Saturday Dimes

Bullets for Saturday, Nov. 1st, 2008

• Behind Joe Johnson and Josh Smith, Atlanta’s rally over Philadelphia was just disrespectful. Johnson supplied the scoring, but Smith touched all bases with his numbers. Smith had 14 points, 11 boards, 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks tonight. This team continues to show to the league that last year wasn’t a fluke, as they slide to 2-0.
• Dalembert and Brand are absorbing the glass for Philadelphia, tonight they combined for 27 total rebounds. But Philly’s recent loss is already bringing concern, especially on the defensive side. 
• Basketball is back in Indiana. A toothless Danny Granger lost his front two teeth tonight but not the game. The Pacers collectively showed up tonight against the Champion Celtics. The final score wasn’t even close at 79-95. 
• In points, Hedo had 21, Lewis hung 26, Howard slammed 29, Pietrus stuck 20 to the face of Sacramento. The Kings dropped to 0-3 in a 103-121 final. Dwight also nabbed 14 boards and 5 blocks.
• Gerald Wallace stat line: 34 points, 3 assists, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks.
• As expected, the Hornets are coasting through their first week in the regular season. Chris Paul hung 24 points and dished 15 assists to drive the Hornets past the Cavaliers.
• LeBron dished out 13 dimes of his own against the Hornets.
• Jason Kidd hauled 9 boards tonight while also having 7 assists and 4 steals. Dirk scored 21 and the Mavs picked up their first win of the season, leaving them at 1-1.
• Derrick Rose appears to of gotten the gist of the NBA speed. Rose scored 26 points and had 6 rebounds to help Chicago get past Memphis tonight. Gooden cleaned the glass with 20 rebounds.
• Calderon scored a career-high 25 points for the Raptors tonight. He’ll be sure to set plenty of new career highs this season in Toronto. Bosh scored 20 points and had 10 rebounds. 
• Carmelo struggled in his season debut, shooting 5/15 for 13 points. He also debuted his ban of the braids. Kobe’s 33 points helped the Lakers get past the Nuggets though.
• A.I.’s numbers are dropping. 13 points and 7 dimes tonight.
• Without Baron Davis and Marcus Camby, the Clippers dropped to 0-3 after losing to Utah. 
• Amare Stoudemire exploded for 23 points and 13 boards and the Blazers weren’t able to hold off the Suns. 
• 3-0 teams: Toronto, LA Lakers, New Orleans and Houston
• Winless teams: Washington, Oklahoma City, LA Clippers, Sacramento and San Antonio (!).

Division Previews: Pacific

Pacific Division

The Overview

Heading into the post season, both the Lakers and Suns made blockbuster trades to have the upper hand in the playoffs. The Lakers turned out to have the more sensible trade with Pau Gasol filling in their front court for that strong run into the Finals. The Suns on the other hand, went all in by nabbing Shaquille O’Neal for their post season run. The Suns miserably failed with a first round exit against the Spurs. Remaining teams, Golden State, Sacramento and the L.A. Clippers didn’t make the playoffs, but underwent serious reconstruction over the summer. It should be an excellent season for the the Atlantic division. The Lakers will have a chance to come out in full force with Bynum back in their line-up, after missing the young center with a late injury in the season. The Suns are looking to push for a successful season behind Shaquille O’Neal, who ended the regular season with a 18-11 record as a Sun.

