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| Bringing the House illustration |
Los Angeles Lakers
2009-2010 Recap:
Record: 57-25
Division Finish: 1st
Playoffs: Won NBA Championship
Key Additions: Steve Blake, Matt Barnes, Theo Ratliff
I love what the Lakers did this offseason. The back-to-back champs got even stronger with the additions of Steve Blake, Matt Barnes, and Theo Ratliff. Blake gives the Lakers an unselfish veteran point guard who handles the ball well and should fit nicely into Phil Jackson's triangle offense. He has good court vision and is a solid passer. What most people don't realize, however, is that Blake has a nice shot, as well. Blake hit 39.5% of his three point attempts and 75.0% of his free throw attempts last season. By comparison, the second-string point guard that Blake replaces, Jordan Farmar, hit only 37.6% of his threes and a putrid 67.1% of his free throws (liability, anyone?).
The Barnes acquisition is genius. In fact, once I realized that Barnes was a free agent, I began campaigning for his pickup. When the rumors came out that said the Lakers were looking at Raja Bell, I openly criticized that potential move and suggested they look instead at Barnes. Well, they listened. Barnes not only gives the Lakers another three-point shooter to stretch opposing defenses, but he gives them attitude and swagger. After teams criticized the Lakers for being too soft a couple years ago, the Lakers answered by signing Ron Artest one offseason and Barnes the next. Oh, the moxie!
Finally, Ratliff is a quiet upgrade over fan-favorite D.J. Mbenga at the backup center spot. Although Ratliff concerns me a bit with his injury tendencies, he is a veteran who has size and can enter a game and make immediate contributions with his shot-blocking ability. If you didn't follow basketball in the late 90s and early 2000s, you probably don't know that Ratliff was once a defensive force on a championship-level Philadelphia 76ers team (led by the newest star of Turkey's professional basketball league, Allen Iverson). In his prime, Ratliff averaged anywhere from 3 to 4 blocks per game. Last season, playing just 22.3 minutes per game in Charlotte, Ratliff managed to block 1.5 shots per game. The guy still has enough left in the tank to be soak up minutes for Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.
While the three players above each possess nice skills that fit perfectly into the Lakers team, it is an intangible quality that they all share that has me the most excited about their arrivals. Blake is 30 years old and is going on his eighth season in the league; Barnes is also 30 years old and begins his eighth year in the league; and Ratliff is 37 years old and enters his sixteenth go-around in the NBA. A couple of them--Barnes and Ratliff--have sniffed a championship. But none of them have actually captured one. The key to any repeat, or in this case three-peat, effort is to remain hungry and avoid the disease of more ("I want more touches! I want more money! I want more playing time!"). Kobe Bryant will always remain hungry, but we all know he can't do it himself. By adding these three veterans, the Lakers have thrown in three guys who will be motivated to win their first championships because they realize that this may be their best, and last, chance to do it. On nights when the team needs that extra push, count on Blake, Barnes, and Ratliff to remember why they joined the Lakers and give their new teammates that much-needed spark.
Key Losses: Jordan Farmar
Farmar's departure is interesting for a couple of reasons. First, the Lakers initiated his departure by deciding not to offer Farmar a qualifying offer, thus letting him become an unrestricted free agent. The Nets then swooped in, offered Farmar decent money (3 years, $12 million), and just like that Farmar was on a plane headed to Jersey. Clearly, then, the Lakers thought that either they were overpaying Farmar for what he gave back on the court or that Farmar was no longer a good fit for the team. Either way, it was the Lakers' decision, not Farmar's.
The second component of this is that Farmar went from playing backup point guard on a potentially historical team to playing backup point guard on arguably the worst team in the NBA. The Nets won 12 games last season. Twelve. By comparison, the Lakers won 12 games in the month of November alone. Yeah, the Nets stunk it up. And while they should be better this season because, let's face it, it's nearly impossible to be worse, I don't think Farmar knows what he's getting himself into. He says he is eager because this will give him an opportunity to play more minutes, but is that even necessarily the case? Nets starting point guard Devin Harris is an exciting talent who, amid injuries, played 34.7 minutes per game last season. Meanwhile, Lakers starting point guard is the aging veteran Derek Fisher, who is pretty much on his way out and only averaged 27.2 minutes last season. If you ask me, I think Farmar would have gotten more minutes in LA than he will in New Jersey.
