With the upcoming rookie class looking to have a major impact on the 2012/13 season, we at Hoops Rumors are wondering who you think will win Rookie of the Year?
While several teams underwent serious makeovers this summer, one elite team more or less stood pat and instead focused on keeping its successful core in tact. The Thunder re-signed Serge Ibaka to a four-year, $48MM extension and even though they appear to be hard-pressed for financial flexibility, they will now turn their attention to keeping James Harden in Oklahoma City for the long-term.
Some may say that a team that doesn't improve from one year to the next will get left behind, but it's hard to imagine that being the case for the richly-talented and young Thunder. Another year of experience under the belts of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Harden, and Ibaka accounts for more of an upgrade than most clubs could ever hope for. Meanwhile, the Thunder will have to butt heads with improved conference rivals including the Nuggets, Clippers, and of course, the super-charged Lakers. All things considered, how many games do you see the Thunder winning in 2012/13?
Earlier today we pointed out an interesting quote from Chris Bosh, where the forward stated that the Lakers, and not his reigning champion Heat, were the best team “on paper” heading into next season. Is he right?
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is never shy about voicing his opinions, and he had plenty to say yesterday about his team's present, past, and future. Among the topics he discussed was the Mavs' failed pursuit of Deron Williams, who ultimately returned to the Nets. The move was viewed as a major blow to the Mavs' offseason plans, but Cuban insisted yesterday that the team might be in better position without Williams.
"In hindsight, I don’t know if I would have been happy," Cuban said of signing D-Will to a max-salary deal. "I think we’re in better position now then we would’ve been if we’d gotten him…. I don’t want to pick on Deron Williams because he’s a great, great, great, great player, so it’s not necessarily him, per se. Obviously the decision was to go for him. But the conversation was, 'OK, once you take $17.1MM in salary to what we have with Dirk [Nowitzki] and [Shawn Marion], then what do you do?' That’s your squad. And it’s not just your squad for this year, it’s your squad for next year, other than the $3.3MM mini mid-level."
It's easy to react to Cuban's comments by rolling your eyes and accusing him of trying to spin a negative into a positive. Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPNDallas.com was one scribe who wasn't buying what Cuban was selling, arguing that the owner's comments are "a lie at worst and disingeuous at best." Saying that the Mavs are better off without Williams is simply not true, according to Taylor.
I don't think the argument is quite that one-sided though. While it's true that pairing Williams with Nowitzki would have made the Mavericks' 2012/13 roster more dangerous, Dirk's best days are likely behind him. His production figures to decline sometime in the not-so-distant future, and when it does, the huge contracts doled out to Nowitzki and Williams would make it difficult for the team to add complementary pieces around its stars. At least without D-Will, the Mavs were able to maintain future cap flexibility, and could be in play for a maximum-salary player again next summer if they so choose.
So what do you think? Would the Mavs have been better off landing Williams and hoping they had enough pieces around their two stars to contend for a title? Or were they better off acquiring a handful of cheaper players on shorter-term contracts, hoping to stay competitive and flexibile going forward?
Recently, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey showed a bit of public dismay at the haul Orlando pulled in from their Dwight Howard trade. Given that he was after Howard for so long, and a little disappointed at what eventually transpired, it'll be interesting to see which team builds its team up from the bottom quicker: Orlando or Houston.
Both teams are currently gutted, armed with draft picks, cap space, and young players. And both should be in the market to target available free agents in the summers ahead. Which one do you think ends up making the wiser decisions?
After finishing the 2011-12 season with a disappointing 21-45 record, the Hornets look ahead to next year with hopes of making drastic improvements. The team has had a strong offseason thanks to new owner Tom Benson, who has made a strong commitment to making the Hornets as viable as his beloved Saints.
From extending head coach Monty Williams' contract to having a successful draft, the Hornets may be ready to improve upon last year's struggles. The question becomes how many games will the Hornets win next season given the moves they have made during the offseason.
Earlier today, Earl Bloom of the Orange County Register touched on several aspects of the Clippers' offseason. While their summer has certainly been dwarfed by that of their Staples Center co-tenants, the Lakers, who added Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, the Clips have certainly made some significant moves. Which of the Clippers' new acquisitions do you think will have the biggest impact? Vote in the poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments.
Two of next summer's biggest free-agents-to-be changed hands a week ago, with Dwight Howard heading to the Lakers and Andrew Bynum shipped to Philadelphia. Even Andre Iguodala, also a part of the deal, could become a free agent in 2013 if he decides to exercise his early termination option in search of a long-term contract.
Along with Chris Paul, these players figure to be the top potential unrestricted free agents for 2013, since many of the other big names in the class, such as James Harden, Serge Ibaka, Ty Lawson, and Tyreke Evans, will be restricted. We've heard that Paul and Howard are open to remaining long-term with their respective Los Angeles clubs, and, before even playing a single game, Bynum and Iguodala have already talked about sticking with their new teams.
As I outlined when I crunched the numbers on potential new deals for Bynum, Paul, and Howard, there's major incentive for superstar free agents to re-sign with their current clubs to maximize their earnings, so there's a reasonable chance all four players eventually re-up with their current teams. Especially considering the new restrictions on sign-and-trade deals next summer — taxpaying teams like the Nets, Lakers, and Knicks will be unable to acquire free agents via sign-and-trade.
Still, while all four players appear likely to stay put at this point, plenty could go wrong in the next 10+ months, which leads to today's poll question: Which of these four potential free agents do you think is most likely to change teams next summer?
While teams like like the Lakers, Thunder, and Heat dominate offseason headlines as preordained favorites to win the 2012/13 Finals, we ask which team will finish with the league's worst record next year.
Mike Krzewzyski is set to step down as head coach of USA Basketball. He will finish with an all-time record of 62-1. Following the USA's victory over Spain to capture the gold medal in the 2012 London Olympics, people including LeBron James and Doc Rivers weighed in on who should be his successor.
James and Rivers both endorse San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich to succeed Krzewzyski, although Rivers adds that Philadelphia 76ers coach Doug Collins would also be a strong candidate, and that Rivers himself would accept the position if offered to him.
Who do you think should coach Team USA going forward? Should it be Rivers, Popovich, Collins, or someone else? Share your thoughts in the comments.