True Hoop Blog: Post on Shaun Livingston

TrueHoop had a recent post by Henry Abbott that gives an update on Livingston’s progress with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Check it out here.

Quick Hits 7/07/09

I hope everyone had a safe and happy Fourth of July.  I took the week off and was very much off-line and it was great.  And there is a lot of sports news to filter through.

American League All-Star 1B

I follow baseball very lightly.  I keep track of the MN Twins and have a general understanding of everything else going on.

I saw the AL Starting Line-Up for the All-Star game and I am going to play the “homer” card here.  New York Yankees first base man, Mark Teixeira, was voted into the starting line-up over Twins slugger Justin Morneau and I have to say that I completely disagree.  I will file this under “East Coast/Yankees basis”, so I thought I would lay down some stats in some of the major offensive categories.

• Hits: MT – 83, JM – 101
• HR: MT – 20, JM – 21
• RBI: MT – 61, JM – 69
• AVG: MT – .273, JM – .323

Morneau also leads in OPS, SLG, and OBP.  But I do not really know the calculations that make up these numbers.

Morneau *Stats pulled from ESPN.

Ranks 3rd in AL in BA (.323)	Ranks 2nd in AL in HR (21)
Ranks 2nd in AL in RBI (69)	Ranks 8th in AL in R (56)
Ranks 5th in AL in OBP (.399)	Ranks 1st in AL in SLG (.601)
Ranks 1st in AL in OPS (1.000)

Teixeira

Ranks 4th in AL in HR (20)	Ranks 5th in AL in RBI (61)
Ranks 6th in AL in BB (48)	Ranks 8th in AL in SLG (.546)
Ranks 8th in AL in OPS (.928)

Ok, I am done.  I think I have proved my point.  Morneau should start!

USA Soccer

I am a huge soccer rub and I watched the US team in the blowouts and the victories of the Confederations Cup and I was very impressed with the turn around Bob Bradley’s team made from the group stage to the finals.

The US team proved they can compete and are a legit top-15 team in the world, but they need to play more consistent.  As cliche’ as that sounds, the US was incredible versus Egypt, Spain and Brazil and then very “sheepish” against Italy and Brazil – the first time.

Landon Donovanshowed he is a European level player, Oguchi Onyewu signed with AC Milan, and Jozy Altidore may get some time in Spain.

I am not completely convinced that Bob Bradley is the coach that can take the team to their full potential, but he did take a US team to the finals of a semi-major tournament that include soccer power houses.

There are concerns that the US brass to consider, but my major issue is this:  How the hell is Freddy Adu not on the pitch?  Other than Donovan and maybe Clint Dempsey, Adu is the most creative player on this roster who can create scoring opportunities in open play.

The back line is solid, goal keeping is top-notch, the mid-field is improved with Ricardo Clark playing the defensive holding midfielder, and speedster Charlie Davies is great counter-part to the strength of Altidore up front.

We will see how they handle the next step in the evaluation of a potentially strong team in the World Cup.

NBA Free Agency Grades

Rasheed Wallace to the Celtics = A.  This makes sense for both sides.  Wallace will get a chance at another title and the Celtics get KG knee insurance.

Hedu Turkaglu to the Raptors = B.  Portland would have been a good fit, but I the roster is similar to the Magic, it will depend on the style.

Trevor Arizia to the Rockets = C+.  Should have gone to LeBrons house.  Rockets are in rebuilding mode, but if he stays could be a crucial part of the foundation.

Ben Gordon to the Pistons = B+.  I don’t know what this means for Richard Hamilton, but Gordon can score and the Pistons needs help.

Charlie Villanuevato the Pistons = B.  Rasheed Wallace Jr.  He will have the oppurtunity to grow and become a major player.

Marcin Gortatto the Mavericks = C.  I am not sure why, unless he is there to replace Erik Dampier.

Ron Artestto the Lakers = A-.  This move has the potential to be messy, but Artest is a good player now.  Solid defensively and better than Arzia offensively.  Lakers are better.

