Alot of times my morning post has to do with a weird stat, someone being dunked on, or JR Smith tweeting something stupid. Not today, as a great story has emerged out of Dallas.
It is the time of the year where 10-day contracts become more frequent, and thus if you read on a transactions page "Dallas Mavericks sign G Chris Wright to 10-Day contract", you might be quick to look over it. What that sentence doesn't mention, is that Chris Wright is the first known NBA player in league history to be playing with Multiple Sclerosis.
(Wright with the Iowa Energy earlier this year.)
For those who don't know, MS is an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system). While every NBA player has to look over their body with doctors to make sure they are in peak condition, Chris has do that even more(sometimes multiple times a day) to make sure he is not putting himself in harms way when on the court.
Chris is definitely a player when he is healthy. Wright was a four year player at Georgetown, and in 38 games for the Iowa Energy in the D-League he was averaging 15PTS, 7ASTS, and almost 2STLS a game. While he may not get much run as Dallas has worked its way back into the playoff picture, make sure to check the box score to keep track on this amazing story.
Tim McMahon of ESPN Dallas did a great job reporting on this, make sure to check out his story here. -Bford
Mavs, I'm told, do have interest in Brandon Jennings and will be in mix for him if Bucks opt to make RFA-to-be available b4 Feb. 21 deadline — Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) February 13, 2013
Mavs NOT after Josh Smith but PG clearly been big worry in Big D. Trade targets, Cuban said Monday, must be worthy of "top three" on roster — Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) February 13, 2013
Why for Dallas: Dallas has openly stated that they want to obtain a point guard if they are to make a deal before the deadline. Brandon Jennings is a very good point guard who could flourish running the pick and pop with Dirk. During their 2011 title run Dallas lived off of a pick and pop with a combination of Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry/JJ Barea/Jason Kidd, all of which were adept long range shooters. Jennings would bring another long range shooter in the fold, so that Dallas could get back to its bread and butter offense. Why for Milwaukee: The Bucks would have trouble parting with Brandon Jennings, but this return would make his leaving more palpable. In moving Jennings for Collison they would be getting the pass first point guard that could make Monta Ellis play up to his potential again.
Shawn Marion would bring the Bucks a veteran with playoff experience. He also would give them a solid starter at what has been their weakest position all season, small forward. His defensive prowess combined with Larry Sanders and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute would vault the Bucks into an upper echelon defensive team. Milwaukee is also not a very good defensive rebounding team, bringing Marion into the fold would certainly help rectify that problem.
On top of getting Collison and Marion, the Bucks would be ecstatic to get out from under the awful contract of Drew Gooden. Moving Gooden would not only help their cap situation but it would also free up more time for John Henson and Samuel Dalembert to play.
Check out the other posts in our February Trade Rumors Series:
While the Division looks to be back to just a one team race for the top spot (was it ever in question the Spurs would win this division?), it doesn't mean there aren't story lines galore in the Southwest. Where will Rudy Gay land? Will the Rockets use their young assets to bring another star around Harden before the deadline? Can the Mavericks continue to recover from a poor start? And the "Pelicans" hang tough with just about every team...Greivis Vasquez for Most Improved anyone? Let's tackle these questions in the our most recent roundup.
