Tag Archives: New Jersey Nets

by | March 5, 2011 · 4:21 PM

London Calling

The CN Tower sure looks different

David Stern has had his mindset on expanding the NBA overseas for quite some time. He sees it as an excellent way to expand the influence of the league around the world. The whole mentality is essentially to take the best to the rest. In theory it is a good idea and looks to be a great opportunity to widen the influence of the NBA. This weekend the NBA, following in the footsteps of the NFL (not in terms of labor talks…yet), played its first regular season games abroad in London. Teams frequently travel to Europe for training came these days but this was different.

The first ever regular season games to be played outside of North America are a big deal. Therefore it makes sense for the league to send worthy ambassadors to promote the game and generate fan interest. Instead they sent the New Jersey Nets and Toronto Raptors. Basketball fans in the UK must have been rioting at the ticket booth to see two teams with a combined record of 35-88 (prior to the conclusion of their second game). Their combined records will be 36-89 when all is said and done.

New Jersey has the 20th ranked defense in the league, in terms of defensive rating, and Toronto is ranked 29th. The first game was marred by a lack of defense and the second game has fared no better to this point. Fastbreaks are abundant. At least the fans who attend the games in London will get to see a final score that they can relate to if they follow cricket. In fact, their defense was so bad in the second game that each team played zone against each other for six minutes in the second quarter. This lack of defense counteracts the fact that the Nets are 29th in the league in scoring with the Raptors faring better at 16th.

Despite the complete insignificance that these two teams represent in the NBA this season, it makes complete sense to send the Raptors to England as representatives of the league. They are the only NBA franchise located outside of the United States making them the ideal candidates for international gallivanting. On top of that, Bryan Colangelo has gone out of his way to assemble and international cast of players on the Raptors. These players are sure to help draw attendance in London because they are from the continent.

Andrea Bargnani, Leandro Barbosa, Linas Kleiza, Jose Calderon, Alexis Ajinca, and Solomon Alabi are all international players. Each in some way, have made a name for themselves either in the NBA, the Euroleague, or for their respective national teams. Colangelo has assembled each one of them in Toronto to prove to the league that these players can in fact lead a team to a 17-45 record. Take that stereotypes!

Bargnani is the quintessential European big man who has yet to translate his game to the North American style of play. He is a big man who can shoot the ball from distance while occasionally integrating some limited post moves while declining to ever so any effort on the defensive end of the floor. On top of that, he fails to use his size to fight for more rebounds. That skill set translates well in Europe. Who needs help side defense anyway?

Deron Williams finally got out of Jersey

As for the Nets, well, they have quite a bit less to offer in terms of international flavor. (Before they traded for Deron Williams, they had very little to offer in general.) They do, however, have Dan Gadzuric, Sasha Vujacic, and Johan Petro. Vujacic is the best known of these players from his time spent riding the bench for a couple of NBA Championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. He does have an added draw in Europe aside from his jewelry, he is married to Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova. She is pretty…talented too. Speaking of Russians, the Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov is one as well.

It makes sense that the NBA sent these two franchises to London to play two home games for the Nets. (Yes, the Nets were technically at home in London.) Why would the league not pick on the smaller kids on the playground? The big kids would only stand up for themselves and protest having to make such a long flight and deal with a large time discrepancy as the playoff race is beginning to unfold.

If the NBA was to expand in Europe in the near future, these two teams represent the level of play that European can come to expect for several seasons as expansion teams rarely play at a high level. Why get the hopes of fans up prematurely? New Jersey and Toronto are the perfect feeler teams for a potential fan base overseas. Loose, somewhat sloppy ball, highlighted by dunks and three-point shooting. Everyone can enjoy instant highlights.

It is only a matter of time before the league expands overseas despite foolish talk of contraction at home. Whether the expansion is as a full member of the NBA or a NBA Euroleague affiliation, it will happen. Maybe next year Stern can send the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Washington Wizards to be the league’s ambassadors. Maybe President Obama can make the trip too since the Wizards would be going and the whole thing can have a sheer vail of a diplomatic trip. Oh, wait, Obama likes the Chicago Bulls. Well, it was just a thought.

One thing is certain, though. It will be very unlikely that the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers will be sent to play in London. There is probably still just a little bad blood between the colonies and the crown. Plus, the fact that the city that dumped all the tea in the harbor takes its name from Irish culture might be a sensitive subject in London.

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by | February 23, 2011 · 10:40 AM

Deron Williams traded to New Jersey Nets

Newark, here I come

In what can be considered a stunning trade, the Utah Jazz have agreed to send All Star point guard Deron Williams to the New Jersey Nets. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! broke the story this morning via his Twitter account. This trade was kept very quite by both sides until the deal was announced today.

In exchange the Nets will send the Jazz both Devin Harris and Derrick Favors as well as two of the first round picks that New Jersey has been stockpiling recently. The Nets will also send $3 million to the Jazz in the deal.

The Golden State Warriors also found themselves among teams trading with the Nets today. They will receive Troy Murphy from the Nets while trading Dan Gadzuric and Brandan Wright to New Jersey. It has been widely speculated that if Murphy was traded to the Warriors they would buy out his contract allowing him to become a free agent. He would then likely move on to a title contender.