Over all, the teams made themselves better.  Wallace and Artest are very short-term fixes, but their teams are pushing to the title now.  It will be a tough year in the East and Houston is going to struggle without Yao and who knows what they will get from Tracy McGrady.

Day After (or a week) The 2009 NBA Draft

My head is still spinning.  With a the point guards and all the trades prior, it is was very crazy.

MN T’Wolves Equals PG

When I sat down and look at what I hoped that Timberwolves leadership would do tonight, picked four point guards was not in the top ten scenarios possible.

Granted, UNC guard TY Lawson is headed to Denver and Florida guard Nick Calathes is going to Dallas.  And everything I have heard and read is that there is going to be a deal with including Ricky Rubio.

Wayne Ellington at 28 is a good pick, but it is tough to give them a grade when it still seems up in the air.

Carter to the Magic

I get the need to fill the void of Hedu Turkaglu and Vince Carter replaces the scoring, but trading Country Lee makes me sad.  He was something they did not have, a good defensive player who could get to he basket and make a mid-range jumper.  Carter is going to have to figure out how to play with a quality big man, which he has not done, ever.  And Carter will have to find how to be effective with out the ball in his hands.

This trade is a reaction to various things.

1. Trade - With Shaq coming to Ohio and the Wizards adding Mike Miller and Randy Foye, the Magic needed to improve as top in the east got a little more crowded.
2. Hedu Opting Out - With Turkeglu opting out of his contract, the Magic would have had a hole in the line-up.
3. The Economy – it makes sense for teams to dump salary.

Many NBA “experts” like this trade and I am not sure I do.  Mainly because you lose Courtney Lee.  If this because he missed that lay-up?  Pau Gosal hit the rim and the pass pulled him behind the backboard.  Just leave him alone.  I think Lee is going to blow-up in Jersey – ala Devin Harris – and those two could become the best young backcourt in the league.

Clippers – So Far So Good

Lets be honest, it would have been pretty hard for the em to mess this up, but there is still time, it’s the Clippers for cry-out-loud.

Blake’s brother, Tyler, was drafted at 48 to Phoenix.

Panthers in the 2nd Round

Both DeJuan Blair and Sam Young fell into the second and were picked back-to-back with Young going to Memphis at No. 36 and Blair to the Spurs at No. 37.  I think Blair fell because of his knees and Young because of his age.  Both will grow and will be assets the moment the put on a uniform.

NBA Updates

I had not planned on posting until after the draft, but with all the excitement, speculation and trades, I had to comment. 

Shaq to the Cavs

This is a good trade all around.  The Cavs get a player who people forget had a good year with a team that struggle to utilize him.  He scored 18 points a game and grabbed nine boards. 

For the Suns it gives them cap space, but more importantly, it allows the offense to flow from Steve Nash to Amare Stoudemire and not be forced to dump into the post. 

The Cavsnow have three good big man who are all very different and will add so much depth to this team.  The one thing they still lack is a player who is not LeBron that is a guard, over 6′6″, and can guard, ala Mickael Peitrus. 

Note to Shaq:  This is LeBron’s team and you are a part of it.  Come in, join the laid back vibe, have fun but remember, this is not 2001. 

Yao

I like Yao and I feel for the Houston Rocket nation.  Yao is an extremely talented player and has been a ambassador for the league and for the Chinese, but he can not stay healthy.

Get well Yao!

TONIGHT

This will be a fun night, I hope the Clippers mess it up and the T’Wolves don’t and do not pick Thabeet.

I hope feel good with any combo of these players after pick 6:  Tyreke Evans, Jonny Flynn, Steph Curry, James Harden and Ricky Rubio. 

At the 18th pick:  Sam Young or Eric Maynor.

28th pick:  Derrick Brown or Chase Budinger.

I sure there will be plenty to write about tomorrow.

