The Top 50

#36 - Josh Smith
He came into the league a raw athlete; a high school kid who was high on potential but had a long way to go before he could romp with the best. Just four years later he’s evolved into one of the L’s most versatile players…and one of its most feared. This ATLien, at just 23, is a borderline All-Star whose game has steadily improved every season, to the point where he might stuff box scores better than anyone in the league. Last season J5 put up 17/8/3/3 and a 1.5 steals for the soaring Hawks, he was one of big reasons they ended their league-long playoff drought and should be rewarded with a heavy contract this summer.

His freakish athleticism makes him not only incredibly entertaining to watch, but also any would-be opposition’s worst nightmare. He’s embarrassed enough grown-ass men with humbling swats and dunks; his long 6’9” frame lifts off quicker and higher than anyone around. He comes out of nowhere to disrupt traffic towards the net and his mere presence makes attackers think twice. While his offensive game’s far from polished, he’s powerful enough to get to the rim and is developing somewhat of a jumper and truly becoming a two-way force. His passing and general decision making could also improve (a turnover for every assist last year), but Smith is still young and learning more about the game each year. Once he catches up with his own lofty potential, he could be one of the league’s truly elite players.

The Top 50

#37- Marcus Camby
Doubtlessly the only dude on this list to be let go for a draft pick this summer, Camby will join the Clippers as they seek the promise land…which in their case would be the 7th or 8th seed out West. No longer the only player on his team who commits himself on the defensive end, he’ll patrol the paint alongside Chris Kaman, forming one of the more intimidating frontlines in the league.

Marcus had a banner year last season, grabbing a career-high 13 boards/game and leading the league in blocked shots (3.6). Though KG snagged the DPOY, Camby was the most pivotal individual in the league on D. He was a black sheep on a team that was all about scoring; the guy doing all the dirty work in the trenches while his teammates ran up scores like Robert Traylor’s cholesterol. Melo and AI got what little glory there was to be had in Denver last year, while Camby got unceremoniously dumped. It’s a shame because even though he’s never been a scorer, as a big man who runs the floor well, doesn’t dominate the ball and protects the net when nobody else will, he fit in pretty well there.

Despite the many headaches he’s caused on D, Camby’s done enough aching himself over his career, playing in no more than 63 games each of his first seven years in the league. His past two seasons have been his healthiest yet, but as he dawns on the latter half of his 30’s, there’s no telling how much longer he can keep this up. Having Kaman down low with him will take a lot of weight off his shoulders and allow him to pace himself more, so Camby’s injury-plagued frame just might be able to hold up long enough for the Clippers to become a factor.

The Top 50

#38 - Richard Jefferson
No longer the beneficiary of Ason Kidd’s open-court generosity, RJ now heads to Milwaukee in an attempt to resurrect a Bucks franchise that’s been flatlined for years.
He’ll be in a familiar role: one of two primary scorers on a wayward squad that seems destined for mediocrity and will have to claw its way into the postseason. He’ll have a little more help than in Jersey but, like his new wingman Michael Redd, Jefferson can’t be the man on a winning team.

A slashing scorer who’s developed a decent jumper, Jefferson, like much of his company at the bottom of this list, is a scorer among the best in the league who impresses but doesn’t dominate the game in any transcendent way. He’s a decent passer, at times absent defender and was outrebounded by both the guards he flanked on the Nets’ wing last year. He attacks the hoop relentlessly, which will serve his new team well with Redd lurking on the perimeter.

Still, if he’s going to take his game to the next level and become that franchise guy he never was in Jersey, he’ll need to work on becoming more physical on the defensive end. Milwaukee’s a soft team that could use an enforcer and Jefferson’s got the build and athleticism to become more than just a prop on D. He’s still got plenty of good seasons ahead of him, and new surroundings (even if it is Milwaukee) to immerse himself in. Whether this inspires him to diversify his game remains to be seen.

The Top 50

#39 - Ray Allen
“They called him Jesus. He was that smooth.”

Ray did some solid work in front of the camera early in his career, but his performance in He Got Game can’t touch what he’s done for a decade-plus on the hardwood. One of the league’s most feared scorers, Allen has long been considered the purest shooter in the league, and still is by some. His stroke is as fluid as the champagne he finally got to pop this year, an explosion that can rain anywhere inside 30 feet, off screens and dribbles with deadly accuracy.