Most Important Player: Andrew Bynum
Obviously, Kobe is the main man in Los Angeles. But if the Lakers hope to three-peat this season, they will need a healthy and contributing Bynum in the middle. As talented as the Lakers are top to bottom, their biggest strength is their size and ability to dominate in the paint. If Bynum, Gasol, and Lamar Odom are each healthy, the Lakers have the most formidable front line in the league, and it's not even close. Not only does their size give them a decisive edge on the boards, but their diverse skill sets give them such unique flexibility on both sides of the court. Bynum has so much potential; we have seen flashes of it. Before going down last season, he averaged 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game in the month of November. But the key will be whether those fragile knees are able to recover from offseason surgery and hold up over the course of another grinding NBA marathon.
Rookie Spotlight: Devin Ebanks
Ebanks is a 6'9" athletic forward from West Virginia who gives the Lakers some nice length and versatility off the bench. He will likely only play in blowouts, but expect him to wow the LA crowds with his exciting game.
2010-2011 Division Outlook: 1st
The Lakers have all of the right pieces needed to hoist the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy for a third straight season. They have a proven leader and veteran at point guard in Fisher, the league's best player in Kobe, a tough, hard-nosed guy in Artest, a nightly mismatch for opposing power forwards in Odom, and the league's most skilled big man in Gasol. Then they have the league's best bench that got even stronger with the additions of Barnes, Blake, and Ratliff. The only wild card is Bynum's health. If he can pull it together, at the very least for the playoff run, there will be yet another parade down Figueroa Street next June.
Los Angeles Clippers
2009-2010 Recap:
Record: 29-53
Division Finish: 3rd
Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
Key Additions: Ryan Gomes
Not very many additions for the Clippers this offseason. While some people thought that the Clippers would surprise everyone and win the LeBron James sweepstakes, they instead flew under the radar and made an unnoticed ripple by signing Ryan Gomes. Most fans have no clue who this guy is mainly because he has spent the past five seasons on terrible Minnesota teams. But Gomes can play if he gets opportunities. By all indications, the Clippers will split the time at small forward between Gomes and rookie Al-Farouq Aminu, a talented young player from Wake Forest. Expect both guys to be solid complementary players to the scorers like Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, and Blake Griffin.
Key Losses: None
Most Important Player: Blake Griffin
Technically a rookie this season because he did not appear in a single regular season game last season, Griffin enters this year fully healthy and determined to live up to the hype. While the Clippers have guys who may end up scoring more points per game, nobody is as important to this franchise now and in the future as Griffin. Basically, all hope for this pathetic, cursed franchise lies on Griffin's boulder shoulders.
What many people have quickly forgotten is that Griffin is an absolute beast on the court. Although his college accolades no longer mean anything, his play in the preseason do. If you have not seen any of the highlights, click here, here, and here, and enjoy. I personally am cheering for Griffin because I would love to see another star burst on the scene, especially in my backyard. The league can never have too many stars, and if Griffin turns the Clippers organization around, he would certainly become larger than life.
Rookie Spotlight: Blake Griffin
See above.
2010-2011 Division Outlook: 2nd
Although I think the Clippers will jump the Suns and finish 2nd in the Pacific Division, I don't think they can win enough games to qualify for the playoffs in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. I bet the Clippers win 40-42 games, become an extremely entertaining team, and play the top dogs tough all season long.
Phoenix Suns
2009-2010 Recap:
Record: 54-28
Division Finish: 2nd
Playoffs: Lost in Third Round
Key Additions: Hedo Turkoglu, Josh Childress
The Turkoglu and Childress acquisitions intrigue me. After performing at an All-Star level during the 2008-2009 NBA playoffs, Turkoglu signed a huge contract with Toronto and had his sights set on teaming with Chris Bosh to lead the Raptors to a rare playoff berth. His time in Toronto completely bombed as Turkoglu struggled en route to just 11.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. The Raptors saw enough and shipped him to Phoenix. The Suns hope that Turkoglu can regain his old form in their open offensive system, and although my heart says he is done, my head says perhaps this is the perfect system for him.
Childress was a pretty big disappointment in Atlanta after the Hawks picked him with their sixth overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. Childress has nice size and above-average athletic ability, so there is no reason why he can't succeed playing alongside Steve Nash--who doesn't?
