs.
13 (17) NUGGETS 21-17
After losing 5 of 6, the Nuggets had a strong bounce back week by winning their last three games. It's no surprise that the Nuggets 3-game winning streak coincided with the return of Ty Lawson who averaged 20.7ppg and 11.7apg last week.
14 (18) CELTICS 19-17
The Celtics are sporting a 4-game winning streak and one of the key reasons is Rajon Rondo. His 18 points, 17 rebounds and 20 assist against the Knicks was one of the most ridiculous triple-doubles of all times. To put things in perspective, Wilt Chamberlain is the only other player in the history of the NBA that has had 17 or more points, assist and rebounds in the same game. Rondo is without question a top five point guard in the league.
15 (13) KNICKS 18-19
For those of you wanting to know how the Jeremy Lin - Carmelo Anthony pairing is working, here's the update. The Knicks are 2-3 since Melo joined the team, with Lin averaging 15.8ppg, 7.8apg, 4.4 turnovers per on .382 percent shooting. Carmelo on the other hand is averaging 18.4ppg on .417 percent shooting since returning. If you take out the Miami game, the Knicks have played well, but not well enough to take Knicks backup point guard Baron Davis proclamation - that the Knicks will win the championship this year - too seriously, unless you're Spike Lee, or a die-hard Knicks fan, of course.
16 (9) ROCKETS 21-17
The Rockets hit a rough patch as of late, losing three straight, even with Kevin Martin averaging 30ppg over their last two outings. Somehow under new head coach Mchale, Martin offensive outputs have not equated into wins. I think he's the most like Rockets player to be moved by the deadline, if the team can find suitors.
17 (16) TIMBERWOLVES 19-19
After the all-star break, following winning the 3-point competition, Minnesota's Kevin Love said that his team will try to make a push for playoffs and to honest, I thought it was only wishful thinking at the time. However, with the Rockets slipping and after a 42-point performance against the Blazers whom are also slipping in the standings, Love claim may not be as unrealistic as I thought.
18 (22) SUNS 17-20
The Suns are not going to make the playoffs and they are not going to trade Nash before the deadline unless Orlando is crazy enough to give up both Jameer Nelson and Ryan Anderson. I expect Nash to play out the final year of his contract and become a free agent next year, though it wouldn't surprise me if the Suns buyout his contract, but then again why would they?
19 (14) TRAIL BLAZERS 18-19
There are players on the Blazers roster that are doing everything in their power to get head coach Nate McMillan fired. It's hard to imagine that unless something drastic happens, the Blazers may not make the playoffs this year. McMillan is clearly in the hot seat, but I'm sure the Blazers are actively trying to make a trade or two before the deadline.
20 (21) JAZZ 17-19
A lucky runner in the lane by Devin Harris, which ultimately was the game winner against the Heat will not be enough to keep Harris in Utah. The only way Harris is on the Jazz roster come March 16, is if the Jazz are completely unsuccessful in finding a trade partner.
21 (19) WARRIORS 14-20
If I were the Warriors general manager, this is what I would do. Trade Steph Curry straight up to the Celtics for Rajon Rondo and then trade Klay Thompson, Kwame Brown and a protected pick to the Hornets for Chris Kaman. I would put the Warriors chance of making the playoffs at around 70 percent if they added those two players. With the chances of the Celtics and the Hornets of actually making those trades at over 90 percent, meaning the Warriors could more than likely have both players if they wanted to make those trades.
22 (23) BUCKS 14-23
The Bucks are not going to make the playoffs this season, but that doesn't mean they should stay pat. I think they have some nice assets, with Brandon Jennings being the biggest trade chip. They too could take a crack at Rondo using Jennings, or even for Nelson and Ryan Anderson using Jennings and Stephen Jackson, since the Magic are desperately trying to do everything to appease Dwight Howard.
23 (20) CAVALIERS 13-22
With their current 5-game losing steak, I think it's fair to say that the Cavs are probably out of the playoff race, even though anything's possible in the Eastern Conference. I think the Cavs will more than likely trade Ramon Sessions, considering he has a player's option for around $4 million next year, which he probably won't exercise. I think it would be in the team's best interest to stock pile on draft picks. Jamison, who is in the last year of his contract that pays around $15.076 million could also be trade bait.
24 (26) RAPTORS 12-25
Leandro Barbosa and Jose Calderon are the two players that the Raptors are receiving the most calls for this week. The Raptors are not going to make the playoffs, so the question then becomes do they trade and make a push, or stay pat and hopefully land high draft picks? I think the model for success is it's better to be really good, or really bad, so my advise to the Raptors would be to stay pad, because a trade to get better now will only hurt their rebuilding process.