The Golden State deal is completely separate from the Utah one. However, that was not made entirely clear when the news was first released.

It seems that there was a legitimate rift in Utah between their star player and the organization. Jerry Sloan’s departure can now be squarely placed on his frustration with Williams.

The biggest loser in the whole Jazz Nets trade is Jordan Farmar. With all the speculation on where Harris would be traded (i.e. Dallas or Portland) he was set to finally take the reins of an NBA team, which is what he has always wanted. Now he will be forced to continue his backup role. Poor guy.

A big round of applause for Mikhail Prokhorov this morning. After losing the Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes he turns around and gives up less for a younger star player. Well done, sir. Maybe this Russian is crafty like Vladimir Putin after all.

If Williams did not get along with Sloan and his coaching style, he is sure in for a treat with Avery Johnson. They do not call him the “Little General” for nothing.

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by | February 22, 2011 · 2:54 PM

Carmelo Anthony traded to the Knicks

It happened...finally

It is over. It is finally over. Last night ushered in a new era in the NBA. That era is the post Carmelo Anthony trade speculation era. Hopefully, this era will be the league’s Pax Romana. However, it may just serve to fuel more rumors about player power and movement for years to come.

After what seemed like a lifetime of rumors and trade deals not completed, Anthony became a member of the New York Knicks last night. It was widely believed that this is the team he wanted to join from the start when he decided that he would not sign an extension with the Denver Nuggets this season.

That widely held notion did not hamper the efforts of the New Jersey Nets and their new owner, Mikhail Prokhorov, however. The Nets had gone full-bore after Anthony for much of the season offering a myriad of different proposals, draft picks, and teams. At one point, when the Detroit Pistons were roped into the drama (which was created by a thirsty media culture) the proposed deal tallied a player swap in the teens. If Prokhorov really was a Russian Mark Cuban he would have seen results for his efforts. Instead, the Nets need to come to terms with the fact that almost the whole team has spent time on the trading block this year. Their chemistry must be through the roof right now.

So the Knicks won out. Yet, can you call the deal that they made a win? Anthony wanted to play there and was set to become a free agent this summer. He was likely full aware that the new CBA could hamper his potential earnings which is why he wanted a deal this season. However, if it was so widely believed that Anthony wanted to go to New York why would the Knicks even consider making a deal in which they lose a lot of talent off of their roster and lose financially in the long run because of the contract extension that Anthony will request now that he is a member of their team?

Donnie Walsh is a smart man. He is responsible for getting the Knicks below the salary cap. That is a concept that is still hard to grasp given the team’s bloated roster for the better part of the last decade. This is a completely different team now and last night it became even more different.

New York traded Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov, and a 2014 first round draft pick to the Nuggets for Anthony. Along with the man of the hour, the Knicks get Chauncey Billups, Sheldon Williams, Anthony Carter, and former Knick Renaldo Balkman. Somehow the Minnesota Timberwolves were roped into the deal and they will be acquiring the last of the bloated Isiah Thomas contracts in Eddy Curry as well as Anthony Randolph while they send Corey Brewer to New York. If you take Anthony out of the equation, this trade is a completely lopsided affair. Even with him in it the same can be said. Why would New York give up so much young talent for a player they could have gotten for free as a free agent?

Amidst all the rumors swirling around Anthony over the past week, one name, an infamous name in Knicks lore, reappeared. Isiah Thomas was reported to be the mastermind behind the Knick’s push for Anthony. He was similarly reported to be the one behind Amar’e Stoudemire‘s arrival on the team last summer. Yes, this is still the same Isiah Thomas that pushed the team into financial ruin and made it the laughingstock of the league. Clearly, if this is the case, the Knicks are nothing but mere soap opera fodder. Dysfunction is thy name. The Knicks, of course, have vehemently denied such rumors. If Walsh resigns in the near future consider it a confirmation that Thomas is pulling the strings once more.

Drama aside, if that is even possible, where does this trade put the Knicks? Are the Knicks better than they were? Yes, slightly. However, they do not have the complementary pieces necessary to grow as a power in the Eastern Conference. Those pieces are now in Denver. That leads to this question: Can the Knicks, with Anthony, compete for a title this year or in the next several years? No. Not a chance. This is a team that just became epically worse on the defensive end. Mike D’Antoni has never been one to preach defense. As presently constructed, New York will still be lucky to reach the second round. If every thing remains the same standing wise, it is doubtful that it will, the Knicks would face the Chicago Bulls in the first round. An aging Billups against Derrick Rose and a top ranked defense. The Knicks would not stand a chance.

The Knicks will be better than they were before the trade…maybe. If they finish the regular season ten games over .500 it will be an accomplishment. Yet, it is not foreseeable that they could muster more wins than that. New York essentially traded 53.4 points per game, 17.4 rebounds, and 12.8 assists for 50.9 points per game, 17.1 rebounds, and 10.9 assists. Felton averages nine assists per game. Do not forget the draft pick also. The Knicks may think themselves to be winners but they are far from it. They gave up their core for one player. Just one. There are no long-term prospects for Billups, Williams, Carter, and Balkman.