The Ranks

1. Phoenix Suns
2. Los Angeles Lakers
3. Los Angeles Clippers
4. Golden State Warriors
5. Sacramento Kings

 

The Previews

1. Phoenix Suns (55-27)

The Suns brought their high-octane offense once again last season but shifted it all into a different gear when they traded away Shawn Marion for Shaquille O’Neal. The Diesel’s impact to the team became immediate, from hustle plays to powerful finishes. It was said the motive of bringing O’Neal to Phoenix was to help slow down Tim Duncan if there to meet up in the post season. As expected, the Suns met the Spurs but Shaq’s presence made no difference, Duncan tallied 40 points in Game 1. The Suns lost the series 1-4. This season, behind team captains Grant Hill, Steve Nash and Shaq, the Suns are aiming to strain a stronger defense behind new coach, Terry Porter. The Suns also happily welcome young talents, Goran Dragic, Sean Singletary and Robin Lopez to the team, all are young players that carry intense potential behind them. The 34-year-old, Nash returns for his fifth season in Phoenix to try and ignite this team’s ranging possibilities. It should be a big year for Phoenix, players like O’Neal and Nash carry endless experience behind themselves and want to end their careers in the near future with a championship in Phoenix.

Finals Odds: 87%

Player Spotlight: Boris Diaw

Everyone remembers Diaw from the his 2006 season with the Suns. With Stoudemire gone for 59 games that season, Diaw stepped in to be the team’s low post menace. At 6′8”, the small forward played power forward and center that season, averaging 13.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game on his way to win the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award. His nickname “3D” couldn’t of fit him any better, as he did end up supplying drives, dishes and defense. In the playoffs that season, Diaw turned in 18.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. He’s made it clear to Phoenix that he can easily step in to provide plenty of numbers for the team. With Shaq and Amare set to go this season, Diaw should expect to be the leader of the team’s offensive surge off the bench.  

Why they will be NBA Champions.

One of the leagues best offenses. The Suns are combining a unique mix of all kinds with the lengthy, athletic players they have. Phoenix has a variety of weapons all across the roster, players that could easily player bigger roles on other teams are sitting pretty on the bench for this team. Everyone raves about Chris Paul and Deron Williams, but Nash remains as one of the most complete point guards in the league today. 

Why they won’t be NBA Champions.

The Mike D’Antoni era is over, all that run and gun offense isn’t over, but it could slow down at times. If Porter’s gameplan backfires and the winning flow gets disrupted, the Suns could find themselves seeing early playoff elimination like last year. 

 

2. Los Angeles Lakers (57-25)

League MVP, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are set to destroy whoever steps in front of them. A bulkier, stronger Bynum is back into the roster and the team is now complete and ready for a definite championship push. Last year brought fourth many positives for the Lakers. Kobe’s now staying put in Los Angeles without any questions asked, mainly because their chance at helping him win another ring is there. The Lakers put up a really strong season, achieving 15 more wins than what they had the previous year. The addition of Gasol for their final 27 games of the regular season gave the Lakers a huge advantage over the other teams in their conference. Gasol averaged 18.8 points along with 7.8 rebounds per game while playing for the Lakers last season. Bryant had his best all-around season since 2003. The 29-year-old Kobe averaged 5.2 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game. With B.ynum gone, Lamar Odom averaged a career high in rebounding with 10.6 boards a night. All together, the Lakers balled themselves into the Finals behind Kobe. It was unfortunate to not have Bynum in the post season where the Lakers could’ve put up a closer series against the Celtics.

Finals Odds: 88%

Player Spotlight: Jordan Farmar

Farmar blossomed as one of the best 2nd-year players this season. After a solid rookie campaign for the Lakers, Farmar went on to fulfill his role as an energetic substitute for the veteran, Derek Fisher. The former UCLA Bruin, averaged 9.1 points and 2.7 assists while coming off the bench in his second year with the Lakers. Farmer brings a smart leadership and a shooter’s touch when coming off the bench, making sure the Lakers don’t give up a surging run while the starters are taking a breath. Once Fisher is gone, you best bet Jordan Farmar’s future with the Lakers is radiant.

Why they will be NBA Champions.

The Lakers made their way into the Finals behind Kobe, Odom and Gasol. This year they possess a jacked Bynum to help out their front court even more. Their starting line-up is scary. They possess the best player in the league in Kobe, while owning one of the most clutch players in Fisher. It’s going to be nearly impossible for teams to contain both Gasol and Bynum down low while Bryant continues to kill the perimeter.

