HOOPLOG: Tim Thomas

A whole new look NBA

Mon, 03 Jul 2006 23:01:57 -0800

Just to recap, here's the moves made in the past 24 hours or so:

The Bulls signed Ben Wallace (and acquired P.J. Brown and one year of his contract for Tyson Chandler's enormously long/overpriced deal)
The Hornets went insane and signed Peja Stojakovic, Bobby Jackson, and traded for Tyson Chandler.
The Lakers signed Vlad Radmanovic.
The Clippers signed Tim Thomas.
The Hawks signed Speedy Claxton.

Like I said...a whole new NBA. And the free agent signing period hasn't even officially began.

D'Antoni Wants Roles Established

Mon, 10 Apr 2006 14:44:37 -0800

Paul Coro of THE ARIZONA RUPUBLIC writes, "Specifically, coach Mike D'Antoni is homed in on getting Tim Thomas comfortable in his role, Brian Grant integrated after missing most of the season for knee rehabilitation and James Jones confident."

Requiem for Three

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 09:42:39 -0800

Last week, Glenn Robinson took another small step in the most unnoticed retirement in the history of sport . If the absence of fanfare seems unfair, it is also unsurprising. Despite being physically present for over 10 seasons, Robinson’s moral significance was exhausted in just three. His 1999-2002 seasons with the Bucks were the one and only time that Robinson’s single-minded dedication to the jump-shot was successfully translated into an effective team offense. But as historians of the millennial era will doubtlessly note, the story of the Big Dog is also a story of the larger, more mysterious animal he helped inspire: I am speaking of course of The Big Three.

The Big Three of Robinson, Ray Allen and Sam Cassell was forged in the summer of 1999, and disbanded just three years later. In their first season, they went 42-40 and lost in the first round. In their second season, they transformed into the league’s #1 offensive team, went 52-30, and came within a few baskets of making the NBA Finals. Then in their third and final year, they regressed back to .500 and failed to make the playoffs, despite adding a fourth All-Star to their roster (Anthony Mason) during the previous off-season. How should we understand the Big Three’s tumultuous tenure, and the role of the Big Dog therein?

When considered in the abstract, nothing about the Big Three makes even the slightest bit of sense. The majority of great teams have been built around 1 or 2 centers of gravity, with additional talent organized into supporting roles. The 80s Celtics are the notable exception. Yet given the particulars of the Milwaukee triumvirate, the precedent they provide is little more than numeric. Though glory and power was equally distributed among Bird, Parish and McHale, their contributions on offense were differentiated by both personality and position. In contrast, Allen, Robinson and Cassell seemed to have sprung from a single, interchangeable mold, and appeared functionally, positionally, and even stylistically indistinguishable.

Perhaps more than any team in the history of professional basketball, Milwaukee was forced to construct its identity without a single, meaningful precedent or guide. The only principle available to the team was that of “The Big Three” itself. Indeed, if any thesis should emerge from these reflections, it is that the Three-as-Spirit was no less important than the Three-as-Flesh. Whereas most teams can define success against existing objective models, the Big Three offense was sui generis. The only idea to which the Big Three could appeal was its own understanding of what the Big Three should be. Put somewhat differently: Milwaukee’s offense succeeded only when Robinson, Allen and Cassell could believe in the Big Three, and believe in themselves as part of it.

The players’ faith in the Big Three was by no means guaranteed, and was often undermined by objective and subjective pressures. Among the later were ambiguities inherent in the Big Three itself. When the nickname was first introduced, the sole rationale was that Cassell, Robinson and Allen combined for 60% of Milwaukee’s offense. But whether this was a function of actual offensive prowess, or merely a consequence of a crappy bench always remained unclear. This inherent ambiguity in the value of the Big Three was coupled with an inherent ambiguity in its boundaries. Insofar as 60% was an arbitrary cut-off point, why shouldn’t there be a Big Four (based on 75% contribution) or Big Two (43%) instead?

These inherent, subjective ambiguities – when triggered by unfavorable objective events – had the potential of undermining the Big Three’s faith in itself, and thus to derail their collective achievements. For instance, the selection of Robinson and Allen – but not Cassell – to the 2000 All-Star Game triggered a subjective crisis over the boundaries of Big Three membership. After starting the season an impressive 25-20, the Bucks spiraled into one of the worst loosing streaks in years, loosing 9 of 11 games after the All-Star announcements.

Depending on whom you talk to, Cassell sulked after he was left off the team and didn't distribute the ball, or Allen and Robinson got a little too full of themselves after their selections and never gave the ball up once they had it – The Capital Times (Madison)

The absence of any rational and objective logic underlying the Big Three’s offense meant that team chemistry lived or died with players’ faith in the Big Three itself. When the subjective coherence of this belief was undermined, the 2000 season was essentially lost. Two years later, when the Bucks signed Tim Thomas to a $65 million contract and then added Mason - a former All-Star - to Bucks’ starting lineup, the boundaries of the Big Three were once again blurred to the point that Cassell, Allen, and Robinson could no longer command it. This in addition to injuries and infighting made the third and final Big Three season even worse than the first.

