I will always remember Allen Iverson…as a freshman or sophomore at Georgetown, where he was an absolute revelation…
Now before we get into the impending trade of Iverson, let’s not forget that Charles Barkley forced his way out of Philadelphia in 1992, after eight seasons with the Sixers, landing with the Phoenix Suns for Jeff Hornacek, Andrew Lang and Tim Perry….this might be the worst trade in NBA history…anyway, here’s a synopsis of the trade rumours:
Orlando – SF Grant Hill’s expiring contract, PG Jameer Nelson and SF Trevor Ariza…attractive because Nelson played at St. Joe’s, but Ariza will not play ahead of Iguodala or recent 1st round pick Rodney Carney, who are both SG/SF’s…and I don’t know why Orlando, which has built up a very good young team, would all of a sudden add Iverson, who will take shots away from promising bigs Milicic and Howard…
Golden State – SG Jason Richardson, PG/SG Monta Ellis and SF Mike Dunleavy…Ellis is the jewel here because Richardson’s knee is not the same and Dunleavy is one of the most overrated players in recent memory…Iverson and Baron Davis playing together in a Nelli-small-ball lineup would be very entertaining, plus Pietrus might be a suitable replacement for Richardson…
Timberwolves – SG Randy Foye. SG Ricky Davis, PF Eddie Griffin…need another team to make this work…Foye is the real target, what with his Villanova roots…
Celtics – anybody but Gerald Green or Paul Pierce…can PP and AI work together?
Kings – PG Mike Bibby, PF Kenny Thomas, SG Francisco Garcia…You know Webber loves playing with Bibby, and can you imagine AI and Artest butting heads with coach Musselmen? Please do this…if only for the comedy of it…
Bobcats – Not sure who they would trade but they are $17 million under the cap…
Good bye ball…The NBA will scrap its new microfiber composite ball and bring back the old leather one beginning Jan. 1. The league sent a memo to its teams Monday, telling them that the change would be made for the remainder of the 2006-07 season. In the memo, NBA president Joel Litvin said that Spalding had 450 new leather balls on hand for use.
Here’s a question or two: Why is rookie PG Jordan Farmar not the starting PG for the Lakers? He’s way better than Smush Parker right now…and while were at it, how is it possible that Mark Blount is starting and rookie PF Craig Smith (of Boston College) is not?
Heat drubbed the Raptors last night…one statistical note about D=Wade…Elias says that through 20 games this season Dwyane Wade has scored 560 points with 161 assists. The only other players in NBA history to average at least 28 points and 8 assists over the first 20 games of a season are Oscar Robertson, who did it four times, and Nate Archibald (in 1972-73).
Quick football note…The Cincinnati Bengals are accumulating quite the rap sheet: DE Frostee Rucker, spousal abuse; LB A.J. Nicholson, burglary; WR Chris Henry, DWI; DT Matthias Askew, resisting arrest; G Eric Steinbach, operating a boat under the influence; LB Odell Thurman, DWI; WR Reggie McNeal, resisting arrest and drug possession; and most recently last Saturday CB Deltha O'Neal, DWI…here’s a thought, hire a driver and a bodyguard…and cut whoever gets arrested next…
Great site if you’re a college basketball fan…http://www.hoyabasketball.com/index2.htm
1) Mike Kahn of Foxsports.com with his weekly ten things column:
Ten things we learned in the NBA this week
People tend to misunderstand David Stern. They call him a control freak just because he wants things done a certain way in the NBA … as if things have gone horribly awry in his 23 seasons as commissioner. So when he makes a mistake, like changing the basketball from the traditional leather to a composite microfiber ball from Spalding, he'll eventually admit to it. And sources all over the place say the league will go back to the old ball for games after the first of the year.
1. Item: Of course the change of the ball is in response to a plethora of complaints from the players ranging from the difficulty handling it when wet to the scrapes and cuts on their hands after time. What this really means: If changing the ball hurts the product — which it did if players were forced to tape their hands — then changing it back is a no-brainer. We'll never get an admission of why they changed it in the first place, if only because it was obviously a publicity stunt by Spalding to sell a brand-new ball all over the world that is used by the NBA. On the other hand, Stern isn't likely to tell the officials to back off on calling technical fouls for extra histrionics after an infraction is called. The key is keeping a handle on the egos of both the officials and the players. The players have to get over it — that fouls and violations will be called, and even sometimes wrong. But this is also an opportunity to calm down the officials whose egos blow out of control with power on occasion. Either way, ballgate is an awakening of sorts for Stern and that's a good thing for everybody.
2. Item: The list of interested parties is expanding with the speed and unpredictably of Allen Iverson blasting from baseline to baseline on his way to the NBA scoring lead once again. All we know for sure is that Philadelphia 76ers owner Ed Snider made it clear late last week that Iverson will indeed get his wish and be sent packing, and sooner than later. But what we don't know is where he'll land. Suffice to say when he says he'll be home for Christmas, nobody is quite sure where that will be. What this really means: The latest and perhaps most interesting team to join the parade to Sixers president Billy King's doorstep has been there before, and that would be the Sacramento Kings. Remember, it was King and Kings president Geoff Petrie who pulled off the big Chris Webber trade. OK, the Webber trade was hardly a smashing success for either team, but familiarity is important in this situation. And with owners Gavin and Joe Maloof chomping at the bit to add a marquee player like Iverson, anything is possible. Just the thought of the intensity of having both Iverson and Ron Artest on the same team is a pretty spectacular thought. And with the potential of offering Mike Bibby, Maurice Taylor and possibly Corliss Williamson, it would gave the Sixers a replacement for Iverson and expiring contracts. But the Kings aren't alone, and clearly the preference is to send A.I. out of the Eastern Conference. Nonetheless, the Celtics still have the best young package of players to throw at the Sixers, with Al Jefferson and Sebastian Telfair the most likely, along with fading veteran Theo Ratliff's expiring contract. But if they go West, the Kings will have plenty of company. The Minnesota Timberwolves are very interested, but have little to offer except rookie Randy Foye, and the players the Sixers would have to take along with him (already having 15 on the roster), are illogical. Also consider the Denver Nuggets (Joe Smith, Andre Miller, a first-round draft choice and another player) have a very competitive group to offer, and so do the Los Angeles Clippers. Soon enough.
3. Item: The Phoenix Suns now have won 11 in a row, Amare Stoudemire has become a double-double machine and Western Conference player of the week Steve Nash (Gilbert Arenas won the award in the East) has a chance to become the first player in 14 years to average 20 points and 10 assists (with the answer to who last did this at the bottom of this item). What this really means: The Suns have changed the look and feel of the league and are absolutely title contenders. The highlight of the week was their 161-159 double-overtime win over the New Jersey Nets. Nash had 42 points and 13 assists to offset the 38 points, 14 assists and 14 rebounds from Jason Kidd. But really the big story is how seamlessly Stoudemire has fit back in after a tough start in response to surgery on both knees last season, with the biggest issue being how everybody else would fit with him. Well, that just happens to be the job of the back-to-back MVP Nash to make it mesh. The latest guy to buy in has been Boris Diaw, last year's most improved player, who Sunday night in the 114-84 win at Charlotte had an impressive 17 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Considering the number of weapons coach Mike D'Antoni has at his discretion, plus the return of Stoudemire and Kurt Thomas from injuries that kept them out of the playoffs last season, this streak is no fluke, even if only two of the 11 teams they've beaten is above .500. The crux of the matter is they can score on anybody, plus Thomas and Stoudemire return to provide interior toughness they so sorely lacked without having to give up anybody. This should be fun. (Answer to the last 20-point, 10-assist player question: Tim Hardaway on the Golden State Warriors, with 21.5 points and 10.6 assists).
4. Item: Larry Bird turned 50 last Thursday, and it prompted many thoughts of Bird as the legendary player of the Boston Celtics, the good coach for the Indiana Pacers and now the confused president of the Pacers. What this really means: Bird became the first player ever to record five consecutive seasons of at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists until it was broken two years ago (answer at the bottom of the item), was a member of four championship teams with the Celtics and coached the Pacers to three consecutive conference finals before promptly retiring from coaching for good. But it has hardly been a breeze as president of the Pacers, with it all starting on that nightmarish November night at Detroit with the brawl that has left the Pacers reeling ever since. Just last week, the erratic Stephen Jackson went off on coach Rick Carlisle for pulling him out of a game in the second quarter of a rout at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers.. Carlisle responded properly by sending him to the locker room for good, but this is the responsibility of Bird to put an end to this. Jackson's endless problems, which include going into the stands in Detroit, firing a gun last summer with the trial coming after the first of the year, and more … it's time to make a move. Yes Larry, it's hard to fathom that you're 50 and we all learned from your marvelous playing career. Now it's time to put down your sand wedge and get rid of Jackson. Until that happens, this team is going nowhere and you'll be perceived as an underachiever in the front office. (Answer to question of who broke Bird's record: Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota Timberwolves averaged at least 20-10-5 for six seasons — from 1999-2005)..
