Since I live in the Washington, DC area I go to a number of Wizard games a year. So far this year I'll be going to:
vs New York on 12/10
vs Miami on 12/18
vs Utah on 1/17
vs Orlando on 2/4
vs Dallas on 2/26
vs Oklahoma City (aka the Stolen Franchise) on 3/14
I'm also hoping to visit a few other teams as well.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Getting Carmelo to NY
I honestly believe that for Carmelo Anthony to leave Denver and end up in New York a third team seeking low financial risk with high to moderate potential reward players back will have to be included. I've used New Orleans as an example of what I think an Anthony trade to the Knicks will look like.
Now keep in mind that I have intentionally not included draft picks. I think everyone can agree that if and when Anthony is traded picks will be included. That said, contracts matching and getting reasonable talent returns are more important right now.
In this mock transaction, the Knicks give up Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Anthony Randolph, and Eddy Curry to get Anthony. Their post trade depth chart:
Raymond Felton - Toney Douglas
Landry Fields - Roger Mason Jr. - Andy Rautins - Kelenna Azubuike (IR)
Anthony - Bill Walker - Shawne Williams
Amar'e Stoudemire
Timofey Mozgov - Ronny Turiaf
Not a championship contender but certainly a step in the right direction. Should leave just enough salary cap room for the Knicks to make a run at Tony Parker or Marc Gasol if they see fit.
Denver says goodbye to Carmelo Anthony and welcomes Randoplh and Gallinari from New York plus Peja Stojakovic from New Orleans. The post trade Nuggets:
Chauncey Billups - Ty Lawson - Anthony Carter
Arron Afflalo - J.R. Smith - Gary Forbes
Gallinari - Stojakovic - Renaldo Balkman
Kenyon Martin - Al Harrington - Randolph - Shelden Williams
Nenê - Chris Andersen - Melvin Ely
Not as impressive but still a playoff team more than likely. Denver should also like that Gallinari and Randolph (to some people) both have mega potential but have a moderate deals that pay them each less $5 million per season for three seasons; while Stojakovic is an expiring contract which opens the team to be a major player in free agency when figured in with the expiring deals and player/team options already on the team.
New Orleans uses Stojakovic expiring deal to get the expring deal of Curry, and a young quality but relatively cheap player in Chandler. The new look Hornets:
Chris Paul - Jerryd Bayless
Marcus Thornton - Marco Belinelli - Willie Green - Quincy Pondexter
Trevor Ariza - Chandler - Joe Alexander
David West - Jason Smith - Pops Mensah-Bonsu
Emeka Okafor - Curry - Aaron Gray - Didier Ilunga-Mbenga
Not spectacular but nice additions for Hornets. Deal could be a great one for Hornets if they can get Curry to resemble his 2006-2007 form. If Curry doesn't then they let his deal expire, if he does they look for a sign and trade partner. Chandler gives them a quality backup at both SG and SF that can be re-signed to a reasonable deal in the summer of 2012.
Now keep in mind that I have intentionally not included draft picks. I think everyone can agree that if and when Anthony is traded picks will be included. That said, contracts matching and getting reasonable talent returns are more important right now.
In this mock transaction, the Knicks give up Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Anthony Randolph, and Eddy Curry to get Anthony. Their post trade depth chart:
Raymond Felton - Toney Douglas
Landry Fields - Roger Mason Jr. - Andy Rautins - Kelenna Azubuike (IR)
Anthony - Bill Walker - Shawne Williams
Amar'e Stoudemire
Timofey Mozgov - Ronny Turiaf
Not a championship contender but certainly a step in the right direction. Should leave just enough salary cap room for the Knicks to make a run at Tony Parker or Marc Gasol if they see fit.
