2011 NBA Preview: Top 50 Players

It's time to forget about the NFL. No more Brett Favre, no more helmet-to-helmet discussions, and no more of Jay Cutler's whining. It's time for, in David Stern's opinion, the greatest NBA season ever.

Can the Lakers three-peat again? Can the Heat live up to hype? Will LeBron James make it out of Cleveland alive? There are so many tantalizing questions for the upcoming year, and it very well could be the best season ever.

So in honor of trying top make sense of the league that was turned on it's head this offseason, let's take a refresher course on which players are actually good, then I'll get to answering some of those big questions. Here are the top 50 players in the league going into this season--the correct version.

50. Andrew Bynum

Age: 22

Regular Season: 57-25/65 starts-65 games-30.4 mpg/15.0 ppg-8.3 rpg-1.0 apg-0.4 spg-1.4 bpg/57.0 FG%-73.9 FT%

Playoffs: 23 games-24.4 mpg/8.6-6.9-0.5-0.3-1.6/53.7-67.9

Why He's 50: If Bynum can stay healthy and be in basketball shape all year long, he will rocket up this list. However, he has not been able to stay healthy for a full season for a while now, and usually centers with bad knees do not have a long shelf life. Bynum has the skills to be an offensive force down low, he just needs to stay on the court.


49. Al Horford

Age: 24


Regular Season: 53-29/81-81-35.1/14.2-9.9-2.3-0.7-1.1/55.1-78.9


Playoffs: 11-35.3/14.6-9.0-1.8-0.7-1.7/52.3-83.9


Why He's 49: There aren't that many guys who can score in the post and rebound anymore, which makes Horford a valuable commodity in today's NBA. Even at 6'10" (he was listed at 6'9" in college) Horford was the league's 10th leading rebounder and has led the Hawks in that stat ever since he's entered the league. The bottom line: Horford is an extremely valuable cog on a top four Eastern Conference team and is a good big men in a league where they are becoming increasingly endangered.



48. Jason Kidd

Age: 37

Regular Season: 55-27/80-80-36.0/10.3-5.6-9.1-1.8-0.4/42.3-42.5-80.8


Playoffs: 6-40.5/8.0-6.8-7.0-2.8-0.2/30.4-32.1 3pt %-91.7


Why He's 48: Kidd's skills have eroded with age, as is the case with every player, so if he was ranked this high based on skills, then I'd be crazy. He's a terrible defender and cannot drive to the hoop anymore.


However, Kidd is one of the best leaders in the league. Dallas won 55 games last year, and were the second seed in the West, with Jason Kidd as their second most important player. Not the second best, but second most important (behind Dirk, of course). Kidd is still an elite passer too. He averaged over 9 assists per game at the ripe age of 36. He's also evolved into an excellent three point specialist, hitting over 42 percent of his threes last season.


Great players know how to adapt as they age, and Kidd has done that.



47. Kevin Love


Age: 22


Regular Season: 15-67/22-60-28.6/14.0-11.0-2.3-0.7-0.4/45.0-33.0-81.5


Playoffs: N/A


Why He's 47: I gotta say, I love Kevin Love. He's one of the weirdest players in the NBA. He's an extremely efficient rebounder, which would seem like he thrives around the basket on the offensive end as well, which is not true. Love loves shooting mid-range jumpers and jacks up the occasional three when he feels like it.


But the best part about Dr. Love's game is his passing ability. This is not on display very much, since he is surrounded with garbage mixed with animal feces in Minnesota, but just go to Youtube and type "Kevin Love passing," and you'll see why he is such a promising player. His outlet passes are a thing of beauty. Put Love on a good team, and he is instantly one of the most liked players in the league, and more valuable than many people think.

46. Ray Allen

Age: 35

Regular Season: 50-32/80-80-35.2/16.3-3.2-2.6-0.8-0.3/47.7-36.3-91.3

Playoffs: 24-38.5/16.1-3.3-2.6-0.9-0.1/43.1-38.6-86.3


Why He's 46: I had a hard time deciding where Allen should rank among the best 50 in the NBA. He's still one of the league's best outside shooters and is a free throw master, but a few of those NBA Finals games are still fresh in my mind. He was terrible in games 3 and 7. However, Allen played a huge role in getting Boston to the Finals and is still a very good NBA player. He could drop off this list next year, but right now, he's still among the 50 best players in the league.

45. Eric Gordon

Age: 21

Regular Season: 29-53/ 60 starts-62 games-36.0 mpg/16.9 ppg-2.6 rpg-3.0 apg-1.1 spg-0.2 bpg/44.9 FG%-37.1 3PT%-74.2FT%

Playoffs: N/A

Why He's 45: Gordon has the potential to be a 20 point scorer, and he probably will be in the next one or two years, but as of right now he hasn't proved much more than that he's been the number two option on a bad team. Being on Team USA helped Gordon gain confidence and get some good big game reps in. I fully expect Gordon to rank much higher on this list next year.

44. Rudy Gay

Age: 24

Regular Season: 40-42/80-80-39.7/19.6-5.9-1.9-1.5-0.8/46.6-32.7-75.3


Playoffs: N/A


Why He's 44: This seems low for Gay, but is 44th really that low for a completely on dimensional player who takes bad shots, is not a great leader, and has never made the playoffs? Obviously, I do not think so.


43. Kevin Garnett

Age: 34

Regular Season: 50-32/69-69-29.9/14.3-7.3-2.7-1.0-0.8/52.1-83.7


Playoffs: 23-33.3/15.0-7.4-2.5-1.1-0.9/49.5-83.9


Why He's 43: It was very tough to put Garnett down this low, considering Boston made it to the Finals with him playing, while losing in the conference semi's last year with him on the bench. But, that shouldn't be a big surprise. He's a huge upgrade from Big Baby Davis, who was playing most of his minutes in the '09 playoffs. Just having Garnett out there on the floor to order the guys around on defense makes a big difference. However, his rapidly eroding skills do not quite make up for his great leadership and tenacity. I love Garnett, and would want him on my team, but he's a shell of his former self.

42. Gerald Wallace

Age: 28

Regular Season: 44-38/76-76-41.0/18.2-10.0-2.1-1.5-1.1/48.4-37.1-77.6

Playoffs: 4-41.4/17.5-9.0-2.3-1.3-1.5/47.7-45.5-65.7


Why He's 42: Remember when Gerald Wallace was a young, potential-filled, occasional dunk contest participant in Sacramento? Well now he's the opposite of that Gerald Wallace. He's now a veteran (28 isn't exactly old, but he's not definitely not a kid anymore) who has reached his potential and doesn't waste his time trying to win the Popularity contest at All-Star Weekend.


Wallace is the type of player everybody wants on their team. He goes all out, is a great defender, a great rebounder (especially for his size), and can score when he has to. The Bobcats big problem is that he's been their number one or two option for the entire existence of the franchise. I envision Wallace becoming a valuable piece (4th or 5th best guy) on a championship caliber team a few years down the road, but he's not a franchise guy like he's been asked to be in Charlotte.



41. Chris Kaman

Age: 28

Regular Season: 29-53/76-76-34.3/18.5-9.3-1.6-0.5-1.2/49.0-74.9


Playoffs: N/A


Why He's 41: Who doesn't like Chris Kaman? He seems kinda like that crazy friend that everybody has, except he's seven feet tall and can ball like George Mikan circa 1780 (Wait, that was only the 1950's? Oops.) Sure, Kaman isn't a dominating force on the block, but he gets the job done and rebounds decently. Whether he's my starting center or part of my entourage, it's all good.




40. Joakim Noah

Age: 25

Regular Season: 41-41/54-64-30.1/10.7-11.0-2.1-0.5-1.6/50.4-74.4


Playoffs: 5-37.6/14.8-13.0-2.8-2.0-1.8/52.8-94.7


Why He's 40: Have we figured out that we shouldn't doubt Joakim yet? He wasn't a huge name when he went to Florida and all he did was lead them to back-to-back titles for the first time in almost 15 years and set all sorts of NCAA tournament block records. Then Al Horford got drafted ahead of him. And Corey Brewer. Two guys on his own TEAM! I'm sure he was happy for Al and Corey, but that still had to make him a little bit mad. "Man, I was the best guy AND the leader for those teams and I'm the THIRD one drafted? C'mon!"


Turns out, Noah might be the second best guy in that draft and has evolved into a crucial piece of a team that is expected to be contenders in the East sooner rather than later. All the while, Corey is freezing his butt off in Minnesota (and losing).



39. Monta Ellis

Age: 23


Regular Season: 26-56/64-64-41.4/25.5-4.0-5.3-2.2-0.4/44.9-33.8-75.3


Playoffs: N/A


Why He's 39: Monta Ellis is the classic great scorer-can't do anything else guy. Man, can Ellis score, but he also likes to give the ball to the other team and lets opposing guards blow by him on defense. He's also not a particularly good passer, which he doesn't have to be with Steph Curry manning the point, but if he ever wants to be a part of a winning team he'd probably need to play the point (because of size mainly) and that's just not something he's great at right now.

38. Kevin Martin

Age: 27

Regular Season: 42-40 (25-57)/43-46-35.5/20.6-3.6-2.4-1.o-0.1/41.7-33.3-87.6

Playoffs: N/A

Why He's 38: When the word "one-dimensional" is tossed around, Kevin Martin has to be brought up. Sure, the guy can fill it up and drop 40 on any given night. He also cannot really do anything else.

Martin will always be valuable as a Ray Allen-type shooter (although his three point numbers were way down last year) and late game cooler (86 percent career free throw shooter), but that's about all Martin will ever be. Translation: if you're counting on him to be the best player on your team, and expect them to go anywhere past the first round, you're in trouble.

37. Manu Ginobili

Age: 33


Regular Season: 50-32/22-75-28.7/16.5-3.8-4.9-1.4-0.3/44.1-37.7-87.0


Playoffs: 10-35.2/19.4-3.7-6.0-2.6-0.2/41.4-33.3-86.6


Why He's 37: I really have no idea where Manu should be. I know he can play like a top 15-20 player in spurts, but it's just hard to get a good feel for how good Manu still is. I'm not sure he's the same explosive guy he used to be after several years of injuries hampering him (which is also a constant concert for Manu due to his reckless style of play). Maybe I have him this low just because I hate his flopping ways, but I don't feel good about it. Manu, go prove me wrong this year. We all know you're reading this.