5. Item: In that big Cleveland win over the Pacers, Larry Hughes returned to the Cavs after missing 10 games with a sprained right ankle. The Cavs split the 10 games, which is no surprise, with the real lingering question being how long until the next injury? What this really means: General manager Danny Ferry had the right idea by believing that Hughes' skills would perfectly complement those of LeBron James. And in many ways they do. But when you sign a guy who averages at least 25 games a year on the shelf, it's difficult to comprehend how he's worth taking up $60 million on the salary cap over the next five years. Hughes already has a finger on his shooting hand that he injured last season and it hasn't healed. Furthermore, Drew Gooden strained his groin trying to dunk in pre-game warmups over the weekend. Nonetheless, James helped coax coach Mike Brown into moving rookie Daniel Gibson into the starting lineup last week, and he responded well. But that will be Hughes' spot and for the Cavs to really contend in the East, they'll need Hughes to consistently be out of the floor making plays on both ends to take the heat off James. If not, it will be time to test his market value.
6. Item: Yao Ming had a game he'll never forget Saturday night, with 38 points, 11 rebounds and 6 blocks in Houston's 114-109 win over the Washington Wizards. Yao was 6-for-6 from the field and 11-of-12 from the free throw line for 23 points in the fourth quarter. What this really means: Yao has clearly taken the mantel as the best center in the NBA as Shaquille O'Neal's future following knee surgery remains a 7-1, 350-pound question mark. But the Rockets, off to a very good 14-6 start, have their own issues. Just as Yao was heating it up in the fourth quarter, Tracy McGrady buckled over in pain and had to be helped from the court with a recurrence of back spasms that have plagued his career and prematurely ended last season. It's a shame because McGrady has just gotten himself into trimmer, stronger condition and was beginning to defy the notion that he was breaking down too much to be considered a star anymore. Now that his problems have returned, his future and the Rockets' future remain in doubt. He says he'll play Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers. We'll see how he'll handle it all. Once one of the top three players in the game, we now just hope that McGrady can play in a game … let alone dominate it. It's too bad a star of his magnitude has lost his glitter prematurely, but it also shows how fleeting that level of play can be.
7. Item: The Detroit Pistons had won eight in a row and were rolling when they lost back-to-back games to the Bobcats at Charlotte, then returned home the next night to lose to the lowly Portland Trail Blazers. What this really means: The Pistons aren't as consistent as they used to be and coach Flip Saunders still hasn't fostered enough contribution from the bench. But after the double-loss, these guys again showed their true colors. They went to Dallas and completely shut down the high-scoring Mavericks 92-82. That ended a streak of 23 games in which an Eastern Conference team had lost at Dallas. Now the Pistons enter the week back atop the Central Division and everyone is beginning to wonder if they've still got some of what it requires to go through the regular season and re-establish themselves in the playoffs. Depth is a problem, but the primary reason to be optimistic about this group is the way they went into Dallas and smothered the Mavs. They proved they've still got that defensive shutdown mentality. Soon enough, we'll find out if they can sustain it.
8. Item: After losing four games in a row, the Golden State Warriors finally won coach Don Nelson his 1,200th NBA game with a 101-80 victory over an injury-decimated Hornets squad. What this really means: Nelson, after losing at Seattle on Sunday night, now has a 1,200-891 career record after the weekend. He was presented with commendation by Sonics vice-chairman Lenny Wilkens, the only man with more wins (1,232) than Nelson in Seattle. But now the Warriors must move on. They blew a 16-point halftime lead to the Sonics — without Ray Allen — and lost 117-115. Therein lies the key to the success of the Warriors and Nelson, in his 28th season as an NBA head coach. Nellie's teams have always been hot and cold and this one is no different. Baron Davis has put up the same great numbers he always does, and youngsters Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins have far exceeded expectations as we move beyond the first quarter of the season. The question is how long can any of them, including Nellie, sustain the good start and hang in the playoff race. It isn't practical to believe they will, but in his 28 years as a coach nobody has ever considered Nelson practical anyway.
9. Item: Just as the buzz heated up again that the Chicago Bulls were interested in trading for Kevin Garnett, the Big Ticket proved once again he's not about to sell out. What this really means: Garnett had his prototypical 18 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals and 3 blocks as the Wolves spanked the Bulls by 10 at Chicago. It was the fourth win in a row for the Dwane Casey-coached T-Wolves — their longest winning streak in a year — and ended the Bulls' winning run at seven. As Kevin McHale struggles to get good players around Garnett — and point guard Mike James has really lifted his level of play during the streak — the chatter will continue that Garnett wants out. Does he really? No. He just wants to win there. It's the same old story. But it does sound like the Wolves will make a pitch for Iverson and that would restore Garnett's juices in a hurry. The problem is this roster assembled by McHale just hasn't blossomed as anticipated. So more trades are in the offing. Could it happen? Sure, stranger things have and always will transpire in the NBA. It just hasn't happened much in Minneapolis.
10. Item: To quote Stephen Stills, Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson came to a conclusion Sunday night in the Staples Center following their exciting 106-99 come-from behind win over the San Antonio Spurs. "There's something happening here … what it is ain't exactly clear." What this really means: Against the most steady team in the NBA at both ends of the floor, the Lakers closed out the third quarter with a spectacular 24-6 run. Kobe Bryant had 34 points and 8 rebounds to end the Spurs' four-game winning streak. More importantly, the Lakers kept the Suns at an arm's length to retain their hold on first place in the Pacific Division. Lamar Odom continues to put up great numbers as Bryant's sidekick, just missing a triple-double with 18 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists. And Luke Walton has raised his play an entire level this season — again tossing in 17 points. The questions are how long Walton can stay this consistent, will Odom fall back into a subservient role to Bryant, and are Kwame Brown and Andrew Bynum ready for prime time? All of it is speculation, but as long as Bryant stays cool as the newly discovered mentor, these guys will be hanging around the upper echelon all season even if they can't continue to hold off the Suns from first place in the Pacific Division.
2) Jack McCallum of Si.com celebrates Mr. Old School:
The king of constancy - Celebrating Sloan as he pursues a coaching milestone
With one more victory, the Utah Jazz's Jerry Sloan will become only the fifth NBA coach to reach 1,000 wins. He won his first 94 games with the Chicago Bulls, the team for which he played as a tough-minded defensive stopper, but no other coach in history, with the exception of Boston's Red Auerbach, is so identified with a single franchise. So as Sloan looks to join that elite club (Lenny Wilkens, Don Nelson, Pat Riley and Larry Brown are the other members) we salute him in this week's five-pack. Here are some of the many things you gotta love about the NBA's king of constancy.
1. He embraced the challenge after Karl Malone and John Stockton left. In 2002-03, when that remarkable duo was in its last season together in Utah, I asked Sloan, "Boy, you must want to feel like getting out, too." He was 61 at that time and already a legend. "Hell, no," Sloan snapped. "The opposite, in fact." He went on to talk about how amped up he was to take on the challenge of teaching again, of ingraining his possession offense into the heads of players who hadn't been born when Stockton and Malone began running their precision pick-and-rolls. And Sloan went about that task with the eagerness of a first-year coach. After a few seasons of being cursed by injuries, he now seems to have a team ready to once again challenge for a Western Conference title.
2. He cleaned himself up. Sloan was born a country boy and he lived much of his life like the protagonist in a country song. He drank, he smoked, he stayed out late, and all the time a loyal woman, Bobbye, his high-school sweetheart before she became his wife, was home waiting for him. "We were married 38 years and at least 12 of them were pretty good," Bobbye told me once, laughing. After she contracted cancer -- Bobbye first felt a stabbing pain in her breast on June 13, 1997, the day the Jazz were eliminated in Game 6 of their first NBA Finals -- Sloan wised up. He stopped drinking and staying out and their last years together were good ones, aside from her suffering, which ended with her death in June 2004. By that time, they had a practiced ritual -- before every game that she was in attendance, Sloan's eyes would find her in the stands before tip-off and they would press two fingers to their lips and hold those fingers aloft for a second or two. Sloan never wanted his rehab story to become tabloid fodder -- he's as far from being a publicity-seeker as any man I've ever met -- but, when asked, he will credit Bobbye for making him happy, healthy and whole.