The second season was the closest the Big Three would come to an unconditional faith in its own self-determination. And throughout this season, no player’s faith was as strong as Glenn Robinson. Ray Allen may have been the spark behind the Big Three, and Cassell the glue, but Robinson was its chief architect and prophet. When George Karl threatened to bench one of the three (it didn’t matter which) in order to teach them a lesson about teamwork, Robinson was defiant. Speaking in what can only be described as the 9th person, he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

You can't afford to bench one of the Big Three…When he says benching one of the Big Three, I don't know why. I know the chemistry of this team is shooting jumpers. That's our identity. That's what we are”

And while Robinson often resisted sharing with Allen and Cassell as individuals, sharing with the Big Three was an entirely different story. Commenting after one game, he told reporters:

"It was one of the better games for the Big Three," he (Robinson) said. "I like the games when I see all of the Big Three with 20 points or more. When we score like that, it's hard to beat us”.

Given how closely Robinson identified with the Three, it makes sense that his post-Three fortunes would be the dimmest. Interestingly, all three players went on to form Big Threes with their subsequent teams (as defined by 60% offensive contribution). Yet while the recent era has seem its share of imitators, none can rival the original Big Three, or the Man who once inspired it. And if the owl of minerva flies only at dusk, our understanding of both has only just begun.

Luke-Warm Pickups

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 09:42:32 -0800

As we near the end of the fantasy season, it’s important to recognize that you’re not going to find those awesome pickups that you always spend time trolling for during the first half of the year. And as you look for players to fill those extra games you’ve got lying around, your standards have to drop a bit. Remember – even if you play a guy who gets 2 points, a rebound and an assist, that’s 2 more points, one more rebound and one more assist than you’d have if you just let an extra game go by. With that in mind, let’s see if we can find some guys who are good bets for a single game here or there:

Nate Robinson, G, NYK
Robinson’s got a couple of things going for him. One, he qualifies at both guard positions, which mean that he’s got added value for those filling games. Two, with Stephon Marbury still out, Larry Brown may be forced to play him as Steve Francis’s backup. And three, even if he doesn’t see a bunch of minutes, he’s still a good bet for a three or a steal as long as he gets on the court. Of course, he does have the major negative of being under the rule of Larry Brown, who may be the most hated man in all of fantasy basketball, even surpassing Hubie Brown of a few years ago. As of yesterday, Robinson looked like a great play. As of this morning, it’s a slightly different story as news comes out that he was nearly sent to the D-League a month ago. But Robinson, who plays three times over the next four days, is still a nice game-filler for those of you with extra guard games.

Antonio McDyess, PF, DET
With Rasheed Wallace being suspended for tonight’s game, McDyess will likely be counted on for 30+ minutes. But even when he’s seeing his typical 20 or so mpg, he’s still a nice asset. He’ll contribute in both defensive categories, rebounds, and recently he’s been on a bit of a scoring streak. Also, with the playoffs approaching, McDyess is a strong candidate for more playing time as Ben Wallace and Sheed get a little rest now that the playoffs have been clinched. It’s also a possibility that Dale Davis will see some extra time off the Piston pine, but probably not enough to make him worthwhile.

The Phoenix Chuckers
Any of these guys – James Jones, Leandro Barbosa, Eddie House, Tim Thomas, Raja Bell – could be a fine pickup if you’re looking for threes. With Mike D’Antoni allowing his players to shoot at will, and Steve Nash putting them in position to do just that, the Suns not only take the most threes of any team in the league, they also make the highest percentage of them. The problem is knowing who’s going to have the hot hand from night to night. Last Friday, Barbosa exploded for 28 points – the next game, he was held to 10. But all of them, on average, will give you at least one three and maybe 8-10 points with a spattering of other stats.

Martell Webster, G/F, POR
While the rest of his team is a complete disaster, Webster will have an opportunity to strut his stuff over the final few weeks of the season. He’ll have his ups and downs, but in the end he’ll be a big help in threes, and should contribute in points and FT% as well. Anything more than that might be asking too much, but he’s also a candidate for one of those out-of-nowhere breakout games as well.

Peter Vecsey: These Rebirths 'Moving' Stories

Tue, 07 Mar 2006 08:30:37 -0800

Peter Vecsey of THE NEW YORK POST writes, Is there anything more important in the NBA these days than relocation, relocation, relocation? How come one player after another after another is a nobody for one team yet becomes a productive citizen of his new organization as soon as he suits up? .What were the odds of Tim Thomas resurfacing from a Bulls-imposed, near-four-month exile and scoring 20 points in 20 minutes in his very first outing with Phoenix (no practice evidently makes perfect) against visiting Orlando?

Justice and Injustice: The Ides of March in the NBA

Tue, 07 Mar 2006 08:30:26 -0800

I almost died laughing when I saw the headline of Tim Thomas getting waived. But, when I saw Bo Outlaw and Jim Jackson receive the same treatment the laugh got caught up in a semi-WHAT! Granted Bo isn't the prototype anything but (as a personal friend) I admire his tenacity and his integrity. In college he led his CONFERENCE in blocked shots and as a high schooler he DOMINATED Shaquille. The odds of him doing either now are very slim (as is he, although he has bulked up since then) but you have to admit he is a hard worker.

Jim Jackson, on the other hand, is the prototype 2-guard. Strong, athletic, and a tenacious competitor, Jim Jackson has stepped in admirably for every team he has graced. I'm not swingin' on his jock mind you, when he was at Ohio State he was good but I never expected much more than a mediocre career. But, after seeing him during his tenure Dallas go crazy and score at will on occasion while playing with Jason Kidd and Jamaal Mashburn (despite the drama) and then with Sacramento SMASH on DIRK and the entire DALLAS MAV squad without so much as a replay on ESPN, and after watching him step in in Houston and play quiet minutes very effectively, and finally in Phenix. After watching Joe J. go down on his face and crack his mug, Jim Jackson stepped in and hit major 3's and played major "D." What is the problem? Why is there so much disdain for this fella in the league? I questioned that with a friend of mine who had recently tried out for a league team and faced Jimmy. He was as perplexed as I was. He described Jim as strong, effective, and an awesome physical specimen who could flat out play.