Why they won’t be NBA Champions.

Injuries can slow this team down, just how it can slow any other team. But losing a player through injury can hurt the Lakers the most, especially since their time is now. Bryant and Gasol are in their prime and the players are all there for this team to earn a ring. 

 

3. Los Angeles Clippers (23-59)

A team with a .280 winning percentage isn’t pretty, neither is a team led by Corey Maggette and rookie, Al Thornton. The Clippers underwent a frustrating season without their true centerpiece, Elton Brand. With Brand out for 74 games last season, the Clippers could do nothing but watch Al Thornton blossom and Maggette raise his free agent stock. This summer a change was expected, but not as drastic as Elton Brand being gone. Baron Davis is the new head honcho now and the Clippers have brought in Camby, Ricky Davis, Eric Gordon, Brian Skinner and DeAndre Jordon to completely swipe the face of the franchise. The new mix only draws numerous predictions and wonders for this season.

Finals Odds: 63%

Player Spotlight: Al Thornton

Al Thornton flourished immediately after college. Coming out of Florida State University as one of the team’s best players, Thornton made himself comfortable in a Clippers jersey early. The 6′8” forward scored a total of 1,005 points in his pro rookie season in the NBA, something rare among rookies unless they’re destined to be noticeably great. The absence of a player of a caliber as Elton Brand has led to open spots for player such as Al Thornton to step up, and that he did last season. While starting 31 games last season, Thornton went on to average 12.7 points along with 4.5 rebounds per game, leaving him to become one of the best rookies the Clippers have drafted since Livingston. With all the player arrangements, Thornton remains at a dependable spot in the line-up due to his flexibility to play different postions. 

Why they will be NBA Champions.

Behind Baron Davis, the Clippers could erupt into a more fast paced team with a stronger and more athletic front court. Baron Davis, Marcus Camby and Al Thornton should be players to watch, but with great role players in Skinner, Tim Thomas and Ricky Davis, the Clips could try testing their luck into a fast-paced offense. 

Why they won’t be NBA Champions.

Overshadowed by the other team in Los Angeles, the Clippers just needed one more big time player to help Baron Davis and the Clippers make some noise in the NBA. It will take more than a season for this team to get it together and figure out a winning formula, therefore this season won’t be the easiest.

 

4. Golden State Warriors (48-34)

Surprisingly, the Warriors had a much better season then they did the year before last season when they made it into the Semifinals. Last season the Warriors capped a 48-win season while not banking a playoff berth, it definitely hurt the locker room and organization. Baron Davis played and started a full 82 games for the Warriors, alongside Monta Ellis. Ellis grew into a 20 points per game threat for the team, while only being 22 years old. His play earned him  a beefy contract extension this summer. Monta averaged 20.2 points, 1.5 steals, 3.9 assists and 5 rebounds a game for the Warriors. Still, the Warriors were just two losses short from seeing the playoffs last season and the end result was changes to the core of the team. With Baron Davis gone, the Warriors have set the stage for young, Monta Ellis to help lead this scoring-hungry team into a playoff berth. That is, after his 30-game suspension.

Finals Odds: 64%

Player Spotlight: Corey Maggette

Newly acquired, Corey Maggette is set to make a difference into this Golden State team. Most may not remember, but Corey began is pro career in Orlando, averaging 8.4 points per game. After being traded, Maggette went on to play eight seasons with the Clippers, his physical play earned him many opportunities into the free throw line. Maggette grew into a reliable 20 point-per-game scorer for the Cippers and averaged 22.1 points per game last season with Brand gone. He can also rebound the ball too, averaging nearly six boards per game last season. Corey’s only 28 years old and 9 years deep into the league, his presence into the Warriors line-up will be tremendous.

Why they will be NBA Champions.

