Wizards are champions again!

[Phil89]

2/6/15

Oklahoma City Thunder [12-8] vs Washington Wizards [15-4]

Wall struggles with foul trouble as Thunder win game 4



OKC - 31 24 24 25 104
WAS - 16 25 31 24 96

Player of the Game: Russell Westbrook
(22pts, 7reb, 12ast, 2stl)
(10-17 FG, 0-0 3PT, 2-2 FT)


Top Scorers
Andrew Wiggins - 29
Kevin Durant - 26
Russell Westbrook - 22
John Wall - 18
Bradley Beal - 17
Larry Sanders - 16
Jeremy Lamb - 16
DeMarcus Cousins - 12

Rebounds
Jeremy Lamb - 13
Larry Sanders - 12
DeMarcus Cousins - 9
Nerlens Noel - 9
Serge Ibaka - 8
Russell Westbrook - 7
Bradley Beal - 6
Perry Jones - 5

Assists
John Wall - 12
Russell Westbrook - 12
Bradley Beal - 7
Manu Ginobili - 5

Steals
John Wall - 2
Russell Westbrook - 2

Blocks
Perry Jones - 2
Nerlens Noel - 2

Wiggins highlights

Very annoyed to have lost this one. I led by a point with about 3 minutes left but missed too many shots at the end.

Wall picked up his fifth foul just before half time.

[Phil89]

4/6/15

Oklahoma City Thunder [13-8] vs Washington Wizards [15-5]

Wizards head home with 3-2 series edge after giving up game 5 lead



OKC - 23 18 29 35 105
WAS - 23 27 21 28 99

Player of the Game: Russell Westbrook
(26pts, 1reb, 8ast, 3stl)
(11-17 FG, 0-1 3PT, 4-4 FT)


Top Scorers
Andrew Wiggins - 31
John Wall - 28
Russell Westbrook - 26
Kevin Durant - 25
Jeremy Lamb - 18
Bradley Beal - 18
Serge Ibaka - 14
Nerlens Noel - 10

Rebounds
Larry Sanders - 13
Serge Ibaka - 8
Nerlens Noel - 8
Kevin Durant - 7
DeMarcus Cousins - 6
Andrew Wiggins - 5

Assists
John Wall - 14
Russell Westbrook - 8
Bradley Beal - 5

Steals
Russell Westbrook - 3
Larry Sanders - 2
Jeremy Lamb - 2
Bradley Beal - 2

Blocks
Nerlens Noel - 3

Wall highlights


Wiggins highlights

[Phil89]

Sweep!

It seemed really possible after the first 3 games, but the last 2 have been completely different. Maybe I put too much pressure on myself or took them too easy, being on the brink of a championship.

Game 6 being in Washington should help a lot. Hopefully there will be no game 7.

[Martti.]

Looks like I jinxed it.

[Phil89]

6/6/15

Washington Wizards [15-6] vs Oklahoma City Thunder [14-8]

Wizards end fantastic season as champions



WAS - 34 25 36 28 123
OKC - 29 21 28 23 101

Player of the Game: Bradley Beal
(26pts, 2reb, 3ast)
(9-15 FG, 6-9 3PT, 2-3 FT)


Top Scorers
Bradley Beal - 26
Andrew Wiggins - 21
Jeremy Lamb - 21
Russell Westbrook - 21
Perry Jones - 19
John Wall - 18
DeMarcus Cousins - 17
Kevin Durant - 15
Reggie Jackson - 14
Manu Ginobili - 14

Rebounds
Andrew Wiggins - 9
Luc Mbah a Moute - 6
Perry Jones - 6
Nerlens Noel - 6
Larry Sanders - 5

Assists
John Wall - 11
Russell Westbrook - 10
Mario Chalmers - 5
Andrew Wiggins - 5

Steals
Russell Westbrook - 4


Wizards 2015 champions

Durant fouled out a minute into the fourth quarter.

Games 3 and 4 were pretty horrible after going 3-0 up. This game was really fun after the first quarter when I knew I pretty much had it won.

[Phil89]

Looks like I jinxed it.

Only a little bit

[Phil89]

7/6/15

Wizards triumph in thrilling six game finals series

NBA Finals


1. Washington Wizards [12-4] vs 1. Oklahoma City Thunder [12-5]

Results
OKC @ WAS - 87-99
OKC @ WAS - 99-111
WAS @ OKC - 117-116
WAS @ OKC - 96-104
WAS @ OKC - 99-105
OKC @ WAS - 101-123

Washington won the series 4-2

Finals MVP



John Wall joins an elite group of players by winning both the regular season MVP award and the Finals MVP award in the same season. Only LeBron James, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Willis Reed have achieved this feat in professional basketball. His season is sure to go down in NBA history after he led his team to a record 73 wins and a championship.






_

[Martti.]

Can you keep the starting 5 together? Wiggins, Noel and Beal should be on rookie deals, but Boogie and Wall aren't, are they extended?

[Phil89]

I can keep them together for at least two more seasons. Beal is due for an extension in one year, but that shouldn't put me over the cap. The real tough decisions will have to be made in two years when Noel wants to get paid. Wall and Cousins both have 3 years left. I gave them extensions at the start of this season.

My salary situation is pretty good right now. I could actually go after someone like Paul George this off-season if I dumped Chalmers or Okafor off my wage bill. But I think I'll save my cap room for another season for when Beal is due for a new contract. Plus it won't hurt to have cap room if Kevin Durant decides not to re-sign with the Thunder.

[Phil89]

15/6/15

Dirk Nowitzki headlines 2015 retirements



It was a sad day for Dallas Mavericks fans today as three members of their 2011 championship-winning team officially retired. Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion and Brendan Haywood all called time on their illustrious careers. Dirk was the only one of the three that was still with the Mavericks, with Marion playing in Brooklyn and Haywood back in Washington. Haywood managed to win another ring with the Wizards in his final season. Only Ian Mahinmi and Dominique Jones remain from Dallas' 2011 title-winning team. A new era begins for the Mavericks with the likes of Monta Ellis, Danny Granger and Nikola Pekovic now leading the way. Also amongst those retiring are NBA stalwarts Chauncey Billups, Vince Carter, Jermaine O'Neal and Andre Miller.

2015 Retirements

Players
Jermaine O'Neal - C - 36 - Chicago Bulls - 19 seasons
Mike Miller - SF - 35 - Los Angeles Clippers - 15 seasons
Udonis Haslem - PF - 35 - Miami Heat - 12 seasons
Metta World Peace - SF - 35 - Los Angeles Lakers - 16 seasons
Dirk Nowitzki - PF - 37 - Dallas Mavericks - 17 seasons
Chauncey Billups - PG - 38 - Brooklyn Nets - 18 seasons
Shawn Marion - SF - 37 - Brooklyn Nets - 16 seasons
Andre Miller - PG - 39 - Denver Nuggets - 16 seasons
Vince Carter - SF - 38 - San Antonio Spurs - 17 seasons
Antawn Jamison - PF - 39 - Oklahoma City Thunder - 17 seasons
Brendan Haywood - C - 35 - Washington Wizards - 14 seasons


Combined Career Achievements
10x NBA Champion
2x NBA Finals MVP
37x All-Star
2x Rookie of the Year
2x Sixth Man of the Year
1x Most Improved Player
1x Defensive Player of the Year

Hall of Fame Inductees


Dirk Nowitzki - Dallas Mavericks

Career Averages
1,286 games played
28,034 points - 10,416 rebounds - 3,215 assists - 1,028 steals - 1,157 blocks
21.8 ppg - 8.1 rpg - 2.5 apg - 0.8 spg - 0.9 bpg

[Phil89]

18/6/15

Kerr begins preparations for Wizards title defence



It has been barely a couple of weeks since the ecstasy of their championship triumph, but Wizards general manager Steve Kerr has had to wind up the celebrations and commence with preparations for the upcoming season. The first news that Kerr had to deal with was the retirement of reserve big man Brendan Haywood. The thirty-five year old retires after winning his second NBA championship, despite barely playing any minutes in the playoffs. His other championship ring was earned with the Mavericks in 2011.