3. Stockton and Malone never lost respect for the man. You spend as many seasons together (Stockton arrived in '84, Malone in '85 when Sloan was an assistant; he got the head job in '88) as these three spent and relationships are hard to maintain, particularly in a profession that's played out in the public eye. But the Mailman, who fought a couple of contract battles in Utah and sometimes felt overlooked, and the steady Stockton never had anything but good things to say about Sloan and, more to the point, the way he coached. When I was writing a story about Sloan several years ago, I remember saying to Stockton: "With all your years in the league, I notice that you still look over at the bench to get a play call from Jerry. That's unbelievable." Stockton looked puzzled. "Why wouldn't I?" he said. "Jerry's the coach." That says a lot about Stockton, of course, but it says as much about Sloan.
4. Sloan's contract "negotiations" are conducted with all the pomp and circumstance of a barroom gin rummy game. He appears in owner Larry Miller's office, wearing his beloved John Deere hat and maybe a flannel shirt, and Miller will throw out a figure. By longevity and/or success, Sloan should be the highest-paid coach in the league, but he never is. There's always one of those Brown or Phil Jackson deals out there, and sometimes there are a couple of them. But Sloan makes, as he puts it, "a good buck" (somewhere around $6 million), and he'll usually just say "Yep" to what Miller suggests, and another contract will be in place.
5. You never hear him obsessing about championships. When we talk about the great ones who never won a title -- Stockton and Malone, Charles Barkley, Kevin Garnett, etc. -- we always leave out coaches, and that means we leave out Sloan, who is as deserving as anyone. His Jazz made two Finals, in '97 and '98, where he got Michael Jordan-ized both times, but I never heard him talk much about it. He went on as if it never happened, just coaching his team, getting ready for next year and spreading the gospel of taking care of the ball. "Teaching players to play the right way is what Jerry Sloan is all about," Stockton told me once. "I'm not sure you could ask anything more out of a coach than that."
3) Chad Ford of ESPN.com with a belated review of draft prospects:
The debut of Greg Oden
Greg Oden has arrived. In college, anyway. The consensus No. 1 pick in the draft made his NCAA debut for Ohio State on Saturday night. After Oden's offseason surgery on his right wrist, the freshman's return to the court was up in the air, and on Saturday you could see why. His wrist was still sore enough that he shot free throws with his left hand and, in his words, "shot put" the ball with his right when he got near the basket. Still, the result was anything but ordinary -- 14 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots, in 23 minutes of action. He shot 8-for-14 from the line and made three of his four field goal attempts, all layups and put-backs. No dunks. I talked to several NBA scouts who watched the game. What they saw was the same guy they saw in high school -- a long, athletic big man who can dominate on the defensive end of the floor. "He's smart, huge and athletic," one scout said. "Even with one hand, the kid has amazing potential." Several scouts noted that Oden looked like he had gained some weight and that he was clearly not in great game shape yet. But that was to be expected. All said they were impressed with how much he's improved his left hand over the past few months. "Oden couldn't really do anything with his left in high school," one scout said. "That usually takes years for guys to pick up but he's done it in a matter of months. If he sticks with it, he'll just be that much better." Oden agreed. When asked by reporters whether he was worried that his wrist surgery would affect his game, Oden took the glass half-full approach: "Somebody might think that but I look at it as a blessing in disguise because I had a long time to work on my left hand and now I can hit a free throw with my left hand. I couldn't even hit a layup with my left hand before." Oden told reporters that he's not sure when his right wrist will be working again: "I have no idea. I have to get my motion back. It's not all the way there. I can shoot a hook shot and shot put or whatever I was doing today, but that's about it." Will he have to permanently learn how to play with the left? Is his right hand ever going to come back? That's what scouts are wondering about a little, but most aren't worried. "It just takes a while," one scout said. "He's anxious to play. He's coming back quickly. In a month this will be a non-issue." Oden's target date to return to practice was Jan. 1. That he played in a game on Dec. 3 will only add to the legend. Still, he is well short of 100 percent. As for his draft status ... he has been the consensus No. 1 draft prospect in the world for two years. It's going to take a lot more than a stiff wrist and a few extra pounds for him to drop, regardless of how well Kevin Durant continues to play. To fall from the top spot, Oden will have to decide not to enter the draft or suffer another serious injury.
Lotta lotto talent in Vegas, baby
A plethora of NBA executives and scouts were on hand in Vegas over the weekend to take in the much-hyped Florida vs. Kansas Saturday night matchup. They were not disappointed. There were as many as five NBA lottery prospects and several other players with first-round potential on the floor on Saturday. It was the NBA scouting equivalent of the perfect storm. "From a pure scouting standpoint, this is probably the most important game we'll be at until the NCAA tournament," one NBA executive said. "You always love to see great prospects slug it out. There was so many here and so many of them stepped up. I thought it was thrilling and I think we learned a lot from this." Not only did the Jayhawks and Gators play a great overtime game, but several of the top prospects really shined. I talked to several NBA execs and scouts after Saturday's game and here's what they had to say about a number of the top prospects:
The Lotto Boys
Julian Wright, F, Kansas - I've been reporting on Wright's potential for the past two years, but this is the first NCAA game I've seen in which he really played up to it. He was sensational in just about every aspect of the game, and the NBA folks I spoke with couldn't stop raving about him.
Wright played with his usual energy and enthusiasm, but was much more aggressive offensively than we've seen him in the past. He was hitting midrange jumpers (his biggest Achilles' heel), putting the ball on the deck and driving to the basket, and picking up offensive rebounds for put-backs ... in other words, he scored in just about every way possible. Where he really shined was in the point-forward role. He made several jaw-dropping passes that won't soon be forgotten. While Wright made some defensive mistakes and was relatively quiet offensively in the second half, the reviews afterwords were glowing. "He reminds me of a mix between Kevin Garnett and Boris Diaw," one executive told me. "He's got Garnett's energy and athleticism, and he combines with with Diaw's versatility and basketball savvy. If he continues to attack that way on the offensive end, the kid's a top-five pick. You can't teach what he has." I was talking to another NBA GM in Maui who told me that his top scout pushed and pushed him to make a guarantee to Wright coming out of high school. The GM didn't know enough about the kid to make that type of commitment, and Wright ended up going to KU. Now that we're starting to see the progress he's making as a player, it looks like it's a good thing for Wright, but not such a good thing for the GM who passed on a chance to get him late in the first round.
Darrell Arthur, F, Kansas - Scouts have also been falling head over heels for Arthur over the past few weeks. Arthur was a late signer to Kansas, and most scouts thought, given the amount of talent already at KU, that he wouldn't contribute a lot this year. Think again. Arthur is the Jayhawks' leading scorer through their first six games and made a big impact in limited minutes on Saturday. Arthur is a long, athletic forward who can play both the three and the four. He's got a nice midrange jump shot and combines that with an array of nice post moves. Like Wright, he's a very agile player who can get up and down the floor. Unlike Wright, he is very aggressive on the offensive end. While scouts believe he needs to add weight and continue to improve his outside jumper, several appear ready to put him in their top 10 after watching him dominate several games for the Jayhawks. "He's a really special talent and is a good fit in the way the NBA is heading," one NBA scout told Insider. "His size, versatility and athleticism make him a perfect fit on an up-tempo team. He has the potential to be another Chris Bosh-type of player." After consulting with a number of scouts and executives, we've moved Arthur up 20 spots on our Top 100 to No. 9. That's a huge jump this early in the season, but after watching Arthur make such an impact against one of the best front lines in college basketball, it's hard to put him any lower.
Joakim Noah, F/C, Florida - Noah came into the game as the top-rated prospect among the two teams and had a good, but not great, game. Noah showed off his trademark hustle and scrappiness on both ends of the floor, but made a few key turnovers and was saddled with foul trouble for much of the game. The scouts and executives that I spoke with didn't think that Noah did much to move the needle either direction, though one executive pointed out why he still has reservations about Noah. "His energy is infectious," the executive said. "But I'm still wondering what he is other than a scrappy, hustle-type of player. The NBA definitely needs players like that ... but as a possible No. 1 pick? I personally don't think he's in the same league as some of the other guys in your rankings. I love how he inspires his teammates, and his ability to play that way at his size is impressive but I don't know that he has elite NBA talent."
