Top 10 Star Players Who Accepted A Back-up Role

R.S. De France is a College and University instructor of English Composition. He has a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Rhetoric, Composition, and Writing. One of his life-long pursuits has been writing and covering anything related to sports, specifically the NBA. Recently, De France, his wife, and another colleague started an internationally read magazine at Shwibly.com.

A report from Dime Magazine has rumors swirling that Allen Iverson may soon join the Charlotte Bobcats, a move that should be mutually beneficial. The Bobcats need a leading man and scorer, their current leading scorer being Gerald Wallace at 16.6 ppg. Allen Iverson has made it clear he only wants to play where he can start and score and be the man. And who knows, this might just be enough to push to Bobcats over the edge and into one of the last playoff spots.

But, this does nothing for the growth of Allen Iverson as a player. After a couple failed experiments where A.I. tried to defer to others, in Denver to Carmelo Anthony and in Detroit to Michael Curry’s system, Iverson seems on the verge of once again being the number one option if he moves to Larry Brown’s Bobcats. This is not a done deal, but the organization told the Charlotte Observer that the deal will be signed within a week. If signed, this will, on one hand, make the Bobcats better, but, on the other, permanently halt the growth of Iverson as a player. This should let him revert back to his old ways of shooting a low percentage just to get his Hall of Fame-type numbers—his 27.1 points per game (ppg) average is fifth all-time. Shades of early Kobe Bryant, except Kobe evolved. And alas, what could have been in Miami with Iverson, Wade, O’Neil, and company.

Iverson will never be as great as any of his contemporaries who have evolved their games, with age and experience, and put themselves in position to win an NBA Championship, something Iverson apparently has no interest in doing. Here are the top ten NBA players who made the successful switch from a #1 option to a backup role:

10. Reggie Miller: Miller is a UCLA product, one of the best 3 point shooters in NBA history, and an Olympic Gold Medal winner in 1996. On the NBA franchise he helped establish, Miller shared the spotlight and even deferred to Jalen Rose when he arrived in 1999. Miller and Rose led the Pacers to their first birth in the NBA Finals.

Career 20.6 ppg
1999-2000 18.1 ppg

Result: NBA FINALS

9. Alonzo Mourning: Mourning was a staple of this franchise, and was its best known player before the drafting of Dwayne Wade. A threatening defender, rebounder, and dunker, Mourning was also a member of the 1996 Olympic Gold team. After bouncing around the league upon returning from a kidney transplant, Mourning returned home to Miami as a back up to Shaquille O’Neil and Dwyane Wade on their way to the NBA Championship in 2006.

Career 17.1 ppg 2.8 bpg
2005-2006 7.8 ppg 2.7 bpg

Result: NBA FINALS

8. Jerry Stackhouse: Leading the league in scoring as a member of the Detroit Pistons in 2000-2001 with 29.8 ppg, Stackhouse was hampered by a knee injury the next few years, finally ending up playing a sixth man role on Nowitzki’s Dallas Mavericks. It’s not all bad for Stackhouse, though. He played a key role on this team when they made their infamous 2006 run to the NBA Finals.

Career 18.4 ppg
2005-2006 13 ppg

Result: NBA FINALS

7. Gary Payton: After appearing in the NBA Finals in ’04 with a talented, yet volatile Los Angeles Lakers team, which featured Malone, Bryant and O’Neil, Payton was traded to the Boston Celtics. In 2006, Payton signed with the Miami Heat where, behind Wade, he would find redemption for his two NBA Finals losses (Los Angeles in ‘04, Seattle in ’96). Payton hit some clutch shots and his veteran experience helped Miami get through some tough spots in that run.

Career 16.3 ppg 6.7 apg
2005-2006 7.7 ppg 3.2 apg

Result: NBA TITLE

6. Karl Malone: Utah’s iron man united with John Stockton to lead the Jazz to two straight NBA Finals appearances. After eighteen solid and injury-free seasons, Malone left for the Los Angeles Lakers for the ’03-’04 season. Although they made it to the NBA Finals, for Malone’s third loss, a Malone injury prevented him from helping the Lakers further.

Career 25.0 ppg 10.1 rpg
2003-2004 13.2 ppg 8.7 rpg

Result: NBA FINALS

5. Ray Allen: one of the best three point shooters of all-time and beloved player in Seattle, Allen left the losing Supersonics for the Boston Celtics the same summer when they signed Kevin Garnett. With Paul Pierce still at the helm, Garnett and Allen relegated themselves to supporting roles for the betterment of themselves, their careers, and the team, resulting in the NBA Championship in 2008.

Career 20.9 ppg
2007-2008 17.4 ppg

Result: NBA TITLE

4. Lamar Odom: Odom played the leading man for the Los Angeles Clippers until he was traded to the Miami Heat. Traded for Shaquille O’Neil, Odom returned to L.A. where he would be the number two man behind Kobe Bryant. After playing several seasons behind Bryant, ’08 presented Odom with a new challenge—coming off the bench for the first time in his career. Not only did Odom accept this role, he grew into it and ended up succeeding, either from the bench when Andrew Bynum was healthy, or as a starter when he was injured. This most versatile of players has demonstrated that he can deal with a variety of situations.

Career 15.1 ppg
2008-2009 11.3 ppg

Result: NBA TITLE

3. Rasheed Wallace: Once the Portland Trailblazers’ short era of challenging the Los Angeles Lakers for the Western Conference was finished, the Blazers sent their leading scorer Wallace to the Detroit Pistons in the ’03-’04 season. No longer number one, Wallace backed up Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups. The addition of Wallace helped these Pistons go on to win the NBA Finals that season.

Career 15 ppg
2003-2004 13.7 ppg

Result: NBA TITLE

2. Pau Gasol: Gasol was the leader of the 2006 FIBA World Championship Spanish team. Since coming into the league, Gasol had led the floundering Memphis Grizzlies in points and rebounds. However, like Garnett the year before, Gasol was sent to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he would be a fitting number two to Bryant. Since acquiring Gasol, the Lakers have made two trips to the NBA Finals, winning in 2009.

