Monthly Archives: October 2010

by | October 22, 2010 · 11:44 AM

Stern’s Empire Strikes Back

Stern's forces appear along the horizon

It is a dark time for the Players Association. Although the salary cap is greater than expected and player power is at its peak, Stern’s troops (the owners) have driven the Players Association from their seat of power and pursued them across the league.

Evading the dreaded Collective Bargaining Agreement talks, a group of players led by LeBron James has established a new, not so secret, base in Miami.

The evil deputy commissioner Adam Silver, obsessed with cost cutting to make the league profitable, has dispatched owners and league accountants into the far reaches of the NBA…

On Thursday October 21, Commissioner David Stern announced that the league and its owners will push for a 33 percent reduction in player salary. This announcement comes after Stern said that there was no quantifiable progress in the collective bargaining talks throughout the course of the summer. It seems as though players overlooked a decision that really matters.

The drop in salaries that Stern is looking for is in the range of $750 million to $800 million. Profitability is the end goal for the league and cutting the salaries, the NBA spends roughly $2.1 billion annually on player salaries and benefits, is a solution to the projected league-wide losses of $340 million to $350 million this season. At present, the players receive 57 percent of the league’s basketball-related income. A salary decrease along these lines would drop the player’s share to 48 percent. Therefore, the $350 million deficit would become a $350 million profit.

Who can really blame Stern and the owners for wanting to cut player salaries after the gaudy excesses with which the players treated themselves this summer in terms of max contracts and shifting league power? The competitive balance of the league has come under much scrutiny over the past couple of years and there seems to be no resolution of the issue in sight. This summer only proved that there are now even greater rifts between the haves and have-nots.

Stern prepares to Force choke the NBPA

Not surprisingly, Billy Hunter, the executive director of the players association, does not support the league’s proposal. He feels that limiting the players’ salaries is the wrong way for the league to go about its financial restructuring. Despite his and the players’ objections to the league’s recent proposal the NBPA has not offered up any alternatives or compromises other than calling for expanded revenue sharing between owners.

Contraction has also been mentioned as a possible step for the league to take to regain profitability. That alone expresses how serious the league is about righting its financial books. The players and the union certainly will not want to see this happen. The fewer number of teams there are in the league means that there will be fewer contracts for players to earn. This step, however, would also hurt the NBA’s regional fan bases. Less profitable teams would be targeted during this process which would leave cities such as Sacramento, New Orleans, Toronto, and possibly Indianapolis as possible NBA dust bowls or worse joining the ranks of Seattle, the Alderaan of the NBA. No one wants to see this take place.

Yet, people outside the league continue to question the league’s stance that it is not profitable in its current construction. Season ticket sales, where teams generate much of their profits, are up considerably this season. However, according to the NBA, the efforts to generate these high sales are far too expensive because of built-in costs. An increase in revenue sharing would help the smaller market teams compete with those in larger cities. On paper this seems to be a good solution until you insert two variables into the equation: the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. New York is the largest market in the country and yet the Knicks have been one of the league’s most uncompetitive teams for the better part of a decade. This is in part because of mismanagement but it goes to show that large market teams are not always better. The Spurs on the other hand are considered a small market team but have won four championships over the past 11 seasons. Clearly revenue sharing is not the only solution.

Essentially, the owners and the league want to spend less money and have performance based fail-safe’s on their investments while the players and the union want to keep things as they are. The Players Association is in trouble. More and more are their actions being seen as impotent and they keep falling back when Stern takes action. They threatened to sue the league over the new technical foul rules but what case do they really have to make on that issue? It was a laughable threat at the most. Time is running out and they must get something done to remain relevant.

The CBA expires on June 30 and both sides hope to come to an agreement before then to avoid a work stoppage. Commissioner Stern, the owners, and the league have played their hand and it is strong, or so they would have the players believe. It is up to the players and their union to decide what to do from here until February’s All Star weekend, which has been deemed by both Hunter and Stern as the unofficial deadline to reach an agreement on the new CBA. Hunter has said that the union is prepared to strike but how much would that really help their cause? If anything it would forfeit all their bargaining power. The ball is literally in the players’ court.

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by | · 10:35 AM

Mike Miller down but the Heat are not out

Mike Miller will be missing some time with an injured thumb but the Heat still have options.

Very rarely does an injury help clear up things for a team but we may be seeing that in Miami right now.

The Heat could be without shooting guard Mike Miller for several weeks due to a thumb injury he sustained during practice on Wednesday.  According to head coach Erik Spoelstra, he injured his thumb in a “freak accident” during drills and the team is awaiting his MRI results.

The Heat, which are no strangers to injury this preseason, are going to miss the sharp shooter but are not without options.  Dwyane Wade has shown that he has the ability to run the point in past seasons and Eddie House could have the opportunity to shine in Miller’s absence.  However, House is known more for his ability to score than create plays.  With just 1.3 assists per game last season, Pat Riley and Spoelstra have to know this.

In addition, Miami has Mario Chalmers and Carlos Arroyo who both aren’t ideal candidates for the job but with the lineup they have in South Beach, anyone could easily run the point.

The situation will most likely lead to a mixed rotation of both Wade and LeBron James bringing the ball up the court.  The Cavaliers toyed with James at the one position for some time before opting to bring in Mo Williams to open LBJ on more scoring.  This seems like the most viable option for the Heat right now.

Missing Miller will hurt but it will definitely allow Spoelstra time to work out a good rotation.  When he returns from injury, it will be easy to fit him into any system they develop since he has such a diverse game and attitude that could lend to him playing limited minutes off of the bench.  The roster is so deep right now that it may allow a little ease on how to play the team appropriately.

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by | October 21, 2010 · 12:45 PM

Popping the bubble in Chicago

Several factors will make the Bulls true contenders this season... and yet, they are still growing.

The stars aligned for several teams in the East this offseason.  A lot of attention has gone to the efforts in South Beach but a certain team in Illinois has made a minor rumble that along with the growth of their young players will turn them into contenders this season.

Derrick Rose has yet to take the Bulls past the first round of the playoffs.  Despite averaging nearly 27 points and 8 assists in the postseason, the Bulls have been unlucky enough to face the Celtics and the Cavs in the first round both times he has been to the playoffs.  However, at only 22, this storied franchise is already his to lead.

This 2009 Rookie of the Year hasn’t even approached his prime yet but is already a threat.  His growth will leap even more this season with him winning gold at the FIBA Championship with team USA this summer.  We have seen what international play can do to young players and the trend wont stop with the Beijing Olympic team.  Mike Krzyzewski has an effect on developing basketball players that builds teamwork play in the biggest egos.

This team has done a good job at bringing in other names that can carry the scoring load for an impressive season.  Carlos Boozer is getting a little old but can still hang in the paint.  Ronnie Brewer has nothing but ups from here and the same applies to C.J. Watson.  Bringing in veterans from high-basketball I.Q. teams will really help in Chicago.  Kurt Thomas has been in the league for a while and brings all sorts of leadership to the Bulls.  Boozer is coming from the hard-nosed system under Jerry Sloan as is Brewer who played briefly in Memphis after leaving Utah.  These players’ guidance and confidence will help this young Bulls team grow.

