Rating the NBA's offseason winners, losers
Winning and losing.
It's what the NBA is all about, with the bank account either in great shape or terminal condition as a result of not only the games huge men in baggy shorts play, but the draft and the free-agent and trade markets.
Sometimes appearances are misleading. Other times they aren't. Things can change as a result of injuries, players who under- or overachieve or just bad luck.
Considering training camps open in less than a month and rosters are being more firmly set with each day, there are some clear-cut winners and losers of the offseason so far. Some teams have remained status quo, and others cannot yet be judged in what has become an interminable offseason for teams sitting on the fence.
Here's a look at winners, losers and teams on the bubble as we provide a first glimpse of how training camp 2002 might look.
Winners
Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers gave up the very young and talented Darius Miles to Cleveland, but he has yet to prove he has an NBA game, and they received the NBA's leading assist man from a year ago, Andre Miller. Not only did they add Miller, but they didn't have to give up their two lottery picks -- forwards Chris Wilcox and Melvin Ely -- to get him. A bonus could come in the person of Marko Jaric, considered the best point guard in Europe. Lamar Odom's ankle problems are a huge concern. Nonetheless, this team has a very good chance to break 45 victories, with an outside shot of toppling the all-time franchise mark of 49 set by the Buffalo Braves in 1975.
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| Dikembe Mutombo gives the Nets the solid defensive low-post presence they needed.(AP) |
Houston Rockets: Regardless of the long-term ramifications, the Rockets will be the talk of the NBA this season with 7-5 rookie center Yao Ming. Struggling on the court and in attendance, the Rockets will be immediately better in both areas and could make a run at the playoffs if Yao learns how to stay out of foul trouble. They also drafted a fine European swingman in Bostjan Nachbar, who will help the explosive duo of Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley. A lot of their success will be predicated on the effectiveness of big, young forwards Eddie Griffin and Maurice Taylor.
Detroit Pistons: The Pistons were another team that came out of nowhere last season -- like the Nets -- to win a division title. And president Joe Dumars didn't sit still, either. He made the first free-agent strike, catching the Timberwolves flat-footed with the signing of their starting point guard for much of last season, Chauncey Billups. He's still young and raw at leading a team, but he's a streaky shooter, strong and a rapidly improving defender whose physical tools are very similar to those of a young Dumars. They also got more shooting with draft pick Tayshaun Prince and help inside with European center Mehmet Okur.
Sacramento Kings: Kings general manager Geoff Petrie kept it simple while trying to hold down costs and added one more special piece to the puzzle. Signing point guard Mike Bibby to a long-term extension was one task, he dealt the last pick of the first round to Atlanta for a future pick that will likely be better, and after adding what was probably a meaningless second-round choice (in beefy Corsley Edwards), he went out on a limb to coerce defensive specialist Keon Clark to join the fray with a free-agent contract for the mid-level exception and a second year at Clark's option. Although reed-thin, Clark is one of the best weak-side shot-blockers in the game and will help at all three positions up front.
Losers
Minnesota Timberwolves: As if things aren't bad enough for the 'Wolves as they go through yet another draft without a first-round pick thanks to the penalty for the ludicrous and unauthorized Joe Smith contract, they lost Billups in the free-agent market. The future of point guard Terrell Brandon after his ankle history -- along with major knee surgery last season -- forced them to settle on Troy Hudson as a free-agent signing. In five seasons, he has started 55 games and is coming off a career season of 11.7 points and 3.1 assists. Despite Kevin Garnett, they are rudderless in a Land of 10,000 Lakes.
Toronto Raptors: Somehow they snuck into the playoffs last season after Vince Carter finally conceded he couldn't play on his knee anymore. Well, he'll be back this season, and hopefully back with the kind of athleticism and confidence he had before the injury. But they've lost a key front-court defender in Clark, the needle on Hakeem Olajuwon's tank is clearly on empty, and they're still hurting at point guard. The late-season surge saved coach Lenny Wilkens from being fired, but short of an unexpected turnaround, the posse is going to get him sooner than later this time around.
Seattle SuperSonics: Yes, the Sonics finally unloaded Vin Baker and his baggage, but what did that get them? Kenny Anderson will be unhappy coming off the bench all the way to his free agency next summer, and Vitaly Potapenko probably won't play at all this season after serious knee surgery with three years and more than $15 million left on his deal. They panicked and re-signed Jerome James to a three-year deal for the mid-level exception rather than wait for somebody else to offer him that much, and Rashard Lewis is holding them for ransom. Meanwhile, the guy who has carried them for a generation -- and is coming off a superb season statistically and as a leader -- Gary Payton -- is getting stonewalled until next summer. And exceptional young coach Nate McMillan has three more years on his deal for this?
Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavs dumped Andre Miller, but instead of gaining a variety of assets for the NBA assist leader -- like the offer of two lottery picks and Lamar Odom on draft night -- they are gambling on Darius Miles becoming a star. They still don't have a point guard other than injured and aging Bimbo Coles, the jury is out on the health of Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and they're still banking heavily on last year's lottery flop -- Desagana Diop -- on bailing them out after Ilgauskas' feet finally render him helpless. To count so heavily on young players like Miles, Ricky Davis and draft picks Dajuan Wagner and Carlos Boozer is the same recipe they've been using the past four seasons that averaged 28.5 victories.