Career 18.8 ppg
2008-2009 18.9 ppg

Result: NBA TITLE

1. Shaquille O’Neil: One of the most dominating physical presences in the league since Wilt Chamberlain, O’Neil entered the league dominating opponents, breaking backboards and destroying baskets. In Orlando and Los Angeles, O’Neil was the feature, he stole the show. He helped the Magic to their first Finals birth and then, with Kobe Bryant, led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA Championships. As his physical dominance began to decline, he was traded to the Miami Heat, where he would be the number two option to budding superstar Dwayne Wade on their way to the 2006 title.

Career 24.7 ppg 11.2 rpg
2005-2006 20.0 ppg 9.2 rpg

Result: NBA TITLE

One player who won’t win a title and, will probably never be on this list: Allen Iverson.

Honorable Mention
Jason Kidd

All-time
Wilt Chamberlain
Clyde Drexler
Dikembe Mutombo

Free NBA Swag: Then and Now

August 25, 2009 – By: Bill Zimmerman

Bill Zimmerman is a writer and editor at The Indiana Gazette in western Pennsylvania as well as a freelance writer whose work has appeared in magazines and Web sites such as Sole Collector, Marine Corps Times, Elite Fighter and AllHipHop.com. Bill also won a Pennsylvania Newspaper Association Keystone Press Award in the sports category in 2008. You can view more of his work at BillZim.com.

It looks like I picked the wrong year to hit up NBA teams for free stuff.

Apparently the poor economy hasn’t just affected Wall Street and Main Street, it found it’s weigh to NBA arenas too. In July, Commissioner David Stern announced that fewer than half of the league’s 30 teams were profitable during the 2008-09 season.

Earlier this year, I learned that teams are being a little tight with their cash when I revisited a mission that I once embarked on nearly two decades ago: writing to NBA teams to see what they would give to a fan.

As a youngster in the early ’90s, I acquired “Free Things for Kids,” a cheap lad’s guide to multiple companies, organizations and non-profits that would shell out free swag in response to a letter or a self-addressed stamped envelope. Thinking I would soon be swimming in a sea of free video games, comic books and action figures, I was disappointed to learn that pencils and stickers were the typical offerings.

One section listed the addresses of all the major professional sports teams. I chose a handful of my favorite NBA teams, wrote a quick letter, smacked a saliva-soaked stamp on an envelope and waited for my booty. In every letter I’d aim high, seeking an autograph from an NBA star. Of course, my first correspondence was with the Chicago Bulls, who were fresh off their first championship. I received a team schedule and a bumper sticker. No autograph, but it all came in a snazzy envelope emblazoned with championship insignia. Over the course of a few years, I sent letters to a handful of teams, and acquired a tiny collection of stickers, team photos and other knickknacks. Almost all the teams’ replies came with an entry form for the fan club or an order form for team merchandise. (The stingy Supersonics only sent a merchandise flyer, although it did feature team mascot/hairy freak Sasquatch modeling some of the gear.)

Earlier this year, I dug up the NBA artifacts that I hung on to, and again corresponded with each of those teams through hand-written notes in my best pre-teen scrawl in an effort to see what a team would offer a (fake) young fan in 2009. The results were much more disappointing – although I did nab that elusive autograph. Only two responded, and the Bulls replied more than four months after I wrote my letter. Here are the results of my totally unscientific study into the financial state of the NBA:

TEAM	SWAG THEN	SWAG NOW
Sacramento Kings	Set of four stickers	09-Nothing
Golden State Warriors	Ticket for Round 4 Game 2 of the NBA Championship Finals $26 Sec. 234 Row J Seat 5 Features Chris Webber	09-Autographed photo
Charlotte Hornets	Set of three stickers	09-NO Hornets – Nothing
Washington Bullets	The Sports Authority Bumper sticker	09 – Washington Wizards – Nothing
Atlanta Hawks	8 x 11 sheet of paper with black and white team logo and photocopied autographs including Dominique Wilkins	09-Nothing
Chicago Bulls	1991 World Champions envelope Bumper sticker Merchandise order form	09- Two posters
Seattle Supersonics	Merchandise order form

Top 5 Reasons For and Against the Lakers Repeating – Part Two

Allen Moll is an avid NBA and College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen is a regular columnist for thehoopdoctors.com, Bleacherreport.com, Fanhuddle.com as a NY Knicks and Wizards correspondent, and his own blog, Hoops Haven.

The LA Lakers are a very talented team that made some changes to their roster this offseason in an attempt to repeat as World Champions. They will undoubtedly encounter a few obstacles in order to win their 16th NBA title. While they proved to have unquestioned supreme talent by winning it all last year, this is a new season and they will have to prove themselves against the league’s elite teams once again. Here are a few reasons favoring the Lakers repeating in ’09-’10:

1)They still have Kobe – All due respect to LBJ, but at age 30, Kobe is still the best player in the game. Maybe he didn’t lead the league in scoring or have the most rim rocking dunks but he is the most complete player in the NBA. Now that his defensive arch nemesis, Ron Artest, is on his team, there are very few players who can guard him one on one. He is so confident in his ability to lead that he is an extension of the coaching staff out on the court. There is no other player who I would rather have the ball in there hands with the game on the line. He’s been healthy, playing all 82 reg season games since the start of the ’07-’08 season, and has career averages of 25.1 points, 5.3 rebs, and 4.9 assists.

2)Gasol, Odom, and Bynum in the frontcourt – IF all three are healthy, this could be the best in the league. Bynum and Gasol with the 1st team is intimidating defensively with two 7 footers clogging the lane. Getting Odom back solidifies their 2nd team. Throw Artest into the mix, who can guard some 3′s or 4′s if need be, and the Lakers could be tremendous defensively. Offensively, Gasol(18.9 pts, 9.5reb), Odom(11.3pts,8.2reb), Bynum(14.3pts,8 reb), and Artest(17.1pts, 5.2 reb) are not to shabby.

