The 2014-15 NBA Season Preview: Stuck in Mediocrity (20-16)

We're at the teams that are almost there, but just not good enough to make the playoffs (unless they're in the East) or be in the better half of the league. Josh was a little busy so he's only got input on teams 20, 19, and 16. Without further adieu we give you...

20. Brooklyn Nets

Intrigue: AT - They Are Who We Thought They Were - If anyone can recall the Lionel Hollins era in Memphis, albeit successful, they'll remember that it wasn't very fun to watch (unless you enjoy "Grit-n-grind"). The same can and will be said about this Nets team this year. They have a solid roster but it consists of players we already know what to expect from them. The motive is to add toughness to the team, but quite frankly what they really need is some youth and good health. The youth aspect can be thrown out the window thanks to Billy King being their GM so they're stuck with what they have and need to stay healthy. Brook Lopez if healthy can be one of the best centers in the league (even though he is one of the worst rebounders at 7 feet) and maybe Deron Williams' ankles heal and he finds his game again (eh...) to be a top-5 point guard he once was. That would be the largest upside of the team to go along with JJ continually getting buckets and Mason Plumlee taking over KG's duties. As it stands though, they're relatively boring and average and it most likely won't change as the season progresses.  

JL - The Hollins Effect - The Nets lost a few pieces from last season. Most notably Paul Pierce and Shaun Livingston. Even though they lost a few players, they gained a few as well. I like the way Teletovic looked. Not sure that's saying much if that's one of the few things that actually impressed me. Brooklyn's another year older and that means their veterans have another year's mileage on them. But that also means that this Nets team is supposed to be very disciplined. I really like Lionel Hollins as a coach. He's not a player coach but he knows how to utilize his players, and I think the veterans on this team understand that it's for the betterment of the team. Remember, Lionel Hollins coached the Grizzlies to a Western Conference Finals appearance in a playoffs as recent as 2013! I like the hiring and I think the fit is a lot better with Hollins than with Kidd. Despite losing key rotation players from last season, I think the Nets should be okay with Hollins leading the way.

Player to Watch: AT (+ Personal Take) - Kevin Garnett - There's a lot I want to say about the guy, but I think I will maybe save it for a future post. Just know this may be his last season, and even though he has been declining greatly in the last few years, I feel like he can still contribute. If the Nets aren't competing in February I hope they can work a buy out and give him a final chance to win a title and help a contender out. Maybe with Doc one last time...The Clippers could use another backup big.

JL - Deron Williams - Since Williams' departure from Utah, he's largely been a shell of himself. In fact, during the playoffs last season, Nets fans posted "Missing" ads around the city looking for "Deron Williams' talent." I watched him play the other night against Boston, and while their team didn't look that good, Williams did. I think the biggest thing for him is his confidence. He apparently said he's feeling confident in himself and that's not to be understated or overlooked. There was one play I saw in the Boston game where Williams was on an island with Sullinger and just rocked him to sleep with his signature crossover. After creating a LARGE amount of space, he hit a wide open jumper. A few years ago, Deron Williams vs. Chris Paul was a real debate. Now, it's irrelevant. I don't think Williams is going to be as good as he was circa '07, but he's going to have a good season and the Nets are going to go as far as he's willing to take them.

Personal Take:  JL - I really don't have too much to say about this Nets team. I don't think they're too interesting as far as most teams go. They're stuck in NBA purgatory and that's not a good place to be. NBA purgatory is when your team makes the playoffs, isn't good enough to win a championship, and really has no room for improvement or a young enough core to make leaps. Yeah, I don't know. Also, who the heck is Bogdanovic? Never heard of the guy but apparently, he was the first pick in the second round of the 2011 draft. He played for Serbia. He's 6'8" and he started the game for opening night. Still a mystery to me. Oh well.

Where Will They Be Come June?: AT - Just missing the playoffs but pretty much stuck with what they have next season. Even with KG off the books, they'll have no cap room and will still be paying the luxury tax. They also are stuck in draft pick hell until 2019 (teams either can swap their picks for the Nets' in 2015 and 2017 or...for Boston just have their picks in 2016 & 2018) Thanks for playing the GM game Billy King, and now I know why Prokhorov wants to sell the team.  

JL - I think the Nets are going to make the playoffs and have an early first round exit to whatever team they play. This is also probably going to be Kevin Garnett's last season... I'd write more about that but I'll save that for another time.

19. New York Knicks


Intrigue: JL - Fresh Start - Last season the Knicks got Phil Jackson to be the head of their operations in New York. For the first time in a long time, the Knicks actually have someone competent running things and making moves. I'm not too sure how the Triangle is going to work for them considering they really need one person to work with to make it work. The only star the Knicks have is Carmelo and I'm not too sure how that's going to work. Shaq even said so himself that you need at least two stars to run the Triangle. Jordan had Pippen and Kobe had Shaq and Pau. Melo has... Shane Larkin? Regardless, it's the Knicks' first season under Phil and I trust he's going to make some sort of noise via trades or just by winning games.

AT - The Triangle Offense and The Phil Effect - As long as the Knicks have a cast of interesting players (Melo, JR Swish, Shump, etc.), on and especially off the court, they're worth keeping an eye on. On the court it will be very interesting to see how many of these guys with not the greatest basketball IQs will adapt to the complex Triangle Offense. It will take some time before it pans out, but I think they'll be ok. As for playing defense...that may never happen with these guys. Off the court, c'mon man! We're going to be bathing in wine with Amar'e while he throws down fashion game with his Givenchy man-purse, dropping bars with the waviest fade from Iman, sliding into every thirst traps' DMs with JR, and making hats with Melo and LaLa. Honestly, I love the Knicks just cause their players are awesome and it really has nothing to do with basketball. They might not even be that good, but they're great entertainment (Humblebrag: Be fortunate enough, go to MSG and watch a game live. It is amazing. The atmosphere and die-hard fans are top notch. It's beautiful and shootaround is the most unintentionally funny thing you will ever see.) Go Knicks!  #FreeColeAldrich    

Player to Watch: JL - Iman Shumpert - It's hard to tell exactly just who the second best player on this team is. It's pretty much Carmelo and crew. I think the Iman Shumpert is arguably the most important piece for this team. Shumpert had a bit of a slump last season and I think he's due for a good season this year. His numbers won't be eye popping or anything but the way he affects the game doesn't necessarily show up in the box scores. I'd say his game is similar to Avery Bradley. He's not as much of a hound on defense but I'd say his offensive game is a little more developed. Shumpert is pretty much going to have no nights off. Because he's the Knicks' best perimeter defender, he's going to have to try to shut down the other team's best guard in an era where point guards are thriving and plentiful. I think he's up for the challenge and he's going to bounce back from last season's slump.

AT - Iman Shumpert - Remember his rookie season? He showed so much promise as a do-everything guard that was great on defense and capable of running the point if necessary. I thought he was on his way to being a "next really good shooting guard in the league," a position slowly declining in talent and lacking of stars (I grew up with young Kobe, T-Mac, Vince, Iverson, young Ray Allen, young D-Wade, pre-balding Ginobili while today we have Harden, old Kobe, old D-Wade, Monta Ellis, Klay Thompson?). That progress was impeded however when he tore his acl during the playoffs his rookie year and since then he hasn't been the same player despite seemingly healthy again. I really hope his last two seasons were flukes and the knee is fully healed. I want to see the Shump with promise shown in his rookie season. If that Shump is back, the Knicks could be better than expected.    

Personal Take: JL - I was aiming to talk about Rapaport's 30 for 30 on the Knicks in the 70's, but I haven't had a chance to watch yet. No YouTube videos or links that I could find, and I don't have a TV in my dorm. So, sorry about that. But everything's come full circle for Phil Jackson and the Knicks. He played a really small role in their championships (think of Luke Walton for the Lakers a few years ago) but now, he's at the head of the organization. I think it's going to be interesting to see what he's going to do. Also, I'm predicting that Melo's going to have at least three 50 point games this season.

AT - If you're a fan of the blog or want to support my finer tastes in fashion, please click on this website: ( http://www.redbubble.com/people/aflem/works/10281433-jr-smith-the-pipe?p=t-shirt ) and donate to the "Purchase Anson a You Trying to Get the Pipe JR Smith Shirt" fund! The shirt costs $25.52 and you can get one yourself! Slide into my DMs for information on how to donate. Thanks! 