We don't need to say much about San Antonio this week as they have continued their dominance winning 8 straight games to stretch their lead to 5.5 games. They also have dominated divisional opponents winning 11 of 13 contests so far. The scariest news for other teams in the division? The Spurs are likely to win their next 4 games, against NBA bottom feeders Charlotte, Washington, Minnesota, and Detroit. The only possible tests I see in there is Detroit potentially or Washington if Martel Webster or Bradley Beal catches fire from downtown. So it looks like they will be winners of 12 straight soon...time for Pop to start coming up with a rest schedule for his stars. This team does everything well except maybe rebound, but they aren't too shabby at that either (-.7 differential is minimal). I honestly think this is the best team in the NBA and I can't wait for the Feb 21st game against the Clippers of Lob City and the March 11th game against OKC. Those will be the real measuring sticks we need to evaluate the championships hopes of each team I believe (sure it's just one game, but those are the BIGGEST regular season games left in the Western Conference). Well, just to understand the Spurs magic, here is Tim Duncan doing the un-amazing amazingly:
Okay so now onto the real gritty stuff in this division. First off, I believe Rudy Gay is all but gone from the Grizz. His contract is such a huge cap hit next year, that a small market team like Memphis just can't take on the risk of having to pay out the final 37 million on his contract. While reports from reliable sources like WoJo say that the Raptors and Grizz have all but completed a trade, needing only a third team to take on Jose Calderon's $10.5 million contract, I think that is just one instance where Gay could land outside Memphis. The Celtics with Paul Pierce's contract that could be bought out (only 4 million guaranteed next season) are another option, although as a C's fan, I don't think the blowup strategy would really work with our roster (a topic for another post). Anyway, the biggest hurdle is finding that third team. Could the aforementioned Celtics, a team in need of PG help following the season ending ACL injury to star Rajon Rondo, be a taker? The Mavericks who have a lot of veterans on short contracts including Chris Kaman's expiring 8 million could be a landing spot for Calderon to help facilitate this deal. All in all, where there is smoke, there is likely fire, so Rudy Gay you better get a travel bag ready. While often a poor shooter, his talents/potential are in line with stardom:
Oh yeah, so the Grizzlies are pretty good right now too, winning 3 of 4. Marc Gasol is a monster and they have the best defensive backcourt (Tony Allen & Mike Conley) in basketball. Too bad they just can't generate the revenue to support the team they could have.
The Rockets are yet another interesting team in this Southwest. The team is not poised to truly compete this season, although they are extremely fun to watch and can actually be good on both ends of the floor. What this team really needs is another star to compliment James "the beard" Harden. Could they make a run at Kevin Garnett or Pau Gasol, even Zach Randolph? They certainly have the young talent to entice a team in transition mode in need of youth, but are those the players they want to add. With Harden and Asik as really the only untouchables, (Parsons, Morris, Paterson are all valuable pieces, but not untouchable) putting a star with them makes this team one of the most dangerous in the league. I want to know what Rocket fans think...Do you try and improve now for a two year window and then find another player to team with Harden, or do you steadily wait and hope you have a long window that starts as early as next year, but most likely 2014? I'm thinking championships here, not just a playoff team. The Rockets have won 4 of 5, so maybe they just stay the course this season and reevaluate where they are after. It'll be tough to compete with Spurs, Clippers and Thunder over the next couple years anyways. Just keep in mind that if they want to be aggressive, they have the young talent to go get someone.
The Mavs are a team that I think will be Buyers, but really should be sellers come the deadline in two weeks. They have almost no shot at competing for a title this season, and unless they can bring in some more talent to surround Dirk, Mayo, and Collison with for next season they will find themselves in the NBA hell-fire of a late lottery team. They suffered a heartbreaking, soul crushing loss last night to Portland, who stormed back after being down 21 points. Portland was down 3 with about 5 second left and managed 5 points in that time frame, thanks to a 50/50 charging foul called on Mayo and a heroic effort by LeMarcus Aldridge (game tying 3 with 5 second left, buzzer beater after the charge to win). I just don't think this team has what it takes and should sell off Kaman, Brand, and Carter. The one big question in Big D is whether or not the team has a chance at Dwight in the offseason? If they do, they only want back expiring contracts or inexpensive talent, but if they feel he is out of their reach they need to acquire some long term talent to pair with Dirk in his twilight.
And finally, the NO Pelicans..err Hornets always seem to have a sting in them, but just not enough to get over the hump. Greivis Vasquez and Omer Asik are my two picks for a toss up in the Most Improved Player award, While Vasquez is still less than stellar at shooting, his determination and grit is admirable. He gets into the lane nicely and he continues to find his teammates at a staggering pace. Vasquez went from 5.4 assists per game last season to 9.3 so far this season in 9 more minutes That's incredible improvement. I'm just waiting for Anthony Davis to figure the NBA game out. He doesn't always get rebounds and he sits on the baseline offensively way too often. Once his activity level boosts, he will be a star. I look for a monster second half from the big fella.