3)Phil Jackson – No one can argue he is one of the best coaches in history. He has a knack of making players fit into Tex Winter’s triangle offense. Through he power of Zen, he gets even the most volatile NBA odd couples to coexist( see Jordan/Rodman and Kobe/Shaq). Which meditative book can he give to Ron Artest? A career coaching resume of 1040-435(.705) during the regular season, ten NBA titles and a very good chance of an eleventh puts him farther ahead of his contemporaries like Popovich(4 titles) and Riley(5 titles).

4)The addition of Ron-Ron – Losing Ariza and adding Artest was a good move. Jackson and Bryant are a good support system to ensure Artest’s good behavior. When motivated and under control, Ron-Ron is a former Defensive Player of the Year who can lock down an opposing teams’ best player while giving them a viable option on offense. When not in control………..flagrant fouls, ejections, suspensions, brawls.

5)Derek Fisher’s clutch shooting and veteran leadership – Fisher has been the Lakers most valuable role player by winning 4 titles with the club. Whatever this team needs he does, whether it is a key assist, steal, or a late4th quarter shot, like his two late 3 point shots in regulation and overtime to help win Game 4 of the Finals. Entering his final season of a 3 year deal, Fisher may try to put up numbers for his own reason……………….. getting another contract.

In conclusion, the ’09-’10 LA Lakers could again be the class of the NBA. In my opinion, San Antonio, Denver, and Portland are their only true competiton in the Western Conference. Will Kobe, Gasol, Fisher, and Co repeat as champions or will the NBA’s version of the Tasmanian Devil, Ron Artest, throw off team chemistry and be a distraction?

Summer Contest: Win an Autographed Chris Paul Jersey!

Any Chris Paul Fans in the House? Of course there are, right? CP3 is the best point guard in the game. The Hoop Doctors and Right Guard present the End of Summer 2009 Create-a-Caption Contest, where the winner receives an Authentic Autographed Chris Paul Away Jersey!

First off, The Hoop Doctors want to give a special thanks to Right Guard and Chris Paul for sponsoring the prize for this contest. Right Guard is also running a contest of their own right now where you can enter to win a trip for you and two of your friends to go play ball with Chris Paul himself. If you haven’t already entered that contest, don’t be foolish, get in on that one now because its only open for entry until August 30th. Check out the Right Guard Facebook Page for more details.

Back to our contest for the autographed CP3 jersey. We are gonna roll with another Create-a-Caption contest because they are tons of fun! Like all of The Hoop Doctor’s contests, they are free to enter and winning is easy! Just follow these two easy steps to enter:

1. If you haven’t already done so subscribe to our RSS Feed by either using the button on the top right of our website titled ‘news feed’ or subscribing by email using the email subscription box on the right sidebar titled “ENews & Updates”. All entrants must subscribe to our feed to be eligible to win. Not sure what RSS is? Check out our RSS help page here.(Do not forget to do this simple step, as in many of our previous contests there were a number of great caption entries from people who did not complete this, and they were therefore deemed ineligible for the prize!)

2. View this picture below and let us know what you think a funny caption would be. Use your imagination!! You can either submit your idea for a caption as a comment to this post, or you can email your funny caption to (admin@thehoopdoctors.com). If submitting a comment below, be sure to enter a valid email address that we can reach you at, so we can notify the winner and coordinate prize delivery at the conclusion of the contest. Enter now, don’t wait!

Alright folks, there is only 4 days to enter the contest. So leave your funny caption below. The contest deadline is Friday, August 28, 2009. Check The Hoop Doctors website on Monday, August 31, 2009 for our winner’s announcement.

By entering the sweepstakes you agree to release Sponsor, the NBA Entities, The Hoop Doctors and their respective affiliates and agencies from any and all liabilities for injuries, damages or losses of any kind to in connection with the sweepstakes, prize or any prize-related activity

Lebron Talks to ESPN About Shaq and Cavs Chances in 2009-10

Lebron James is one of the most polarizing figures in professional basketball. This summer has been one filled with ups and downs for Lebron. The ups being told his GM was able to swing a deal to trade for the most dominant Center of the last decade and a half, Shaquille O’Neal. The down I mention is obviously being ‘outed’ for trying to conceal a game tape at his Nike Skills Academy where a college player dunked on him.

So in this most recent interview with ESPN, Lebron talks about the pressures of high school sports, the Cavs chances next year with the Big Fella, and the leadership skills of President Obama.

Thanks go to BallerBlogger for giving us first look at the vid:

Things Will Come Easy for Michael Beasley

Ryan Desmarais is a senior at the University of New Hampshire at Manchester, where he will receive his BA in English in December 2009. Ryan is also a writer at The Bleacher Report and Celtics Town. He currently resides in Manchester, NH.

Every rookie has their struggles while they get acclimated to the NBA game.

Not even the No. 2 pick in the Draft is immune to it.

After his cup of coffee at Kansas State that had every NBA general manager salivating, Michael Beasley went to South Beach with expectations that almost blew the roof off of the American Airlines Arena.

The Heat’s ultimate intention was to put B-Easy alongside Dwyane Wade, creating one of the most intriguing and talented duos that the NBA has seen in years. He was to become the sidekick that Wade had been longing for since Shaq and help bring a title back to Miami.

And while Beasley showed that he could be that guy, his rookie season was full of more inconsistencies and learning experiences than anything else.

The man who averaged over 26 points a game in his only year of college ball had 23 games in which he scored in single digits, including a November game at Phoenix in which he was held scoreless during his 13 minutes of play while missing all five shots he took from the field.