Where Will They Be Come June?: JL - I'm not sure if the Knicks are going to make the playoffs to be honest. I think it's going to be a toss up between them, the Nets and the Bucks. If I had to pick one of those teams though, I'd go with the Knicks. I have faith in Phil and Knicks fans should too.

AT -  Although they're not the greatest team ever assembled, they're ok enough to compete for a final spot in the playoffs especially in the East. If any team will take the final spot in the East from my baby Bucks, it might have to be the Knicks. They'll have a ton of cap space (STAT and Bargs off the books) for the summer meaning Marc Gasol or Rajon Rondo? And if they only get one marquee free agent they'll have money left for 2016. Add in Phil Jackson's allure and playing in the mecca, the future of the Knicks is actually looking pretty bright.

16. Denver Nuggets

Intrigue: AT - Run N Gun Please - This team isn't made to play physical or work the post. They're really not meant to play great defense either. They're more fitting for George Karl's old style of running the opponent off the court and scoring at will. Well Karl isn't the coach anymore, and Brian Shaw who is the coach, doesn't necessarily coach by that philosophy. Therefore I hope Shaw can reach common ground with some of his philosophies while realizing his roster has a lot of guys meant to play basketball at a faster pace. If he wants physicality, let Faried crash the boards like a maniac, but don't make him post-up. If he wants to score in the paint, let Ty zoom past defenders for lay-ups. Galo will get his threes and Aflalo will provide the defensive edge. They also have a ton of depth to fill every role necessary. There are ways Shaw can get what he wants but it will just have to be done differently. This team has good talent they just need to play the right style to make it work.  

Player to Watch: AT - Danilo Gallinari - He's back! I feel like a lot of people didn't even realize he missed all of last year, but in case you forgot...

Bellissimo! He's back.

Personal Take: AT - I tried...I really tried to make a trade with this team, but it's really difficult. JaVale McGee has the second largest contract on the team, and at this point I don't think anyone wants him. The rest of the roster are pieces that are enticing but it won't get them a truly significant player. I think they'll trade guys like Hickson and Foye...maybe even Alonzo Gee for future assets to make space for other guys to play. Poor Alonzo Gee traded once again.

Where Will They Be Come June?: AT - On the outskirts of the Western Conference playoffs looking in. The conference is too loaded and unfortunately I don't see them as one of the teams making it. They'll be close. By next season hopefully they'll finally have an identity in year three of Brian Shaw, and be ready for the playoffs again. I'm almost certain they're trading some of the guys on this team for either future assets or a key contributor now. 

17. Miami Heat


Intrigue: AT - Picking Up the Pieces the King Left Behind - With Bron Bron taking his talents back home, the Heat are left in a very unflattering position of moving on and playing without the best basketball player on the planet. It's really difficult to look at an upside when Luol Deng is now the starting small forward, granted a very good small forward, but he's not LeBron. That being said the Heat have to move on and learn to play without LeBron, and we need to learn to acknowledge the team they actually have. They're an old squad, but they're not bad. Spoelstra is a good coach, a very underrated one in my opinion (of course everything is easier when you have Bron...but Mike Brown. Alright no more Bron mentions), and he'll have his team playing great defense as usual with good traps and solid rotations. The offense should be centered more around Bosh now and maybe we will witness the return of THE DINO RAPTOR. McBob, Granger, Birdzilla, Haslem, and their three-headed point guard rotation are decent players that will handle roles specifically fitting for them, and ENNIS. They may finish in the top half of the Eastern Conference ranks, but that would only be possible through certain circumstances (HEALTH) falling into place, and mostly dependent on the health and skill (or what remains of it) of my player to watch...

Player to Watch: AT - Dwyane Wade - The Heat need him to be a superstar again and that may be asking too much of him. He needs to be though or they may not even be in the playoffs this year (...or be a top seed in the East because the East is that bad). Look Bosh is great but as an alpha dog he only led the Raptors to two first round exits in his seven seasons in Toronto. Alpha dog Wade at his best and yes, 8 years younger, single-handedly won an NBA championship in 2006 playing with the last fumes of Shaq, 'Toine, The Glove, and White Chocolate...That's how good Wade was, but I'm not asking him to be D-Wade of eight years ago. Asking him to be 2008-2009 Super Dwyane Wade is even too much, but am I asking too much of 75%(22-5-4 and a healthy 70 games + playoffs) of that guy? In order for me to buy into the Heat being an elite Eastern Conference team, Wade needs to be that guy. I also need proof with some type of documentation from a German doctor that he fixed Wade's knees and any other health problems. 

Hopefully marriage and a rested offseason brings back any semblance of the old Wade. Hopefully hearing all the talk of being washed up and done will ignite a fire in him to prove the doubters wrong. He looked good last night despite leaving the game for a bit with a "left calf contusion." He'll have to remain healthy all year and look great on many nights. Good doesn't cut it anymore especially when he's the man again.

Personal Take: AT - I dare you to watch it, but don't do it. Please don't do it!

I hope you didn't watch it. There might even be a Part 2. My brain might explode. 

Where Will They Be Come June?: AT - Falling short of beating LeBron and the Cavs in the first round of the playoffs. D-Wade proves he's not done yet and has a couple good seasons left in him. Bosh's game continues to age well, and the Heat will look to acquire some younger assets somehow someway (no 1st round pick) heading into next season.

16. New Orleans Pelicans

Intrigue: AT - Putting the Team on his Brow - I feel like for most hardcore fans of the NBA, Anthony Davis is already a known commodity. As for the general public, this season will surely be his coming out party. He's been anointed the next big superstar in the league and in year three he will be asked to put the team on his brow back and those freakishly long limbs, and get them into the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. He's already gotten off to a great start posting a historic 26 points, 17 rebounds, and 9 blocks in his season debut (1st player with 26 Pts, 17 Reb, 9 Blk, & 3 Stl in a game since Hakeem in '90). The numbers will only get better as the season progresses. Pairing him with Omer Asik in the front court will make it almost impossible for teams to score inside on them (Asik had 17 boards and 5 blocks himself in the opener) and when paired with Ryan Anderson, teams will have to decide whether to defend Davis's versatile offensive game or risk leaving Anderson open for three. The continuity and health of the backcourt will be a huge x-factor for the team's success, and they will need to figure out production from the bench besides Anderson. While the rest of the team has its questions, Davis remains the one constant that will continue to ascend the individual ranks of the NBA, while placing his team in a position for a final spot in the Western Conference playoffs. 

JL - The Blow Up - Anthony Davis is about to have himself a great season. He was arguably the best player for Team USA this summer and he's only going to continue to improve. There's a reason why everyone's predicting he's the next in line to take over the NBA after Lebron and KD. Opening night, he had 26 points, 17 rebounds, and 9 BLOCKS. The dude is a freak and watching him is crazy. Before he ever got into the league, I was predicting that he was going to have a Duncan like career. Yes, I know Duncan is the best power forward of all time and that he's one of the best players in this era. But that's how confident I am in the Brow. Anthony Davis is going to set the world ablaze this season and you'd better be watching.

Player to Watch: AT - Jimmer Fredette - We may be on the last legs of potential JIMMER TIME folks...In his first three seasons in the league his potential of offensive explosions have been rather underwhelming as he's failed to earn significant minutes on the teams he previously played for. On this team, he will not only get a chance to play, but also a chance to earn a significant role on the team as a their backup point guard/deep threat they desperately need on the wings. He did not have a great start the previous night (0-6 from the field in 18 minutes) and he'll need to pick it up as he competes with a bench unit (Austin Rivers, Russ Smith, Darius Miller, Luke Babbit, etc.) that has many guys hungry to make an impression and ready to take his playing time. It's his time now to prove what he can do or risk veering into the career paths similar to the great Jason Kapono or Casey Jacobsen.      

JL - Omer Asik - He was recently acquired by the Pels this summer and it's already been evident just how gargantuan of an effect he's had on the team. It's going to be near impossible for opposing teams to score inside on the Pels. The tandem of Davis and Asik grabbed a ridiculous amount of boards on opening night. It's an extremely small sample size but I trust they'll continue to coexist perfectly alongside one another. The addition of Asik also allows Monty Williams to have Ryan Anderson come off the bench and add some firepower to their second unit. All this depends on how happy Asik is and if he can stay healthy.