25 (24) KINGS 12-25
Congratulations to Sacramento's Mayor and former NBA all-star Kevin Johnson, for putting together a deal to build a new arena, which will keep the Kings in Sacramento for many years to come. The Kings are the only sports team in the state's capital, so imagine how sad it would have been for the fans and the city to see the Kings leave. Kevin Johnson may have sealed his fate as the future governor of California because of this big move.
BOTTOM FEEDERS
26 (27) NETS 12-26
Deron Williams set an NBA season high and broke the Nets all-time record by scoring 57 points in a 104-101 win over the Bobcats in Charlotte. Hint, hint Mr. Dwight Howard, this is what life could be like in Brooklyn. If Dwight Howard gets traded, I strongly believe it will be to the Nets in a three or four team trade blockbuster trade.
27 (25) PISTONS 12-26
I would like to think that the Pistons will be active before the deadline, with trade baits like Rodney Stuckey, Tayshaun Prince and Ben Gordon, but something tells me the Pistons are not going to make any significant moves. The only way the Pistons make a trade is if they choose to blowup the team and that is a very unlikely scenario.
28 (28) HORNETS 9-28
The Hornets are clearly in rebuilding mode, so no one on this team is untouchable. Chris Kaman however, is the player most likely to be moved even though the Hornets would love to move Emeka Okafor. Finding suitors for Okafor will be extremely difficult due to the 2 year/$28 million remaining on his contract after this season. Stockpiling draft picks seems to be the direction the Hornets are taken so I definitely expect a trade or two before the deadline.
29 (29) WIZARDS 8-28
John Wall averaged 21.4ppg and 8.2apg over the last 5 games, but unfortunately that did not equate to wins. The Wizards were 1-4 during that stretch, but Wall was consistently good. The Wizards can actually go either way. Stay pat and end up with a high draft pick, or trade some of their inconsistent players and end up with several picks.
30 (30) BOBCATS 4-31
Charles Barkley is one of Michael Jordan - Wizard's owner - best friend, but that did not stop him from criticizing Jordan last week. He claimed that as an owner, Jordan has not done a good job, but I disagree. Other than drafting Morrison over Brandon Roy, Jordan has done just fine. Yes he traded Jackson and Wallace, but if he had kept both players, the Bobcats would have barely made the playoffs this season, if that. They would have been stuck in the middle zone, not really good and not bad enough. Now they are sure guaranteed a top pick in this year's draft, not to mention the team will be about $15 million under the cap for next season and over $30 million the following. The Bobcats may be horrible this year, but that could change by next season.
1 (3) BULLS 31-8
Derrick Rose will not repeat as MVP this year, even though the Bulls may end up with the best record in the NBA. Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau won the NBA's Coach of the Year Award last season as a rookie NBA coach and his defensive imprints is clearly the reason why the Bulls have been even better this year, even with Derrick Rose missing games this season.
2 (1) HEAT 28-9
The Heat definitely missed Chris Bosh, who missed the team's last three games due to the death of his grandmother. The team's 9-game winning streak was halted by the Jazz in Utah after Lebron passed the ball to Haslem who missed a wide open 18-footer. It was a solid basketball play, but Lebron had made 8 of his last 9 shots, so many including myself expected him to take the last shot. Lebron's critics were quick to point to the all-star game, when Lebron forced a pass to Wade, which led to a turnover, instead of taken the last shot despite being " red-hot" like he was against Utah. I think we all have to just accept the fact that the guy loves to pass and as a fan, it's the most disappointing thing to watch, because this guy could averaged 40 points a game if he wanted to.
3 (2) THUNDER 29-8
Kevin Durant has turned the MVP into a two-man race between him and Lebron and after a subpar week by the Heat, he may have taken a slight edge in the MVP race. With only a week left before the trade deadline, it would be in the Thunder's interest to make a move, though I doubt they will.
4 (5) PACERS 23-12
After a 5-game losing steak, the Pacers clearly took advantage of the schedule. They are currently sporting a 6-game winning, with all five wins coming against sub .500 teams.
5 (4) SPURS 25-12
Manu Ginobili is back and that should help the Spurs down the stretch, but the team's MVP this season has to be Tony Parker, who is averaging 19ppg and 8apg this season. The Spurs had a rough stretch going 2-3 over their last five games, but I still consider this team to be one of the two most dangerous teams in the Western Conference.
6 (10) LAKERS 23-14
After a broken nose and a concussion during the all-star game, Kobe Bryant was expected to miss some games, but deep down anyone who really knows Kobe, knew that wasn't going to happen. Kobe has been on a tear since the all-star game. He has been playing with a mask over the last three games and is averaging 34ppg on .543 percent shooting. The guy is an iron-man and his focus has been off the charts.