The Knicks bought the cow when they could have received the milk for free. There should be no celebration in Manhattan, even Wall Street knows that this was an expensive investment with little future gain. Even paired with Stoudemire, Anthony does not make this team a contender. They need more pieces. If Isiah is really back in control they will stop at nothing to add those pieces while inflating the salary and shipping off more talent which is necessary to make a team a contender. New York is far from finished making moves.

Bring on the Chis Paul to the Knicks rumors.

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by | January 25, 2011 · 11:13 PM

Rookie Update

All the way back on October 18, 2010, we produced a list of eleven rookies who we though worthy of keeping an eye on this season. A few of them were no-brainer picks. Now that half the season is over it would be a good time to take a glance at how they are doing for their respective franchises.

DeMarcus Cousins – Sacramento Kings

Cousins was making an early, self promoted, push for Rookie of the Year. However, his season has been plagued with inconsistency spending time both as a starter and as a reserve. Recently, he has been playing better. He needs to become a better rebounder though. Cousins has only recorded double figure rebounds in nine of the games he has played in and only has seven double doubles. Considering the company he keeps on this list he needs to improve if he even wants an outside chance for ROY. Averages of 13 points and five rebounds while shooting 42.3 percent are not going to cut it when he is listed at 6’11” and 270 pounds. It would also behoove him to stay out of foul trouble.

Derrick Favors – New Jersey Nets

Favors has found himself in and out of favor with Avery Johnson. Who could have guessed that Johnson would treat a rookie in such a manner? On top of that, he was one of the key features of the now defunct trade attempt for Carmelo Anthony. That has to have done wonders for his confidence. Favors has found himself back in favor of late and has started the Nets’ previous 11 games. During this time his scoring average has been a tidy 7.4 points which is an improvement over his season average of 6.6 points per game. However, Favors was held scoreless in two of the contests in which he started. That does not bode well for Johnson’s blood pressure. The Only player who has spent more time in Johnson’s doghouse this season than Favors is Troy Murphy.

Blake Griffin – Los Angeles Clippers

If you have seen any basketball dunk highlights this season then you have seen the power that Griffin wields. Then there is this number: 27. That is the number of consecutive double-doubles he had this season. Only Kevin Love had more this season (he is currently at 30). Griffin is averaging 22.8 points and 12.9 rebounds per contest while also dishing out 3.5 assists.  To top that he gets 20.1 percent of the total rebounds available while he is on the court. He is a shoe in for Rookie of the Year. No question.

Timofey Mozgov – New York Knicks

Mozgov is a complete nonfactor in Mike D’Antoni’s rotation. He began the year in the starting lineup but has since found himself relegated to the bench with limited minutes. Maybe he should reach out to fellow countryman Mikhail Prokhorov and ask for asylum on the Nets. Mozgov’s most notable moment of the season was having Blake Griffin scale him for a monstrous slam.

Jeremy Lin – Golden State Warriors/Reno Bighorns

Lin has spent some time in the D-League this season as the Warriors try to figure out what kind of a team they have outside of Monta Ellis. He has had two stints with the Reno Bighorns. Lin has played well in the D-League where he has averaged 18.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. Here’s hoping that the Warriors’ hometown favorite can return to the NBA and stay there.

Larry Sanders – Milwaukee Bucks

Sanders can best be described as an offensively limited block machine. He is tied for second overall in blocks per 40 minutes with 3.8. Considering that he only plays an average of 14.5 minutes per game and has only appeared in 30 games that is a rather impressive statistic. He recorded eight blocks against Denver on December 1, 2010 in 33:30 minutes of playing time. Clearly, Sanders, is poised to grow into a defensive presence at the power forward. His defensive rating for the season is a 98. However, for a big man he needs to improve his post game and become more efficient around the rim.

Tiago Splitter – San Antonio Spurs

Much like Mozgov, Splitter is not a rookie in the traditional sense because he has overseas experience. In fact, Splitter had a rather successful career in the Euroleague. With the Spurs? Well, not so much. He has only appeared in 34 games for San Antonio this season and has just not found a way to work himself into Greg Popovich’s rotation and is seeing an average of just 11.4 minutes of action in the games he plays in. What is holding him back is that when he does play significant minutes in a game his production is far from consistent as he has only scored in double figures five times this season and has not recorded a double-double. He did come close once on December 22, 2010 when he had 12 points and nine rebounds but close does not cut it. It is very likely that Splitters role with the team will not change any time in the near future as San Antonio continues to breeze through the league on a pace to win 69 games.

Evan Turner – Philadelphia 76ers

Turner was drafted second overall in last summer’s draft. As of right now, that is the highlight of his short career. He was supposed to help turn around a struggling 76ers organization and has been nothing but below mediocre. When a player is drafted second overall it is expected that they are going to make an immediate impact and be in the starting lineup. Turner has only started in 12 games and only surpassed the 20 point plateau once this season. His averages for the season are 7.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. Yuck. That is like Derrick Favors on a good day. What this goes to show is that no player, no matter how good they were in college, is a lock to be a solid NBA player (or maybe players from Ohio State just suck at in the pros). But, hey, he is a rookie and has his career ahead of him. Maybe he will turn in around. Until then the focus of the 76ers will be the development of Jrue Holiday.