Personal Take: AT - A Simple Proposition of Befuddlement and Name Changes - This whole New Orleans Pelicans, Charlotte Bobcats becoming the Hornets again, but the Pelicans were previously the Hornets thing really confuses me at times. Looking up "the last time the Pelicans made the playoffs" I typed in "Hornets" instead only to remember the Hornets are now the previously known Bob Johnson Cats and actually not the previously known New Orleans Hornets because the previously known New Orleans Hornets are now the New Orleans Pelicans. Reading what I just typed probably just messed up your mind but it's not my fault team-naming is stupid. So I offer the name solution:

Charlotte Hornets - As it always should have been.
New Orleans Jazz - One of the birthplaces of Jazz music, the name fits perfectly. How does the word "Jazz" equate to rocky mountains and snow in the first place?
Utah Yetis - Look I like Jazz Bear, he's a pretty cool mascot, but a Yeti is scary and intimidating as fuck...or it can be cute as well. He also fits the snow theme and he has been previously associated with the NBA in the past (Do you see blurry Darius Miles getting banged on??). Mascot facials sound nice.  

These are my name changes. I think it works great...That is until someone like myself decides to look up "last time the Jazz made the playoffs" only to get New Orleans Pelicans' team history failing to remember the Jazz are now the Pelicans, while the Pelicans were once the Hornets who are now in Charlotte, previously known as the Bobcats, and the Jazz are actually now the Yetis. Well shit...

JL - I don't know if you know but pelicans are some nasty animals. Here's some evidence of that: 1, 2, 3 

Where Will They Be Come June?: AT - Falling just short of the playoffs, but being a considerable 4 or 5 seed in the East, which doesn't mean anything because they play in the West. Anthony Davis being one of the most marketable young stars of the game (also only behind 2 other guys I would want to have the most to build a franchise around)  and not in the playoffs, although he should have been, causes Adam Silver to consider changing playoff seeding (conferences disregarded and only guaranteeing division winners a spot while the 10 best other teams will claim the remaining spots) because he wants his biggest stars to be showcased in the future when they deserve to be. The new playoff format will be deemed "The Unibrow Realignment." 

JL - The Pelicans are going to come up just short of the playoffs but are going to make huge improvements from last season thanks to Davis and the addition of Asik. I'm think they're going to hover around .500.


We hope the season has been great for you all so far. Part 4 will be up next week. Stay posted and as always thanks for reading.

The 2014-15 NBA Season Preview: Creeping Out Of The Basement (25-21)

Alright hope you guys enjoyed part 1, now it's on to the teams that aren't necessarily the worst teams in the league, but they're still not even in the ranks of mediocrity. At least for us, this batch is definitely more fun to talk about so without further adieu we give you number 25...

25. Indiana Pacers

Intrigue: AT - Learning to Play Without Lance and PG - Initially I thought to myself that this team could still have a chance to fight for a final spot in the playoffs until I realized they have absolutely zero guys who can put the ball on the floor and score except for Rodney Stuckey. This team already struggled to score last season and without their top 2 playmakers from the year before, it's going to be even more difficult this year. They still might have one of the best defenses in the league, but they still have to put the ball in the bucket to win games. I'm not sure if Roy Hibbert has what it takes to be an alpha dog. Look for this team to put up plenty of 80-spots throughout the year.  

JL (+ Personal Take) -  The Case of the Pacers and Roy Wonder -

What's intriguing to me about the Pacers this year is purely based on my opinion and how I think the season's going to go for the Pacers. So, I'm just going combine the PT with the Intrigue section. Hope you guys don't mind! To me, these Pacers have a chance to actually be more entertaining to watch than last year's team! Uhh… hello, no Paul George and no Lance Stephenson? It makes no sense, right? Well, let me clarify. I'll start by saying that just because they're more fun to watch doesn't mean that they'll be a better team than last year because that's definitely not the case. Indiana is a team that's all about defense! Last season, Indiana played some of the most boring basketball I've ever seen.  They ranked 27th in points per game, 29th in field goals made, and 28th in field goals attempted.  So all in all, their offense was awful. This year, we get to see what a team without Paul George and Lance Stephenson look like. As we all know, PG and Lance were the motors to this team's offense.  Without those two, how are they going to get all their points? Well, that's the fun part. We get to see how Roy Hibbert handles the offensive load. If he can amount to any sort of productive player this season, it'll be a great confidence booster for him after becoming the NBA's laughing stock and punching bag during the second half of the season.  Either way, the offense is going to look very different than last year's team. The Pacers are going to rely on a more team-oriented offense, and that's very exciting to me! Frank Vogel is a very good coach for all the same reasons that Scott Brooks is a good coach. They're both great defensive minds who rely on their stars to carry the offensive load. This could honestly be a blessing that Indiana lost their two most productive players. It gives Frank Vogel a chance to create a more fluid offense that could pay off next season.  I don't think the Pacers are going to win very many games this season, but stay patient Indiana fans!  

Personal Take: AT - Building for Next Season - As much as I want to say this team should/can rebuild by gaining more assets through trading Roy Hibbert, David West, and George Hill this season, their plan should not actually be for the distant future, but for next season. They should tank this season (the veterans know losing this year would be a fluke anyways) to hopefully add a top 5 pick and retain the core of this roster. Barring any potential setbacks with Paul George and a return to form, this team can be competing for an Eastern Conference title next year. Imagine a pissed off D-West playing in his last season trying to win a title, Roy Hibbert with a regained confidence from a larger workload this season, George Hill still being the glue, Stanley Johnson as the new sidekick, and a bench unit of CJ Miles and Watson, Stuckey, Copeland, etc. to compliment the return of PG? Nothing is guaranteed but if all goes according to this plan, 2016 should be the year the Pacers are playing for. 

Player to Watch: AT - Solomon Hill - This is straight out of the I don't know who to pick category, but find someone who might have potential upside. He was a first round pick last year and he's fighting with CJ Miles, Chris Copeland, and Damjan Rudez for playing time so there is definitely a chance he can get PT and make an impression. Man it sucks that PG is hurt.

JL - Rodney Stuckey - The Pacers didn't make too many moves this summer. They lost Lance Stephenson to free agency and they added CJ Miles and Rodney Stuckey. There aren't really a lot of players on this roster you can rely on for offense. Rodney Stuckey's been stuck in a less-than-ideal position for pretty much his whole career. After his first two seasons, the Pistons had no direction as a team, and Stuckey was stuck in a rotation for a team with too many combo guards. Stuckey, like Hibbert, has a lot to prove this season. Will he ever be any more than just that NBA player that looks like 50 Cent or can he become a solid starter for a playoff contender?

Where Will They Be Come June: AT - See "Personal Take" section right above and hope everything mentioned actually happens moving forward.

JL -  The Pacers won't be in the playoffs, Paul George will have had suited up for at least one game, and the Pacers will not have David West on their roster. This is the one chance the Pacers have to add a really good piece (via the '15 NBA Draft) for a really good price (rookie contract), and I expect them to seize this opportunity.

24. Minnesota T-Wolves

Intrigue: JL - Young Guns - As you all know, the T'Wolves went under a major overhaul of their roster during the summer. They lost Kevin Love, but gained a boatload of young talent. I'm still not sure why they traded for Thaddeus Young, but Flip Saunders still made the right choices for the most part with the Love situation. Anytime you can acquire a #1 pick in a deep draft, you should do it. Andrew Wiggins has ridiculous potential. He's not going to win ROY but he's going to be a star in this league someday. Couple that along with Ricky Rubio, Anthony Bennett, Zach Lavine and Gorgui Dieng, and it's not hard to see that the T'Wolves have a bright future ahead of them.

AT - Pushing the Tempo - Josh knows this pretty well that I'm a huge nerd when it comes to playing NBA 2K. One of my favorite things to do is create a franchise and run all 30 teams. I don't trade guys everywhere so each team won't look like a fantasy team. I try to be reasonable and keep integrity by making moves I think will benefit everybody involved as well as moves that are juicy storylines that may actually play out in the actual regular season. 