Denver says goodbye to Carmelo Anthony and welcomes Randoplh and Gallinari from New York plus Peja Stojakovic from New Orleans. The post trade Nuggets:
Chauncey Billups - Ty Lawson - Anthony Carter
Arron Afflalo - J.R. Smith - Gary Forbes
Gallinari - Stojakovic - Renaldo Balkman
Kenyon Martin - Al Harrington - Randolph - Shelden Williams
Nenê - Chris Andersen - Melvin Ely
Not as impressive but still a playoff team more than likely. Denver should also like that Gallinari and Randolph (to some people) both have mega potential but have a moderate deals that pay them each less $5 million per season for three seasons; while Stojakovic is an expiring contract which opens the team to be a major player in free agency when figured in with the expiring deals and player/team options already on the team.
New Orleans uses Stojakovic expiring deal to get the expring deal of Curry, and a young quality but relatively cheap player in Chandler. The new look Hornets:
Chris Paul - Jerryd Bayless
Marcus Thornton - Marco Belinelli - Willie Green - Quincy Pondexter
Trevor Ariza - Chandler - Joe Alexander
David West - Jason Smith - Pops Mensah-Bonsu
Emeka Okafor - Curry - Aaron Gray - Didier Ilunga-Mbenga
Not spectacular but nice additions for Hornets. Deal could be a great one for Hornets if they can get Curry to resemble his 2006-2007 form. If Curry doesn't then they let his deal expire, if he does they look for a sign and trade partner. Chandler gives them a quality backup at both SG and SF that can be re-signed to a reasonable deal in the summer of 2012.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Looking ahead - Denver Nuggets
In this look ahead we will head back to the western conference. The Denver Nuggets spent most of last season looking like one of the best teams in the league. Down the stretch they came unglued and finished 4th in the Western conference. The main cause of the late season stumble was inconsistency.
In spite of the consistency issue the team face a dilemma that may end in trading away the only two consistent players, Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups. Anthony is a free agent at season's end and has decline to sign a contract extension. This has created a situation where the Nuggets may trade Anthony now rather than lose him for nothing later. Trading Anthony would likely start a rebuild process that would see Billups and others players also traded. So the answer to "will Carmelo stay in Denver?" will dictate the present and future of Denver.
If Anthony stays that means Denver is looking to contend for a title. That will not happen without finding an immediate answer to the question of, what will our "bigs" give us? Kenyon Martin and Nene Hilario (sorry but you are not "first name only" good) are quality players but both miss game regularly. Chris Andersen brings energy and hustle but his decision making is erratic at best, making his impact unpredictable from game to game.
The Nuggets will also have to question the consistency of the coaching staff. Is George Karl ready and able to be a full time NBA head coach after his fight with cancer? I have personally seen how much beating cancer can take out a person. Figuring out what Karl is able to do early will be vital to preventing another late season stumble.
Those three question will be key to the Nuggets season.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
In spite of the consistency issue the team face a dilemma that may end in trading away the only two consistent players, Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups. Anthony is a free agent at season's end and has decline to sign a contract extension. This has created a situation where the Nuggets may trade Anthony now rather than lose him for nothing later. Trading Anthony would likely start a rebuild process that would see Billups and others players also traded. So the answer to "will Carmelo stay in Denver?" will dictate the present and future of Denver.
If Anthony stays that means Denver is looking to contend for a title. That will not happen without finding an immediate answer to the question of, what will our "bigs" give us? Kenyon Martin and Nene Hilario (sorry but you are not "first name only" good) are quality players but both miss game regularly. Chris Andersen brings energy and hustle but his decision making is erratic at best, making his impact unpredictable from game to game.
The Nuggets will also have to question the consistency of the coaching staff. Is George Karl ready and able to be a full time NBA head coach after his fight with cancer? I have personally seen how much beating cancer can take out a person. Figuring out what Karl is able to do early will be vital to preventing another late season stumble.
Those three question will be key to the Nuggets season.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Byron Scott's Tie.... wtf???
Byron Scott has a swastika tie??? I have to believe that this is simply the camera making one part of the pattern stand out more than another. Still this is just weird.
Oh, and I'm working on another "looking ahead" post. It will be on Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets.
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