The obvious first question is what are your feelings about being drafted by a Minnesota Timberwolves team that is certainly in need for a shooting guard?
Wayne Ellington: I felt pretty happy. I had two great workouts there. I knew they were interested and there is the opportunity to get on the court. That is why it really interested me. It’s a great situation and opportunity.
How hard was draft night, watching all the other draft picks selected until you were taken at No. 28.
WE: It was very tough, I was drained emotionally. It was crazy. I can’t even describe it. My palms were sweating.
Being a consistent perimeter shooter is a skill that isn’t in abundance in the NBA. Do you think that is a major selling point for you, the ability to hit from the outside?
WE: I think it is a pretty big part. Definitely in Minnesota. They need a shooter, somebody who can stretch the floor and I can do that. I hope I will be able to create space for guys like Kevin Love and Al Jefferson inside.
What part of your game do you want to continue improving as you enter your rookie season?
WE: I want to get better all around. Put the ball on the floor, get to the basket, improve defensively. There is so much to work on.
Are you looking to come in and be a starter for the Timberwolves?
WE: That is definitely what I am looking for. I feel it’s a great opportunity.
What’s up with the Wolves choosing point guards Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn with the fifth and sixth picks in the draft?
WE: They are two great point guards and with Ricky’s situation it’s kind of difficult. We don’t know what will happen. We are definitely happy to have both of them. We have Jonny for sure and possibly Ricky.
What are your goals as a rookie?
WE: My next goal is to possibly be one of the best rookies and be on the All-Rookie Team and play in the Rookie-Sophomore Challenge.
You get asked this all the time, but what was it like to win the NCAA championship at North Carolina?
WE: It was unbelievable. We worked so hard and there was a lot of pressure on us. When we finally won it, you just can’t explain the feeling. We were all emotional and it was a great experience.
Leading up to the NCAA Tournament you had five games where you scored 19 or more points. Then in six NCAA Tournament games, you scored 19 or more points in five games. Did the urgency of the situation make you pick up your game?
WE: I said I had to turn it up a notch, and become more aggressive. I thought if I did that I could definitely help my team.
You averaged 15.8 points as a junior and 14.4 for your career. Would those numbers have been higher had you played on a different team?
WE: No question they would have been in almost any other situation But there was so much talent and a lot of us sacrificed and did what we had to win a championship.
Who wins in one-on-one, you or your former Episcopal Academy High School teammate Gerald Henderson?
WE: (Laughs). It goes back and forth, man. He knows my game and I know his game and it gets competitive.
Do people find it odd that a North Carolina player and a Duke Blue Devil are the best of friends?
WE: A little bit, man, but it’s all good.
What was practice like at North Carolina?
WE: Very competitive. Practices were tough. We like to get up and down and everybody really gets after each other. It’s why we had the best program in the country. We had a lot of talent and everybody worked hard.
You put your name in the draft after your sophomore season but then decided to return to North Carolina. I would guess that you were extremely happy with that decision.
WE: No question. It was something that was huge, making that decision and coming back, working harder getting better in all areas of my game and winning.
You were named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Final Four. That would seem to be something that made the championship extra special.
WE: Yes it did. It was definitely something that felt great. I worked so hard and wanted to turn it up some.
You are from the Philadelphia area so I would guess you aren’t the most popular person with the locals after scoring 20 points in your 83-69 win over Villanova in the NCAA semifinal.
WE: (Laughing) Especially when I’m home in Philly, the Villanova fans don’t like me because we beat them.
You grew up playing a lot of basketball in Philadelphia. There is a reputation that Philadelphia players, especially the guards have for their toughness. What was it like playing in Philadelphia?
WE: It was a great experience. I don’t know what it is about Philly guards, but they are tougher. Playing there in high school really helped my game a lot.
Have you ever met another Philadelphia area guard named Kobe Bryant who played at Lower Merion High, which wasn’t far from your high school?
WE: I met him and from what I have experienced, he is a great guy. I can’t wait to match up with him. It will be a big-time challenge but I would look forward to it especially since he’s been my favorite player.
June 23, 2009 @ 5:24 am by Marc Narducci · Filed under Draft, Ricky Rubio
Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio should be one of the most intriguing players to enter the NBA in quite some time. Rubio plays with a flair that has had him compared to one of the all-time great showmen, PeteMaravich.
Of course Maravich was also a great player, a five-time NBA all-star who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987.
Whether Rubio lives up to that type of comparison remains to be seen. One reason that Rubio’s entrance to the NBA is so anticipated is because opinion is so divided on the 6-foot-4, 180-pound dynamo who won’t turn 19 until Oct. 21.
Many fans received their first look at Rubio as a member of Spain’s silver medal team in the 2008 Olympics. Rubio, who was 17 at the time, started in place of injured point guard Jose Calderon during Spain’s 118-107 loss to the U.S. in the gold medal game. In that game, Rubio showed great composure, despite suffering an injured right wrist that would later need surgery. During the Olympics he averaged 4.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 18.3 minutes.
We recently talked to front office personnel people from two different NBA teams who have seen Rubio several times. One had an optimistic outlook for Rubio and the other displayed a healthy dose of skepticism.
Each asked not to be identified so they will be referred to as Evaluator No. 1 and Evaluator No. 2.