Ekpe Udoh – Golden State Warriors

Much of the first half of the season was marred by injury for Udoh. Now that he is healthy he is proving that even when he does get minutes he produces little if anything. He played almost 23 minutes against the Kings on December 21, 2010 and did not even take a shot! Not even a free throw. Enough said, moving on…

Greivis Vasquez – Memphis Grizzlies

My counterpart at the Beef had high hopes for Vasquez when the Grizzlies drafted him. Now, with half an NBA season under his belt, all expectations should be tempered. He has scored ten points just once this season and has never scored more than that and has never recorded more than seven assists. Seven assists is not a bad number but he has only recorded more than five assists five times in 39 games. Memphis is overloaded at the swing position so it is going to be a while before Vasquez finds his niche.

John Wall – Washington Wizards

The biggest concern for Wall during the first half of the season was his turnovers. (His health was also a major concern.) They were out of control and that is not a good thing, to say the least, for a point guard, especially a young one. He has not completely managed to keep them in check but has done a far better job of holding onto the ball while increasing his assists. For the season, Wall is averaging 9.2 assists. In the month of January, he has averaged 10.6 assists per game with only 4.3 turnovers during that same stretch. For the season is Wall is averaging 15.2 points but only shooting 40 percent from the field and 30.9 percent from long range. He needs to improve his shooting percentage. But, using Derrick Rose as a model, this will likely happen. If Wall can lead the Wizards to a road victory this season he should consider it a consolation prize to not winning the NBA Finals.

Clearly, rookies cannot be judged on an equal basis. Systems and coaches dictate a lot in the development of young players.  Each of the players above has a whole career ahead of them. Who is to say that any of the players who are not named Blake Griffin or John Wall on this list will not become an NBA All Star one day? It is not like all of them are going to turn out to be Hasheem Thabeet.

There is a player that must be added to this list who was not under consideration when it was originally written…

Landry Fields – New York Knickerbockers.

He has simply been brilliant in the short rotation that D’Antoni loves to employ. He has started all 44 games for the Knicks thus far and has been solid in nearly every single one. His averages of 9.8 points and 7.1 rebounds have been some of the most consistent of any rookie on a team that will more than likely make the playoffs. What certainly does not hurt is that Fields is shooting at a clip of 52.1 percent from the floor and 38.3 percent from deep. In any system, he would be a major contributor.

Images via NBA.com

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by | January 14, 2011 · 10:20 PM

Anthony Randolph’s two points per game enter Carmelo Anthony trade talk

Why does this man have anything to do with Carmelo?

It was a hot summer of offseason moves and acquisitions that has created a season unlike any other we have ever seen.  This trade deadline is not trying to stray from the theme of shock and awe.

Carmelo Anthony felt left out this summer and now he and Denver are clogging the Internet with news overload of a potential trade.  It’s leaving a pretty bad taste of rotten Beef.

Now, the Knicks put Anthony Randolph on the trading block for a potential first round pick.

Randolph is averaging two points a game.

Who would trade a first round pick for a 21-year-old who is coming off of a season where he only played 33 games and is now only putting up only a bucket a night?

Supposedly, New York is putting him out there for the draft pick that they would ultimately send to Denver.  They have been shopping with some teams that they (and we) think will be potential lottery teams.  Minnesota, Indiana and Portland have been talked about as potential new homes for Randolph.

However, the Knicks may be trying to unwrap their present a little early with Melo not ruling out the option of just finishing his season in Denver and then signing as a free agent in the Big Apple.

It is still unknown if they will be able to grant him the max deal he wants and we still have to see if this collective bargaining agreement goes through.  Both would reduce his pay dramatically.

As this trade stalls even more and more over Anthony’s unwillingness to sign a $65 million extension, which would be required for it to occur, the league is sitting and waiting.

Dallas needs a new forward.

Orlando has not ruled out shopping for more players.

Charlotte is looking to rebuild.

Boston is having a problem with continuously injured big men.

Portland is losing its star for an extended period of time.

Miami needs some more presence off the bench.

Atlanta is a mess and so is Phoenix.

Nothing has been mentioned about any sort of deals between any of the teams above outside of ones that ultimately tie back to Anthony.  Everyone wants to talk about this trade and no one is making moves in the mean time.  Owners outside of these talks have no idea what sort of deal will be worked out for Melo.  The trade deadline looms on February 24 and the All Star break is the perfect time to reformulate a team to prime itself for the playoffs.

By then, everyone should know where they stand.  By then, we will know where Carmelo will be ending the season.

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by | January 13, 2011 · 12:57 PM

Brook Lopez needs to Yell at Himself Not His Coach

 

“Man, I am tired of that guy. Fuck him.”

Those are the words that Nets’ center, Brook Lopez, appears to say while sitting on the bench after being pulled from a game against the Phoenix Suns. Lopez had entered the game with three minutes remaining, proceeded to brick a shot, and then was pulled by head coach Avery Johnson.

Lopez did not direct the comments to anyone in particular but his intended target was clearly not himself. Why should he be mad at himself when he can levee all the blame on Johnson? Too bad Travis Outlaw just sat idley by as Lopez expressed his displeasure.

He should have had Lopez look in a mirror.