Next Kerr had to inform CJ Watson that he would not be offered a new contract. He also had to try and convince veteran Manu Ginobili to re-sign and continue his sixth man role. But the Argentine decided that he would test the free agency market in the hopes of landing a starting role in possibly his final NBA season. It was a disappointment for Wizards fans as Ginobili had been a key addition to their title run and helped his less experienced teammates at crucial moments in the playoffs. It's also disappointing because the Wizards gave up talented rookie Noah Vonleh and a first round pick to acquire Ginobili from the Clippers back in January. Considering they won the title though, it was well worth it.

Kerr then picked up team options on key players Bradley Beal, Nerlens Noel and Perry Jones. Beal led the league in three point shots made last season and came up big in the Finals for the Wizards. He averaged twenty-four points in the six game series and combined with rookie Andrew Wiggins for fifty points per game. Perry Jones was the surprise factor for the Wizards off the bench. He stepped up at crucial times and kept the score ticking over when the stars were resting on the bench.

Wizards Current Roster

DeMarcus Cousins / Emeka Okafor
Nerlens Noel / Perry Jones
Andrew Wiggins / Marvin Williams
Bradley Beal / Tony Allen
John Wall / Mario Chalmers

[Phil89]

21/6/15

2015 Draft Lottery

Lottery Chances



Boston head into the lottery with the best chance of landing the coveted top pick and they will be hoping to avoid a repeat of 2007 when they dropped from second to fifth and missed out on Kevin Durant. Minnesota are again big players in the lottery after another poor season and Miami plummeted without LeBron James to finish with the third worst record. The Clippers go in with three potential top ten picks, whilst the Kings also have two picks in the lottery.

-----

2015 NBA Draft Order


It's 2007 all over again for the Celtics as they drop from first to third after the ping pong balls didn't fall their way. The only positive thing for Boston is that there is no stand-out prospect in this year's draft class, so the difference between the first and third picks is greatly reduced. Plus they head into this draft without any huge roster holes to fill, so they would have probably selected the best player available anyway. The Timberwolves, Heat and Grizzlies also suffered in the lottery as they each fell two places.

The biggest winners on the night were obviously the Los Angeles Clippers, who rose from the sixth pick to land the coveted first overall pick. This is the fourth time that they have received the first overall pick in 26 years. In 1988 they picked Danny Manning, in 1998 they infamously picked Michael Olowokandi and in 2009 they much more successfully selected Blake Griffin. Obviously they will be hoping to land another player of Griffin's calibre. The big risk that the under performing Clippers took at the trade deadline has paid off amazingly. They got rid of veterans like Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Andrew Bogut, as well as promising reserve guard Eric Bledsoe. They gained young prospects, huge cap space and two lottery picks.

The Clippers head into this off-season with three lottery picks (#1, #8 and #11) and with Blake Griffin as the only big earner on their wage bill. So they can pick up three talented youngsters in the draft and have a shot at the top free agents such as Paul George, Ricky Rubio and Enes Kanter. They can really set themselves up as a championship contender for the next decade if they make the right decisions in the next couple of months.

The other team who greatly benefited in the lottery draw was the Utah Jazz. They rose from fifth to second and are suddenly in the race to draft a long term replacement for Deron Williams. Australian Dante Exum is the most highly rated point guard in this draft and by moving up to the second pick the Jazz are in pole position to land him. UCLA's Zach LaVine and Tyler Ennis from Syracuse are also expected to be lottery picks. Perhaps adding someone like Exum alongside Eric Gordon will help convince big man Enes Kanter to re-sign with the Jazz.


2015 NBA Draft - First Round


________________________________________________

[Phil89]

24/6/15

2015 Team/Player Options Summary

Atlanta
Team Option
Trey Burke - 22 - PG - $2.03m (2yr)
Marquis Teague - 22 - PG - $2.02m

Boston
Team Option
Jared Sullinger - 23 - PF - $2.27m
John Henson - 24 - PF - $2.94m
Rodney Hood - 20 - SF - $641k
Andrew Nicholson - 25 - PF - $2.38m
Daniel Diez - 21 - SF - $771k
Fab Melo - 25 - C - $2.25m

Brooklyn
Team Option
CJ Wilcox - 24 - SG - $1.05m (2yr)
Jabari Brown - 21 - SG - $594k

Player Option
Deron Williams - 30 - PG - $21.04m

Chicago
Team Option
James Birsen - 20 - SF - $794k
Branden Dawson - 21 - SF - $818k
Jamaal Franklin - 24 - SG - $946k (2yr)

Cleveland
Team Option
Patric Young - 23 - PF - $2.33m (2yr)
Trevor Mbakwe - 26 - PF - $2.54m (2yr)
Tyler Zeller - 25 - C - $2.62m
Jerian Grant - 21 - SG - $747k

Dallas
Team Option
Mason Plumlee - 25 - PF - $1.93m (2yr)
Jared Cunningham - 24 - SG - $2.20m

Denver
Team Option
Ben McLemore - 23 - SG - $1.09m (2yr)
Wilson Chandler - 28 - SF - $7.00m
Evan Fournier - 22 - SG - $2.29m
Wang Zhelin - 20 - C - $582k

Detroit
Team Option
Andre Drummond - 21 - C - $3.27m
Rodney Purvis - 20 - PG - $688k
Wayne Blackshear - 22 - SF - $524k

Golden State
Team Option
Harrison Barnes - 23 - SF - $3.87m
Dion Waiters - 23 - SG - $5.14m
James McAdoo - 22 - PF - $941k (2yr)
Mitch McGary - 20 - C - $806k
Brandon Ashley - 20 - PF - $782k

Houston
Team Option
Terrence Ross - 23 - PF - $2.49m
Donatas Motiejunas - 24 - PF - $2.29m

Indiana
Team Option
Nate Wolters - 23 - PG - $1.01m (2yr)
CJ Aiken - 23 - PF - $606k

LA Clippers
Team Option
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist - 21 - SF - $6.33m
Alex Poythress - 21 - SF - $927k (2yr)
Rakeem Christmas - 23 - PF - $2.78m (2yr)
Allen Crabbe - 22 - SG - $829k
Austin Hollins - 21 - SG - $512k

LA Lakers
Team Option
Lorenzo Brown - 24 - PG - $974k (2yr)
Markel Starks - 21 - PG - $665k

Memphis
Team Option
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - 22 - SG - $2.14m (2yr)
Tony Wroten - 22 - PG - $2.18m
Sean Kilpatrick - 25 - SG - $1.29m (2yr)

Miami
Team Option
Chane Behanan - 21 - PF - $535k

Milwaukee
Team Option
Cody Zeller - 22 - PF - $1.84m (2yr)
Tony Mitchell - 23 - SF - $1.61m (2yr)
Royce White - 24 - PF - $2.75m

Minnesota
Team Option
Ryan Harrow - 23 - PG - $3.38m (2yr)
Austin Rivers - 22 - SG - $3.11m
CJ McCollum - 23 - PG - $1.19m (2yr)
DeWayne Dedmond - 25 - C - $1.14m (2yr)
Gorgui Dieng - 25 - C - $934k (2yr)

New Orleans
Team Option
Anthony Davis - 22 - C - $7.07m
Myck Kabongo - 23 - PG - $3.07m (2yr)
Ian Miller - 23 - PG - $1.35m (2yr)

New York
Team Option
Steven Adams - 21 - C - $1.49m (2yr)
Travis McKie - 21 - SF - $571k

Oklahoma City
Team Option
Jeremy Lamb - 23 - SG - $3.03m
Robin Lopez - 27 - C - $2.83m
Axel Toupane - 21 - SG - $547k

Orlando
Team Option
Shabazz Muhammad - 21 - SG - $4.18m (2yr)
Ray McCallum - 24 - PG - $1.42m (2yr)
Maurice Harkless - 22 - SF - $2.89m
CJ Fair - 22 - SF - $841k

Philadelphia
Team Option
Arnett Moultrie - 24 - PF - $2.05m

Phoenix
Team Option
Kendall Marshall - 23 - PG - $2.99m
Dwight Powell - 22 - PF - $629k
Alex Abrines - 21 - SG - $559k

Portland
Team Option
Damian Lillard - 24 - PG - $4.24m
Thomas Robinson - 24 - PF - $4.66m
Alex Len - 22 - C - $1.50m (2yr)
Archie Goodwin - 21 - SG - $1.74m (2yr)
Victor Claver - 26 - SF - $2.25m
Meyers Leonard - 23 - C - $3.08m