“I’m a fan and think that people always look for the negative, saying he can’t shoot and is scrawny,” said Evaluator No. 1. “Remember, at 17 he played in the Olympics against the greatest players in the world and when asked who impressed them, the Olympians said Rudy Fernandez and Ricky Rubio.”
Rubio competed in the ACB, which Evaluator No. 1 says is the No. 1 league in the world next to the NBA. This past season, Rubio averaged 10 points, 6.1 assists and 2.2 steals in 22.2 minutes over his first 22 ACB appearances with DKV Joventut Badalona of Spain. He was named the ACB Defensive Player of the Year.
“His basketball IQ is off the chart and he is one of the best greatest passers I have ever seen,” Evaluator No. 1 said. “He has a chance to be special.”
Even Evaluator No. 1, admitted that there are legitimate concerns about Rubio’s athleticism.
“If he only remains a good athlete and he is now a good athlete, not elite, then maybe he won’t be a superstar,” he said. “But I believe you have a starting point guard which in our league has become an elite position.”
Evaluator No. 1 also preached caution in handling Rubio.
“Is he physically there, no, of course not,” he said. “Mentally he is there. But everybody wants instant gratification. There has to be some patience shown.”
Evaluator No. 2 acknowledged that Rubio has talent, but he thinks he has been over-hyped.
“I never saw a guy who has drawn as much varied opinion,” Evaluator No. 2 said. “He is a brain-first, clever and tricky player, but I don’t know if his physical package is built to stand the test of time.”
Evaluator No. 2 says he feels that Rubio is worthy of a first round choice, just not as high as others are suggesting.
“I don’t see him being picked near No. 2 or 3,” he said. “I see him as one of those point guards who has a chance to be OK like a bunch of other players, but I don’t see him as a savior.”
Evaluator No. 2 says he doesn’t feel that Rubio will be able to withstand the constant pounding in the NBA.
“Sometimes you take the bag of tricks away from slight of hand artists and then physicality takes over and that is where I would have a concern,” he said.
Evaluator No. 1 says that Rubio will indeed reward a team for selecting him high in the draft.
“Those deficiencies of not being a great shooter and not being strong, he will fix because he is a gymrat,” Evaluator No. 1 said. “The kid won’t stop working.”
And the speculation won’t stop either. There will be many storylines in the NBA draft, but none more fascinating than whether Rubio becomes an elite point guard, or fails to keep up with the physical nature of the NBA.
Allen Iverson’s season is over, according to the Detroit Pistons.
What about his career?
Iverson, who will be 34 next season, has an achy back and a psyche that is just as sore, but it would be unwise and premature to label him finished. Still, this season his game declined and that was even before his back began giving out.
Iverson should be in the NBA next season, but he has accumulated plenty of mileage during 13 NBA seasons.
Many felt that with the hell-bent fury that Iverson displayed on the court, that once he began to slow down ever so slightly, it would be the signal of a steep decline.
He can still beat players off the dribble, but not as frequently as earlier in his career. Even at his best he was never a great outside shooter. And his critics have long suggested that he doesn’t make his teammates better.
Iverson’s supporters will point out to his MVP season in 2000-2001 when he was named the league MVP and led the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA final. That was an overachieving defensive-minded 76ers team that lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. That season Iverson was at his best, but it was also eight years ago. Since then, Iverson has been part of just one winning playoff series, and that came in the first round in the 2002-2003 season.
Pistons president Joe Dumars has long earned the reputation as one of the top executives in the NBA, but brining Iverson on board and unloading Chauncey Billups won’t rank much higher than the decision to select Darko Milicic with the second overall selection in the 2003 NBA draft.
One wonders what shape the Pistons would be in today had they selected one of the three players taken immediately after Milicic – Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. And one can also wonder where Detroit would be had Billups stayed.
Dumars can still make good on the Iverson deal by using the cap room that the Pistons will receive when his salary of nearly $22 million comes off the books after this season.
Yet the trade certainly didn’t work this season and there is no guarantee that the added dollars can once again buy an Eastern Conference contender.
A Pistons team that has been to the Eastern Conference finals six consecutive years is still struggling to be a playoff participant. And while it’s too simplistic to put all the blame on Iverson, he certainly hasn’t done his part to make the Pistons a better team.
Iverson has always been lauded for playing as hard as any player in the league. There is a distinction however between playing hard and playing well. At this point of his career, he is a liability on defense. Iverson continues to need to dominate the ball and thus his teammates, especially in Detroit, were often left standing around. He also didn’t make a favorable impression after complaining about coming off the bench
If Iverson couldn’t fall into line in a team-first unit like the Pistons, could he do it for another NBA team?
He still has enough skill to be able to give a team an offensive lift, but the days of being a 40-minute-a-night player for a serious playoff contender appear to be over. That said, he should still have job options.
First and foremost, Iverson is still a drawing card and one of the NBA’s true fan favorites. His popularity was demonstrated when the fans voted him to the NBA All-Star team against this season.
So a team looking for a gate attraction, especially next season when the NBA is expected to be hurting for ticket sales due to the sagging economy, could take a flyer on Iverson.
Iverson likely has to accept a lot less money and a lesser role with any team he joins, unless he wants to go to a truly awful franchise and then he will be able to score at will.
It doesn’t seem conceivable that he will return to Detroit and it’s hard at this point to come up with any major contender reaching out to Iverson.