That all for today's roundup folks. Remember to follow me on twitter https://twitter.com/theNBAninja and stay tuned as the PickandPopDiaries enters 21 days of trade rumors heading up to the deadline.
While San Antonio has clearly separated themselves from the field in this division, the Grizzlies and Rockets continue to make noise of their own. Houston is creating buzz for all the right reasons, as they have won 10 of 12 including 5 straight. Memphis, one of the elite defense teams in the league (more to come on this later), has been in the middle of the NBA rumor central for the past 48 hours (Rudy Gay and now rumblings about Zach Randolph being moved). In this roundup we will look at each team's recent performance as well as explore some of the trade rumors in Memphis.
San Antonio:
The Spurs lost 2 of 3 this week dropping games to both the Knicks and Hornets while they defeated the 76ers. The weakness of this roster right now is that is has a difficult time matching up with elite athletes, especially at the front court position which leads to struggles rebounding the basketball. But honestly, that may be this teams' only short coming. They are 4th in the NBA in offensive efficiency scoring 107.8 points per 100 possessions, while they are 5th in defensive efficiency giving up only 98.6 points per those same 100 possessions. Only the LA Clippers have the same claim to being in the top 5 in both those categories. That's elite company. Further more for the Spurs, the rank fist overall in the NBA in assist rate (rate of assists per possession) and 3rd overall in true shooting percentage (weighted efficiency adjusting for three pointers and free throws). What this all tells me is that this is the epitome of a team. They work together offensively making the extra pass, space the floor well using the strengths of each player to their advantage, and have crisp defensive rotations resulting in superb help defense. Clearly the best in this division, they are in the thick of it in the loaded western conference with arguably only the Clippers and Thunder looking like fellow contenders to get to the finals.
Memphis:
Memphis continues to play good ball, shutting opponents down defensively while grinding out offensive possessions. Now second in the league in defensive efficiency allowing a paltry 96.5 points per 100 possessions, this team's identity starts and ends on the defensive end. Anchored by Tony Allen on the wing and Marc Gasol in the interior this team swarms the ball forcing opponents to shoot over the top of the their defenders. They rarely allow layups and they allow Mike Conley, who has some of the quickest hands in basketball, to go after anyone dribbling the ball in the lane. Conley is another defensive stalwart who averages 2.4 steals a game and has been one of the best theifs in the NBA over the past few seasons. This week we also saw one of the streakiest shooters in the NBA catch fire as Wayne Ellington absolute made it rain for the Grizz, torching the Kings to the tune of 26 points on an unreal 10-11 from the field including 6 of 7 from downtown. Watching an elite athlete get into a zone is both terrifying (knowing you could never do that) and electrifying (also knowing this is something you can't do), but either way it was fun to see for a brief stretch of time. Now for Memphis fans, if only Rudy Gay could get into a zone like that.....Which bring me to the next discussion point, the trade winds in Memphis.
As my colleague Evan pointed out yesterday, the need to move Rudy Gay is based on the fact that he earns too much money for what he is giving this team as his salary forces the team over the cap. See Evan's article for an in depth look: http://pickandpopdiaries.blogspot.com/2013/01/rudy-gay-trade-derby.html
Basically this season a team will pay one dollar of tax for every dollar they are over the cap, but in future seasons this changes. h/t to Larry Coon and CBA FAQ as he has this chart listed for what tax paying teams will pay in the future.
Team salary above tax level
Non-repeater
Repeater
Lower
Upper
Tax rate
Incremental maximum
Tax rate
Incremental maximum
$0
$4,999,999
$1.50
$7.5 million
$2.50
$12.5 million
$5,000,000
$9,999,999
$1.75
$8.75 million
$2.75
$13.75 million
$10,000,000
$14,999,999
$2.50
$12.5 million
$3.50
$17.5 million
$15,000,000
$19,999,999
$3.25
$16.25 million
$4.25
$21.25 million
$20,000,000
N/A
$3.75, and increasing $.50 for each additional $5 million.