San Antonio
Team Option
Rudy Gobert - 23 - C - $1.57m (2yr)
John Jenkins - 24 - SG - $2.23m

Toronto
Team Option
Jonas Valanciunas - 23 - C - $4.66m
Terrence Ross - 24 - SG - $3.55m
Alex Oriakhi - 25 - PF - $1.24m (2yr)
Keith Appling - 22 - PG - $735k
Kasey Hill - 20 - PG - $853k

Utah
Team Option
Deonte Burton - 22 - PG - $712k

Washington
Team Option
Bradley Beal - 21 - SG - $5.70m
Nerlens Noel - 21 - PF - $3.75m (2yr)
Perry Jones - 23 - PF - $2.04m

Declined Options

Team
Boston
Trey Zeigler - 23 - SG - $653k

LA Clippers
Eric Ferguson - 24 - SF - $724k

New Orleans
Andre Dawkins - 22 - SG - $676k

Sacramento
Amric Fields - 22 - SF - $759k

Utah
Earl Clark - 27 - SF - $1.80m

[Vespasian92]

Ha, three first rounders makes me happy. Maybe they'll get Favors some help.

Nice job on going all the way, and being able to keep your core together for a few more seasons.

[Phil89]

27/6/15

2015 NBA Draft

First Round - Lottery Picks

1.) LA Clippers: Milan Ivanovic - C - 20 - Serbia - 224cm - 130kg


Given that there was no consensus number one pick this year it seems that the Clippers have decided to take a gamble on the freakishly tall Serbian with the massive upside. Milan Ivanovic, who stands at 7 feet 4 inches, is easily the most talented defensive player in this draft class and has drawn comparisons to former Jazz big man Mark Eaton. His main strengths are obviously helped by his enormous stature. Ivanovic really doesn't have much of an offensive game and mainly gets baskets due to his size alone, but defensively he is a monster. His shot-blocking and rebounding are phenomenal and any opposition guards thinking of driving to the basket would certainly think twice with him in the paint. He knows what he is good at and plays within his abilities. If he can develop a decent offensive skill set he could well become a top ten player in the league. Seeing him paired with the explosive Blake Griffin will be exciting for Clipper fans.

NBA Comparison: Mark Eaton


----------


2.) Utah: Dante Exum - PG - 20 - Australia - 198cm - 85kg


The Jazz finally land a replacement point guard after the departure of Deron Williams several years ago. Drafting Exum was an easy choice after the Clippers took Ivanovic with the first pick. Utah already have Eric Gordon, so they didn't need James Andrews from Duke who was touted as a top three pick alongside Exum and Ivanovic. Exum is an exciting prospect, his mix of height and speed will make him an extremely tough player to guard for almost every point guard in the league. He has the potential to be a future all-star and the work ethic to get him there. The success in recent seasons of Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and John Wall is a good blueprint for what this young Aussie may become. Exum arriving may also be a huge bargaining chip in Utah's attempts to convince big man Enes Kanter to re-sign in the next month or so.

NBA Comparison: Penny Hardaway


----------


3.) Boston: Joel Embiid - C - 21 - Kansas - 213cm - 108kg


The Celtics were incredibly unlucky to miss out on the top pick in the lottery after having the best chance at winning it. Although they missed out on Ivanovic, they still get an athletically gifted big man in Joel Embiid from Kansas. In some ways they are probably lucky because Embiid has a more developed offensive game than Ivanovic, but has similarly high potential like the Serbian. Embiid is very much in the mould of two big men who have entered the league in recent seasons: Anthony Davis and Nerlens Noel. He loves denying opponents at the rim and his volleyball background means his athleticism is extremely high. Like the two previously mentioned his offense still has a long way to go, but he has shown signs of developing a decent jump shot this season. The Celtics already had Willie Cauley-Stein but felt that they had enough depth in every roster spot to take the best player available with this pick.

NBA Comparison: Hakeem Olajuwon


----------


4.) Minnesota: James Andrews - SG - 20 - Duke - 198cm - 90kg


It's an interesting move by the Timberwolves, passing on big men like Jahlil Okafor, Myles Turner and Jose Sanchez to pick up James Andrews. Maybe they felt that adding a pure wing scorer would be more important than a dominant center. Andrews has been hyped as the next big shooting guard scorer in the mould of Kobe Bryant or Tracy McGrady. He averaged an impressive 30 points per game for Duke last season as he led them to the national championship against Kansas, 87-75. He could be the next great scorer like Kevin Durant and really help Minnesota become relevant in a tough western conference. Apparently David Kahn was upset at losing out on his chance to draft Dante Exum.

NBA Comparison: Kobe Bryant


----------


5.) Miami: Myles Turner - C - 20 - Kentucky - 208cm - 102kg


Miami had a monumental fall from grace in the last twelve months. This time last year they were celebrating a championship and now they are a lottery team with two extremely well paid aging stars as their core. LeBron James may be gone, but the imposing figure of Myles Turner is about to land in Miami and stake his claim as one of the most talented young big men in the league. Like many of the other centers drafted in recent years he is stronger defensively than offensively. Turner's defensive strength should compliment the offensive abilities of Chris Bosh nicely and they could form a formidable partnership. Turner could turn out to be as dominant as DeMarcus Cousins, but without all the baggage. He has a fair amount of work to do on his offensive game still and lacks any post moves or footwork. It's a solid first step in rebuilding for the Heat.

NBA Comparison: Anthony Davis


----------


6.) Memphis: Jose Sanchez - PF - 21 - Spain - 210cm - 105kg


Memphis decide to go with another European big man with a high ceiling. Sanchez is similar to the Gasol brothers in that he has great length on the defensive end and works hard for rebounds and blocks. He is a handy post scorer, but lacks consistency when he tries shooting from outside of the paint. He had a solid season alongside Norwegian prospect Rolf Young in Barcelona last year. It's kind of ironic that the guy labelled as the next Pau Gasol replaces the veteran big man in Memphis to play alongside his brother Marc. At this stage it surprisingly looks like Pau will leave the Grizzlies for reasons unknown. Sanchez should do well alongside the younger Gasol and rookie sensation Michael Carter-Williams.

NBA Comparison: Pau Gasol


----------


7.) Milwaukee: Jahlil Okafor - C - 19 - Duke - 208cm - 123kg


Milwaukee's biggest need was a big man to play alongside Cody Zeller. Drafting Jahlil Okafor will now allow Zeller to slide to his preferred power forward spot, which will suit him better with his mobility and light frame. Okafor had been one of the most hyped high school players a couple of years ago and he has produced at college level with Duke. He is a polished low post scorer and has great hands when catching the ball in the paint or bringing down rebounds. He is not the most athletic big man in the draft, but his basketball IQ and footwork allow him to take advantage of his strengths and be a solid low post scorer. If Kendrick Perkins stays in Milwaukee he could really help Okafor with his defensive game.

NBA Comparison: Al Jefferson


----------


8.) LA Clippers: Zach LaVine - PG/SG - 20 - UCLA - 196cm - 81kg


With their second pick in the top ten the Clippers draft UCLA combo-guard Zach LaVine. He has played mainly at point guard for the Bruins, but is also comfortable playing shooting guard. His athleticism is off the charts and he could well one of the top athletes in this draft class. He is strong, quick and excellent in transition. He is quite similar to Oklahoma City guard and fellow UCLA graduate Russell Westbrook. He is not the typical pass-first point guard of yesteryear, but very much one of the new breed of explosive point guards like Westbrook, Derrick Rose or John Wall. He will be an exciting prospect playing alongside Blake Griffin in LA, and is good cover for if Kemba Walker leaves in the off-season.

NBA Comparison: Russell Westbrook


----------


9.) Sacramento: John Dawson - SF/SG - 21 - Georgetown - 200cm - 90kg


The Kings come in with their first pick and select sharpshooter John Dawson from Georgetown. Some experts believed that Dawson could have been a top three pick if not for the overload of talented big men in this year's draft class. Dawson is probably the second best scorer in the draft class after James Andrews. His main strength is his perimeter shooting. He is very similar to Klay Thompson and Bradley Beal with his ability to catch fire from beyond the arc and score quickly. Sacramento needed another perimeter scorer and Dawson will be a great addition. Especially if Marcus Thornton moves on in the off-season.