His back will eventually heal, but he has some work to do in convincing others that his game remains healthy. Iverson will have to prove that he is a team-first player who can make any franchise appreciably better.
This has been a deep rookie class in the NBA. Whether there are many future all-stars from this group remains to be seen, but there are several players who have made serious contributions, albeit many on teams with losing records.
The rookie of the year debate is often spirited, and this year there are a list of top candidates, but barring a late-season collapse, the first player taken in the draft should emerge with the award.
Derrick Rose has been everything advertised while taking over as the point guard for the Chicago Bulls.
Some critics have suggested that O.J. Mayo and Rose are receiving consideration solely on scoring statistics, since they are the top two rookie scorers.
That obviously plays a part, but Rose especially has done much more than score. In fact in the recent NBA rookie efficiency ratings, Rose is second behind New Jersey center Brook Lopez, with Memphis’ Marc Gasol third.
Rose has carried the biggest burden and has his team still fighting for a playoff spot, even if it is in the watered down Eastern Conference.
Here is one person’s all-rookie team if the season were to end today. This is not projecting who will be the best player in the future, but only on first-year production.
He would be our rookie of the year hands down. Are there parts of his game that need improvement? Of course. Remember, he is less than two years removed from high school. He led Memphis into the NCAA title game last year and with the right parts around him, has the ability to take the Bulls to much greater heights.
Rose is second in the NBA among rookies in minutes per game (36.7) and scoring (16.5 ppg.). His 2.39 assist to turnover ratio (6.2 assists, 2.58 turnovers) is certainly acceptable for a rookie.
Rose’s overall field goal percentage (46.6 percent) is more than acceptable, although he must work on his three-point shooting (23.5). Rose is only attempting three free throws per game, a figure that must increase, especially since he is shooting almost 80 percent from the line.
At 20-years-old, Rose figures to have a bright future. He is one player on this team we can pencil in as a potential future all-star.
Has enjoyed an excellent first season, averaging 12.9 points and second among rookies (to Kevin Love) in rebounds at 7.0. Lopez also leads all rookies in blocked shots (1.84 average) in slightly more than 30 minutes per game. He’s shooting 52.4 percent from the field and 82.6 percent from the foul line. Of all the rookies, he may have exceeded the initial expectations the most.
Detractors say he leads the NBA rookies in scoring (18.4) because he also leads first-year players in minutes played (37.9). Yet Mayo has that same quality that Rose possesses in that he could be projected to one day be a future all-star.
Could he defend better? Sure, but that could be said about any rookie, and many veterans in the league. And Mayo will have to improve his 1.09 assist-to-turnover ratio. Mayo is also shooting 87.7 percent from the foul line, but is attempting 3.5 free throws per game. Again, as he expands his game and takes the ball to the basket, there is no reason why he shouldn’t double that free throw attempt figure, which would make him even more dangerous.
4. Marc Gasol, Memphis.He been a pleasant surprise. A rugged inside player, Gasol is averaging 11.4 points and 7.5 rebounds in slightly more than 30 minutes per game. He is shooting 52.6 percent from the field and 72 percent from the foul line. One thing that can’t be shown on the stat sheet is the toughness he brings to a young team. Whether he develops into a future all-star like his brother Pau remains to be seen, but he is certainly one of the building blocks on a Grizzlies team that can use several more.
While he’s averaging 10.1 points per game, Chalmers has come in to be the point guard of a playoff-bound Miami team that only won 15 games last year. (Of course a healthy Dwyane Wade has had a little to do with Miami’s dramatic improvement). Chalmers’ assist-to-turnover ratio (2.36) is just behind Rose. He’s shooting a respectable 35.9 percent from beyond the arc. Other rookies have had better statistical seasons, but he has filled in admirably in the Heat’s biggest position of need.
When the San Antonio Spurs got off to a 2-5 start and were hobbled with some key injuries, it was open game for the skeptics. One nitwit even suggested that if things didn’t improve that the Spurs faced the real prospect of missing the postseason for the first time since the 1996-97 season.
Fast forward to the post NBA all-star break portion of the season and the Spurs are in their accustomed position of challenging for an NBA title.
Two points should be made of the situation.
One, you shouldn’t believe everything you read. And second, it’s both unwise and premature to begin doubting the capability of San Antonio.
In fairness to the skeptics (i.e. me) Manu Ginobili still hadn’t played early in the season while recovering from ankle surgery. Adding to the Spurs woes, Tony Parker had just suffered a sprained ankle on Nov. 7 in a 99-83 loss to Miami that dropped their record to 1-4.
So the Spurs faced the prospect of competing without two of the Big Three, while the third member of that trio, Tim Duncan was forced to play extended minutes early in the season.
Of course doom didn’t appear on the Spurs’ doorstep. Ginobili’s return provided the expected major spark. In his first 38 games back, the Spurs were 29-9.
Parker missed nine games and the Spurs still managed to go 7-2 in those contests.
Duncan, who was averaging nearly 40 minutes per game early in the season, now has his season average to a manageable 35.3 per game. Look for that total to drop over the final 31 games of the season.
Nobody does a better job of getting his team ready for the postseason than coach Gregg Popovich.
So what happened?