Denver Nuggets: It's almost too easy picking on them, even though Kiki Vandeweghe might have done the right thing unloading Nick Van Exel, Raef LaFrentz and Avery Johnson. But dealing Antonio McDyess -- their franchise player -- for Marcus Camby, Mark Jackson and the rights to Nene Hilario just keeps them in the same woeful position they have been in. Just ask every coach who turned down Vandeweghe all the way to the hiring of the inimitable Jeff Bzedelik. So they have Hilario and their other young international gamble, Nikoloz Tskitishvili, to teach English to and build around while Juwan Howard plays out the last season of his contract to open more space for top free agents who won't come. Ah, one more year of empty seats in the Pepsi Center while the local media plays Kick the Can.
Chicago Bulls: Granted, it appears Jerry Krause really sticking to his plan this year ... but getting the second pick and nabbing Jay Williams took no thought or effort. He may have added a keeper in the second round in Roger Mason Jr., but bringing on annual disappointment Donyell Marshall isn't what this team needed. Yes, it appeared by the time coach Bill Cartwright got his feet on the ground replacing Tim Floyd, things were better. But how much? And how much patience can be expected for a team that traded skilled youth for soon-to-be-30-year-old Jalen Rose? So if they improve a lot this season, maybe they'll win 30 games... which will make it a grand total of 96 during a five-year span. And people still buy suites for that?
Bubble Boys:
Milwaukee Bucks: No team had ever been in first place on March 15 then failed to make the playoffs, as did last season's version of the Bucks. Injuries hurt the team unquestionably, but there were other factors for coach George Karl and his players that caused fractures, and they all know it. That leaves it up to Karl to calm the storm he so often creates with his verbal barrages, while the frequently unemotional Ray Allen rests his aching knee and rambunctious Sam Cassell stays off his tender toes. Glenn Robinson was the scapegoat, going to Atlanta for Toni Kukoc, Leon Smith and a draft choice, setting up Kukoc as a sixth man, but, even more important, opening the door for Tim Thomas to finally prove he is more than bottled-up potential with a banged-up body. They went from a quarter away from the conference finals in 2000 to complete collapse. This is a huge season for Karl, as the highest-paid coach in sports, and his players.
Boston Celtics: With Paul Pierce emerging as one of the NBA's elite and Antoine Walker not only accepting it but expanding his game and unselfishness, the C's are gambling all the marbles on Vin Baker as the third maximum player, even though Baker has averaged 14.3 points and 6.5 rebounds the past four seasons after averaging 18.5 and 9.2 in the previous four seasons, which included All-Star appearances. What does he have left approaching his 31st birthday? They'll find out in a hurry and without a pure point guard now that Anderson's gone. And they can only hope athletic Kedrick Brown can provide some of the lost offense since Rodney Rogers bolted for Jersey.
Philadelphia 76ers: For all of his brilliance as a coach, to have Larry Brown also in charge of player personnel is like locking a bunch of 12-year-olds in a candy store with limitless cash. When we lost count, the Sixers had added not only Van Horn but Monty Williams, Greg Bucker, Brian Skinner, Mark Bryant and rookies John Salmons and Sam Clancy, while bringing back MacCulloch, Not that there is a lack of talent in that group, but most of last year's fizzle came from injuries. Derrick Coleman is still hurt and won't be ready at the start of the season, so that leaves the resident lord of the manor, Allen Iverson, and sidekicks Aaron McKie and Eric Snow to sort through this mess and see if chemistry is possible. You'd think by now, Larry would get over playing, "I love him, I love him not," once he had his own team to manage. The possibility of them getting it together is still there but less likely.
Indiana Pacers: This is the season Isiah Thomas needs to prove this team is making positive strides. They are blessed with almost too much young talent, nearly leaving Jonathan Bender, Austin Croshere and the like in situations where they have to produce quickly or not get the time they need to play. Al Harrington has to come back from knee surgery with the same zeal as he played with before the injury, and Jamaal Tinsley must prove he can continue to raise his game and run the team as he did early last season, not late, when injuries and fatigue rendered him somewhat helpless. The natives are already restless in Naptown, and the perception of underachievement was quieted when they slipped into the playoffs on the final night. But expectations are higher than one round and out in the very winnable East.
Utah Jazz: Contrary to what has become popular belief, 40-year-old John Stockton and 39-year-old Karl Malone are not going to play forever. Although Stockton finished strong last season, Malone's numbers dropped again, and this is almost certainly Stockton's last season. Malone has one more year after this on his contract, then he's done, too, unless he attempts to catch the all-time scoring record of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at a cut-rate salary. The Jazz finished eighth last season, and it will be no easy task to stay in the playoffs for the 20th year in a row. Spaniard Raul Lopez, Stockton's heir apparent who had knee surgery last season, re-injured it and won't play this season, either. They lost Donyell Marshall and replaced him with hard-working but erratic Matt Harpring. They traded for center Curtis Borchardt, only to find him suffering from a recurrence of foot problems that hampered him at Stanford. This could be the year the dam breaks for coach Jerry Sloan.
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| Can Antonio McDyess make an impact with the Knicks coming off knee surgeries?(AP) |