Beasley, who had began the season in the starting lineup, would eventually be replaced as he learned the ins and outs of the NBA game.

But there’s a reason why Michael Beasley was the No. 2 pick in the Draft.

The man’s good.

Really good.

In fact, Beasley might be the best player to come out of the 2008 Draft class.

You don’t have to remind me. I know that Derrick Rose, the man who won Rookie of the Year while leading his team to Game Seven against the defending champs, is in that same class. Trust me, I didn’t forget.

But it’s hard not to see Beasley becoming as good a player as Rose in the future, if not better. He had 16 games in which he scored over 20 points last season, including five straight to close out the regular season. He also recorded eight double-doubles, including a 28-point, 16-rebound performance against the Knicks on April 12.

At 6’9”, Beasley has no problem posting up defenders on the block and using his power to abuse them. It’s what defenders should expect from a big forward.

What make him such a nightmare to defend are the other facets of his game. Beasley possesses a tremendous mid-range stroke that extends beyond the arc. He also has enough speed to get around the majority of the bigs in the league and drive the ball to the rim.

And he’s not even old enough to drink yet. Barring any serious injuries, Beasley should have at least another 15 years or so in the league as he develops into a superstar.

But the biggest plus for Beasley is that he’s playing with a perennial All-Star in Wade. With all of the attention that Wade draws, B-Easy’s going to have opportunities to make plays for his team. There aren’t enough defenders on the floor to double-team both Wade and Beasley, which will leave head coaches scratching their heads when Beasley begins to consistently put up numbers.

And Beasley’s consistent play should come sooner than later.

So should the league-wide praise, All-Star game appearances and, potentially, MVP awards.

Michael Beasley’s that good.

But then again, high draft picks are supposed to be.

Top 5 Reasons For and Against the Lakers Repeating – Part One

Allen Moll is an avid NBA and College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen is a regular columnist for thehoopdoctors.com, Bleacherreport.com, Fanhuddle.com as a NY Knicks and Wizards correspondent, and his own blog, Hoops Haven.

The LA Lakers are a very talented team that made some changes to their roster this offseason in an attempt to repeat as World Champions. They will undoubtedly encounter a few obstacles in their quest to win their 16th NBA title. While they proved to have unquestioned supreme talent by winning it all last year, this is a new season and they will have to prove themselves against the league’s elite teams once again. Here are a few reasons for and against the Lakers in ’09-’10:

Top 5 Reasons for concern:

1) Andrew Bynum’s knees – Can Bynum fulfill his immense potential or be hindered by reoccuring injuries? Before his most recent knee injury last January, he averaged 26.2 pts, 13.8 rebs, and 3.2 blocks. When he returned for the Lakers playoff run he averaged 6.4 pts and 3.7 rebs by playing in only 19 mins/gm because of foul problems. LA will need Bynum at or near full strength to anchor their 1st team defense against likely playoff opponents like Oden, Duncan, O’Neal, and Howard.

2)Kobe’s desire to “Be Like Mike” – We all know Kobe is arguably the most competitive player on the planet. His desire to one day be in the same conversation as MJ, with his 6 NBA titles and 5 MVP awards, may sometimes influence his judgment on the court. I’m sure Phil Jackson would rather have him distribute just a little more within the triangle offense. Also, on the Shaq-Kobe front, each may be trying to be the first to capture title #5.

3)Ron-Ron’s control of his emotions – Artest can be an imposing defensive force. Does he sometimes go to far, in a Rodman sort of way? Yes. While this is both a gift and a curse, a out of control Artest can do more harm than good. His recent comical re-enaction on youtube to “The Brawl” from a few years ago has me worried it could happen again.

4)Pau Gasol’s finger – Gasol, without complications, should resume basketball activities by Sept. 1st. One positive on a negative situation is that the injury is to his non shooting hand. Many LA fans are holding their breath since he plans to rejoin his native Spain in Eurobasket play by Sept. 7th,

5)Who will replace the Zenmaster when and if he retires – Phil Jackson is an impulsive spirit as they come. Jackson himself has had some nagging health issues. Who will succeed Jackson? Kareem? Brian Shaw? And when? Do these rumors creep into the players and coaches minds and attempt to derail “Showtime” in LA? Doubtful, but the rumors have started already.

Please read the Top 5 Reasons the Lakers will Repeat in Part Two tomorrow.

Is Michael Beasley “Supercool”?

When I saw this picture on Reds Army, the Boston Celtics blog, we had to laugh. At first I thought it was an anti-Heat photoshop job. But quickly checking out the source being the Twitter Twitpic account of Beasley himself, I thought to myself, ‘Why you do it to me Beas?’ I’m doing my best to tell the haters you’re not cocky just misunderstood. C’mon now. Supercool Beas? Let’s hope for your sake it’s an inside joke.

Breaking: Allen Iverson to Sign with Charlotte Bobcats

There have been a lot of big names changing locations this summer in the NBA. Shaq to Cleveland, Sheed to Boston, Artest to LA. Aside from possibly Kobe Bryant, is there a more globally recognized name among currently active players than Allen Iverson? The man still hasn’t signed for next season, and it’s all anyone following the sport can talk about. You’re on one side of the fence or the other. You either believe he’s still an all-star caliber talent who needs to play in the right system, or you believe he’s a washed up, has been, scorer with an attitude.

Well, it’s no secret that I agree with my colleague Doc J-Water in believing that Allen Iverson is still a valuable asset to an NBA franchise. He puts butts in seats, and the man is less than a full year off being one of the top offensive talents in this league. The man has a lot left to offer.

Our colleagues over at Dime Magazine are reporting they have an NBA source that has confirmed Allen Iverson has finalized and agreed in principle to contract with the Charlotte Bobcats for next season. The details of the contract have not been released, so we are left to speculate. And speculate we will. The word is that the announcement could come as soon as early next week. But we don’t want to jump the gun, so we won’t give you much analysis of the back story until it is announced officially. Some things racing through my mind initially however….