Oddly enough, Tim Thomas is none of the things that these two gentlemen are and yet they share his fate. Jim may get another chance soon I suspect but my friend Bo... unknown. BO, if you read this brotha, know that the fellas from the WARHAWK luv ya as much as we loved punishing you when you stepped on the floor.

6 comments

Nets send Jackson to Hornets

Thu, 23 Feb 2006 15:11:08 -0800

According to ESPN.com the New Jersey Nets have agreed to send Marc Jackson and forward Linton Johnson to the New Orleans Hornets in for Bostjan Nachbar.

The Nets' motive for the deal was to get under the tax level to sign Tim Thomas if and when the Bulls buy out his contract.

Nets clear cap room, send Jackson to Hornets [ESPN.com]

Bulls and Tim Thomas reportedly will part ways

Tue, 29 Nov 2005 18:22:49 -0800

Bulls and Tim Thomas reportedly will part ways

by Associated Press

CHICAGO -- Forward Tim Thomas apparently will not play again for the Chicago Bulls.

The Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times reported in Tuesday's editions the sides agreed to split, with the Bulls attempting to honor Thomas' trade request....

Paxson Backs Skiles' Decision on Thomas

Thu, 24 Nov 2005 09:53:20 -0800

Tim Thomas, at 6-10, is one of the Bulls' most versatile fowards, writes Marlen Garcia of THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE. "The nine-year veteran has been a starter most of his career with mixed reviews. But he hasn't been good enough to play regularly for the Bulls (4-5), even though their record is mediocre and they still are experimenting with rotations."

Eastern Conference Preview - Atlantic Division

Mon, 24 Oct 2005 10:22:48 -0800

Boston Celtics

What can i say about the Celts? I'm confused by this team year after year. It's nice to see them do well, but sometimes i have to wonder how they do it? Paul Pierce of course is the only consistent scorer Celtics fans have known for years.

This off season they lost Antoine Walker. You know, when Walker came back to the Celtics last season and played next to Pierce again, it was like the good ol' days, before Walker got it through his thick skull that he had a better chance of winning a championship with the Dallas Mavericks and eventually found himself in the worse position of playing for the bottom feeding Atlanta Hawks before he was traded at the deadline back to the Celtics. Once again Walker has taken off for greener pastures and is banking on Shaquille O'Neal's ability to win games and increase his championship aspirations. Walker has even stated he wouldn't mind coming off the bench in Miami. What? Antoine, say it ain't so... Aww.

Mark Blount disappointed last season after signing a big contract. Why does that happen anyway? The player isn't as hungry anymore? Now he's got enough money to buy all the "big man" dinners he can eat.

Ricky Davis was a legitimate sixth man award candidate last season and he brought his game to a new level, toning down on the head games he usually plays and concentrating on coach Doc Rivers' plan of action.

What i wonder now is who will play point guard for the Celtics? Gary Payton has decided to go off and hang from Shaq's nuts for another year in hopes of winning his much desired championship, and for that reason alone i am putting the official HEX on that Miami Heat. The only way they should win the championship is if they trade Payton to the Hornets before the playoffs. That's right, let "the glove" deal with that bit or reality.

The Celtics are deep at point guard still, very deep, but the skill level is questionable. They have young guards capable of shinning at different points, so it will be the coach's job to figure out who will bring the most to the table. Marcus Banks, Delonte West, Orien Greene and Will Bynum will all be competing for minutes at the point.

Another big question mark? Gerald Green. What will the rookie bring to the floor with him? Before the draft he was touted as the next Tracy McGrady, but he sunk from the projected top 6 pick down to where the Celtics picked him at number 18. The look on his face when he was passed by pick after pick was priceless.

Look for Al Jefferson to step up this year and be the starting power forward. Jefferson was the steal of the draft last season and showed a lot of toughness and his skills should be greatly improved after one season in the league.

My Picks:

Best Player: Paul Pierce
Best Rookie: Gerald Green
Prediction: 2nd (Atlantic), 8th (East)

Philadelphia 76'ers

The Sixers made an impressive push for first place in the Atlantic last season. After starting the year badly, Allen Iverson did his usual and saved the team from mediocrity until his teammates and some trades came to relieve some pressure.

The biggest move last season was the acquisition of Chris Webber, or shadow thereof. The power forward was one of the more dominant players years ago. Although he's shown he can still score points and bring down a bunch of rebounds, his paycheck still reflects the performance of years past and his contract along with Iverson's will eventually choke the 76'ers, so they have to win now! There is no time to waste.

The Sixers were able to re-sign most of the free agents they stood to lose and hopefully will benefit from the resigning of Kyle Korver, the sharpshooter and Samuel Dalembert, who seemed destined to make major money, even though he's just shown spurts of what people assume will be a great defensive game and decent offensive abilities.

I was reading another preview article this morning and the name Jamal Mashburn came up. I had to double check the date of the article. Mashburn has been gone from the league so long, he should have joined the cast of "Lost". It seems there is a possibility of Mashburn actually getting some playing time this season. I don't know, i don't buy it. Until i actually see Mash playing some pre-season games, or just plain suiting up for a shoot around, I'm not going to anticipate anything. However, if the Sixers were to get even 40 games out of a player with that kind of skill, it couldn't hurt, could it?