Ray’s never been your Lebron James-type do-it-all swingman; he hovers around a respectable 4 assists and boards/game for his career. This isn’t because his game’s not well-rounded but because he’s been too busy scoring as the clear #1 on every team he’s suited up for (until this season of course). He’s been a leet scorer for ages, all the while having maybe the smoothest game in the L.

There’s very few people in the league that could ever even pray of having a legitimate rivalry with Kobe Bryant. Rumour has it, Ray had some harsh words for the Mamba during a road game a few years back, to which Bryant responded by leaving a voicemail on Allen’s machine that simply said “I own you”. Now make no mistake about it, Kobe’s gotten more than his since that day, but Jesus crucified the Lakers this June, burying 8 of 12 (7-9 from three) for 26 in the Game 6 massacre that saw him finally hoist the Larry O. It was a fitting touch to a career that’s seen him do so much on teams that didn’t measure up; finally part of a winner after chasing a title for 12 seasons. Doesn’t get much smoother.

The Top 50

#40 – Stephen Jackson
He could be on this list solely for being the first NBA player to dunk on Yao Ming, but the thoroughness of Jackson’s game can’t be ignored either. Another former casualty of the Post-Palace Pacers, Stephen Jackson may never find sanity but in Golden State, he’s found salvation as the Warriors’ emotional leader and, in the wake of Baron bouncing, likely their best player (recall their 0-7 start last season while he was suspended).

After escaping the confines of an organization that held him by the shortest leash both on and off the court, Jackson blew up his first season in Oakland. His numbers bumped up across the board and he played a key role in the Warriors’ memorable upset of the Mavs, relegating the MVP* to non-factor status. Last season, he put up 20/4/4 and was called on to guard the opposition’s best wing night in and night out; his versatility as a defender makes him indispensable to a team like Golden State that has so few of them.

Despite all this, what makes Jackson so valuable is his passion; his gift and his curse. The same thing that made him chase into the Palace stands to brawl with spectators in defense of his teammate is what fuels his on-court intensity, and to some extent the Warriors’ frenetic attack. Strip club parking lot shootouts aside, his craziness inspires greatness. So Don Nelson better fuck his wife or something, because his team’s going to need Jackson to be greater than ever next season.

The Top 50

#41 - Jermaine O’Neal
You might’ve forgotten about Jermaine. That’s totally understandable since he spent most of last season on the chilling list for what was maybe the league’s most irrelevant team. Stuck under a thick sheet of ice called mediocrity, the Pacers were in need of a fresh start even more than O’Neal, and thus he was shipped to the Raptors.

Now partnered with the best four in the East, O’Neal will be the perfect Yin to Chris Bosh’s Yang; a low-post bruiser who can own defenses with his back to the basket and protects the net better than anyone in his conference who didn’t rock a Superman cape at the Dunk Contest last year. Only real problem’s his tendency to bust himself up. Jermaine’s kinda like Omar in The Wire’s last season; always hobbling around, but still scares the shit out of people. Seems like eons since he’s been at full strength, but when he is, JO’s good for 20/10 and 2+ blocks. A monster at both ends.

…But about the whole “when” thing. He hasn’t played 70 games in a season since ’04, a troublesome track record for a player who’s not getting any younger. His declining health eased the Pacers’ pain when dealing away their best player, and now the onus is on him to prove he can stay on the court. The trade should be invigorating for him; he’ll be on a competitive team with a rabid fan base, a good coach, and the change of scenery that every player on Indiana’s roster’s been begging for. Fans north of border have high expectations, but if JO’s as motivated by his new surroundings as he claims, everyone will remember the name.

The Top 50

#42 – Michael Redd
He was called the league’s most underrated player; a torrid shooter on a terrible team that never got national recognition ‘cause he played in a small market. He was called the league’s most overrated player; a one-dimensional long-range gunner who could never lead his team far into the calm pastures of the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Somewhere in between his contrasting labels lies the real Michael Redd; an offensive force who can go to work against any defensive set, but who’s spent his career thrust into a role he just isn’t made to play. He’s a scorer in the purest definition of the word; a sharpshooter who’s consistently among the league leaders in all three shooting clips. Like the three players preceding him on this list, his other skills were never liabilities but not even noteworthy relative to his ability to put the ball in the hoop.