Allen Iverson reuniting with Larry Brown to possibly put in a final chapter to their roller coaster ride of a HOF Coach/Star Player that has defined their relationship. These two have had some rough times together but they’ve also had some amazing times. NBA Finals, MVPs, COYs, and more.

If this deal does go down. How much sweeter could it be for Allen Iverson than to end his career playing for a boss who was once the man he worked so hard to avoid being measured against. Think about it. Allen Iverson playing for Michael Jordan’s team. Remember the now infamous cross-over by a wet behind the ears budding star in Iverson? How about the statements about ‘not wanting to be like Mike’ early on? Has Allen Iverson finally matured to the point where he can help lead this talented Bobcats roster into the playoffs. Will he accept a diminished role? Does he need to? How will Raymond Felton handle the challenge?

So many questions, so little time. I’m hoping this one gets finalized. I’d love to see it play out. Iverson, Jordan, and Brown in Charlotte. Love it.

Grading the NBA: Frontcourt Edition

Matt graduated from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in May of 2007 majoring in TV Production. Matt is currently a writer at StaticMultimedia.com, TheBleacherReport.com, NationalSportsNation.com, SportsMixed.com, FanFever.com, Filmcatcher.com, 2 Much Swag, and TheHoopDoctors.com. Matt will provide you with insightful wit and an eager eye for sports.

Last week I posted Grading the NBA: Backcourt Edition and many of you commented on the lack of specificity in the grading system, and the difficulty in differentiating between the many teams with a Grade A. This week in grading the NBA frontcourts I also included for you a number scheme to help better distinguish between the team grades. Let me know your thoughts again.

Los Angeles Lakers

C – Andrew Bynum, DJ Mbenga

PF – Pau Gasol, Josh Powell

F – Lamar Odom, Ron Artest, Luke Walton

The Lakers have the best frontcourt in the NBA as it features versatility, youth, experience, and talent. Kobe Bryant is the main reason why the Lakers are the defending champs but their frontcourt is also a major reason why.

Grade A+ (10)

Denver Nuggets

C – Nene, Chris Andersen

PF – Kenyon Martin, Malik Allen

F – Carmelo Anthony, Renaldo Balkman

As I pointed out the Nuggets backcourt is not their strength. The reason why the Nuggets had the best chance to beat LA last season was because their frontcourt matches up better than any other NBA team.

The Nuggets frontcourt is massive, talented, skilled, and the reason why they are one of the best teams in the NBA.

Grade A (9.8)

Washington Wizards

C – Brendan Haywood, JaVale McGee

PF – Antawn Jamison, Andray Blatche, Fabricio Oberto

F – Caron Butler, Mike Miller, Dominic McGuire

A nice combination of youth, experience, and depth will help the Wizards become the surprise team in the NBA next season. They should improve their win total by 25-30 games but this team gave up 103 ppg last season and they will need to improve that number before they are considered a legitimate contender.

Grade A (9.7)

Boston Celtics

PF – Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace, Glen Davis, Shelden Williams

C – Kendrick Perkins

F – Paul Pierce, Bill Walker

The Celtics already had a good frontcourt before Rasheed Wallace signed and he will add to Boston’s frontcourt depth but he may also retard Kendrick Perkins’ growth. If this was five years ago I would say the Celtics are the best team in the NBA but their stars are aging, including Wallace, and Rasheed is coming off a playoffs where he averaged a paltry 6 ppg and 6 rpg. The 24 year old Perkins averaged 12 ppg, 11 rpg, and nearly 3 bpg in last season’s playoffs and might be better than Wallace.

Grade A (9.6)

Toronto Raptors

C – Andrea Bargnani, Rasho Nesterovic, Patrick O’Bryant

PF – Chris Bosh, Reggie Evans, Amir Johnson

F – Hedo Turkoglu, Antoine Wright

The Raptors had a very successful off season and now boast a one of the most skilled frontcourts in the NBA. Although they lack toughness within the starting lineup they added Reggie Evans, Rasho Nesterovic, and Amir Johnson to help their depth and toughness. Bosh, Bargnani, and Turkoglu are making over $30 million combined this season and the Raptors expect to contend in the Atlantic Division in 2010.

Grade A (9.5)

Philadelphia 76ers

C – Samuel Dalembert, Jason Smith, Primoz Brezec

PF – Elton Brand, Marreese Speights

F – Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young, Jason Kapono

The Sixers problems lie within their depleted backcourt and not their very strong frontcourt. Sam Dalembert averaged a double double two seasons ago and according to GM Ed Stefanski Dalembert has looked impressive in off season workouts. Elton Brand struggled in his first season as a Sixer but will look to comeback completely healthy from last season’s shoulder surgery. Andre Iguodala is a Team USA hopeful and the future of the Sixers franchise. Jason Smith, Marreese Speights, and Thaddeus Young all have bright futures in the NBA.

Grade A (9.4)

San Antonio Spurs

C – Tim Duncan, Theo Ratliff

PF – Antonio McDyess, Marcus Haislip, DeJuan Blair, Ian Mahinmi

F – Richard Jefferson, Matt Bonner

Although Tim Duncan has not averaged the 20 and 10 benchmark since 2007 he still remains a premiere NBA player. Last season, at the age of 32, TD averaged 19 ppg, 10 rpg, 3 apg, but for the first time in his career Duncan did not average 2 blocks per game. He is getting up there in age and career minutes, but TD’s game is played below the rim and more importantly between the ears.

The Richard Jefferson acquisition was key since the Spurs were lacking athleticism and depended on Michael Finley and the oft injured Manu Ginobili. In order to contend San Antonio needed another scorer and that is what Jefferson does (22 ppg two seasons ago) among other things (career 5 rpg and 3 apg).

The Spurs added depth to their frontcourt this off season and stole projected lottery pick DeJuan Blair in the second round of the draft.

