MDE preseason team-by-team breakdown (long but worthwhile) (for today it is just the Atlantic) EASTERN ATLANTIC DIVISION-- New Jersey Nets- OFFSEASON PLAYER MOVEMENT Available Free Agents Unrestricted: Donny Marshall Restricted: Brian Scalabrine Additions Player Pos. Old team Acquired via Alonzo Mourning C Heat Free agency Jason Kidd G Nets Re-signed Lucious Harris G Nets Re-signed Subtractions Player Pos. New team Departed via Anthony Johnson G Pacers Free agency Good off-season for the Nets by resigning Jason Kidd and nabbing somebody to help compete with the big men of the West in Alonzo Mourning. Rumors have Kenyon Martin going to Portland in exchange for Rasheed Wallace, which may not be a bad trade considering Wallace is better suited and has played more against Shaq. However, it appears that Kenyon has mended his relationship with the Nets management and rumors of him demanding a trade were said to be false. Byron Scott returns as head coach and will try to lead the Nets to the Finals once again. Off-season grade: B+ Philadelphia 76ers- OFFSEASON PLAYER MOVEMENT Available Free Agents Unrestricted: Tyrone Hill Restricted: None. Additions Player Pos. Old team Acquired via Kenny Thomas F Sixers Re-signed Glenn Robinson SF Hawks Trade Marc Jackson F Timberwolves Trade Derrick Coleman F Sixers Re-signed Subtractions Player Pos. New team Departed via Brian Skinner F Bucks Free agency Keith Van Horn F Knicks Trade Randy Holcomb F Sixers Trade Efthimios Rentzias C N/A Released Philly looks ready to go as AI is primed and fresh off the Olympics. They made a massive trade, getting rid of Keith Van Horn and acquiring ?Big Dog? Glenn Robinson and big man Marc Jackson. Veteran Derrick Coleman is back and Kenny Thomas also opted to remain with Philly. They still need to make up their mind on vet Tyrone Hill, who could help guard the tough premiere big men of the league. Larry Brown is gone, so it will be an interesting season.. Off-season grade: B Boston Celtics- OFFSEASON PLAYER MOVEMENT Available Free Agents Unrestricted: Mark Bryant, Bimbo Coles, Grant Long Restricted: None Additions Player Pos. Old team Acquired via Mark Blount C Celtics Re-signed Walter McCarty F Celtics Re-signed Mike James G Heat Free agency Jumaine Jones SF Cavaliers Trade Subtractions Player Pos. New team Departed via J.R. Bremer PG Cavaliers Trade Bruno Sundov C Cavaliers Trade The Celtics have always had a rich tradition and are known for winning, but last year, win they did not. While resigning several role-players, many forgot about the minor trade the Celts made this summer. They got rid of JR Bremer and Bruno Sundov, while getting Jumaine Jones in return. Vin Baker recently admitted to being an alcoholic, and promised to try to resurrect his career. While stealing Mike James from the Heat and resigning McCarty and Mark Blount, it hasn?t been a bad off-season. Off-season grade: B- Orlando Magic- OFFSEASON PLAYER MOVEMENT Available Free Agents Unrestricted: Darrell Armstrong, Pat Burke, Shawn Kemp, Olumide Oyedeji Restricted: None Additions Player Pos. Old team Acquired via Juwan Howard F Nuggets Free agency Andrew DeClercq F Magic Re-signed Tyronn Lue G Wizards Free agency Subtractions Player Pos. New team Departed via Darrell Armstrong G Hornets Free agency Chris Whitney G Wizards Free agency Jacque Vaughn G Hawks Free agency Busy off-season for the Magic. From Darrell Armstrong getting arrested for assault and heading to the Hornets, to T-mac declaring 5% of NBA players are gay, there have been ups and downs. Yet they managed to capture Tyronn Lue from the Wiz, and got a huge addition in adding Juwan Howard, and Andrew DeClercq will help some. Chris Whitney went to the Wizards as a FA and Jacque Vaughn was sought out by the Hawks. Doctors say Grant Hill may be best suited to skip this year and come back in 2004-2005. We shall see. Off-season grade: B- New York Knicks- OFFSEASON PLAYER MOVEMENT Available Free Agents Unrestricted: Mark Pope Restricted: Lee Nailon, Lavor Postell Additions Player Pos. Old team Acquired via Keith Van Horn F Sixers Trade Subtractions Player Pos. New team Departed via Latrell Sprewell G Timberwolves Trade The Knicks had a pretty successful draft in selecting big man Mike Sweetney, whom in my opinion will be a solid player real soon. They also made a blockbuster trade, sending Latrell Spreewell to Minnesota in return for Keith Van Horn. Many say Van Horn will not produce in New York, but I think that theory is wrong. Van Horn may have difficulty fitting in the fast-paced, high life of New York off the court, but on the court, he should produce. Off-season grade: C Washington Wizards- OFFSEASON PLAYER MOVEMENT Available Free Agents Unrestricted: Charles Oakley, Bryon Russell Restricted: Bobby Simmons Additions Player Pos. Old team Acquired via Gilbert Arenas PG Warriors Free agency Chris Whitney G Wizards Free agency Subtractions Player Pos. New team Departed via Tyronn Lue G Magic Free agency The Wizards have added a major addition with the signing of Gilbert Arenas. Whitney has joined the Wiz, but they should not have let Lue go. They need all the speed they can get, and now that MJ is gone, it will be interesting to see