Key Losses: Amare Stoudemire, Leandro Barbosa, Louis Amundson
With the losses of Stoudemire and Barbosa, the Suns find themselves without two guys who made the Suns so fun to watch in recent years. While you can knock Amare all you want for his lack of defensive effort, you cannot argue that his role in Phoenix's offense was one-of-a-kind amongst power forwards across the league. He was so gifted for his size and the perfect piece for that offense. With his departure, the Suns no longer present that mismatch each night. I think it will be a huge loss for them.
Barbosa was a perennial Sixth Man of the Year candidate and an incredible player off the bench for Phoenix. With his unique speed, Barbosa ensured that the Suns did not miss a beat whenever Nash needed a breather. Again, this is a luxury that Phoenix will undoubtedly miss.
Most Important Player: Steve Nash
The two-time MVP will be crucial to the team's success considering the loss of talent this offseason and the uncertainty in terms of team chemistry. Nash has an amazing ability to make everyone around him better, and he will need to use this great skill to lift his teammates to new levels on a nightly basis.
Rookie Spotlight: None
2010-2011 Division Outlook: 3rd
There is simply no way that the Suns can lose Amare, Barbosa, and Amundson and pick up right where they left off last season. The West is just too competitive and unforgiving. Perhaps the most telling sign of the team's inevitable struggles this season occurred in a recent AOL FanHouse interview in which Nash said, "To be honest, if I was outside this picture and a betting man, I would probably pick us to be outside of the playoffs."
Golden State Warriors
2009-2010 Recap:
Record: 26-56
Division Finish: 4th
Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
Key Additions: David Lee, Louis Amundson, Vladimir Radmanovic
Three great pickups for the Warriors. Lee is an underrated big man who can run the floor and flourish in fast-paced up-and-down offense. Amundson is a high-energy, selfless role player who will clean up the scraps left behind by the speed demons on the wings. And Radmanovic is a sharpshooter who can run the floor and provide an outlet behind the arc for Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis penetrating the paint. I think each of these guys will integrate seamlessly into the high-octane offense up in the Bay Area.
Key Losses: Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf
While Randolph has tons of potential, he never got enough minutes in Golden State to make his departure painful. As for Turiaf, his services will successfully replaced by Amundson.
Most Important Player: Stephen Curry
One of my favorite players in the league, Curry is best described as "silky smooth." If you think that all he can do is drain threes, you are severely mistaken. Yes, he does possess a sweet stroke from deep (43.7% on three-pointers last season), but he does so much more. He shot an impressive 46.2% from the field last season and averaged 17.5 points per game. He added 5.9 assists and 1.9 steals per game, as well. Finally, he shot a rock-solid 88.5% from the charity stripe, making him an ideal point guard to close out games. But beyond the numbers, Curry showed a surprising ability to shoulder the majority of the team's ball-handling duties and also demonstrated nice court vision and passing ability. His versatility makes him an ideal field general for the Warriors' offense.
Rookie Spotlight: Jeremy Lin
Lin is an Asian-American baller from Harvard University. Nuff said. But if you are still curious, check out a piece I wrote earlier this year about Lin.
2010-2011 Division Outlook: 4th
I like the Warriors' roster and I like their brand of basketball. Unfortunately, they play in a tough division in an even tougher conference and do not have enough firepower to pose a legitimate playoff threat. Although they will certainly be fun to watch, do not expect more than 35 wins this season.
Sacramento Kings
2009-2010 Recap:
Record: 25-57
Division Finish: 5th
Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
Key Additions: Samuel Dalembert
Dalembert is a solid player who will add a nice defensive presence to the Kings. He rebounds well and has above-average shot-blocking ability.
Key Losses: Spencer Hawes
Hawes never became the franchise center that the Kings intended him to be. His loss is not necessarily felt on the court, but in lost hope and payroll.
Most Important Player: Tyreke Evans
With a starting lineup of Beno Udrih, Evans, Donte Greene, Carl Landry, and Samuel Dalembert (or DeMarcus Cousins), is anyone actually scared of the Sacramento Kings? Is Evans the only one who can dribble and shoot the basketball? This might be the least intimidating lineup in NBA history. I would double-team Evans on and off the ball and play a triangle-zone with the other three defenders on the court.
Rookie Spotlight: DeMarcus Cousins
The big man from Kentucky has well-documented character issues, but his size and skill are eye-popping enough to at least warrant giving him an opportunity. If Cousins can develop into a solid low-post contributor this season, the Kings will at least be competitive in the paint with Landry, Cousins, and Dalembert. Furthermore, if Cousins shows nice development this season, the Kings will have plenty to look forward to in the future.
2010-2011 Division Outlook: 5th
Irrelevant.