It just wasn't meant to be for Vinny Del Negro and John Paxson.

The head-coaching story in Chicago has been rough for the past few seasons with the exit of Scott Skiles and the disaster that was Vinny Del Negro.  John Paxson seems to have landed the right man for the job in Tom Thibodeau.  With the Celtics, Thibodeau helped turn the team into a defensively-minded squad with a little help from Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and the assortment of specialists in Boston.  From 2006-07 to the following season, the Celtics lowered their points per game by opponents from 99 to just over 90 and decreased opponent’s shooting percentage to 41 percent a game.  They have had a top-ranked defense the last three seasons with 2009-10 (fifth), 08-09 (second) and 07-08 (first).

Now, he still has a lot of different yet younger players to instill his defensive schemes with.  Joakim Noah is proving to be a very formidable player and shouldn’t let that possible trade including him trip up his season.  In addition, Luol Deng should be able to mold to a new system as well.  The team was already first in the league in rebounding last year with 44 a game and Boozer will be able to lead and transform this frontcourt into a better unit with his veteran leadership.  Loosing Hakim Warrick and Brad Miller will hurt that big-man situation but the players they have now will be able to step up.  Also, do not count the Bulls out for midseason trades.  They have done it before and they may do it again with several chips to throw on the table.

They lost some good players in Tyrus Thomas, John Salmons and Kirk Hinrich as well but they have taken some appropriate steps to replace them.  Boozer has the inside skills that are far superior than Thomas’.  Brewer has very well-rounded game like Salmons and Kyle Korver has the three than can fill the void left by Hinrich.  He was supposed to be replaced by former Duke superstar J.J. Redick but if you haven’t figured it out by now, Otis Smith and the Orlando Magic don’t give up players very easily.

The division is a lot easier now that LeBron James has left town and they no longer need to dread road trips to Cleveland.  The Pistons have also fallen completely off of the map.  But the talented Bucks and young Pacers will keep the Bulls on their heels along with the rest of the Eastern Conference that just got a lot better this offseason.

It finally looks like Chicago is on the right path and hopefully no major snags will get in the way.  They really have a chance of moving past being a bubble team to becoming a true contender with a better seeding in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.  It’s scary since this team still has a lot of growing to do.

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by | October 18, 2010 · 1:50 PM

Rookie Watch

Boom or bust, here is a list of rookies that could potentially make names for themselves in the coming season. Not all of them will be in the running for Rookie of the Year but they all have something to prove to their respective teams and to the fans alike. A few of these players are already predetermined starters on their squads. Unfortunately, some on this list will find themselves deep on their team’s bench despite their talent but that should not lessen the interest in them. For others, it is simply a matter of gaining the trust of the coaching staff and teammates so that they see an increase in the number of minutes that they play. It would also not be surprising to see some on this list fail to live up to the expectations surrounding them. Nonetheless, these are the rookies to watch.

DeMarcus Cousins – Sacramento Kings

So far this summer DeMarcus Cousins has been talking the talk. He has loudly professed that he feels that he should have been drafted higher than fifth and has taken shots at Derrick Favors. Lucky for him, though, that he fell to the Kings. In Sacramento he is teamed up with last year’s Rookie of the Year in Tyreke Evans. Together the two form one of the best young duo combinations in the league. Cousins will be the starting center in Sactown with the injury plagued Samuel Dalembert sidelined for the first couple of weeks of the season. With the numbers he is putting up in preseason, 16.4 points and 9.6 rebounds, Cousins looks primed to be a double-double threat every night. However, he needs to limit the fouls he commits to be even more effective while on the court. Cousins wants to be Rookie of the Year and once the season begins we shall see if he can walk the walk.

Derrick Favors – New Jersey Nets

Favors was drafted third overall by the New Jersey Nets. Teams expect a lot from a top three draft pick but are the Nets really in a position to expect anything? They were a terrible team last year and have not made any significant moves to improve. They tried to trade for Carmelo Anthony but that deal fell apart. They brought in Troy Murphy but he has been battling a back injury so it looked as if the starting job was Favors’. Avery Johnson, the Nets’ head coach, had some early glowing praise for Favors saying he is as coachable as Tim Duncan. That, however, is where all similarities between Favors and Tim Duncan end. In six games this preseason, Favors has averaged five points (he did not score at all in his last two games) and five rebounds while shooting a dreadful 33.3 percent from the floor. He has only played two games in which his numbers were even note worthy. Due to his inconsistency, Johnson made the move to replace him in the starting lineup with Joe Smith. If Favors cannot find a way to improve he will find that his name will be synonymous with those of Kwame Brown, Darko Milicic, Greg Oden, and Hasheem Thabeet.

Blake Griffin – Los Angeles Clippers

It will be Griffin’s second year with an NBA but his first in which he takes part in a regular season game; that is unless some kind of unthinkable mishap befalls him again. Griffin is a rebounding machine and will likely lead all rookies in rebounding this season. His numbers in preseason are already eye-popping. He is averaging 17.4 points and 12 rebounds per game to go along with 1.8 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.4 blocks. Can I get a “daayum!”? I did not care for Griffin much in college but now that he has left Norman I can take my blinders off. This kid is going to be good. In fact he will be one of the best. If DeMarcus Cousins wants to be the ROY then he needs to outperform Griffin. As of right now, there is a short list for rookie of the year and Griffin, it can be argued, deserves to be atop of it. What has yet to be seen, however, is how he will match up with some of the more punishing frontcourts in the West.

Timofey Mozgov – New York Knicks

Mozgov is the second most talked about Russian in the NBA this season. The first, of course, is the New Jersey Net’s new owner, Mikhail Prokhorov. Before Mozgov signed with the New York Knicks, few if anybody had any idea who he was. He is still a seven foot one inch tall curiosity to fans and opposing teams alike. He played his entire professional career, up until this summer, in Russia with LenVo St. Petersburg, CSK VVS-2 Samara, and Khimki Moscow Region. This summer he played on the Russian national team in the FIBA World Championships which is where most people were introduced to the latest Knickerbocker. In FIBA play, Mozgov played a bench roll with his national team averaging 13 points and 4.4 rebounds. In the preseason, with the Knicks, he is averaging 7.5 points, three rebounds, one assist, one steal, and two blocks per game. His play thus far has caused the Knicks’ coaching staff to consider him for the role of the team’s starting center when the season starts despite his foul trouble. With hamburger enthusiast Eddy Curry as the only other true center on the roster, expect Mozgov to be named the starting center.