36. Stephen Jackson

Age: 32


Regular Season: 44-38/81-81-38.6/20.6-5.0-3.7-1.6-0.5/42.3-32.8-77.9


Playoffs: 4-39.0/18.0-5.0-3.8-1.3-0.3/35.8-16.7-80.8


Why He's 36: "Captain Jack" was one of the least reported stories of the 2009 NBA season. He carried the Bobcats on his back offensively and willed them to their first playoff birth ever. Despite his mere 20.6 average, it seemed like every time I glanced at a Bobcats box score, Jack put up 26 or 27. There is no way Charlotte makes the playoffs without trading for Jackson last year. It will be hard to duplicate a career best season for Jackson, but it seems like he'll still be a good NBA player well into his 30's.

35. Lamarcus Aldridge

Age: 25

Regular Season: 50-32/78-78-37.5/17.9-8.0-2.1-0.9-0.6/49.5-75.7

Playoffs: 6-38.2/19.0-6.0-2.2-1.2-1.8/43.0-75.0

Why He's 35: There are plenty of knocks on Aldridge. He's not a good enough rebounder. He doesn't block shots. He's too soft inside offensively. Maybe all of those things are true, but he still has tremendous potential to be a much better offensive player. He runs the court very well, and is very skilled for a guy his size. There are certain games when Aldridge will score an effortless 30 and it leaves everybody scratching their heads "why isn't this guy better?" If Aldridge can start using his back to the basket game more effectively and consistency, it could help the Blazers take another step towards being Western contenders.

34. Andre Iguodala

Age: 26


Regular Season: 27-55/82-82-38.9/17.1-6.5-5.8-1.7-0.7/44.3-31.0-73.3


Playoffs: N/A


Why He's 34: Team USA exposed what Iguodala's true role on a team should be-- a defensive specialist. Philly is counting on him to be their main offensive threat, which is something that Iggy is just not quite offensively talented enough for. Sure, he throws down his fair share if insane, disgusting dunks, but he's not a shooter and as the number one option he has to shoot more than he should. Iguodala needs a change of scenery and role, and he could be much more recognized than he is now.







33. Tyreke Evans

Age: 21


Regular Season: 25-57/72-72-37.2/20.1-5.3-5.8-1.5-0.4/45.8-25.5-74.8


Playoffs: N/A


Why He's 33: Tyreke's rookie stats are just eye-popping. So why do I get the feeling he can't significantly improve on them. His ceiling seems like 23-6-8. That's not a bad ceiling, but for a guy who put up 20-5-6 as a rook, it should be higher. Evans is built like a truck, and could eventually turn into a LeBron-lite type of player (think 26-7-9), but there is something unsettling about this immature, faux point guard. It's just hard to get a finger on exactly what.

32. David Lee

Age: 27

Regular Season: 29-53/81-81-37.3/20.2-11.7-3.6-1.0-0.5/54.5-81.2

Playoffs: N/A


Why He's 32: I really have no idea what to think of David Lee. Yes, he can score and is a great rebounder, but he's played about as much defense for Mike D'Antoni in the past few years as Mike D'Antoni has. Lee's offensive merits (he was one of three 20-10 guys last season) outweigh his defensive shortcomings (I'm being nice when I say that), but he'll always just be a "really good stats on bad teams" guy.





31. Stephen Curry

Age: 22


Regular Season: 26-56/77-80-36.2/17.5-4.5-5.9-1.9-0.2/46.2-43.7-88.5


Playoffs: N/A


Why He's 31: Curry surprised me with just how good he was last year. He was just tremendous after the All-Star break last year (22-5.5-8, 2 steals). While it remains to be seen how much of a "winner" he is (he's never had good teammates), Curry should always be a great shooter in the Reggie Miller and Ray Allen mold and will be in the NBA for a long, long time. Add that to the fact that it looks like he has the tools to be a pretty good point guard, and everything points to Curry having a very successful NBA career.





30. Josh Smith

Age: 24


Regular Season: 53-29/81-81-35.4/15.7-8.7-4.2-1.6-2.1/50.5-61.8


Playoffs: 11-35.6/14.1-9.0-2.6-1.2-1.7/48.1-33.3-65.9


Why He's 30: Last year it finally looked like Smith was starting to "get it." He stopped chucking up threes because he finally realized he shot more like Shaq than Reggie Miller (also, terrible at the line like Shaq). He starting passing the ball instead and racked up over four assists per game. Yes, Smith still makes the occasional Josh Smith trademark bonehead play, but it does look like he's finally starting to grow up (he's still only 24).


If he really does find out what his role on a team should be and they create a position in basketball that blends the small forward and power foward positions into one position cocktail, look out for Josh Smith.








29. Tony Parker

Age: 28


Regular Season: 50-32/50-56-30.9/16.0-2.4-5.7-0.5-0.1/48.7-29.4-75.6


Playoffs: 10-33.5/17.3-3.8-5.4-0.6-0/47.4-59.5


Why He's 29: Don't judge Tony Parker's skill on last season. He was hurt essentially all of last season and George Hill's terrific play never really allowed him to get his rhythm back. Parker had a career (and generally healthy) year just the year before last season and should return back to that level now that he has had the opportunity to fully rest himself. Parker is going to make everybody remember how good of a player he really can be this season.





28. Brook Lopez

Age: 22


Regular Season: 12-70/82-82-36.9/18.8-8.6-2.3-0.7-1.7/49.9-81.7


Playoffs: N/A


Why He's 28: All signs point to a monster breakout year for Brook "my parents didn't know that me and my twin brother would be boys based on our borderline girly names" Lopez this year. I'd bet all the money that I have that he leads all centers in scoring this season (unless Amar'e plays center for the Knicks, then I recant that statement). And unless Demarcus Cousins ends up living up to his full potential (Do NOT rule this out. I see Cousins evolving into a monster of a player), he could hold that title for a long time. Brook does need to rebound more, but he's a center who can score, which I love (such a rare breed). I look forward to many years of knowing Brook on a first name basis.






27. Chauncey Billups

Age: 34


Regular Season: 53-29/73-73-34.1/19.5-3.1-5.6-1.1-0.1/41.8-38.6-91.0


Playoffs: 6-34.5/20.3-2.3-6.3-1.0-0.5/44.6-35.5-88.1


Why He's 27: Chauncey's career is definitely going in the wrong direction, but it is hard to ignore how influential of a leader he is. He led a Pistons team with inferior talent to a title against the Karl Malone-Gary Payton edition of the Shaqobe Lakers. The last time a team than Chauncey played for that did not win 50 games was the 00'-01' Minnesota Timberwolves. Chauncey is just a winner.





26. Danny Granger

Age: 27

Regular Season: 32-50/62-62-36.7/24.1-5.5-2.8-1.5-0.8/42.8-36.1-84.8

Playoffs: N/A

Why He's 26: Granger is one of the most talented scorers in the league, there is no question. He hits from deep, he hits from close-in, he hits his free throws. Bad news for Pacers fans: he's not leading you to a title any time soon. Actually, ever.

25. Carlos Boozer

Age: 28


Regular Season: 53-29/78-78-34.3/19.5-11.2-3.2-1.1-0.5/56.2-74.2


Playoffs: 10-40.2/19.7-13.2-2.9-0.4-0.7/53.0-54.3


Why He's 25: The whole "falling and breaking his hand" thing made me consider dropping Boozer from this list completely. Maybe Boozer's name is no coincidence?


All joking aside, Boozer does get injured a little too much, but it's hard to put him much lower than this. He and Deron Williams have essentially been the only players on note on Utah's past four teams, which have won 53, 48, 53, and 51 games. He brings scoring and rebounding in bunches, something that is present on most good teams (which is why Chicago could be dangerous once Rose and Noah start peaking).





24. Al Jefferson

Age: 25


Regular Season: 15-67/76-76-32.4/17.1-9.3-1.8-0.8-1.3/49.8-68.0


Playoffs: N/A


Why He's 24: Johnny Flynn to Deron Williams--that is the upgrade Al Jefferson is making this year after he was hijacked from Minnesota (Kahn strikes again!!!) this offseason. Jefferson is one of the true post players in the league and is fully capable of putting up 20 a game, especially with an elite point guard like Williams. There will be a multitude of easy baskets for Big Al that were not there in Minnesota. Expect a huge Al Jefferson year this season.

23. Russell Westbrook

Age: 21

Regular Season: 50-32/82-82-34.3/16.1-4.9-8.0-1.3-0.4/41.8-22.1-78.0

Playoffs: 6-35.3/20.5-6.0-6.0-1.7-0.2/47.3-41.7-84.2

Why He's 24: I don't consider myself a big Russell Westbrook guy, so it was very strange that I couldn't put him any lower than 23rd. Here's what I see from Westbrook-- an extremely athletic point guard who rebounds, hustles, and is an excellent passer and defender. How much lower could I rank a guy who has all of those qualities and stepped up his scoring duties in the playoffs when his star teammate was struggling?

22. Andrew Bogut

Age: 25


Regular Season: 46-36/69-69-32.3/15.9-10.2-1.8-0.6-2.5/52.0-62.9


Playoffs: N/A


Why He's 22: It's too bad Bogut suffered that horrific injury before the playoffs last year. Such a good guy, having a breakout year, a great team, and then BOOM!, his arm bends in ways that olympic gymnasts can not bend. Bogut finally evolved into a game changer last season, especially on the defensive end, and if he can get healthy again, the Bucks could do some very good things.





21. Zach Randolph

Age: 29


Regular Season: 40-42/81-81-37.7/20.8-11.7-1.8-1.0-0.4/48.8-28.8-77.8


Playoffs: N/A


Why He's 21: The safest bet for 20-10 this year? Zach Randolph. He scores. He rebounds. It's what he does, and he does it well. Yes, he shot selection is very questionable at times (That's the nice way of putting it. The mean way--he's a George Costanzanian chucker). The bottom line--Z-Bo does work down low on offense and is one of the best rebounders in the league. He was reason number one why Memphis flirted with a playoff birth for most of last season.