While he can stroke the three with the best of them and smoothly cruise by a dishonest defender who gave the jumper too much respect, Redd’s just not a franchise player. He doesn’t seem to have the versatility or the killer instinct to propel his team to the next level. I’ve longed for him to team with Lebron or J-Kidd, but now that the Bucks have another marquee talent (and a slashing scoring threat to keep defenses honest), it’ll do wonders for his game; opening up the floor and easing the burden on his shoulders. Even with the recent acquisition of RJ, expectations can’t be sky high in Milwaukee after years of sub-par basketball. It could be the Bucks’ season to surprise a lot of people, and if the real Mike Redd stands up, they could make some serious noise.

The Top 50

#43 - Kevin Martin
Obscured by Sacramento’s irrelevance since the death of the C-Webb era is the emergence of Martin as one of the league’s most proficient young scorers. One of their few bright spots in recent years, he seemingly came out of nowhere, evolving from a late first-round pick, into a streaky shooter, and eventually a top-shelf gunslinger who was quick on the draw and deadly from close and long range. He put up 24/game for the Kings last year, good for sixth in the league, and truly established himself among the league’s best talents. Equal parts quick and smart both on and away from the ball, he’s a defensive nightmare in the mould of the guy he just beat out; he’s a pinball on the offensive end, bouncing and darting in every which direction.

Not to say his skills aren’t also very polished, his jumper’s become automatic from just about anywhere and his handle and passing ability are better than adequate. While he’s quick on D, he’s also not terribly long or strong, which can be a liability when you’re guarding say, Kobe Bryant, or somewhat excusable when you’re being flanked by Ron Artest.

Sad truth is, despite his newfound sickness, he’s still a ghost to the casual NBA fan. Playing on a lottery squad on the West coast means he’s seen less time on national TV than Johnny Drama, which is a shame. Not only that but Sacramento seems stuck in the “we’re not quite rebuilding” phase, which given the depth in their conference, isn’t getting them anywhere. Who knows when the Kings will finally get their act together, but they just locked up Martin long-term, so for his sake, let’s hope it’s soon.

Bayless is more

For those of you who have been watching the summer league closely over the past few weeks there should be one thing quite apparent to you by now, Jerryd Bayless has been the best player to grace the Las Vegas hardwood. Even with the likes of Mike, Derrek, O.J. and Kevin putting in potential infused work, Jerryd has been damn near unstoppable. While he scores with relative ease, Jerryd also has not been scared to take that big shot late in games.

For those Trailblazers fans out there, you should be very happy with your draft day deal. Sending Jarret Jack and your 13th pick (Brandon Rush) to the Pacers for Ike Diogu and Bayless could come out severely in your favor. After watching Jerryd play several games, it appears that he will act as a great compliment to boycourt buddy Brandon Roy. While Brandon shoulders the majority of point god duties that leaves Jerryd to do some of his favorite activities; shoot above averagely from outside, guard smaller 1's, get open, score at will and generally create havoc for other teams defenses.


Not a bad debut



Jarryd ain't scared to shoot that



Bayless Summer league mix

The Top 50

#44 - Richard Hamilton
One of the league’s peskiest players, Rip’s been a perennial All-Star candidate on a borderline dominant team for a while now, his consistency becoming almost as redundant as his team’s. He’ll seldom do anything unbelievable, but falters even less. He brings a dangerous arsenal to the floor, the sharpshooter on a defensive-minded squad who keeps defenders on the move for the full 48.

Far from the league’s most versatile player, Hamilton’s carved out a niche as a frustrating cover; a player who never stops moving on offense and has the quickness to get off shots against opposition. Like a mid-range Reggie Miller, he’s a constantly moving; a threat sneakily find his way to an open shot, equally adept at creating his own and curling off screens for a clear launching pad. Although scoring’s his main asset, Rip’s whole game is solid; he isn’t known as a defender or passer but his quickness and high IQ for the game cause problems across the board.

While he could be a different player on a weaker team, Rip happens to play on the Pistons, who have a very balanced attack and clearly defined roles among their players. Hamilton happens to be a scorer first, and not to demean his other talents, but Deroit has guys who can do them better. Thus he plays within himself, understands his job and has been doing it at a top-drawer level for years now. People hate on him for any number of reasons: because he’s a Piston, because he’s the type of player everyone hates to guard at a pickup game, because five years later he still won’t take off the fucking mask. Fine. Just don’t hate the game.