One of my favorite teams to build was the T-Wolves (moves were made in 2K13 so I had to simulate through two seasons). I hired Mike D'Antoni as the coach, traded Kevin Love (he went to the Warriors...more on that eventually) for picks, Ryan Anderson, Mozgov, and Danny Green (he wasn't that great in 2K13), and kept a scorer like Kevin Martin with a jack-of-all-trades 6th man in Anthony Randolph (2 years ago he was in the league and still had potential, solid rating in 2K as well). I put Rubio through shooting camp in the offseason, and  revved up D'Antoni's coaching style even more on fast breaks and three point shooting and the results after simulating the year were: 3-Seed in the West, the team led the league in PPG, D'Antoni won coach of the year, and Rubio bcame Nash-lite. He led the league in assists and earned all-NBA 3rd team honors. Even Anthony Randolph finished 2nd in 6th man of the year voting! Ryan Anderson, Kevin Martin, and Danny Green were the top 3 scorers on the team with Anderson leading the way at 18 ppg. That team was so fun to play with and it was always inbound/rebound and outlet to Ricky, locate the open wing and shoot the 3 or run a plethora of pick and rolls/pops until Ricky creates and finds someone open or gets open for a mid-range jimmy or drives in for a lay-up a la Steve Nash. Only a bit of defense was enough.      

So how is this all relevant to the current T'Wolves team this year? It really isn't except for the fact that they want to play very uptempo this year. Other than that the key piece of making it all work, Rubio, is actually a terrible finisher and he is a pretty poor shooter (hopefully he improved). Also they possess way more athleticism than shooting and they're a very young team which means a lot of losing is on the way. However they're not too far away from becoming an even better version of the team I created in a couple years. They have a potential superstar in Wiggins, a potential jack-of-all trades 6th man in Anthony Bennett, one wing shooter in K-Mart, and LaVine for big dunks.The most important piece is the coach (D'Antoni; go back to the front office Flip) to fine-tune the engine that runs the team (Rubio, who would become the protege and learn the ways of Nash). Put it all together and there may be a new version of the 2005 Phoenix Suns in Minnesota soon. Unfortunately, D'Antoni is not their coach, Rubio may not even be a T'Wolf next season and life isn't a video game...        

Player to Watch: JL - Anthony Bennett - He had the worst season of any first overall pick ever. A lot of people understandably have their doubts, but I truly believe Bennett can become a solid starter for this team. He's slimmed down, and looked really good in summer league. I'm predicting stat lines of 14, 6 and 3 for him, which isn't bad compared to last year. It's not just the physical element of the game, but I think the confidence he has will pay big dividends for him and the T'Wolves this season. He might even take home some hardware (Most Improved) this season!

AT - Since I provided a long summary of senseless what-ifs that won't happen I'll keep this one short: The Bounce Brothers - I'm really excited about the team's youth, especially these two. 

Personal Take: JL - I don't know if the T'Wolves are going to be any good this season, but they'll definitely be an exciting team to watch. Keep in mind that exciting doesn't necessarily mean winning a lot of ball games. If Ricky Rubio can step up and show that he's worth that max contract he's seeking out, the Timberwolves will be out of the cellar sooner rather than later. This team has a lot of potential, but it's their first year together and I just don't see them doing too well this season. There's going to be a lot of growing pains for this team, but they have a lot to look forward to.

AT -  I'm just going to continue to build my dream T'Wolves squad...Trade to Consider: 
(Wolves) :  Ryan Anderson, Jonas Jerebko
(Hornets) : Andrea Bargnani, Travis Outlaw, Shane Larkin, Lance Thomas, OKC 2nd '15
(Pistons) : Eric Gordon, Pablo Prigioni, Andre Roberson
(Knicks) : Pekovic, Chase Budinger, Brandon Jennings
(Thunder) : Iman Shumpert 

Logic: Wolves get a stretch 4 aka Kevin Love-lite which helps their need for a shooter and underrated rebounder. They also clear space for Gourgi Dieng to become the starting center who may be a better fit for their tempo...The Hornets get a bootleg Anderson replacement in Bargnani, and all contracts expire at the end of the year. Most importantly Eric Gordon's contract is off their books...which means the Pistons deal with it. Picking the lesser of two evils who would they rather have Brandon Jennings or Eric Gordon? That's a tough one, I'd say Eric Gordon. At least they get a veteran-savvy point guard in Prigioni as well...The Knicks get a good starting center instead of an old Sam Dalembert, Budinger is ok, and imagine a backcourt pairing of JR Smith and Brandon Jennings playing meaningful minutes. Holy shit...but ESPN trade machine says the trade increases their wins by 7 games so why not...and lastly The Thunder add an undervalued Shumpert for a bargain who could hopefully become a younger upgraded version of Thabo Sefolosha. 

Where Will They Be Come June: JL - At the end of the season, we'll be able to really see just how bright this team's future is. They're going to be in the lottery again this season, but that's only going to help them going forward. Flip Saunders did a great job handling Kevin Love, and I think T'Wolves fans should be excited for this season and the ones to come.

AT - Hopefully planning everything I mentioned. D'ANTONI for COACH 2016!! RE-SIGN RICKY. I'm beginning the campaign.

23. Sacramento Kings

Intrigue: AT - Trying to Succeed with Unfit Pieces - The Kings on paper look ok and I think with a little tinkering here and there, they could be a pretty good team. Playoff-worthy in the West though? Absolutely not. They should be decent on defense, but I really think offensive continuity is going to be a big problem for them. There's just too many inefficient players that play better only with the ball in their hands in isolated situations. I don't think Darren Collison (best role in this league for him: role with the Clippers last year) is a good enough point guard to make an offense flow, and you can't throw the ball into the paint to Boogie every time and just let him go to work (Or can you?...). We all know their owner wants to land a star on the team and he wants to win now so hopefully they can land someone like Rajon Rondo. Not only is he a big name that will sell extra tickets, but he'll definitely help with this teams' deficiencies. They have the pieces to acquire him, but we'll just have to wait and see if a deal will ever happen.

JL - King's Ransom - The Sacramento Kings have a decent roster for the first time in about a decade. Despite having two all-star level talents, the Kings still need a lot of pieces in order to even make the playoffs in a stacked Western Conference. The good thing is that they have an owner who's willing to do anything to make that happen. Vivek Ranadive is a guy who's willing to pay whatever luxury tax he needs to or make whatever crazy trade to bring the Kings back to a competitive level. The Kings are going to be making moves until they reach that level. It's going to be fun watching what moves the Kings make and what they do to improve this roster.

Player to Watch: AT - Boogie Cousins -  After his great summer of energetic play for Team USA and receiving accolades from the likes of Jerry Colangelo and Coach K, I don't really need to say much about the man. Everyone is already singing his praises and expecting that experience to lead to a MONSTER year. I agree. I'm on board the Boogie train. Anoint him the third splash brother. Give the man leadership responsibilities. Give him the damn ball and get out of his way!!

JL - Ben McLemore - McLemore was drafted by the Kings to be their next star. They could've gotten guys like MCW, Giannis or even Tim Hardaway Jr, who all in my opinion had better rookie seasons than McLemore did. There's added pressure now for McLemore because the Kings (incorrectly) drafted Nik Stauskas. Vivek Ranadive loves McLemore, but who doesn't love a new toy right? If McLemore doesn't take that next step and make improvements for this upcoming season, he could be in a different jersey by the end of it.

Personal Take: AT - I'm going to combine a trade with the team ahead of them to make the pieces fit a little better. Read along please...

JL - There's really not too much to say about this Kings team. They do have a few pieces here and there, but they're just not good enough yet. Good news though, Kings fans! The Kings are going to have their first All-Star since 2004 in Boogie Cousins! So there's that! Boogie's gonna have a great season so look forward to that.

Where Will They Be Come June: AT - The same place they were last season unless some moves are made. Yes Boogie is going to be phenomenal, Ben McLemore should get better, I like Stauskas a lot, and they have a good coach in Mike Malone, but the makeup of this roster is not good enough to even sniff the playoffs in a loaded west. Boogie needs help and J-Smoove or Rondo or both would not only be flashy transactions, but also significant moves in helping the team reach the playoffs. 

JL - The Kings aren't going to make the playoffs this year, but they will make a crazy trade at some point during the season. They have no chance of making it in a very tough Western Conference, which means they're going to be in the lottery once again, but it's okay. Things are slowly getting better, Kings fans.