7 (6) CLIPPERS 22-13
I expect the Clippers to make a move and it wouldn't surprise me if they try to trade for the Celtics Ray Allen. Trading for Allen will immediately put them in the class of the Thunder, Lakers and Spurs. He will definitely fill the void left by Billups. Since losing Billups, the Clippers are 5-5 and even if they don't trade for Allen, the Clippers have to make a trade if they expect to compete for a title.
8 (7) MAGIC 24-14
The Magic have one of the best records in the Eastern Conference, which is why the team continues to hang on to Dwight in hopes of convincing him to stay. Well, the Magic have two options and within a week that option will be determined. Either sign and trade Dwight, or play out the season and hope that he would be willing to do a sign-and-trade, because the Magic will be able to offer him a 5-year instead of only a 4-year deal. That to me is a major gamble to take and if I were the Orlando Magic management I would trade Dwight if he does not sign an extension by the deadline.
9 (11) GRIZZLIES 22-15
The Grizzlies are poised for the return of Zack Randolph and winning 8 of their last 9 games allowed the team to buy more time, so that Z-Bo is close to 100 percent when he return. The coach of the year award is now a three-coach race between the Griz Lionel Hollins, the Pacers Frank Vogel and the Bulls Tom Thibodeau.
10 (12) HAWKS 22-15
I expect the Hawks to receive a ton of phone calls this week from teams looking to trade, but it wouldn't be for their all-star Joe Johnson. I doubt any team will be willing to commit almost $100 million over the next four years to an almost 31-year-old shooting guard averaging only 17.6ppg on .423 percent shooting. Josh Smith is the player most teams will likely going after. I will put the chances of Smith getting moved at about 50 percent, because I think a few teams may step up with a solid offer to Hawks.
11 (8) MAVERICKS 22-16
I'm glad the Mavs did not make a complete PR disaster by sending Odom to the D-League, even if it was just for one game. The Mavs are not going to buyout or trade Odom, because Mavs owner Mark Cuban is counting on the fact that Odom will be playing well by the the playoff rolls around and that's a gamble I would take as well.
12 (15) 76ERS 22-16
After losing five straight, the Sixers are slowly getting back on track by winning 2 of their last 4 games, with their two losses coming against the Thunder and Bulls. A 4-point loss to the Thunder and a 5-point loss to the Bulls - the teams with the league's top two records - tells me that this team is ready to get back on track. I think the Sixers could also benefit from a trade. I think Chris Kaman would definitely help the Sixers, because post scoring is what this team desperately needs.
13 (17) NUGGETS 21-17
After losing 5 of 6, the Nuggets had a strong bounce back week by winning their last three games. It's no surprise that the Nuggets 3-game winning streak coincided with the return of Ty Lawson who averaged 20.7ppg and 11.7apg last week.
14 (18) CELTICS 19-17
The Celtics are sporting a 4-game winning streak and one of the key reasons is Rajon Rondo. His 18 points, 17 rebounds and 20 assist against the Knicks was one of the most ridiculous triple-doubles of all times. To put things in perspective, Wilt Chamberlain is the only other player in the history of the NBA that has had 17 or more points, assist and rebounds in the same game. Rondo is without question a top five point guard in the league.
15 (13) KNICKS 18-19
For those of you wanting to know how the Jeremy Lin - Carmelo Anthony pairing is working, here's the update. The Knicks are 2-3 since Melo joined the team, with Lin averaging 15.8ppg, 7.8apg, 4.4 turnovers per on .382 percent shooting. Carmelo on the other hand is averaging 18.4ppg on .417 percent shooting since returning. If you take out the Miami game, the Knicks have played well, but not well enough to take Knicks backup point guard Baron Davis proclamation - that the Knicks will win the championship this year - too seriously, unless you're Spike Lee, or a die-hard Knicks fan, of course.
16 (9) ROCKETS 21-17
The Rockets hit a rough patch as of late, losing three straight, even with Kevin Martin averaging 30ppg over their last two outings. Somehow under new head coach Mchale, Martin offensive outputs have not equated into wins. I think he's the most like Rockets player to be moved by the deadline, if the team can find suitors.
17 (16) TIMBERWOLVES 19-19
After the all-star break, following winning the 3-point competition, Minnesota's Kevin Love said that his team will try to make a push for playoffs and to honest, I thought it was only wishful thinking at the time. However, with the Rockets slipping and after a 42-point performance against the Blazers whom are also slipping in the standings, Love claim may not be as unrealistic as I thought.
18 (22) SUNS 17-20
The Suns are not going to make the playoffs and they are not going to trade Nash before the deadline unless Orlando is crazy enough to give up both Jameer Nelson and Ryan Anderson. I expect Nash to play out the final year of his contract and become a free agent next year, though it wouldn't surprise me if the Suns buyout his contract, but then again why would they?
