With the Celtics and Sixers stinking it up, it may be a good thing for this season but the worse thing that can happen is that they land the #1 or 2 picks. With some already legit young star players, adding Franchise caliber players in Oden and Durant would be deadly. Combine any of the two with the likes of Igudoala, Carney, Dalembert and Jefferson, Green, Rondo then you got deadly cores. The Knicks also have a great group of young players in Lee, Curry, Frye, Crawford...and Balkman. Though, I don't see them tasting sucess until they find a better coach and GM. And the Nets...well...VC= 30 and trade rumours surrounding him, Kidd is 34 and they're two young players, RJ (turning 27), and Nenad (turning 24) along with Williams, Boone and Adams, aren't quite franchis eplayers. The lowball offers the Nets are getting for Kidd don't seem like quite enough to put them in the group with the others in the Atlantic in terms of young talent. We have a nice group of players With Bosh/Bargnani/Ford/Calderon so it'll be really interesting in upcoming years to see how things shape out, especially if the Celtis and Sixers land the top 2 picks. We're already a few steps ahead though with our success this season and mix of vets, but the real bonus we have is that Colangelo's our GM
<div class="quote_poster">P.A.P. Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">We have a nice group of players With Bosh/Bargnani/Ford/Calderon so it'll be really interesting in upcoming years to see how things shape out, especially if the Celtis and Sixers land the top 2 picks. We're already a few steps ahead though with our success this season and mix of vets, but the real bonus we have is that Colangelo's our GM </div> Probably the most important thing the Raptors have which you forgot to mention was the Raptors' cap space to retain re-sign their core. If those four players develop properly, the Raptors could be a dangerous team down the line.
It all depends if Oden and Durant come out (not a certainty) and what happens in the lottery remember just having the worst record dosen't gaurantee you will pick #1, eg raptors and bucks
<div class="quote_poster">MrJ Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Probably the most important thing the Raptors have which you forgot to mention was the Raptors' cap space to retain re-sign their core. If those four players develop properly, the Raptors could be a dangerous team down the line.</div> We'd have an advantage anyways since we gain Bird rights towards Calderon after next season (when he becomes a RFA). We have Bosh and Ford locked up, not sure how long Bargs contract is right now with the restructuring of the CBA, but he should be retainable without much of a hassle. The thing about them is that they play they play two posistions, with Bosh and Bargs playing the 4, and Ford and Calderon playing the point. It's pretty evident that Bosh and Bargs will be starting along side eachother, but not quite sure about the two and three. We've got the flexbility and bodies to compliment our core nicely. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">It all depends if Oden and Durant come out (not a certainty) and what happens in the lottery remember just having the worst record dosen't gaurantee you will pick #1, eg raptors and bucks</div> Thank you Mr.Obvious.
The Celtics should be much improved next season with the draft pick, a year of development for the young guys and all their guys back from injuries. Jefferson, Rondo, Allen, Pierce, Szczerbiak, Green + draft pick, should contend for the Atlantic. Nets look like they're going to be rebuilding. I don't really see Carter staying and they may get rid of Kidd, leaving Krstic and Jefferson. I really don't like their team as it is. They have a ton of holes and not much depth. Neither do they have any good young players with potential. They need to start over from the draft. Even with a high pick, I don't see the 76ers contending next season. Other than Iggy, I'm not crazy about their core of Dalembert/Korver/Miller. They've also got a lot of money tied up in salaries to Webber, Miller, Dalembert and McKie, leaving them little room to improve. The Knicks will probably be much like they are this season. No cap room means that their team will stay relatively the same. Other than Lee, Curry and maybe Frye, the best thing for them to do is to blow the whole team up and start over. That leaves the Raps and Celtics as the two teams competing for the division title next season IMO.