The guy that excites me the most is another solid pick from last years draft, Andre Iguodala. He doesn't seem to show at the top of the scoring sheet, but that kind of honor is obviously bestowed on Iverson and Webber at this point, but Iguodala does everything right. He's a decent defender, and exciting slasher to the basket and DAMN, he's got some hops, that's for sure. I look forward to the "other" AI getting more involved in the team's offensive schemes and I'm sure he won't disappoint.

My Picks:

Best Player: Allen Iverson
Best Rookie: *
Prediction: 3rd (Atlantic), 9th (East)

New Jersey Nets

Ok, first off, living in Toronto tends to skew your view of the Nets. No doubt the Nets were able to pick Rob Babcock's pocket in picking up Vince Carter. The picks Toronto acquired may or may not pan out and that answer is years in the future.

Jason Kidd is the heart and soul of this team and both Richard Jefferson and Carter will take the lead from Kidd. This is a powerful three headed monster we're looking at. If Kidd can remain injury free this season, there is no doubt the Nets will be contending for the top position in the Atlantic.

Carter and Jefferson have to be regarded as the top offensive duo on the Atlantic and the team isn't too shabby on the defensive end either.

Nenad Krstic became one of my favorite players to watch last season. After trading Aaron Williams to Toronto in the afore mentioned Carter trade, not only did Krstic find more minutes to showcase his skills, but he played well enough to earn more minutes than Jason Collins, who's been starting in New Jersey for years.

The off season has been a weird one for the Nets. The Nets' team doctors have uncovered a heart aliment in Robert Traylor and found what may turn into bad knee tendinitis in Shareef Abdur-Rahim. Not signing Traylor was that painful for the Nets, but I'm sure they will be feeling the loss of a player like Abdur-Rahim, who would have made the starting lineup completely well rounded and potent, might leave some fans in New Jersey wondering what could have been.

The Nets did solidify their point guard position with the signing of Jeff McInnis. McInnis is a decent point guard and may see some time as the shooting guard. The signing will also insure the team won't be left high and dry of something were to happen to Kidd this season.

The Nets' first round pick this year, Antoine Wright, by all accounts should be a solid contributor off the bench, a capable scorer and good shooter.

It's doubtful the teams impending move to Brooklyn will weigh on the players minds, but you can't completely discount something like that.

My Picks:

Best Player: Richard Refferson
Best Rookie: Antoine Wright
Prediction: 1st (Atlantic), 5th (East)

Toronto Raptors

Woah Nelly! Another year in Toronto, another set of Desperate Housewives set of dramatic events. The season hasn't yet begun and the media had a field day with GM Rob Babcock. ESPN simply murdered Babcock's pick of Charlie Villanueva on draft night. I must admit, i was sitting at home ready to bury my logitech mouse through my 21" monitor.

Babcock appeared to have been taken advantage of in the trade of Vince Carter last season, getting 3 players and 2 draft picks. None of the 3 players acquired proved to be starters on the Raptors, in fact, the Raptors had to deal with Eric Williams requesting a trade out of Toronto (which he's recently rescinded) and in a move that angered a lot of fans, the Raptors paid Alonzo Mourning $10 million dollars to simply not show up in Toronto, freeing him up to sign with Miami and back up Shaq.

Babcock was also quoted in the media recently as stating that this year's team WILL NOT win more games than last years team. It's true that the team lost Donyell Marshall, who was a good scorer and solid contributor to the team, but once again, the fans went crazy with "Fire Babcock" chants. It may be the truth, but damn, the truth hurts and it shows Babcock's unprofessionalism.

On the court though, things may not be that bad. Chris Bosh has emerged as a powerful weapon the team should move to make the number one option on offense. Jalen Rose is still a good scorer on any team, and when his head is into it, he can play good defense and change the scope of a game with his post skills. Let's hope he can admit the need of the young players getting some much needed minutes if this team is to move forward anytime soon. Rose has been rumored in trade talk with the LA Lakers, and Rob Babcock has stated there is a 50/50 chance of a trade before the beginning of the season and speculation has it, Rose's contract would be a nice one to get rid of.

Villanueva will be a question mark until the team figures out where he's going to fit on the court with Bosh. What ESPN had right in their diatribe, is that the Raptors drafted a player that plays the same position as Bosh, forcing one of the two players to play out of position. Although Bosh had some success playing center, his game is more tuned to the power forward position. Villanueva has been rumored to play the center position, which is possible, but he's also been rumored to play the small forward position, which would be interesting with his size, but most think his lack of foot speed will get him eaten up in the NBA game speed.

Joey Graham is a physical specimen as many are fond of saying. He's got a great NBA body, good work ethic and appears to be able to do everything needed on the court. I see some of Andre Iguodala's game in Graham and if that's the case, it's not a bad thing at all.

What can i say about the point guard? Rafer Alston was actually one of the best point guards in the East last season, no doubt about it. He could have had his assist numbers rival the best dimers in the league, but he did fall in love with his shot towards the All-Star break and the relationship with coach Sam Mitchell was strained towards the end of the season. If Alston understands the game plan this season and begins picking his spots more carefully, his play can open up the offense and give the young players some room to maneuver. Just gotta keep those emotions in check Rafer!