The Spurs have received better than expected production from Roger Mason, who is averaging 11.9 points per game and shooting 44.9 percent from beyond the arc. Plus, as the Phoenix Suns will attest to, Mason has shown a penchant for hitting one big shot after another.
Duncan has in his own quiet way continued to be a 20 and 10 machine. When Parker and Ginobili were both out of the lineup, he carried the team.
Both before and after his injury, Parker has been a dominant point guard and a deserving all-star selection and Ginobili remains as one of the top clutch performers in the NBA.
It has all added up to earning the Spurs the second best record in the Western Conference at the all-star break (35-16).
The Spurs have answered the question of being an NBA title contender. The bigger question is can they win with the team intact or do they have to make a move by the trade deadline?
Good question.
The Spurs can no doubt contend, but contending and winning it all are two different things.
It would appear as if the Spurs would have to add an extra piece if they have designs of winning their fifth NBA title since 1999.
Of course the Spurs have been among the teams rumored to have interest in New Jersey’s Vince Carter. And there is no doubt that adding Carter would move the Spurs right into Laker territory.
However, from this vantage point, it would be a surprise if the Spurs would be able to pull this off.
The Nets would seem to want a potential starter and a possible huge expiring contract and the Spurs don’t seem like a fit here.
Of course there could be other additions that are less expensive that could help the Spurs. For instance Sacramento’s John Salmons has been mentioned as being available and somebody like that who plays good defense and is quietly averaging 18.3 points per game, would be a welcome addition.
Of course, Salmons is scoring a lot of points on a bad Kings team, but the fact remains that he would provide the Spurs with the type of depth they need.
One problem is that the Spurs don’t have a lot to offer other teams. Dangling a player like Bruce Bowen isn’t going to bring a hefty return.
If San Antonio could add a piece, then the Spurs would be awfully dangerous. As it is now, they still will be a difficult team in the playoffs.
Still, one would have to worry about the Spurs depth unless players such as Michael Finley and Kurt Thomas suddenly find the fountain of youth.
And Duncan has carried such a big load this year, that one has to wonder if a player who turns 33 in April will wear down at all when the postseason rolls along.
Keep in mind that there are other teams that would like to have the Spurs so-called problems. With three players who are as dangerous as any trio in the Western Conference, the Spurs have the capability to beat anybody.
Whether changes are made or not, one sure bet is that nobody will relish facing the Spurs in the postseason.
The names have been bandied about for some time and will obviously be until the Feb. 19 NBA trade deadline. Contenders looking to get that extra edge will have a choice at a number of available current stars, once-stars and serviceable players.
You’ve heard all the rumors and here’s a speculative look at some of the possible destinations for those listed prominently in rumorsville.
Amare Stoudemire. The 26-year-old Phoenix power forward appears to be the best player available. He is on the books for more than $15 million this year can opt out of his player contract after the 2009-2010 season.
It’s apparent that Phoenix wouldn’t mind parting with him, but this has to be more than just a salary dump, although receiving an expiring contract won’t hurt. The Suns also need players who can help them immediately.
It has been suggested in various media outlets that the Bulls could offer the expiring $7.1 million contract of Drew Gooden, Joakim Noah, Tyrus Thomas and a possible first round pick for Stoudemire. This would be a dangerous move for Phoenix, because it would be accepting back two players, Noah and Thomas, who are athletic, but have been wildly inconsistent.
CBSSportsline.com has reported among others that Portland has talked to Phoenix, with LaMarcus Aldridge, Jerryd Bayless and the expiring $12.7 million contract of Raef LaFrentz being rumored. (To make this trade work, Phoenix would also have to throw in another players such as Goran Dragic).
Still, one would have to wonder if Phoenix really wants to make a trade with a Western Conference team, although the Suns likely would pull the trigger if it meant they got the best value.
Miami continues to be mentioned as a possible destination but for that to happen, the Suns might have to take back the expiring $17.1 million contract of Shawn Marion and that doesn’t seem likely to happen.
One trade that would work without including Marion is if the Heat sent Michael Beasley, Marcus Banks and Udonis Haslem to Phoenix for Stoudemire. Again, would that be enough?
Toronto has been another rumored destination, but it doesn’t appear as if the Raptors have enough to interest Phoenix.
There will be plenty of other teams that will make pitches to Stoudemire for one simple reason – they know he is available.
Vince Carter. Had the New Jersey Nets been a winning team, Carter may have been an all-star this season. He still has plenty left in his game, but also two more years on his contract after this season, plus a team option.
If the Nets are just looking to dump salary, then Carter to Cleveland for Wally Szczerbiak’s expiring $13 million contract and rookie J.J. Hickson would work. However despite a contract that will have more than $33 million the next two years, the Nets should look for more value for Carter.
Cleveland would be the perfect fit for Carter, who would give the Cavs a great third option along with LeBron James and Mo Williams.
Mike Miller. Last season he was on the trading block at the deadline but stayed with Memphis and didn’t get dealt to Minnesota until draft night. Miller would be a good fit in Cleveland and at $9 million this year and $9.7 million next season, would be a less expensive option than Carter.
Again, this would probably only work if the Wolves are looking to dump salary. The biggest chip the Cavs have is to trade is Szczerbiak’s expiring contract. Cleveland could trade Szczerbiak and Hickson to Minnesota for Miller and Brian Cardinal (owed $6.7 million next year). Both Miller and Cardinal have contracts that expire after next the 2009-2010 season.
