Wow, for those who felt the lack of any real NBA news over the last 5 and a half months, I wouldn’t be surprised if a few hardcore basketball junkies overdosed on what came out the last few days. Among the news are two rescinded trades of Chris Paul, New York adding the best center they’ve had since Patrick Ewing, several former All-Stars getting “amnestied”, possible tampering by the New Jersey Nets, Boston almost getting Davis West, and lots and lots of signings.

So where do we start?

BUYER BEWARE

The first Chris Paul deal to the Lakers appeared to be pretty much done until the rest of the league realized that the Lakers would, again, be foregoing the usual need to rebuild and simply using their stature to secure a replacement for franchise player Kobe Bryant. Since New Orleans is owned by the league, technically all the owners own the Hornets, so any trade or deal needs to be run by all of them, first. If this sounds like a recipe for disaster, you’re probably right.

And so after the first deal got nixed, the three teams (New Orleans, Lakers and Houston) got together and put together a different, rather similar, deal. And the NBA nixed that one, basically telling the Lakers that no matter what deal they put together, they aren’t getting Chris Paul.

As a fan of several teams that aren’t owned by Jerry Buss, I can’t say I’m too disappointed. The thought of watching the Lakers grab another top 10 talent, and one that would eventually replace Kobe, was not enticing at all.

So with the Lakers out of the picture, the Clippers started making their offers for Paul. This time, though, instead of the Hornets GM, Dell Demps, handling the negotiations, it was NBA brass, Stu Jackson and Joel Litvin, running things for the Hornets.

Excuse me?

Yes, while he hasn’t been fired, for some reason the NBA has basically castrated Demps and taken any power away from him in favour of the guy who was mostly responsible for mismanaging the Vancouver Grizzlies so badly that he destroyed any chance for the team’s long term viability in the city. Hornet fans need to brace themselves. Seriously.

Still, from the sounds of it, it’s hard to be critical of their strategy. If they can get anything close to Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu and Eric Bledsoe, as well as the T-Wolves 2012 pick, for Paul, then they’ll have done very well. While, I wasn’t a big fan of HOW the NBA killed the Laker deals, I felt they were horrible deals for the Hornets. If you’re going to lose your franchise player, getting one low draft pick and no potential star is probably not the best deal. They need to take a page out of Utah and Denver’s book and get as many young assets and draft picks as they can. Trading your franchise player, while trying to stay competitive is a recipe for disaster. Well, mediocrity, but that’s the same thing in the NBA.

On the other hand, could New Orleans be expecting too much for Paul? Considering no other team can really come close to what the Clippers have already offered, you have to wonder if the NBA is simply trying to LOOK like they are trying to trade Paul. After the Laker’s debacle, Paul, his agent and the NBAPA made some noise about suing the league. And you also have to think that the Hornets franchise is worth A LOT more with a franchise player like Chris Paul than without him. Unless they get some amazing talent back (like what they’re asking for from the Clippers), it makes some financial sense to hold onto Paul for as long as they can.

That means, though, if I’m another team, I’d approach any negotiations with an air of suspicion.

**Update**

And now it seems the Lakers, gluttons for punishment apparently, are now back in the hunt for Paul.

BANKING CENTRE

Although nothing has happened with Chris Paul, there were a whole slew of deals that happened in the league. In fact, all the free agent centers, who were probably the biggest free agent prizes, have now settled on homes for the new season.

The first domino was Tyson Chandler quickly signing with New York, after flirting with New Jersey, Houston and Golden State. An interesting and somewhat surprising turn of events considering that it pretty much takes them out of the free agent market next summer, when Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Dwight Howard were most likely going to become free agents.

From a basketball standpoint, this was probably the best move they could make. After being almost left out in the cold in the last free agent bonanza, coming home with probably their fourth choice, risking it all again probably wasn’t the best move. And the fact is, while Paul and Williams would certainly help the team, what the Knicks need most is defense, and that doesn’t start with the point guard position. It starts with the big men. With Amare, defense is an afterthought, so signing one of the best defensive centers in the league, to play alongside him, is a stroke of genius.

So does that mean the Knicks are finally going to be a true contender again?

Not so fast.

They had to amnesty Chauncey Billups in order to sign Chandler, and while his best days are definitely behind him, he’s still one of the better PGs in the league and his leadership and veteran savvy will be difficult to replace. The signing of a WAY over the hill Mike Bibby and the rumours of signing Baron Davis when he’s waived by the Cavs does very little to change things.

And an offense that runs through Carmelo Anthony, who’s never been known for his passing or his ability to make those around him better, is probably not going to be as potent as it was last season. But with better defense, maybe it won’t have to be.

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After Chandler was signed by the Knicks, the next free agent center to get his big payday was DeAndre Jordan, who you need to look at as more of an investment, because his prior stats certainly aren’t going to sell you on the fact he might be worth the $10 million a year the Golden State Warriors offered him and the Clippers matched. For a guy whose stats were incredibly similar to Amir Johnson‘s, Clippers fans better hope that what we’ve seen so far is just the tip of the iceberg.

Just to emphasis the similarity of the seasons Jordan and Johnson had, let’s look at their stats:

DeAndre Jordan
MPG- 25.6
FG%- .686
FT%- .452
RPG- 7.2
APG- 0.5
SPG- 0.5
BPG- 1.8
FPG- 3.2
PPG- 7.1

Amir Johnson
MPG- 25.7
FG%- .568
FT%- .788
RPG- 6.4
APG- 1.1
SPG- 0.7
BPG- 1.2
FPG- 3.7
PPG- 9.6

Jordan is 23 and Amir is 24. Jordan is listed at 6’11 and Amir is listed at 6’9 (although is probably closer to 6’10). Jordan will be making $40 million over the next four years. Amir will be making $25 million over the next four years.

So where are all those people who complained that Amir was vastly overpaid?