Oh, one more thing. Rafael Araujo has actually regressed if you believe his performance with the Brazilian national team this summer. The backup center on the team seemed to school him at most practices and his opponents on the court were able to get the best of him for the most part. It's true that "big men" take longer to develop, but this is going to be one of those players we will label as an undeniable bust if he doesn't log significant minutes with the Raptors this season. Not just because he was picked at number 8 in last season's draft, but because he's now 25 years old, which was supposed to be a selling point, "he's already a man and understands his responsibility", but was there a player in the league that looked more lost at times on the court? I watch a lot of basketball and i don't remember one.

My Picks:

Best Player: Chris Bosh
Best Rookie: Joey Graham
Prediction: 5th (Atlantic), 14th (East)

New York Knicks

Oh Boy! Hmmm... The Knicks is the team where talent goes to die, or so it seems. The team consists of high paid under achievers with attitudes to boot.

The best move the Knicks made this off season? No, it wasn't trading for Quentin Richardson, it wasn't signing an immobile center in Jerome James, it wasn't deciding to keep Allan Houston and pay him him incredible salary. Their best move was to sign a coach in Larry Brown that seems to make talent gel, regardless of the talent gathered, and damn, they can use some of that magic.

I will keep my Isaiah Thomas rant short, but damn, this guy knows how to spend money, doesn't he? Jamal Crawford, Quentin Richardson, Stephon Marbury, all players i believe are overpaid and are in New York because Thomas wanted them, he can only use the previous GM as an excuse for so long.

With the bad, comes the good. The Knicks were able to acquire Nate Robinson with the Phoenix suns 21st pick in this years draft and if the pre-season is any indication, Robinson is a steal. There is a video being circulated on the Internet of Robinson one-hoop catching an offensive rebound mid-air and dunking it back over 3 Minnesota Timberwolves summer league participants. Incredible, but how much playing time will Robinson get being a rookie and backing up Marbury?

I'm not comfortable predicting anything with the Knicks. I don't like the way the team is managed but i respect their coach's coaching ability.

The team might be a good position to get younger at the end of this season. Will someone trade some youth for Anfernee Hardaway or Tim Thomas? What do these players have to offer that any contender would want?

My Picks:

Best Player: Stephon Marbury
Best Rookie: Nate Robinson
Prediction: 4th (Atlantic), 12th (East)

Bulls Wash Their Hands Of Curry

Tue, 04 Oct 2005 10:14:51 -0800

Well, the Chicago Bulls finally solved their Eddy Curry problem the way NBA executives like to solve problems: Trade him to the Knicks! Isiah Thomas will always take in your tired, your poor, your congenital heart defected. The Bulls receive wide-butt Michael Sweetney, occasional malcontent Tim Thomas, frequent cause of Davis-related confusion Antonio Davis and a draft pick.

The Knicks are not expected to require Curry take the oft-debated DNA test, though since the deal hasn't officially been announced yet, no one knows for sure. Since they're the Knicks, they've already offered him a six-year, $40 million deal. Hope the ticker hangs in.

Bulls Trade Curry To Knicks [Blog-A-Bull]
The Eddy Curry Problem [Deadspin]

Curry to Knicks, Griz or Nuggets?

Wed, 28 Sep 2005 09:44:03 -0800

Some possible trading partners for Bulls center Eddy Curry: New York Knicks. Tim Thomas and a No. 1 pick for Curry, Eric Piatkowski and Othella Harrington. Thomas has just a year left on his deal and is a serviceable player,...

Brrr…. Is There a Draft in Here? (Episode II: The Frontcourt)

Fri, 27 May 2005 10:54:14 -0800

[If you missed Episode I click here.

David Crockett is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at the University of South Carolina, and can be reached at dcrockett17@yahoo.com.]

I the previous Episode I identified the backcourt as the team's highest priority heading into the off-season. Whether through the draft, a sign-and-trade, or with the mid-level salary slot the Knicks must find a way to improve their perimeter defense as well as shave Marbury's and Crawford's minutes. To that end, let's take a look at the frontcourt. First up: the big guys.

The Knicks ended the season with perhaps the highest percentage of power forwards on any roster in the league. Consider that the team started essentially two power forwards, Kurt Thomas and Mike Sweetney. Herb Williams also played Jerome Williams at both forward positions regularly. Isiah then traded for Malik Rose and Mo Taylor, placing Tim Thomas a mere heartbeat away from 4th string power forward.

The team's ostensible center, Mike Sweetney, put together a solid (at best) campaign, especially considering that he played out of position. It was the kind of season that probably didn't change many minds among his supporters or detractors. On offense, his PER (from 82games) at center was a very nice 18.8. As always, he shot a solid efg (53.5%), rebounded well (13.5 per 48), and got to the free throw line (7.9 per 48). However he struggled on the defensive end, giving up an opponent's PER of 17.7. Though he managed to outshoot and out-rebound opposing centers per 48 minutes he also slightly out-fouled them (7 per 48), which meant that much of his potential offensive productivity went unrealized as he sat on the bench. That he struggled with fouls and offered essentially no shot-blocking against opposing centers is not necessarily surprising. He played virtually every game at a significant height disadvantage. Even conceding this, I still maintain that "Sweets," as he is commonly known, would do well to lay off the sugary treats and slim down. He may be a bit young to remember that once upon a one time "The Thing that Ate" Ollie Miller was more than a punch line for a would-be sports writer.