In just his third season, Lopez has seen a significant dip in his rebounding despite being listed at seven feet tall. When a player is that tall and plays the center position, rebounds should come easily, or as easily as possible when other large men are battling for them. His total rebounding average this season is an appauling 5.9 rebounds per game. That is down from 8.6 per game last season. 

Lopez’s total rebounding percentage, which is an estimate of the percentage of available rebounds a player records while on the court, has declined as well. This season he is grabbing rebounds at a rate of 10.3 percent. This number is down from 13.5 percent last year and 15.8 percent during his rookie season.

He has recordef four or fewer rebounds nine times this season.  During one game, he pulled down just one. Yes, only one rebound against the Milwaukee Bucks on January 8. Only twice has he had more than ten rebounds in a game this season.

One might like to make an arguement that Lopez’s decreased statisitics are because of reduced playing time. However, he is only averaging three fewer minutes per game than he did last season.

It is not just his rebounding that is stupifying for all the wrong reasons.  He is shooting more shots but making the same amount as before.  The young man from Stanford seems to being making worse shot selection as well

Lopez should be made at himself. It is his lack of effort on the floor that is the cause of his poor play and subsequent benching. Avery Johnson is not a “Camp Cupcake” kind of coach. Lopez could ask teammate Devin Harris all about his coaching style and what he expects of his players. He expects more than one rebound from his starting center.

Until Lopez proves that he can compete at an NBA level under a demanding coach, he will be a frequent feature on the bench and he deserves to be there. Life as a professional athlete is not easy and throwing a tantrum accomplishes nothing…unless you are a super star.

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by | January 10, 2011 · 10:36 AM

UPDATE: Nets Still Pursuing Carmelo Anthony Despite Snags

Snooki's new neighbors?

In our previous post we broke down the basics of the potential three team trade between the Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets, and Detroit Pistons. This trade, if it goes through at any point, would fulfill the wishes of the Nets and their owner, Mikhail Prokhorov, in their quest to acquire Carmelo Anthony.

The deal would also have the likes of Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton moving to the Nets while the Pistons would receive Johan Petro and Troy Murphy, who has an expiring contract and has ben out of favor in Head Coach Avery Johnson’s system. New Jersey will also give Detroit a draft pick for taking Petro yet it has not been determined whether it will be a first or second round pick. (UPDATE: The pick that New Jersey will send to Detroit will be a second round pick.) Denver would take from New Jersey a heap of players including rookie Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, Anthony Morrow (who is presently sidelined with a strained right hamstring), Quinton Ross, Ben Uzoh, and Stephen Graham. Talks have been advancing over the weekend with many speculating that the trade is close to a done deal. However, both Anthony and Billups played in the Sunday night game against New Orleans.

A further snag arose, Detroit had been hesitant to be included in the deal, when the Nuggets began insisting that the Nets take Al Harrington as part of the deal. New Jersey does not look favorably on bringing in Harrington and his contract. He signed a five-year deal with the Nuggets worth $33 million during the summer in which only 50 percent of the final two years are guaranteed. The Nets would be on the books for four years and $28 million if they accepted Harrington in the deal which is something they want to avoid, according to ESPN’s Chris Broussard, as they are looking to be financially flexible in the future. (Read: Chris Paul becomes a free agent in 2012.)

Although Billups had early voiced his displeasure with the notion of being traded to the Nets he seems to have lessened his rhetoric as his $14 million dollar salary that is on the books for next season would be fully guaranteed in New Jersey. Yet, he would either want a buyout or a long-term contract extension, Broussard also reports. Billups is 34 years old and with the Nets hesitant, if not almost outright rejecting, about bringing in Harrington and his contract it would seem likely that Billups and the Nets would enter into buyout discussions once contract extension talks broke down.

All in all, in its present form, the trade sends much of the Nets roster (six players) to the Nuggets and in return they get Anthony, two aging guards in Billups and Hamilton, and possibly the undesirable contract of Harrington. Does this really make the Nets better? They are currently 10-27. Are the pieces they are brining in around Anthony going to make the team better? No. New Jersey is giving up its young talent to bring in Anthony and surrounding him with little more than bench players. Brook Lopez certainly is not a player who instills confidence in an organization. Hamilton is in steep decline and Billups will likely leave the Nets via buyout. If the Nets truly believe they can convince Anthony to sign an extension with the team then they need to do much more to improve their team and waiting around for Chris Paul to hit the free agency market is not the answer.

The Nuggets would be the clear winners of this trade as they would be acquiring some young and talented players who they could build around for the future. The multiple first round picks that Denver would receive from New Jersey certainly do not hurt the Nuggets either.

When Anthony was asked, after last night’s home loss to the Hornets, whether he thought he had played his last game as a Nugget he had this to say, “Not at all. Not at all. Not at all. Not at all. Just not at all.” He continued to down play all trade speculation FanHouse reports in what must make the Nets’ front office nervous. When asked if he thought he might be traded this week Anthony simply responded, “No.”

The Melodrama continues…

Update:

At around 11 AM Central Time, Broussard reported that the Nuggets also want the Nets to take Renaldo Balkman and potentially give up a first round pick. Clearly, Denver is doing everything it can to weigh the trade in their favor. It will be interesting to see if New Jersey will give in.