22. Detroit Pistons

Intrigue: JL- Trading Chips The Pistons have all the pieces to rearrange their roster. Over the course of the summer, the Pistons signed Stan Van Gundy to take over the team and lead them back to the promised land. SVG definitely knows what he's doing and he's going to make some noise this season. By the end of the year, either Josh Smith or Greg Monroe will be gone, and it's going to be fun to see just where they are. Brandon Jennings is good, but he might even be gone too. The Pistons are in for a better season than last year.

AT- See "Intrigue" for Kings above and apply. Remove ambitious new owner trying to make splashy moves instead with new coach/president of basketball operations trying to make moves that will result in wins, and change point guard unable to create offense with point guard unable to play smart.  

Player to Watch: JL- Andre Drummond - Anson believes this guy is on the verge of a monster season. I'm going to be watching closely because honestly, I haven't watched him play more than a few times. I know he played for the US this summer, but he really didn't play enough to leave an impression on me. I'm going to be keeping a tab on him, and I'm excited to watch for just what everyone's making noise about. It's not that I don't think he's good, it's just that I haven't seen him enough to make any observations about him. Also, anytime you hear about a guy who shoots around 25% at the line, you would think they don't know how to play at all, right?

AT - Andre Drummond - In his rookie season he averaged 7 and 7, 37% from the line with a mediocre Lawrence Frank as his coach. In his sophomore season he averaged 13 and 13, 41% from the line really without a coach (Cheeks 50 games, interim coach for 32). This season...20 and 15, 55% from the line?? It is very possible when you consider not only is this year 3 where he should make the significant leap in skill and production, but he also has a GREAT coach now. The same guy that coached D-12 to MVP-worthy seasons and led the Magic to an NBA Finals behind that-said dominant center. Drummond was already on his way to being dominant and now he has the coach that can refine his raw talent and take him to another level. Oh boy is he going to be scary good this year and moving forward.

I can't believe Josh isn't sold on him. If we redid the 2012 draft he's going 2nd only behind The Brow. Boo Josh. BOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Personal Take: JL - I actually love the hiring of Stan Van Gundy. I originally wanted the Warriors to sign him to coach, but he went to Detroit instead. Detroit offered him presidential power in their organization and I'm excited to see what he does with the team. While we wait for all these things to happen, I want to share my all-time favorite SVG moment with you:

Also, the dude can ball better than you would think.

AT - Trade to Consider:
(Pistons): Nik Stauskas, Derrick Williams, Jason Thompson
(Kings): Josh Smith, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Pistons 2nd '15

Logic: The Pistons get the sweet shooting stroke of Stasukas they need, and SVG loves, to help with spacing when Drummond and Monroe clog the paint. He'd be a huge weapon in the offense and would play a role similar to Rashard Lewis and Turkoglu's in Orlando which would mean plenty of open threes and great success. Williams provides the athleticism lost from Smoove, and Thompson is a solid backup big for either Monroe or Drummond...The Kings get the "big name" player owner, Vivek Ranadive, wants in Josh Smith to compliment Cousins and Gay in the front court. I can also see J-Smoove being a huge contributor and having the role best fit for him as a jack-of-all-trades (except for shooting) 3rd option of the team. Caldwell-Pope's youth and potential makes up a bit for losing Stauskas.

Where Will They Be Come June: JL - The Pistons are going to just miss the playoffs this season, but it's okay. Their roster's still under some construction, and I'm confident they'll make it to the playoffs next season.

AT - Just missing the playoffs, SVG has cured Brandon Jennings of his ball-hogging/inefficient ways into a solid middle-tier point guard. Andre Drummond posts monster numbers, and with a lottery pick on its way, and Josh Smith or Greg Monroe gone (meaning some type of assets acquired), the Pistons are on their way to landing a playoff spot next season.

21. Milwaukee Bucks

Intrigue: AT - The Darkest Horse in the East -  For many inexplicable reasons I am riding very high on this Bucks team. Josh had to talk me out of placing them in the top 20. What is there not to like about this team? Rookie of the year that may average 20 ppg (Jabari)? Check. Potential superstar that has raw skill, can play all five positions, and is abnormally long (Giannis)? Check. Interior bully that is a wildcard and might be crazy (Sanders)? Check. Depth at all positions (Bayless, Mayo, Dudley, Henson, Pachulia, Marshall etc.)? Check. X-Factor leader of the team (Knight)? Check. Lastly young coach that will do whatever it takes to win? Check. This team is very young and inexperienced but they remind me so much of that young Thunder team back in 2008-2009, the year they drafted Westbrook. Maybe I'm a year off with these guys breaking out because the Thunder didn't make it to the playoffs (lost 59 games that year) until the following season, and Giannis is nowhere close to refined as KD was in year two, but I think they have the potential pieces to be very good, maybe not this season, but definitely next season. I will nurture and care for this team, the same way I did with that OKC squad (the moment I fell in love), and when they blow up don't say I didn't warn you. I'm driving the Seattle Milwaukee Bucks bandwagon, Josh can have shotgun, and there are plenty of seats left. Hop on before it's too late.

JL - GIANNIS! GIANNIS! -  Giannis Antetokounmpo is the only reason you'll ever need to watch the Bucks. Even when the Bucks sucked and had an awful season last season, I watched a bunch of games just to catch glimpses of the Greek Freak. I like to think that he's a young KD mixed with Lance Stephenson playmaking mixed with some Anthony Davis defense. Plus, on top of that, he's still growing! Anson and I are on this Giannis bandwagon early, and we highly suggest you join us.

Player to Watch: AT - Brandon Knight - He was on my fantasy team last year and my only legitimate point guard (so sad) so I followed his progress all year. He started off slow, picked up a bit in November, and he started to ball out by mid-December. Like I said before, he's the x-factor of this team. I think he can be really good and he'll have one of the greatest point guards to ever play coaching him now. How much better he has gotten will determine how far this team can go.

JL - GIANNIS! Larry Sanders - I wanted to put Giannis, but I'm afraid you'll get bored of me just talking about the Greek Freak. Wait, what am I even saying? No one gets bored hearing about him… Anyways, I think the entire season is based on the performances of two players: Brandon Knight and Larry Sanders. Anson took Knight, so I'll talk about Larry. Everyone says you need to live like Larry, but the one guy who shouldn't is actually Larry, himself. Larry Sanders had a plethora of off the court issues and got injured on multiple occasions. I actually really like Larry Sanders, and I think he can still become a really good player in this league. I'm hoping he turns it around this season under a new coach and a new owner. So here's to you, Larry.

Personal Take: AT - Although I just spoke about Knight's potential. The NBA is a business and in harvesting my baby Bucks we need to make a splash. We're not trying to make the playoffs next year. We're trying to make it NOW. So...Trade to Consider (RONDO TRADE ALERT!!) : 

(Bucks) : Rajon Rondo, Gerald Wallace, Luis Scola
(Celtics) : Brandon Knight, John Henson, Khris Middleton, Kendrick Perkins, Bucks 1st '15, Thunder 2nd '15
(Thunder) : OJ Mayo, Chris Copeland
(Pacers) : Ersan Ilyasova

Logic: Sometimes you have to take the bad with the great meaning Rondo running the show, but Gerald Wallace rotting your bench/potential rotation. It's worth it. Add Scola for some more depth and this team can be underdogging their way to an upset against a top seed in the playoffs. It's worth the risk for the half year rental of Rondo, and if they move to Seattle who says he might not stay?...The C's get young pieces, old man Perk back, and draft picks...The Thunder may get a wildcard 6th man in Mayo or just a dude with a last name that describes what's in a lot of the foods he eats. Copeland can stretch the floor, which is something they need...The Pacers get their new starting power forward to replace D. West when he retires and he'll be a solid bench player for his current role at a decent contract.

JL - Fun Facts About Giannis - Giannis once tried running from his apartment to a Bucks game because he sent all the money he had on him back home to his family. Giannis grew two inches during his first season in the NBA. Most fans can't pronounce Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis Antetokounmpo has hands that'll make the basketball look like it's the size of a small cantaloupe. Giannis sweeps floors at movie theaters and makes pizzas. He is the most interesting man in the NBA, and he's going to win the MIP or at least… I hope he does.

Where Will They Be Come June: AT - Giving the Bulls a run for their money as an 8-seed in the playoffs (6 games all tough like OKC did in 2010 against the Lakers). They'll be back next season ready to make a bigger leap. The Milwaukee Bucks, Anson Toy's "Approved Darkhorse" of the Eastern Conference. Book it!...If not, this result happens next year. Book that!