The Warriors slid their way into recognition two seasons ago through their unstoppable, relentless and loose offense. Their offense basically looked like what you would see at a outdoor pick-up game, expect these players could drain their shots respectively. Belinelli, Ellis, Jackson, Biedrins and Maggette can all do it for the Warriors if they can find that same rhythm from two seasons ago. Give them a couple of teams that take their playoff seeds for granted and there could be pending upsets this season.

Why they won’t be NBA Champions.

While exciting the Warriors gameplan does have its downside in sloppy play. Nelson isn’t your best defensive coach in the league and if teams can lock down the Warriors’ offense, this team isn’t going to see any success.

 

5. Sacramento Kings (38-44)

Reggie Theus’ first outing as a professional basketball coach wasn’t such a bad one, the losses came of course, but the future seems brighter for this team. A team led by the young Kevin Martin, who averaged 23.7 points per game last season was everything this organization needed. Martin is just simply a scorer for this team and plans to be for the next few years. Ron Artest and Mike Bibby are gone, but Donte Green and Jason Thompson could spark intense progression for this team. Now if only they could find Brad Miller’s true successor and a point guard. The Kings aren’t in anybody’s radar really when it comes to championship talk. Everyone knows it, fans can only hope for the best. Unless they build a new stadium in Sacramento, the Kings are one of the few franchises that could relocate. The Las Vegas Kings sounds fitting, but that doesn’t relate to anything that’s current. The Kings can only hope this rebuilding stage goes smoothly.

Finals Odds: 33%

Player Spotlight: Beno Udrih

The lefty, Beno Udrih came from Slovenia to succeed his game into the NBA. Udrih began his NBA career with the untouchable Spurs of 2005, who went on to win the Finals in his rookie season. Udrih already has two championship rings on his hand and carries a unique talent at the guard spot. At a young 26-years of age, Udrih took full advantage of his oppurtunity to step up for Sacramento last season in the absence of Mike Bibby. His 12.8 points and 4.3 assists per game aren’t gasping, but it was sufficient enough for a 5-year contract extension. Beno brings a great basketball IQ and shooting touch to his game. Udrih is the young point guard of Sac-Town’s near future, alongside the scoring machine, Kevin Martin, Udrih’s low assists per game should improve significantly this season.

Why they will be NBA Champions.

Realistically, it’s just not there yet. There is some talent in this team, especially in Martin, Moore, Garcia and their new rookie, Donte Greene. The Kings would have heavily rely on three things. One, Bobby Jackson and Brad Miller’s playoff experience. Two, Moore’s flexibility to move the ball around at a quick pace in their half court offense to create open looks. Three, their great perimeter shooting.

Why they won’t be NBA Champions.

Like many other unfortunate squads, not enough talent to match up with the rest. Like it was said before, the league is all about match ups and from what it looks like, the King’s roster doesn’t match up against the skill level other teams will bring to the court.

Uniform Watch: Sacramento Kings

Here’s the latest one I could dig out from the internet, the new threads from Sacramento. The King’s new jerseys are more like a facelift, giving the old purple more of a flavor. While the previous away jerseys for the Kings read “Sacramento” on the front, the new touch for the Kings has the team nickname on the front instead. The black falls hard on the purple and the colors are heavy. Though it isn’t much of a change nor a huge noticable upgrade, the new Kings jersey offers positive simplicity that should last for a healthy set of years.

Overall Rating: 6.5/10

Contrasting Between Yao Ming and Ron Artest

Less than 48 hours after reportedly being traded, Artest’s name has already hit the sports headlines. Yao Ming recently addressed his concerns towards the teams chemistry with the addition of Artest to the Houston Chronicle stating, “Hopefully, he’s not fighting anymore and going after a guy in the stands.”

This is somewhat of a surprise to me, I thought Yao was more of a quiet guy that let his game speak and who would express himself vocally if he felt something needed to be righteously addressed. Instead, Yao’s borderline stereotypical concerns do their best to deploy him as a player who’s keeping an eye out for his team’s success.