NBA Comparison: Klay Thompson


----------


10.) Atlanta: Albert Brown - PF - 20 - UCLA - 208cm - 100kg


The Hawks have good wing depth so use this pick on forward Albert Brown from UCLA. He is an athletic forward in the same mould as Serbe Ibaka and like the Thunder big man he loves to block shots. With the uncertainty over the future of Thaddeus Young and Kawhi Leonard it makes sense to bring in a forward with this pick. Brown could well be the next highly marketable player with his unrelenting energy and likeable personality. Atlanta fans at least will love him as a player and a person. He is like Tracy McGrady with his laid back demeanour on and off the court, but his will to win is extremely high and he gives his all every game.

NBA Comparison: Serge Ibaka


----------


11.) LA Clippers: Gary Harris - SG - 21 - Michigan State - 193cm - 95kg


With their third lottery pick the Clippers go for Gary Harris from Michigan State. He may not be the efficient scorer that Andrews and Dawson are, but he has a very polishing all-round game. He can find his own shot and drive to the basket effectively. He is very athletic and bulked up over the past year to make himself hard for other guards to defend in the lane. He is a solid rebounder for a guard despite being a bit undersized. He needs to work on his ball handling skills and could do with a more consistent perimeter shot. He should fit in well with Blake and Zach LaVine on the fast break.

NBA Comparison: OJ Mayo



----------



TRADE: Milwaukee sends OJ Mayo and Jan Vesely to Sacramento in exchange for pick 12 and pick 43.

John Hammond is looking to bring in a fresh batch of youngsters that he can develop over the next few years. They already picked up exciting big man Jahlil Okafor in this draft and now have a third pick in the top 20. If he can draft as well as Sam Presti then the Bucks may have a strong team in a few years.

It looks like the Kings made this move to upgrade their shooting guard spot as Marcus Thornton has yet to commit to re-signing with them. Mayo should fit in well alongside Isaiah Thomas, Derrick Favors and Derrick Williams on a Kings team that desperately wants to make the playoffs this season. It also means that ninth overall pick John Dawson may have to settle for a bench role this season.



-----------



12.) Milwaukee: Tyler Ennis - PG - 21 - Syracuse - 192cm - 84kg


Milwaukee use the newly acquired pick on point guard Tyler Ennis from Syracuse. The twenty-one year old Canadian has had a couple solid seasons with the Orange and is ready to make the step to the NBA. He should be a good fit with the young Bucks team because he has a great attitude, he's very mature for his age and he's a very coachable player. On the court he is unselfish, but also uses his quick first step to get past opponents and into the lane. He is also very clever at getting steals. He will be a good energy player off the bench for the Bucks.

NBA Comparison: Jrue Holiday



----------



TRADE: New York sends pick 13 to Memphis in exchange for Mike Conley and Marreese Speights.

Looks like the Knicks wanted some veteran guys on their team. Conley is an instant upgrade over Raymond Felton and Speights will be a good energy guy off the bench supporting Tyson Chandler and Steven Adams. It will be interesting to see which free agents they can bring in using their enormous cap space.

This move is great for the Grizzlies as they add another lottery pick and get rid of an unhappy Conley. He had lost his starting place to rookie Michael Carter-Williams last season and fellow youngster Tony Wroten had been seeing more playing time as well. Memphis are finally putting together some nice pieces after losing the likes of Rudy Gay, OJ Mayo and Zach Randolph in recent years.



-----------



13.) Memphis: Rolf Young - 21 - SF - Norway - 211cm - 100kg


And the Grizzlies use this pick on Norwegian forward Rolf Young, who has been impressing with FC Barcelona in the Euroleague this season. It's a calculated move to draft two players who have experience playing together in Europe. Young and Spaniard Jose Sanchez were solid contributors for the Catalan giants in their recent Euroleague campaign and should bring their chemistry with them to Memphis. Despite his size Young is comfortable dribbling the ball and is a solid scorer. He has great length and can guard just about anyone under seven feet tall. He regularly grabs ten or more rebounds per game and on the defensive end he has the ability to chase down players and block shots. He should be the replacement for Rudy Gay that they have been looking for.

NBA Comparison: Carmelo Anthony


----------


14.) Golden State: Victor Wright - SF - 20 - Kentucky - 208cm - 100kg


Golden State add another young piece to their deep roster by selected Kentucky small forward Victor Wright. He still has a long way to go with his game at both ends of the court, but some draft experts are comparing him to Paul George from the Pacers. Wright is quite athletic and has shown that he can defend at a high level this season. On offense he can produce explosive dunks and step out and sink three point shots with consistency. He will likely take a reserve role behind Harrison Barnes this season, but in the future he has the potential to be a starter in this league.

NBA Comparison: Paul George

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First Round - Continued

15.) Minnesota - Lucas Silva - C - 20 - North Carolina - 215cm - 120kg
16.) Milwaukee - Kelly Olynyk - C - 24 - Gonzaga - 213cm - 106kg
17.) Boston - Jerami Grant - SF - 21 - Syracuse - 206cm - 95kg
18.) Golden State - Calvin Bosh - SG - 21 - Stanford - 193cm - 84kg
19.) Sacramento - Alexey Cox - SF - 24 - Ohio State - 203cm - 97kg
20.) Portland - Corey Bledsoe - SF - 21 - Seton Hall - 201cm - 102kg
21.) Indiana - Corey Gerner - PF - 21 - Duke - 206cm - 109kg
22.) Orlando - Fernando Esparza - SF - 22 - Mexico - 203cm - 105kg
23.) Brooklyn - Lowell Meyer - PF - 22 - Michigan - 211cm - 114kg
24.) Denver - Charles Simmons - C - 22 - Pepperdine - 206cm - 115kg
25.) Atlanta - Jonathon Houston - SG - 21 - Oregon - 198cm - 92kg
26.) Portland - Tyler Morgan - PG - 21 - Georgetown - 188cm - 85kg
27.) Philadelphia - Dmitri Nevsky - SG - 22 - Russia - 201cm - 90kg
28.) Milwaukee - Mack Jamison - PG - 20 - South Carolina - 188cm - 84kg
29.) Oklahoma City - Kris Joseph - PF - 23 - Baylor - 211cm - 113kg
30.) Miami - Nick Moody - C - 20 - Massachusetts - 215cm - 110kg

-----

Second Round

31.) Boston - Luther Campbell - SG - 20 - Marquette - 198cm - 99kg
32.) Minnesota - Antonio Westphal - PF - 20 - Georgia Tech - 201cm - 109kg
33.) Miami - Juan Del Rosario - SF - 22 - Mexico - 201cm - 91kg
34.) Memphis - Gabe Kelly - SF - 20 - Washington State - 203cm - 105kg
35.) Utah - Dion Wilkins - SF - 20 - IPFW - 196cm - 102kg

----------


TRADE: Boston sends Arron Afflalo, Jeff Teague and Andrew Nicholson to Phoenix in exchange for Kendall Marshall, Alex Abrines, pick 36 and a 2016 first round pick.

Interesting move by the Celtics. Seems they regretted signing Afflalo to that contract extension and decided to trade him so that they will have room in the upcoming years to secure their young talent for the long term. Perhaps the Celtics are stockpiling draft picks and young talent in order to pull off a deal like Houston did with James Harden.

It's a solid move for the Suns as they lacked any veteran depth last season. Teague had been growing frustrated with his reserve role and will be happy to start over in Phoenix, despite them already having Eric Bledsoe. Phoenix's backcourt of Bledsoe, Teague, Afflalo and Goran Dragic (If he re-signs) will be exciting for their fans and for neutrals if it gels together.