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One interesting thing about DeAndre Jordan is that he was actually a second round pick, proving that you can find talent anywhere (although it’s incredibly rare). Coincidentally, the next center to back up to the bank was another second round pick, Marc Gasol. While neither Memphis or the Clippers are known for their shrewd personnel decisions, both of them made the decision to allow their player to get an offer from another team, setting their market value, and then matched it. Maybe Memphis learned their lesson after they overpaid Rudy Gay the previous offseason, without him even testing the market.

—

Lastly, for all the talk that Denver simply didn’t respect him, money did the talking and he signed a 5 year, $67 million contract with the Nuggets. And while Denver obviously had to do something to stem the exodus of talent (mostly to China, strangely enough), I don’t know if a team that should be focusing on rebuilding should be spending that much on a 29 year old big man whose defense and rebounding have never been great (although they are decent), and who’s never averaged even 15 ppg during his career.

With all the money being thrown around at above average centers, do you think Jon Koncak is wishing he was born 20 years earlier?

AROUND THE HORN

So as I said, Chauncey Billups got waived by the Knicks, but ended up being claimed by the Clippers for only $2 million. Not a bad bargain and a great deal for the Clippers, who desperately need his leadership. Even if the Clippers don’t end up trading for Chris Paul, you have to think their PG situation is MUCH better than it was a couple of years ago when an out of shape and grossly overpaid Baron Davis was running the show.

In fact, with the signing of Caron Butler (who was overpaid, but we’re not talking Baron Davis money, so it’s all relative), gives the Clippers one of the best up and coming teams since the Oklahoma Thunder. The small forward position was their weakest position and, if healthy, Butler is exactly what they need.

And speaking of small forwards, I have to say I was greatly disappointed to see Shane Battier sign with Miami. It’s not that I didn’t want him to sign with a contender, it’s that I would have MUCH rather have seen him sign with the Spurs, a team he probably would have ended up starting for, and who would have gone together like Shawn Kemp and alimony cheques.

As for the Spurs, at one point it looked like Richard Jefferson was going to be a victim of the amnesty rule, but when both Butler and Battier signed elsewhere, it probably saved Jefferson from having to pack his bags. I don’t know if there’s another small forward on the market, now, that’s better than Jefferson.

I’m going to do another Offseason Report Card, this year, so that’ll be it for my commentary for now.

TORONTO: Exceeds Expectations

5. Jonas Valanciunas

It’s deja vu all over again. Last year, a team above them unexpectedly took an athletic defensive power forward which resulted in a higher ranked big man unexpectedly falling to the Raptors. Colangelo and the Raptors brass probably can’t believe their luck. I was afraid they might still take Knight, but Colangelo showed he is indeed focused on the future, rather than the present.

Valanciunas will fill the void at center the Raptors have been lacking for, well, ever. While apparently a lot of Raptor fans are unhappy with the pick, I think they’ll eventually regret that as Valanciunas is the type of player that Raptor fans love. He’s a high energy player who hustles, defends and rebounds. English, though, is not his strong suit.

On the other hand, the pick they got from the Heat, which they traded to the Bulls for James Johnson, could have been used to pick Corey Joseph at 28, who went one spot later to the Spurs. Who knows if that’s who Colangelo would have picked, as he was projected to go in the second round, but I’ll certainly be comparing their careers. And since the Spurs are pretty much never wrong…

I would have liked to see them try and scoop up another pick, but it’s not a big deal that they didn’t.

SAN ANTONIO: Exceeds Expectations

29. Cory Joseph

Traded George Hill for Indiana’s 15th pick, Kawhi Leonard.

I assumed the Spurs would exceed expectations, and again they have. Trading for Leonard is huge, especially since he was projected to go in the top ten and dropped. He’s the type of defender than the Spurs love, is in the perfect situation, and should step in Bruce Bowen’s shoes, that have been empty for a few years.

If on of my sleepers, Toronto’s Cory Joseph couldn’t get drafted by the Raptors, then the Spurs would have been my second choice. And it’s incredible timing because they might have their replacement for Hill. Yes, he projected to go in the second round, but I think he has first round talent and so, apparently, do the Spurs.haunt them. Burks should be a decent player, but guys like him are a dime a dozen.

CHARLOTTE: Exceeds Expectations

7. Bismack Biyombo
9. Kemba Walker

Traded Stephen Jackson for Sacramento’s 7th pick and Corey Maggette.

Sold 39th pick, Jeremy Tyler to Golden State, I’m guessing for cash.

It hurts to say it, but Charlotte actually did well. I was surprised that they passed on Knight for Biyombo, as they’ve been looking for a real starting PG for, well, their entire existence, but they resisted temptation and went with a guy who I think will be better down the road. I also look forward to watching Biyombo and Tyrus Thomas being on the floor at the same time. The front row needs to watch out.

Maggette was a disaster in Milwaukee and now brings his brand of scoring and no defense to Charlotte. He’s probably going to lose games for them, but that’s kind of what they wanted, so maybe it’s a good thing?

Walker fell, but not as far as I thought he might. I think it’s still a pretty good pick at 9, but Charlotte seems to like picking decent PGs with little upside.

CHICAGO: Exceeds Expectations

23. Nikola Mirotic
30. Jimmy Butler

Traded 28th and 43rd picks for Houstons 23rd pick, Nikola Mirotic.

Butler was very efficient offensively at Butler, and is a very good defender, so the Bulls may have a sleeper on their hands.

How much do you think the Spurs are pissed at not getting Mirotic, who is exactly the type of player they usually scoop up at the end up the first round? He’s a huge steal, but will play overseas for a couple of more seasons. That’s fine with the Bulls.

DENVER: Exceeds Expectations

22. Kenneth Faried
26. Jordan Hamilton
56. Chukwudiebere Maduabum

Traded Raymond Felton for Portland’s 26th pick, Jordan Hamilton, and Andre Miller.

Traded for Laker’s 56th pick, Chukwudiebere Maduabum, somehow.