Jay Bilas’ Prospect Ranking

JAY’S BEST AVAILABLE You can throw out specific team needs or where players will actually be drafted. The following is simply a list of the 25 best players available, according to Jay Bilas:

1. Blake Griffin, Oklahoma

2. Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut

3. Tyreke Evans, Memphis

4. James Harden, Arizona State

5. Ricky Rubio, Spain

6. Jordan Hill, Arizona

7. Stephen Curry, Davidson

8. Jonny Flynn, Syracuse

9. Jrue Holiday, UCLA

10. DeMar DeRozan, USC

11. Terrence Williams, Louisville

12. Jeff Teague, Wake Forest

13. Ty Lawson, North Carolina

14. DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh

15. Gerald Henderson, Duke

16. B.J. Mullens, Ohio State

17. Brandon Jennings, Italy

18. Eric Maynor, VCU

19. James Johnson, Wake Forest

20. Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina

21. Sam Young, Pittsburgh

22. Earl Clark, Louisville

23. Austin Daye, Gonzaga

24. Wayne Ellington, North Carolina

25. DaJuan Summers, Georgetown

The Minnesota T’Wolves Make A Trade to Move UP In The Draft

I think I am getting a little teary-eyed about this draft and not because Randy Foye and Mike Miller are no longer Timberwolves.

The T’Wolves have sent Foye and Miller to the Washington Wizards for the No. 5 pick in this years draft, Oleksiy Pecherov, Etan Thomas and Darius Songaila – I left the hyperlink for Oleksiy, because I have no clue who he is or where he came from.  You can check out the full ESPN.com story here.

The trades shows a few positives about the David Kahn regime as GM.

1. First, we moved up in a draft for the first time I can remember in team history.
2. He is already more proactive than Keven McHale was, ever.
3. This is not the last trade.

The Wolves have picks 5, 6, 18 and 28 and the rumors out there are that the Wolves will package either 5 or 6 with the 18 and/or 28 to get to No. 2 and pick Ricky Rubio.  SWEET JESUS.

That means he very well could have a back court of Rubio with Steph Curry, James Harden or Tyreke Evans (who I am actually not as high on as I was three days ago).

I hope this does not mean they will take Hasheem Thabeet (who’s name I am able to spell with out looking), but I do not want him at either 2, 5, or 6.  He is too one dimensional and while I had been up on him after watching for a year, I just don’t think he is a top 10 pick.  He has absolutely no offensive game and is an average rebounder at any height, let alone 7′3″.  DeJuan Blair at 6′7″ average 12.3 rebounds a game to Thabeets 10.8.

Switching topics, here are some other thoughts on some players we may know a little about.

Tyler Hanbrough, UNC – I watched a little bit of the combine and was impressed with the way he looked compared to other bigs in the draft.  He has a great motor and is not afraid of contact, and finishes well after the contact.  I think he will go mid-to-late first round, probably to a playoff contender or the Bobcats.

Sam Young, PITT- Young is an athletic, slasher who is mature enough to handle the transition to the NBA.  At 24, he is the oldest draftee, but that is why he will be a steal for a late first round pick for a team in the Playoffs.

Terrace Williams, Louisville – Many people are thinking he will be a monster in the NBA.  I have heard the Ron Artest comparison, and I am not sure I see that.  I see it on the defensive side, but Williams lacks consistent offense.

Jrue Holiday, UCLA – I do not understand the hype surrounding this guy.  Look at his stats and tell me what about him looks like a top ten pick.  Is it that we did not get to see him much at UCLA or is this draft just that weak?  I understand he plays hard on the defensive end, but there is nothing that makes me want to pick him in the lottery.

Gerald Henderson, Duke – If he is available in the 12-18 range, PICK HIM!  I hope he falls to the Wolves at 18 (if they keep that pick).  I have heard him going to New York or Charlotte.

Earl Clark, Lousiville- Maybe the single biggest question mark in the draft.  He has top three talent, but lacks the consistent effort. If I were a GM and he is still on the board after the top five, I take him.  He is too good to ignore.

Brandon Jennings, Italy – I have not seen much of him after the high school all-star games, but I do not like what I have heard.  The word is that he reminds people of Iverson, and I am not a fan of Iverson.  Jennings is quick, picks the flashy over fundamental, and looks to prompt himself.  Sounds like Sebsastian Telfair all over again.  But he could do very well playing for Golden State.

Austin Daye, Gonzaga – I wish he would have stayed in school, seriously!  He is crazy talented, but needs time to develop and muscle.