Grade A- (9.3)

Orlando Magic

C – Dwight Howard, Marcin Gortat

PF – Brandon Bass

F – Rashard Lewis, Ryan Anderson, Matt Barnes

The Magic were busy this off season as they resigned Center Marcin Gortat, traded for Ryan Anderson and signed free agents Brandon Bass and Matt Barnes. All four players should play significant minutes and be in the rotation all season long as the Magic look to repeat as Eastern Conference Champions.

Grade A (9.2)

Cleveland Cavaliers

C – Shaquille O’Neal, Zydrunas Ilgauskas

PF – Anderson Varejao, J.J. Hickson, Darnell Jackson, Leon Powe, Rob Kurz

F – LeBron James, Jamario Moon

The Cavs have an aging yet effective frontcourt and this is the team that is supposed to convince LeBron to stay in Cleveland. Although Shaq is in the latter part of his career he will average close to last season’s totals of 18 ppg and 8 rpg. Zydrunas Ilgauskas (12 ppg and 7 rpg) should see a decrease in minutes and stats but he will provide quality backup minutes for O’Neal and PF Anderson Varejao does the things Shaq and Z do not do (taking charges and defending). Former first round pick PF J.J. Hickson will provide depth along with PF Leon Powe and Jamario Moon is a nice backup for the King.

Grade A (9.1)

Los Angeles Clippers

C – Chris Kaman, Marcus Camby, DeAndre Jordan

PF – Blake Griffin, Craig Smith, Mark Madsen

F – Al Thornton, Rasual Butler

One of the reasons why I like the Clippers so much this year is due to their strong frontcourt. Chris Kaman has battled injuries his entire career but he will look to find his 2008 form when he averaged 16 ppg, 13 rpg, and 3 bpg. Three years ago Marcus Camby was the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year but has struggled recently staying healthy and before last season’s average of 2 bpg, The Camby Man averaged over 3 bpg the last four seasons. If he can stay healthy, Camby will be another reason why I think the Clippers will make the playoffs this season.

Youngsters Blake Griffin and Al Thornton are both fantastic players and along with Guard Eric Gordon and Center DeAndre Jordan, they are the future of the Clippers.

Grade A- (9.15)

Utah Jazz

C – Mehmet Okur, Kosta Koufos, Kyrylo Fesenko, Goran Suton

PF – Carlos Boozer, Paul Millsap

F – Andrei Kirilenko, Matt Harpring

Who knows how long Carlos Boozer will remain in Utah but until he leaves, the Jazz boast a very solid frontcourt. When Boozer leaves town it should be a smooth transition as Paul Millsap is ready to start and consistently contribute. Andrei Kirilenko is making way too much money (two years at $16 million per) but he can still defend at a high level and he is grooming Ronnie Brewer into the next Kobe Killer, if there is such a thing.

Second year player Kosta Koufos should see an increase in minutes next season and plays very similar to Mehmet Okur.

Grade A (9.1)

Dallas Mavericks

C – Erick Dampier

PF – Dirk Nowitzki, Drew Gooden, Kris Humphries, Nathan Jawai

F – Shawn Marion, Josh Howard, Tim Thomas, Shawne Williams

After 11 years Dirk Nowitzki is still a premiere NBA player (25 ppg and 8 rpg last season) and is coming off one of his best scoring seasons since 2006. Shawn Marion was part of a sign and trade with Toronto and he and the Mavs are a near perfect fit since The Matrix thrives in the open court. 2007 All Star Josh Howard struggled with injuries last season and will look to regain his All Star form this season and the Mavs have star power and depth which means they have a quality frontcourt.

Grade A- (9.05)

Charlotte Bobcats

C – Tyson Chandler, DeSagana Diop, Alexis Ajinca

PF – Boris Diaw, Nazr Mohammed

F – Gerald Wallace, Vladimir Radmanovic, Derrick Brown

This off season the ‘Cats exchanged big men with the Hornets and acquired Tyson Chandler. Chandler will help defensively but Charlotte wanted to get rid of the five years and $50 million they still owed Emeka Okafor. Their frontcourt took a small hit with the Okafor trade but Chandler is a quality big man looking for redemption after last year’s injury plagued season.

Gerald Wallace and Chandler are Charlotte’s frontcourt studs and if Boris Diaw can build on last seasons 15 ppg, 6 rpg, and 5 apg the Bobcats will battle for a post season spot.

Grade A- (9.0)

Atlanta Hawks

C – Zaza Pachulia, Randolph Morris

PF – Al Horford, Joe Smith

F – Josh Smith, Marvin Williams

Atlanta’s strength lies within their backcourt but I believe they are a top ten team in the NBA due to their team balance. Al Horford will exceed his career averages of 10 ppg and 9 rpg this season and should become a force on the inside like Atlanta expected him to when they selected him 3rd overall in 2007. Josh Smith is another Team USA hopeful and is an athletic freak but his numbers were down last season due to a couple injuries. Marvin Williams is another talented big man in Atlanta and he recently signed a lucrative long term deal to stay with the Hawks for another five years. He was having a good season last year (14 ppg and a career high 6 rpg) before injuries sidelined him.

Grade A- (9.0)

Indiana Pacers

C – Roy Hibbert, Jeff Foster

PF – Troy Murphy, Tyler Hansbrough, Solomon Jones, Josh McRoberts

F – Danny Granger, Mike Dunleavy, Brandon Rush

Just like their backcourt, I love the Pacers frontcourt because of their depth and 2009 All Star Danny Granger. Two seasons ago Mike Dunleavy started all 82 games and averaged 19 ppg, 5 rpg, and 3.5 apg but is coming off major knee surgery which sidelined him most of last season. If Indiana can get a healthy Dunleavy and match him with Granger, second year stud Brandon Rush, and Troy Murphy (14 ppg and 11 rpg), the Pacers will likely battle for a playoff spot.