2009-2010 Recap:
Record: 57-25
Division Finish: 1st
Playoffs: Won NBA Championship
Key Additions: Steve Blake, Matt Barnes, Theo Ratliff
I love what the Lakers did this offseason. The back-to-back champs got even stronger with the additions of Steve Blake, Matt Barnes, and Theo Ratliff. Blake gives the Lakers an unselfish veteran point guard who handles the ball well and should fit nicely into Phil Jackson's triangle offense. He has good court vision and is a solid passer. What most people don't realize, however, is that Blake has a nice shot, as well. Blake hit 39.5% of his three point attempts and 75.0% of his free throw attempts last season. By comparison, the second-string point guard that Blake replaces, Jordan Farmar, hit only 37.6% of his threes and a putrid 67.1% of his free throws (liability, anyone?).
The Barnes acquisition is genius. In fact, once I realized that Barnes was a free agent, I began campaigning for his pickup. When the rumors came out that said the Lakers were looking at Raja Bell, I openly criticized that potential move and suggested they look instead at Barnes. Well, they listened. Barnes not only gives the Lakers another three-point shooter to stretch opposing defenses, but he gives them attitude and swagger. After teams criticized the Lakers for being too soft a couple years ago, the Lakers answered by signing Ron Artest one offseason and Barnes the next. Oh, the moxie!
Finally, Ratliff is a quiet upgrade over fan-favorite D.J. Mbenga at the backup center spot. Although Ratliff concerns me a bit with his injury tendencies, he is a veteran who has size and can enter a game and make immediate contributions with his shot-blocking ability. If you didn't follow basketball in the late 90s and early 2000s, you probably don't know that Ratliff was once a defensive force on a championship-level Philadelphia 76ers team (led by the newest star of Turkey's professional basketball league, Allen Iverson). In his prime, Ratliff averaged anywhere from 3 to 4 blocks per game. Last season, playing just 22.3 minutes per game in Charlotte, Ratliff managed to block 1.5 shots per game. The guy still has enough left in the tank to be soak up minutes for Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.
While the three players above each possess nice skills that fit perfectly into the Lakers team, it is an intangible quality that they all share that has me the most excited about their arrivals. Blake is 30 years old and is going on his eighth season in the league; Barnes is also 30 years old and begins his eighth year in the league; and Ratliff is 37 years old and enters his sixteenth go-around in the NBA. A couple of them--Barnes and Ratliff--have sniffed a championship. But none of them have actually captured one. The key to any repeat, or in this case three-peat, effort is to remain hungry and avoid the disease of more ("I want more touches! I want more money! I want more playing time!"). Kobe Bryant will always remain hungry, but we all know he can't do it himself. By adding these three veterans, the Lakers have thrown in three guys who will be motivated to win their first championships because they realize that this may be their best, and last, chance to do it. On nights when the team needs that extra push, count on Blake, Barnes, and Ratliff to remember why they joined the Lakers and give their new teammates that much-needed spark.
Key Losses: Jordan Farmar
Farmar's departure is interesting for a couple of reasons. First, the Lakers initiated his departure by deciding not to offer Farmar a qualifying offer, thus letting him become an unrestricted free agent. The Nets then swooped in, offered Farmar decent money (3 years, $12 million), and just like that Farmar was on a plane headed to Jersey. Clearly, then, the Lakers thought that either they were overpaying Farmar for what he gave back on the court or that Farmar was no longer a good fit for the team. Either way, it was the Lakers' decision, not Farmar's.
The second component of this is that Farmar went from playing backup point guard on a potentially historical team to playing backup point guard on arguably the worst team in the NBA. The Nets won 12 games last season. Twelve. By comparison, the Lakers won 12 games in the month of November alone. Yeah, the Nets stunk it up. And while they should be better this season because, let's face it, it's nearly impossible to be worse, I don't think Farmar knows what he's getting himself into. He says he is eager because this will give him an opportunity to play more minutes, but is that even necessarily the case? Nets starting point guard Devin Harris is an exciting talent who, amid injuries, played 34.7 minutes per game last season. Meanwhile, Lakers starting point guard is the aging veteran Derek Fisher, who is pretty much on his way out and only averaged 27.2 minutes last season. If you ask me, I think Farmar would have gotten more minutes in LA than he will in New Jersey.