-----------

36.) Boston - Manny Alvarado - SF - 23 - Puerto Rico - 198cm - 93kg
37.) Dallas - Sergio Alvarez - SF - 21 - Mexico - 206cm - 94kg
38.) LA Clippers - Chip Young - PG - 21 - Georgia Tech - 201cm - 93kg
39.) Toronto - Johnny Newton - PF - 21 - Connecticut - 203cm - 109kg
40.) Charlotte - Vitaly Popov - PG - 20 - Ukraine - 188cm - 97kg
41.) Chicago - Tony Anthony - PF - 20 - Wyoming - 211cm - 120kg
42.) New York - Frank Thompson - SF - 23 - Penn State - 206cm - 105kg
43.) Milwaukee - Charlie Barkley - PG - 21 - Duke - 191cm - 96kg
44.) Golden State - Taylor Carr - SG - 23 - Stanford - 206cm - 99kg
45.) LA Lakers - Tony Maxwell - SF - 21 - Arizona - 203cm - 107kg
46.) Dallas - Alexander Phillips - SG - 20 - Tennessee - 198cm - 100kg
47.) Orlando - Steve Moran - C - 22 - Duke - 208cm - 118kg
48.) Cleveland - Rasheed Brewer - PF - 21 - UTEP - 206cm - 115kg

----------


TRADE: Washington sends Mario Chalmers and Tony Allen to New Orleans in exchange for Ian Miller and pick 49.

A cynical person would see this trade as the Wizards getting rid of Chalmers' contract to create room in their cap for the end of the season. It just so happens that a certain superstar player who grew up in Washington is in the final year of his current deal.

The Hornets had to rely on DJ Augustin and some rookies at the point guard spot last season and they reached the conference finals. But now they have a two time championship winning guard in Mario Chalmers to help out their backcourt depth.


-----------

49.) Washington - Alonzo Johnson - PF - 20 - Cincinnati - 208cm - 102kg
50.) Houston - Daryl Maggette - PG - 20 - Alabama - 188cm - 81kg
51.) Chicago - Jeremy Porter - C - 22 - Michigan - 208cm - 117kg
52.) Indiana - Dimitras Alexandris - SG - 22 - Greece - 198cm - 92kg
53.) Brooklyn - Bernard Fulton - PF - 21 - Texas Tech - 201cm - 114kg
54.) Denver - Michael Mack - PF - 21 - Texas - 208cm - 97kg
55.) Chicago - Ernest Andrews - PF - 22 - Duke - 203cm - 102kg
56.) Oklahoma City - Kyle Bender - SG - 21 - UCLA - 198cm - 91kg
57.) Philadelphia - Christopher West - SG - 22 - TCU - 193cm - 82kg
58.) Detroit - Seth Nixon - PF - 23 - Connecticut - 211cm - 120kg
59.) Oklahoma City - Kevin Buchanan - PF - 23 - Villanova - 213cm - 112kg
60.) Washington - Lucas Madsen - C - 19 - Denmark - 218cm - 110kg

-----

Kentucky continue to produce NBA players



In the past five seasons the University of Kentucky have provided the NBA with twenty first round picks. They have another couple to add to the list this season with big man Myles Turner and forward Victor Wright both entering the league. John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Nerlens Noel were all part of the Wizards' championship winning team last season. Anthony Davis is emerging as a legitimate superstar down in New Orleans and Patrick Patterson is a consistent starter for the Lakers. Julius Randle has found himself playing alongside LeBron James in Orlando, whilst Michael Kidd-Gilchrist shares a court with Blake griffin in Los Angeles every other night.

2010 - (1) John Wall, (5) DeMarcus Cousins, (14) Patrick Patterson, (18) Eric Bledsoe, (29) Daniel Orton
2011 - (3) Enes Kanter, (8) Brandon Knight
2012 - (1) Anthony Davis, (2) Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, (18) Terrence Jones, (29) Marquis Teague
2013 - (2) Nerlens Noel, (3) Ryan Harrow, (12) Archie Goodwin, (29) Alex Poythress
2014 - (3) James Young, (6) Aaron Harrison, (8) Willie Cauley-Stein, (9) Andrew Harrison, (12) Julius Randle
2015 - (5) Myles Turner, (14) Victor Wright

-----

Influx of International players in this draft



This year there have been a high number of international players drafted into the league. Four of the top six picks this year were born overseas. A total of fourteen foreign players were selected in the draft. It's double the number of international players drafted last year. Players from Serbia, Australia, Cameroon, Spain, Canada, Norway, Mexico, Russia, Puerto Rico, Ukraine, Greece and Denmark entering the league will improve the global appeal of the game. Obviously the most hyped of the bunch are Milan Ivanovic, Dante Exum and Joel Embiid,who were the first three players drafted this year.

[Phil89]

Ha, three first rounders makes me happy. Maybe they'll get Favors some help.

Nice job on going all the way, and being able to keep your core together for a few more seasons.

Thanks. It took a long time to play every game of that season and I'm happy it ended with a trophy.

I think the Kings did pretty well picking up Oj Mayo and John Dawson. They should both add more scoring to the team. If Marcus Thornton re-signs they will have a solid sixth man also. They probably just need an upgrade on JJ Hickson at center to be a playoff team next season though.

Future looks decent with Derrick Favors, Derrick Williams, Isaiah Thomas, Andrew Harrison, JJ Hickson, OJ Mayo, Marcus Thornton and John Dawson as their core. Maybe a couple of veterans on the bench and they can be a playoff team.

[Phil89]

30/9/15

2015 Free Agency Summary

Atlanta
Re-Signed
Kawhi Leonard - 24 - SF - $42.07m - 4 years
Thaddeus Young - 27 - PF - $32.20m - 4 years

Free Agents Signed
-

Released
Louis Williams (Minnesota)
Jason Richardson (Free Agent)

Projected line-up: Al Horford - Thaddeus Young - Kawhi Leonard - Glenn Robinson - Trey Burke

Boston
Re-Signed
Tobias Harris - 23 - SF - $3.58m - 1 year

Free Agents Signed
-

Released
Jameer Nelson (Brooklyn)
Trey Zeigler (Free Agent)

Projected line-up: Willie Cauley-Stein - Jared Sullinger - Tobias Harris - Avery Johnson - Marcus Smart

Brooklyn
Re-Signed
-

Free Agents Signed
Caron Butler - 35 - SF - $1.70m - 1 year
Jameer Nelson - 33 - PG - $1.98m - 2 years
Kirk Hinrich - 34 - PG - $525k - 1 year

Released
Zach Randolph (Free Agent)
Ramon Sessions (Free Agent)
TyShawn Taylor (Free Agent)
Chauncey Billups (Retired)
Shawn Marion (Retired)

Projected line-up: Brook Lopez - Gerald Wallace - Caron Butler - Joe Johnson - Deron Williams

Charlotte
Re-Signed
Andray Blatche - 29 - C - $21.30m - 4 years

Free Agents Signed
Amare Stoudemire - 32 - PF - $18.63m - 2 years
Anderson Varejao - 33 - C - $1.03m - 1 year

Released
Kris Humphries (Free Agent)
Jeff Taylor (Free Agent)
Vlacheslav Kravtsov (Free Agent)

Projected line-up: Andrew Bogut - Al Jefferson - Carmelo Anthony - Victor Oladipo - Tony Parker

Chicago
Re-Signed
-

Free Agents Signed
-

Released
Delonte West (Free Agent)
Jermaine O'Neal (Retired)

Projected line-up: Joakim Noah - Taj Gibson - Jabari Parker - Jimmy Butler - Derrick Rose

Cleveland
Re-Signed
Adonis Thomas - 22 - SF - $1.15m - 1 year

Free Agents Signed
-

Released
Daniel Gibson (Free Agent)

Projected line-up: JaVale McGee - Aaron Gordon - Danilo Gallinari - Klay Thompson - Kyrie Irving

Dallas
Re-Signed
Dominique Jones - 27 - PG - $4.61m - 3 years

Free Agents Signed
-

Released
Dirk Nowitzki (Retired)

Projected line-up: Nikola Pekovic - Danny Granger - Trevor Ariza - Monta Ellis - Darren Collison

Denver
Re-Signed
Wilson Chandler - 28 - SF - $7.00m - 1 year
Jordan Hamilton - 25 - SF - $15.79m - 3 years

Free Agents Signed
-

Released
Anthony Randolph (New York)
Andre Miller (Retired)

Projected line-up: Kenneth Faried - Paul Millsap - Wilson Chandler - Ben McLemore - Ty Lawson