Jeremy Lin – Golden State Warriors

Lin was the breakout sensation of the NBA Summer League this year. Undrafted out of Harvard University, Lin, the first Asian-American to play in the NBA, was invited to play for the Dallas Mavericks’ Summer League team. The Mavericks were the only team to offer Lin an invite to Summer League. Once there, he quickly impressed all who saw him play. In five games, Lin averaged 9.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.2 steals while leading the team in field goal percentage with a mark of 54.5. The highlight performance of his Summer League experience was going head to head with John Wall and out playing him at every level, Wall scored more points but only connected on four of 19 shots while Lin was six of 12 from the floor. After he impressed in Summer League, Lin chose to sign a two year contract with his childhood favorite team, the Golden State Warriors. His numbers in the preseason are not as impressive as those he logged in Summer League play because his minutes have been extremely limited as he plays behind Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry, Aaron Miles, and Charlie Bell at either guard position. It would behoove new head coach Keith Smart to find some more minutes for Lin. He has the potential to be a break out player.

Larry Sanders – Milwaukee Bucks

For a time, Larry Sanders closely resembled Garry Shandling and hosted his own talk show. After massive reconstruction surgery and space-age age defying treatments, Larry Sanders is now an athletic forward for the Milwaukee Bucks. Sanders played second fiddle to Eric Maynor at Virginia Commonwealth for his first two years at the school and seemed very suited for that role. He became the standout player on the team during his junior season. He won back to back CAA Defensive Player of the Year awards his sophomore and junior seasons. Sanders is getting opportunities this season as he is averaging 17.2 minutes per game but his returns are not all bright. He was drafted by the Bucks for his defense and that is what he has provided for them thus far. He is averaging three defensive rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. His best game in the preseason came against the Detroit Pistons where he totaled 12 points, nine rebounds, and five blocks. Sanders’ ability to alter shots will be the reason that Scott Skiles will bring him in off the bench once the season begins but he needs to improve his scoring and rebounding if he is to become a legitimate role player on a deep Bucks team.

Tiago Splitter – San Antonio Spurs

Another foreign player making the jump to the NBA this season is Tiago Splitter. Much like Mozgov, not much was initially known about the Brazilian big man (he is listed at 6’11”) when the Spurs finally were able to sign him this summer. San Antonio drafted Splitter 28th overall in 2007. Since he was drafted by the Spurs, Splitter has chosen to play professionally in the Euroleague, where he could make more money, with Saski Baskonia. He was named the Spanish League MVP in 2010. Where many people were first able to see Splitter in action for the first time was during the FIBA World Championships in Turkey this summer when he represented his birth nation of Brazil (he has Spanish citizenship). During the tournament he averaged 12.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. Most notably, however, is that he played for the team that gave the United States the most difficulty during the U.S.’s gold medal run. The Spurs have held Splitter out of any preseason action thus far. Splitter has a reputation of being a smart and aware player on both ends of the court which should serve him well under the guidance of head coach Greg Popovich.

Evan Turner – Philadelphia 76ers

Only one player was drafted higher than Turner was this summer. Add to that the fact that he was drafted by a team that has been inconsistent in recent years and now has a new head coach. Now, combine that with him being yet another wing player on the roster. Talk about pressure. Good thing for Philadelphia that the returns so far look to be every promising and fitting of a number two draft pick. Turner has averaged ten points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in the preseason. He was able to record a double-double against the Toronto Raptors on October 13 with 13 points and 12 rebounds. The area in which Turner must improve is his shooting percentage which stands at 30.8 percent during the preseason. If he can do that, Philadelphia may have found a player who can take the scoring burden off of Andre Iguodala allowing him to focus on defense and off the ball movement, which is where he excels. Turner may also want to add few more pounds if he continues to alternate between the shooting guard and small forward positions.

Ekpe Udoh – Golden State Warriors

Udoh has a reputation of being a one man block party. This will be beneficial for the Warriors since David Lee and Andris Biedrins are not known for their shot blocking prowess. He won Defensive Player of the Year honors in both the Big 10 and Big 12 in college with Michigan and Baylor, respectively. Unfortunately for the Warriors, he will be sidelined for much of the season with an injury. (I still like his abilities and will wait patiently for his return and that is why he makes this list.) However, it is not known exactly where Udoh will fit into the Warriors rotation when he does return to the team. Golden State is loaded at power forward with players such as David Lee, Vladimir Radmanovic, Louis Amundson, and Brandon Wright. It may simply be the case that the Warriors are too stocked at power forward for Udoh, who was taken sixth in the draft, to see some, if any, minutes upon his return.

Greivis Vasquez – Memphis Grizzlies

Vasquez was a standout at Maryland where he scored the second most points in school history and was named the ACC Player of the Year during his senior year and was awarded the Bob Cousy Award which is given to the nation’s top collegiate point guard. Despite such accolades, Vasquez fell deep in the draft before he was selected 28th overall. During Summer League play, Vasquez injured his right ankle and had surgery on it in July to remove a bone spur. Because of this, he has yet to play in the preseason but should return in time for the start of the regular season. It is conceivable that if Vasquez plays with the tenacity he did in college at the NBA level he could challenge A.C. Law and Tony Allen for backup guard minutes behind O.J. Mayo and Mike Conley. It would also not be surprising if Vasquez out performed Memphis’ other first round draft pick, Xavier Henry. Before he can do all that, though, he must get healthy and establish himself in the Grizzlies solid young rotation.

John Wall – Washington Wizards

He was the first overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft; if he did not make this list then you would have permission to punch us in the gut repeatedly. Wall looks like a player selected number one with his performances in preseason. He opened up the preseason against Dallas and at halftime had recorded only one assists. However that would quickly change in the second half as he distributed the ball nicely on route to nine assists for the game to go along with 21 points and four steals. Wall is averaging 16.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, eight assists, and 2.2 steals thus far in the preseason. He is also shooting 42.7 percent from the field. Where Wall must improve is his three-point shooting. He does not have the range in his jump shot to hit from deep with any consistency. He also needs to increase his muscle mass as Jason Kidd easily forced Wall into the block and backed him down while posting up. Other big guards will likely do the same. Wall should find himself in the conversation for Rookie of the Year throughout the season as Wall looks every bit like a number one draft pick should, but must keep his focus on the task at hand. Hopefully, Gilbert Arenas’ odd behavior will not become a distraction him.

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by | October 16, 2010 · 10:39 AM

Roster Depth…Who needs It?

Each of these players has more rings than LeBron James

When it comes to team depth, it seems like the average NBA fan is all too ready to dismiss the notion as pure folly. They seem to feel that it is entirely irrelevant. The most common example they bring up is that depth does not win championships. It seems to them that the combination of two to three strong players (I’ll use some examples that were put in front of me by someone else: Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe and Pau Gasol) and a role player or two and you can pretty much guarantee a championship. Signed, sealed, delivered, it is yours. Frequently, those who hold this belief puff up their chests and issue a challenge to prove them wrong. Well, lucky for them. I am always good for a well natured challenge and giving them that example is exactly what this article intends to do. First, however, the issue of roster depth must be addressed appropriately.