20. Paul Pierce

Age: 33


Regular Season: 50-32/71-71-34.0/18.3-4.4-3.1-1.2-0.4/47.2-41.4-85.2


Playoffs: 24-38.8/18.8-6.0-3.4-1.0-0.6/43.8-39.2-82.4


Why He's 20: It has to be questioned how much Pierce has left in the tank at this point in his career. He carried the Celtics for so many years and such a heavy burden, that it appears that he is wearing down now. He still can step it up when he has to, but it doesn't look like he'll be "the" Paul Pierce for much longer at all.


Maybe the great 3 point shooter can turn into purely a specialist and extend his career that way. Just something to ponder, Paul.





19. Yao Ming

Age: 30


Regular Season: Missed season, *08-09 stats, 53-29/77-77-33.6/21.1-10.6-1.9-0.4-2.1/54.8-86.6


Playoffs: 9-35.9/17.1-10.9-1.0-0.4-1.2/54.5-90.2


Why He's 19: Obviously his health is a huge (HUGE) concern, but a healthy Yao Ming (which is what he is now) is one of the best two centers in the league. He's one of the league's only 20-10 guys (as I mentioned before, there were only three last year) and will feast on smaller opponents. Just look at the Rockets from 2009 to 2010. Artest left and Yao was hurt, and that caused them to go from a 5th seed and one game from beating the eventual champs to missing the playoffs altogether. Yao is extremely valuable, he just needs to stay healthy.


The difference between Yao and another injury prone guys like Bynum is that we've seen what Yao can do. With Bynum and others (Greg Oden, etc), we still do not know how good they can be.





18. Joe Johnson

Age: 29


Regular Season: 53-29/76-76-38.0/21.3-4.6-4.9-1.1-0.1/45.8-36.9-81.8


Playoffs: 11-40.0/17.9-5.1-5.0-0.9-0.3/38.7-22.0-81.0


Why He's 18: Okay, it is obviously insane the amount of money Joe Johnson reeled in from Lake I Thought The Owners Were Broke this offseason. If I were ranking the players who were the best value for their contracts, Johnson would be closer to the eighteenth worse player than eighteenth best player. Luckily for Joe, that has nothing to do with how good he is. I mean, usually you have to be pretty good to earn the kind of dough Johnson got this offseason, and he is pretty good.


He can play multiple positions, shoots threes, rebounds and passes, and was the clear best guy on a 53 win team last year. That has to count for something. It has to count for a lot, actually. Just like people have forgotten how good LeBron James is because of the happenings of this offseason, Johnson's real life skill is being overshadowed by his egregious contract. He's still good, folks.





17. Amar'e Stoudemire

Age: 27


Regular Season: 54-28/82-82-34.6/24.1-9.3-1.0-0.7-1.1/55.7-77.1


Playoffs: 16-36.5/22.2-6.6-1.1-0.7-1.5/51.9-75.4


Why He's 17: If Raymond Felton can run Mike D'Antoni's offense half as good as Steve Nash, say hello to a monster Amar'e Stoudemire year. The dude is psyched to be in New York and playing under the big lights at the Garden. His first half is going to be insane. Like 30 points per game insane maybe. Yeah, he's still not going to be playing defense, but when was the last time a D'Antoni team won by playing defense? Yeah, I thought so.


The point is, Amar'e is a dynamic scorer who is basically the only option (him and Gallo), so the scoring numbers will come in bunches this year.





16. Derrick Rose

Age: 22


Regular Season: 41-41/78-78-36.8/20.8-3.8-6.0-0.7-0.3/48.9-26.7-76.6


Playoffs: 5-42.4/26.8-3.4-7.2-0.8-0/45.6-33.3-81.8


Why He's 16: Is this the "leap" year for Derrick Rose. I thought he was going to make the leap last year, and it did happen to an extent in the second half. Can he take another step now and start acting like a true point guard? He's definitely a talented scorer/slasher, but his assists numbers need to rise if the Bulls ever have a shot at winning a title with Rose as "the guy." Score-first point guards just don't win titles.






15. Chris Bosh

Age: 26


Regular Season: 40-42/70-70-36.1/24.0-10.8-2.4-0.6-1.0/51.8-79.7


Playoffs: N/A


Why He's 15: Is Bosh better than everybody realizes? Think back to the 2008 Olympics--Bosh clearly outplayed Howard in many of those games and has not done terribly i his past few NFL seasons either. How's 24-11 for ya?


Now Bosh has to make sacrifices in Miami, but he's going to be far less worn out and will be getting tons of open jumpers, which he makes at a high rate. What are the odds on Bosh leading the Heat in scoring? It could happen. (COULD. He'll probably be third. Just throwing it out there.)





14. Rajon Rondo

Age: 24
Regular Season: 50-32/81-81-36.6/13.7-4.4-9.8-2.3-0.1/50.8-21.3-62.1


Playoffs: 24-40.6/15.8-5.6-9.3-1.9-0.1/46.3-37.5-59.6


Why He's 14: Rondo has gone from the young, skinny point guard who won a title with the "Big 3" in Boston, to the best player on the Celtics in a mere two years. Look no further than the Celtics-Cavaliers series (sorry, Cleveland) to see how good of a player Rondo has come. Rondo single-handedly destroyed Cleveland in game 4 with his 29-18-13 performance. It was one of the greatest playoff performances of all-time and gave Boston the momentum they needed (with some help from Delonte) to beat the Cavs.


For that Cleveland series at least, Rondo was being considered the best point guard in the league, which seems slightly off now, but that is the level he was playing at. If he can play at that level even semi-consistently, he'll be a top 10 player very, very soon.





13. Pau Gasol

Age: 30


Regular Season: 57-25/65-65-37.0/18.3-11.3-3.4-0.6-1.7/53.6-79.0


Playoffs: 23-39.7/19.6-11.1-3.5-0.4-2.1/53.9-75.9


Why He's 13: It's really a two-man race between Gasol and Duncan for the title of best offensive post player in the world right now. Duncan's health is failing him and Gasol just seems to be getting better, so Gasol should hold the edge this time next year, but for now Duncan gets a slight edge.


Gasol hasn't gotten enough credit for being such a great player on the back-to-back title teams, so now is his moment. The guy is just a scoring machine down low. If the Lakers decided to run the offense through him, he could score 25 a game. He has a nose for the ball and plays gritty (gritty in a good way) defense. Kobe hasn't been doing it all by himself.





12. Tim Duncan

Age: 34


Regular Season: 50-32/77-78-31.3/17.9-10.1-3.2-0.6-1.5/51.8-72.5


Playoffs: 10-37.3/19.0-9.9-2.6-0.8-1.7/52.0-47.8


Why He's 12: It's sad to see Duncan declining, but we all knew this was coming. He's 34 years old and has had to carry the Spurs for a long time.


I'd say The Big Fundamental has had a pretty good run though--4 titles, 3 Finals MVPs, 2 MVPs--that's top 10 player ever material right there. Whether or not he can muster up one more signature Hall of Fame Timmy D season is the question all Spurs fans want answered (it's hard to see that happening).





11. Steve Nash

Age: 36

Regular Season: 54-28/81-81-32.8/16.5-3.3-11.0-0.5-1.1/50.7-42.6-93.8


Playoffs: 16-33.7/17.8-3.3-10.1-0.3-0.1/51.8-38.0-


Why He's 11: Steve Nash might get the vote for best teammate of all time. Has there ever been a teammate that didn't love Nash? He won two MVPs, in part, because he was a phenomenal teammate. The Suns success last year was based on a talent, yes, but also on the remarkable chemistry of the team, set in motion by their fearless, Canadian point guard. Nash has a skill that doesn't really fade in passing, so it's not unreasonable to think that he can keep churning out seasons like last year's for a few years and maybe more.



10. Dirk Nowitzki

Age: 32


Regular Season: 55-27/80-81-37.5/25.0-7.7-2.7-0.9-1.0/48.1-42.1-91.5


Playoffs: 6-38.8/26.7-8.2-3.0-0.8-0.7/54.7-57.1-95.2


Why He's 10: Dirk might be one of the forgotten superstars in 30-40 years. When people think of the NBA in the '00's, they'll think of Kobe, LeBron, Shaq, KG, Nash, and maybe a few others before Dirk. All Dirk has done for the past decade is churn out year after year of 20+ point, 50 win seasons, and has an MVP award to show for it. Dallas has never had another really good player to pair with Dirk since Nash fled to Phoenix, and the Mavs have still managed to win 60 games twice during that span. Dirk may be much better than he's ever been given credit for.




9. Brandon Roy

Age: 26


Regular Season: 50-32/65-65-37.2/21.5-4.4-4.7-0.9-0.2/47.3-33.0-78.0


Playoffs: 3-27.7/9.7-2.3-1.7-0-0/30.3-16.7-77.8 (*seriously injured), ['08-'09 playoff stats: 6-39.7/26.7-4.8-2.8-1.3-1.2]


Why He's 9: There's been a big controversy involving Roy "wanting the ball" during preseason. Yes, he said it, and he meant it. This is widely seen as a good thing by Blazer fans and coaches though. Roy has long been a passive player, too often deferring to teammates and not being selfish enough as a superstar. Roy has also taken steps to be a better leader this offseason, so we might be getting out first glimpse of a completely healthy, motivated, hungry Roy. Kinda scary if he can put it all together.

8. Carmelo Anthony

Age: 26

Regular Season: 53-29/69-69-38.2/28.2-6.6-3.2-1.3-0.4/45.8-31.6-83.0

Playoffs: 6-42.3/30.7-8.5-3.2-2.0-0.5/46.4-31.6-87.7

Why He's 8: Are we sure Carmelo can be a leader of a great team? Chauncey Billups has been the heart and soul of the Nuggets for the past few years and take a look at the "Melo led Nuggs before Chauncey arrived--43, 49, 44, 45, 50 wins--and after--54 and 53 wins.

Carmelo is still a great player and is easily on of the top five scorers in the league, but at this point, whether it is because of his desire to leave Denver for non-basketball related reasons or his inability to get far in the playoffs, his leadership ability has to be in question.

7. Deron Williams

Age: 26


Regular Season: 53-29/76-76-36.9/18.7-4.0-10.5-1.3-0.2/46.9-37.1-80.1


Playoffs: 10-39.8/24.3-2.7-10.3-1.0-0.4/45.0-39.2-80.2


Why He's 7: If there is anybody worthy of dethroning Chris Paul of his Best Point Guard Alive title, it's Williams. He's just not quite on Paul's level. He's not quite as good of a passer. He's not quite as good of scorer. He's not quite as good of a shooter. He is a better defender, mostly because of his size. Williams is extremely close to Paul, but just doesn't quite get over the hump.