Chase Budinger, Arizona- Big fan of Mr. Budinger.  He will make a team better the moment he steps on the floor and still has room to grow.  He is a good shooter, and can get of the floor.  But needs to find a steady mid-range jumper.

Derrick Brown, Xavier -  6′9″, 237 lbs, and is a great athlete.  He is my favorite player not being talked about.  He could go anywhere from the 20’s – 30’s, but he is a player that I would pick in the second round in a heart beat – he has top ten talent.

Patrick Mills, St. Marys – No one has fallen faster, but he will make a solid back-up who has unique experience with his national team.  He is smaller for the point in the NBA, but he is steady, very steady.

Danny Green, UNC - He will never be more than a role player, but role players win championships.  Also, there are a lot of picks in this draft who will never be “more than a role player”.  The term is over used and misunderstood.  He players hard on both ends of the court and is a better than average shooter.  He lacks great speed and athleticism which mean he might struggle to guard which was his specialty in college.

Let me clear something up.  The term “role-player” has been used to limit what players do.  Say they are one-dimensional, but a team of role payers, filling the right roles, wins.  The Spurs are a team full of role players.  Even Tim Duncan has a role, it is just more expansive than Bruce Bowen’s.

I could go on for a while that topic, but I won’t.  But speaking of the Spurs – solid transition – I love the Richard Jefferson trade.  For a team that does not play in the world of major trades, it is a move that make them better.

Here is a summary from Chad Ford’s article one ESPN.com:  ”Milwaukee Bucks traded Richard Jefferson to the San Antonio Spurs for Bruce Bowen and Kurt Thomas on Tuesday.  The Spurs also sent Fabricio Oberto to the Detroit Pistons for Amir Johnson who then went to the Bucks.”

I also heard/read that both Bowen and Oberto may be released from their contracts and then sign back with the Spurs.  That is an interesting and freakin’ smart play by Spurs.

NBAdraft.net Mock Draft: Both Rounds

Take a look at their full mock from picks No. 1 – No. 60.

Below is just a lottery taste, click here for the entire mock draft.

LA Clippers	Blake Griffin	6-10	248	PF	Oklahoma
Memphis	Ricky Rubio	6-3	180	PG	Spain
Oklahoma Cty	James Harden	6-5	222	SG	Arizona St.
Sacramento	Stephen Curry	6-3	181	PG/SG	Davidson
Washington	Jordan Hill	6-10	232	PF	Arizona
Minnesota	Hasheem Thabeet	7-2	267	C	UConn
Golden St.	Brandon Jennings	6-1	170	PG	USA
New York	Tyreke Evans	6-5	221	SG	Memphis
Toronto	Gerald Henderson	6-5	215	SG/SF	Duke
Milwaukee	DeMar DeRozan	6-7	211	SG	USC
New Jersey	Earl Clark	6-10	226	SF	Louisville
Charlotte	Tyler Hansbrough	6-9	234	PF	North Carolina
Indiana	DeJuan Blair	6-6	277	PF	Pittsburgh
Phoenix	Jonny Flynn	6-0	196	PG	Syracuse

DTP 2009 NBA Mock Draft: Picks 1-6

More than years past, this draft is completely up in the air.  Even the No. 1 pick.  The economy is forcing organizations to make atypical decisions on the the future, meaning lots of trades and out-of-the-box moves.  Griffin is the sure first pick, but even though the Clippers said they would take him, there are no guarantees.

We could set a record for the number of trades and have fewer international picks then in years past.  After Ricky Rubio, there is not another recognizable non-US player – besides Brandon Jennings.  On the ESPN list of the top 20 prospects, you will not see any other foreign born, besides Rubio, in the Top-20.  And finally at No. 30 we see another international player, 6′9″ small forward Omri Casspi from Israel.

So that being said, it will make for an interesting night.  And my Top-6 have at least one surprise.

1. Los Angeles Clippers:  Blake Griffin, Oklahoma

Everything about this is pointing to an epic failure.  One, it’s the Clippers.  Two, the choice is too obvious.  Three, they have too many post players with too much money tied to those players.