The Los Angeles Lakers have won their second title in a row and head into the 2010-11 season as favorites once more. In each of those championship runs, the Lakers rotation was sliced to six players essentially. Bryant, Pau Gasol, Ron Artest (2009-10), Trevor Ariza (2008-09), Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom, and Andrew Bynum were the key cogs that turned the gears of this team. In each of the championship runs the Lakers were paced by Bryant and Gasol with Odom in 2009 and Artest in 2010 logging the third most minutes. Only in 2009, when Ariza played slightly fewer minutes than Odom, was there not a dramatic fall off in the number of minutes played between the “role player” and the rest of the team. Interestingly enough, Bynum was essentially the sixth man, in terms of minutes played, on each of those playoff teams. (Can we call him a bust yet? I will.) There you have it. This is the argument that everyone makes when it comes to roster depth. You do not need it. Look at what the Lakers have done recently and you can see their point. Ah, but not so fast.

This off season, Los Angeles (not the Clippers) was sitting high and Kobe Bryant was simply sitting to rest his knee, heal his finger, ice down his body, and take pain medication. Yeah, he is beat up. Despite the fact that the team had just won its second straight championship with virtually the same roster, Artest and Ariza being the only difference, the Lakers did not seem content to try it again without making changes. So what did they do? They went out and added depth to their roster. “GASP! No, say it is not so! How can we, the Lakers faithful, who have exclaimed from on high that roster depth is a pointless pursuit come to terms with the fact that our team feels differently. Woe is us for our eyes and ears have been deceived. Oh, Zen Master, what did we do wrong to deserve such a cruel fate?”

Steve Blake, Matt Barnes, and Theo Ratliff were brought in and are all blatant roster upgrades over the likes of Jordan Farmar and Didier Ilunga-Mbenga. (No offense to Mbenga, I love that guy. But Farmar should take complete offense.) The Lakers kept Shannon Brown around, signing him to a two-year deal his offseason but will likely see his playing time dip with all the new additions. So why, if a small rotation wins championships, did the Lakers reload their bench. Simply put, their bench was terrible over the past two seasons. Awful, truly awful. Phil Jackson knew it, why do you think he played his starters so much? Sure they are good, but they need to rest at times. The bench was a liability and hurt the Lakers as a whole.

Donkey and Shrek

Look at last year’s finals, it is the perfect example of why roster depth is important. The Boston Celtics were much deeper than the Lakers were and they used it to their advantage. (“But the Lakers won so any point you are trying to make is invalidated.”) The series would not have lasted seven games if it was not for Boston’s bench. Game four is a perfect example of why bench play is important to a team. Boston’s bench doubled the point production of the Lakers’ reserves as they were led by Glen Davis and Nate Robinson. Davis contributed nine points in the fourth quarter which helped to stem a Lakers surge and secure victory for the Celtics thereby tying the series at two games apiece. Yes, the Celtics lost the series eventually, mostly because Kendrick Perkins went down in game six with a torn PCL and MCL, but their bench played a key role in the series unlike the Lakers bench. Depth improves a team.

So where is my example of a team that won a championship with an extended rotation? “Ha, you haven’t found one, have you? I knew it. What a blowhard. This guy over here doesn’t know anything about basketball. I don’t even know why I take time to read this stupid blog anyway. Pssh, I’m gonna go read the latest Bill Simmons and John Hollinger articles. At least those guys know what they are taking about. Get ready for another Lakers’ three-peat. Lakers rule!” Well, now that most of you have probably stopped reading, I can get to the team that defies this notion that depth wins nothing.

They did not need to worry when their starters sat

As a Mavericks fan, I write what I am about to write only because it proves my point. If it were not for that I could never bring myself to do such a thing as this or even admit to having knowledge of it. During the playoffs in 2007, the San Antonio Spurs used not only their star power, but also their overwhelming depth to beat every team they faced on route to a sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA finals. Did they have a better starting five than the Cavaliers? Yes. With LeBron James worship reaching more demigod proportions everyday it would seem hard that a team could beat the chosen man-child. That being said, a better starting five will always have the advantage in the playoffs. Nonetheless, depth still helps.

Unlike the previous two Lakers championships, the Spurs in 2007 do not have a significant drop off in minutes or games played. Instead they have a steady, calculated decline with a complement of ten players receiving quite a bit of playing time. Jacque Vaughn played in all 20 of the Spurs playoff games totaling 208 minutes for an average of 10.4 minutes a game. Only Matt Bonner and Beno Udrih saw less playing time than Vaughn. Contrast that with last year’s Lakers, Jordan Farmar played in all 23 of their postseason games logging 301 minutes for an average of 13.1 minutes per game. Luke Walton, Sasha Vujacic, Josh Powell, Adam Morrison, and Mbenga all saw less playing time than Farmar. Both of these players were their team’s respective back up point guards. The Spurs depth simply out classed each of their opponents, having only seen a six game series once, against Utah, on their way to the championship. Ten of the Spurs’ 12 players played in at least 18 games with eight playing in all 20. Eight of the Lakers’ players from last season appeared in all 23 of their playoff games; however, five of them only appeared in 16 or fewer of them.

Yes, rotations get shorter in the post season. It only makes since for a coach to play his best players more so that the team performs at a higher level when the stakes are greatest. This is a no brainer. Nor should Josh Powell be expected to play near as many minutes as Kobe Bryant. This is not what I am trying to say. What I am stating is that the Spurs team in 2007 breaks the argument that roster depth does not mean a thing in the playoffs. They proved that it does. Yes, Tony Parker and Tim Duncan logged the most minutes on the team but they were not forced to play 40 or more minutes a game because they had help coming off the bench who could maintain the same level of pressure on an opponent without any catastrophic decline in the team’s overall performance on the court.

Is the standard championship model based on the superstar, his sidekick, and a role player or two. For now it appears to be that way. This level of thinking is amateurish, though. The Spurs proved that in 2007. No, my example does not squash the two star player championship combination but it proves that an extended rotation is more valuable than it is generally believed. Ignoring the benefits of roster depth is to fail to grasp the entire point of a roster at all. Basketball is a team game no matter how much the media focuses on individual players. The Lakers are not about Kobe Bryant, they are about the triangle offense in which the team plays. There is absolutely every reason for a general manager to sign players who can come off the bench and replace starters while helping improve the quality of the team. This is why the Lakers signed Blake, Barnes, and Ratliff. (I think the Ratliff signing was in part because they expect Bynum to continue to underachieve and remain perennially injured.) It is why teams like Dallas signed Tyson Chandler. They do not want to see a performance dropoff when their starters leave the floor. A good second unit is a valuable thing to have, especially during the regular season when they can help you get wins to secure seeding in the playoffs.

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by | October 15, 2010 · 10:31 AM

What is Gilbert Arenas thinking?

There is potential for Gilbert Arenas' behavior to cause a young Wiz team to stumble.