On a more positive note, Williams is one of the best leaders league. Utah generally hasn't had the same talent as some other elite Western teams in the past few years, yet they keep cranking out 50, or near 50 win seasons (Jerry Sloan is a big part of that as well). Williams was a winner in college, and now he's become one of the best winners in the pros.

Don't bet against the Jazz as long as D-Will is manning the point in Salt Lake City.



6. Chris Paul

Age: 25


Regular Season: 37-45/45-45-38.0/18.7-4.2-10.7-2.1-0.2/49.3-40.9-84.7


Playoffs: N/A


Why He's 6: Let us not forget how good Chris Paul is. Going into last season, and for the previous couple of seasons, there was no doubt who the best point guard in the NBA was--Chris Paul. Now there are popular opinions of Deron Williams, Rajon Rondo, Steve Nash, or even Derrick Rose being better than Paul, but when Paul is healthy and playing at his highest level, there is no point guard in the league that can touch him. Look out for Paul as a sleeper MVP candidate this year.



5. Dwight Howard

Age: 24


Regular Season: 59-23/82-82-34.7/18.3-13.2-1.8-0.9-2.8/61.2-59.2


Playoffs: 14-35.5/18.1-11.1-1.4-0.8-3.5/61.4-51.9


Why He's 5: It's no secret that Dwight Howard worked out with Hakeem Olajuwon this offseason, but people are putting way too much thought into this. It's not like he's never studied post moves and tried to get better before, it's not going to suddenly click in three days. Yes, his post moves should be improved, in part because of working with The Dream, but also just as part of his evolution as a big man. If indeed Howard does become a 24-25 a night guy, while still playing his nasty defense, Orlando is a team to really watch out for. If Howard doesn't intimidate you, Stan Van Gundy certainly will.



4. Kevin Durant

Age: 22


Regular Season: 50-32/82-82-39.5/30.1-7.6-2.8-1.4-1.0/47.6-36.5-90.0


Playoffs: 6-38.5/25.0-7.7-2.3-0.5-1.3/35.0-28.6-87.1


Why He's 4: Okay Kevin, you've impressed me.


KD's insane performance at the World Championships was very impressive. He scored at will and was hitting threes in his sleep. But let's not get too excited, now. Let's look at the facts.


The U.S., despite bringing their so-called "B-team," was still the favorite at the WCs. Durant was scoring at will against Euroleagers and hitting bombs from the FIBA three-point line (20 ft, 6 inches compared to the NBA's 23 ft, 9 inch line). So let's not get too excited for the best player in the tournament beating up on Ersan Ilyasova.


However, let's do get excited. Durant is the best scorer in the league and will win another scoring title and probably take home the MVP as long as Oklahoma City improves on their win-loss record from last season (not necessarily a gimme, although it will more than likely happen). He's improving defensively and is improving in every aspect of his game. And oh yeah, he's 22 years old. Durant is going to be very, very good for a long, long time. Who knows, maybe he really is the best player in the world.


We will see this year if his hyped Thunder team can live up to or surpass their extremely high expectations.



3. Dwyane Wade

Age: 28


Regular Season: 47-35/77-77-36.3/26.6-4.8-6.5-1.8-1.1/47.6-30.0-76.1


Playoffs: 5-42.0/33.2-5.6-6.8-1.6-1.6/56.4-40.5-67.5


Why He's 3: Here's a few names to just throw out there-- Michael Beasley, Jermaine O'Neal, Udonis Haslem, Quentin Richardson. All of those players were Dwyane Wade's partners in crime for a team that won 47 games last year. Yes, they were only .500 vs. the West and yes, they got shellacked by the Celtics in round one (although Wade put up an insane 46 pointer with 16-24 shooting in Miami's win), but 47 wins for a team that doesn't have another player NEAR the top 50 is crazy. (Beasley is the only player in the top 100. And barely.)


Let us not forget, Dwyane Wade is still a really, really stinkin' good player (but make no mistake, he's NOT better than LeBron).



2. Kobe Bryant

Age: 32


Regular Season: 57-25/73-73-38.8/27.0-5.4-5.0-1.5-0.3/45.6-32.9-81.1


Playoffs: 23-40.1/29.2-6.0-5.5-1.3-0.7/45.8-37.4-84.2


Why He's 2: Kobe at 2!?!? That's what Lakers fans reading this are thinking. And admittedly, if I were a Laker fan, I'd probably be thinking that too. Luckily I'm not on the gold and purple bandwagon, so I can see things a little bit more clearly.


Yes, I recognize Kobe is a great, great player. I accept people that say he's the best in the world. That argument is strong, and the fact that he's won back-to-back titles is very powerful--it would be even more powerful if he did not almost blow game 7 with a 25 percent shooting percentage--but I digress. Kobe's scoring, defensive ability, and clutch play (game 6 of the Phoenix series was one of the most amazing single-game performances I've ever seen) are all viable reasons why Kobe could be considered the best player in the world.


I just look at the fact that LeBron had pretty bad teammates in Cleveland and his better all-around play in factoring which player is better. Kobe, go win another one, now that LeBron has no excuses, and I'll be convinced you're the best. (Note: I'm also worried about the knee.)



1. LeBron James

Age: 25


Regular Season: 61-21/76-76-39.0/29.7-7.3-8.6-1.6-1.0/50.3-33.3-76.7


Playoffs: 11-41.8/29.1-9.3-7.6-1.7-1.8/50.2-40.0-73.3


Why He's 1: Oh no, I put LeBron over Kobe! The "sidekick" over the back-to-back Finals MVP (6-24!). Yes, LeBron mailed in game 5 against the Celtics. Yes, he wasn't at his best in game 6 either, but are we really going to ignore the previous 85 games? LeBron was playing 1 on 5 versus an extremely physical Celtics team and not getting help from his teammates that whole series and maybe just wore down. And then there were also "those rumors", which, if true, could definitely be a big factor. The point is, are we really judging how good a player is on one or two games (If LeBron's 27-19-10 game 6 was a mail-in, doesn't that prove he's the best in the world?Who could mail in a near 30-20-10?)?


Look at what LeBron has done over the past two years with the Cavs with his best teammates being the immortal Mo Williams, Andersen Varejao, As big as a shack-ille O'Neal, and half a season of the great Antawn Jamison (Check out Antawn's game 5 and 6 numbers: 9 points, 6 board; 5 points, 5 boards. The missing piece!).


His teams won 66 and 61 games. He put up two of the best all-around seasons ever, winning two landslide MVP votes. Despite popular belief, he raised his game in the playoffs, as evidenced by his insane 2009 campaign: 35.3-9.1-7.3 on 51 percent shooting. Put LeBron with Kobe's supporting cast, LeBron wins the title both years.


If Kobe and his Lakers top LeBron and the Heat this year, I will finally cave on the toss up that is LeBron vs. Kobe. I'm taking the back-to-back MVP, who is one of the best all-around players in league history, for now though.







Predictions

MVP: Kevin Durant

Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard

Rookie of the Year: Blake Griffin

Sixth Man of the Year: James Harden

Most Improved Player of the Year: J.J. Hickson

Coach of the Year: Monty Williams

Western Conference: 1. Los Angeles Lakers (Projected record: 59-23), 2. Portland Trail Blazers (56-26), 3. Oklahoma City Thunder (55-27), 4. Dallas Mavericks (53-29), 5. Utah Jazz (52-30), 6. Houston (50-32), 7. New Orleans (48-34), 8. San Antonio (47-35), 9. Denver (45-37) 10. Phoenix Suns (42-40), 11. Los Angeles Clippers (36-56), 12. Sacramento Kings (28-54), 13. Memphis Grizzlies (28-54), 14. Golden State Warriors (25-57), 15. Minnesota Timberwolves (14-68)

Eastern Conference: 1. Miami Heat (68-14), 2. Orlando Magic (60-22), 3. Boston Celtics (57-25), 4. Atlanta Hawks (50-32), 5. Chicago Bulls (48-34), 6. Milwaukee (44-38), 7. Washington (42-40), 8. New York (39-43), 9. Charlotte (37-45), 10. Philadelphia (34-48), 11. Cleveland (34-48) Indiana (31-51), 12. New Jersey (28-54), , 14. Detroit (27-55), 15. Toronto (20-62)

Western Conference Finals: Lakers over Thunder in 7

Eastern Conference Finals: Heat over Magic in 5

NBA Finals: Heat over Lakers in 6

Finals MVP: LeBron James

NFL Picks: Week 1

The picks are back and in full force. Time to waste my time by making slightly irrelevant muses about each game that almost nobody will read. I don't even enjoy it, but oh well. Here they are.

Minnesota @ New Orleans

New Orleans is a very tough place to play and the Saint are every bit as talented as they were last year. It's hard to see old man Favre without his favorite target (Rice) going in and beating the defending champs on their own turf.

New Orleans 34 (-6.5), Minnesota 27

Miami @ Buffalo

Buffalo is going to be awful this year. But hey, isn't 1-15 better than 5-11? At least you get a top draft pick out of the torturous season.

Miami 28 (-3.5), Buffalo 10

Detroit @ Chicago

Detroit's talent level on offense has gone way up since last season. First of all, they added Jahvid Best, who could have been a top 10 pick if he had stayed healthy at Cal last year, and wide receiver Nate Burleson. Second of all, Calvin Johnson and Matthew Stafford are both healthy and happy, allowing them to form a good connection. It'll be hard to beat the Bears on their home turf, with Urlacher and Peppers in the fold now, but the Lions are due for a turnaround season very soon.

Chicago 30, Detroit 27 (+6.5)

Oakland @ Tennessee

Oakland is a sleeper pick by many people, and I'm just not sure I see it. Jason Campbell makes them a good team? Really? Campbell went 4-12 last year and has never led a team to a winning season. If Oakland really thinks Jason Campbell is the key to a turnaround, they've got problems. Well, they already have problems, so it's just business as usual.