Although I haven’t confirmed that Denver is, in fact, keeping Faried, if they do this was a very good draft day. I would have liked to have seen them get more for Felton, but Miller is a good, veteran PG that will probably be shipped elsewhere soon. Plus they were able to pick up another pick and a SF who has a chance to be a decent pro.

Faried is the type of player that everyone loves and helps you win. So why didn’t he go higher? Probably because he’s not a scorer and a little undersized.

I have no idea who Chukwudiebere Maduabum, but on his Draft Express profile, he’s listed as Chu Chu. I think he’s worthy of picking just for that. He immediately is in the running for best All-Tim NBA name.

MEMPHIS: Exceeds Expectations

49. Josh Selby

Selby was considered a first round talent, so this has to be considered a steal. Where they’ll find room for him, is another thing.
DETROIT: Exceeds Expectations

8. Brandon Knight
33. Kyle Singler
52. Vernon Macklin

Although I question whether he can play PG, Knight was projected to go in the top 5 and dropped to 8th, so Pistons fans have to be happy. Of course, he kind of presents the same problems that Rodney Stuckey, who’s also a combo guard they tried to turn into a point guard, did.

Singler is never going to be a star, but last year he was considered a middle first round pick and they got him in the second round. I think he’ll hang on and have a decent career as a bench player.

DALLAS: Exceeds Expectations

Traded their 26th pick to Portland for Rudy Fernandez

The rich get richer. Dallas has no use for a rookie and no one picked there was going to help them like Fernandez. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up starting next year.

LAKERS: Exceeds Expectations

41. Darius Morris
46. Andrew Goodelock
58. Ater Majok

Without a first round pick, they were able to pick up a decent prospect, in Darius Morris. This might be the second year in a row they get at least one keeper from the second round.

PHILADELPHIA: Exceeds Expectations

16. Nikola Vucevic
50. Lavoy Allen

Vucevic should end up being a pretty good pro and probable starter. At 16, in this draft, that’s pretty damn good.

CLEVELAND: Meets Expectations

1. Kyrie Irving
4. Tristan Thompson
32. Justin Harper

Irving will probably be the best player, so it was no surprise he was the first pick.

Thompson was the first big surprise of the night. And while I don’t think it’s a bad pick, since I think Thompson is going to be a very good pro, but he was a big reach at 3. Valanciunas would have made much more sense, but apparently Cleveland wants to make an impact immediately. Something they might regret down the line.

I think Cleveland should have offered Minnesota everything but it’s first pick to move up to 2 and draft Williams. If they had come out of the draft with Irving AND Williams, their future would have looked A LOT brighter.

Justin Harper is a stretch 4 that isn’t very big and probably won’t be much of a rebounder in the NBA. If he sticks, it’s because of his shooting. On Cleveland, that’s devoid of talent, he might, but with Antawn Jamison and J.J. Hickson as well as Anderson Varejao, who will probably be traded this summer, it’s puzzling why they’d take another power forward.

NEW YORK: Meets Expectations

45. Josh Harrellson

New York gets the guy Enes Kanter apparently made into the player he is today. So says Harrellson.

MINNESOTA: Meets Expectations

2. Derrick Williams

Traded Jonny Flynn for Houston’s 23rd pick, Nikola Mirotic, and Brad Miller.

For some reason the T-Wolves don’t end up with the 23d pick, so it’s basically a Flynn for Miller deal. Not sure why they’d do that.

Keeping Williams is the right move even though he doubles up on Beasley’s skills. He should be better than Bealsey and should give the Wolves some star power.

UTAH: Meets Expectations

3. Enes Kanter
12. Alec Burks

Although a lot of people had Brandon Knight going to Utah for the months leading up to the draft, they apparently changed their mind with less than a week to go. And while I was a little missed he didn’t fall to the Raptors, I think Utah will be VERY happy they chose Kanter instead of Knight.

Of course, while I think they made the right decision at 3, passing up Leonard, who is probably exactly what the Jazz need, is probably going to

OKLAHOMA CITY: Meets Expectations

27. Reggie Jackson

Jackson is a combo guard who joins an already crowded Thunder backcourt. I really don’t know where he’ll find minutes. I wonder why Oklahoma didn’t simply trade out of the draft.

PORTLAND: Meets Expectations

21. Nolan Smith
51. Jon Diebler

Traded Andre Miller for Raymond Felton

Traded Rudy Fernandez to Dallas for 26th pick, which they gave to Denver in prearranged deal.

Getting Felton for Miller is a great deal for Portland. He might be the young point guard they’ve been looking for all these years.

Unfortunately, picking Nolan Smith over Faried, who they could really use, was a mistake.

ORLANDO: Meets Expectations

53. DeAndre Liggins

He’s a player that was on Kentucky, but now he’s not.

ATLANTA: Meets Expectations

48. Keith Benson

He’s got legit size for an NBA power forward, and he’s stronger than he looks. For the 48th pick, the Hawks did well.

For a team hitting their ceiling, I would have liked to have seen them a little more active. Maybe after the new CBA is signed, whenever that happens.

MIAMI: Approaching Expectations

28. Norris Cole

Somehow got the 28th pick from Chicago to draft Cole, a PG, who should provide insurance in case Bibby is not re-upped.

BOSTON: Approaching  Expectations

27. JuJuan Johnson
55. E’Twaun Moore

Traded their 25th pick for the 27th pick.

Johnson is a decent player, but I don’t see him making any impact on the Celtics, either now or down the line. But would anyone else have?

Moore is an undersized shooting guard, but I’m guessing what attracted Boston was the ability to tell people they drafted JuJuan and E’Twaun. And both are American.

MILWAUKEE: Approaching Expectations

19. Tobias Harris
40. John Leuer

Traded Corey Maggette and 10th pick for Stephen Jackson and Charlotte’s 19th pick, Tobias Harris.

Getting rid of Maggette, who was a disaster, is good, but is Jackson really what they need? And how much longer does he have? Harris is a good pick, though, who’s been compared to Shane Battier.