He made headlines last season when he brought guns into the locker room.  His suspension crippled a team that ended up dumping some of its most talented players to try and rebuild.  Gilbert Arenas tore a team down last season and it looks like there is no end in sight.

Earlier this week, Arenas admitted to faking a knee injury in order for four-year shooting guard Nick Young a start in the Wizards preseason game against the Hawks.  Last week, the three-time All-Star stated that it was no longer his team.  In the statement, he said that it was No. 1 overall pick John Wall’s team to run from here on out.

Just last night, in Washington’s home, preseason opener against the Bucks, Arenas left the game after only three minutes with a strained groin.  Head coach Flip Saunders fined Arenas just before the game for faking his knee injury and wasn’t very vocal about defending Agent Zero.  He stated that he has done enough for him and does not feel like revisiting the issue.

The Washington Wizards are in the midst of rebuilding a team that they essentially tore apart last season.  With the trades of Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood for practically nothing, Washington fans must be shaking their heads at how their shooting guard is behaving.

They made several moves this offseason by bringing in Kirk Hinrich and drafting Wall at No. 1.  In addition, JaVale McGee had some impressive showings in the Vegas Summer League and Andray Blatche ended last season on a high note due to increased minutes from the Wiz’s trades.  Kevin Seraphin, 17th overall pick, should give them some extra boost in the frontcourt with his athleticism.

However, this team’s success this season teeters on Arenas and his behavior.  He could easily make or break this team.  Washington needs to alleviate the situation and fast.  Trading him is definitely not an option since he still has four years left on the six-year contract he signed in the summer of 2008 for $111 million.  No team in the NBA can afford to pick up a contract like that especially for a headache like Gil.

The Wizards have a potential situation on their hands that could blow at any moment.  An unhappy superstar can really disrupt a young team like Washington and their rebuilding could go down the tube if Arenas doesn’t turn his attitude around.

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by | October 14, 2010 · 3:42 PM

10 NBA Players to watch in 2010-11

You already know the storylines and what to expect from the league’s All Star players and potential rookies of the year. Why spend any more time talking about them? Leave that to ESPN. The players assembled on this list, for the most part, are some of the lesser known players in the league. In fact, there are a couple on here that made the cut simply because of wishful thinking as they will likely polish the pine for their given team but that does not discount their talent. Others are players who will soon make a name for themselves in the league as their careers begin to take hold. Two on the list are rookies and the rest have had some, but not many, years experience in the NBA. Agree or disagree you should at least know their names.

Patrick Beverley, PG: Miami Heat

Of all the players on the Heat to watch for this season, well there are really only three and a half (Mike Miller is the half. No offense.), I choose Patrick Beverley. Are you still reading? If so, please, hear me out. So far this preseason, Beverley is not lighting it up per say but he is logging solid minutes while the Triumvirate sits and is averaging 6.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and a steal. Not bad. However, when Pat Riley…err, Erik Spoelstra had him log 41 minutes against the Spurs, Beverley dropped a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. He added five dimes and three steals all while never committing a turnover. I know, I know, Beverley will see limited minutes (if he sees any during the regular season) as he will be a bench option on a team such as the Heat but that does not mean that he will not make an impact. If Mario Chalmers’ ankle continues to be a concern throughout the season it would be Beverley who would replace him in the starting lineup. Beverley has a strong basketball pedigree and should not be overlooked. Plus, if Karma strikes the Heat, Beverley will be the only one left to play other than Udonis Haslem.

Darren Collison, PG: Indiana Pacers

Collison came to the Pacers in a massive four team trade this summer that has been over shadowed by a four team trade that never happened. The Pacers were the ultimate winner in the trade as they received the point guard they have been looking for during the better part of the previous two years. T.J. Ford just was not cutting it for them. Collison was Chris Paul’s back up in New Orleans last season and had his opportunity to shine when Paul went down with an injury. In 37 starts, Collison averaged 18.8 points and 9.1 assists. He will be the starter in Indianapolis and if these numbers can translate to the Pacers, a team as equally mediocre as the Hornets, expect Collison to easily enter any top point guard conversation this season.

Dominique Jones, G: Dallas Mavericks

Jones is one of only two rookies to make this list, Beverley is the other. Will he really make an impact on a team such as the Mavericks, though? The Mavs are deep. How deep? Deeper than Sage Francis. Minutes will be in short supply but expect Jones to get his fair share coming off the bench. Unlike the standard Maverick prototype, Jones loves to get into the paint and to the rim and is not content to settle for a jump shot. Subsequently, he will draw plenty of fouls with such aggressive play. His only issue right now is his ability to finish at the rim. During preseason he is only shooting 36 percent. He is a natural scorer, however, and his percentage is sure to climb as he becomes more acclimated to the NBA. He has carved out a niche for himself so far as the team is impressed with his abilities on the defensive end of the floor and as a passer on offense. He is averaging 3.6 assists this preseason. He may see limited minutes but expect him to make every one of them count.

Linas Kleiza, F: Toronto Raptors

In all reality, Kleiza may be the only thing worth watching in Toronto. No offense to Jarrett Jack, Sonny Weems, or DeMar DeRozan (all of whom can Dougie quite well) but we all know that Kleiza has the potential to be “the guy” in America’s hat. Every account and story about Kleiza since his return to the NBA from Greece and his time at the FIBA World Championships is that he is in the best shape of his career. He averaged 19 points on 57.8 percent shooting and 7.1 rebounds per game during the world championships with Lithuania. Since the international game is different from that of the NBA, do not expect these numbers to directly translate but they should be a good ballpark indication of what he is capable of doing night in and night out in Toronto. In limited play during the preseason, Kleiza has averaged 11 points and four rebounds. Expect the Raptors to lean heavily on Kleiza this season as he may turn out to be their main scoring threat, when the Andrea Bargnani experiment crumbles, on a team full of lackluster talent.

Kevin Love, F/C: Minnesota Timberwolves

If you are a frequent visitor to our blog you probably already know how much love we show to Love. Can you blame us? Look, the fact is that Love is going to be one of the best players in the entire league next year but no one is talking about it because their heads are too far up Miami’s ass. Plain and simple: Kevin Love is the best rebounder in the league. What, you do not believe me? You need to stop drinking the Kool-Aid at Dwight Howard’s party. I wrote a piece shortly after the world championships ended and I will direct you to it for a more in depth look at why Kevin Love is a player to watch. Read that article here. Still do not believe me? Then look at all his numbers here.

Wesley Matthews, G: Portland Trailblazers

Matthews is one of the newest members of the Blazers having signed an offer sheet with them this summer worth an estimated $34 million over five years which Utah failed to match. Looking at Matthews’ career numbers one thing strikes you; they are by no means daunting. However, if you have ever seen him play, especially in the playoffs last year, you know why the Blazers wanted him so bad. This kid hustles on every single play that he is on the court. He shredded the Lakers second unit in the playoffs with his tenacity and determination. He is averaging 15.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.5 dimes while shooting 48.7 percent on field goals and 40 percent on threes during the preseason. It looks like he has found his place in Portland. Matthew’s will likely be one of the first players off the Blazers’ bench and should take minutes away from the perpetual whiner, Rudy Fernandez. Portland spent the money and they will see results.