Detroit
Re-Signed
Kyle Singler - 27 - SF - $13.22m - 4 years

Free Agents Signed
Wesley Matthews - 29 - SG - $41.71m - 4 years

Released
Armon Johnson (Free Agent)
Khris Middleton (Free Agent)

Projected line-up: Andre Drummond - Greg Monroe - Andre Iguodala - DeMar DeRozan - Brandon Jennings

Golden State
Re-Signed
-

Free Agents Signed
-

Released
Dorell Wright (San Antonio)
Omri Casspi (Free Agent)

Projected line-up: DeAndre Jordan - Tristan Thompson - Harrison Barnes - Dion Waiters - Stephen Curry

Houston
Re-Signed
Jeremy Lin - 27 - PG - $42.92m - 4 years
Doug McDermott - 23 - SF - $14.86m - 4 years

Free Agents Signed
-

Released
Chandler Parsons (Memphis)
Wesley Matthews (Detroit)

Projected line-up: LaMarcus Aldridge - Terrence Jones - Doug McDermott - James Harden - Jeremy Lin

Indiana
Re-Signed
Ekpe Udoh - 28 - C - $15.36m - 4 years

Free Agents Signed
-

Released
Paul George (Portland)
Orlando Johnson (Free Agent)

Projected line-up: Roy Hibbert - Ersan Ilyasova - Gordon Hayward - Brandon Roy - George Hill

LA Clippers
Re-Signed
Kemba Walker - 25 - PG - $4.68m - 1 year
Jared Dudley - 30 - SF - $7.98m - 3 years

Free Agents Signed
Alexey Shved - 26 - SG - $26.56m - 3 years

Released
Tayshaun Prince (Free Agent)
Thabo Sefolosha (Free Agent)
Eric Ferguson (Free Agent)
Mike Miller (Retired)

Projected line-up: Milan Ivanovic - Blake Griffin - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist - Alexey Shved - Kemba Walker

LA Lakers
Re-Signed
Chase Budinger - 27 - SF - $14.24m - 4 years
Jordan Hill - 28 - C - $15.83m - 4 years
Trey Thompkins - 25 - PF - $6.52m - 2 years

Free Agents Signed
Manu Ginobili - 38 - SF - $1.60m - 1 year

Released
Samuel Dalembert (Free Agent)
Metta World Peace (Retired)

Projected line-up: Kevin Love - Patrick Patterson - Manu Ginobili - Kobe Bryant - Jose Calderon

Memphis
Re-Signed
-

Free Agents Signed
Chandler Parsons - 27 - SF - $49.20m - 4 years
Timofey Mozgov - 29 - C - $5.97m - 3 years

Released
Pau Gasol (Free Agent)

Projected line-up: Marc Gasol - Jose Sanchez - Chandler Parsons - MarShon Brooks - Michael Carter-Williams

Miami
Re-Signed
Michael Beasley - 26 - SF - $77.46m - 5 years

Free Agents Signed
-

Released
Aaron Brooks (Free Agent)
Udonis Haslem (Retired)

Projected line-up: Myles Turner - Chris Bosh - Michael Beasley - Dwyane Wade - Greivis Vasquez

Milwaukee
Re-Signed
Brandon Knight - 23 - PG - $5.05m - 1 year

Free Agents Signed
Jerryd Bayless - 27 - PG - $27.54m - 3 years
Doron Lamb - 23 - SG - $16.73m - 3 years

Released
Kendrick Perkins (Free Agent)
Drew Gooden (Free Agent)
Jose Barea (Free Agent)
Daequan Cook (Free Agent)
Ishmael Smith (Free Agent)

Projected line-up: Jahlil Okafor - Cody Zeller - LeBryan Nash - Jerryd Bayless - Brandon Knight

Minnesota
Re-Signed
Ricky Rubio - 25 - PG - $60.51m - 4 years
Landry Fields - 27 - SF - $31.06m - 4 years
Alec Brown - 23 - C - $1.09m - 1 year

Free Agents Signed
Louis Williams - 29 - SG - $29.45m - 3 years
Omer Asik - 29 - C - $22.62m - 3 years

Released
Alexey Shved (LA Clippers)
Al-Farouq Aminu (Phoenix)
Carlos Boozer (Free Agent)
Dante Cunningham (Free Agent)

Projected line-up: Omer Asik - Amir Johnson - Wayne Selden - Louis Williams - Ricky Rubio

New Orleans
Re-Signed
CJ Leslie - 24 - SF - $24.26m - 4 years
Darius Miller - 25 - SF - $4.26m - 2 years

Free Agents Signed
-

Released
Anderson Varejao (Charlotte)
Toney Douglas (Free Agent)
Andre Dawkins (Free Agent)

Projected line-up: Anthony Davis - Ryan Anderson - Luol Deng - Tyreke Evans - Mario Chalmers

New York
Re-Signed
Iman Shumpert - 25 - SF - $52.72m - 4 years
Raymond Felton - 31 - PG - $18.62m - 3 years
Carl Landry - 32 - PF - $795k - 1 year

Free Agents Signed
Anthony Randolph - 26 - PF - $57.24m - 4 years
Evan Turner - 27 - SG - $38.32m - 3 years

Released
Amare Stoudemire (Charlotte)

Projected line-up: Steven Adams - Anthony Randolph - Iman Shumpert - Evan Turner - Mike Conley

Oklahoma City
Re-Signed
Reggie Jackson - 25 - PG - $3.40m - 1 year

Free Agents Signed
-

Released
Luc Mbah a Moute (Free Agent)
Nick Collison (Free Agent)
Antawn Jamison (Retired)

Projected line-up: Larry Sanders - Serge Ibaka - Kevin Durant - Jeremy Lamb - Russell Westbrook

Orlando
Re-Signed
Glen Davis - 29 - PF - $13.12m - 3 years

Free Agents Signed
-

Released
Doron Lamb (Milwaukee)
Brandon Bass (Free Agent)
E'twaun Moore (Free Agent)

Projected line-up: Nikola Vucevic - Julius Randle - LeBron James - Shabazz Muhammad - Rajon Rondo

Philadelphia
Re-Signed
Jeff Green - 29 - SF - $36.16m - 5 years
Danny Green - 28 - SG - $25.91m - 4 years

Free Agents Signed
-

Released
Evan Turner (New York)
Jarrett Jack (Free Agent)

Projected line-up: Andrew Bynum - David Lee - Jeff Green - Danny Green - Jrue Holiday

Phoenix
Re-Signed
Goran Dragic - 29 - PG - $16.32m - 3 years

Free Agents Signed
Al-Farouq Aminu - 25 - SF - $19.65m - 3 years

Released
Caron Butler (Brooklyn)
Jamal Crawford (Free Agent)
Luis Scola (Free Agent)

Projected line-up: Marcin Gortat - Andrew Nicholson - Al-Farouq Aminu - Goran Dragic - Eric Bledsoe

Portland
Re-Signed
-

Free Agents Signed
Paul George - 25 - SF - $63.55m - 4 years

Released
Omer Asik (Minnesota)
Richard Jefferson (Free Agent)
Elliot Williams (Free Agent)

Projected line-up: Alex Len - Thomas Robinson - Paul George - Nicolas Batum - Damian Lillard

Sacramento
Re-Signed
Marcus Thornton - 28 - SG - $23.17m - 3 years
Jimmer Fredette - 26 - PG - $11.53m - 3 years
Martell Webster - 28 - SF - $9.61m - 4 years

Free Agents Signed
-

Released
Chuck Hayes (Free Agent)
Trevor Booker (Free Agent)
Travis Outlaw (Free Agent)
Amric Fields (Free Agent)

Projected line-up: JJ Hickson - Derrick Favors - Derrick Williams - OJ Mayo - Isaiah Thomas

San Antonio
Re-Signed
Luke Ridnour - 34 - PG - $3.12m - 3 years

Free Agents Signed
Dorell Wright - 29 - SF - $525k - 1 year
Andrei Kirilenko - 34 - SF - $801k - 1 year

Released
Dahntay Jones (Free Agent)
Vince Carter (Retired)

Projected line-up: Dwight Howard - Josh Smith - Dorell Wright - Nick Young - Chris Paul

Toronto
Re-Signed
-

Free Agents Signed
-

Released
Jason Maxiell (Free Agent)