The Top 50

#45 - Monta Ellis

“Who is Monta Ellis?”

The And1 ad featuring the Warriors’ young backcourt sparkplug leaves much to the imagination; much to anticipate, which given the way Ellis’ game has blown up almost out of nowhere over the past two years is completely appropriate. Three seasons ago, Monta was a scrawny kid buried at the bottom of his draft class (GS scooped him with the 40th pick), an undersized tweener who looked like a high school-to-pro cautionary tale waiting to happen.

He saw little of the court early in his first season, but eventually showed enough promise to crack Don Nelson’s usually rookie-segregated rotation and become an explosive bench scorer; the next season winning the MIP and prompting the Warriors to cut J-Rich loose. This season: 20, 5 and 4, doing Nash numbers (.531) from the field. Ellis worked a sick jumper to keep defenders honest and make his quick explosions to the hoop even more dangerous. He’s a threat against anyone, his explosiveness (we’re talking arguably the fastest dude in the league here) more than making up for his tiny frame. Also credit his defense: it’s cagey against larger two-guards, though his steal and a half/game results from many gambles.

Though he’s blossoming into one the game’s exciting young stars, we really don’t know who he is yet; his skills have matured so immensely over the last two years that it’s hard to tell just how good he’ll get. All of 22, he’s risen higher than anyone could’ve expected of him and Monta Ellis hasn’t even made a name for himself.

The Top 50

#46 – Rasheed Wallace
Hard to believe it’s been 13 years since ‘Sheed strolled up to the NBA Draft stage, shaking hands with and likely meeting David Stern for the first time, igniting a relationship that’s been, to be polite, fucked up. Though they’ve had their share of differences over the years, the Commish clearly has respect for Wallace’s game (naming him an All-Star replacement this past season), while Rasheed probably doesn’t wanna be on this list. Despite all the talents he’s displayed over the last decade-plus, he’s never wanted to be the man.

He didn’t back in Washington as he took a back seat in the Bullets’ deep frontcourt. He didn’t in Portland where he was a 20-10 guy leading a team that would’ve copped a title if not for one of the more memorable meltdowns in playoff history. He certainly didn’t in Atlanta for the one game he spent there (anyone who wanted to rock a Hawks jersey 4 years ago had issues), and has found success in Detroit because, probably more so than any other squad in the league, it’s about the team.

Even if he’s shied away from the superstardom he doubtlessly could’ve attained through the years of purple haze and endless T’s, you can’t call ‘Sheed a wasted talent. He still brings it every night; after the title, after the six straight trips to the East Finals, after any question about his place among the league’s best big men. His temper tantrums and outspoken nature shouldn’t obscure the fact that he’s an outstanding player; a lock-down defender with a versatile offensive repertoire that extends as far as anyone’s. He’s nearing the downswing of a tumultuous career, and probably never became the beast he could’ve, but regardless of what he’ll tell you, will always belong on this list.

O.J. Mayo's puttin in work

After watching the Lakers/Grizzlies summer league game yesterday, something was quite clear - O.J. Mayo was clearly the best player on the floor. His entire game is NBA ready. He was making shots, creating for his teammates and taking it to the hole with sole. Through the first two games of the summer, O.J. is looking very ready to begin his quest for greatness in the NBA. The #3 pick who was essentially swapped for Kevin Love and Mike Miller has alot to live up to, but seems ready for the challenge. Often described as a devout gym rat, O.J. puts in the work necessary to constantly improve his game from high school, to college and now, to the NBA level.


Below you can see O.J.'s first game in a "NBA-like atmosphere"

The Top 50

#47 - Jose Calderon
Not-so-oddly enough, Calderon finds himself on this list despite not having found himself in the Raptors’ starting lineup for most of last season. He might be the most unlikely of the league’s Top 50, but his unconscious play in TJ Ford’s absence had many pining for him as a dark horse All-Star candidate. A diminutive, not particularly athletic or strong player, Calderon is hardly a killer ballplayer at first glance, but under his deceiving physique lies the league’s most efficient point guard; one who hit over half his shots this year (60% for the month of February, when he really peaked) and dropped well over six times as many assists as turnovers, by far tops in the L. His pass-first mentality was perfect for a team laden with shooters and short on one-on-one scorers; his increased floor time coinciding with Toronto’s best play. He hung 24 and 13 with three steals at Boston in what was likely the Raps’ biggest win this year, but was shackled by 24 minutes/game in the playoffs while his team nose-dove to a first round exit. Thankfully, Bryan Colangelo’s shipping TJ, and we can look forward to more from Calderon next season.