JaVale McGee, C: Washington Wizards

John Wall with the alley-oop to JaVale McGee for the flush! Get used to hearing that because it will become common. In fact it will likely appear on Sport Center’s Top 10 Plays regularly throughout the season. We have been fans of McGee for a while here at the Beef and feel that he is a household name of the future. McGee is young and full of talent which it why he edged out Andray Blatche as the only Wizard to appear on this list. Head Coach Flip Saunders has said that McGee needs to improve his rebounding otherwise Hilton Armstrong may get the start over him. This is merely some Phil Jackson-esque head game on the part of Saunders. Everyone knows that McGee will start and that not starting him hurts the team. However, Saunders’ statement must have hit home as McGee pulled down 11 rebounds against Atlanta in the teams’ most recent preseason game to go along with 16 points. These numbers would seem to be what we can expect of McGee this season which will be his first as the starting center. With Wall running the point, McGee’s future looks bright as the two should bourgeon into one of the league better young duos.

C.J. Miles, G/F: Utah Jazz

Miles lost his running mate in Wesley Matthews, in terms of hustle, but that should only help increase the minutes he will see this season. Over the past two seasons, Miles has seen his role on the Jazz increase dramatically (and his basketball card seems like it is in every Upper Deck pack). During the 2008-09 season, he started in all 72 games he appeared in and last season started in 28 of the 63 games in which he played. Yes, his increased time is linked in some way to the injuries of Andrei Kirilenko and his time spent as the Jazz’s sixth man but that certainly has not diminished his value in the eyes of Jerry Sloan. Miles is currently averaging 11.3 points in preseason play and has averaged 9.5 points over the previous two seasons. Expect another increase in production from Miles this season, which will be his sixth, especially as opposing teams will focus on slopping Al Jefferson and Deron Williams which should leave Miles open on many plays. If he plays well, he could easily find himself in the discussion for most improved player. (Plus, Miles is from Dallas so you have to love that.)

Ramon Sessions, G: Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland is a barren wasteland. Few dare to even mention its name anymore. For a time there were fertile fields and flowers blooming, and then a pestilence swept over the land leaving nothing but scorched earth. It will take time to recover but the wounds left may never fully heal. What is left is a shell of what once was. However, do not over look it just yet. Ramon Session, a name that many people have never heard, was acquired by the Cavaliers this summer in a manner that was in stark contrast to how they lost a player. While no one thought much of this trade but it will help the Cavs more than anyone realizes. Byron Scott, Cleveland’s head coach, likes to push the ball up and down the court. He likes a fast paced game. Byron Scott may find that the only way for his team to be competitive is to go small and force the opponents to adjust to him. This bodes well for Sessions. He has already had a double-double this preseason against the Wizards with 10 points and 10 rebounds as well as six assists. He is averaging 12 points, five rebounds, and 4.8 points in the preseason to date. It would not be absurd to think that Sessions could potentially return to the same playing form he showed with the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2008-09 season when he averaged 12.4 points and 5.7 dimes, mostly off the bench.

Marreese Speights, F: Philadelphia 76ers

Of all the players on the 76ers, Speights is the one that no one is talking about. Yet, it may be him that has the best season on the team. Not Jrue Holiday, not Evan Turner, not Lou Williams, but Speights. There are parts of me that want to predict anywhere from 37-40 wins for this team and there are parts of me (much smaller parts) that think they win no more than 29 games. Nonetheless, everything, in my view, hinges on the play of Speights and whether he can stay healthy or not and get the time he deserves. He must prove himself worthy to Doug Collins so that he is not relegated to a bench role behind Thaddeus Young and to do this he must improve his rebounding. OK, honestly, having Speights on this list is a bit of a stretch. He is good though, it is just uncertain if he will actually see the minutes he needs to prove that. Lucky for him, Elton Brand is an injury waiting to happen. If any of the big forwards on the Sixers goes down this season, it will be Speights who will step in to fill the void. When, not if, this happens it will be up to him to convince Collins that he is the player that he has the potential to be.

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by | October 12, 2010 · 3:07 PM

The Heartbeat of Texas

The Mavs are looking to change things up a little more than just an outdoor preseason game this year.

It’s going to be a stacked season that’s full of surprises but to be honest, one of the biggest may be coming out of the Lone Star State.  We aren’t talking Rockets or Spurs either.  If the cards fall in the right place and the stars align, Dallas could be looking at having one of the best teams in the west.

After loosing in the first round to San Antonio last season, the Mavericks have a chance to turn it around this season and compete for that Western Conference title that has eluded them for the past few seasons.  In fact, just getting out of the first round has been a problem in Dallas for the past four seasons but that’s about to change.

It was the trade of the season last year.  Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood came to town as the Mavericks finally decided that Josh Howard’s lackadaisical efforts and attitude weren’t going to fly anymore.  They then went on to win 13 in a row and take control of the second seed in the West.  However, you can’t solely attribute Haywood or Butler’s efforts for the wins.  Butler averaged just over 14 points per game during the winning streak while Haywood only mustered about eight a game.

Instead, the two strengthened their sections of the court and added to the much-needed depth.  Dirk Nowitzki went on a scoring streak where the fewest points he saw were 12 in that streak’s last win against New Jersey.  Tough night but before that, he never scored less than 23 and that was against the defensively minded Orlando Magic.  Other than that, no one on the team really “popped off.”

Shawn Marion saw a slow start to scoring with the newly acquired players but increased his stroke in the latter half of the streak.  Jason Terry missed the last four games of the streak due to injury.

It was a funny win streak as well that was actually marred by some very bad play by the Mavericks that somehow turned into wins.  In their last win against the Nets, they only shot 44 percent from the field.

However, the trade translates to one that was procured for the sheer fact that it added depth to the squad.  When Erik Dampier rested, Haywood could easily fill his shoes on the court.  Butler could start and added to players Terry could fill in for.  It was a personnel trade as you would expect by receiving those two players who aren’t marquee athletes.  A smart trade that added to the team’s overall performance and they pretty much got them for nothing.

This season, Tyson Chandler will add to this depth.  He will be able to have minutes that will result in actual productivity and not sheer point holding as the center position proved to be in the past in Dallas.  For example, a starting player gets the production on the floor but when he goes out there are a few things that can happen with the bench player.  He can score, he can maintain or he can actually hurt the team with turnovers.  Chandler will score and add in minutes that are usually held for maintaining.  This is the key to building a good bench.

The same works for Caron but as a starter.  He gives them a lot of versatility with Marion and Terry.  Rick Carlisle just needs to figure out what works best over the course of both games and the season itself to determine who needs to go in when.  And again, it’s all about maintaining production when starters are on the bench or even injured.