San Antonio would also be a good destination for Miller.
Tyson Chandler. The New Orleans center will make nearly $12 million next season and has a player option for 2010-2011. Sports Illustrated had a potential rumor of Chandler going to Detroit for Rasheed Wallace and his expiring contract. That is probably a deal the Pistons would make quicker than the Hornets. New Orleans would receive cap relief but the Hornet would then be looking for a center after this year if they couldn’t re-sign Wallace.
With Andrew Bynum hurt again, the Lakers would be a good place for Chandler, but would New Orleans want to trade him to a Western Conference team? Plus the Lakers don’t have anybody of consequence that they would apparently be willing to trade. Lamar Odom’s name always comes up, but with Bynum hurt again, and the Lakers playing to win it this year, it wouldn’t make sense to trade him.
Miami, with Marion being the best bait, has also been among the teams listed in rumorsville for Chandler.
Two salaries that match up are Chandler and Philadelphia’s Samuel Dalembert. Each have been inconsistent this year and could a change of scenery help both?
Again, this is purely speculation, something that is rampant this time of year.
Shawn Marion. Finding a team that Marion hasn’t been mentioned in a trade rumor is a difficult proposition. With an expiring contract worth more than $17 million, Marion’s name has been linked to many teams, with Cleveland and Toronto heading the list. One thing is for sure – no matter who Marion signs with after this season, it will be difficult to command the salary he is earning now.
Brad Miller and anybody else on the Sacramento Kings. It appears as if any member of the Kings, with the possible exception of Kevin Martin, is available. Miller, whose contract expires next season when he will earn more than $12 million, has been linked with teams such as New York, Chicago and Miami. (Which player on the trading block hasn’t been linked with Miami?). Miller has been out with a left hip flexor strain and one wonders if that would hurt his trade value. John Salmons is a name that has drawn interest and there are some contenders such as San Antonio, where he could be a contributing rotation player.
Jamaal Tinsley. The Pacers have told him to stay home all season so he has been collecting his salary of nearly $7 million, one that has an additional $14 million remaining the next two years.
There was a rumor that Charlotte was considering a multi-player deal that would include Raymond Felton for Tinsley. Charlotte shot that down and rightly so. Felton is emerging as a highly productive point guard.
With Jameer Nelson possibly out for the season, Orlando is in need of a point guard, but the Magic recently acquired veteran Tyronn Lue.
If Indiana is able to unload Tinsley it would be a solid move regardless of what the Pacers got back.
Joe Smith. Not the biggest of name, but he’s a player who many contenders would covet if available. Smith has an expiring $4.7 million contract with Oklahoma City and if he became available in a trade (or if the Thunder bought him out), contenders such as Boston, San Antonio and his former Cleveland team would surely inquire about his services.
The O’Neals. Phoenix probably wouldn’t mind parting with Shaquille O’Neal and things haven’t worked in Toronto for Jermaine O’Neal. The problem is that both players have seen their better days and each has a huge contract that doesn’t expire until after the 2009-2010 season. Jermaine is owed nearly $23 million next year and Shaq is on the books for $20 million in 2009-2010.
Miami, which traded Shaq, is still mentioned as a potential suitor for Jermaine.
There is still plenty of time for players to redeem themselves this season, but either due to injury, poor performance, or a combination of both, there are a number are candidates for the most disappointing player this year in the NBA.
Here is a list of some of the players who haven’t met expectations to this point. Many of these players are having solid statistical seasons, but based on their past, it’s still below their expected level of production.
Check in with us at the end of the season to see if any of these players will be able to lift themselves off this undesired list. Also, we’d love to hear any suggestions of players who aren’t included, but very well could be.
The players are listed in alphabetical order.
Mike Conley, Memphis. He has gone from being the fourth pick in the 2007 draft to somebody on everybody’s all-rumor trade team. Conley is averaging just over 3 assists in 25 minutes per game and has lost his starting job to Kyle Lowry. Detroit’s Rodney Stuckey, who was selected 15th in the first round of the 2007 draft, has already far exceeded Conley as a point guard.
Samuel Dalembert, 76ers. Dalembert is among the most congenial people in the NBA, but also among the most inconsistent. Last season he made huge strides, but this year the Sixers center has regressed and now he’s playing fewer minutes. He had started every game, but was averaging under six points and more than eight rebounds and 1.6 blocked shots in under 25 minutes per game. Last season he averaged 10.5 points and 10.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots in more than 33 minutes a game. This season he hasn’t been thrilled about his reduced minutes, but he must give the Sixers a reason to play him more.
Ricky Davis, Los Angeles Clippers. A player who has been known for giving instant offense, Davis has struggled with knee problems and has also received a five-game suspension for violating terms of the NBA’s drug program. He hasn’t played since Nov. 22 due to a left knee injury. Known for his ability to create instant offense, Davis has averaged just 4.3 points in 13 games.
Luol Deng, Chicago. An ankle injury has kept him out of the lineup since late December, but even when playing, Deng seemed to have lost his shooting touch. Before the season he signed a six-year contract for more than $70 million. Deng is averaging 13.3 points, but hasn’t come close to looking like the dangerous player of 2006-2007 when he averaged 18.8 points and shot 51.7 percent from the field.