Al Horford, PF, Florida - Horford had a game that exposed both extremes of his game. At times he was aggressive, attacking the rim, throwing down thunderous dunks and swatting away shots with vigor on the defensive end. At other times, he settled for bad shots, made a few stupid fouls that limited his minutes and was passive in providing weak side help on the defensive end. That inconsistency is the biggest knock on Horford right now, and it was on display for everyone to watch. "You know that I love Al," one scout said. "And you could see what he was capable of at times. But he's a junior now and you expect to see some consistency and some maturity out there. He was all over the place tonight and I think that's going to hurt him if it continues. There's too much talent in this draft that he's competiting against."
Corey Brewer, SG, SF, Florida - Brewer has been really up and down this season. When he's up, as he was in a dominating, 22-point, nine-rebound, seven-assist, six-steal game against West Virginia on Friday, he looks like a lock for the lottery. When he's average, as he was against Kansas, the mid-to-late first round looks like a more likely destination. Brewer's length, athleticism and versatility make him a stellar prospect, but, like Horford, he suffers from bouts of inconsistency. And what happened to his 3-point jumper? Right now projections for him vary from late lottery to late first round. But that's pretty normal this time of year.
Other Potential First Rounders
Brandon Rush, SG/SF, Kansas - Rush's numbers compare pretty favorably to what he did in his stellar freshman campaign, but he's going to struggle to impress the way he did last year. That's mainly because his teammates, Wright and Arthur, are better prospects, and it's going to become increasingly difficult to outshine them. Considering that Rush already has an unselfish streak in his game, I'm not sure he's going to be able to continue to put up the great numbers he did last year. Right now he's a borderline first-round prospect. He might benefit from staying another year at Kansas and letting Wright and Arthur bolt for the NBA.
Mario Chalmers, G, Kansas - Chalmers still is trying to prove that he's a pure point guard, and the arrival of Sherron Collins is only going to complicate that question. Still, Chalmers looked good against Florida. He's a good defender, a solid perimeter shooter and a capable leader out on the floor. He still lacks experience and polish, however, and the scouts I spoke with don't think it's likely that he'll be bolting for the NBA this year.
Taurean Green, G, Florida - Green was the best player on the floor for Florida on Saturday, scoring 25 points from the Gators. He's been shooting the lights out so far this season, which should help his draft stock after the poor field-goal percentages he posted his first two seasons. Still, questions about his size and position -- many scouts still see him primarily as a two guard in a point guard's body -- mean he's probably no better than a second-round prospect right now.
Scouting the Maui Invitationa
LAHAINA, Hawaii -- Last season's EA Sports Maui Invitational was an NBA scout's dream. Four lottery players (Gonzaga's Adam Morrison, UConn's Rudy Gay and Hilton Armstrong and Arkansas' Ronnie Brewer), three more first-rounders (UConn's Josh Boone and Michigan State's Shannon Brown and Maurice Ager) and several prominent second-round picks (Michigan State's Paul Davis and Arizona's Hassan Adams) headlined the event. And prospects Marcus Williams of Arizona and Brandon Rush and Julian Wright of Kansas made strong first impressions as well. One NBA personnel director told me last week that, next to the NCAA Tournament, last season's Maui Invitational was the most significant scouting event of the season. This season? Not so much. Almost every team in the league was represented, headlined by GMs and other execs like the Celtics' Danny Ainge, the Jazz' Kevin O'Connor, the Bucks' Larry Harris, the Nets' Ed Stefanski, and the Suns' David Griffin. While the caliber of basketball was fantastic and the event was a major success in the college world, NBA scouts left Lahaina with more questions than answers. What did NBA executives and scouts learn from their three-day trip to Maui? Here are five things to chew on over Thanksgiving weekend, based on the games themselves and hours spent discussing prospects with the NBA execs and scouts in the stands.
1. Georgia Tech's Thaddeus Young may be a great prospect, but right now he's overrated. This idea actually began this summer after several NBA scouts walked away disappointed with his overall performance at Michael Jordan's Flight School. And while Young put up some solid numbers at the start of the season for Georgia Tech, once his team hit tougher competition, his contribution dwindled. Young struggled with foul trouble against Memphis. When he did play, he tried to take control of the game, but also took a number of bad shots in the process. Against UCLA in the Finals, he was held to 4-for-12 shooting and disappeared for long stretches. Young is long and athletic and, at least in warm-ups, has a nice perimeter shot. The comparisons to Al Harrington seem to be pretty dead on. Good player and prospect, but not at the elite level you're seeing from some of the other top freshmen in the country. The scouts and executives I talked to all like Young, but most felt that he'll need at least two years at Georgia Tech.
2. UCLA's Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is still pretty raw. Don't let his impressive box scores fool you. I've watched Mbah a Moute closely in four games this season. He's an excellent athlete with a great motor, and he's very aggressive on both ends of the floor, but he doesn't have a go-to way to score. He gets almost all of his points off scraps. He's been working on his jump shot, but it's not there yet. He doesn't have a post game yet either, which means that UCLA really can't run any offense through him. Luckily, UCLA has plenty of players who can score from just about anywhere on the floor, so Mbah a Moute is still a great asset. But scouts are a little skeptical about his NBA stock right now. "He's a nice late first-round prospect because of his energy and defense," one NBA exec told me. "But I don't see him as a lottery guy. He just has too many holes in his game right now."
3. Georgia Tech's Javaris Crittendon could be the best point guard in the draft. How can I say that given that Crittendon struggled terribly in games against Memphis and UCLA? The operative word in the sentence above is could. This season's point guard class is pretty weak, and Crittendon isn't nearly as bad as he looked the past two games in Maui. He is a big point guard who struggled against the quick, trapping guards of Memphis and UCLA. They were constantly coming up under Crittendon and causing turnovers. But in his opening game against Purdue and in his general court demeanor, you could see the talent. He's a legit 6-5 point guard who can control the tempo of the game, shoot the perimeter J and take the ball to the basket. While lacking in experience, he makes up for that with a pretty complete package. Yes, scouts worry that he may not have the quickness to be an elite point guard (one exec went so far as to compare him to Mateen Cleaves), and they believe he needs a lot more experience playing in big games, but the talent is there for him to be a very good NBA player.
4. UCLA's Arron Afflalo didn't move the needle either way. Afflalo had good games against Chaminade and Georgia Tech. Sandwiched between was a rough outing against Kentucky in which Afflalo really struggled with his outside J. The ball wasn't going in, though scouts know Afflalo is an excellent midrange shooter. He also played his trademark tough defense throughout the tournament. What continue to concern scouts are ball-handling issues, a lack of size and elite athleticism, and questions about his 3-point range. He went 3-for-16 from 3-point land against Kentucky and Georgia Tech, which didn't help his cause, and his release has some scouts questioning whether he can hit the longer NBA 3-ball. Every scout and executive I talked to spoke of Afflalo as a second-round prospect, much as they did last season. However, one executive said he believed Afflalo will have a place in the NBA: "He moves really well without the ball and I think his uneven handle could benefit him in that way. So many guys love to over-dribble the ball in the NBA. I like guys who can fire away coming off screens and do other things besides breaking his man down off the dribble."
5. You should get to know UCLA's Darren Collison. On opening night, most of the NBA scouts I spoke with couldn't have told me anything about Darren Collison, the eventual Maui Invitational MVP. Last season as a freshman, he had one really nice game against Arizona in the NCAA tournament, but other than that, there wasn't much to say. Collison was lightly recruited coming out of high school. A big senior year propelled him to a scholarship at UCLA, but one local Southern California scout told me two years ago he didn't think Collison could ever be a starting point guard in the Pac 10. My, how things have changed. Collison has been brilliant early on for the Bruins. He's a super-quick point guard with an incredible burst of speed in the open court. He has excellent floor vision, can be very creative with the ball and is a good perimeter shooter. On the defensive end, he's a tenacious on-the-ball defender. His long arms make up for lack of size. He was the best player on the floor for UCLA and I thought he saved the Bruins in the Kentucky game. The knock on him is obvious. He's much closer to 5-10 or 5-11 than the listed height of 6-1. Combine that with his slight frame and he doesn't look much like a NBA player. Still, a number of scouts are already raving about his speed and floor vision. As the NBA turns more up-tempo, Collison's strengths may end up trumping his weaknesses. If he continues to play well, he could end up as a nice backup point guard in the league someday.