PHOENIX: Approaching  Expectations

13. Markieff Morris

Morris might make a pretty good role player on a good team. Phoenix, however, needs home runs, not singles. They have a lot of role players and the engine that makes them go, Nash, is nearing the end of his career.

GOLDEN STATE: Approaching Expectations

11. Klay Thompson
37. Jeremy Tyler
44. Charles Jenkins

So they STILL have Monta Ellis, yet decide to draft yet another shooter, while Kawhi Leonard  and Nikola Vucevic were still available. Thompson might be the best player available, for all I know, though, and if Jerry West thinks so, it’s probably true.

I don’t know about Tyler, though, who seems to have the physical tools, but needs maturity.

WASHINGTON: Approaching Expectations

6. Jan Vesely
18.Chris Singleton
34. Shelvin Mack

A lot of teams seemed high on Vesley, but I don’t understand the attraction to him. He’s 6’11 and athletic, but he’s not a great scorer, can’t shoot, isn’t a good ball handler, will probably struggle defensively at the 3 and is a poor rebounder for his size. He’s apparently got a good motor, though, and he’s got a very hot girlfriend, so those are both pluses.

Singleton was on my don’t draft list and I really don’t see how he’s going to play with Vesley. Neither can shoot, but Singleton has even fewer skills than Vesley.

NEW JERSEY: Approaching Expectations

25. Marshon Brooks
36. Jordan Williams

Traded their 27th pick, JaJuan Johnson for Boston’s 25th pick, Marshon Brooks

When I first saw a trade between Boston and New Jersey involving Brooks, I thought it was a blockbuster. No, it was not Brooks Lopez, but Marshon Brooks, who bring his great shooting and horrible defense to a bad defensive team.

CLIPPERS: Needs Improvement

37. Trey Thompkins
47. Travis Leslie

The Clippers traded away a unprotected lottery pick that ended up being Kyrie Irving, who’s probably just what the Clippers could have used to solidify them as one of the teams of the future. What they ended up drafting were two solid NCAA players with probably very little chance of sticking in the NBA.

SACRAMENTO: Needs Improvement

10. Jimmer Fredette
35. Tyler Honeycutt

Traded their 7th pick for Milwaukee’s 10th pick, Jimmer Fredette, and John Salmons

So, the Kings trade John Salmons away, only to trade back for him a couple of years later. And move down in the draft in order to do it. Fredette might be a great shooter, but I don’t see how he helps Sacramento. He’s not going to be a good defender and will do nothing for the chemistry. Keeping the pick and taking Knight or Walker would have been preferable.

HOUSTON: Needs Improvement

14. Marcus Morris
38. Chandler Parsons

Traded Brad Miller, the 23rd pick and a future first rounder for Minnesota’s 20th pick, Donatas Motiejunas, and Jonny Flynn.

Houston’s GM, Daryl Morey, intrigues me. He’s apparently a big advanced stats guy and was initially a guy a lot of Raptor fans wanted to replace Colangelo, but he makes the most head scratching trades. Motiejunas was another on my do not draft list. He doesn’t defend or rebound, but should be able to score a lot, which makes him basically a bigger version of Kevin Martin

Morris is, yet another young, decent power forward to join Houston’s stable of other decent, power forwards. Apparently you can never get enough of them.

Parsons is a typical Rocket small forward. he does a whole lot of things, but none of them really well.

INDIANA: Needs Improvement

Traded their 15th pick, Kawhi Leonard, to the Spurs for George Hill

Don’t the Pacers already have enough PGs who aren’t really PGs? George Hill looked good in the Spurs system, but you need to watch out for those guys, because there’s a good chance he won’t look nearly as good out of it. And while the Pacers already have enough SFs, don’t they know not to trade a draft pick to the Spurs?

NEW ORLEANS: Incomplete

Traded completely out of the draft by trading the 45th pick, Josh Harrellson, to the Knicks for cash.

Like my offseason grades, I’m going to look at each team and look at what they did as a whole, starting with the Raptors…

TORONTO: Incomplete

- James Johnson for Heat’s 2011 First Round Pick

For the Raptors, they didn’t make a big splash, but they did make one trade. Miami’s first round pick in the upcoming draft for James Johnson. To be honest, I was not a fan of Johnson coming out of Wake Forest. It didn’t instil me with confidence when both his name and Earl Clark’s were both mentioned as possibilities for the 9th pick that was eventually used to pick DeMar DeRozan. Both Johnson and Clark had fatal flaws that I turn me right off prospects. Things like “Low Basketball IQ”, or “Lack of Defensive Fundamentals” or worst of all, “Lack of Focus”. The “focus” issue is something that scares me off more than anything. This is actually something I’m going to discuss in a later post, but suffice is to say, I wasn’t a James Johnson fan.

Now, I’m giving Toronto an incomplete grade on this for a couple of reasons. The first is that no one really knows what kind of player James Johnson is. Yes, I know he played well in his Raptor debut against his old team, the Bulls, but that was one game. Let’s see how he does for the remaining 24 before we make any judgements.

The other reason they get an incomplete is because we really don’t know whether this draft is going to be as bad as people seem to think it is going to be. And that’s not just the players, but the value of the draft picks. Right now, it seems draft picks for the upcoming draft are being given away like Carmelo Anthony Nugget jerseys. Personally, I would have liked to see if the Heat pick could have been packaged to move up in the draft, or to try and draft a sleeper. Still, I don’t dislike the trade because the Heat’s pick looks like it’s going to be around 27, and the chances of finding a quality player that far down is extremely slim, especially if this draft is as bad as people say.

I’ll say this, if Johnson continues to play like he did in his debut, then this trade is a home run. He showed everything the Raptors lack, and he’ll be given every chance.