Allen Iverson, The grading scale is much tougher on this nine-time all-star. Since being dealt earlier in the season from Denver, Iverson has averaged 18 points, which is about nine below his career average. True, with Detroit, he won’t get as many shots because of the Pistons’ depth and his own reduced minutes. Iverson was averaging about three minutes less per game for Detroit from his career average. To his credit, he has tried to defer to his teammates. Maybe it seems as if Iverson has been disappointing because the player he was traded for, Chauncey Billups, has made a world of difference in Denver and should be selected to the all-star team. Iverson is still a productive player, but he’s just not performing at an all-star level.
Jason Kidd, Dallas. Kidd has never really been the expected dominant player since being traded at the all-star break last season from New Jersey. The numbers look respectable – more than eight points and eight assists per game. He is averaging more than 35 minutes, which is about two minutes under his career mark. Many point guards would take Kidd’s numbers in a heartbeat, but this is a nine-time all-star, so like Iverson, he is judged on a higher level. Kidd will be 36 on March 23 and while he has some solid basketball left in him, he hasn’t begun to look like the dominant player of the past.
Tracy McGrady, Houston. McGrady has attempted to play despite a painful sore left knee that has kept him in and out of the lineup. To his credit, he has tried to play through the pain, but just hasn’t been the same following surgery in May. A seven-time all-star, McGrady is shooting under 40 percent from the field and isn’t close to the being the player who has averaged 21 or more points per season for eight straight years.
Mike Miller, Minnesota. Somebody with the shooting ability of Miller who is playing more than 31 minutes per game should not be averaging below double figures in scoring. Miller has missed several games this season with an ankle injury, but he also hasn’t been aggressively looking for his shot. In a recent three-game stretch he attempted only 18 shots. Never known as a great defender, Miller has the ability to stretch defenses. He is certainly a candidate to be traded and should be able to help a contender.
Jermaine O’Neal, Toronto. The acquisition of O’Neal in the summer was expected to significantly upgrade Toronto, but the Raptors have been one of the biggest disappointments this season. O’Neal has been listed as day to day, but at this writing, hasn’t played since Dec. 29 due to his troublesome right knee. While in the lineup, he has been solid, but not spectacular (14.0 ppg., 7.3 rpg. ). If totally healthy, and that’s a big if, he is capable of much more. He has not played as many as 70 games since 2003-2004 and one wonders if O’Neal can still make a major impact or just be a solid but unspectacular contributor.
With approximately 30 games played the early frontrunner for the MVP award clearly is Cleveland’s LeBron James. This is no shocking statement.
It doesn’t mean that the award should be suddenly shipped to Cleveland, because there is too much time left, but James has zoomed into the favorite’s role for a number of reasons.
In James’ case, the numbers don’t lie. He is playing like an MVP for a team that began the week having won 26 of its first 30 games. James was averaging 27.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.4 steals, 2.0 steals and 1.13 blocked shots while shooting 50.9 percent from the field.
With James, the numbers don’t begin to tell the entire story of his dominance. He has shown the ability to make his teammates better while accumulating those eye-popping statistics.
James of course can’t afford to relax because of the competition he will face in maintaining his frontrunner status.
Oddly, Kobe Bryant isn’t getting anywhere near the mention that he did last season when he won his first-ever MVP award.
James actually may benefit from not having won it in the past. For some reason that seems to be a big deal to voters, but it shouldn’t factor in the equation.
And what might have helped Bryant last year, is possibly hurting him this season. Make no mistake about it, last year wasn’t a lifetime achievement award for Bryant. He clearly deserved the award. This year he should also earn serious consideration.
Bryant was averaging more than 26 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists for a Lakers team that won 25 of its first 30 games.
The difference this year is that Bryant is playing with a better supporting cast for the entire season. His scoring is down two points a game from his average last year, but Bryant doesn’t need to provide as much offense, especially with Pau Gasol on board the entire season.
Any team that has Lamar Odom coming off the bench, has the type of depth that James certainly doesn’t enjoy in Cleveland.
Usually teams that are battling for the best record in the conference boost most of the major MVP candidates, but how can anybody dismiss Miami’s Dwyane Wade?
He was leading the NBA in scoring, averaging nearly 29 points. Wade was also averaging nearly seven assists, while already helping the Heat surpass last season’s meager victory total of 15.
After missing 31 games in each of the previous two seasons, Wade showed he was back during an outstanding performance in the Olympics, leading the gold-medal U.S. team in scoring (16 ppg.).
Wade has taken his game to a new level during the NBA season.
And that brings us to some other players who are enjoying truly outstanding seasons, but are overshadowed statistically by the dominance of James and to a lesser extent Bryant and Wade.
Few players have made a greater impact than Denver’s Chauncey Billups since his trade from Detroit.
The Nuggets improved to 19-8 since acquiring Billups after a 117-110 win at New York on Dec. 28.
With Denver, Billups was averaging more than 18 points and nearly seven assists per game. He has brought stability and direction to the Nuggets and has been a major upgrade over Allen Iverson, who was traded for Billups to Detroit.
One player who is receiving almost no mention for the MVP award is Boston’s Kevin Garnett, simply because he doesn’t have glowing statistics, except in one category – wins.
The Celtics won 28 of their first 32 games and what Garnett brings to the defensive end is as important as his offensive contributions.