N/A
$4.75, and increasing $.50 for each additional $5 million.
N/A
While this is a bit confusing no doubt, it means that it will become more and more expensive to be over the cap, forcing teams like the Grizz to dump salary before the tax is levied on them. Rudy Gay is an exceptional talent. He has the length, athleticism speed, and versatility to be an elite player on both ends of the floor, but so far in his career he has not been able to find the consistency that validates him being a max contract player. In fact this year he has regressed offensively to the point where he is shooting a career low field goal percentage of 40.8% which includes shooting just 34.8% in his last 5 ball games. What could the Grizz expect back in return for Gay? Well since they are trying to dump salary for an overpriced player, certainly not equal value and probably a poor contract in return. I won't repeat the work that Evan did yesterday as he threw out some trade ideas, but it would make a lot of sense for Phoenix to get involved as well as Boston in a three team trade if it means it can acquire a legitimate center. Also the Kings and the Bucks could become interested if the price is right.
Rudy Gay isn't the only Grizzly getting talked about in trade rumors. The Memphis Commercial-Appeal also said that the team has had primarily discussions about moving Zach Randolph. While like Gay, Randolph makes upwards of 17 million dollars, he, unlike Rudy Gay has been playing good basketball. There is also the difficulty in moving him as he has had two major knee injuries and is no longer a young player (he is 31). Anyway let's explore a trade possibility for Randolph to Sacramento which is the team mentioned in the preliminary discussion for a trade for a ZBO:
The Grizz Get: Thomas Robinson, Marcus Thornton, and Tyreke Evans The Kings get: Zach Randolph and Tony Wrotten
The Grizzlies would certainly not be as good as a team without the interior presence of Randolph this year, but this is a solid haul for a team looking to dump salary. They would get a solid PF option in Robinson, as well as a high level combo guard in Evans. They would also get the unconscious scorer off the bench, the OJ Mayo type player they miss, in Marcus Thornton who can just light it up from downtown. This would also open up extended playing time for Darrell Arthur. Most importantly from the Grizz prospective, this would save the team $1.5 MM in player salaries as well as taxable dollars over the salary cap.
The Kings get the best player in this deal and someone they can use to sell tickets. If they can keep DeMarcus Cousins then they will have one of, if not the best, rebounding front lines in the NBA. They also get a project PG who has the size and athleticism to be a good player at the NBA level.
Houston Rockets: Houston continues to play great basketball, winning 5 in a row and 10 of 12. In fact they have mixed two 5 game winning streaks sandwiched around a two game losing streak. The only concerning point for the Rockets is that they are 1-9 against western conference playoff teams (if the playoff started right now). I think this is more attributed to lack of experience together rather than skill as this young team should be able to compete with better clubs once all of the new faces have meshed together over a longer period of time. James Harden looks to have reached super-star level officially now, averaging 26.6 a game, 5.4 dimes, and 4.2 rebounds as well as 1.9 steals. Those gaudy numbers are of course only on a small sampling of not even half an NBA season, and doubters will say he needs to do this for multiple seasons before he is assigned a super-star status, but I believe he will. Also in his last 5 games he is averaging 29.6 points on nearly 50% shooting. He is elevating his play during a period in which he team is able to make a run. I love this kid, and quite frankly I really like this team. Omer Asik is a beast down low defensively and not enough can be said about his transformation on the offensive end making him a threat on both ends. Jeremy Lin has played well since facing the Knicks and getting the pressure of seeing his old team off his chest. Chandler Parsons, Marcus Morris, Tony Douglas and Carlos Delfino continue to play well too. They are first in the league in scoring at 106.8 a game as they get out on the fast break even on made baskets. This is one of the most fun teams in the league to watch on a daily basis and opponents better bring there track shoes or they will be run out of the gym. Dallas Mavericks: This team is going in the wrong direction and quickly. They have lost 9 of 10 while rumors of Dirk requesting a trade have surfaced on the internet. While Dirk has shut down these rumors, it would make sense for one of the all-time greats heading into the twilight of his career to want to be a part of a winner, which Dallas does not look to be. The problems in Big D are numerous. They are third to last in the league in allowing points, as opponents score over 103 a game on them and they turn the ball over at a rate near the bottom of the league as well. They have the worst rebounding differential of any team. Jesus Christ, I could go on forever about their shortcomings. This team is awful and needs to make a trade or two (or three or four...) to set itself up the future. They have no shot of being a contender this season. New Orleans: The Hornets had an impressive win over the Spurs Monday and rookie Anthony Davis finally looks to be coming out of his slump. After struggling the previous week, Davis scored 17, grabbed 9 boards and registered 3 steals showing an energy that had been missing his previous 4 games. Also showing signs of life was the finally healthy Eric Gordon who dropped 24 points in that game and despite shooting a woeful 35% so far in his 4 games back, looks to have his legs under him now. The Hornets are certainly not a playoff team, but I look for them to play good ball in the coming weeks now that they have their #1 scorer back as well as a more confident Anthony Davis.