Most Important Player: Andrew Bynum
Obviously, Kobe is the main man in Los Angeles. But if the Lakers hope to three-peat this season, they will need a healthy and contributing Bynum in the middle. As talented as the Lakers are top to bottom, their biggest strength is their size and ability to dominate in the paint. If Bynum, Gasol, and Lamar Odom are each healthy, the Lakers have the most formidable front line in the league, and it's not even close. Not only does their size give them a decisive edge on the boards, but their diverse skill sets give them such unique flexibility on both sides of the court. Bynum has so much potential; we have seen flashes of it. Before going down last season, he averaged 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game in the month of November. But the key will be whether those fragile knees are able to recover from offseason surgery and hold up over the course of another grinding NBA marathon.
Rookie Spotlight: Devin Ebanks
Ebanks is a 6'9" athletic forward from West Virginia who gives the Lakers some nice length and versatility off the bench. He will likely only play in blowouts, but expect him to wow the LA crowds with his exciting game.
2010-2011 Division Outlook: 1st
The Lakers have all of the right pieces needed to hoist the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy for a third straight season. They have a proven leader and veteran at point guard in Fisher, the league's best player in Kobe, a tough, hard-nosed guy in Artest, a nightly mismatch for opposing power forwards in Odom, and the league's most skilled big man in Gasol. Then they have the league's best bench that got even stronger with the additions of Barnes, Blake, and Ratliff. The only wild card is Bynum's health. If he can pull it together, at the very least for the playoff run, there will be yet another parade down Figueroa Street next June.
Los Angeles Clippers
2009-2010 Recap:
Record: 29-53
Division Finish: 3rd
Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
Key Additions: Ryan Gomes
Not very many additions for the Clippers this offseason. While some people thought that the Clippers would surprise everyone and win the LeBron James sweepstakes, they instead flew under the radar and made an unnoticed ripple by signing Ryan Gomes. Most fans have no clue who this guy is mainly because he has spent the past five seasons on terrible Minnesota teams. But Gomes can play if he gets opportunities. By all indications, the Clippers will split the time at small forward between Gomes and rookie Al-Farouq Aminu, a talented young player from Wake Forest. Expect both guys to be solid complementary players to the scorers like Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, and Blake Griffin.
Key Losses: None
Most Important Player: Blake Griffin
Technically a rookie this season because he did not appear in a single regular season game last season, Griffin enters this year fully healthy and determined to live up to the hype. While the Clippers have guys who may end up scoring more points per game, nobody is as important to this franchise now and in the future as Griffin. Basically, all hope for this pathetic, cursed franchise lies on Griffin's boulder shoulders.
What many people have quickly forgotten is that Griffin is an absolute beast on the court. Although his college accolades no longer mean anything, his play in the preseason do. If you have not seen any of the highlights, click here, here, and here, and enjoy. I personally am cheering for Griffin because I would love to see another star burst on the scene, especially in my backyard. The league can never have too many stars, and if Griffin turns the Clippers organization around, he would certainly become larger than life.
Rookie Spotlight: Blake Griffin
See above.
2010-2011 Division Outlook: 2nd
Although I think the Clippers will jump the Suns and finish 2nd in the Pacific Division, I don't think they can win enough games to qualify for the playoffs in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. I bet the Clippers win 40-42 games, become an extremely entertaining team, and play the top dogs tough all season long.
Phoenix Suns
2009-2010 Recap:
Record: 54-28
Division Finish: 2nd
Playoffs: Lost in Third Round
Key Additions: Hedo Turkoglu, Josh Childress
The Turkoglu and Childress acquisitions intrigue me. After performing at an All-Star level during the 2008-2009 NBA playoffs, Turkoglu signed a huge contract with Toronto and had his sights set on teaming with Chris Bosh to lead the Raptors to a rare playoff berth. His time in Toronto completely bombed as Turkoglu struggled en route to just 11.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. The Raptors saw enough and shipped him to Phoenix. The Suns hope that Turkoglu can regain his old form in their open offensive system, and although my heart says he is done, my head says perhaps this is the perfect system for him.
Childress was a pretty big disappointment in Atlanta after the Hawks picked him with their sixth overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. Childress has nice size and above-average athletic ability, so there is no reason why he can't succeed playing alongside Steve Nash--who doesn't?
Key Losses: Amare Stoudemire, Leandro Barbosa, Louis Amundson
With the losses of Stoudemire and Barbosa, the Suns find themselves without two guys who made the Suns so fun to watch in recent years. While you can knock Amare all you want for his lack of defensive effort, you cannot argue that his role in Phoenix's offense was one-of-a-kind amongst power forwards across the league. He was so gifted for his size and the perfect piece for that offense. With his departure, the Suns no longer present that mismatch each night. I think it will be a huge loss for them.