Unselfish to a fault, he has averaged 16.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.4 blocked shots and was shooting 53.9 percent from the field.
He is the reigning defensive player of the year and could win the award again this season. Because Garnett isn’t averaging 25 points per game, his contributions tend to be overlooked, except by those who know that he’s the most important player on the defending NBA champions.
Last season Chris Paul finished second to Bryant in the MVP race and the New Orleans Hornets point guard is again a viable candidate.
Paul was averaging more than 20 points and 11 assists along with three steals per game for a Hornets team that began the week with the second best winning percentage in the Western Conference.
Two other candidates, both from the Eastern Conference are Orlando center Dwight Howard and Atlanta guard Joe Johnson, one of the most underrated great players in the NBA.
Howard is leading the NBA in rebounding and blocked shots and more importantly, the Magic had won 24 of their first 30 games.
Johnson was averaging more than 23 points and five assists for an Atlanta team that was nine games over .500. He is also averaging 40 minutes per game and has yet to show any sign of fatigue.
The competition is so stiff, that we haven’t even mentioned two-time MVPs Tim Duncan of San Antonio and Phoenix’s Steve Nash or 2006-2007 MVP Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas. It also leaves out players such as Houston’s Yao Ming and Toronto’s Chris Bosh, who were both averaging more than 20 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game.
There is no shortage of worthy candidates, but right now, none is more deserving than James.
Few teams received more accolades during the offseason than the Philadelphia 76ers. Coming off a late-season run, earning a playoff berth, extending the heavily favored Detroit Pistons to six games and then enjoying what appeared to be a wildly successful offseason makeover, the bar was raised considerably.
President and general manager Ed Stefanski spent approximately $160 million, signing Elton Brand as a free agent and re-signing Andre Iguodala.
The team also spent another $25 million to re-sign Lou Williams and added veterans Royal Ivey, Donyell Marshall, Kareem Rush and Theo Ratliff, while drafting forward Marreese Speights.
So the Sixers definitely felt they upgraded the talent pool and there was talk about possibly being among the top four in the Eastern Conference.
As most know, the expectations and team spirit became deflated by a 9-14 start that eventually cost coach Maurice Cheeks his job.
Cheeks was replaced by long-time Sixer employee Tony DiLeo, who will guide the team for the rest of the season, according to Stefanski. DiLeo hopes to change the culture while adding a few more W’s. His biggest goal is to get the Sixers back to their fast-breaking ways.
Was Cheeks made the scapegoat for the Sixers’ poor start?
Sure, but as the old saying goes, you can’t fire the entire team, although several Sixers players are certainly worthy of receiving termination notices.
Cheeks was known as a players’ coach. He never put one of his players under the bus, always taking the blame.
And the fact that the Sixers started slow continued a pattern under Cheeks, so he did indeed receive blame.
In 2006-2007 the Sixers began 6-19. While much of the turmoil centered around Allen Iverson, who was traded in December of 2006, the Sixers rebounded to go 29-28 in the final 57 games.
Last season the Sixers started out 18-30 and eventually righted the ship, going 22-12 after that and earning the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
This year Cheeks wasn’t given the benefit of the doubt with the Sixers languishing through the first quarter of the season.
“It’s not just the coach’s fault,” Stefanski said. “It’s a change of direction and we felt we had to do it and go in a different direction and felt progress wasn’t there.”
The question now is, what type of team has DiLeo inherited?
Both Stefanski and DiLeo said how they hoped to make the Sixers more of a transition team, something that helped them claim that postseason berth last year.
Yet as they showed in the playoffs, teams can rarely win in the postseason with this style.
The running masks the Sixers deficient perimeter game. Without better shooting one wonders how much better the Sixers will become.
There could be natural improvement if the players actually live up to expectations.
Brand has been a disappointment even though he’s averaging a double-double (16.4 ppg., 10.0 rebounds).
He missed all but eight games last season with a ruptured left Achilles tendon and has played like somebody still attempting to shake off the rust.
The other thing about Brand that one has to wonder is whether the expectations were out of control, despite his big contract.
This is his 10th NBA campaign and he has played eight full seasons, with only one playoff appearance. Granted Brand played on some horrid teams with Chicago and the Los Angeles Clippers, but it’s still a less than impressive postseason resume.
Iguodala has also played below his standards until recently. He was switched from shooting guard to small forward and that has seemed to help.
The biggest disappointment has been center Samuel Dalembert, averaging 5.8 points and 8.3 rebounds.
Dalembert has been known for his inconsistency, but last season he played well, averaging 10.5 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in a career-high 33.2 minutes per game.
“We have to get Sam playing at a high level,” DiLeo said in the season’s biggest understatement.
Andre Miller has been solid at point guard, but he’s an unrestricted free agent after this season and if the team doesn’t show significant progress, it won’t be a good selling point to keep him.
Williams, who has the ability to create instant offense off he bench, has been inconsistent. Actually the Sixers’ best player has been second-year forward Thaddeus Young (13.1 ppg.).
Besides Brand, the Sixers other off-season acquisitions have given minimal contributions.
Whether it’s a coincidence or not, Brand and Dalembert played well in DiLeo’s first game, a 104-89 win over the visiting Washington Wizards. Brand had 27 points (12 for 19 from the field) while Dalembert added five points and 17 rebounds.