1. Los Angeles Clippers: 25-7, 9-1 During the Clippers 17 game win streak, Blake Griffin shot above 50% from the field in all of the games. While this team has no identity(read a great piece by the Daily Dime here), maybe they don't need one. 17 wins is 17 wins. (BF) 2. Oklahoma City Thunder: 24-6, 8-2 -The Thunder would be widely considered the best team if LAC wasn’t on a historic run. They have shown their championship meddle and will continue to improve with their young core. (EJ)
(Reggie Jackson has given the Thunder yet another boost off the bench.)
3. Miami Heat: 21-8, 7-3 -The Heat have somehow stayed out of the headlines with two of their west rivals stealing the show. Expect them to shoot back into it with games against Dallas and Chicago this week. (BF)
4. San Antonio Spurs: 25-8, 7-3 -This team has some of the greatest offensive balance of any NBA team in the league. Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobli continue to play at a high level on scaled back minutes. Second in points and third in point differential, this team is a beast. (AL) 5. Golden State Warriors: 21-10, 7-3 -With every win, the Warriors are becoming more battle tested for the playoffs. It's a complete reflection of Mark Jackson's tough guy mentality that this team is 4th in rebounds without their star center. (BF)
6. New York Knicks: 21-10, 5-5 -An injury to point guard Raymond Felton will hurt; can they weather the six weeks without him by leaning on extra minutes from Jason Kidd? This team continues to rely heavily on the three point shot, but for now they are falling. (AL) 7. Atlanta Hawks: 20-10, 6-4 -The Hawks are putting themselves in contention for a three or four seed in the East with other contenders failing. The question always remains, what do they do with it? (BF)
8. Memphis Grizzlies: 19-9, 5-5 -The Grizz need to continue slowing the game down and letting there bigs do work on the interior. I need to see Marc Gasol play better after the team has lost 2 of its past 3. (AL) 9. Indiana Pacers: 18-13, 8-2 -Indiana was able to win their brawl of a contest against Memphis this past week. They have shown all season that they are elite rebounders and defenders. The question remains can they score enough? (EJ)
(The Pacers could really use Granger's scoring right about now.)
10. Houston Rockets: 17-14, 7-3 -Houston has lost back to back games, but is playing well winning 5 in a row before the losses. James Harden is playing great basketball and Omer Asik is strengthening his case for most improved player of the year. (AL) 11. Chicago Bulls: 16-13, 5-5 -As the season lets on we are seeing the Bulls miss Derick Rose more and more. Their offense is based on execution not elite scoring. This means that their offense has a higher degree of difficulty, which is what you have seen in recent losses. (EJ)
12. Milwaukee Bucks: 16-13, 6-4 -The Bucks have shown great offensive strength throughout the season. But can this team beat the best when the game is slowed down come playoff time? (EJ) 13. Denver Nuggets: 18-15, 7-3 -The Nuggets have played a ruthless schedule on the road. Since when did the Nugs piss someone off in the NBA office? (BF)
14. Portland Trailblazers: 16-14, 8-2
-Portland has a very good starting five and no bench at all. If they are going to make a playoff push I look for them to be one of the more active teams in trade talk. (EJ) 15. Minnesota Timberwolves: 14-13, 6-4
-The Timberwolves are around a .500 team without Ricky Rubio. With a healthy Rubio they are a much better team. The question is if they can get enough of a healthy Rubio to get in the playoffs playing their best ball. (EJ) 16. Los Angeles Lakers: 15-16, 6-4 -Kobe claims the Lakers are old, and that is why they are struggling. The excuses are getting pretty old for the fans in purple and gold as well. (BF) 17. Brooklyn Nets: 16-15, 4-6
Firing Avery Johnson won't solve the Net's issues. Listen to our podcast and you will know, but I put this on Deron Williams, who continues to play poorly. This team can be dangerous but right now no one is fearing them, even after winning both games of the new PJ Carlesimo regime. (AL)
(Okay Deron, is this going to work?)