Now before we get into the impending trade of Iverson, let’s not forget that Charles Barkley forced his way out of Philadelphia in 1992, after eight seasons with the Sixers, landing with the Phoenix Suns for Jeff Hornacek, Andrew Lang and Tim Perry….this might be the worst trade in NBA history…anyway, here’s a synopsis of the trade rumours:
Orlando – SF Grant Hill’s expiring contract, PG Jameer Nelson and SF Trevor Ariza…attractive because Nelson played at St. Joe’s, but Ariza will not play ahead of Iguodala or recent 1st round pick Rodney Carney, who are both SG/SF’s…and I don’t know why Orlando, which has built up a very good young team, would all of a sudden add Iverson, who will take shots away from promising bigs Milicic and Howard…
Golden State – SG Jason Richardson, PG/SG Monta Ellis and SF Mike Dunleavy…Ellis is the jewel here because Richardson’s knee is not the same and Dunleavy is one of the most overrated players in recent memory…Iverson and Baron Davis playing together in a Nelli-small-ball lineup would be very entertaining, plus Pietrus might be a suitable replacement for Richardson…
Timberwolves – SG Randy Foye. SG Ricky Davis, PF Eddie Griffin…need another team to make this work…Foye is the real target, what with his Villanova roots…
Celtics – anybody but Gerald Green or Paul Pierce…can PP and AI work together?
Kings – PG Mike Bibby, PF Kenny Thomas, SG Francisco Garcia…You know Webber loves playing with Bibby, and can you imagine AI and Artest butting heads with coach Musselmen? Please do this…if only for the comedy of it…
Bobcats – Not sure who they would trade but they are $17 million under the cap…
Good bye ball…The NBA will scrap its new microfiber composite ball and bring back the old leather one beginning Jan. 1. The league sent a memo to its teams Monday, telling them that the change would be made for the remainder of the 2006-07 season. In the memo, NBA president Joel Litvin said that Spalding had 450 new leather balls on hand for use.
Here’s a question or two: Why is rookie PG Jordan Farmar not the starting PG for the Lakers? He’s way better than Smush Parker right now…and while were at it, how is it possible that Mark Blount is starting and rookie PF Craig Smith (of Boston College) is not?
Heat drubbed the Raptors last night…one statistical note about D=Wade…Elias says that through 20 games this season Dwyane Wade has scored 560 points with 161 assists. The only other players in NBA history to average at least 28 points and 8 assists over the first 20 games of a season are Oscar Robertson, who did it four times, and Nate Archibald (in 1972-73).
Quick football note…The Cincinnati Bengals are accumulating quite the rap sheet: DE Frostee Rucker, spousal abuse; LB A.J. Nicholson, burglary; WR Chris Henry, DWI; DT Matthias Askew, resisting arrest; G Eric Steinbach, operating a boat under the influence; LB Odell Thurman, DWI; WR Reggie McNeal, resisting arrest and drug possession; and most recently last Saturday CB Deltha O'Neal, DWI…here’s a thought, hire a driver and a bodyguard…and cut whoever gets arrested next…
Great site if you’re a college basketball fan…http://www.hoyabasketball.com/index2.htm
1) Mike Kahn of Foxsports.com with his weekly ten things column:
Ten things we learned in the NBA this week
People tend to misunderstand David Stern. They call him a control freak just because he wants things done a certain way in the NBA … as if things have gone horribly awry in his 23 seasons as commissioner. So when he makes a mistake, like changing the basketball from the traditional leather to a composite microfiber ball from Spalding, he'll eventually admit to it. And sources all over the place say the league will go back to the old ball for games after the first of the year.
1. Item: Of course the change of the ball is in response to a plethora of complaints from the players ranging from the difficulty handling it when wet to the scrapes and cuts on their hands after time. What this really means: If changing the ball hurts the product — which it did if players were forced to tape their hands — then changing it back is a no-brainer. We'll never get an admission of why they changed it in the first place, if only because it was obviously a publicity stunt by Spalding to sell a brand-new ball all over the world that is used by the NBA. On the other hand, Stern isn't likely to tell the officials to back off on calling technical fouls for extra histrionics after an infraction is called. The key is keeping a handle on the egos of both the officials and the players. The players have to get over it — that fouls and violations will be called, and even sometimes wrong. But this is also an opportunity to calm down the officials whose egos blow out of control with power on occasion. Either way, ballgate is an awakening of sorts for Stern and that's a good thing for everybody.
2. Item: The list of interested parties is expanding with the speed and unpredictably of Allen Iverson blasting from baseline to baseline on his way to the NBA scoring lead once again. All we know for sure is that Philadelphia 76ers owner Ed Snider made it clear late last week that Iverson will indeed get his wish and be sent packing, and sooner than later. But what we don't know is where he'll land. Suffice to say when he says he'll be home for Christmas, nobody is quite sure where that will be. What this really means: The latest and perhaps most interesting team to join the parade to Sixers president Billy King's doorstep has been there before, and that would be the Sacramento Kings. Remember, it was King and Kings president Geoff Petrie who pulled off the big Chris Webber trade. OK, the Webber trade was hardly a smashing success for either team, but familiarity is important in this situation. And with owners Gavin and Joe Maloof chomping at the bit to add a marquee player like Iverson, anything is possible. Just the thought of the intensity of having both Iverson and Ron Artest on the same team is a pretty spectacular thought. And with the potential of offering Mike Bibby, Maurice Taylor and possibly Corliss Williamson, it would gave the Sixers a replacement for Iverson and expiring contracts. But the Kings aren't alone, and clearly the preference is to send A.I. out of the Eastern Conference. Nonetheless, the Celtics still have the best young package of players to throw at the Sixers, with Al Jefferson and Sebastian Telfair the most likely, along with fading veteran Theo Ratliff's expiring contract. But if they go West, the Kings will have plenty of company. The Minnesota Timberwolves are very interested, but have little to offer except rookie Randy Foye, and the players the Sixers would have to take along with him (already having 15 on the roster), are illogical. Also consider the Denver Nuggets (Joe Smith, Andre Miller, a first-round draft choice and another player) have a very competitive group to offer, and so do the Los Angeles Clippers. Soon enough.
3. Item: The Phoenix Suns now have won 11 in a row, Amare Stoudemire has become a double-double machine and Western Conference player of the week Steve Nash (Gilbert Arenas won the award in the East) has a chance to become the first player in 14 years to average 20 points and 10 assists (with the answer to who last did this at the bottom of this item). What this really means: The Suns have changed the look and feel of the league and are absolutely title contenders. The highlight of the week was their 161-159 double-overtime win over the New Jersey Nets. Nash had 42 points and 13 assists to offset the 38 points, 14 assists and 14 rebounds from Jason Kidd. But really the big story is how seamlessly Stoudemire has fit back in after a tough start in response to surgery on both knees last season, with the biggest issue being how everybody else would fit with him. Well, that just happens to be the job of the back-to-back MVP Nash to make it mesh. The latest guy to buy in has been Boris Diaw, last year's most improved player, who Sunday night in the 114-84 win at Charlotte had an impressive 17 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Considering the number of weapons coach Mike D'Antoni has at his discretion, plus the return of Stoudemire and Kurt Thomas from injuries that kept them out of the playoffs last season, this streak is no fluke, even if only two of the 11 teams they've beaten is above .500. The crux of the matter is they can score on anybody, plus Thomas and Stoudemire return to provide interior toughness they so sorely lacked without having to give up anybody. This should be fun. (Answer to the last 20-point, 10-assist player question: Tim Hardaway on the Golden State Warriors, with 21.5 points and 10.6 assists).
4. Item: Larry Bird turned 50 last Thursday, and it prompted many thoughts of Bird as the legendary player of the Boston Celtics, the good coach for the Indiana Pacers and now the confused president of the Pacers. What this really means: Bird became the first player ever to record five consecutive seasons of at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists until it was broken two years ago (answer at the bottom of the item), was a member of four championship teams with the Celtics and coached the Pacers to three consecutive conference finals before promptly retiring from coaching for good. But it has hardly been a breeze as president of the Pacers, with it all starting on that nightmarish November night at Detroit with the brawl that has left the Pacers reeling ever since. Just last week, the erratic Stephen Jackson went off on coach Rick Carlisle for pulling him out of a game in the second quarter of a rout at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers.. Carlisle responded properly by sending him to the locker room for good, but this is the responsibility of Bird to put an end to this. Jackson's endless problems, which include going into the stands in Detroit, firing a gun last summer with the trial coming after the first of the year, and more … it's time to make a move. Yes Larry, it's hard to fathom that you're 50 and we all learned from your marvelous playing career. Now it's time to put down your sand wedge and get rid of Jackson. Until that happens, this team is going nowhere and you'll be perceived as an underachiever in the front office. (Answer to question of who broke Bird's record: Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota Timberwolves averaged at least 20-10-5 for six seasons — from 1999-2005)..