Miller was an even better version of Sweetney, a rising young player with promise, fresh off the toughest Finals series the Jordan-led Bulls ever played. But basketball is an unforgiving profession on tendons and joints, even for the most finely tuned bodies. So ultimately Miller's inability to keep off the extra 35-40 pounds made him less effective on the floor, kept him on the injured list with an endless assortment of ankle and knee ailments, and eventually forced him from the league. His problems were exacerbated - if not caused outright - by his obesity; and I won't even get into the John "Hot Plate" Williams cautionary tale. (Note: "Hot Plate" is mentioned in this Washington Times column by Tom Knott on the end of the Bullets/Wizards futility. I defy you to read the article and NOT laugh out loud. It's hysterical.)

Interestingly, backup center Mo Taylor is this season's biggest defensive surprise. Ignoring for the moment that his acquisition is Isiah's least defensible roster move to date, Taylor was a genuine surprise. After expecting to see Marburyesque indifference I recall watching games this season and being genuinely stunned at Taylor's defensive effort. The numbers appear to bare it out. On offense Taylor was pretty much what I'd come to expect: an accomplished (though streaky) scorer and a turnover machine. His PER of only 13.1 at center was a tad lower than I'd expected but not altogether shocking. I would expect that with a full training camp we'd see Taylor move into the 14-15 range. The big stunner was on defense where Taylor held opposing centers to a fantastic 14.3 PER. Obviously the Knicks would love to see this kind of defensive production off the bench. Even should Taylor regress a bit on defense an opponent's PER just around league average would be tremendous production from the backup center over a full season.

At power forward, Kurt Thomas is limited in what he can contribute on offense as a spot-up jump shooter and rebounder. Though his PER at power forward is below league average (14.4) he remains a decent shooter from field (46% efg), and superb in the 15-20 foot area off the screen-roll. He also still rebounds quite well (13.7 per 48). On defense he's pretty awful, allowing opposing power forwards a 19.1 PER. Among the backup forwards perhaps the biggest surprise is Malik Rose. His defense, which is his calling card, was generally quite good (13.7 opponents PER). His aw-fense was awful. His PER of 9.7 is the unsightly fate of undersized power forwards with limited perimeter skills; they rarely age gracefully. But, such is the price of the additional first round pick. He better be good, whoever he is because watching Rose jack up shots has been painful. I knew that it seemed like he shot the ball an awful lot to me but when I went to 82games.com I was dumbfounded. For all the talk of his selfless professionalism no one mentioned that this guy is a bona fide ball hog. Rose took almost 13 shots per 48 minutes at power forward, hitting at an abysmal 40% efg. Sweetney and Thomas both took just under 15 and JYD took only 10.3 shots per 48. These players all shot over 50% efg.

Wherever it comes from the Knicks most certainly need better overall play from the frontcourt. I compared Sweetney's and Thomas' PER and opponent's PER with center/power forward tandems from the league's five most efficient defensives. (I also included the same comparison for backcourt players - just for kicks and giggles.)

Name	Pos.	PER	Opp. PER
Sweetney, M (NY)	C	18.8	17.7
Thomas, K (NY)	PF	14.4	19.1
NBA Top 5 Teams in Defensive Efficiency
Duncan, T. (SA)	C	28.6	13.8
Muhammed, N. (SA)	PF	6.8	15.8
Nesterovic, R. (SA)	C	13.1	13.2
Curry, E. (Chi)	C	17.4	13.3
Davis, A. (Chi)	PF	13.1	14.6
Chandler, T (Chi)	C	19.1	12.8
Wallace, B. (Det)	C	18.7	15.8
Wallace, R. (Det)	PF	17.7	15.3
Ming, Y. (Hou)	C	24.9	14.6
Howard, J. (Hou)	PF	13.9	16.9
Wright, L. (Mem)	C	15.4	16
Gasol, P. (Mem)	PF	25.7	17

Name (Team)	Pos.	PER	Opp. PER
Marbury, S. (NY)	PG	23.3	16.4
Crawford, J. (NY)	SG	16.8	18.2
NBA Top 5 Teams in Defensive Efficiency
Parker, T. (SA)	PG	19.6	13
Ginobili, M. (SA)	SG	22.7	10.8
Duhon, C. (Chi)	PG	10.8	15.2
Hinrich, K. (Chi)	SG	17.6	13.8
Billups, C. (Det)	PG	20.4	12.9
Hamilton, R. (Det)	SG	17.5	13.8
Sura, R. (Hou)	PG	16.1	17.3
Wesley, D. (Hou)	SG	12.4	15.7
Williams, J. (Mem)	PG	16.7	16.2
Battier, S. (Mem)	SG	18.3	14.1

* Non-starter

Although this comparison hardly qualifies as scientific it aptly illustrates how far the Knicks are behind the best defensive teams. Nonetheless, there is hope that at least Sweetney can lower his opponent's PER into the 15.5-16.5 range next season. Entering his third season he should begin to catch an occasional break from the zebras on the "nickel-dime" type fouls that put him on the bench with regularity. Hopefully, his summer will be spent working on his conditioning so he will be less prone to such fouls. More importantly, the Knicks must make the commitment to put him at his natural power forward spot and keep him there. This of course means the team must acquire or develop a center.

Should the Knicks look to the draft to address the frontcourt presumably they'll be in the market for a player who can log many if not most of his minutes at center, preferably providing some shot blocking. Given the paucity of quality true centers available in the draft in the table I combine centers with power forwards who play both positions. I leave out high school and international players as well as true power forwards that would have a difficult time helping the team immediately (e.g., Sean May, Ike Diogu, Wayne Simien).