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by | January 9, 2011 · 2:08 PM

Nets Keep Chasing Melo

Playing hard to get

Fans of the Detroit Pistons probably looked at the news headlines this week with a sense of what-could-have-been.

The Nets, in their ongoing quest to cast Carmelo Anthony as the newest member of the Jersey Shore attempted to lure Detroit into a three team deal. They sure are persistent in their quest to get Anthony and have stockpiled a number lucrative first round picks to entice anyone interested.

This potential deal would have united Anthony in New Jersey with Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton. Wait a minute, did Joe Dumars not have an opportunity to have these three players on the Pistons after the 2003 draft? The specter of Darko Milicic looms heavy over this potential trio.

The last thing the Pistons want to see is any incarnation of their draft faux pas become a reality. For the Melo-Billups-Rip joining to take place the Pistons would have had to take Johan Petro and give up a first-round draft pick. They then would take Troy Murphy and his expiring contract. Clearly, the Nets have only their own interests in mind when they talk to third parties. Detroit politely declined, if anything the fact that they are currently still for sale did not help matters either.

In the form in which it was crafted, the deal would have sent rookie Derrick Favors and Devin Harris to Denver along with at least two first round draft picks. Obviously the reunion of Avery Johnson with Harris is going swimmingly.

Hamilton is in the midst of his worst statistical season since his rookie year. He is averaging 13.5 points, a full 4.6 points fewer than last year which was injury shortened. His rebounding and assist numbers are also in decline. As for his shooting percentage, it sits at an abysmal .415. Why the Nets would want him is anybody’s guess.

A further complicating matter for New Jersey is the fact that Billups has come out and said, via his agent Andy Miller, that he has no intention of spending the remainder of his career in the Garden State and would like to continue playing in Denver. He doesn’t like the idea of being traded to the Nets and would insist on being bought out of his present contract, if traded, so that he could “survey the landscape and re-evaluate what he wants to do going forward.”

Billups, like Hamilton, has seen a drop in his numbers as well. However, his decline is not as dramatic as Hamilton’s. His field goal percentage is just as bad as Rip’s at .416 but his percentage from downtown is at a career high standing at .431.

The Pistons’ fans can take solace in the fact that a potential joining of what they could have had will likely not take place any time soon. They also have a ring to show for the team that Dumas put together. Anthony has not even tasted the Finals and honestly, who could envision Anthony chasing down Reggie Miller from behind and blocking his shot?

The Nets seem hell-bent on trading for Anthony by hook or by crook. They have the pieces that they think will be enough to get him there but have yet to find a third or fourth team who will buy into what they are selling. Outside of their picks, they do not have much to offer since they will be sending Harris and Favors to Denver in almost any trade scenario. It is surprising that Kris Humphreys has not been mentioned in any of the recent trade talks. He has to be a hot commodity right now because his close association with the magical luck that is Kim Kardashian but we have yet to see how that plays out…

Every team needs that kind of luck. If a trade for Anthony happens at any time this season, the Nets will certainly be players. They keep chasing waterfalls.

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by | November 16, 2010 · 8:02 AM

Devin Harris Commits Flagrant 2 Foul Against Blake Griffin

If you were watching the Los Angeles Clippers host the New Jersey Nets last night (no, I figured that you were not) then you saw one of the uglier and more heinous fouls committed in the NBA this season. In a fast break opportunity, Devin Harris chased down Blake Griffin, who would have scored easily, and maliciously fouled him by grabbing him around the neck and bringing him to the court. Griffin remained on his hands and knees for some time after the play and suffered a cut on his elbow. Harris was given a flagrant 2 foul and promptly ejected.

Harris probably had no intentions, initially, of fouling Griffin as hard as he did, but a simple swipe across Griffin’s arms would have prevented any dunk or lay-up attempt. It is not as if Harris could not have run a few more feet to gain a better angle to foul the slower Griffin. In all likelihood, Harris will be lucky if he escapes with just a fine. He made no attempt to go for the ball at all as can be seen in the video. The NBA will likely make a ruling soon on Harris’ punishment as this sort of behavior is better suited for the gridiron and not the hardwood.

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by | November 9, 2010 · 12:59 PM

Power Rankings

It's good to be undefeated

It’s only a handful of games into the season but it’s these games that can set the pace for teams.  Some have started the season off well.  Some haven’t.  Some are building what could be formidable playoff teams while others are already snowballing into what will turn them into lottery teams next summer.  However they are starting the season, every team is setting a theme for both the best and the worst.

1. Los Angeles Lakers (7-0)

Being the No. 1 scoring team in the league should be at no surprise for the defending champs.  Point guards Derek Fisher and Steve Blake are both averaging only four assists per game and they are putting up 22 a game (9th in the league).  They are spreading out the ball and utilizing their depth very appropriately.  We could still question parts of this bench but Blake and Matt Barnes give them a lot more to work with.  As long as Pau Gasol is playing well both defensively and offensively, sky is the limit for the Lakers.