Artest immediately responded with Yao’s comment referring to his part in the infamous brawl at the Palace,

“I understand what Yao said, but I’m still ghetto, that’s not going to change. I’m never going to change my culture. Yao has played with a lot of black players, but I don’t think he’s ever played with a black player that really represents his culture as much as I represent my culture. Once Yao Ming gets to know me, he’ll understand what I’m about. If you go back to the brawl, that’s a culture issue right there. Somebody was disrespecting me, so he’s got to understand where I’m coming from. People that know me know that Ron Artest never changed.”

In Artest’s response, a key sentence grabbed my attention, “Somebody was disrespecting me, so he’s got to understand where I’m coming from.” This statement boldly expresses the differences between Yao Ming and Ron Artest. Those differences being, Yao Ming may get disrespectfully banged on a couple times a season without showing any signs of retaliation or defense, but Artest doesn’t allow himself to get ridiculed on the court or by an opposing Detroit fan without getting his own.

Artest and Yao’s differences regarding getting disrespected are easily expressed via YouTube.

Ron Artest to H-Town

It’s been reported this evening that former ‘04 All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year, Ron Artest is headed to the Houston Rockets. The trade currently rewards the Kings a 2009 first round draft pick, draft rights to Donte Green, ex-King Bobby Jackson and over $1 million in cash. The trade will spark the common eye with Artest headlines screaming throughout the media, but the real headline will surface for the Kings sooner than later.

The grueling rebuilding process for the Kings can be tagged as disappointing, after Sacramento was a consistent contender only 3 years ago with the likes of Bibby, Webber, Stojakovic and Miller. When Sacramento traded Mike Bibby, a former cornerstone for the Kings’ offense, the organization made it clear they were preparing for what’s ahead. Sacramento’s recent transactions have been hard-thought and respectful ones. Acquiring players such as Tyronn Lue and Anthony Johnson to help out the slim point guard depth. Sheldon Williams and Lorenzen Wright, a mix of youth and veteran ship for the paint. Extending Beno Udrih’s contract this summer, after an impressive outing (12.8 ppg., 4.3 apg.) after shipping away Bibby. Dealing out the few stars Sacramento possessed with Bibby and Artest, the King’s future is as bright as any other rebuilding team in the NBA. Sacramento still has their former first round pick, Kevin Martin. The 24-year-old lead his team in scoring with 23.7 ppg. while shooting a reliable 87% from the line. Sacramento’s transactions have surrounded them with the cash to someday righteously feed Kevin Martin while upgrading the young roster with more role players or even an impact player.

It will be refreshing to see Bobby Jackson reuniting with the Kings, Jackon’s best season’s flared while accompanying Bibby. What was once a huge question when it came to the point guard spot, the Kings have supplied a heavy set of answers heading into training camp with their new guards. Sacramento continues also to be one of the tallest teams in the league, spoiled with three 7-footers (Miller, Moore and Hawes) and a total of nine power forwards or centers.

As for Houston, the acquirement of Ron Artest huge for the team’s efficiency. Bringing home a 6′7” forward who scores, rebounds and plays defense will never hurt the system. Last year Artest stastically had his best year since his successful Pacer days, averaging 20.5 points, 3.5 assists, 5.8 boards and 2.3 steals per game. The Rockets’ roster now seems to be more complete then ever. The Rockets have settled their guard spot (Skip, Brooks, Head, Francis), their swingmen (McGrady, Artest, Battier, Hayes), and their low-post (Yao, Scola, Mutombo, Dorsey). Houston is also proudly led by their head coach Rick Adelman, without a doubt, one of the best basketball coaches to ever coach the game. The addition of Ron Artest will add a ridiculous amount of flexibility for Adelman, when it comes to substitutions in games. Artest gives this team the small bump it needs to get past the first round in the post season.