Projected line-up: Jonas Valanciunas - Ed Davis - Rudy Gay - Terrence Ross - Kyle Lowry

Utah
Re-Signed
Enes Kanter - 23 - C - $7.88m - 1 year
Dario Saric - 23 - PF - $1.16m - 1 year
David West - 35 - PF - $4.14m - 2 years
Gerald Green - 29 - SF - $12.76m - 3 years
Nate Robinson - 31 - PG - $3.75m - 2 years

Free Agents Signed
-

Released
Tyrus Thomas (Free Agent)
Earl Clark (Free Agent)
Elton Brand (Free Agent)
Jeremy Evans (Free Agent)

Projected line-up: Enes Kanter - Dario Saric - Gerald Green - Eric Gordon - Dante Exum

Washington
Re-Signed
-

Free Agents Signed
Shannon Brown - 29 - SG - $4.00m - 1 year
Alonzo Gee - 28 - SF - $4.50m - 1 year
Eric Maynor - 28 - PG - $3.00m - 1 year
Ronnie Brewer - 30 - SG - $1.00m - 1 year

Released
Manu Ginonili (LA Lakers)
CJ Watson (Free Agent)
Brendan Haywood (Retired)

Projected line-up: DeMarcus Cousins - Nerlens Noel - Andrew Wiggins - Bradley Beal - John Wall

[Martti.]

Good FA signings, though maybe a bit much $$ for Brown, Gee and Maynor.

Also, can't believe the Pacers let George walk.. Also really excited to see Utah play.

[Valor]

Good FA signings, though maybe a bit much $$ for Brown, Gee and Maynor.

All 1 year deals tho so I don't see it being much of a problem. Solid offseason

[Phil89]

1/10/15

Wizards hope continuity can help them replicate amazing season



Washington fans have been in party mode for the past few weeks after their team won their second championship in franchise history. But for team officials and players the preparations to defend their title have already gotten under way. Some players have left and some others have arrived. It's going to be fascinating to see whether or not the Wizards can play at the same level as they did last season.

Staff
After such an amazing season Wizards owner Ahmad al-Sayed was so pleased that he gave head coach Avery Johnson and assistant coach Brian Shaw each two year contract extensions. Both men arrived in Washington a year ago in a shock move to replace Randy Wittman, who had just been named coach of the year. But the move paid off big time as Johnson led them to a record 73 win season and eventually a championship. All backroom staff supposedly got bonuses as well.

-----

Team Options
Kerr wasted no time in exercising the two year team option on 2013 second overall pick Nerlens Noel. He also picked up team options on sharpshooter Bradley Beal and surprise playoff hero Perry Jones. The Wizards have one more season with their players on their rookie contracts. Next year Beal will be due a new contract and Noel and Andrew Wiggins will as well in the next couple of years. It will be interesting to see if they can keep this team together.

-----

Free Agent Offers
Kerr didn't have much to do in terms of free agents this year. Manu Ginobili was the main free agent for the Wizards. They wanted him to come back and continue his sixth man role, but he declined their offer and decided to search for a starting role. He eventually signed a one year deal with the Lakers to help Kobe Bryant out in his possible final season. CJ Watson was the only other Wizards player to become a free agent. The Wizards didn't offer him a new contract and he left to search for a new team.

-----

Draft
After picking up Bradley Beal, Nerlens Noel and Andrew Wiggins with high lottery picks in the past three years the Wizards headed into the 2015 draft with only the sixtieth pick. They surprised some people by trading backup guards Mario Chalmers and Tony Allen to the Hornets for young guard Ian Miller and pick 46. They then used that pick to draft twenty year old power forward Alonzo Johnson from the University of Cincinnati. The six foot nine forward can also play at small forward. With the final pick in the draft the Wizards selected Danish big man Lucas Madsen. He had been expected to go undrafted but Steve Kerr obviously saw something in the raw seven footer.

-----

Free Agency
With Manu Ginobili leaving Steve Kerr set out to bring in some bench scoring to replace him. First he signed former Laker Shannon Brown on a one year $4 million deal. The athletic guard spent last season as Kobe Bryant's backup in Los Angeles but decided to leave after they had a poor season. Next to sign with the Wizards was former Cleveland swingman Alonzo Gee. He also signed a one year deal, worth $4.5 million. Kerr then brought in former Oklahoma City and Portland guard Eric Maynor (1yr/$3m) and veteran guard Ronnie Brewer (1yr/$1m). Basically most of the championship winning roster remains, with Brown or Gee taking over from Ginobili in the sixth man role.

-----

Training Camp
Despite being champions the Wizards players returned early for training camp to work on aspects of their games over the Summer. MVP John Wall and big man DeMarcus Cousins spent considerable time working on their outside shooting to expand their offensive range. Wing players Bradley Beal and Andrew Wiggins and big man Perry Jones all focussed on improving their rebounding. Nerlens Noel spent time working on his post game at the offensive end. He could really blossom into an all-star if he gets his offensive play to the same level as his defensive play. Newcomers Ian Miller and Alonzo Johnson spent time together working on improving their athleticism to help them better fit in with the style of new team.

-----

Wizards Rotation

[Phil89]

Good FA signings, though maybe a bit much $$ for Brown, Gee and Maynor.

Also, can't believe the Pacers let George walk.. Also really excited to see Utah play.

Good FA signings, though maybe a bit much $$ for Brown, Gee and Maynor.

All 1 year deals tho so I don't see it being much of a problem. Solid offseason

There's a few reasons why I signed those guys. Firstly, I didn't really want to add any star players because my team has enough already and I need the future cap space to keep them. I just wanted a few role players on one-year deals to replace the bench scoring of Chalmers and Ginobili.

I'm familiar with Brown and Maynor from my Thunder dynasties, so they seemed like good options. I basically signed Gee because the few times I've seen him play he has had some kind of spectacular dunk.

I had like $13m to spend and I figured it was better to sign a few decent guys instead of spending it all on just Louis Williams, even though he would have been a great sixth man.


The Paul George thing was surprising for me, but only because of where he ended up. I figured he might go to the Clippers, Knicks or Timberwolves because they were the ones with all the cap space. Paul George and Damian Lillard on the same team is pretty cool though. I expect the Blazers to challenge the Thunder for top seed out west this season.

[Phil89]

20/10/15

2015-16 Season Preview - Top Ten Power Rankings




As we approach the start of another NBA season there are several teams from each conference which can be considered legitimate championship contenders. At this point in time Washington are favourites in the eastern conference after winning the title last season. Portland and Oklahoma City are duel favourites in the western conference. The Blazers made the biggest move of the off-season by luring star Paul George from Indiana and the Thunder have made the NBA finals every year since 2012, winning once in 2013.

1.) Washington Wizards

The defending champions are coming off a record-breaking season and will be determined not to relinquish their title. Point guard John Wall is a legitimate superstar now after winning two consecutive most valuable player awards. The core of their team is still intact and it will be tough for anyone to bet against them being a consistent finals participant for the next few seasons given their youthful stars. Andrew Wiggins joined the great Magic Johnson as a first overall pick to win a championship in their rookie season.


Roster Changes
In: Shannon Brown (FA), Alonzo Gee (FA), Eric Maynor (FA), Ronnie Brewer (FA), Ian Miller (Trade), Lucas Madsen (Draft), Alonzo Johnson (Draft)
Out: Manu Ginobili (FA), Mario Chalmers (Trade), Tony Allen (Trade), CJ Watson (FA)

2014-15 Record: 73-9 (1st in East)

2015 Playoffs: 16-6 (NBA Champions vs Oklahoma City)

Projected line-up: DeMarcus Cousins - Nerlens Noel - Andrew Wiggins - Bradley Beal - John Wall

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2.) Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder were disappointed not to win their second championship in three years, but they will no doubt bounce back this season. They obviously have a talented and settled roster because they have competed in four straight NBA Finals series. It will be an interesting season off the court for the Thunder though considering superstar Kevin Durant is in the final year of his current contract. No doubt there will be speculation that he will want to want to move to his hometown Wizards next season, especially as their roster is made up mostly of expiring contracts and rookie deals and they will have room to sign him.