2. New Orleans Hornets (6-0)

The Hornets are only scoring 97 points a game.  This stat comes to no surprise when you look at who can really score in New Orleans but the fact that they are still undefeated really sticks out.  A team built around arguably the best point guard in the league in Chris Paul would be thought to be perfect this far into the season around offense.  Instead, it’s the defense that is propelling this team forward.  While giving up only 91 points a game, the Hornets have held Milwaukee to 81, Miami to 93 and San Antonio to 90.  This is the best start in franchise history for the Hornets but how long can the winning last?

3. Boston Celtics (6-2)

The pieces are coming together nicely in Boston.  Rajon Rondo is averaging 15.5 assists a game and has surely won over the respect of both his teammates and the pundits.  Scoring distribution will keep this team fresh and a good man running point will definitely help.  Five of their six wins are over teams that were in the playoffs last season.  We have yet to see Shaquille O’neal and Kendrick Perkins both active on this roster.

4. Atlanta Hawks (6-2)

It’s balance that is keeping these Hawks afloat and that’s the best thing to build a season on.  Josh Smith is making a case for early MVP consideration and will just get better over the course of the season.  It’s also looking like extending Al Horford’s contract is looking like a good decision.  They are averaging 104 points a game while still collecting 32 defensive boards a game. However, this team needs to recover from its recent two game slide.

5. Miami Heat (5-2)

For those of you that expected the Heat to win 82 games, sorry but that can’t happen now.  In addition, loses to both Boston and New Orleans should be nothing to be embarrassed about right now.  Erik Spoelstra needs to figure out the best rotation of the bench that wont hurt them too much.  Right now, the bench is being outscored and outplayed.  It’s a long season and three players cannot carry a team by themselves.

6. Orlando Magic (5-1)

Orlando should technically be 6-1 but issues at Madison Square Garden caused the Knicks to postpone their inevitable loss to the Magic.  Regardless, their one loss to the Heat is warranted and Rashard Lewis needs to put up more than 2 points for the Magic to win such a statement game.

7. Denver Nuggets (4-3)

Nene, Chris Anderson and Kenyon Martin are out with injuries.  They beat the Mavericks in Dallas with Sheldon Williams starting and that speaks volumes about how this team will perform when their big men return.  Their depth will increase tremendously.  If Denver keeps winning, it may translate to a happy Carmelo Anthony and when Melo is happy, everyone is happy.

8. Portland Trail Blazers (5-3)

Holding Phoenix to just 92 points and later Milwaukee to only 76 is what is helping this Trail Blazers team make the point that they are serious about defense.  Marcus Camby can defend well but Nate McMillen will need to figure out how to get some more scoring from his frontcourt.  His starting forwards only scored nine points against the Lakers on Sunday and they aren’t even breaking 100 points per game. It was, however, their fifth game in seven days.

9. Dallas Mavericks (4-2)

Dallas has seven players that will show up every night on the court. Jason Kidd is showing almost no signs of age while the frontcourt is stacked with Brendan Haywood and Tyson Chandler.  Dallas narrowly beat Denver last Wednesday just to lose to them Saturday.  The Mavs will rebound once Caron Butler and Shawn Marion hit their strides.  However, Dallas needs to clean up its turnovers that are at 16 a game and their bench is ranked second to last in scoring. Although there are no “statement” games in November, beating Boston is the closest you can get to having one.

10. San Antonio Spurs (5-1)

Their record is impressive until you see that they have only beaten one team that made the playoffs last season in Phoenix.  They are fourth in the league in scoring with 109 a game and their next three games are easy wins against the Clippers, Bobcats and the 76ers.  The youth in San Antonio surrounded by a mix of good coaching and veterans will spell out an interesting season.  However, Greg Popavich needs his young guys to get the minutes they need to grow.

11. Oklahoma City Thunder (3-3)

It’s funny that a team with Russell Westbrook is ranked 30th in the league in assists per game but when you look at the depth in OKC, it begins to make sense.  The ball isn’t being spread out enough and sheer depth may haunt the Thunder again this season.  Again, it’s 82 games and it takes more than an sixth man to get through a season and make the playoffs out West.

12. Memphis Grizzlies (4-4)

Rudy Gay became the first player in franchise history to score at least 25 points a game in five consecutive games.  However, it’s their defense that needs to step up since they are allowing their opponents to score 107 points a game.  They are undersized and young which is a bad place to be in the Western Conference.  It’s going to a long season with hopefully some growth.

13. Utah Jazz (3-3)

Deron Williams and company are obviously hurting from loosing some of their star players.  With Mehmet Okur out, the Jazz are limited in size and they are obviously having a hard time scoring when they can only muster up 78 points against the Warriors.  It wont get any easier with them playing Miami, Orlando and Atlanta this week.

14. Phoenix Suns (3-4)

Steve Nash entered the season with reservations about the Suns’ chances this season.  Losses to Portland, San Antonio and LA aren’t something to be ashamed of this season.  In all three of their loses, Hedo Turkoglu has scored six points twice and nine points once.  Maybe it’s time to put some production into this starting lineup. Alvin Gentry is going to get to the point where he no longer asks permission to yell at his team.

15. Chicago Bulls (3-3)

Derrick Rose and the Bulls really took it to the Celtics last Friday in a come back that forced overtime.  They fell short in the extra minutes but the play of both Rose and Joakim Noah should keep Bulls fans optimistic.  If Tom Thibodeau and company want to win, Ronnie Brewer needs more minutes and Carlos Boozer needs to return from injury.