Barbosa was a perennial Sixth Man of the Year candidate and an incredible player off the bench for Phoenix. With his unique speed, Barbosa ensured that the Suns did not miss a beat whenever Nash needed a breather. Again, this is a luxury that Phoenix will undoubtedly miss.
Most Important Player: Steve Nash
The two-time MVP will be crucial to the team's success considering the loss of talent this offseason and the uncertainty in terms of team chemistry. Nash has an amazing ability to make everyone around him better, and he will need to use this great skill to lift his teammates to new levels on a nightly basis.
Rookie Spotlight: None
2010-2011 Division Outlook: 3rd
There is simply no way that the Suns can lose Amare, Barbosa, and Amundson and pick up right where they left off last season. The West is just too competitive and unforgiving. Perhaps the most telling sign of the team's inevitable struggles this season occurred in a recent AOL FanHouse interview in which Nash said, "To be honest, if I was outside this picture and a betting man, I would probably pick us to be outside of the playoffs."
Golden State Warriors
2009-2010 Recap:
Record: 26-56
Division Finish: 4th
Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
Key Additions: David Lee, Louis Amundson, Vladimir Radmanovic
Three great pickups for the Warriors. Lee is an underrated big man who can run the floor and flourish in fast-paced up-and-down offense. Amundson is a high-energy, selfless role player who will clean up the scraps left behind by the speed demons on the wings. And Radmanovic is a sharpshooter who can run the floor and provide an outlet behind the arc for Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis penetrating the paint. I think each of these guys will integrate seamlessly into the high-octane offense up in the Bay Area.
Key Losses: Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf
While Randolph has tons of potential, he never got enough minutes in Golden State to make his departure painful. As for Turiaf, his services will successfully replaced by Amundson.
Most Important Player: Stephen Curry
One of my favorite players in the league, Curry is best described as "silky smooth." If you think that all he can do is drain threes, you are severely mistaken. Yes, he does possess a sweet stroke from deep (43.7% on three-pointers last season), but he does so much more. He shot an impressive 46.2% from the field last season and averaged 17.5 points per game. He added 5.9 assists and 1.9 steals per game, as well. Finally, he shot a rock-solid 88.5% from the charity stripe, making him an ideal point guard to close out games. But beyond the numbers, Curry showed a surprising ability to shoulder the majority of the team's ball-handling duties and also demonstrated nice court vision and passing ability. His versatility makes him an ideal field general for the Warriors' offense.
Rookie Spotlight: Jeremy Lin
Lin is an Asian-American baller from Harvard University. Nuff said. But if you are still curious, check out a piece I wrote earlier this year about Lin.
2010-2011 Division Outlook: 4th
I like the Warriors' roster and I like their brand of basketball. Unfortunately, they play in a tough division in an even tougher conference and do not have enough firepower to pose a legitimate playoff threat. Although they will certainly be fun to watch, do not expect more than 35 wins this season.
Sacramento Kings
2009-2010 Recap:
Record: 25-57
Division Finish: 5th
Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
Key Additions: Samuel Dalembert
Dalembert is a solid player who will add a nice defensive presence to the Kings. He rebounds well and has above-average shot-blocking ability.
Key Losses: Spencer Hawes
Hawes never became the franchise center that the Kings intended him to be. His loss is not necessarily felt on the court, but in lost hope and payroll.
Most Important Player: Tyreke Evans
With a starting lineup of Beno Udrih, Evans, Donte Greene, Carl Landry, and Samuel Dalembert (or DeMarcus Cousins), is anyone actually scared of the Sacramento Kings? Is Evans the only one who can dribble and shoot the basketball? This might be the least intimidating lineup in NBA history. I would double-team Evans on and off the ball and play a triangle-zone with the other three defenders on the court.
Rookie Spotlight: DeMarcus Cousins
The big man from Kentucky has well-documented character issues, but his size and skill are eye-popping enough to at least warrant giving him an opportunity. If Cousins can develop into a solid low-post contributor this season, the Kings will at least be competitive in the paint with Landry, Cousins, and Dalembert. Furthermore, if Cousins shows nice development this season, the Kings will have plenty to look forward to in the future.
2010-2011 Division Outlook: 5th
Irrelevant.
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