OKLAHOMA CITY: Exceeds Expectations

- Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson for Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic

- Nazr Mohommed for Morris Peterson and D.J. White

This past summer, I gave the Thunder a “Meets Expectations” grade because, while they made some good moves, they failed to fill the hole in the middle. With the only good defensive player in the middle being Serge Ibaka, and Cole Aldrich looking like a potential bust, the Thunder desperately needed another good big man. I suggested, before the New Year, trading Jeff Green, Aldrich and a 1st round pick to Cleveland for Anderson Varejao, but Varejao’s season ending injury pretty much killed that possibility. Instead of Varejao, they went out and got Kendrick Perkins.

Am I the only one who thinks this might shift the balance of power in the West?

Oklahoma’s biggest weakness this year has been their defense. They can score, but with Green and Krstic as their starting front court, they had trouble stopping people.

Now they have one of the best defensive centers in the league, in Perkins, and one of the best up and coming defensive big men in the league, in Ibaka. While they still lack a true low post scoring threat, a fact that might haunt them come the playoffs, this could be the move that launches them from pretender to true contender. Especially in the West where San Antonio and the Lakers are the two teams you have to go through. Now oklahoma can match their size.

And then they grabbed Nazr Mohammed as Perkins’ backup. Yes, Nazr is vastly overpaid, but it’s expiring, so it doesn’t matter.

The only question is whether or not Perkins is healthy. If he is, then Oklahoma made out the best of anyone.

DENVER: Exceeds Expectations

- Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Timofey Mozgov, Kosta Koufos, Knicks first-round pick (2014 or later) and the Warriors’ second-round picks in 2012 and 2013 for Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Renaldo Balkman and Anthony Carter

I already discussed this deal, but I’ll just say that with their back against the wall and everyone knowing where Carmelo would eventually go, Denver did very well. I thought they had secured 2 first round picks, but apparently not. Still staying out of this year’s draft probably isn’t such a bad thing. They got some nice young talent they can eventually flip for something, or try and develop themselves. Either way, they’ve got a lot of choices, now. And they’ll probably still compete for a playoff spot with the talent they have.

NEW JERSEY: Exceeds Expectations

- Deron Williams for Devin Harris, Derrick Favors and two 2011 first-round picks

- Brandan Wright and Dan Gadzuric for Troy Murphy and Net’s 2112 second-round pick

No deal has ever surprised me like Deron Williams going to the Nets. In this day and age, where everyone seems to know everything, that one came out of left field. And without any warning. Personally, I think Deron might be a better player than Anthony, but either way, I think he’s going to help the team more than Anthony ever could. He makes his teammates better and should be able to attract some talent to the Nets, something they failed to do this past summer.

Getting Williams was certainly a risk. Favors could blow up to be a great player and they gave up their lottery pick in the upcoming draft, which apparently has no protection, plus Golden State’s protected pick next year. Plus, Williams might just leave in a year and a half. But I doubt it.

And getting something for Troy Murphy was pretty good. Wright can’t seem to stay healthy, but there was a time when he held a lot of promise. New Jersey can afford to gamble on him.

HOUSTON: Exceeds Expectations

- Hasheem Thabeet, DeMarre Carroll and Memphis’ first-round pick for Shane Battier and Ishmael Smith

- Goran Dragic and Phoenix’s protected first-round pick for Aaron Brooks

I’ve been a fan of Battier since his days at Duke, and would love him to eventually go to a real contender, where he deserves, but Houston was not going to make the playoffs, and he probably wasn’t going to return as a free agent this summer. Getting a project like Thabeet is a low risk gamble that could pay off big, especially if he fulfills the expectations that made him a 2nd pick.

Brooks, on the other hand, is the type of PG I dislike. He’s a shoot first PG that makes his teammates grumble with his shot selection and unwillingness to pass. Yes, he can score, but I like my PGs to make everyone else better, and Brooks doesn’t do that.

Plus, they got a couple of first round picks. Not a bad days work.

PORTLAND: Meets Expectations

- Gerald Wallace for Joel Przybilla, Dante Cunningham, Sean Marks and two first-round draft picks

Portland got exceptionally better, and gave up very little. Wallace can play PF and give them a small lineup that can still rebound, or play SF and give them a big lineup. With Roy still a question mark, getting a guy like Wallace, who can score, rebound and defend, was important. Plus, he’s only 28 despite being the league 9 years.

CLIPPERS: Meets Expectations

- Mo Williams and Jamario Moon for Baron Davis and the Clipper’s 2011 first-round pick

Another surprise, since Baron Davis had been playing fairly well recently. Of course, the smart GM would use that opportunity to trade him. Who knew the Clippers had a smart GM?

One of the worst things the Clippers have done in the last decade (and there’s been a lot to choose from) might have been giving Davis that huge contract. In 11 seasons in the NBA, Davis has had exactly one exceptional season where he was completely healthy. The season before the Clippers signed him away from Golden State.

I’ve never been a fan of Mo Williams but if it’s a choice between him for 3 more years at $8.5 million and Baron Davis for 3 more years at $14 million, I’m going to choose Mo every time. And while giving up a lottery pick might seem like a steep price to get rid of Davis, the last thing the Clippers need right now is another young player, and no one’s liking the look of this draft, so it might end up being worthless, anyway.

ATLANTA: Meets Expectations

- Kirk Hinrich and Hilton Armstrong for Mike Bibby, Maurice Evans, Jordan Crawford and Atlanta’s 2011 first-round pick

I thought trading for Bibby a few years ago was fantastic for the Hawks. They desperately needed a veteran PG and Bibby had been in the playoff trenches. But he’s not the player he once was, and his defense is now pretty much non existent. Hinrich is a massive upgrade, and is an excellent defense. Plus, like Bibby, he doesn’t need the ball to be effective, which is important playing next to Joe Johnson.

NEW YORK: Meets Expectations

- Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups,Shelden Williams, Renaldo Balkman and Anthony Carter for Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Timofey Mozgov, Kosta Koufos, Knicks first-round pick (2014 or later) and the Warriors’ second-round picks in 2012 and 2013

As I said, I already discussed this deal, and New York obviously came out of the trade with the best player, but I’m not convinced New York is ever going to be a serious contender with Anthony and Amare.