Tennessee 17, Oakland 13 (+6.5)

Cincinnati @ New England

New England's offense is back. Tom Brady is fully healthy, Randy Moss and Wes Welker are still there, and the tight end situation has improved. Some critics of Brady, say the 2007 year was a fluke, but that's the only year when he was fully healthy with a top flight receiver. Expect the Pats to be closer to 2007 form than 2009 form.

Cincy on the other hand, will have a hard time making the playoffs. They're more likely to go 0-4 against Baltimore and Pittsburgh than 4-0 like they did last year. The Ochocinco hype machine will disappoint.

New England 31 (-5.5), Cincinnati 20

Carolina @ NY Giants

Carolina always plays the Giants well (see last season's 41-9 beatdown). I think Matt Moore is a legit NFL signal caller and that the vintage Steve Smith (the real Steve Smith) will be lining up at receiver. Oh yeah, they have the best running back duo in the league as well. New York will have better year than last year, but will have a hard time with the upstart Panthers.

Carolina 23 (+7.5), New York 20

Atlanta @ Pittsburgh

Call me a sucker, but I'm all in on Dennis Dixon. I never bought Byron Leftwich starting, even when healthy, only because Dixon is such a dual threat, but Dixon is not the reason for Pittsburgh bouncing back this year. Troy Polamalu's return is. That defense is going to be nasty and return to their rightful place among the game's elite defensive units.

Pittsburgh 20 (+2.5), Atlanta 14

Cleveland @ Tampa Bay

This game is so bad that it doesn't deserve more than a sentence about it.

Cleveland 20 (+2.5), Tampa Bay 13

Denver @ Jacksonville

Wow, another terrible game. This one gets two sentences.

Denver 22 (+2.5), Jacksonville 17

Indianapolis @ Houston

Peyton Manning doesn't lose to Houston. He's not going to start now. (I'm not buying into the Texans as a playoff team either. Too many other good teams for the Texans, with their shaky run game and defense to squeeze in).

Indianapolis 28 (-3.5), Houston 24

San Francisco @ Seattle

San Francisco has had tons of hype surrounding them, which I don't totally buy, but they have to win that division by default right? St. Louis and Seattle are not threats (although, anything can happen), and Arizona will be led into battle by Derek Anderson. Yep, I'd say the Alex Smith (still, yikes) led Niners will win the division, and this game, handily.

San Francisco 27 (+2.5), Seattle 16

Green Bay @ Philadelphia

"AARON RODGERS! CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP! AARON RODGERS! CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP! GREEN BAY PACKERS! CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP! GREEN BAY PACKERS! CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP!" That has been the media's general perception of the Packers this year. I like them to be good, and win that division, but I'm not ready to marry them quite yet. I might think about it though.

Green Bay 31 (-1.5), Philadelphia 20

Arizona @ St. Louis

May the not as bad team win.

St. Louis 17 (+3.5), Arizona 14

Dallas @ Washington

At least the "Cowboys for Super Bowl Champions" propaganda has died down so I don't have to ask where the heck it came from. Tony Romo just doesn't have what it takes to win the big one and Dez Bryant will not be a huge impact player this year. Washington could very well have a better year than Dallas, now that they have an above average quarterback.

Washington 26 (+3.5), Dallas 23

Baltimore @ NY Jets

Who's not excited for this one? These are the two teams that most everybody is picking to win the AFC bid to the Super Bowl (I am not one of them) and who can blame them? New York will have great run game and extremely tough defense and Baltimore should have one of the best offenses in the league (I believe in Flacco, Boldin, and Housh), as well as having a decent enough defense (they'll struggle against the pass). This one should be a thriller.

Baltimore 21 (+3.5), NY Jets 20

San Diego @ Kansas City

Philip Rivers continues to get disrespected. If he can somehow lead San Diego to a 12-4 or 13-3 record without their left tackle and best receiver, can we finally start engraving his name into the "top five" QB discussion that goes on every year. This has all the making of a trap game (I originally picked KC), but Kansas City doesn't look that much better than last year's terrible team on paper. San Diego it is.

San Diego 35 (-5.5), Kansas City 17

Game of the Week: Baltimore @ New York

Upset of the Week: Carolina over New York

Lock of the Week: Miami over Buffalo

Quick Picks for the Season

MVP: Not Aaron Rodgers (Tom Brady)

Offensive Player of the Year: Ray Rice

Defensive Player of the Year: DeMarcus Ware

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Ryan Mathews

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Ndamukong Suh

Comeback Player of the Year: Wes Welker

Coach of the Year: Norv Turner (Yes, Norv Turner)

Division winners (in order of playoff seedings): San Diego, Indianapolis, New England, Baltimore/New Orleans, Green Bay, San Francisco, Dallas

Wild Cards: Pittsburgh, Tennessee/Atlanta, Minnesota

Super Bowl: New England 30, New Orleans 24 (SB MVP: Tom Brady)

No marks in the loss column baby! Not until Friday morning.

A Little Bit Too Much Thunder: Oklahoma City Is Overrated (Right Now)

Remember when the Portland Trail Blazers were being hailed as a dynastic team with young super star Brandon Roy as the centerpiece, Lamarcus Aldridge as an All-Star sidekick, one of the most hyped draft picks of the decade in Greg Oden as the defensive stalwart down low and tons of young talent they could develop?

The Blazers have won 50 games in back to back seasons for the first time since 2001. They held homecourt advantage in the playoffs in 2009. But, they lost both playoffs series in six games (to teams that took the eventual champions to seven games).

The blueprint was there for Portland to be a dynastic team, but things do not always go according to plan. Lamarcus Aldridge hasn't even made an All-Star team yet. Greg Oden has been infected with the Portland lottery pick injury virus. The surrounding young talent has not blossomed like expected (particularly Rudy Fernandez, who seems to be on his way out of Portland sooner rather than later). Last year, the whole team was bitten by a historically bad injury bug (losing Oden and Pryzbilla to season ending knee injuries, Roy missing or being not fully healthy for almost the entire second half of the year). Now they are recovering from a messy divorce with fan favorite general manager Kevin Pritchard, who was fired for still unclear reasons.

Now Portland is just another good team in the West. A playoff team? Yes, almost unquestionably, but they wouldn't be considered a contender by most people, which is where they should be if everything had gone according to plan.

There's definitely still hope in Portland and around the league that Portland can be a contender in the near future. If Oden can stay on the court, Roy can avoid ticky tack injuries, and young guys like Batum and Bayless can reach anything close to their full potential, and Portland is can still be a major player in the West.

But all it is, is hope. Nothing is certain.

Enter the Oklahoma City Thunder. They're coming off of a 50 win season; they're first winning season since being abducted from Seattle and relocated in Oklahoma.

They have the league's reigning scoring champ who doubles as one of it's brightest stars, Kevin Durant (Who could be with the aforementioned Blazers if they hadn't taken Oden instead with the number one overall pick that year. In the words of Homer Simpson, "DOH!").

The have a rising star point guard in Russell Westbrook and have surrounded those guys with a multitude of very good young role players who have potential still to be unmasked.

Does this sound familiar at all?

All of the hype surround the Thunder is based on one certainty (that Durant will be an MVP caliber player for the next decade) and the rest is solely on potential.

Russell Westbrook has to become a perennial All-Star ('09-'10 stats: 16 ppg, 8 apg, 5 rpg), which isn't necessarily a gimme (I do believe he will be an All-Star caliber guy, but not a no doubt about it All-Star guy).

Serge Ibaka needs to morph into one of the league's premier post defenders.

James Harden needs to become a player that the third overall pick should be.

Their chemistry has to remain like the chemistry of the human body, with everything and everybody doing their job just right.

Their GM has to keep making great draft picks and sneaky trades and free agent pickups (probably the most likely to happen, besides Durant being a perennial MVP candidate. Presti might be the best GM in the league).

If any of those variables goes wrong, it's hard to see Oklahoma City spewing champagne on the Larry O'Brien trophy in early July any time soon.

When I was young, I was taught never to assume. Well, you probably know the old saying.

But it's the stone cold truth.

Assuming anything can make you look like a fool. Whether it's assuming it won't rain and getting drenched, or thinking Greg Oden is a cross between Tim Duncan and Bill Russell and then microfracture surgury taking away his entire rookie year. Never assume.

The Blazers were anointed as the next big thing a few years ago. Now the Thunder are being hailed as one of the best teams in the league right now and for the future.

As a Blazer fan, I can tell you to never assume anything. I feel like a pretty big idiot now for really believing that Portland could make a dynastic run (although I still think they can be serious contenders in the West if Oden can remain semi-healthy).

I advise anybody drinking the Thunder flavored Kool-Aid to not make the same mistake as I did.

Never, EVER assume.

It's for your own good.

Six Myths of the Summer of LeBron

The past few weeks have been all LeBron, all the time; so now it's my turn to chime in. On behalf of the "King." 

In honor of the six teams vying for LeBron's services, his switch to number six, and perhaps the number of titles he needs to win to start being in the best ever conversation, here are six myths that have been thrown out as fact over the past days. 

You're welcome LeBron.

1. LeBron has made a super spectacle of this ordeal.

Selfish. Immature. Egotistical. LeBron James has been described by these adjectives, and many similar unkind words in the past few weeks since becoming a free agent. 

Every media member who doesn't have to deal with LeBron directly (so basically everybody but ESPN) has been taking shots at him relentlessly, saying that he's milking his free agency for all that it is worth. That his ego has overtaken him and made him into a monster. 

But let's take a look at what really has generated all of the buzz around this. 

Who started making this "Summer of 2010" such a big deal as much as two years ago? 

Who initiated every free agency remark about LeBron's whereabouts next season?

Who said that there would be an elaborate free agency tour where LeBron would go to each city and get pitches from each team that desired him?

The answer to all of those questions is "not LeBron James."

Yes, LeBron and his marketing camp have arranged for a one hour special on ESPN to announce his big decision. Yes, that is taking it overboard. But is it not taking advantage of a situation like any good business man would do? LeBron is getting criticized unmercifully for this, but what type of NBA fan will NOT be watching? 

Doesn't this "special" ensure that the time for his decision will be known by all and that he himself will be able to make the big announcement instead of some reporter getting a leak and then having LeBron give him comments later?

Still, the "special" is a bit overboard for my taste, and the taste of most other people. At least make it 30 minutes instead of an hour. But really, what else has LeBron generated to hype this offseason?