5. Item: In that big Cleveland win over the Pacers, Larry Hughes returned to the Cavs after missing 10 games with a sprained right ankle. The Cavs split the 10 games, which is no surprise, with the real lingering question being how long until the next injury? What this really means: General manager Danny Ferry had the right idea by believing that Hughes' skills would perfectly complement those of LeBron James. And in many ways they do. But when you sign a guy who averages at least 25 games a year on the shelf, it's difficult to comprehend how he's worth taking up $60 million on the salary cap over the next five years. Hughes already has a finger on his shooting hand that he injured last season and it hasn't healed. Furthermore, Drew Gooden strained his groin trying to dunk in pre-game warmups over the weekend. Nonetheless, James helped coax coach Mike Brown into moving rookie Daniel Gibson into the starting lineup last week, and he responded well. But that will be Hughes' spot and for the Cavs to really contend in the East, they'll need Hughes to consistently be out of the floor making plays on both ends to take the heat off James. If not, it will be time to test his market value.
6. Item: Yao Ming had a game he'll never forget Saturday night, with 38 points, 11 rebounds and 6 blocks in Houston's 114-109 win over the Washington Wizards. Yao was 6-for-6 from the field and 11-of-12 from the free throw line for 23 points in the fourth quarter. What this really means: Yao has clearly taken the mantel as the best center in the NBA as Shaquille O'Neal's future following knee surgery remains a 7-1, 350-pound question mark. But the Rockets, off to a very good 14-6 start, have their own issues. Just as Yao was heating it up in the fourth quarter, Tracy McGrady buckled over in pain and had to be helped from the court with a recurrence of back spasms that have plagued his career and prematurely ended last season. It's a shame because McGrady has just gotten himself into trimmer, stronger condition and was beginning to defy the notion that he was breaking down too much to be considered a star anymore. Now that his problems have returned, his future and the Rockets' future remain in doubt. He says he'll play Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers. We'll see how he'll handle it all. Once one of the top three players in the game, we now just hope that McGrady can play in a game … let alone dominate it. It's too bad a star of his magnitude has lost his glitter prematurely, but it also shows how fleeting that level of play can be.
7. Item: The Detroit Pistons had won eight in a row and were rolling when they lost back-to-back games to the Bobcats at Charlotte, then returned home the next night to lose to the lowly Portland Trail Blazers. What this really means: The Pistons aren't as consistent as they used to be and coach Flip Saunders still hasn't fostered enough contribution from the bench. But after the double-loss, these guys again showed their true colors. They went to Dallas and completely shut down the high-scoring Mavericks 92-82. That ended a streak of 23 games in which an Eastern Conference team had lost at Dallas. Now the Pistons enter the week back atop the Central Division and everyone is beginning to wonder if they've still got some of what it requires to go through the regular season and re-establish themselves in the playoffs. Depth is a problem, but the primary reason to be optimistic about this group is the way they went into Dallas and smothered the Mavs. They proved they've still got that defensive shutdown mentality. Soon enough, we'll find out if they can sustain it.
8. Item: After losing four games in a row, the Golden State Warriors finally won coach Don Nelson his 1,200th NBA game with a 101-80 victory over an injury-decimated Hornets squad. What this really means: Nelson, after losing at Seattle on Sunday night, now has a 1,200-891 career record after the weekend. He was presented with commendation by Sonics vice-chairman Lenny Wilkens, the only man with more wins (1,232) than Nelson in Seattle. But now the Warriors must move on. They blew a 16-point halftime lead to the Sonics — without Ray Allen — and lost 117-115. Therein lies the key to the success of the Warriors and Nelson, in his 28th season as an NBA head coach. Nellie's teams have always been hot and cold and this one is no different. Baron Davis has put up the same great numbers he always does, and youngsters Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins have far exceeded expectations as we move beyond the first quarter of the season. The question is how long can any of them, including Nellie, sustain the good start and hang in the playoff race. It isn't practical to believe they will, but in his 28 years as a coach nobody has ever considered Nelson practical anyway.
9. Item: Just as the buzz heated up again that the Chicago Bulls were interested in trading for Kevin Garnett, the Big Ticket proved once again he's not about to sell out. What this really means: Garnett had his prototypical 18 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals and 3 blocks as the Wolves spanked the Bulls by 10 at Chicago. It was the fourth win in a row for the Dwane Casey-coached T-Wolves — their longest winning streak in a year — and ended the Bulls' winning run at seven. As Kevin McHale struggles to get good players around Garnett — and point guard Mike James has really lifted his level of play during the streak — the chatter will continue that Garnett wants out. Does he really? No. He just wants to win there. It's the same old story. But it does sound like the Wolves will make a pitch for Iverson and that would restore Garnett's juices in a hurry. The problem is this roster assembled by McHale just hasn't blossomed as anticipated. So more trades are in the offing. Could it happen? Sure, stranger things have and always will transpire in the NBA. It just hasn't happened much in Minneapolis.
10. Item: To quote Stephen Stills, Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson came to a conclusion Sunday night in the Staples Center following their exciting 106-99 come-from behind win over the San Antonio Spurs. "There's something happening here … what it is ain't exactly clear." What this really means: Against the most steady team in the NBA at both ends of the floor, the Lakers closed out the third quarter with a spectacular 24-6 run. Kobe Bryant had 34 points and 8 rebounds to end the Spurs' four-game winning streak. More importantly, the Lakers kept the Suns at an arm's length to retain their hold on first place in the Pacific Division. Lamar Odom continues to put up great numbers as Bryant's sidekick, just missing a triple-double with 18 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists. And Luke Walton has raised his play an entire level this season — again tossing in 17 points. The questions are how long Walton can stay this consistent, will Odom fall back into a subservient role to Bryant, and are Kwame Brown and Andrew Bynum ready for prime time? All of it is speculation, but as long as Bryant stays cool as the newly discovered mentor, these guys will be hanging around the upper echelon all season even if they can't continue to hold off the Suns from first place in the Pacific Division.
2) Jack McCallum of Si.com celebrates Mr. Old School:
The king of constancy - Celebrating Sloan as he pursues a coaching milestone
With one more victory, the Utah Jazz's Jerry Sloan will become only the fifth NBA coach to reach 1,000 wins. He won his first 94 games with the Chicago Bulls, the team for which he played as a tough-minded defensive stopper, but no other coach in history, with the exception of Boston's Red Auerbach, is so identified with a single franchise. So as Sloan looks to join that elite club (Lenny Wilkens, Don Nelson, Pat Riley and Larry Brown are the other members) we salute him in this week's five-pack. Here are some of the many things you gotta love about the NBA's king of constancy.
1. He embraced the challenge after Karl Malone and John Stockton left. In 2002-03, when that remarkable duo was in its last season together in Utah, I asked Sloan, "Boy, you must want to feel like getting out, too." He was 61 at that time and already a legend. "Hell, no," Sloan snapped. "The opposite, in fact." He went on to talk about how amped up he was to take on the challenge of teaching again, of ingraining his possession offense into the heads of players who hadn't been born when Stockton and Malone began running their precision pick-and-rolls. And Sloan went about that task with the eagerness of a first-year coach. After a few seasons of being cursed by injuries, he now seems to have a team ready to once again challenge for a Western Conference title.
2. He cleaned himself up. Sloan was born a country boy and he lived much of his life like the protagonist in a country song. He drank, he smoked, he stayed out late, and all the time a loyal woman, Bobbye, his high-school sweetheart before she became his wife, was home waiting for him. "We were married 38 years and at least 12 of them were pretty good," Bobbye told me once, laughing. After she contracted cancer -- Bobbye first felt a stabbing pain in her breast on June 13, 1997, the day the Jazz were eliminated in Game 6 of their first NBA Finals -- Sloan wised up. He stopped drinking and staying out and their last years together were good ones, aside from her suffering, which ended with her death in June 2004. By that time, they had a practiced ritual -- before every game that she was in attendance, Sloan's eyes would find her in the stands before tip-off and they would press two fingers to their lips and hold those fingers aloft for a second or two. Sloan never wanted his rehab story to become tabloid fodder -- he's as far from being a publicity-seeker as any man I've ever met -- but, when asked, he will credit Bobbye for making him happy, healthy and whole.