NEW ORLEANS: Meets Expectations

- Carl Landry for Marcus Thornton

I’m not a big fan of either of these guys, but Thornton wasn’t getting any time because he apparently doesn’t play defense, and New Orleans is sorely lacking inside scoring. Enter Landry, who doesn’t rebound and isn’t a great defender, but can score inside.

CHICAGO: Meets Expectations

- Miami’s 2011 first-round pick for James Johnson

Johnson was obviously not going to break into the Bulls’ lineup, so getting a first round pick was probably the best thing they could have done.

MEMPHIS: Approaching Expectations

- Shane Battier and Ishmael Smith for Hasheem Thabeet, DeMarre Carroll and Memphis’ first-round pick

Giving up Thabeet and a first-round pick was a big gamble for a player who might not eve re-sign with Memphis this summer, but Battier is exactly the type of player they need. A steady, smart veteran who doesn’t need the ball to be effective and who knows how to win. Memphis obviously hopes he’ll rub off on everyone else on the team.

I still think they should have traded Zach Randolph while his stock was so high.

BOSTON: Approaching Expectations

- Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic for Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson

- Sacramento’s second-round pick for Marquis Daniels

- Cleveland’s second-round pick for Semih Erden and Luke Harangody

When Kendrick Perkins got injured a couple of seasons ago in the playoffs, it cost the Celtics the title. He might be one of the best centers in the league at defending Dwight Howard. Trading away a very good defensive center in his prime is a huge, huge risk. One I think might come back to haunt the Celtics.

I like Jeff Green, and I think not being forced to play PF will do him a world of good, and I think he’s a very good defender at the SF position, but basically the Celtics gave up a starter for a bench player. They are going to have to rely on Shaq a lot more at center, and this quote from Doc Rivers doesn’t do a lot for me: ”Shaq’s a key component of this,” said Rivers. “We need to get Shaq healthy and Shaq will be healthy. If Shaq plays great, this deal was actually really good for us. That’s on Shaq. We have to get Shaq in great shape, get him ready, get him healthy. He’s really going to be important for us in the playoffs.”

Plus, the Celtics are going to have two players (Shaq and Rondo) who can’t hit free throws. You don’t think that might hurt them?

SACRAMENTO: Approaching Expectations

- Marcus Thornton for Carl Landry

- Marquis Daniels for a second-round pick

I’m not quite sure why Sacramento would want Thornton or Daniels, since they already have Evans Casspi and Garcia, but I guess they didn’t give up much, so why not.

MINNESOTA: Approaching Expectations

- Anthony Randolph and Eddy Curry for Corey Brewer

Yes, Minnesota is acquiring assets, but Corey Brewer is more productive than Anthony Randolph, and Minnesota agreed to take on Eddy Curry to get him. Randolph better end up panning out.

WASHINGTON: Approaching Expectations

- Mike Bibby, Maurice Evans, Jordan Crawford and Atlanta’s 2011 first-round pick for Kirk Hinrich and Hilton Armstrong

I find it hard to believe that the best Washington could have gotten for Hinrich was Mike Bibby and another year of his contract and a late first-round pick in a bad draft. It’s not bad, but I wouldn’t say it was good, either.

CLEVELAND: WHY??????

- Baron Davis  and the Clippers 2011 first-round pick for Mo Williams and Jamario Moon

- Semih Erden and Luke Harangody for a second-round pick

I can understand wanting to get the Clippers first round pick (probably a top 10 pick), but is it really worth taking on Baron Davis when you couldn’t even get rid of Antoine Jamison and his awful contract?

PHOENIX: Your Kid Is A Moron

- Aaron Brooks for Goran Dragic and Phoenix’s protected first-round pick

I have absolutely no idea what Phoenix is doing. Brooks is a brutal PG because he can’t pass, so he’s the anti-Nash. And they gave up a first round pick when they should be collecting them.

UTAH: Incomplete

- Devin Harris, Derrick Favors and two 2011 first-round picks for Deron Williams

As I previously said, this trade came out of nowhere, and I’m not quite sure how I feel about it from Utah’s perspective. If Williams was indeed on his way out of town, as some have said, then trading him now was a fantastic idea. And getting what they did for him was very good. Personally, I liked the Nets offer for Carmelo better than the Knicks, and the Jazz ended up getting it.

This whole saga has been more than a little distasteful to watch. I mean, couldn’t this whole thing have been consummated months ago and saved everyone the constant distractions? You have to be especially sympathetic for Denver fans who have had to basically wait through a lost season.

So how did each team do?

NEW YORK

Apparently this was a deal pushed through by everyone BUT Donnie Walsh. And I’m not surprised. I have too much respect for Donnie Walsh to believe he’d agree to this deal.

Now, Carmelo is obviously an incredibly talented player and if you can get a player of Carmelo’s talent level, you certainly go for it. He and Kevin Durant are probably the two best scorers in the league right now. Unfortunately, scoring is pretty much all Carmelo gives you. And he’s not really incredibly efficient at it. He’s a mediocre defender, at best, and he simply doesn’t make those around him better. Remember that, before Chauncey Billups joined him, he could never get out of the first round.

Simply put, he’s pretty overrated.

And now he’s New York beside one of the most overrated big men in the league. A guy who is a mediocre defender, at best, and whose best attribute is scoring.

See where I’m going with this?

A team built around Carmelo and Amare is always going to compete, sure, but the second round is going to be their ceiling unless there is a sudden dearth of quality teams in the East.

And they gave up a whole lot to get him.

Now the deal isn’t a total loss. With Raymond Felton they couldn’t have sold higher. He was playing at a near All-Star level the first couple of months, but has trailed off recently. He was never the long term solution, but they picked him up for nothing and traded him at his peak.

And Corey Brewer might finally fulfill some of the expectations he had coming into the league. He’s got the ability to be a first rate defender and on this team, that’s sorely needed. Away from Minnesota, I think he’ll thrive.