Since when did it become a crime to be a free agent? What has LeBron done besides meet with six teams and wait a few extra days than most basketball fans/media members may have preferred? Most of the hype put out there has been by media members, not LeBron. 

Since game 5 of the Eastern Conference semis, LeBron has been getting nothing but bad press and blame for everything he's done/involves him. It's time he gets a little break (before he gets killed by all the fan bases that he left in the dust this offseason).

2. LeBron is the only one taking advantage of this free agency hoopla.

Not only is LeBron not the only one taking advantage (among actual free agents) of this whole "Summer of 2010," but I would argue that he might not even be the main offender of marketing himself this offseason. 

Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are both filming documentaries on this free agency experience. About themselves. 

There were rumors that Wade expressed interest in joining Chicago only to increase drama for the situation and add content for his documentary (I don't actually believe this, Wade had plenty of incentive to go to Chicago).

Also, in an interview with Michael Wilbon on Sportscenter, Wade basically said he chose playing with Chris Bosh over being able to see his kids in Chicago more frequently. I'm not saying Wade is a bad guy for that, but if LeBron had made a similar statement, he'd be getting killed right now. 

Chris Bosh posted a photo on Twitter with him and Wade and an empty seat in the middle, saying that "someone was missing." I'm pretty sure LeBron didn't tell Bosh to tweet that just to raise speculation of a Wade-Bosh-LeBron super trio somewhere. 

LeBron's big show might trump anything Bosh or Wade did to publicize their free agency intentions, but either hold all of them accountable, or don't criticize any of them. Bosh and Wade did plenty to hold people on the edge of their seats this July, except they got off without being called egotistical maniacs. 

Good for them. Not so good for LeBron.

Now we get into some likely scenarios for LeBron and a few myths about those. 

3. If LeBron goes to New York, they will not be a contender right away. 

Wade and Bosh are being described as a dynamic duo that can come in and contend in the Eastern Conference right away, so why couldn't LeBron and Amar'e Stoudemire? (Adding Bosh to Wade, Michael Beasley, and Mario Chalmers, +whatever else the get would definitely be an upgrade from last year's 5th place Heat team. So they would be a top 4 team in the East most likely, enabling them to contend). 

The Knicks lineup would look like this presumably, if LeBron decided to go there next season.  

Guards: LeBron, Toney Douglas

Forwards: Danilo Gallinari, Amar'e Stoudemire (with Wilson Chandler off the bench)

Center: Player X (Sorry Eddy Curry, you're not starting next year)

The Knicks would probably be able to sign a few veteran role players at the league minimum as well, putting together an underwhelming minus Amar'e supporting cast, but when Amar'e is added into the mix then that is a team that is probably better than the Hawks and could challenge the Celtics in the playoffs. 

Orlando would still have to be the favorite in the East next year if this scenario comes to pass, but the Knicks would be better than people think (LeBron went to the Finals with the likes of Larry Hughes, Zydrunus Ilguaskas, and Drew Gooden as his best teammates remember).

4. LeBron will be Wade's sidekick in Miami.

How can the overwhelmingly voted back-to-back MVP be a sidekick to anybody? Yes, Wade is a fixture in South Beach and brought the Heat their only championship, but if LeBron ends up in Miami then that immediately become LeBron's team. 

It would have to be LeBron's team too. If the Heat don't go out and get a better point guard (likely) then James would probably resume his duties as point forward like he played in Cleveland. Wade and LeBron need a large amount of touches and are probably the two most dangerous driving players in the league, but I think anyone would agree that LeBron is a little more potent than Wade. Is it harder to stop a super athletic 6'4" player or a super athletic 6'8" player who is built like a tank. I'll take option B. 

The Heat are going to want LeBron (again, the back-to-back MVP) to take on a leadership role in Miami and LeBron will want to as well. Dwyane seems like the more likely guy to take a back seat to the other and he probably realizes (as well as their coach, and Pat Riley) the LeBron is the better player. 

If anything it will be 1A and 1B in Miami, but LeBron will not be playing Pippen to Jordan or even Kobe to Shaq in Miami.

5. LeBron and Wade cannot coexist as teammates.

There haven't been too many similar situations to what Wade and LeBron would be in Miami. Two of the league's best three players have played together semi-recently (Kobe-Shaq in L.A.), but that was a completely different deal. Kobe and Shaq were obviously two completely different types of players who thrived in different situations. The marriage of those two famously ended in divorce despite the differences in their games. 

So why could LeBron and Wade play together, despite their very similar styles of play? 

Reason one: Because they're so dang good. 

By most measures, LeBron and Wade are two of the top three players in the NBA right now (some would throw Dwight Howard or Kevin Durant in the mix, but most smart NBA people would probably agree on Wade being a top three guy). Even if their chemistry isn't great, they will still perform. Shaq and Kobe weren't on the same page all the time, but the had great success together. 

But LeBron and Wade aren't Shaq and Kobe. They actually get along and know each other's strengths in their games (from playing with them, and against them). Teams cannot stop both of these players either. That's what would make them so dangerous. LeBron and Wade are both players deserving of a team's best lockdown defender. If that guy is guarding LeBron, Wade is going to destroy the opposition. Put that guy on Wade, and LeBron is dropping 40. 

These guys are just too good and too versatile not to be able to play together.

Reason two: Because they are actually good friends.

Dwyane Wade said this on live TV on Tuesday "it's no secret that LeBron and I are good friends." 

It's definitely not a secret. Sources say that LeBron and Wade (along with Bosh) have talked numerous times through this free agency process and have been intrigued about the possibility of playing together. 

They were, of course, teammates on the 2008 gold medal winning USA basketball squad, where both players played great (with Wade in a more complementary role off the bench). 

This isn't a staged or forced friendship. These guys are actually buddies. Maybe not best friends, but good friends none the less. 

They certainly aren't Kobe and Shaq, and that is definitely a complement.

Reason three: They would change their games to suit the team. 

A big gripe about LeBron James' game is his relative lack of a post up game. At 6'8" with super freak  athleticism and a 250+ pound frame, he should be able to develop one. 

With Wade being able to handle the bulk of the perimeter scoring and slashing, LeBron would be able to tinker with his skills and become and even more complete player (this is a scary thought).  

Wade would be able to save his body from the normal beating it takes from slashing to rim endlessly since LeBron is pretty good at that too. 

In short, the load which has been shouldered by LeBron and DWade for their whole careers would suddenly be lightened considerably, allowing them to be fresher and more focused. 

Playing with each other should make LeBron and Wade better players if anything. 

6. If LeBron goes to Miami, they won't necessarily win a championship. 

Let's take a look at the Lakers three peat teams. Here are the third, fourth, and fifth leading scorers on those teams

2000:Glen Rice, Ron Harper, Rick Fox

2001: Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Horace Grant

2002: Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Devean George

Who says you can't win a championship with mediocre role players? Actually these aren't really role players, they are the third and fourth options on a title team. A past his prime Glen Rice is only a third option on a title team if Kobe and Shaq or the star power equivalent are the number one and two. 

Wouldn't LeBron and Wade bring as much to the table as Kobe-Shaq? Or at least be close? Then add Chris Bosh, one of the top five post players in the NBA to the mix and how does that team not win the title? 

I'm assuming LeBron-Wade-Bosh work out a deal where one or more signs for less than max and Toronto does not sign and trade for Beasley in creating a lineup for them next season.

Here is a comparison on what Miami would look like against the Lakers head-to-head

C Minimum Player X/Andrew Bynum (if he can stay healthy...HA!)

PF Chris Bosh/Pau Gasol

SF LeBron James/Ron Artest

SG Dwyane Wade/Kobe Bryant

PG Mario Chalmers/Derek Fisher?Steve Blake?

6th Man Michael Beasley/ Lamar Odom

Those teams are actually very similar, except for the fact that Miami always has two guys who can score 30 on any given night. And then they have Bosh too. The Lakers actually match up okay with them because Bryant and Artest are two great defenders to stick on Wade and James and Bosh and Gasol would essentially cancel each other out, but James, Wade, and Bosh just seem like a bit too much for Kobe, Gasol and Co.

Hmmm...this could be very interesting.

The good thing is that the wait is almost over. LeBron will make his choice tomorrow at 9 and the NBA will either be centered in Miami for the immediate future or stay relatively the same (if he chooses either New York or Cleveland...I don't think Chicago is in his plans). 

LeBron may have made some enemies (unjustly) with this summer and it's pomp, but all eyes will be watching a television set with him announcing his future destination on Thursday.

I know I will. 

NBA Stock Report: Part Two

20. Memphis Grizzlies: Down

The Good: Marc Gasol came on very strong and makes the dealing of his brother Pau not look like a complete theft anymore. Gasol and Randolph make up a very good front line and O.J. Mayo will get his chance to really blossom as the premier perimeter scorer on the Grizzlies assuming Gay leaves. A solid nucleus is in place in Memphis.

The Bad: Rudy Gay, maybe their best player, is all but gone this offseason. With all of the decent teams that have cap space, why would Gay want to stay with a franchise that has shown little commitment to winning and more commitment to saving money? 

Another bad thing for Memphis: Zach Randolph is doing Zach Randolph things again (and in no way is that a good thing). Oh yeah, their number two overall pick in last year's draft played in the D-League for a portion of last season. That's definitely bad.

What they need to improve: Point guard. When the Grizzlies drafted Mike Conley at number 4 in the 2007 draft, they hoped that he would turn into an elite NBA point guard. Conley was actually decent last year, averaging a 12-5 and shooting almost 39 percent for three point land. But that's all Conley will ever be. If the Grizzlies want to make the playoffs they need more than that from their point guard.

Ability to improve: It's hard to believe that Zach Randolph will have another season like last years', that Hasheem Thabeet will ever have a decent NBA career, and that Rudy Gay will stay. Even after winning 40 games last year it might be rebuilding time in Memphis again.

2010-2011 Prediction: O.J. Mayo is a guy to keep and eye on next year with Rudy Gay''s expected departure, but as a team, Memphis doesn't have too much promise. (Maybe Grizzlies fans can hope for a crazy Zach Randolph arrest to spice the season up).

19. Milwaukee Bucks: Down

The Good: Brandon Jennings was considered a risk when Milwaukee took him in the lottery last year, but Jennings rewarded them greatly for that risk. He scored 55 points in a game during the regular season and showed up in the playoffs. Former number one overall pick Andrew Bogut decided this year was the time to show up as well and made Third Team All-NBA.