The Top 50

#48 – Jason Richardson
I feel bad for this guy. I know he’s a multi-millionaire who plays the game he loves for a living, has millions of adoring fans and maybe the league’s sickest dunk repertoire, but I still feel genuine pity. For the better part of a decade, he was the best player on a lottery-defaulting Golden State squad that repaid him through banishment to the almighty Bobcats after their first playoff triumph since Run TMC. A real 180: from a team whose antics were almost as electrifying as his own, to a mundane mess of lacklustre talent and perpetual losing.

Shitty situation it might’ve been, but Richardson came out and led the Bobcats in scoring this season while shooting significantly better across the board in a more structured offense. His ability to the ball in the hoop (and fans in the seats) has always been his biggest asset, but he’s a solid rebounder for his size, a decent passer and a tough defender. One of the game’s purest athletes, there isn’t much that seems beyond his reach...except for ending the Bobcats' endless quest for the postseason.

First (summer league) look at Beasley and Rose

Michael in the zone

The Top 50

#49 – Lamar Odom

He should be higher. One can hardly help a first glance at Lamar Odom and not think he should’ve dropped much later. A long, strong, athletic forward with a guard’s handle who can lure slower, less agile big men away from the hoop with expansive range. He’s got a potentially lethal skill set and one of the most ideal bodies in the league, which forces you to think he could do so much more .

Not to say Odom’s not a serious asset; he can guard four positions and create mismatches against almost any opposition. He’s a streaky shooter but his range’ll extend any D, to complement above-average passing and a sick handle for a dude who’s 6-11. He’s got all the right tools to dominate games. When he wants to.

The thing about Lamar’s that he never seems to want it that much. His disappearing act in the Finals this year came as only a mild surprise after a career that’s been defined by mediocrity; one that, like the Clippers squad he came up with, got a few people excited but never became what it should’ve. Uninspired as his play’s been at times, I was sincerely hoping he’d grab a ring after overcoming a drug addiction and personal tragedy to help guide the Lakers’ surprise turnaround. But chief among the many reasons LA lost that series was Odom’s general inability to get anything going; playing tentative offense, being owned on the glass, letting Leon Powe drop 21, et al.

Lamar Odom’s gifted, make no mistake about it. I’m critical of him not because he isn’t an outstanding player, but because he’s occasionally so effortlessly brilliant that I wonder what’s ever holding him back. Who knows what nearly tasting the sweet spray of title champagne will do to his motivation, but he should honestly be higher, and hopefully this season he proves it.

The Top 50

A couple summers ago, Slamonline ran a daily feature over the summer that counted down the L’s 50 best players and was a nice touch over a particularly bland offseason.
This summer’s gonna be pretty interesting with several franchises at serious crossroads, and several personnel moves already made, but all the same I’m biting the idea and doing my own Top 50.

When I threw this together, the focus was mostly on talent, ignoring what a players’ team has accomplished and putting the spotlight on them. Intangibles like past accomplishments, future potential, the clutch factor and general ability to win both hurt and helped a few of these guys and decided some close calls.

So here it goes, the NBA’s Top 50. Hard to perfectly nail something like this, I’m sure even I’ll disagree with some of my picks but hopefully it’s on point. I’ll be trying to get a new player up every day, so stay tuned and enjoy.

Up front though, apologies to: Scot Pollard, Darius Miles, Nikoloz Tskitishvili, DJ Mbenga, Brian Cardinal, Ira Newble and the Collins twins; you guys just missed the cut.

#50 - Andre Miller
The list begins with a dude you might not’ve expected to see. Maybe one of the league’s most slept-on talents, Miller’s made a career of solidly running the point on low-profile, mediocre teams. But with the leaps and bounds made by his young and promising Sixers squad last year, Dre soon might finally get the shine he deserves.