JL - Like I said earlier, Anson and I are on this Bucks/Giannis bandwagon. Only, it's not a bandwagon yet. We think the Bucks are going to make the playoffs, and it's going to be great!

Happy Opening Night's Eve! Enjoy the slate of games coming up tomorrow and the rest of the week. Basketball is back! Stay tuned for part 3 coming soon. Thanks for reading.

The 2014-15 NBA Season Preview: Basement Dwellers (30-26)

We're back! The season is less than a week away. It's time to start feeling the excitement and it's time for us to predict the season for the teams in our beloved league.  Will LeBron's homecoming and the new Big 3 finally bring a title to Cleveland? Are Pop and crew satisfied or are they still hungry to make their team the greatest and most underrated ever in NBA history? What are we expecting from the return of D-Rose and Kobe this year? How many shots will Russ shoot per game in the time KD will miss? Who is sliding into JR Smith's DMs this year? Who sprayed it better? Lebron or Boozer? All these and many more questions will be answered in the season previews. So stay tuned and continue to check up on the blog.  

It's year four of our season preview! For those who have been been reading from the beginning, thank you, and for all new readers, welcome. The preview will pretty much be the same as last year's with the same criteria with an added personal take section which is like grab-bag so whatever we want to talk about. However each team will get their insight from the both of us this year. We're (JL = Josh, AT = Anson) ranking from worst to first so without further adieu we give you the worst teams of the preview (sorry)...

30. Philadelphia T̶a̶n̶k̶ ̶M̶a̶c̶h̶i̶n̶e̶  76ers

Intrigue  - JL:  Joel Embiid's Twitter - If Joel Embiid wasn't out for the entire season, I would have most definitely said the front court pairing of Embiid and Nerlens Noel. However, with the way things stand, Embiid's stuck on the sidelines and that only means one thing: more social media fun! For those who don't follow, Embiid's been highly entertaining on Twitter. From asking Kim Kardashian out and finding new female friends to just pure tomfoolery, Embiid's Twitter is undoubtedly going to be the most interesting thing about this upcoming Sixers season. Honestly, I don't know if you should be sad or happy about that.

AT: The Chase for Historic Inferiortiy - Have you actually taken a gander at their roster?? How great would you feel if I told you Henry Sims, Hollis Thompson, Tony Wroten, and KJ McDaniels could start 60+ games each this season (Feel free to look up their career stats)? Mikey Carter-Williams may miss half the season and with Nerlens Noel getting his feet wet in year one, the Sixers will be pushing a majority of 2nd round talent out on the floor night in and night out. These Sixers are BAD and I mean potentially, historically bad. 

For Sam Hinkie, this is all according to plan, and I actually applaud the all-out tanking effort. He will get another top 5 pick, and can use this season to find potential gems in the bargain bucket of 2nd round value to already add to his roster of young talent. If you can't win now, why not bust in a big way? Unfortunately for Sixers fans, are you guys still hanging in there? This is going to be one very difficult year to watch and maybe even next season and the year after that...At least they have JoJo for off-the-court entertainment this year and on-the-court excitement for the future (Please keep him healthy basketball gods, PLEASE).
  
Player to Watch - JL: Nerlens Noel - He has been a joy to watch in summer league and preseason, and I don't see it being any different during the regular season. He's got ridiculous upside to go with that ridiculous updo. He's my personal favorite to take home the ROY aware this year if the voters don't take into account their inevitable horrendous record like they did last year. If MCW can win the ROY trophy with a string of 26 straight losses to his belt, why can't Nerlens? Nerlens and MCW could be the first back-to-back ROYs to play for and win the award for the same team since Bob McAdoo and Ernie DiGregorio did it in the early 70's.

AT: Nerlens Noel - He really is the only guy worth watching for potential upside this season at least until Embiid hopefully comes back towards the end of the year. He has the best high-top fade in the league (Sorry Iman), and he will finish in the top 3 of voting for rookie of the year. I just pray that he can stay healthy all year so we can enjoy one of the leagues best shot-blockers (Yes he is already there without playing a game). I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Personal Take - JL: There's really not too much to say about the Sixers other than they're not going to win a whole lot of basketball games this season… There's a slim chance they might even have 76 losses by the end of the season, but these things happen when you have a team full of D-League All-Stars and Jason Richardson. It's okay though, Philly fans, just think about it this way: at least they didn't change the lottery system this season!

AT: For anyone who has ever made the assertion or consideration that the best collegiate basketball team in a given year could beat the worst team in the NBA in that same year, I've always thought that person was an idiot. That opinion is ridiculous if you consider that NBA rosters are a collection of guys who were most of the time the best players on their collegiate programs. 99.9% of the time the worst team in the league will not only beat the top-ranked college program, but would blow them out. I have no doubts about that. However, this Sixers team may actually be that 0.1% exception and place me in the opinion of said-idiots. 

Now look, 9 McDonald's All-Americans on a collegiate roster do not equate to a team of NBA pros, and when actually playing against 15 grown-ass men/ actual NBA professionals Kentucky should still get blown out by this current Sixers team (8 McD All-Americans on their squad) logically speaking. Being an outrageously-thinking basketball fan for this situation however, I have to consider...the Harrison twins (late 1st round, early 2nd round talents and the one that plays shooting guard, Aaron? has these), poor man Kidd-Gilchrist (Poythress, 2nd round talent), and that 4-headed big man rotation (Towns, Lee, and Cauley-Stein are all potential 1st rounders/lottery picks) Calipari will unleash at Kentucky could actually give the Sixers a run for their money, right? Kentucky has at least 7 guys that will play in the NBA next year or in the future. We have an evenly-matched basketball game! Let's get these teams on the same court to settle this ridiculous thought in my head, but actually...Let's move on please.         

Where Will They Be Come June -  JL: The Sixers have a lot to look forward to, and really nothing to be excited for except... maybe a few exciting Tweets from Joel Embiid. By the end of the season, they're going to be the team with the most ping pong balls at the draft lottery, but it's okay. There's a bright future ahead Philadelphia fans! You'll be good in about 2 or 3 years...

AT: There are some early and end-of-season stinkers to be won with a heavy dose of double-digit losing streaks sprinkled in the middle. I am going to give them a friendly record of...12-70. Yes! They are not historically the worst. WOOOOOOO. Let's get ready to draft Kelly Oubre or Emmanuel Muiday  to go along with these guys...
 

...add in some growing pains and 2016/2017 can't come soon enough for the Sixers when hopefully everything comes into fruition.

29. Boston Celtics

Intrigue - AT: ? - I don't want to sound mean, but I really do not have much to be intrigued about with this team. I wanna say...the disparity of rebounds their opponents will have against them by season's end? Will Jeff Green be the only player on this team to average more than 15 ppg until he is traded? Kelly Olynyk is their starting center? Whether they have Rondo for the entire year or not, this team will not be very fun to watch. They don't have any scorers nor do they have any decent rebounders in the front court (unless they throw Sullinger's big butt down there). I would say the best thing for them is to continue blowing it up...then again it may not be? I just...I don't know. At least watching Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart hound opposing guards will be fun to watch.   

JL: Waiting on Ainge - Let me just get this out first: I love Rajon Rondo. He's my favorite player in the league, and I want the Celtics to do well. Right now, the Celtics kind of really suck. However, with that being said, the Celtics have a crap ton of young assets and expiring contracts that are very tradable. Something to watch is what Danny Ainge decides to do with the roster. Rondo's in a contract year, and Boston would hate to lose him for nothing come free agency next summer.

Player to Watch - AT: Marcus Smart - I mean there really isn't anyone else. I like Smart. I like his fiery demeanor. I love his bullish style of play, and for the C's they stole a top 3 pick from the 2013 draft . I think his upside can be a poor man's Derrick Rose or Kyle Lowry with more size. How he develops his jumper and whether or not he can bring the same physical presence he exhibited in college to the pros will be important in defining the player he will and could be. 

JL: Jared Sullinger - He is growing into a monster and I think he could be a very key piece in determining how this season is going to fare. Last season, Sully showed a few flashes of brilliance - enough to be deemed the "Kevin Love of the East." Sullinger should be enjoying his first full season as a starter for the Celtics, and I predict something along the lines of a 16 PPG and 9 RPG. The last three preseason games, Sullinger averaged 19 PPG, but that's not the crazy thing. Sullinger's rebounding average came out to an astounding 18 RPG in the last two games. It's also worth noting that in all three games, he played under 30 minutes. If these preseason numbers are any indication of how he's going to play this upcoming season and future seasons to come, the Celtics should be set at the 4 spot for a while.