16. Golden State Warriors (5-2)

The Warriors have started the season off 4-0 for the first time in 20 years.  Subsequently, three of those four wins are against teams that failed to reach the postseason last year and Utah isn’t the beast it once was.  Monta Ellis has already had two very impressive outings of 46 and 39 points and the return of Stephen Curry will greatly help this backcourt.

17. New York Knicks (3-3)

A win in Chicago could or couldn’t be a big deal this early in the season since we have yet to see them form.  Their other two wins were against Toronto and Washington which both paint a better picture of what this team is truly capable of.  We all know that Mike D’antoni teams can get worn out and that Amar’e Stoudemire’s heightened level of play wont last.

18. Cleveland Cavaliers (3-3)

Cleveland has the fourth best bench as far as scoring in the league.  That same bench never got LeBron James a ring so we don’t really expect the same to pan out for Antawn Jamison and friends.  Byron Scott is letting them grow but that’s about all we expect from this season.  An initial win over Boston is impressive until you see that they lost to Toronto and Sacramento the following days.

19. Sacramento Kings (3-3)

The Kings are scoring but still allowing their opponents to rack up 107 points a game.  DeMarcus Cousins has yet to record a 10-rebound game and Tyreke Evans is still trying to do too much on the court.  Good news is that their both young and when they click, it could mean a lot to wherever the Kings end up playing next.

20. Milwaukee Bucks (2-5)

Scott Skiles is having a hard time getting the Bucks rolling into this season.  They are 30th in the league in scoring at only 89 a game and it’s mainly due to their depth.  Drew Gooden is giving them some more power up front but with just Corey Maggette producing off of the bench, it may be a long road for the Bucks.

21. Houston Rockets (1-5)

All five of Houston’s losses came from very formidable teams this season (Lakers, Warriors, Spurs, Hornets and Nuggets).  Aaron Brooks will be missed and Kyle Lowry will not be able to carry the load by himself.  Luis Scola and Kevin Martin are working out well with all the injuries but Rick Adelman needs a healthy roster in order to compete.

22. Philadelphia 76ers (2-5)

Philly started the season off with losses against Miami, Atlanta, Indiana and Washington.  If you are surprised, close this window immediately.  Evan Turner’s scoring has been up and down but what can you expect from a rookie surrounded by a bunch of trash?  Surprisingly, their bench is ranked first in scoring.

23. Indiana Pacers (2-3)

At first, it’s looks like Darren Collison may be a little in over his head at running Indiana’s point.  Then again, look at who this young man is passing to.  He filled in when Westbrook went down at UCLA and stepped up last season when Paul went down in New Orleans.  However, the talent is pretty thin in Indiana.  Danny Granger seems to be approaching a nice stride but there isn’t much other good news coming out of Indiana.

24. Detroit Pistons (2-5)

The Pistons are bottom feeders in almost every statistical category. This does not bode well for a team that is striving to achieve mediocrity. However, they have won their last two contests. Pistons fans should take any small achievement as good news because there will not be much this season.

25. Los Angeles Clippers (1-6)

At least one team in L.A. has a tough start to their schedule. The Clippers have faced the likes of Portland, Dallas, San Antonio, Denver, Oklahoma City, and Utah in their first seven games with their only win coming against the struggling Thunder. It must be hard to be the bastard child of the Staples center and see the Lakers with a sugarplum and lolly pop schedule until late January.

26. New Jersey Nets (2-4)

Right now the Nets are on a better winning pace than last year. That is the upside. It doesn’t look like Avery Johnson is ever going to let third overall draft pick, Derrick Favors, into the starting lineup anytime soon now that Troy Murphy is back. In their most recent loss, the Nets did their best Washington Generals impersonation to the Heat’s Globetrotter act.

27. Washington Wizards (1-4)

John Wall and Gilbert Arena will be reunited again. That’s good.  Their one win however, well, that’s not so good. December is going to be a rough month for the Wiz so now is their best opportunity to get some wins under their belt. Hopefully, the Republicans won’t try to filibuster their next win.

28. Charlotte Bobcats (1-6)

They were in the playoffs last season and had the number one rated team defense in the league. Now, they have a defensive rating ranked 20th. Not good. Maybe His Airness can breathe some life into this franchise. Something needs to happen, and quick, if they want another playoff birth.

29. Toronto Raptors (1-6)

The Raptors are bad. We knew they would be. They were bad last year even with Chris Bosh on their roster so what are the expectaions of them now that he is gone? Right, there are none. One thing that Raptors fans can take delight in is that the so-called Young Gunz on the team will put on a decent show every night. Jose Calderon needs to be back in the starting lineup otherwise the team’s assists will continue to be dreadful.

30. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-6)

We wrote an open letter to David Kahn. This is something we normally wouldn’t do. However, the T-Wolves are terrible. Kurt Rambis coaches like a chicken with his head cut off and has no sense that Kevin Love is their best player. They are ranked last in most every statistical category. They only thing that Minnesota fans have to look forward to is the high draft pick that the team will get next summer…which Kahn will promptly waste on yet another point guard. KAAAAHHN!

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