3. Stockton and Malone never lost respect for the man. You spend as many seasons together (Stockton arrived in '84, Malone in '85 when Sloan was an assistant; he got the head job in '88) as these three spent and relationships are hard to maintain, particularly in a profession that's played out in the public eye. But the Mailman, who fought a couple of contract battles in Utah and sometimes felt overlooked, and the steady Stockton never had anything but good things to say about Sloan and, more to the point, the way he coached. When I was writing a story about Sloan several years ago, I remember saying to Stockton: "With all your years in the league, I notice that you still look over at the bench to get a play call from Jerry. That's unbelievable." Stockton looked puzzled. "Why wouldn't I?" he said. "Jerry's the coach." That says a lot about Stockton, of course, but it says as much about Sloan.
4. Sloan's contract "negotiations" are conducted with all the pomp and circumstance of a barroom gin rummy game. He appears in owner Larry Miller's office, wearing his beloved John Deere hat and maybe a flannel shirt, and Miller will throw out a figure. By longevity and/or success, Sloan should be the highest-paid coach in the league, but he never is. There's always one of those Brown or Phil Jackson deals out there, and sometimes there are a couple of them. But Sloan makes, as he puts it, "a good buck" (somewhere around $6 million), and he'll usually just say "Yep" to what Miller suggests, and another contract will be in place.
5. You never hear him obsessing about championships. When we talk about the great ones who never won a title -- Stockton and Malone, Charles Barkley, Kevin Garnett, etc. -- we always leave out coaches, and that means we leave out Sloan, who is as deserving as anyone. His Jazz made two Finals, in '97 and '98, where he got Michael Jordan-ized both times, but I never heard him talk much about it. He went on as if it never happened, just coaching his team, getting ready for next year and spreading the gospel of taking care of the ball. "Teaching players to play the right way is what Jerry Sloan is all about," Stockton told me once. "I'm not sure you could ask anything more out of a coach than that."
3) Chad Ford of ESPN.com with a belated review of draft prospects:
The debut of Greg Oden
Greg Oden has arrived. In college, anyway. The consensus No. 1 pick in the draft made his NCAA debut for Ohio State on Saturday night. After Oden's offseason surgery on his right wrist, the freshman's return to the court was up in the air, and on Saturday you could see why. His wrist was still sore enough that he shot free throws with his left hand and, in his words, "shot put" the ball with his right when he got near the basket. Still, the result was anything but ordinary -- 14 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots, in 23 minutes of action. He shot 8-for-14 from the line and made three of his four field goal attempts, all layups and put-backs. No dunks. I talked to several NBA scouts who watched the game. What they saw was the same guy they saw in high school -- a long, athletic big man who can dominate on the defensive end of the floor. "He's smart, huge and athletic," one scout said. "Even with one hand, the kid has amazing potential." Several scouts noted that Oden looked like he had gained some weight and that he was clearly not in great game shape yet. But that was to be expected. All said they were impressed with how much he's improved his left hand over the past few months. "Oden couldn't really do anything with his left in high school," one scout said. "That usually takes years for guys to pick up but he's done it in a matter of months. If he sticks with it, he'll just be that much better." Oden agreed. When asked by reporters whether he was worried that his wrist surgery would affect his game, Oden took the glass half-full approach: "Somebody might think that but I look at it as a blessing in disguise because I had a long time to work on my left hand and now I can hit a free throw with my left hand. I couldn't even hit a layup with my left hand before." Oden told reporters that he's not sure when his right wrist will be working again: "I have no idea. I have to get my motion back. It's not all the way there. I can shoot a hook shot and shot put or whatever I was doing today, but that's about it." Will he have to permanently learn how to play with the left? Is his right hand ever going to come back? That's what scouts are wondering about a little, but most aren't worried. "It just takes a while," one scout said. "He's anxious to play. He's coming back quickly. In a month this will be a non-issue." Oden's target date to return to practice was Jan. 1. That he played in a game on Dec. 3 will only add to the legend. Still, he is well short of 100 percent. As for his draft status ... he has been the consensus No. 1 draft prospect in the world for two years. It's going to take a lot more than a stiff wrist and a few extra pounds for him to drop, regardless of how well Kevin Durant continues to play. To fall from the top spot, Oden will have to decide not to enter the draft or suffer another serious injury.
Lotta lotto talent in Vegas, baby
A plethora of NBA executives and scouts were on hand in Vegas over the weekend to take in the much-hyped Florida vs. Kansas Saturday night matchup. They were not disappointed. There were as many as five NBA lottery prospects and several other players with first-round potential on the floor on Saturday. It was the NBA scouting equivalent of the perfect storm. "From a pure scouting standpoint, this is probably the most important game we'll be at until the NCAA tournament," one NBA executive said. "You always love to see great prospects slug it out. There was so many here and so many of them stepped up. I thought it was thrilling and I think we learned a lot from this." Not only did the Jayhawks and Gators play a great overtime game, but several of the top prospects really shined. I talked to several NBA execs and scouts after Saturday's game and here's what they had to say about a number of the top prospects:
The Lotto Boys
Julian Wright, F, Kansas - I've been reporting on Wright's potential for the past two years, but this is the first NCAA game I've seen in which he really played up to it. He was sensational in just about every aspect of the game, and the NBA folks I spoke with couldn't stop raving about him.
Wright played with his usual energy and enthusiasm, but was much more aggressive offensively than we've seen him in the past. He was hitting midrange jumpers (his biggest Achilles' heel), putting the ball on the deck and driving to the basket, and picking up offensive rebounds for put-backs ... in other words, he scored in just about every way possible. Where he really shined was in the point-forward role. He made several jaw-dropping passes that won't soon be forgotten. While Wright made some defensive mistakes and was relatively quiet offensively in the second half, the reviews afterwords were glowing. "He reminds me of a mix between Kevin Garnett and Boris Diaw," one executive told me. "He's got Garnett's energy and athleticism, and he combines with with Diaw's versatility and basketball savvy. If he continues to attack that way on the offensive end, the kid's a top-five pick. You can't teach what he has." I was talking to another NBA GM in Maui who told me that his top scout pushed and pushed him to make a guarantee to Wright coming out of high school. The GM didn't know enough about the kid to make that type of commitment, and Wright ended up going to KU. Now that we're starting to see the progress he's making as a player, it looks like it's a good thing for Wright, but not such a good thing for the GM who passed on a chance to get him late in the first round.
Darrell Arthur, F, Kansas - Scouts have also been falling head over heels for Arthur over the past few weeks. Arthur was a late signer to Kansas, and most scouts thought, given the amount of talent already at KU, that he wouldn't contribute a lot this year. Think again. Arthur is the Jayhawks' leading scorer through their first six games and made a big impact in limited minutes on Saturday. Arthur is a long, athletic forward who can play both the three and the four. He's got a nice midrange jump shot and combines that with an array of nice post moves. Like Wright, he's a very agile player who can get up and down the floor. Unlike Wright, he is very aggressive on the offensive end. While scouts believe he needs to add weight and continue to improve his outside jumper, several appear ready to put him in their top 10 after watching him dominate several games for the Jayhawks. "He's a really special talent and is a good fit in the way the NBA is heading," one NBA scout told Insider. "His size, versatility and athleticism make him a perfect fit on an up-tempo team. He has the potential to be another Chris Bosh-type of player." After consulting with a number of scouts and executives, we've moved Arthur up 20 spots on our Top 100 to No. 9. That's a huge jump this early in the season, but after watching Arthur make such an impact against one of the best front lines in college basketball, it's hard to put him any lower.
Joakim Noah, F/C, Florida - Noah came into the game as the top-rated prospect among the two teams and had a good, but not great, game. Noah showed off his trademark hustle and scrappiness on both ends of the floor, but made a few key turnovers and was saddled with foul trouble for much of the game. The scouts and executives that I spoke with didn't think that Noah did much to move the needle either direction, though one executive pointed out why he still has reservations about Noah. "His energy is infectious," the executive said. "But I'm still wondering what he is other than a scrappy, hustle-type of player. The NBA definitely needs players like that ... but as a possible No. 1 pick? I personally don't think he's in the same league as some of the other guys in your rankings. I love how he inspires his teammates, and his ability to play that way at his size is impressive but I don't know that he has elite NBA talent."