Personal Take - AT: Alright guys, for your patience of zero posts since last year's preview I present to you my favorite (and hopefully your's) aspect of the preview...Trade To Consider...but not only that, RONDO TRADE ALERT!!...and not only that a 7-TEAMER (I may have spent an hour figuring this one out. That's how much I love this game...):

(Celtics): Brandan Wright, Ray Felton, Ricky Ledo, Thomas Robinson, CJ McCollum, 
Joel Freeland, Mike Dunleavy & E'Twaun Moore, Mavs 1st 2015, Cavs or Bulls 1st 2015
(Mavs): Rajon Rondo, Luis Scola, Nazr Mohammed, Phil Pressey
(Blazers): Roy Hibbert, CJ Watson, Brandon Bass, Richard Jefferson & Devin Harris
(Pacers): Robin Lopez, Dorell Wright, Victor Claver, Jameer Nelson, Bernard James, Gerald Wallace & Kirk Hinrich, Blaze 1st 2015  
(Bulls): Marcus Thornton, Will Barton, Wiz 2nd 2015 via BOS
(Sixers): Whichever of the 50 role wing players that do the same things on the Lakers they want or Ryan Kelly and Robert Sacre or Jordan Clarkson, Clips 2nd 2015 via LAL
(Lakers): Steve Blake 

Logic: So the C's get young talent and a couple of ok veterans (minus Fat Felton), add 2 late 1st rounders and it's not bad if Rondo does leave in the offseason and they end up with nothing...What better way for Mark Cuban to piss off Daryl Morey even more than to take the point guard that he covets. It's great for television, great for NBA beefs, and great for the Mavs. You know what's better than Monta Ellis pick and rolls/pops with Dirk? Rondo pick and rolls/pops with Dirk! Add Scola as a solid reliever for Dirk, and who cares about the rest of the depth. Monta and Rondo can play 40 minutes a night so my boy Gal Mekel (whom I watched for like 5 minutes in preseason...he was AWFUL) and Doron Lamb only have to play less than a quarter a game. Consider the Mavs a legitimate contender in the elite class of the league with this trade...The Blazers upgrade the one position I think could use upgrading, and it's with a center that they've wanted. Their bench becomes very solid with a ton of veterans that will contribute and they too move into legitimate candidacy...The Pacers get to rebuild but also add contributors now. Put it this way, Gerald Wallace and Dorell Wright can contribute just as much as CJ Miles and Rodney Stuckey will for them this season. It's just added depth temporarily...The Bulls add Thornton who can fall in line with the heat check guys that have succeeded on this team the previous years (Nate Rob, Augustin). He can get his own without help and I think the Bulls need more/as much perimeter shooting around D-Rose as they can get...The Sixers are only in this party because they can absorb cap and assets to allow...the Lakers to bring back Kobe's pal because it was not cool when they traded him away last year...and Steve Nash is out for the year ("won't last the whole year or maybe even 5 games" - was written here just a few days ago, mixed with a joke about Steve sneezing and blowing out his shoulder...yeesh I sorry Steve.) so they need a back up for Lin.     

JL: I had the Celtics a few spots higher, but that's probably only because I love Rondo. I can't argue with where they're actually ranked because I understand the Celtics are honestly not very good. This season can go one of two ways: 
 1. If Danny Ainge can somehow pull off another miracle (summer of '07), and flip a bunch of assets for something decent, I think the Celtics could maybe be good enough to surprise a lot of people and make the playoffs. 
 2. If Ainge finally decides to go all in on this rebuild and send Rondo packing (the more likely option), it's going to be a long season for the Boston faithful. I told Anson that the only teams I'd want to see Rondo go to are Dallas, OKC, New York, or… the Warriors! I'm kidding about the Warriors… I don't even know what they would do with him on their roster.

Where Will They Be Come June - AT: I really don't know because this franchise can go either way and it's all dependent on Rondo, the young guys developing, and how great of a coach Brad Stevens really is. If Rondo can endure losing and wants to re-sign, some of the young talent works, and Stevens coaches them to respectability, they have a solid foundation for other stars who might want to play under the 17 banners. However, if everything stated goes completely the other way, a full rebuild seems necessary. I think KG said it best in regards to the direction of this team. Unfortunately it's just not in the same context anymore. 

JL: I really don't want to say this, but by the time mid-April comes around, things aren't going to be looking good for my Celtics. Rondo will be gone, and the Celtics will have completely committed to a full-on rebuild of their team. The Celtics are going to have a lot of ping pong balls in the lottery, and that's probably going to be the only thing to look forward to for Celtics fans after the trade deadline.


28. Orlando Magic

Intrigue - JL: Prospects of a New Coach - The Orlando Magic have a really solid, young nucleus. One thing that Orlando's management is going to realize is that Jacque Vaughn is not a really great coach. With young studs like Oladipo, Vucevic, and Harris, the Magic should be on the brink of their first playoff season since Dwight left. That's not the case though. The Magic are stuck in the basement for now, and that's not going to change drastically until they sign a new coach (maybe Mark Jackson?) to take over. Elfrid Payton and especially Aaron Gordon (who in my opinion, left for the draft a year too early) are going to need a coach who can really help them develop into potential super stars.

AT: Young and Not Ready - They're a very intriguing team in the opinion of loaded depth but consisting mostly of young talent. I think they've done a great job drafting and trading the last few years. The question I have this season is their style of play, what the team's realistic expectations are, and why they've shelved out money ($45 million total) in the offseason for the likes of Luke Ridnour (1 year guaranteed), Ben Gordon (2 years), and Channing Frye (4 years) this summer. It doesn't make sense to me when considering they're not a playoff-caliber team adding those guys, and without them, they could have given valuable experience to a young/decent (?) lineup of Vuc, AG, Harris, Oladipo, and Payton with a bench group of Fournier, Harkless, Nicholson, O'Quinn, and old man Willie Green. That young rotation minus Green might surprise some some folks and I don't see how allowing Ridnour or Gordon to take valuable playing time from guys like Payton or Oladipo will help now or in the future. As for Channing Frye I wish he had signed with a contender for cheaper, but I can't blame the man for getting paid. He'll at least be a decent stretch 4 or 5 on the team.      

Player to Watch - JL: Victor Oladipo - Hola, Oladipo! As with most players in the NBA, their sophomore season says a lot about their future. As we saw last season, Anthony Davis bloomed into a superstar and Damian Lillard turned into an All-Star. I love Oladipo's energy on the court. He's a pretty versatile player who competes on both ends of the floor. I also love how he's always calm and extremely level-headed, never too high, never too low. Can Oladipo bring his game to the next level or will he go through the infamous Sophomore Slump? We're about to find out.

AT: Victor Oladipo - I like him a lot. I still think he can be the best player from his draft class and the boy can sing. Look for a much bigger role for him this season.

Personal Take -  JL: Bonus Player to Watch - Elfrid Payton - A lot of people are extremely high on Payton. He's predicted to finish in the top 3 for ROY voting, and I'm not entirely sure it's warranted. Watching him go through several workouts and the draft combine really intrigued me, but since then I haven't really been following his game too much. I saw a few games during summer league, but that often doesn't tell you too much. Initially, I thought he was similar to Damian Lillard coming out of a small conference school and doing big things in the league, but we'll finally get to see the type of player he actually is really soon.

AT: It hurts my heart to realize I am only getting older. Watching sports my whole life, I've always admired athletes because they were marvels at the games they played. I wanted to be like them and imitate all their moves. The other aspect of this was that most of these athletes I watched were older than me so it was easy to look up to them and hope to eventually strive to be like them. However, I've now reached the point in my life where that isn't happening and rookies in the NBA are Josh's age. Case-in-point: Aaron "Baby Blake Man-Child" Gordon.The first time I ever saw him play, he was 16, and playing in the SF Pro-Ams for the summer. In warm-ups he non-nonchalantly threw the ball off the glass and went between the legs for a dunk. No big deal. Then in-game he was just throwing down 360s and posterizing grown men. Not special at all. Until I remembered HE WAS 16 FUCKING YEARS OLD. Fast forward 3 years later and now he is a rookie in the league...at 19. He's still dunking on folks and looks like this now with a promising future of being the next Blake Griffin. While I in 3 years have maybe gained 10 pounds (hopefully muscle and not fat), remained a nice 5'8, and hopefully can last 2 hours of pick-up basketball once a week with a promising future of hopefully turning this cubicle I work in into a nice office with a window one day.    