My lonesome prediction last year of Houston tackling the odds and seeing NBA gold sounded ridiculous, until that 22-game winning streak came around. Yao Ming’s season-ending injury stabbed the season in the heart and left many fans wondering how far they would’ve went with Yao in the playoffs.

Freshmen Headlines

Thursday night was a night filled with immense headlines and changes for the League. After soaking in all of the decisions by each team for several hours, I felt I couldn’t pick a better time to write this up ’til after the following blockbuster trade which took place a little pass 1 a.m.

T’Wolves receive Kevin Love, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins from the Grizzlies for O.J. Mayo, Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker and Greg Buckner.

After all the lights were turned off at MSG, Wolves GM Kevin McHale rolled up his sleeves and made the moves necessary to bring more skill to the front court, along with a stronger perimeter shooter in Mike Miller. The Grizzlies finally bring home the desired O.J. Mayo to create a congested backcourt with guards, Kyle Lowry, Javaris Crittenton and Mike Conley. The deal turns out to work for both teams equally.

The Grizzlies back court will face tension in the minutes that are to be spread from the guards. The loss of Juan Carlos Navarro, with his decision to leave the team and play overseas and Mike Miller’s departure due to the trade help out the cause. The production from the back court is not the factor to worry about for Memphis now,

the back court does become the question though. With the loss of Pau Gasol in their infamous trade, Memphis is left with Darko Milicic (7ppg., 6rpg.), Hakim Warrick (11ppg., 4rpg.), Kwame Brown. The execution to get Mayo define GM, Chris Wallace’s obsession to have Mayo on the roster. It is now up to Wallace to put forth one or two moves to add help to the front court.

The Timberwolves, on the other hand are a developing team with a healthy line-up. O.J. Mayo would’ve done nothing but give this teams a solid 10 to 15 more wins then last season. But the acquirement of Kevin Love helps stretch the length of this young team. Alongside, Al Jefferson (21ppg., 11rpg., 1.5bpg.) and Ryan Gomes (12.6ppg., 5.8rpg.), and Craig Smith (9.4ppg., 4.6rpg.), Kevin Love is surrounded by plenty of young big-men that have been in his position not too long ago, to help relate. Love fell into a comfortable spot to express his game for this team that’s exploding with potential. The guard position wasn’t hurt either Thursday night, even after losing Mayo. With Foye and Telfair coming back, along with the selection of Mario Chalmers, McHale is upgrading smoothly after the loss of KG.

With the #1 Draft pick, the Chicago Bulls select guard, Derrick Rose from the University of Memphis.

Not a soul was a surprised with this pick. The only reason this pick drew questions was due to Chicago’s mass amount of effective guards. The list includes, Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Larry Hughes, Chris Duhon, Thabo Sefolosha, JamesOn Curry, and Shannon Brown. There is no mystery as to why the Bulls chose Rose, the best guard in the draft. But, passing on Michael Beasley, the best player in the draft causes talk. Derrick Rose’s playmaking ability will be Chicago’s reasoning throughout the season as many will compare the two. Rose has a tremendous amount of pressure in his rookie season, anything less than stellar will be held against him and the organization’s decision-making. Derrick Rose’s talents are unexplainable for his position, his career will be put to the test right off the bat in his hometown. Many will think the Bulls are senseless in drafting another guard, but they see elements in Rose that most don’t understand. It is still extremely early in the off-season to assume this will be the final roster for Chicago. With their amusing stack of guards, expect their chase after a big time player down low. Rose’s presence will help turn this franchise around in a matter of 1-3 years, if you’re a Bulls fan, prepare for a set of grateful years ahead.

Miami overcomes all the rumors and selects Michael Beasley with their second pick.

Everyone was fed with abundant talks of Riley desperately trying to nab an explosive guard from the draft or a big time player like Elton Brand. It is still questionable whether Pat Riley and the Heat will stick through with this decision of Beasley and not push for a trade. It is still obvious the Heat want to make another significant push for a guard this off-season. Miami fans can only hope it doesn’t involve Beasley. Drafting Michael Beasley masked Miami as one of the smartest teams in the Draft by not letting Beasley drop on Minnesota or Seattle’s lap.