<div class="quote_poster">Eclipse Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">The Celtics should be much improved next season with the draft pick, a year of development for the young guys and all their guys back from injuries. Jefferson, Rondo, Allen, Pierce, Szczerbiak, Green + draft pick, should contend for the Atlantic. Nets look like they're going to be rebuilding. I don't really see Carter staying and they may get rid of Kidd, leaving Krstic and Jefferson. I really don't like their team as it is. They have a ton of holes and not much depth. Neither do they have any good young players with potential. They need to start over from the draft. Even with a high pick, I don't see the 76ers contending next season. Other than Iggy, I'm not crazy about their core of Dalembert/Korver/Miller. They've also got a lot of money tied up in salaries to Webber, Miller, Dalembert and McKie, leaving them little room to improve. The Knicks will probably be much like they are this season. No cap room means that their team will stay relatively the same. Other than Lee, Curry and maybe Frye, the best thing for them to do is to blow the whole team up and start over. That leaves the Raps and Celtics as the two teams competing for the division title next season IMO.</div> Curry, their most important part of their young core is already locked up and by the time David Lee and Channing Frye are off their rookie salaries Marbury and Francis, who equate to something like 40 million, will expire meaning we'll have some flexibilty cap-wise.
<div class="quote_poster">MrJ Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Curry, their most important part of their young core is already locked up and by the time David Lee and Channing Frye are off their rookie salaries Marbury and Francis, who equate to something like 40 million, will expire meaning we'll have some flexibilty cap-wise.</div> Well the situation won't improve much until 2009/10. Until then, I don't see the Knicks being able to do a whole lot, unless they get someone through the draft. A lot of difficult to move large contracts. First step is to get a competent GM. You only have to look at the Raptors to see how much difference a good GM makes.
Cap space is always important, but the real difference between these teams is in the front office. Anyone can break apart their team for cap space or grab a great player in the lottery. But, the perennial playoff teams and contenders all have GM's and a front office that can find valuable players in the mid-late 1st round, spend their money wisely/efficiently, and swing trades for undervalued players. In that respect, Brian Colangelo and Rod Thorn are the only GM's in the Atlantic who I would have confidence in. However, Kevin Durant and Greg Oden both seem to be players that will be good enough to mask front office incompetence (eg: Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson in Philly, etc.).
<div class="quote_poster">Chutney Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Cap space is always important, but the real difference between these teams is in the front office. Anyone can break apart their team for cap space or grab a great player in the lottery. But, the perennial playoff teams and contenders all have GM's and a front office that can find valuable players in the mid-late 1st round, spend their money wisely/efficiently, and swing trades for undervalued players. In that respect, Brian Colangelo and Rod Thorn are the only GM's in the Atlantic who I would have confidence in. However, Kevin Durant and Greg Oden both seem to be players that will be good enough to mask front office incompetence (eg: Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson in Philly, etc.).</div> Meh Danny Ainge hasn't had many wins but you can't argue with the Talent he has assembled. Green, Jefferson, Kendrick Perkins, Gomes and if one of their PGs developes either Rondo, West or Telfair couple that with Pierce and either Oden or Durant and you have the makings of a roster that could be atop the atlantic in a few years. For Arguments Sake C Oden (dominant big man) PF Jefferson (Skilled PF) SF Gerald Green (Explosive athlete) SG Paul Pierce (Pure Scorer) PG Rondo (?) Bench: C Perkins, PF Gomes, SF Szczerbiak, SG Tony Allen/ West PG: Telfair or West. While i don't doubt Rod Thorn's abilities it just seems he doesn't have much to work with. Carter is gone, Kidd is aging. Jefferson is oft injured (but he could develop into a go to guy) I like Nenad Kristic and Marcus Williams. Im ready to label Antoine Wright a bust -- Josh Boone seems woefully out of his element in the NBA. Mile Ilic is an intriguing prospect and it seems as those their relying on guys who have been around League and have done much until now eg mikki moore and Bostjan Nachbar
Danny Ainge certainly has a good eye for talent and has drafted well, but then again, so has Isiah Thomas. His ability to swing trades and spend money wisely (Mark Blount, Dan Dickau, Brian Scalabrine) are still questionable. I will give him credit for realizing his strengths though, as he tends to stockpile draft picks. I consider him an average GM. Rod Thorn definitely has a tough task ahead of him, as its becoming clearer and clearer that he needs to rebuild. In the immediate future, I think you'd be right in saying that Boston and Toronto are going to be at the top of the division. Down the road however, after he creates some cap space, I consider Thorn more capable of building a contender.
Well one of the interesting things is, if Thorn dumps Kidd for players with expiring contracts, and Carter opts out. That would be 36 million less in contracts the next year, which would put them at... 29 million in salaries. They would be probably 24 million under the cap. That gives Thorn a lot of flexibility. If they keep Kidd they would only be 4 million under the cap. So much can change in one year, so I find it hard to predict what will happen.