The point guard is the next position or interest that could make or break these Mavs.  Jason Kidd is 37-years-old but with 10.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 9.1 assists, 1.8 steals and 2.2 3-pointers a game, his tank is far from empty.  However, age will show at some point especially in an 82-game season.  Dallas does have options though.  J.J. Barea is showing that he can actually be consistent.  In the last two seasons, he has averaged over 7 points and 3 assists a game.  Those numbers double what he did his first two seasons and we can only assume that he will get better.  His determination on the court is unquestionable but his intelligence definitely is.  Let’s see how he does in his fifth season and hope that he has learned a little from Kidd.

Rodrigue Beaubois was a pleasant surprise last season but injuries are really an issue with this young man.  He has shown that he can score and plays with a heightened level of confidence.  With only 1.3 assists per game last season, it’s obvious that he shouldn’t be running point but he does add depth to the guard position.

Next, it’s the sheer state of the Western Conference that gives the Mavericks a good shot to shine.  It is by far the better of the two conferences but a lot of teams in the West didn’t really do a lot to improve this offseason.  Kobe Bryant is already complaining of knee problems in LA.  Phoenix lost an All Star in Amar’e Stoudemire.  Utah lost a few good players and Denver could be in a crisis with Carmelo Anthony’s contract.

Oklahoma City improved greatly last season but we have yet to see if the franchise can maintain two years of competitive play.  Houston made efforts to get better but I don’t have much confidence in the myriad of shooters they have there.  San Antonio is getting old and beating the Mavericks last postseason was mainly due to hubris on Dallas’ part.  Portland is going through injury problems and firing Kevin Pritchard will hurt how this team grows this season.  Of all the teams out west that missed the playoffs, the Kings and Memphis are the best but neither is ready to take it to the postseason and compete (Tyreke Evans is good but it took Kevin Durant a few years to turn OKC into an above .500 team).

Lastly, it’s how badly they want it.  The hangover from the Finals against Miami seems to still be lingering at American Airlines Center and hopefully it has turned into a taste for blood.  Nowitzki and Kidd know that their careers wont last much longer but still have the gas for another run.  The West is weaker than a lot of people are making it out to be.  Granted, the lower seeds are going to be harder and harder to get but nearly every team has a glaring weakness that Dallas could exploit.  They need to get hungry and now is the time.

It may be a bold statement now but the Mavericks have a lot of good pieces in place.  They have had an entire offseason to settle as a team and figure out what it’s going to take to win.  Dallas needs to shake off the dust, bury the past and move on before the twilight settles in on North Texas basketball.

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by | October 11, 2010 · 11:59 AM

Allen Iverson close to Deal with Turkish Team

Turkey before Thanksgiving?

We reported back on September 14 that Allen Iverson looked to be headed to China to further his career. Now it looks as though he is switching his sight from the Far East to the Near East (sorry to use such Occidental terms). The dynamic duo (Wojnarowski and Spears) over at Yahoo! Sports is reporting that former the All Star is moving closer to a deal with Turkish team Besiktas. The deal would be worth approximately $2 million for one year with incentives and bonuses. Likely included in the bonuses would be proceeds from advertising rights and revenue. Besiktas sent Iverson the offer on Monday.

From Yahoo!: “We are in very serious negotiations with [Besiktas],” Iverson’s business manager Gary Moore told Yahoo! Sports. “Istanbul is beautiful from everything we’ve learned. It’s not that far from the U.S., and the competition is good which makes it all attractive.”

It is unknown in what terms Moore is comparing distance. In the interstellar sense, Turkey and the United States are bed buddies. However, Istanbul is 5104 miles from Philadelphia, where Iverson last played in the NBA. So sure, they are close. Just as close as Iverson was to actually playing like an All Star last season.

Despite making the Eastern Conference All Star Team last season, proving that fan voting is a complete joke, Iverson’s fall from grace has been nothing short of remarkable. Only John Edwards has hit the floor harder from a fall from the top than Iverson has in recent memory. He has struggled with alcohol, gambling, debt, and family problems over the past years. All of which came to a head last season.

Iverson was hoping to at least get an invite to a training camp this summer, but one never came. (Tracy McGrady received one though after begging every team to take him.) Now Turkey appears to be his best option even after fielding more lucrative deals from Chinese teams who seem to have a hunger for street savvy former NBA point guards. (See: Stephon Marbury)

A change of scenery may be nice for Iverson but only time will tell if he really benefited from it. If he takes the deal, which Besiktas is hoping he will sign by week’s end, we will know in a year if Iverson’s playing days are truly finished and if the Turkish media likes to talk about practice.

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by | October 10, 2010 · 8:02 AM

Stan Van Gundy’s Player Management Folly

Please, Stan, we want some more.

The past four years for the Orlando Magic have been good. They have once again found success within their division, finishing first in the Southeast the previous three years, and within the conference, winning it outright during the 2008-09 season and making it to the conference finals last year. In fact, the past four years have accounted for one third of the total number of playoff appearances that the organization has made since its inaugural season in 1989-90. However, where many can find success when looking at the Magic and what they have accomplished of late, others see nothing but the glaring shortcomings of this team. They lost in the finals to the Los Angeles Lakers and looked completely dumbfounded and lost in the short five game series, that is except for Hedo Turkoglu who left the team after their finals run. The following season, matching the same 59-23 mark of the previous year, Orlando lost to the aging Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. Is this team really as good as people think it is?

The Magic are easily one of the more talented teams in the league. They have paid their players well to keep it that way with a payroll around $93 million for the 2010-11 season. That is one of the highest in the league and well over the cap which is set at $58,044,000. Their payroll also sets them squarely into luxury tax parameters which is set at $70.3 million for the coming season. Yes, the Magic are paying a high price to remain competitive. It seems, however, that they are not getting what they paid for. Much of the money they have spent to keep players from going elsewhere or in acquiring talent is going to waste. This is especially true for players such as Brandon Bass, Marcin Gortat, and J.J. Redick. For them, it has been a hard knock life with Orlando. It has been said countless times that players should not complain about minutes on a winning team. A win is a win for everyone involved. Yet, during the regular season, more minutes for these players could translate into more wins for everyone.

Last season, Brandon Bass’ role on the Magic was limited at best. Sophomore Ryan Anderson played in more games, 63, and logged more minutes, 910, than Bass. Bass appeared in 50 games and totaled 648 minutes played. This is the same Brandon Bass who had four prior years of NBA experience before last season. Two of those years were spent with the Dallas Mavericks. During his stint in Dallas, Bass bourgeoned into a more than viable scoring and rebounding threat. Though being considered undersized for a power forward, he makes up for it with strength, determination, and hustle. All of these qualities were on full display in Dallas where he totaled 3131 minutes in 160 games in his two year stint. So when the Magic snatched up Bass, who was an olive branch from the Mavericks as Gortat had signed an offer sheet with them, it was assumed that his rise would continue alongside the likes of Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis. Stan Van Gundy, for some reason, had other plans (or none at all) for Bass. Bass has yet to log any minutes alongside Lewis at the forward positions on the floor at any time.