how this goes. Kwame Brown was arrested for DUI, and Oak Tree is rumored to be headed to Miami or New York; and Bryon Russell isn?t coming back. Doug Collins is now a broadcaster, so the coach is gone. Arenas guarantees playoffs in 2004?it will be interesting! Off-season grade: C+ Miami Heat- OFFSEASON PLAYER MOVEMENT Available Free Agents Unrestricted: Ken Johnson, Sean Marks, Vladimir Stepania Restricted: None. Additions Player Pos. Old team Acquired via Samaki Walker PF Lakers Free agency John Wallace F Greece Free agency Loren Woods C Timberwolves Free agency Lamar Odom F Clippers Free agency Rafer Alston G Raptors Free agency Malik Allen F Heat Re-signed Subtractions Player Pos. New team Departed via Alonzo Mourning C Nets Free agency Mike James G Celtics Free agency Anthony Carter G Spurs Free agency Eddie House G Clippers Free agency Travis Best G Mavericks Free agency The Heat have had one of the busiest off-seasons in the league. While acquiring several forwards, most notably Lamar Odom, they could be very good. Odom has the skill to take the Heat to the Promised Land, but will he use it smartly? They also snatched disgruntled forward/center Samaki Walker from the Lakers, who got caught up behind Shaq and struggled while defending the bigs of the West. Streetballer Rafer Alston joins the team as well as Loren Woods and Malik Allen. But a big blow came when the Heat could not retain Alonzo Mourning and he left to New Jersey.. Veteran Travis Best also left and quick guards Eddie House and Anthony Carter so they may need another guard for depth. So many questions, with the biggest being: Are the Heat back? Off-season grade: B-
Pretty good break down... all for except 2 major points... <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Van Horn may have difficulty fitting in the fast-paced, high life of New York off the court, but on the court, he should produce.</div> Van Horn is soft, he isnt exactly Mr. Under-Pressure preformer... He will get tons of boos, especially since Sprewell was a fan favorite, he <u>should</u> produce (whose to say he will tho) but he will have tons of pressure and it will be interesting to see how he handles it... <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">but they should not have let Lue go.</div> Lue wasnt that big of a loss, they gained Arenas and Whitney. They have ENOUGH small people who play the same 2 positions (natural postions). IE Stackhouse, Whitney, Arenas, Hughes, Dixion, Blake and Whitney all play the 1 and 2 spots (their natural position)... they need a big man more than they need Lue.
^^I agree with the Lue comments, but I think they shouldn't have let him go simply because he is a good team player and a lockerroom guy that will play whatever role you need him to. Remember when he bodied up AI?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting the MDE:</div><div class="quote_post">^^I agree with the Lue comments, but I think they shouldn't have let him go simply because he is a good team player and a lockerroom guy that will play whatever role you need him to. Remember when he bodied up AI?</div> Yes, he is a valuable asset to have on the bench, true. But the Wiz have a real problem with stacking the same position.
i'm really biased, but i really don't see how the knicks had a better offseason then the magic. very good analysis though.
"Streetballer Rafer Alston joins the team as well as Loren Woods and Malik Allen. But a big blow came when the Heat could not retain Alonzo Mourning and he left to New Jersey.. " this something im very annoyed with,rafer will still just be in dark...but if alonzo stayed something might happen....critics and analysts can say what they want but miami are going nowhere at least for next season and this wont help rafer,he'll just be there for a while and then go off again...nice breakdown MDE
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting sportsrock37:</div><div class="quote_post">i'm really biased, but i really don't see how the knicks had a better offseason then the magic. very good analysis though.</div> Yeah i was thinking that too, but we're both huge magic fans. I just dont see how getting KVH and losing Spree gets a B-
Yes I am wrong there. I don't know why I gave the Knicks a better grade..maybe I was just bias..I should edit it.
Id give the magic a B. Seeing how if they got the mid level deal from Grant, they would have had Kandi
i would give us a b- and the knicks a c-. if we got the injury exception and kandi, then it would be an a or an a-
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting sportsrock37:</div><div class="quote_post">i would give us a b- and the knicks a c-. if we got the injury exception and kandi, then it would be an a or an a-</div> Yeah thats what i ment. But my comp froze and i didnt feel like editing it
I think the Magic deserve a B+. Bogans will be the Boozer of this years draft, he dominated in the summer league and is a true competitor. Pachulia and Gaines will also be solid. Howard was also a huge signing, as well as the re-signing of DeClercq. Darrell Armstrong definetly got punked off by the Magic, but Lue is younger,cheaper and is a great floor general with a good 3ball.