It’s been said many times on this page and it’ll be repeated, Michael Beasley is the best player in this Draft. Michael Beasley brings forth size, strength, jumping ability, quickness and scoring. His left-handed stroke is the essence of his shooting ability. He can pretty much get by defenders at will with his strong triple-step jab moves. Accompany that with an unbelievably soft touch around the basket with both hands and you have yourself a prime time scorer. It is only a matter of time before his name is mentioned in the same category as Carmelo, McGrady and Pierce.

New York Knicks draft Danilo Gallinari with their 6th overall pick in the Draft.

This decision has D’Antoni written all over it from top to bottom. The 6′9”, 212 pound Italian will be sporting a Knicks jersey to being his career in the US, with a great deal of pressure behind him. Gallinari is only 19 years of age but is said to contain all the maturity. Though his body is steps away from being on the NBA level, Gallanari is a consistent shooter with plenty of range. Danilo can become a scoring threat for the Knicks a few years from now with his numerous intangibles. Scouts also say the Italian is a crafty shooter with a knack for scoring the basketball, while also being able to sell a foul call like Ginobili. Danilo Gallinari may not be the perfect for the Knicks just yet, but as the years go through he’ll become a fan favorite once his weapons expand along with his age.

Sacramento makes the bold move in selecting Jason Thompson with their 12th pick.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you, hence the words on the last entry,

“…and please don’t sleep on Jason Thompson. Just don’t.”

I wasn’t at all surprised with Sacramento’s decision to grab what they feel is the right player for the team. Jason Thompson, a 6′11”, 21-year old power forward from Rider University was the best kept secret in the draft. The late bloomer has great fluidity in his footwork and a nice set of low post moves. He’s also a quality defender, something necessary for Sacramento to help Artest.

After drafting Arizona’s Jerryd Bayless, Indiana trades away Bayless and Diogu for Portland’s Brandon Rush, Jarrett Jack and Josh McRoberts.

This column has extreme love for Jerryd Bayless. So when the news struck that Bayless was traded to Portland, this immediately turned into a headline. It would’ve certainly been nice to see Bayless turn into a quick NBA start and plump his stats in the traditional basketball place of Indiana, but teaming up with Brandon Roy isn’t bad for an NBA career. Bayless has one of the best pull up jumpers in the game, along with amazing body control, it will be a treat for Portland fans to see this team blossum with Oden coming back next season. The following trade for Indiana made it evident that their primary guard, Jamaal Tinsley is going to be shipped out of Indiana.

New Jersey Nets draft Brook Lopez, eying LeBron, Wade or Bosh in their Brooklyn future?

After trading away a fundamentally skilled Richard Jefferson, the New Jersey Nets received Bobby Simmons, Yi Jianlian and the Bucks draft pick which turned out to be an obvious steal with the acquisition of Brook Lopez. The key theory of this trade for the Nets isn’t focused towards Yi Jianlian’s potential, but the amount of salary cap relief he’ll bring to the Nets in 2010, which is when DWade, ‘Bron and Bosh might be available. The main attraction for the Nets organization would be bringing LeBron to Brooklyn. Such a move would explode the Nets fan base for several years.

Philadelphia drafts Marreese Speights from the University of Florida.

Philadelphia’s choice of Speights was no surprise. I’m incredibly proud of Philadelphia’s decision this year with this one. It looks like Stefanski is a GM with a head on his shoulders, who’s trying to work this team out to be completely successful in every area. The 6′10”, 250 pound forward has a wingspan that could potentially allow him to be a situational center for the Sixers. Speights has a good offensive attack, can work beautifully off pick-and-rolls and brings the adrenaline of Joakim Noah or Reggie Evans, whom the Sixers already posses. Adding another player like this only upgrades the bangers down low for Philly to get dirty.