Al Horford, PF, Florida - Horford had a game that exposed both extremes of his game. At times he was aggressive, attacking the rim, throwing down thunderous dunks and swatting away shots with vigor on the defensive end. At other times, he settled for bad shots, made a few stupid fouls that limited his minutes and was passive in providing weak side help on the defensive end. That inconsistency is the biggest knock on Horford right now, and it was on display for everyone to watch. "You know that I love Al," one scout said. "And you could see what he was capable of at times. But he's a junior now and you expect to see some consistency and some maturity out there. He was all over the place tonight and I think that's going to hurt him if it continues. There's too much talent in this draft that he's competiting against."
Corey Brewer, SG, SF, Florida - Brewer has been really up and down this season. When he's up, as he was in a dominating, 22-point, nine-rebound, seven-assist, six-steal game against West Virginia on Friday, he looks like a lock for the lottery. When he's average, as he was against Kansas, the mid-to-late first round looks like a more likely destination. Brewer's length, athleticism and versatility make him a stellar prospect, but, like Horford, he suffers from bouts of inconsistency. And what happened to his 3-point jumper? Right now projections for him vary from late lottery to late first round. But that's pretty normal this time of year.
Other Potential First Rounders
Brandon Rush, SG/SF, Kansas - Rush's numbers compare pretty favorably to what he did in his stellar freshman campaign, but he's going to struggle to impress the way he did last year. That's mainly because his teammates, Wright and Arthur, are better prospects, and it's going to become increasingly difficult to outshine them. Considering that Rush already has an unselfish streak in his game, I'm not sure he's going to be able to continue to put up the great numbers he did last year. Right now he's a borderline first-round prospect. He might benefit from staying another year at Kansas and letting Wright and Arthur bolt for the NBA.
Mario Chalmers, G, Kansas - Chalmers still is trying to prove that he's a pure point guard, and the arrival of Sherron Collins is only going to complicate that question. Still, Chalmers looked good against Florida. He's a good defender, a solid perimeter shooter and a capable leader out on the floor. He still lacks experience and polish, however, and the scouts I spoke with don't think it's likely that he'll be bolting for the NBA this year.
Taurean Green, G, Florida - Green was the best player on the floor for Florida on Saturday, scoring 25 points from the Gators. He's been shooting the lights out so far this season, which should help his draft stock after the poor field-goal percentages he posted his first two seasons. Still, questions about his size and position -- many scouts still see him primarily as a two guard in a point guard's body -- mean he's probably no better than a second-round prospect right now.
Scouting the Maui Invitationa
LAHAINA, Hawaii -- Last season's EA Sports Maui Invitational was an NBA scout's dream. Four lottery players (Gonzaga's Adam Morrison, UConn's Rudy Gay and Hilton Armstrong and Arkansas' Ronnie Brewer), three more first-rounders (UConn's Josh Boone and Michigan State's Shannon Brown and Maurice Ager) and several prominent second-round picks (Michigan State's Paul Davis and Arizona's Hassan Adams) headlined the event. And prospects Marcus Williams of Arizona and Brandon Rush and Julian Wright of Kansas made strong first impressions as well. One NBA personnel director told me last week that, next to the NCAA Tournament, last season's Maui Invitational was the most significant scouting event of the season. This season? Not so much. Almost every team in the league was represented, headlined by GMs and other execs like the Celtics' Danny Ainge, the Jazz' Kevin O'Connor, the Bucks' Larry Harris, the Nets' Ed Stefanski, and the Suns' David Griffin. While the caliber of basketball was fantastic and the event was a major success in the college world, NBA scouts left Lahaina with more questions than answers. What did NBA executives and scouts learn from their three-day trip to Maui? Here are five things to chew on over Thanksgiving weekend, based on the games themselves and hours spent discussing prospects with the NBA execs and scouts in the stands.
1. Georgia Tech's Thaddeus Young may be a great prospect, but right now he's overrated. This idea actually began this summer after several NBA scouts walked away disappointed with his overall performance at Michael Jordan's Flight School. And while Young put up some solid numbers at the start of the season for Georgia Tech, once his team hit tougher competition, his contribution dwindled. Young struggled with foul trouble against Memphis. When he did play, he tried to take control of the game, but also took a number of bad shots in the process. Against UCLA in the Finals, he was held to 4-for-12 shooting and disappeared for long stretches. Young is long and athletic and, at least in warm-ups, has a nice perimeter shot. The comparisons to Al Harrington seem to be pretty dead on. Good player and prospect, but not at the elite level you're seeing from some of the other top freshmen in the country. The scouts and executives I talked to all like Young, but most felt that he'll need at least two years at Georgia Tech.
2. UCLA's Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is still pretty raw. Don't let his impressive box scores fool you. I've watched Mbah a Moute closely in four games this season. He's an excellent athlete with a great motor, and he's very aggressive on both ends of the floor, but he doesn't have a go-to way to score. He gets almost all of his points off scraps. He's been working on his jump shot, but it's not there yet. He doesn't have a post game yet either, which means that UCLA really can't run any offense through him. Luckily, UCLA has plenty of players who can score from just about anywhere on the floor, so Mbah a Moute is still a great asset. But scouts are a little skeptical about his NBA stock right now. "He's a nice late first-round prospect because of his energy and defense," one NBA exec told me. "But I don't see him as a lottery guy. He just has too many holes in his game right now."
3. Georgia Tech's Javaris Crittendon could be the best point guard in the draft. How can I say that given that Crittendon struggled terribly in games against Memphis and UCLA? The operative word in the sentence above is could. This season's point guard class is pretty weak, and Crittendon isn't nearly as bad as he looked the past two games in Maui. He is a big point guard who struggled against the quick, trapping guards of Memphis and UCLA. They were constantly coming up under Crittendon and causing turnovers. But in his opening game against Purdue and in his general court demeanor, you could see the talent. He's a legit 6-5 point guard who can control the tempo of the game, shoot the perimeter J and take the ball to the basket. While lacking in experience, he makes up for that with a pretty complete package. Yes, scouts worry that he may not have the quickness to be an elite point guard (one exec went so far as to compare him to Mateen Cleaves), and they believe he needs a lot more experience playing in big games, but the talent is there for him to be a very good NBA player.
4. UCLA's Arron Afflalo didn't move the needle either way. Afflalo had good games against Chaminade and Georgia Tech. Sandwiched between was a rough outing against Kentucky in which Afflalo really struggled with his outside J. The ball wasn't going in, though scouts know Afflalo is an excellent midrange shooter. He also played his trademark tough defense throughout the tournament. What continue to concern scouts are ball-handling issues, a lack of size and elite athleticism, and questions about his 3-point range. He went 3-for-16 from 3-point land against Kentucky and Georgia Tech, which didn't help his cause, and his release has some scouts questioning whether he can hit the longer NBA 3-ball. Every scout and executive I talked to spoke of Afflalo as a second-round prospect, much as they did last season. However, one executive said he believed Afflalo will have a place in the NBA: "He moves really well without the ball and I think his uneven handle could benefit him in that way. So many guys love to over-dribble the ball in the NBA. I like guys who can fire away coming off screens and do other things besides breaking his man down off the dribble."
5. You should get to know UCLA's Darren Collison. On opening night, most of the NBA scouts I spoke with couldn't have told me anything about Darren Collison, the eventual Maui Invitational MVP. Last season as a freshman, he had one really nice game against Arizona in the NCAA tournament, but other than that, there wasn't much to say. Collison was lightly recruited coming out of high school. A big senior year propelled him to a scholarship at UCLA, but one local Southern California scout told me two years ago he didn't think Collison could ever be a starting point guard in the Pac 10. My, how things have changed. Collison has been brilliant early on for the Bruins. He's a super-quick point guard with an incredible burst of speed in the open court. He has excellent floor vision, can be very creative with the ball and is a good perimeter shooter. On the defensive end, he's a tenacious on-the-ball defender. His long arms make up for lack of size. He was the best player on the floor for UCLA and I thought he saved the Bruins in the Kentucky game. The knock on him is obvious. He's much closer to 5-10 or 5-11 than the listed height of 6-1. Combine that with his slight frame and he doesn't look much like a NBA player. Still, a number of scouts are already raving about his speed and floor vision. As the NBA turns more up-tempo, Collison's strengths may end up trumping his weaknesses. If he continues to play well, he could end up as a nice backup point guard in the league someday.
posted by Cornback at
9:54 a.m.
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