These new young athletes just reaching the pros have changed the way I look at sports. Instead of admiration for wanting to be like these guys, I admire them with jealousy and sadness. A sadness and realization that I will never be as tall as them (not even 6 feet), be able to run, or jump like them, to look like this when I work out, or to even possess the one-eyed snake of Amar'e Stoudemire. These young'ns are all still amazing and will continue to amaze me as I get older. As Aaron Gordon progresses through his career of turning each NBA arena into his personal bounce house, it will only make me wonder more how these people are created?? What did their parents feed them? Why didn't my parents put protein powder in my milk growing up?? Life is unfair man.

Where Will They Be Come June - JL: At the end of the season, Orlando's going to be in the lottery with an interim coach. They have a really slim chance on seeing the playoffs this year, but I doubt it's going to happen. It's probably just going to be more ping pong balls for Orlando next summer.

AT: Looking forward to adding another lottery pick with their young core en route to the list of darkhorse/sleeper teams to potentially make the Eastern Conference playoffs next year.

27. Utah Jazz

Intrigue - AT: See "Intrigue" section for the Magic above and apply all except for the signing of useless veterans.


JL: How Many Scowls Will Quin Snyder Have This Year?? - So you're telling me that Utah indeed won't make the playoffs this year?! There's going to be a lot of growing pains with this team this season. I really like the hiring of Quin Snyder. He seems like a great guy. Speaking of great things, I just came up with a great idea! One shot every time Quin Snyder scowls during a game! Okay, maybe not… you might get a little too drunk and I don't want to be held responsible. But yeah, what are the Las Vegas odds that Quin Snyder will have an angry look on his face at least 1000 times this season?


Player to Watch -  AT: Derrick Favors - I'm still waiting for that all-worldly power forward to show up eventually. While many doubt it will happen now especially since he's coming up on year 6, I think everyone forgets he's still only 23 years old! There's still plenty of time to prove everybody wrong.

JL: Trey Burke - He plays with a competitive edge that I love. He, like Oladipo, brings a lot of energy to the court. I didn't watch the Jazz play too much last season, but they were a lot worse before he returned from his injury. I think he can maybe be a star in this league, but similar to Oladipo, there's always the chance he'll catch the Sophomore Slump and never reach his potential.

Personal Take - AT: This is my bonus Player to Watch - Rudy Gobert - Just ask Josh, I'm a fan. If you watched any of him in the summer league or during the World Cup he's actually a competent raw, young center that can be pretty decent in the league. 7-footers that can run and chew gum at the same time whilst blocking shots is a rare breed. Zach Lowe can explain the rest.
  
JL: This team is not very exciting. I think it was a mistake to re-sign Gordon Hayward, and it was also a mistake giving Kanter and Favors big contracts. I'm hoping they prove me wrong because that'd be just great for everyone. I actually really like Gordon Hayward, but he's on the wrong team. Utah's just not going to make the playoffs soon, and I think they should've tried trading him for more young assets. I hope this Utah team surprises me and proves me wrong.


Where Will They Be Come June - AT: See "Where They Will Be Come June" section for Magic above, replace Eastern Conference playoffs with "Western Conference playoffs" and apply. It'll also be interesting to see of the trio of Favors, Kanter, and Gobert, which two they decide to keep.

JL: Utah hasn't been to the playoffs since 2010, and that's not going to change this season. In a loaded Western conference, it's extremely difficult to get to the upper echelon of the league. Phoenix and Portland made the leap last season, but I think the only team on the verge of that is New Orleans. More on that later.


26. Los Angeles Lakers

Intrigue - JL: How Will Kobe Fare? - Kobe Bryant returned from a torn achilles suffered at the end of the 2013 season to only play 6 games last season before sustaining a knee fracture that shut him down for the rest of the year. He hasn't played an official game for a long time and in the 6 games he did play last year, he looked rusty. He's looked relatively Kobe-esque this preseason, and I hope he returns to form. We're in the twilight years of Kobe's illustrious career, and it's going to be exciting to see just how well the Lakers do this season. Regardless of how they perform, it's hard for me to imagine that Kobe will be anything short of amazing. Kobe's been in the league for nearly 20 years now, and it's crazy to think that he's going to retire soon. So, cherish the last few Kobe years we have.

AT: Will the Lakers Finish as the Worst Team in the Western Conference This Year? - My answer to that is...Yes. Preseason isn't indicative of what will actually happen once the games matter, but boy do they look really bad so far. They can't play defense, they have no young studs to be excited about minus Julius Randle (no pressure though), they have so many wings that are just athletic, and poor old Steve Nash...*sigh*...Kobe is back and ready to chuck 25+ shots a game while hoping his knee/Achilles/ankles will hold up. Carlos Boozer is ready to share his enthusiasm for losing. While Jeremy Lin gets to be a starter again! Feel the excitement. It's going to be a loooooooong season for LA's other team (YEAH I SAID IT). Even Utah at least has something to look forward to while losing (a whole starting 5 and more of youth). The Lakers can't say the same. The only reason they're not actually ranked behind the Jazz is because Josh thinks a little more highly of them so hopefully he had something nice to say.  

Player to Watch - JL: Jeremy Lin - He has always played with a chip on his shoulder, and this season should be no different. Many times last season, especially during the post season, Lin was thrown under the bus and used as a scape goat for the Rockets under-achievements. Going into this season, Lin doesn't really have too many expectations. With Nash out for the year, Lin's expected to start for the Lakers. Lin's stated many times before that he plays a lot better without too many expectations, which is reason to believe he didn't perform to the best of his abilities in Houston. Since everyone else has low expectations for him, I'm expecting Lin to have the best year of his career.

AT: Ed Davis  - As much as I wanna say Swaggy P for the fun/goofy/irrational style of play he possesses on the court and the fun/goofy personality he displays off the court, I'm gonna focus on someone who may be overlooked with a potential opportunity to shine. Despite being the 3rd string power forward, I'm assuming he will get some backup center duties as well and will eventually get an opportunity to play once the team starts sucking (which may be early or when Boozer - friendly contract - gets traded at the deadline). He didn't get a chance in Toronto and didn't fit in Memphis. This may be his last shot to stick around in the league or assert at least a future as a solid role player before reaching an unfortunate destiny of playing overseas or fighting for a final roster spot in the league every year. Sadly at only 25 it's now or never for Davis, and I think he'll open some eyes if given a chance.   

Personal Take - JL: After blowing the free agency, the Lakers find themselves on a down year. At the start of the summer, Laker fans were extremely excited, but really for nothing. The Lakers were hoping to land Melo, Lebron, and/or Kevin Love. All of whom ended up not signing with the Lakers. What they got instead was Carlos Boozer and Jeremy Lin… Not exactly what they were looking for. The Lakers are going to have a down year, and they'll have to wait another long year before another exciting free agency class rolls around.

AT: Where is Andrew Bynum? I miss that guy and all his fun wacky hairdos. He needs to be a Laker again just for the entertainment of practicing with Kobe and potentially causing him to pop a couple blood vessels. The Lakers need Andrew Bynum and Andrew Bynum needs the Lakers. C'mon he's only 26 with bad knees and a history of destroying franchises some untapped potential. Let's try and make it work again...

Also LeBron sprayed it better. Sorry Booze. 

Where Will They Be Come June - JL: At the end of the season, Steve Nash will have retired and the Lakers will be in the lottery once again. I like the addition of Julius Randle, but he's probably not even going to start for half the season. After the lottery, the Lakers can look forward to another shot at some superstar free agents.

AT: Hoping to land a big fish in the free agency summer of 2015, concluding with another catch in 2016, along with the development of Julius Randle, and another lottery pick, leading to Kobe pushing for one last title on his last legs with the new future core of the franchise...BUT... After reading this about Kobe  (which actually comes as no surprise), I'm not sure if the allure of being a Laker and the city of Los Angeles is enough to bring stars to the team anymore, especially if it means playing with Kobe the grinch.

Stay tuned for part 2 coming soon! And as usual thanks for reading.