Generally speaking, major free agent acquisitions are brought in to play not sit. Why would Van Gundy refuse to use such a talent and relegate it to the bench? According to Van Gundy, Bass did not effectively work within the system that he had in place in Orlando. If one has ever watched a Magic game it is clear that any “system” begins and ends with Dwight Howard or a three-point shot. That is really about it. All post play goes through Howard, if he is double teamed then he is to kick the ball out (that is if he does not force up a poor shot) to the wing so that an open shot can be found. This strategy would appear to work if one looks at their record but it is easily susceptible do defeat as shown by the Lakers and Celtics in recent playoffs. In each series, Howard was rendered useless as he was constantly in foul trouble and the Magic’s frontcourt was rendered utterly useless especially when Van Gundy continually chooses to employ Lewis at power forward when he is overmatched by players such as Pau Gasol and Kevin Garnett. Brandon Bass would be much better used against such players and especially those who back them up such as Lamar Odom and Glen Davis. Yet, Bass still rode the bench while earning $4 million to do so.

For the coming season, Bass hopes to earn more playing time, but does he really need to prove his worth? Did he not do that on the Mavericks? It is up to Van Gundy to look past his shortsightedness and give Bass more minutes. Yes, Bass is watching more tape and correcting some small mistakes but is that really enough to keep a player out of the lineup for such a time especially when the team could have used him most? No. Honestly, it should not surprise anyone if Van Gundy still does not give Bass anymore opportunities than he did last season. Van Gundy has floated the idea of playing Lewis at small forward more this year, something that is long overdue, so this is where any extra playing time would lie for Bass. Not much outside of that, though. It seems that the truth of the matter is that Bass simply is not one of Van Gundy’s “guys.” Bass rides the bench because of this not because of a system.

Keeping Bass company on the sideline is Gortat. One has to feel bad for Gortat. He does not want to be in Orlando and made it very apparent when he signed the offer sheet from the Dallas Mavericks in the summer of 2009. Now, Gortat is probably the most highly paid backup center in the league as the Magic matched the Mavericks offer sheet worth $34 million over five years. It is understandable that Gortat does not get much playing time backing up Howard but he does deserve more than he gets, especially at that price. Nor does anyone think that he is capable of much more than playing spot defensive minutes while Howard rests or sits due to foul trouble. He wants to play a bigger role on the team but those requests fall on deaf and disinterested ears. Those deaf ears obviously do not recognize that Gortat is a far more versatile player that Howard is, though Howard is working to improve his game with Hakeem Olajuwon as his mentor.

Van Gundy has stated that he is not discouraging Gortat’s interest in becoming more involved on the offensive side of the floor but when he has only played an average of 13 minutes per game over the last two seasons Van Gundy’s statement can only be seen as hypocritical. Van Gundy is strangling his talent. Per 36 minutes last season, which it takes Gortat around three games to play, he was second on the team in field goal percentage at 53 percent, second on the team in total rebounding at 11.3, and he was second overall in defensive rating at a mark of 99. Howard led all the categories mentioned but played a considerable amount more with an average of 34.7 minutes a game. These are good numbers and probably the reason that Orlando wants nothing more from him that to defend, rebound, and run the floor. To not want a player to achieve his full potential defeats the entire purpose of having him on the team. Gortat can score, he proved it this summer while playing for the Polish national team and he proved it when he helped the Magic climb back into their series with Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals last year. In that series he looked better than Howard in the short spurts that Van Gundy chose to play him. Gortat was the fifth highest paid player on the Magic last season and played only 1088 total minutes during the regular season. Only Ryan Anderson, Bass, and Anthony Johnson played fewer minutes than he did.

J.J. Redick has slowly seen his playing time improve after finding himself out of favor in Orlando a few years ago. The team and Van Gundy may have finally realized what they have since they matched the Chicago Bulls’ offer sheet for Redick this summer. Redick now finds himself a member of the Magic for the next three years to the tune of $19 million. Despite this, one really does not get the perception that he will be utilized as much as he should be. As with Bass and Gortat, it looks like Redick will have to prove that he can perform to Van Gundy’s imaginary and intangible player standards before even more minutes are allotted to him.

Last season, Redick played in all 82 of Orlando’s regular season games and all 14 of their playoff games. This was the first season that Redick had played more than 64 games. With his knack for three-point shooting, he has shot 39 percent for his career and just over 40 percent last season, it is surprising that he is not featured more in the offense especially since the Magic selected him 11th overall in the 2006 NBA Draft. Orlando lives and dies by the three night in and night out. With Redick on the court, the Magic have a much better chance of living. To go along with his long range shot, Redick has added improved passing to his game now that he sees more minutes and averages two assists per game. With minutes come production. Somehow Van Gundy has neglected this fact.

Redick, at times, seems like the only legitimate scoring option for the Magic when Howard is in foul trouble and the oft injured Jameer Nelson in unavailable. Rashard Lewis is an overpaid (he earned $18,876,000 last season, the highest on the roster) shell of his former Supersonic’s self who has seen his numbers decline each year in Orlando. Yet, Van Gundy continues to use him as a main scoring option along with the aging Vince Carter who averaged 16.6 points per game which was his lowest per game average ever. Maybe with Carter in a contract year his production will increase. At 33 years old it is doubtful. Redick is the Magic’s shooting guard of the future and there is no better time for the future than now.

But I like my mock turtlenecks...

Otis Smith, the Magic’s General Manager, has burned a lot of bridges around the league to steal and weasel players from the grasp of other teams. Now, he must be content with watching them ride the pine (padded folding chairs rather). Last season these three players (Bass, Gortat, and Redick) earned a combined $12,693,408 to basically not play. That number will only increase this season with Redick’s new deal. If Orlando keeps matching huge offer sheets to keep players on their bench they will reach a serious impasse. They have more depth than anyone talks about and it is time that Stan Van Gundy finally acknowledges that and expand his rotation. Hopefully the new collared shirts that Van Gundy will have to wear this season will not restrict the blood flow to his brain so that he can see what must be done to minimize wasted talent.

Orlando likes to shell out massive contracts for little, if no, return and it is no one’s fault but their own. It makes no sense to pay good and talented players to ride the bench for the majority of games. Yet, that is exactly what Stan Van Gundy does. It makes one wonder if he actually knows what he has on his roster. The obvious answer is that he does not. If he did then he would play a deeper rotation and utilize effectively all the skill that the front office has paid handsomely for. Rather that continually making snide remarks about the Miami Heat (he is probably still bitter about the way in which Pat Riley dismissed him), Van Gundy needs to realize that he must play is role players if he ever wants to feel what it is like to be a champion. If he does not do that, then his days as a head coach in Orlando should be considered numbered. Not many teams can keep the competitive edge that the Magic have shown of late but if they do not translate that into some kind of meaningful victory then all they have worked for will be forgotten to all but the few steadfast Orlando fans and NBA records keepers.

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