Centers/Power Forwards

Name/College	Availability?	Comment
Andrew Bogut, Utah	Top five	Bogut is a consensus top 5 pick. He is a good – not great – athlete who can control a game with his skill and passing, particularly for a team who could play him in the high post. I hope he likes Atlanta.
Chris Taft, Pittsburgh	Anywhere from #8 to #15, based on workouts/interviews	The size and willingness to use it are all what you’re looking for in a big 6’10” pf/c, yet he has never dominated. People keep waiting for the light to come on. The interviews may be as important to this kid as any in the draft, including the high schoolers. It’s unlikely he falls far out of the top 10, if at all. If the Knicks remain at #8 this will likely be the guy slotted to them.
Charlie Villanueva, UConn	Anywhere from #8 to #20	There is much to like about Villanueva. He runs the floor well. He shoots a high percentage. He rebounds and blocks shots. Unfortunately, he also likes to play like a small forward at times even though he is 6’11”. Does he want to play center?
Channing Frye, Arizona	Anywhere from #15 to late first round	Disclaimer: I’m an Arizona grad. Channing Frye may be the Shane Battier/Josh Howard of this draft. He doesn’t have superstar potential but he also doesn’t have a lot of holes in his game. He should be a very good pro PF/C for a lot of years. It would be highway robbery if the Knicks pick him up at the end of the first round. More likely they’d have to move into the 16-20 area.
Randolph Morris, Kentucky	Anywhere from #15 to mid-second round	I know the league is starved for big players but if this kid doesn’t pull out and go back to Kentucky for at least one more season something is dreadfully wrong with the NBA. I can understand over-estimating the potential of high schoolers but this kid staying on the floor at Kentucky and he was basically the only center in the entire SEC.
Jared Homan, Iowa State	Second round	If you’re looking for a backup center that ONLY rebounds and blocks shots in the second round he’s your guy.

Adding to the depth at this position are some talented international players: Johan Petro from France, Fran Vasquez from Spain, and Tiago Splitter from Brazil, as well as two schoolboy 7-footers Andrew Bynum and Andray Blatche. Although no David Robinsons or Tim Duncans populate this draft, some pretty serviceable centers are available. Most - after Bogut - will likely go off the board in the 8-20 range. If the Knicks remain at #8 in the draft lottery they could conceivably move down and still get a pretty decent player.

Small Forward
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Looking at New York's roster today, small forward does not appear to be a position of need. Of course, things change in the off-season. The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that Penny Hardaway is pushing for a buyout in order to re-sign with the Magic. Tim Thomas is also entering the final year of his deal. So those two contracts may indeed be moved this off-season. If they are, Trevor Ariza may be the incumbent at small forward unless Allan Houston can come back. Consequently, the Knicks cannot afford to ignore the swingmen in the upcoming draft. I've included swing players, who play in the backcourt, as well as 'tweener types that play up front but handle the ball.

Of the small forwards I see the Knicks as most interested in a swingman than a power-three. Should the Knicks wind up in the top 3 certainly Williams would have to be one of the names they'd consider, along with Bogut and Paul. Should the Knicks remain at #8, irrespective of who is on the board the team should strongly consider Granger. He's a do it all swing player. He could play in the backcourt, with Ariza at the small forward, and all of a sudden the Knicks could be looking at cutting off much of the penetration that plagues the defense.

Name/College	Availability?	Comment
Marvin Williams, UNCC	Top 3-4 pick	Honestly, I didn’t see him play enough to do anything but parrot what everyone else is saying. “This kid is the greatest thing since snowshoes. He’s much better than Cats. I’d go see him again and again.” They must know what they’re talking about, right?
Danny Granger, New Mexico	Late lottery to end of first round	I doubt Granger lasts until the end of the first. I think he’s the best “true” small forward available but that tends to be the deepest pro position. His points per shot each year at New Mexico: 1.29, 1.41, 1.55, 1.62. His rebounds: 7.1, 7.9, 9, 8.9. He hurt himself with an awful game in the NCAA though.
Joey Graham, Oklahoma State	first round	The athletic comparisons to Corey Maggette I have yet to see. Like Maggette he’s going to have to move his game outside to play his pro position. Coming out of OSU, he’s not surprisingly a good defender.
Ryan Gomes, Providence	Late first/Early second	Gomes re-made himself from a post-up only player into a “power” 3, with a lot more skill than Graham. He dramatically improved his ball-handling and his perimeter shot.
Linas Kleiza, Missouri	d/undrafted	Kleiza is quality rebounder with a decent offensive repertoire. He probably lacks the quickness to defend SF’s in the NBA. He may go to Europe.

KnickerBlogger Has No Heart

Tue, 12 Apr 2005 21:49:58 -0800

The good news about leaving a comment on my blog is that I may write a whole column on it. The bad news is when I disagree with your premise. The other day I wrote this little tidbit after the Knicks lost to the Nets:

I usually scoff at the notion that the Knicks needed more players with heart (I believe talent trumps all), but this team has me nearly converted.

To which a Knick fan named "Ted" commented with:

Ya "talent trumps all" that's why the Trail-Blazers won so many titles in the 90s and the Lakers beat the Pistons last year. Regardlessly (sic), talent is not what the Knicks lack; defense and heart are what's missing. Give me a Riley or Van Gundy team that's going to work there (sic) asses off and hold the opponent to 80 points over this...crap any day.

One definition of talent is "a person or group of people having such ability". In my definition of talent, playing defense is certainly included. Tim Thomas is big and athletic, but is not an able defender (or rebounder). You can be talented in one area and unskilled in another. Is Ben Wallace talented? In regards to rebounding and interior defense, absolutely. In regards to dribbling or shooting, absolutely not.