Grade B+ (8.9)

Minnesota Timberwolves

C – Al Jefferson, Mark Blount, Ryan Hollins, Oleksiy Pecherov

PF – Kevin Love, Darius Songaila, Brian Cardinal

F – Corey Brewer, Ryan Gomes

The Wolves have the brightest frontcourt in the NBA with Al Jefferson and Kevin Love. Both should average double doubles as early as next season but they are a high flyer away from being an outstanding frontcourt this season.

I wanted them to draft an athletic Small Forward since their team has nary an athlete, but they did the right thing drafting Ricky Rubio. They will likely trade Jonny Flynn when Rubio crosses the border and they should go after a Small Forward with athleticism.

Grade B+ (8.85)

Chicago Bulls

C – Brad Miller, Aaron Gray, Jerome James

PF – Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson

F – Luol Deng, Tyrus Thomas, John Salmons, James Johnson

The Bulls have been rebuilding since 1999 and are still considered a young emerging team but Chicago’s win total should increase with full seasons from Brad Miller and John Salmons. Miller and Joakim Noah seem to compliment each other well and the talented but much maligned Luol Deng needs to step up as he once was the cornerstone of this NBA franchise. Tyrus Thomas is in a contract year and if he finds some consistency an NBA team will lock him up with a lucrative long term deal. The Bulls are still missing and hunting for that scoring big man and look for the Bulls to be in trade talks for Carlos Boozer, Amar’e Stoudemire, and David West.

Grade B+ (8.8)

New Orleans Hornets

C – Emeka Okafor, Hilton Armstrong

PF – David West, Ike Diogu

F – Peja Stojakovic, James Posey, Julian Wright, Morris Peterson

Last season the Hornets frontcourt was hampered by Tyson Chandler’s injuries but they traded him for Emeka Okafor, who is a better player. Okafor, known for being injury prone early in his career, has not missed a game in two years and has averaged a double double for his career.

David West is one of the best Power Forwards in the NBA, and although he has made back to back All Star games, I feel he is under appreciated. He has terrific numbers at 21 ppg and 8 rpg and is only getting better.

James Posey is an over-paid specialist, and both Posey and Peja Stojakovic are going to get minutes over Julian Wright who should start to see at least 20 mpg this season.

Grade B (8.5)

Portland Trailblazers

C – Greg Oden, Joel Przybilla

PF – LaMarcus Aldridge, Dante Cunningham, Jeff Pendergraph

F – Travis Outlaw, Nicolas Batum

This is the year Blazers fans have been waiting for since Shaq slammed their hopes away in that miraculous comeback (sorry Portland). The frontcourt’s growth took a hit when Greg Oden went down with microfracture knee surgery but that does not mean LaMarcus Aldridge was not vastly improving in the mean time. Aldridge will be the next Blazer to be locked up long term and might be ready to average 20 ppg and 10 rpg next season.

Greg Oden needs to stay out of foul trouble and stay on the court if the Blazers want to contend this season. I think this will be another season where Oden struggles and learns but the Blazers will contend for a Western Conference crown in 2011.

Grade B (8.2)

New Jersey Nets

C – Brook Lopez

PF – Yi Jianlian, Josh Boone, Tony Battie, Eduardo Najera, Sean Williams

F – Terrence Williams, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Trenton Hassell, Jarvis Hayes

New Jersey’s frontcourt is immensely talented but still very young. Their frontcourt starts with Team USA hopeful and second year pro Brook Lopez, who put up great rookie numbers last season (13 ppg and 8 rpg). The Nets drafted F Terrence Williams with the 11th overall pick in the 2009 draft and their frontcourt also includes third year pro, 21 year old Yi Jianlian. Jianlian’s NBA career has started inconsistently and his age is disputed but I still have high expectations for the athletic 7 footer. Between those three players, the oldest is the rookie Williams and Josh Boone needs to stay healthy and get more than 16 mpg.

Grade C (7.7)

New York Knicks

C – Eddy Curry, Darko Milicic

PF – David Lee, Jordan Hill, Al Harrington, Jared Jeffries

F – Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari

As bad as the Knicks’ backcourt is they make up for it with their somewhat talented frontcourt. Eddy Curry will see more action (3 games played at 4 mpg), rookie Jordan Hill is a nice prospect, Wilson Chandler will look to improve after last season’s breakout (14 ppg, 5 rpg, 2 apg), and Darko Milicic may surprise this season.

Knicks President Donny Walsh said, “The fact that he’s a skilled, fairly athletic, long big man who can run the floor and can dribble the ball, shoot the ball, pass the ball, he might fit into this system better.”

New York is still trying to sign Mr. Double Double David Lee (16 ppg and 11 rpg) and the Knicks are in deep trouble if they do not sign their best player. New York does not have a first round pick (thanks Isiah) but since the Knicks have good frontcourt prospects (Jordan Hill, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, and hopefully Lee) they grade out fairly well for an awful team.

Grade C (7.5)

Miami Heat

C – Jermaine O’Neal, Jamaal Magloire

PF – Udonis Haslem, Joel Anthony

F – Mike Beasley, Dorell Wright, Jerome James, Yakhouba Diawara

After seven long years, $126 million, and three consecutive dreadful seasons, Jermaine O’Neal’s outrageous contract finally comes to an end this season. Last year O’Neal averaged 13 ppg his lowest since 2001, and 5 rpg his lowest since 2000. Although Jermaine O’Neal’s days of 20 and 10 are over he still remains a defensive presence at 2 bpg.

Mike Beasley really came on strong in April last season (20 ppg and 8 rpg) which is a great sign for Miami. If he can establish himself as D-Wade’s sidekick, Wade may think about staying in Miami but other than Beasley and Udonis Haslem (10 ppg and 8 rpg) the Heat do not have a good frontcourt. The lackluster talent level in Miami remains a big reason why Wade is thinking about leaving after next season.