This is the third time the Clippers have had the first pick of the draft, first in 1998 – Michael “I am a total bust, what the hell is giving the idea I will be good” Olowokandi and ten years earlier in 1988 with Danny Manning.

But Griffin is the obvious choice.  There is no debate.  But two random thoughts.  1.  Will the Clippers make any kind of trade around this pick – i.e. the pick or other players?  2.  Would Griffin have been the No. 1 pick in last years draft?

2. Memphis Grizzlies:  Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut

While I picked Thabeet at this pick, Ricky Rubio is a better pick and player, and I am positive the Grizzlies are looking to trade down.

But if they keep the pick, Thabeet does make sense as Mike Conley seems to have the backing of the organization.  Thabeet will give them a shot blocker and a decent rebounder.  But is still very early in his basketball development.  He is 7′3″ and is much more athletic than people give him credit, and be able to get easy buckets on put-backs and in the lane dunks.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder:  James Harden, Arizona State

I have seen Jrue Holiday at this pick who is very similar to Russell Westbrook but I am not sure that you can skip over Rubio at this spot.  Thabeet works here, but I am not sure he will drop down to No. 3.  The major needs are at the PG/SG and C spot but no other center is worth a top-ten pick.

The Thunder must decide if Westbrook is a true point guard, shooting guard or a combo guard.  If they come to the conclusion that Westbrook is the man at point, then they will pick Harden.   If he is a SG/Combo guard, they will pick Rubio.  Both are ready to contribute from day one.

4. Sacramento Kings:  Ricky Rubio, Spain

If Rubio is available at No. 4, new coach Paul Westphal will need smelling salts.  Kevin Martin is the teams best player at the two spot, Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes are going to be a solid, yet young, front court, and there is a need at the small forward spot.  But Westpahl can not ignore the fact that Beno Udrih was the starter for the majority of the year, then 36-year-old Bobby Jackson started the last ten games of the season and Will Solomon is your back-up.

Rubio = Instant upgrade.

5. Washington Wizards:  Jordan Hill, Arizona

At No. 5, the Wizards could go anywhere.  They need to draft a highly-qualified doctor to put the team up mid-season when the fall apart.

Hill is high energy and low basketball IQ.  He would help right away, but does not have the up-side that many other picks.  But he is something the Wizards need to win now with Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antwan Jamison.

I could see them going with Steph Curry or Jonny Fylnn or trading this pick.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves:  Tyreke Evans, Memphis

The T’Wolves need talent, plain and simple.  Evans is a great fit as someone who can handle the ball, create his own shot, is over 6′4″ tall, and has monster upside.

Minnesota has needs at point guard, shooting guard, and center, but are not going to find a productive center anywhere near this pick. I have seen Curry and DeMar DeRozan at this pick, I like Curry, but not here.  The Wolves will trade the pick unless they can get Thabeet or Rubio.

If they keep this pick, they need to pick Evans.  This team is young and if they can keep the mature and grow through the remainder of Al Jefferson’s contract, this team will be a force.

Chad Ford’s Mock Draft: Picks 1-5

Here is the latest Chad Ford mock draft with the first five picks.  You need to be an ESPN insider – which I am – to see the remainder of the first round.  I agree with a four of the five picks, but I think that the Hasheem Thabeet and Ricky Rubio could switch and I am not convinced that James Harden is the fifth best player in this draft, but he is more NBA ready than most other shooting guards.

I can tell you that with No. 6 – the MN Wolves pick is predicted to take Tyreke Evans.  I am warming to Evans, I will explain more later.

PICK	TEAM	PLAYER	VITALS
	L.A. Clippers	Blake Griffin	Position: PF Height: 6-10 Weight: 248 pounds Age: 20 School: Oklahoma

 Analysis:For the past several years, we’ve been blessed with at least a little suspense when it comes to who will be the No. 1 pick. Not this year. Griffin is going to be a Clipper. Sources around the league say that trade talks with the Clippers are virtually nonexistent when it comes to Griffin. Instead the Clippers are focusing on finding a new home for Chris Kaman or Zach Randolph. 
 