The Bad: Bogut suffered a horrific arm injury at the tail end of the season. Can he recover and be as effective as last year? Can the whole team of below average talent duplicate last seasons' playoff birth? Hmm....

What they need to improve: Talent level. Only Brandon Jennings, Andrew Bogut, and John Salmons are All-Star worthy talents and they are all on the borderline of average-above average players at their respective positions. Can a team really count on guys like Carlos Delfino, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, and Ersan Ilyasova  to play major minutes and be effective?

Ability to improve: Michael Redd will come back and make a brief cameo before injuring his knee again. If he can stay healthy, Redd can improve the Bucks with his outside shooting ability, but staying healthy is a major question for Redd. It's also a major question if they Bucks role players can perform as they did last year.

2010-2011 Prediction: The Bucks will once again be that pesky team that nobody wants to play, but it's hard to see them making the playoffs again. Then again, most people never thought they would make the playoffs this past season either. FEAR THE DEER!

18. Charlotte Bobcats: Down

The Good: Stephen Jackson proved he only need a change in scenery to be a All-Star level player. He was great last year in Charlotte and Gerald Wallace was as well. 

The Bad: Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace are getting to the age where they shouldn't be playing the best basketball of their careers. Teams with many average veterans playing key roles tend to not do as well when they are aged a year more.

What they need to improve: Scoring. Stephen Jackson is the only pure scorer that Charlotte has. Sure, Wallace and others have their nights, but if they want to make any kind of noise in the postseason, they need to go get another player who can score.

Ability to improve: Not many free agents want to come to Charlotte. Jordan doesn't draw players. They're finally out of the lottery this year. Could they be back in 2011?

2010-2011 Prediction: Larry Brown hasn't guaranteed he would be back for next year. If he's not, things could be ugly in Charlotte, but even if he is back, don't expect big things from the Bobcats.

17. Los Angeles Clippers: Up

The Good: Number one overall pick Blake Griffin will play his first minutes as a Clipper next year. Any time a team adds a number one pick to their team, it's good. Hopefully his knee holds up. I'm not a Clipper fan at all, and I'm actually rooting for Griffin to have a great NBA career just to break the Clipper curse. Nobody has beaten the curse yet though. 

The Bad: Like I said before, they are cursed. I don't believe in curses and I believe the Clippers are cursed. They're like the Chicago Cubs on steroids, but not lovable and minus Steve Bartman to blame. Where do I sign up for Clippers season tickets?

What they need to improve: Front office incompetence. It needs to be broken. Getting rid of Mike Dumbleavy was a good start. Now only if Donald Sterling could be fired. Alas.

Ability to improve: The Clippers are adding the 2009 number one overall pick to their team and will have enough cap space to sign one of the big free agents. Griffin is sure to improve the team and if they do get some sort of medium elite free agent (Rudy Gay level) the Clippers could be a playoff team. Not that they would do anything in the playoffs, but still. The PLAYOFFS!

2010-2011 Prediction: The Clippers should improve with Griffin joining the mix and Chris Kaman and Eric Gordon playing well. They should get an okay player in the draft as well. Things are looking up for LA's other team (Who in Los Angeles is actually a Clipper fan? It has to 99.5-0.5 Lakers-Clippers right?).

16. New Orleans Hornets: Up

The Good: Chris Paul should be back healthy and in his absence, the Hornets found some very talented youngsters in Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton. Hopefully the owners aren't too cheap to keep all of these guys.

The Bad: The Hornets are in a loaded Western Conference. Which of the eight teams that made the playoffs are going to be considerably worse than last year? New Orleans just doesn't have the overall talent level necessary to compete in the Western conference.

What they need to improve: Ownership. Hornets owner George Shinn is a notorious cheapskate who is always trying to cut costs. There have even been rumors about them cutting ties and trading Chris Paul. Hey, George, heres a tip: DON'T DO IT. (There have also been rumors that Shinn is trying to sell the team. Hornets fans are praying for this.)

Ability to improve: Getting Chris Paul back for the entire season helps. It REALLY helps.

2010-2011 Prediction: The Hornets will be much improved with the return of Paul and the continual improvement of their young players, but they will likely fall short of the playoffs once again.

15. New York Knicks: Up

The Good: The long awaited "Summer of 2010" is finally here! It seems pretty unlikely that LeBron will end up there, but they could land a Wade/Bosh combo or something like that. That would be something to be very excited about in New York.

The Bad: Free agents might want to go to New York, but nobody wants to play for the Knicks. The Knicks haven't exactly been tearing up the NBA for the past decade and the marquee players know that. If I was Dwyane Wade or LeBron James there is no way I would be going to the Knicks. (Not to mention the team they would be joining would have a terrible supporting cast. Two players can only do so much.)

What they need to improve: Landing a big ticket free agent (aka Wade or James). Knicks fans will be disappointed if they end up with a Joe Johnson/Amar'e Stoudemire duo. Can a team who hasn't even sniffed the playoffs for such a long time land one of the league's best players? 

Ability to improve: They're going to sign two (maybe three) very good players this offseason. Joe Johnson and Carlos Boozer as a team's top two players isn't terrible. It isn't great, but it's better than a David Lee-average player X duo.

2010-2011 Prediction: The Knicks won't land James or Wade, but they will get a pair of All-Stars that will finally make them relevant in the NBA again. 

14. Atlanta Hawks: Down

The Good: Josh Smith and Al Horford blossomed last year and took some of the pressure off of Joe Johnson's shoulders. 

The Bad: Joe Johnson is all but gone. Hawks fans can't decide if that's good or bad yet because of the royal stink bomb that Johnson dropped against Orlando in the playoffs. Johnson is good during the regular season though and will be missed.

What they need to improve: Playoff gutsiness. They showed no heart against Orlando as they lost by a combined 101 points in four games. It was just flat out embarrassing. 

Ability to improve: As much as Johnson sucked in the playoffs, he was the best and most important player on the Hawks all season long. If he goes, several wins go with him.

2010-2011 Prediction: Johnson will be gone, but Josh Smith and Al Horford should still be able to salvage a playoff birth in the weak Eastern Conference, or the Hawks could go back to being, well...the Hawks. 

13. Utah Jazz: Static

The Good: Deron Williams might have taken his place as the best point guard in the league with his incredible play+Chris Paul's injuries last year. To think, two teams in that draft passed on BOTH of them. 

The Bad: Carlos Boozer had been rumored to be done in Salt Lake City for what seems like five years now. If he does indeed bolt, Paul Millsap would fill in nicely, but he's not quite the physical offensive force that Boozer is. 

What they need to improve: Interior defense. The Jazz' center-power (Okur-Boozer) forward combo last year combined for 117 blocks (in 151 combined games). To compare, Greg Oden had 48 blocks in 21 games.

Ability to improve: Utah lucked out (with many other teams) in dealing with the Knicks when Isaiah Thomas was their GM, so they have a lottery pick. Giving a playoff team that made it past the first round a lottery pick helps that team considerably (umm...duh).

2010-2011 Prediction: Subtracting Boozer and adding a lottery pick just about evens out. The Jazz won't be quite as good next year, but will battle for a playoff spot once again.

12. San Antonio Spurs: Down

The Good: Add Dejuan Blair to the list of great later round draft picks by R.C. Buford (a very underrated name) and Co. If his ACL-less knees hold up, he could be a low post scoring/rebounding machine (think a better version of Boozer).

The Bad: Tim Duncan is finally showing signs that he is indeed not a super human. Although his numbers didn't dip too much, it was clear that he wasn't the dominant force he once was. Every era has to end eventually. 

What they need to improve: Age. The Spurs are not getting any younger. Duncan and Ginobili will turn 34 and 33 next season. George Hill and Dejuan Blair are the only promising under 25 year olds on the team, and they are even uncertainties. 

Ability to improve: San Antonio will get a higher than normal draft pick for them, so it will be interesting to see how they make use of it. Just a memo to anybody in the organization that is thinking about trading Tony Parker- don't do it!

2010-2011 Prediction: The dynasty is over, Gregg Popovich+Tim Duncan=playoffs. There's a reason the Spurs have made the playoffs every season of the Duncan era.

11. Houston Rockets: Up

The Good: What's not to like about next season as a Rockets fan? Yao will be back, T-Mac's ugly contract is off the books, Kevin Martin is in town, and you have a GM who is not afraid to pull the trigger on a big deal. Sounds pretty good to me.

The Bad: Yao is a ticking time bomb as far as injuries go. Can he really make it through an entire season?

What they need to improve: Health. If all of the Rockets stay healthy, they're a clear playoff team. Rockets fans know that this is a super uncertainty though.

Ability to improve: They have one of the best (maybe the 2nd best) center in the league rejoining the fray, Kevin Martin feeling at home, and Aaron Brooks improving another season. So, yeah...they should only get better.

2010-2011 Prediction: It's anyone's guess whether Yao can make it a full year on his bad feet and various other parts, but if he does this is a playoff team. I don't see him playing in 75+ games, but he'll play enough for the Rockets to be a playoff team.

LeBron Watch: "Cavs have the edge"

 

LeBron James has broken the silence about his impending free agency in the upcoming month of July.

In an interview with Larry King (that hasn't aired yet), James apparently said, when asked if the Cavs had an edge in signing him "absolutely."

Many people have conspired that LeBron will leave for Chicago (most likely) or a place like Miami or New York. But Cleveland clearly makes the most sense, and LeBron is realizing that.

LeBron is a business man along with being a basketball player, and does want to build his "brand" as big as he possibly can. This is the main reason many experts have suggested he would go to New York for, but ironically the best way LeBron can remain as likable as he is now and the best thing for his "brand" is to stay in Cleveland.

If he left Cleveland he would be treated as a traitor there, but not only there. Every teams fans, besides the one that landed him, would view him as a traitor and his public perception would take a fairly sizable hit.

Being an icon is about being likable, and if LeBron leaves Cleveland, he loses his likability. LeBron is the league's biggest icon right now, and perhaps the only reason Kobe Bryant isn't is because of his infamous sexual assault trial more than five years ago. That is mostly in the back of people's minds by now, but it lost him much of his popularity at the time when it happened.