Billups is not the same player that led Detroit to (at least) the Conference Finals for 6 years straight (!!).  He’s 34, is in his 14th year and is no longer much of a defender. He’s still an excellent player, mind you, and is dearly needed for this team, but like Raymond Felton, he’s simply a placeholder until someone better comes along (Chris Paul or Deron Williams).

They lost quite a few good players, but the biggest problem I have with this deal is that it gives New York a flawed foundation. I think you can win with Carmelo, but not if you pair him with Amare, who basically has the same strengths and weaknesses.

Plus, they did give up a crapload of depth. Young depth.

C+

DENVER

Denver GM, Masai Ujiri, obviously learned first hand, working for the Raptors, how devastating it can be to lose your franchise player for very little. They were pretty much backed into a corner, and still managed to get very good young talent, a draft pick and cap room. You couldn’t ask for more.

Danilo Gallinari is a great shooter and might one day end up being a top 10-15 scorer, given the right circumstances. And while he’s the key to this deal, he’s not the only good, young player. Chandler and Felton are fine players, but I wouldn’t be surprised if neither one was on the roster at this time next season. Timofey Mozgov is an intriguing big man, but he’s apparently on his way to New Jersey for draft picks.

Overall, Denver did an excellent job of turning a disgruntled player who was going to leave anyway, into lots of assets to rebuild quickly.

A-

MINNESOTA

Using their cap space, GM David Kahn continued his ongoing pursuit of as many young castoffs with potential as possible by acquiring Anthony Randolph for simply agreeing to take on Eddy Curry’s contract. This may be Randolph’s last chance to show he’s got something. Although I’m not quite sure where he’ll get minutes or shots playing alongside Michael Beasley and Kevin Love.

B+

—

Now, I know a lot of Raptor fans will say this deal is what Bryan Colangelo should have done, but the situation was not the same. Bosh never gave the same signals that Carmelo did, so Colangelo always felt he would have a good chance to re-sign Bosh if he could make Toronto a winner. Whether or not that was true is not the point. The point is that you don’t trade away a top 15 player on the off chance he might leave if you think there’s a good chance he’ll stay.

And while Denver made off like bandits in this trade, in the long run, I’m not sure they’re really all that better off than the Raptors. Gallinari is talented, but he’s not good enough to lead Denver anywhere, and there’s a real danger that Denver simply kept it’s head above water with this trade. The last thing you want to see is a team simply trying to stay competitive at the cost of really building a contender.

—

Sure, DeMar DeRozan was probably robbed in the Slam Dunk contest, but I found it really hard to care all that much about it. I remember when All-Star Weekend was one of the highlights of the year. I don’t know if it’s simply because I’m older, but I find I’m let down every single year. And this year might have been the capper.

It could have been the f**king ugly “magenta” carpet or the fact that the NBA seemed to care more about showing how many famous stars “watch” the NBA, but even beyond all that (or maybe because of that), All-Star Weekend is all about style over substance. If I have to see one more shot of some narcissistic, egomaniacal “star” wearing his sunglasses inside because he thinks it looks cool and doesn’t realize he looks like a douche, I’m going to throw a basketball at the screen.

And the slam dunk contest was the epitome of  everything that was wrong with All-Star Weekend. It was supposed to be a coming out party for Blake Griffin and that’s exactly what we saw. Whether it was warranted or not.

One reason I would have liked to see DeMar win was because he was the only player that didn’t have some sort of cheesy gimmick. Sure, naming the dunks was something, but that was nothing compared to bringing out a car and dunking over the hood. Was it really all that great a dunk?

Maybe it’s the old school player in me, but I’d love to get rid of all the gimmicks and see guys just try and dunk the ball.

I miss the days when the All-Star game was actually about basketball, and not about everything else BUT basketball.

In his first couple of seasons, Hibbert did show some promise, but his he simply couldn’t keep up with the pace of the NBA enough to be anything more than a limited roll player. And then Indiana did some extensive testing to discover Hibbert has athlete induced asthma, and Hibbert lost, what looks like, about 20 or 30 pounds. The difference has been amazing. This year, Hibbert’s averaging nearly 30 mpg (and it would be more if he didn’t play limited minutes in so many blowouts), scoring 15.5 ppg, grabbing 8.6 rpg, blocking 1.9 bpg and dishing out 3.2 apg- good for 3rd on the team. Plus he’s playing very good defense. In other words, he’s a legit All-Star candidate, especially since Indiana is one of the better teams in the East this year, especially recently.

But this post is supposed to be about the Raptors, here is my analysis of the first 21 games of the season for the team. Tomorrow (or more likely a few days from now) I’ll discuss each player individually.

RAPTORS:

Last year after 21 games the Raptors were 8-13 and fans were wondering whether the investments they had made in Hedo Turkoglu and Jarrett Jack were big mistakes and some were starting to call for Chris Bosh to be traded before he left on his own.

With both Turkoglu and Jack both traded away, and Bosh plying his trade in Miami, this year’s Raptor squad has exactly the same record as last season after 21 games: 8-13. But make no mistake about it, this team is nothing like last year’s.

This year’s team is faster and more athletic. They run more (scoring 6 more fastbreak points than last year), leading the league so far, but score less. The also share the ball less than last year and shoot a much lower percentage, despite the number of fastbreak points. In other words, if they don’t score on the break, they have much more trouble scoring. Last year, while Bosh could be a bit of a ball stopper, and Turkoglu could be well, underwhelming, both of them helped the team score in the half court, especially Bosh.

This season, the Raptors simply don’t have anyone they can give the ball in the half court to and ask to create something. Bargnani is the team’s leading scorer, but is not consistent enough and still doesn’t create enough on his own to be able to dump him the ball and be asked to score. Barbosa is probably the player best equipped to fill that roll, and has on occasion, but he’s also just as likely to lower his head and drive 1 on 3, taking a bad shot in the process.