Obviously the Knicks' defense, which is ranked 27th, is something that both Ted & I agree needs improvement. However Ted also states that the team needs more heart. The human heart typically weighs about 300 grams, but I'm unable to find any web pages that list the size of NBA player's hearts. While they do list the total height and weight of each player, no web page has it broken down into individual body parts. In theory getting more oxygen to the body's cells could improve the Knicks athletically, but I'm not sure if such a procedure is feasible. I'm not a doctor, but left ventricular hypertrophy seems to be more of an affliction than a blessing.

Seriously though, I'm not big on building a team around intangibles like heart or leadership or veteran presence. Let's look at the teams that Ted says lost because they were heartless.

Year	Exp Win%	Opp	oExp Win%
1990	70%	DET	70%
1991	76%	LAL	72%
1992	72%	CHI	80%
1999	69%	SAS	78%
2000	72%	LAL	78%

I chose the 5 best Blazer squads of the 90s, and the opposing team that bounced them out of the playoffs. The only one of these Portland teams that lost to an inferior club were the 1991 Blazers, but it's not improbable that they would lose a 7 game series. The Lakers were a strong team in their own right and had the best player on the court in Magic Johnson (25.1 PER 4th overall). Of the four other Blazer teams that made the list, two faced the #1 defensive team that year (Pistons & Spurs) and the other two played against vastly superior teams (Bulls & Lakers).

If you ignore the evidence that shows the Blazers were the lesser team and attribute their losses to a lack of heart, then that wouldn't explain why a few players from these teams won titles in other cities. Did Clyde Drexler suddenly gain "heart" when he played alongside Hakeem Olajuwon and won a championship in Houston, or was it that the Rockets were a more talented team? Did Scottie Pippen lose the "heart" he had while playing with Jordan in Chicago, or were the Blazers just not good enough to win in '99 & '00? The Detroit Pistons wouldn't have dominated like they did last year without Rasheed Wallace, but was the big addition his "heart" or his ability?

Take the same logic and apply it to Ted's other heartless team, last year's Lakers. The difference between the 2004 Lakers and the threepeaters was not heart, or leadership, or desire, but rather a decline in play. Shaq from 2001-2003 averaged an astounding 30 PER. That's so good, the average would be in the top 15 seasons of all time. However in 2004 it dropped to a mere 24, which wouldn't crack the top 100. Add to O'Neal's deteriorating production the Lakers' inability to adequately replace an injured Karl Malone coupled with the Pistons' off the chart defense, and the reason is clear why Los Angeles lost.

If given the choice between blaming these losses on something measurable like performance or something intangible like heart, I'll take the former every time. There is just no proof that heart leads to winning nor is there any way to measure it, either on a team or an individual level. Hence why I say "talent trumps all." If your team needs defense, get someone that can clamp down on his opponent, or can control the paint. If you need offense grab some sharp shooters or post scorers. Getting guys that can do both is even better. Build a team that can score and defend, and don't worry about where their heart is.

Weekend Review

Mon, 07 Mar 2005 09:33:28 -0800

Boy, this was a rough weekend. There were tons of little injuries and flare-ups, and huge warning signs all over the place. One league of mine, which generally sees about 5 or 6 moves in a weekend, had 13 separate waiver wire transactions involving 22 players on Saturday and Sunday. So you KNOW there was some action going on in the "L" this weekend. Let’s try to recap:

Major/Minor Injuries

There were plenty of minor injuries to major names this weekend. Yesterday, Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Finley sat out and the Mavs responded with a season-low 69 points (their previous low this year was 80). Sacramento played without Brad Miller and Cuttino Mobley, but managed much better as they defeated the Pistons by 15. Tim Duncan sat out the last half of the Spurs’ victory on Sunday, and might miss Tuesday’s game against the Nets. Antawn Jamison left the Wizards’ game early on Sunday with a sore knee. Ah, the second half of the season. Players are breaking down, games are becoming less important for certain teams, and you’re going to see a lot of unannounced missed games for your players. You’re going to have to simply work through these, though. Don’t be afraid to start a lesser player on your bench when you know a starter of yours is going to miss a game.

What’s going to be much more important than these minor injuries to stars, though, is how you react to the more major injuries, and the clusters of injuries that are happening to certain teams. For example, the Wizards are facing injuries to Jarvis Hayes and Jared Jefferies, and now that Jamison is having injury issues, Kwame Brown and Brendan Haywood become much more valuable as the default 3rd and 4th scoring options. They are both great plays this week. Their opponent on Saturday, the Bobcats, are going to be without Brevin Knight for at least a couple of games, meaning Jason Hart will also have great value this week.

Other injuries that should have you scanning the waiver wires include:
· Luol Deng’s bum ankle keeping him out of Chicago’s rotating lineup for a couple weeks.
· Jamaal Tinsley’s continual injuries of one sort or another killing his value for the season.
· Zach Randolph and Ruben Patterson missing time, giving Shareef Abdur-Rahim unexpected value.
· Doug Christie proving that the Magic, as we suspected, pretty much gave away Cuttino Mobley for absolutely nothing.

Tim Thomas Alert

Did you make it through the trading deadline without getting suckered in to trading for Tim Thomas? I’d hope so. He’s on one of his classic, "Look! I can have value!" runs right now, but don’t be fooled. He might be available in some shallow leagues, but you shouldn’t be thinking about picking him up. Sure his points can look nice every once in awhile, but when you have a small forward who doesn’t get 4 boards, or even 2 assists, or a steal, or a block, well, that’s a big problem.