18. Philadelphia 76ers: 15-17, 3-7 -They have lost 8 of 10 and looked horrible in doing so. Andrew Bynum needs to get healthy if this team wants to make the playoffs. (AL) 19. Utah Jazz: 15-17, 3-7 -This team is either playing under their capabilities or is just not very good. Either, way it seems times to give Favors and Kanter more minutes. Expect Jefferson and/or Milsap to be moved, especially with the Jazz playing so poorly. (EJ) 20. Boston Celtics: 14-16, 3-7 -Disappointing losses to both the Clippers and Golden State have left this team under 500. Maybe they can grab a win tonight against the Kings, but this team needs to turn it around soon. The return of Avery Bradley when they return from the west coast should help. (AL)
21. Dallas Mavericks: 13-19, 2-8 -Dirk is back but he is not curing all this teams' ails. OJ Mayo continues to play well, but the rest of the group lacks consistency. Darren Collison may have had the play of the year with his one footed three to force OT, but they lost anyways. (AL)
22. Toronto Raptors: 11-20, 7-3 -Toronto has won 7 of 8 and has turned around their season. Demar Derozan looked great the past couple weeks. They may pass Phili in the Atlantic if both teams continue in there current directions. (AL) 23. Orlando Magic: 12-19, 4-6 -The Magic have really been hurting since Glen Davis went down to injury. Even with Arron Afflalo dropping 26 and 28 in games last week, this team couldn't break the slide and has now lost six in a row. (BF)
(Arron Afflalo has quite a heavier load on his shoulders these days.)
24. Detroit Pistons: 12-22, 5-5 -With Drummond coming along quicker than anyone thought he would the future now seems extremely bright for the Pistons. Right now Drummond is only playing 20 minutes a game, this number will increase as the season goes along and the Celtics will be better for it. With Drummond, Monroe, and Knight coming along the Pistons are the best of the basement. (EJ) 25. Sacramento Kings: 11-20, 4-6 -With the Cousins Scandal supposedly behind them(maybe), this team can try to get back to winning. As good as they looked against Boston, it's tough to think they can stay that consistent, and Cousins can stay out of trouble. (BF)
26. Phoenix Suns: 11-21, 4-6 -Ohh the Suns. After losing a buzzer beater to the Knicks, they followed it up with three more losses on the road. This team is crashing, having lost six straight. (BF)
27. New Orleans Hornets: 7-24, 2-8 -Eric Gordon is finally healthy and scored 24 points in 24 minutes in his debut. I can't wait to see what this team does in January with a fully healthy roster. Davis and Gordon are the futures of this franchise. (AL)
28. Charlotte Bobcats: 8-23, 1-9 -They won! They won! Now the big step is where do they turn to prevent the next losing streaking from happening. (BF)
29. Cleveland Cavaliers: 7-25, 2-8 -Tristan Thompson’s improved play might make trading Varejao more palpable. As the season move along I warm on the idea of Cleveland moving Varejao. AV is a good player who is on a light contract but by the time his contract is up Cleveland might not be a playoff team. (EJ) 30. Washington Wizards: 4-25, 1-9 -The Wizards currently don't have anyone averaging over 16 points a game, anyone averaging over 8 rebounds a game, or anyone averaging over 5 assists a game. Thank god for RGIII. (BF)