Grade C (7.2)

Golden State Warriors

C – Andris Biedrins

PF – Ronny Turiaf, Brandan Wright

F – Stephen Jackson, Anthony Randolph, Corey Maggette, Deavean George

Andris Biedrins burst on the scene in 2007 and was rewarded with a $60 million contract in 2008. The 23 year old is the only natural Center on the Warriors and his minutes and production (11 ppg, 11 rpg, 2 apg, 1.5 bpg) will increase next season.

Anthony Randolph is everyone’s favorite sleeper this season but you must remember Don Nelson is in control of playing time and if your name is not Stephen Jackson or Andris Biedrins, playing time is not guaranteed.

Grade C (7.15)

Memphis Grizzlies

C – Marc Gasol, Hasheem Thabeet, Hamed Haddadi, Steven Hunter

PF – Zach Randolph, Darrell Arthur, DeMarre Carroll

F – Rudy Gay, Sam Young

Very quietly Marc Gasol had a strong rookie campaign averaging 12 ppg, 7 rpg, 2 apg, 1 spg, and 1 bpg. Then in a genius move the Girzzlies drafted another Center who will cut into Gasol’s minutes. Rookie Hasheem Thabeet is an enforcer on defense but his offense will not be a factor for five years.

The Grizzlies are led by their cornerstone and potential Team USA member Rudy Gay. Although his numbers dipped last year, the high flying Forward from UCONN will be looking for a max contract next off season and look for Gay to have a monster year this year as the young Grizzlies start to mature.

Grade C (7.1)

Detroit Pistons

C – Chris Wilcox, Ben Wallace, Kwame Brown

PF – Charlie Villanueva, Jason Maxiell, DaJuan Summers

F – Tayshaun Prince, Austin Daye

Offensively Detroit has a deep and somewhat talented frontcourt but nobody can protect the rim as every team needs. Ben Wallace will be counted on as the team’s main interior defender but he has not averaged over 2 bpg since 2007. Chris Wilcox should return to the days of 13 ppg and 7 rpg and free agent acquisition Charlie Villanueva will try his hardest to lead the team in scoring but without a true Center and a lack of defensive presence the Pistons have a mediocre frontcourt.

Grade C- (7.0)

Phoenix Suns

C – Amar’e Stoudemire, Channing Frye

PF – Robin Lopez, Louis Amundson, Jared Dudley ,Taylor Griffin

F – Grant Hill, Earl Clark, Sasha Pavlovic

The Suns will likely trade Amar’e Stoudemire this season as they do not want to lose him to free agency. They should get a king’s ransom for one of the elite players in the NBA and this should be a monster season for STAT as Shaq is gone and Amar’e is in total control of the paint.

Other than Stoudemire the Suns frontcourt is bad although rookie Earl Clark should step in right away and produce. Second year player Robin Lopez lacks skill but will see an increase in minutes and Grant Hill has become a role player at this stage of his career.

Grade D+ (6.9)

Sacramento Kings

C – Spencer Hawes

PF – Jason Thompson, Kenny Thomas, Sean May, Jon Brockman

F – Andres Nocioni, Omri Casspi, Donte Greene

Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson are fantastic big man prospects. Hawes is more of a back to the basket type player and Thompson is a very athletic big man. The two of them are a fantastic combo to build around but other than those two the frontcourt lacks luster.

Andres Nocioni is a role player at best, 21 year old rookie Omri Casspi did not start on his Israeli last season, and Donte Greene is not ready to produce consistently.

Grade D (6.8)

Milwaukee Bucks

C – Andrew Bogut, Francisco Elson, Dan Gadzuric

PF – Kurt Thomas, Hakim Warrick, Luc Mbah a Moute, Ersan Ilyasova

F – Joe Alexander, Walter Sharpe

The Bucks are bad and although Andrew Bogut is a stud he has struggled to stay on the court due to injuries. When healthy the 7 foot Aussie can produce as he averaged a double double last season and is the cornerstone of this franchise. He can score, pass, and rebound but other than Bogut, Milwaukee does not have much else. Joe Alexander struggled in his rookie season but only received 12 mpg but with Richard Jefferson gone, Joe X’s numbers will benefit from an increase in minutes. Alexander might be a sleeper.

Grade D (6.5)

Houston Rockets

C – Yao Ming, David Andersen

PF – Carl Landry, Luis Scola, Chuck Hayes, Brian Cook, Joey Dorsey

F – Trevor Ariza, Shane Battier, Chase Budinger, Brent Barry

Understatement of the year: Houston’s frontcourt will not be the same without Yao Ming.

Without Yao the Rockets have no chance to do anything this season and his Yao’s reign of dominance might be over due to his consistent health problems. His best season was in 2007 when he averaged 25 ppg and 9 rpg, and his scoring numbers have decreased the past two seasons. Yao is expected to miss the entire season and the Houston frontcourt is a near joke without him.

Look for Carl Landry to have a breakout season (15 ppg and 8 rpg is not out of the question) and I have only heard good things about Aussie import David Andersen. Everyone’s favorite role player Trevor Ariza will also have a very nice season and should see a lot of time as the focal point on offense when Tracy McGrady goes down with his perpetual injury.

Grade D (6.3)

Oklahoma City Thunder

C – Nenad Krstic, Etan Thomas, B.J. Mullens

PF – Nick Collison, Serge Ibaka, D.J. White

F – Jeff Green, Thabo Sefolosha

The Thunder’s strength does not lie within their frontcourt but their amazingly talented backcourt. Nobody stands out in the Thunder’s frontcourt other than Jeff Green (17 ppg, 7 rpg, 2 apg, 1 spg) who looks like another potential All Star in OKC.

Former first round picks Serge Ibaka and B.J. Mullens have potential but neither can legally drink alcohol and it will be awhile before they produce on a consistent basis.

Grade D- (6.1)

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