19 (14) TRAIL BLAZERS 18-19
There are players on the Blazers roster that are doing everything in their power to get head coach Nate McMillan fired. It's hard to imagine that unless something drastic happens, the Blazers may not make the playoffs this year. McMillan is clearly in the hot seat, but I'm sure the Blazers are actively trying to make a trade or two before the deadline.
20 (21) JAZZ 17-19
A lucky runner in the lane by Devin Harris, which ultimately was the game winner against the Heat will not be enough to keep Harris in Utah. The only way Harris is on the Jazz roster come March 16, is if the Jazz are completely unsuccessful in finding a trade partner.
21 (19) WARRIORS 14-20
If I were the Warriors general manager, this is what I would do. Trade Steph Curry straight up to the Celtics for Rajon Rondo and then trade Klay Thompson, Kwame Brown and a protected pick to the Hornets for Chris Kaman. I would put the Warriors chance of making the playoffs at around 70 percent if they added those two players. With the chances of the Celtics and the Hornets of actually making those trades at over 90 percent, meaning the Warriors could more than likely have both players if they wanted to make those trades.
22 (23) BUCKS 14-23
The Bucks are not going to make the playoffs this season, but that doesn't mean they should stay pat. I think they have some nice assets, with Brandon Jennings being the biggest trade chip. They too could take a crack at Rondo using Jennings, or even for Nelson and Ryan Anderson using Jennings and Stephen Jackson, since the Magic are desperately trying to do everything to appease Dwight Howard.
23 (20) CAVALIERS 13-22
With their current 5-game losing steak, I think it's fair to say that the Cavs are probably out of the playoff race, even though anything's possible in the Eastern Conference. I think the Cavs will more than likely trade Ramon Sessions, considering he has a player's option for around $4 million next year, which he probably won't exercise. I think it would be in the team's best interest to stock pile on draft picks. Jamison, who is in the last year of his contract that pays around $15.076 million could also be trade bait.
24 (26) RAPTORS 12-25
Leandro Barbosa and Jose Calderon are the two players that the Raptors are receiving the most calls for this week. The Raptors are not going to make the playoffs, so the question then becomes do they trade and make a push, or stay pat and hopefully land high draft picks? I think the model for success is it's better to be really good, or really bad, so my advise to the Raptors would be to stay pad, because a trade to get better now will only hurt their rebuilding process.
25 (24) KINGS 12-25
Congratulations to Sacramento's Mayor and former NBA all-star Kevin Johnson, for putting together a deal to build a new arena, which will keep the Kings in Sacramento for many years to come. The Kings are the only sports team in the state's capital, so imagine how sad it would have been for the fans and the city to see the Kings leave. Kevin Johnson may have sealed his fate as the future governor of California because of this big move.
BOTTOM FEEDERS
26 (27) NETS 12-26
Deron Williams set an NBA season high and broke the Nets all-time record by scoring 57 points in a 104-101 win over the Bobcats in Charlotte. Hint, hint Mr. Dwight Howard, this is what life could be like in Brooklyn. If Dwight Howard gets traded, I strongly believe it will be to the Nets in a three or four team trade blockbuster trade.
27 (25) PISTONS 12-26
I would like to think that the Pistons will be active before the deadline, with trade baits like Rodney Stuckey, Tayshaun Prince and Ben Gordon, but something tells me the Pistons are not going to make any significant moves. The only way the Pistons make a trade is if they choose to blowup the team and that is a very unlikely scenario.
28 (28) HORNETS 9-28
The Hornets are clearly in rebuilding mode, so no one on this team is untouchable. Chris Kaman however, is the player most likely to be moved even though the Hornets would love to move Emeka Okafor. Finding suitors for Okafor will be extremely difficult due to the 2 year/$28 million remaining on his contract after this season. Stockpiling draft picks seems to be the direction the Hornets are taken so I definitely expect a trade or two before the deadline.
29 (29) WIZARDS 8-28
John Wall averaged 21.4ppg and 8.2apg over the last 5 games, but unfortunately that did not equate to wins. The Wizards were 1-4 during that stretch, but Wall was consistently good. The Wizards can actually go either way. Stay pat and end up with a high draft pick, or trade some of their inconsistent players and end up with several picks.
30 (30) BOBCATS 4-31
Charles Barkley is one of Michael Jordan - Wizard's owner - best friend, but that did not stop him from criticizing Jordan last week. He claimed that as an owner, Jordan has not done a good job, but I disagree. Other than drafting Morrison over Brandon Roy, Jordan has done just fine. Yes he traded Jackson and Wallace, but if he had kept both players, the Bobcats would have barely made the playoffs this season, if that. They would have been stuck in the middle zone, not really good and not bad enough. Now they are sure guaranteed a top pick in this year's draft, not to mention the team will be about $15 million under the cap for next season and over $30 million the following. The Bobcats may be horrible this year, but that could change by next season.
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