Roster Changes
In: Reggie Jackson (Re-Signed), Kris Joseph (Draft), Kyle Bender (Draft), Kevin Buchanan (Draft)
Out: Luc Mbah a Moute (FA), Nick Collison (FA), Antawn Jamison (Retired)

2014-15 Record: 54-28 (1st in West)

2015 Playoffs: 14-7 (Eliminated in NBA Finals by Washington)

Projected line-up: Larry Sanders - Serge Ibaka - Kevin Durant - Jeremy Lamb - Russell Westbrook

-----

3.) Portland Trail Blazers

The Blazers pulled off the biggest move of the off-season by signing Pacers star Paul George. Adding such a talented player to a team that finished second in the western conference last season makes them a legitimate title contender. Pairing George up with fellow rising superstar Damian Lillard is mouth-watering, even rival teams' fans. They lost big man Omer Asik to the Timberwolves as a free agent, but a frontcourt duo of Alex Len and Thomas Robinson is fairly solid. Both play hard in the paint and have made the loss of LaMarcus Aldridge to the Rockets much less severe.


Roster Changes
In: Paul George (FA), Corey Bledsoe (Draft), Tyler Morgan (Draft)
Out: Omer Asik (FA), Richard Jefferson (FA), Elliot Williams (FA)

2014-15 Record: 50-32 (2nd in West)

2015 Playoffs: 5-7 (Eliminated in Conference Semi Finals vs New Orleans)

Projected line-up: Alex Len - Thomas Robinson - Paul George - Nicolas Batum - Damian Lillard

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4.) Orlando Magic

Any team that has LeBron James and Rajon Rondo on it's roster is always in with a shot at winning a championship. Last season they started slowly, but left their run too late and barely secured the eighth seed. This season should be different though as Rondo is there from the start and the likes of Shabazz Muhammad and Julius Randle are a year older and more experienced. The Magic will take great pride out of the fact that they pushed the eventual champions Washington to six epic games in the first round of the playoffs last season.


Roster Changes
In: Glen Davis (Re-Signed), Fernando Esparza (Draft), Steve Moran (Draft),
Out: Brandon Bass (FA), Doron Lamb (FA), E'Twaun Moore (FA)

2014-15 Record: 42-40 (8th in East)

2015 Playoffs: 2-4 (Eliminated in First Round vs Washington)

Projected line-up: Nikola Vucevic - Julius Randle - LeBron James - Shabazz Muhammad - Rajon Rondo

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5.) Chicago Bulls

The Bulls made the conference finals last season only to be beaten by the unstoppable Wizards. It would be surprising if they didn't reach the same heights again this season as they have a stable roster and superstar Derrick Rose seems to be back to his MVP form. If he and Joakim Noah can stay fit all season then the Bulls should be looking at a top three seed in the eastern conference. Last year's second overall pick Jabari Parker was named the rookie of the year and he will only improve in his second NBA season.


Roster Changes
In: Tony Anthony (Draft), Jeremy Porter (Draft), Ernest Andrews (Draft)
Out: Delonte West (FA), Jermaine O'Neal (Retired)

2014-15 Record: 46-36 (6th in East)

2015 Playoffs: 9-10 (Eliminated in Conference Finals vs Washington)

Projected line-up: Joakim Noah - Taj Gibson - Jabari Parker - Jimmy Butler - Derrick Rose

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6.) San Antonio Spurs

When you have Chris Paul, Dwight Howard and Josh Smith on your team you should really expect to be winning championships. It hasn't really worked out for the Spurs though since putting these three star players together. Their lack of depth is the biggest problem they face and due to the amount of moneythat their three stars are making it's hard to find cap room to sign useful bench players. They lost veteran Vince Carter to retirement, but replaced him with forwards Dorell Wright and Andrei Kirilenko.


Roster Changes
In: Dorell Wright (FA), Andrei Kirilenko (FA), Luke Ridnour (Re-Signed)
Out: Dahntay Jones (FA), Vince Carter (Retired)

2014-15 Record: 49-33 (3rd in West)

2015 Playoffs: 3-4 (Eliminated in First Round vs New Orleans)

Projected line-up: Dwight Howard - Josh Smith - Dorell Wright - Nick Young - Chris Paul

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7.) Detroit Pistons

The Pistons were the hard-luck story on last season's playoffs after star point guard Brandon Jennings ruptured his ACL just weeks before their first round series against Cleveland. Kyrie Irving destroyed them in that series and they crashed out after only six games. Jennings will miss the first four months of the new season as he continues his rehabilitation. The Pistons strangely didn't sign a point guard to cover for him, but did sign former Portland and Houston guard Wesley Matthews. He should at least make up for part of the scoring they will miss from not having Jennings on the court.


Roster Changes
In: Wesley Matthews (FA), Kyle Singler (Re-Signed), Seth Nixon (Draft)
Out: Armon Johnson (FA), Khris Middleton (FA)

2014-15 Record: 54-28 (2nd in East)

2015 Playoffs: 2-4 (Eliminated in First Round vs Cleveland)

Projected line-up: Andre Drummond - Greg Monroe - Andre Iguodala - DeMar DeRozan - Brandon Jennings

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8.) Houston Rockets

The Rockets had some tough decisions to make with free agents with four players coming out of contract. In the end they decided to retain Jeremy Lin and Doug McDermott over Wesley Mattthews and Chandler Parsons. McDermott was apparently seen as younger and cheaper than Parsons, who joined the Memphis Grizzlies, and he also allowed them to keep Lin. The team is still led by all-stars James Harden and LaMarcus Aldridge though so they will be challenging for a top four seed out west.


Roster Changes
In: Jeremy Lin (Re-Signed), Doug McDermott (Re-Signed), Daryl Maggette (Draft)
Out: Chandler Parsons (FA), Wesley Matthews (FA)

2014-15 Record: 44-38 (7th in West)

2015 Playoffs: 3-4 (Eliminated in First Round vs Portland)

Projected line-up: LaMarcus Aldridge - Terrence Jones - Doug McDermott - James Harden - Jeremy Lin

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9.) Charlotte Bobcats

The Bobcats missed the playoffs last season, but that doesn't rally reflect the true potential of this team as they only put this team together at the trade deadline. The scoring of Carmelo Anthony and Al Jefferson, the play-making of Tony Parker and the defensive presence of Andrew Bogut will make them a tough team to beat. Add to that Amare Stoudemire off the bench which will add some much needed scoring help and depth against the big men of the eastern conference. Michael Jordan knows what it takes to win titles as a player and perhaps he will use that experience to help his team as an owner.


Roster Changes
In: Amare Stoudemire (FA), Anderson Varejao (FA), Andray Blatche (Re-Signed), Vitaly Popov (Draft)
Out: Kris Humphries (FA), Jeff Taylor (FA), Vlacheslav Kravtsov (FA)

2014-15 Record: 38-44 (12th in East)

2015 Playoffs: Did not qualify

Projected line-up: Andrew Bogut - Al Jefferson - Carmelo Anthony - Victor Oladipo - Tony Parker

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10.) Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers somehow managed to waste another season last year. After yet another top three finish they were dumped out of the playoffs in the first round. This time around it was at the hands of the Bulls. Things only got worse for them during the off-season when Evan Turner left them to join the Knicks. They were at least able to get Jeff and Danny Green to remain in Philadelphia for a few more years. You would think that if they fail in the playoffs again this season then major changes will be made to the roster.


Roster Changes
In: Jeff Green (Re-Signed), Danny Green (Re-Signed), Dmitri Nevsky (Draft), Christopher West (Draft)
Out: Evan Turner (FA), Jarrett Jack (FA)

2014-15 Record: 52-30 (3rd in East)

2015 Playoffs: 3-4 (Eliminated in First Round vs Chicago)

Projected line-up: Andrew Bynum - David Lee - Jeff Green - Danny Green - Jrue Holiday

[Phil89]

Couple of videos I put together of Nerlens Noel and Andrew Wiggins from their rookie seasons

[Valor]

Really weird how the Spurs aren't better, especially since athletic guys are beasts in 2K...but anyhow, great stuff man, clear view on the contending teams

Oh and...GO BULLS!!

[Oskar]

Projected line-up: Joakim Noah - Taj Gibson - Jabari Parker - Jimmy Butler - Derrick Rose