Obviously LeBron leaving his team to play for another team wouldn't be nearly the same thing as what Kobe did (charges were dropped, although he admitted cheating on his wife), but his public perception would take a similar hit.

Loyalty, and the love of his home town and state is a big deal for LeBron. He's obviously still tight with his high school teammates who shared the spotlight with him when he was in the midst of one of the most hyped, if not the most hyped high school career of all time. I don't think LeBron could bare the hate that would be showered upon him every time he goes to Cleveland, which is essentially his home. LeBron would rather win 2-3 titles in Cleveland that win 5-6 in Chicago or New York if it means retaining his perception as a loyal, hometown hero.

Sure, if he goes to New York and brings relevancy back to the Knicks he would be hugely popular in New York, but if he wins in Cleveland, he would not only receive the love of Cavaliers fans, he would be seen as a sports hero in the entire United States. If he goes to New York and wins, people will still see him as the guy who dissed the tortured sports fans of Cleveland, Ohio. And people don't exactly feel bad for New York sports fans. They've won a title in 2009 (the Yankees), most Cavaliers have never seen a Cleveland based team win a title.

Chicago wouldn't make sense if only because he'd be in the shadow of Michael Jordan. Unless he pulled a Bill Russell and won something like 10 titles, he's not earning the Jordan shaped space in Chicago fans hearts.

Cleveland is the only place that makes sense for LeBron to play. Maybe he can convince somebody to come and play with him up in Cleveland so the Cavs can get over the hump and win a title.

And if he can't get that other player, at least he won't have an entire city hating his guts. And if he wins a title without that other player he will be loved by that same city and immortalized forever in Cleveland and in NBA history.

Stay in Cleveland, LeBron. It's the only sensible thing to do.

The NBA Stock Report: Part One

This is the first annual NBA Stock Report.

Basically it's rating the stock of NBA teams and how their immediate (next season) future looks.

Every team is evaluated with four categories: Good things about the team, bad things about the team, areas to improve, and ability to improve. Then I give my prediction on how the team will fare in the upcoming season.

Obviously free agency and the draft haven't happened yet, but the point is to break down each team's potential before those happen with many assumptions being made about those events. It should be interesting to look back on after those events actually are completed.

This is a reverse order countdown, so it begins with 29 (you will see why later on) and ends with 21 for part one.

So without further ado, here is Part One of the first Annual NBA Stock Report.



29. Detroit Pistons: Down


The Good: Rodney Stuckey is okay. I guess.

The Bad: This is a team of overpaid, under performing veterans who will never be superstars. It's going to take a while to build a winner in Detroit again.

What they need to improve: Overpaying mediocrity. They have given way, WAY too much money to the likes of Charlie Villanueva, Ben Gordon, and Rip Hamilton. Paying those three guys a combined 27 million is not a recipe for success in the NBA (Not to mention Tayshaun Prince makes 10 million).

Ability to improve team: No cap space, won't be able to get an elite guy (unless Cousins somehow drops because of character concerns) in the draft. Not good.

2010-2011 Prediction: The Lions might not be the worst team in Detroit next year. Somewhere Matthew Stafford is smiling (and Joe Dumars is not).



28. Minnesota Timberwolves: Static


The Good: Kevin Love and Al Jefferson should be one of the best C-PF tandems in the league, except that they are both natural power forwards and can't play with each other. (I know, that "good" turned into a "bad" really quickly. Why do you think they are number 29?)

The Bad: They're in Minnesota, so unless they get lucky in the draft, they're never going to get better.

What they need to improve: Backcourt scoring. Johnny Flynn and Corey Brewer aren't lighting the world on fire, or even lighting South America on fire. They need a guard to take some pressure off of KLove and Jefferson.

Ability to improve team: The T'Wolves picked a bad draft for their ping pong ball to get picked fourth. If they had the number one or two picks it would be an easy choice of Wall or Turner, but with their best two players being Al Jefferson and Kevin Love, drafting another big man wouldn't make much sense.

2010-2011 Prediction: "Basketball and Minnesota don't go very well together"- Ricky Rubio (Okay, I made that up, but it's not crazy to think he would say that.)



27. Indiana Pacers: Static


The Good: Danny Granger recently signed a contract extension and is a potential super star. How long can the Pacers expect to keep him happy though?

The Bad: No supporting cast for Granger. Troy Murphy? Roy Hibbert? Blah.

What they need to improve: Reliance on Granger. Everything comes down to Granger not having enough help and there is a good reason, because he has none. C'mon Larry, go get some help for your young star.

Ability to improve: The Pacers will always be mediocre, never being bad enough to get a super high draft pick. It actually might be better to just tank one season to get a top 3 pick and have a shot at the playoffs. That's not happening, and neither are the playoffs any time soon.

2010-2011 Prediction: Granger has no help, and he's not on the "superstar" level right now. The long suffering Pacers fans get to long suffer some more.



26. Philadelphia 76ers: Up

The Good: They have the number two pick in the draft, which means they will be able to pick Evan Turner, or get rid of Elton Brand's horrendous contract for decent talent. The odds are on the former, but it's really a win-win situation, although the latter is less of a win.

The Bad: They don't have any players close to being elite players. Andre Iguodala is a good player and I like Iguodala, but as a okay number two, or an extremely good number three, not a number one.

What they need to improve: Frontcourt everything. When Sam Dalembert and the corpse of Elton Brand are manning the front lines for your NBA team, things aren't going to turn out great.

Ability to improve: Who knows how good Evan Turner will be, but everybody seems to think that he can be a big contributor right away. Hopefully, for Philadelphia's sake, he is.

2010-2011 Prediction: Evan Turner provides a tiny ray of sunshine in a dark, cloudy sky. He needs another good player to make that ray shine brighter.



25. Toronto Raptors: Down

The Good: Toronto should get something for Chris Bosh in a sign-and-trade. Woo hoo!

The Bad: Chris Bosh is most likely headed south of the border onto greener pastures. In case nobody noticed, he was by far Toronto's best player last year (and the seasons before that).

What they need to improve: Defense. When Andrea Bargnani is patrolling the middle, that's not a good sign for a team's post defense. And their guards aren't exactly All-NBA defenders either.

Ability to improve: When a team's best player, and perennial All-Star power forward, leaves, then that team isn't improving. That team is the Toronto Raptors.

2010-2011 Prediction: Torontonians (I looked it up) will be looking forward to the Maple Leafs season, and that's not a good thing (To NBA fans not familiar with hockey: the Maple Leafs are in a state of awfulness right now).



24. Sacramento Kings: Static

The Good: Tyreke Evans had one of the best rookie seasons of the past 20 years and should be around for a while. He's the real deal.

The Bad: Tyreke Evans is all they got. There's a reason a rookie who was the fourth pick puts up 20-5-5 besides the fact that he is good- he had to.

What they need to improve: Like Danny Granger, Tyreke Evans is running a one man show. The Kings need help everywhere.

Ability to improve: Sacramento is young, so everybody should be improving. Picking at number five, they could get lucky and snatch a guy like Cousins and hope he ends up fulfilling his potential.

2010-2011 Prediction: The Kings are stockpiling decent young talent. Eventually they could break through, but not next season.



23. Golden State Warriors: Up

The Good: Stephen Curry looked like a perfect fit for the Warriors last year, and had a torrid second half. He was definitely the steal of the draft and is the building block for Golden State's future.

The Bad: There are bad defensive teams, and then there is Golden State. They gave up almost five more points per game that the second worst NBA team. How is Don Nelson considered one of the best coaches ever after that embarrassing display?

What they need to improve: Get rid of some of their "chuckers" and get some guys who actually try/know to play defense. Get something for Monta Ellis while he's putting up numbers. Defense really does win championships in today's NBA.

Ability to improve: The pieces are there. Golden State has plenty of young talent and trade pieces in Steph Curry, Monta Ellis, Anthony Randolph, Anthony Morrow. They could have somebody who fits the team perfectly fall into their laps in the draft as well. But will they improve? It's impossible to tell with the Warriors.

2010-2011 Prediction: It all comes back to defensive woes for Golden State. Warriors games should be very fun to watch, but maybe not for Warriors fans.



22. Washington Wizards: Up

The Good: John Wall is all but headed for the nation's capital and brings Washington their most bankable player since Wes Unseld.

The Bad: Gilbert Arenas might stall Wall's development and possibly threaten to shoot him. To make matters worse, Gilbert is practically untradeable with his cringe worthy contract and off court antics. Arenas could take some pressure off Wall and be a good scoring option still, but it's more likely that he will stall Wall's development slightly.

What they need to improve: Team chemistry. The Wizards clearly weren't the closest nit team last year. Whether it was the whole Arenas-Crittenton gun thing, or the fact that their two best players were traded mid season, the team was not a real team last year. That doesn't change over night either.

Ability to improve: John Wall is coming to town, and Gilbert Arenas will be able to play again. That should give them at least 7-8 more wins than last season.

2010-2011 Prediction: John Wall gives some hope for the franchise and they will also have hope that they can land the number one pick for next season too. Washington is still a year or two away from turning things around (at least they're doing better than their next door neighbors over in the Capital building and White House).



21. New Jersey Nets: Up


The Good: At the very least, new super-rich owner Mikhail Prokhorov will spice things up a bit. They might not land a marquee free agent like they want to, but there's no way the Nets will win fewer games than last season.

The Bad: This is still a team that won only 12 games last year. Teams that win 12 games just don't become suddenly good the next season. That is, unless Jay-Z convinces his boy LeBron to come over to Jersey (In the words of Steven Tyler: "Dream on").

What they need to improve: The losing atmosphere. The Lions went 0-16 in the NFL and it was clear that they weren't suddenly going to go 10-6 the following season. It doesn't get much closer to 0-16 than 12-70 in NBA terms, so New Jersey is going to have to mentally tough it out next year. If they land a big name free agent this is a moot point, but I don't see it happening.

Ability to improve: Any team that wins 12 games is going to improve, especially a team with Devin Harris, Brook Lopez (might be the second best center in the league now), the number 3 pick in the draft, and tons of cap space.

2010-2011 Prediction: The Nets will be substantially better than last season, but that could mean a variety of things. The offseason is a big wild card for New Jersey and I don't see any big name free agents going there. If I am wrong, and somebody does, they could very well be a playoff team. I don't think I'm wrong (C'mon, who does?).



Part Two: Coming Soon