While the team is scoring less, and having a little more trouble doing it, the scoring is a little more balanced. There are 8 current players (not including Peja) who are averaging at least 9 ppg compared to just 5 last season. Yes, Bargnani is averaging 8 ppg more than then next Raptor, but Bargnani doesn’t dominate the ball as much as Bosh did, so it’s in the hands of the other players more.

Amazingly enough, the Raptors are actually getting to the line at a higher rate, this season, despite losing Bosh’s nearly 10 FTA per game. Like scoring, it’s a more balanced approach, with no one dominating at the line. DeMar DeRozan leads the team with 4.9 FTA per game.

Of course, this more democratic approach doesn’t  extend to passing the ball, as I mentioned. When the team does pass the ball, they play well and usually win. But they are in the bottom third in the league in assists, which is not surprising considering only 3 Raptors average more than 1.7 apg.

So while the team isn’t as good offensively as last season, they are better defensively and on the boards.

Bosh was a very good rebounder last year, but between Reggie Evans, Amir Johnson and now Ed Davis, the Raptors have made up for his absence. All three players are, at least, as good rebounders as Bosh was. The problem is, outside of those three (not counting Joey Dorsey) the Raptors are still a poor rebounding team. Without Reggie, the Raptors have lost more battles on the boards than they have won. Bargnani still rebounds like a SG and Weems and DeRozan don’t rebound as well as you’d think two sickeningly athletic players should. And while Kleiza rebounds decently for a SF, he’s been playing a lot of PF since Evans was injured, and doesn’t measure up there. In fact, the only player, outside of the PF position, that rebounds at a good rate for his position is Jerryd Bayless. Per game, he’s 6th on the team, and per minute is behind only Evans, Dorsey, Amir and Evans- yes, he rebounds at a higher rate than Bargnani.

So while the Raptors are one of the better rebounding teams in the league, and are much improved over last year, there are still areas of concern on the boards. Good teams generally don’t let one or two players do all their rebounding, so improvement have to be made.

While the Raptors appear to be much better defensively this season, the numbers suggest that is not entirely true. They allow 2 fewer ppg, but they score less. And they actually allow teams to shoot approximately the same percentage as last year. In both those stats Toronto is near the bottom of the league.

Of course, there are numerous ways to look at how a team defends, and this year their defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possession) has gone from 113.2 (30th in the league) last year to a comparatively stingy 109.5 (21st in the league). So obviously some improvements have been made.

It’s not necessarily that the outgoing players were worse defensively than their replacements (although they were), but the defensive strategy seems to be better, thanks probably in large part to PJ Carlesimo. Former Raptor assistant coach, Marc Iavaroni, had a reputation as a good defensive coach, but despite being a good defensive player, the teams he’s coached on have not been good defensive teams. In fact, Phoenix, Memphis and Toronto all became better defensive teams AFTER he left, and the Clippers appear to be worse defensively, this year. It’s hard to call all of that a coincidence.

The Raptors are actually better defensively now than they were just a couple of weeks ago thanks to the Jack-Bayless trade and the addition of Ed Davis. Both Davis and Bayless are above average defenders, and give the Raptors an interior and perimeter defensive presence they have lacked in the past. When Davis and Bayless are on the court with Amir Johnson, the Raptors are formidable defensively. And not one of them is over the age of 23 years. If 23 year old Julian Wright can get some minutes, the Raptors could put a good defensive team on the floor for the first time in a long time.

While the team is not as good offensively, and still has a few rebounding issues without Reggie, they are a much younger team with simply more long term potential than the one that took the floor last season. Outside of Reggie Evans, only 2 players on the Raptors rotation is over the age of 26, and that’s Calderon (29) and Barbosa (28). While that’s going to hurt them in the win column this season, it’s going to pay off in the long term.

They’re currently on pace to win 31 games, but I doubt they win that many by season’s end. Either way, I think making the playoffs, as some fans are talking about, while winning in the low 30′s hurts more than it helps a team like the Raptors. Colangelo has said that wins are not nearly as important as the development of the players, this year, and I couldn’t agree more. So, unlike last years squad, which was built to compete immediately, this year’s team shouldn’t be judged on it’s win total. And I like what I’ve seen so far.

—

So tonight the Raptors play New York, for the third time this season, and only a few days after a loss at the ACC Centre. The Knicks are red hot, having won their last 5, and 9 of their last 10. Amare Stoudemire is playing MVP calibre ball and Raymond Felton is at least putting up All Star level stats. And much like every other game the Raptors play, it’s incredibly difficult to predict how they will do, so I won’t.

Speaking of the Knicks, what the hell has happened to Anthony Randolph? When he was traded to the Knicks, many, including myself, thought it might be a good chance to finally have a chance to show his stuff. Unfortunately, in the games he’s played, he’s looked lost and has gotten a DNP-CD in 11 of his last 15 games. While it’s difficult to judge a player who is still so young and has played so little in 2+ years, it’s starting to look like Randolph might never fulfill the potential that caused Golden State to make him a lottery pick.

On the other end of the spectrum, Landry Fields gives many Raptor fans unrealistic expectations for the type of player that can be drafted with a 2nd round pick. Fields lasted until the 39th pick before the Knicks drafted him (and was booed by Knicks fans) behind such notable 2nd round picks as Dexter Pittman, Terrico White, Darington Hobson and Canada’s very own Andy Rautins, who was drafted one spot ahead of Fields, yet languishes on the bench. At least Rautins is collecting an NBA paycheque, though. The other players didn’t even make their team’s roster, which shows how much of a crapshoot the 2nd round is.

Speaking of players coming out of nowhere, Wesley Matthews, who is the player I heavily criticized Utah for letting go to Portland, is currently tearing it up. This undrafted players is averaging nearly 20 ppg in his last ten, after taking the starting SF position from Ncolas Batum, while playing excellent defense.

What has been talked about most about both Fields and Matthews is their high basketball IQ. It’s almost as if their high basketball IQ has made them the valuable players they have become despite neither of them having all that much “upside” coming out of college.  Weird, huh?