A former league leader in assists, Miller narrowly dodged sharing a backcourt with tweener extraordinaire Allen Iverson when the two were swapped almost 2 seasons ago. Miller’s beginnings in Philly were shaky, as the team struggled to find a rhythm after their immortal superstar’s departure, Miller’s name spent more time in trade rumours than Scot Pollard did on the bench last year. He was destined to be a casualty in the Sixers’ rebuilding process; one of the few players without the youth and flexible contract to be of value to the team.

Instead, Miller proved his value by becoming an indispensable floor general; a leading veteran among a bunch of kids who led a consensus lottery team to the playoffs and (kinda) almost a first-round upset of the mighty Pistons. 17 (on a 50% clip), 7 and 4 weren’t good enough for the All-Star team, but if Philly can build upon last season’s success and make strides in the East, Andre might have a brighter spotlight on him in the not-so-distant future.

..And it Begins..

…Four months of trade rumours, summer leagues and front-office lowballing. Welcome to the offseason. After last season’s excitement, it’s gonna be an especially brutal separation this year but there’s already been a few big moves and apparently many more on the way. Here’s a quick recap:

- The Draft went down without many huge surprises: the Bulls grabbed their hometown hero, Miami nabbed Beastley, and Kevin McHale acquired the perfect prototype to re-create himself from 20 years ago. I’m not one to be overly critical of draft picks right off the bat; these kids could blossom or flop for any number of reasons, so it’ll take a few months, maybe even years to make any ruling. The only move I hate is Memphis giving up Mike Miller to grab OJ when Mike Conley came back from injury to have a promising season. Do you really need a second point guard prospect? Then again, this is coming from the genius behind the Pau for Kwame fiasco, so go figure.

- The big Draft Night deal saw Eazy-Yi and the Artist formerly known as Bobby Simmons shipped to New Jersey (who are trying to clear cap room to make a run at this dude from Ohio named Lebron who’s supposedly friends with their owner and apparently not bad at ball either) for Richard Jefferson. I dunno why Milwaukee feels they need another talented player who won’t be the franchise leader they desperately lack. I also can’t get why New Jersey didn’t pocket more to help them next year. Oh well. Good luck to both of them. See you in Secaucus next year.

- Baron split Golden State for his hometown Clippers, which they had to have seen coming after his late-season falling out with Don Nelson. Shitty deal for the Warriors, but they likely weren’t heading anywhere soon out West, while if LA would have a nasty lineup if they can re-sign Brand and Maggette and stay healthy.

- Gilbert did what Gilbert does, negotiating a deal to re-sign with the Wiz from China, without an agent, for many millions less than his original offer. Maybe foolish from a financial standpoint, but he’ll give Washington the freedom they need to build a contending franchise, a decision he should be commended for which hopefully more stars will emulate.

- Toronto killed two birds with one stone, having agreed in principle to trade TJ Ford for Jermaine O’Neal, giving Jose Calderon motivation to re-sign and giving them a guy who when healthy dropped 20 and 10 with 2 blocks and gives them the strong defensive presence they need on the block. Hopefully he actually plays this year.

- And finally, the Supersonics era in Seattle has come to an end, after Clay Bennett forked over $75 million to move the team to Oklahoma City. It’s tragic for hoops fans in Seattle, but fortunate for everyone else who was just tired of fucking hearing about this sad saga.

Offseason Moves

We are in the midst of a very busy offseason in the NBA. With the seemingly overnight success of the Celtics, it has prompted teams to make more rash moves to accumulate all-stars while other teams hope to free up cap space to pursue the free agents of 2010.

Baron Davis: I wrote a piece on here a few months ago about B Diddy. It seems Golden State has chosen to let Baron walk and they must be ecstatic because he opted out of 17.8 guarenteed this year. Now the Warriors have the cash to lock down the future of their high powered offense, Monta Ellis and perhaps pursue another big name. Baron has been offered a 5 year deal worth in the neighborhood of 65 mil (roughly 13 mil a season) from the Los Angeles Clippers. With Corey Magette and Elton Brand likely on the move, I’m starting to wonder who Baron is gonna be drop dimes to. Sup Chris Kaman. This could also prove to be a huge asset to 2008-2009 fantasy owners in regards to Al Thornton (ya heard me).