PICK	TEAM	PLAYER	VITALS
	Memphis	Hasheem Thabeet	Position: C Height: 7-3 Weight: 267 Age: 22 School: Connecticut

 Analysis: The Grizzlies’ situation continues to be an enigma.

They are talking to a number of teams about a potential trade, and the Kings, Wizards, Knicks, Rockets and Celtics have shown interest in moving up to No. 2.

At the same time, the Grizzlies continue to publicly pursue Ricky Rubio, although a well-placed source in the point guard’s camp said it’s likely (though not definite) that Rubio will skip Memphis when he goes on a three-city U.S. tour next week. And there have been rumblings that Tyreke Evans is in the mix in Memphis.

But when the dust clears, it looks as though the most likely scenario has Thabeet in Memphis on draft night, if the Grizzlies keep the pick. If they move down, add Jordan Hill to the players who would be under consideration.  

PICK	TEAM	PLAYER	VITALS
	Oklahoma City	Ricky Rubio	Position: PG Height: 6-4 Weight: 180 Age: 18 Country: Spain

 Analysis:The Thunder have been their typical quiet selves. GM Sam Presti has told a number of agents that he is interested in their players, but it has been difficult to ascertain the direction the team is leaning.

We continue to hear that the Thunder have expressed interest in Rubio, Thabeet, James Harden, Jordan Hill and Stephen Curry.

Rubio likely will make a visit to OKC some time before the draft, but major questions exist about how he would fit there. The team sees Russell Westbrook as its point guard of the future and isn’t sure how he would fare without the ball in his hands.

Maybe more importantly, Presti is an opportunist. If he can get a couple of good assets in return for the No. 3 pick, he won’t be afraid to pull the trigger.

But if he doesn’t, or if Rubio is off the board, the team will have to make a tough decision. Thabeet would give the Thunder the shot-blocking they desperately need. Harden would give them the savvy of a veteran. Curry would give them shooting. Hill would give them rebounding and energy. Oklahoma City could use all those things, but our guess is that it would settle on Harden or Curry. 

PICK	TEAM	PLAYER	VITALS
	Sacramento	Jrue Holiday	Position: PG Height: 6-4 Weight: 199 Age: 18 School: UCLA

Analysis:At this point I think it’s safe to say the Kings have narrowed it down to Holiday, Flynn and Rubio. In Sacramento this past weekend, Flynn, Holiday (his second visit) and Brandon Jennings went head-to-head in front of the entire Kings brass.

Sources say Flynn was probably the best of the three in the workout, but that Holiday still holds a slight edge on their board. Flynn would provide immediate help and is a real floor leader. But Holiday’s size, upside and defensive ability give him a razor-thin edge.

If the Grizzlies and Thunder both pass on Rubio, the Kings could be in an interesting situation. Sources in Sacramento say the Kings have reservations about Rubio and that it’s far from a done deal that they will take him if he is on the board. Is it possible Rubio could slip past No. 4? Ultimately, I don’t think so. The Kings would be nuts to pass on him. But who would’ve thought a month ago it was even a possibility?  

PICK	TEAM	PLAYER	VITALS
	Washington	James Harden	Position:SG Height: 6-5 Weight: 222 Age: 19 School: Arizona State

Analysis:As we’ve been reporting since draft lottery night, the Wizards are shopping this pick. A source in Washington told me the Wizards have had a number of interesting offers. Their goal is to get back a veteran who can play right now — and to shed a few million dollars off their payroll, if possible. A number of teams including the Knicks, Rockets and Pacers are possibilities here.

If the Wizards keep the pick, they’ll have a tough choice between Harden and Hill. From the intel I’ve received, it sounds as though Harden might be slightly ahead, though Hill and Davidson’s Stephen Curry are still very much in the mix.

McHale And Wolves Call It Quits

Supposedly, Kevin McHale is done and is leaving the Minnesota Timberwolves.  I think he is was a decedent coach, but has a very poor GM living off the pick of Kevin Garrnett ever since 1995.  This does not take away from what he did as a player.

Here is ESPN.com’s write-up.