Those two must be able to mesh together on the court both offensively and defensively for the Sixers to improve.
With the woeful shape of the Eastern Conference, the Sixers should still contend for a playoff spot.
Yet just contending for one of the back-tier positions wouldn’t be a sign of progress. The Sixers are looking for major improvement.
Changing coaches won’t do much unless the players who are expected to produce, can considerably step up their game on a consistent basis.
During his tenure as San Antonio Spurs coach, Gregg Popovich has shown a great ability to navigate his team through the rigors of a grinding 82-game regular season schedule. Popovich wouldn’t burn out players just for the sake of winning a few extra games. What was important was having his team ready to go for the postseason.
And the results have certainly validated Popovich’s strategy with four NBA championships and two more trips to the Western Conference finals since 1999.
Popovich has adeptly used the regular season as a five and a half month postseason tuneup.
This year things are different.
Due to some key injuries to an already aging roster, the Spurs could find themselves in the fight for their lives just to earn one of the eight Western Conference playoff spots.
While nobody can minimize injuries to Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, the Spurs have some serious questions.
First the injuries.
Ginobili isn’t expected to return until next month in his recovery from ankle surgery. The ability of Gnobili to generate instant offense has been sorely missed.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, Parker is expected to miss four weeks after spraining his ankle in a 99-83 loss on Nov. 7 against the visiting Miami Heat.
Parker was off to his best start, averaging 27 points in the first five games, and that included just four points in 10 minutes before he got hurt against the Heat.
Remember, with Parker, the Spurs had gotten off to a 1-4 start. And the win was a 129-125 double overtime victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In that game Parker torched the Wolves for 55 points.
Think about that.
The Spurs, with Parker providing a career-best effort, still needed two overtimes to dispose of the lowly Wolves.
Without Parker, the point guards on the roster are rookie George Hill and old-timer Jacque Vaughn.
Assuming that the injury is only four weeks and not longer, the fact remains that neither Vaughn nor Hill appear to be a suitable replacement. .
So expect the Spurs to explore some sort of trade and it doesn’t have to just for a point guard.
San Antonio is deficient in several areas.
Of course Tim Duncan should be exempt from any criticism. In the first five games, Duncan was averaging 26 points and 11.6 rebounds. A more telling statistic is that he was averaging 39 minutes.
Popovich has had no other choice but to ride his 10-time all-star. Duncan, however hasn’t carried such a heavy workload in recent seasons. During each of the previous four regular seasons, he averaged fewer than 35 minutes per game.
These extended minutes Duncan is playing now could be felt by March, when the Spurs hope to be making a mad dash for a Western Conference playoff berth.
Duncan will turn 33 on April 25 and there is a legitimate question as to whether his team will still be playing on that date.
Even if Parker and Ginobili return to form, the rest of the roster must become more productive.
One positive has been the play of former Washington Wizard guard Roger Mason, who was averaging more than 16 points and 34 minutes per game. Mason is somebody with a career average under six points.
It’s true that Mason was never was given this much playing time in the past, but could he hold up for an entire season with extended minutes and heightened expectations?
Michael Finley has averaged six points in just under 30 minutes per game. At 35, Finley is a liability if he isn’t able to shoot with better accuracy. And Finley has struggled from the perimeter, shooting under 27 percent from the field. .
The fact that he’s averaging so many minutes speaks to the lack of depth for San Antonio.
Bruce Bowen, 37, has seen his time decline. He is known as a defensive stopper, but in all fairness, isn’t quite the player he has been in recent past. And when the Spurs are on offense, it’s like playing four against five.
Center-forward Kurt Thomas is 36 and one wonders if he has gotten off to a slow start, or if he is among many Spurs who are showing their age.
Swingman Ime Udoka, forward Matt Bonner and forward-center Fabricio Oberto must step up their game and one wonders if that is possible.
For many years the trio of Ginobili, Duncan and Parker have been able to blend with role players to make the Spurs a championship contender.
This season the role players have provided diminished production. Which is why even when the Big Three are healthy together - and one can’t be sure when that will be – the Spurs are going to have to acquire a dependable player or two off the bench.
If not, the Spurs face the real prospect of missing the postseason for the first time since the 1996-97 season.
The obvious first question is what are your feelings about being drafted by a Minnesota Timberwolves team that is certainly in need for a shooting guard?
Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio should be one of the most intriguing players to enter the NBA in quite some time. Rubio plays with a flair that has had him compared to one of the all-time great showmen, Pete Maravich.
This has been a deep rookie class in the NBA. Whether there are many future all-stars from this group remains to be seen, but there are several players who have made serious contributions, albeit many on teams with losing records.
When the San Antonio Spurs got off to a 2-5 start and were hobbled with some key injuries, it was open game for the skeptics. One nitwit even suggested that if things didn’t improve that the Spurs faced the real prospect of missing the postseason for the first time since the 1996-97 season.
The names have been bandied about for some time and will obviously be until the Feb. 19 NBA trade deadline. Contenders looking to get that extra edge will have a choice at a number of available current stars, once-stars and serviceable players.
There is still plenty of time for players to redeem themselves this season, but either due to injury, poor performance, or a combination of both, there are a number are candidates for the most disappointing player this year in the NBA.
With approximately 30 games played the early frontrunner for the MVP award clearly is Cleveland’s LeBron James. This is no shocking statement.