Elton Brand: The Warriors, fresh off their ‘loss’ of Baron have offered a big contract to Elton Brand. A team that has had a laughable post presence in recent years, needs a body to band down low now more than ever. Missing the playoffs has prompted Chris Mullin to revamp the squad and take a new approach to the Western Conference. If Monta returns next year, Elton could provide a perfect second scoring option, while taking a lot of pressure of Andris Biedrins in the rebounding department. If Elton does sign with the Warriors, I expect ya boy Al Harrington to be shipped out promptly. With Baron coming to the Clips, will Brand take less money to have a serious point god runnin the show behind him?

Richard Jefferson: Having been with the Nets for the entire tenure of his career, I think RJ is pretty indifferent about going from one sub par East team to another. The Milwaukee Bucks traded Yi and Bobby Simmons (Rated #3 on my worst contracts list) for Richard, which fills their need for scoring at the 3. On paper the Bucks should be a playoff team and with this move, perhaps they are actually thinking of keeping Michael Redd. As it stands the starting lineup is Mo Williams, Redd, RJ, Bogut and a 4 to be named later haha. Good luck duking it out for 8th Rich!

Gilbert Arenas: Boy isn’t he happy. Gilbert came out smelling like a rose. Agent Zero became the model citizen when he claimed he would take less money so the Wizards could resign Antawn Jameson and they could keep their core together. Never the less, Washington offered Gilbert a max contract in the range of 125 million. I’m interested to see how the big 3 respond if they play an entire season together. The Warriors apparently had interest in bringing this fellow blogger back to his early NBA days, but it appears Gil will stay true to his word. Like most high profile players coming back from injury; Gilbert is one more major injury away from being the worst investment since Ben Wallace (who one of my friends recently called out as the worst player in the league..any argument? 0/10 offense and maybe a 5/10 defense at the moment…oh yeah and he makes more than Bron)..Are we still looking at a 4th straight L to the Cavs in the playoffs??

Ron Artest: Honestly dude, come on. Ron Ron decided not to opt out of his measley 7.8 mil contract this year. A dumb decision for several reasons; he could easily command more money, there is a need for big time stoppers on the league’s elite teams, he’s coming off a career year scoring wise, he should be looking for every single possible out from Sacramento and in lieu of multiple opt-outs by the league’s big names, the market was prime for some big bucks. This however makes Ron Ron a serious commodity in the early part of the season, up to the trade deadline and even July 9th when the dead period is over. If some of the leagues big teams get off to a shaky start to the season defensivley, they may try to stir things up by taking a chance on the Rotweiler. Word has it that Phil Jackson thinks he could get through to Artest, and we have seem him handle head cases before. With Ron at the Lakers 3, Lamar Slodom would be outtie and I don’t think they would get torched by a James Posey type again. It probably won’t take too much to pry Ron away from the Kings, so it is just a matter of time in my mind. The only question that remains - where will he end up? 1000000:1 odds on the Pacers..perhaps less.

New York Knicks: Ok fellas, let’s try this again. You’re re-inventing yourself with Mike D’Antoni and a new offense, while trying to forget every contract and subsequent loss that Mr. Thomas is responsible for. You gambled (yeah picking a European player 6th overall is risky, with an average ratio of 10: 1, Bargs to Dirks) on Gallinari and are still trying to figure out your point guard position. Jamal Crawford seems as though he could fit into the system, but the rest of the squad is sketchy. No one wants Eddy and Zach (and his 3 years at 48 mil), so good luck getting that high powered offense poppin. They may decide to buy Stephon out and skip the embarassment of an inevitable meltdown. Players the Knicks need to court asap; Monta Ellis and if that falls through, Leandro Barbosa, who seems to be out of the Suns‘ future plans. David Lee is perhaps their most tradeable asset, so they should pull the trigger on any deal conductive to more offense. I’m interested to see what their plan is, because as of now this team is going to miss the playoffs again. Steve Francis, comeback player of the year 2008-2009. LOL

Corey Maggette: With almost zero chance of returning to the Clippers, Corey can try his hand at the free agent market. He had a great season last year (around 22 ppg I believe) and there is a need for his quickness and length at the 3 around the league. Possible suitors are rumoured to be the Spurs (who could only offer the mid level exception for starters) and the Celts (who will repeat if he takes the pay cut). My surprise pick is the Philadelphia 76ers, who have money and tried hard to get Antawn Jameson from the Wizards to no avail. Maggette would be a nice fit on a lot of teams and he just needs the right environment to thrive. He scores without being selfish and rarely disappears in games, kudos to however scoops him.