The Chicago Bulls have made some very questionable decisions over the course of the last decade or so regarding the players they choose in the draft or the things they do to acquire them, trading away some pretty valuable assets to get pretty much nothing in return.

So, one of the most important franchises in NBA history has entered a spiral of mediocrity, being good enough to make the playoffs but not good enough to actually compete, failing to land top free agents or a good draft selection.

The Gar/Pax front office seems lost and it looks like everybody wants different things for the team in Chicago, so now, as they’re once again reportedly considering trading Jimmy Butler, let’s take a look back at the top 5 worst trades the Bulls have made in their storied history.

5. J.R. Smith – Denver Nuggets

The 18th pick of the 2004 NBA draft has never been considered as an easy going guy and even if his talent on both ends of the floor was quite obvious, his lack of basketball IQ and discipline off the floor made him a hard guy to trust, until he finally landed on the Cavaliers where his mindset finally changed.

Nonetheless, the Chicago Bulls had a shot to get the nice 2-way player during the 2006 campaign alongside PJ Brown in exchange for Tyson Chandler, just to be traded once again to the Denver Nuggets for a couple of second rounders and Howard Eisley, who could never suit up again due to an injury.

4. Jamal Crawford – New York Knicks

Jamal Crawford has always been known for his capacity to score in bunches in a short amount of time, being one of the most prolific and versatile offensive players the league has seen in a very long while, and being considered the ultimate 6th man of the year, as his 3 awards can tell you.

Sadly, the Bulls didn’t trust Crawford enough to keep him around during the start of the 04-05 campaign, as they wound up sending the now-Clipper to the New York Knicks alongside Jerome Williams to acquire Dikembe Mutombo, Othella Harrington, Frank Williams and Cezary Trybanski. Needless to say, this was a completely futile trade for the Bulls, as they immediately traded him to the Rockets in exchange for pretty much anything.

3. Ron Artest & Brad Miller – Indiana Pacers

The Bulls shocked pretty much everybody when they let go one of the best defenders the league has ever seen in Ron Artest, as well as Brad Miller, to the Indiana Pacers just before the trade deadline in exchange for a future 2nd rounder, Jalen Rose, Travis Best and Norm Richardson.

Just after Artest left the Bulls, he reached his true potential and became an All-Star and the Defensive Player of the Year, as well as being remembered for his role in the infamous Malice in the Palace fight against the Detroit Pistons and several fans.

2. Artis Gilmore – San Antonio Spurs

You’d have to go way back to find out who this guy is, but just to make it simple, he was one of the greatest talents in the ABA before playing for the Bulls, averaging over 18 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks per game through his entire career.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t enough for the Bulls to keep him, and they wound up sending the 6-time All-Star to San Antonio in exchange for Dave Corzine and Mark Olberding, one guy that spent most of his career as a mediocre backup center, while the other spent just a year at the United Center, what a bummer.

Read More

Top 5 Worst Trades in the Nets History

Top 4 Worst Trades in Warriors History

Top 3 Worst Trades in Lakers History

1. LaMarcus Aldridge – Portland Trail Blazers

Before becoming a huge star for the Portland Trail Blazers and then accepting a secondary role with the Spurs to chase a ring, the Bulls drafted LaMarcus out of Texas University with the 2nd overall pick just to immediately trade him to the Blazers in exchange for Tyrus Thomas.

Well, while Aldridge has lifetime averages of 19.1 points and 8.3 boards per game on 48% from the field with 5 All-Star appearances, Tyrus retired after just 8 years in the league averaging 7.7 points and 4.8 boards. Imagine what could’ve been of the Bulls if Rose, Aldridge and Noah had played together?

Every franchise in the NBA gets hit with the occasional draft misfortune bust that haunts them for years to come. Players such as Anthony Bennett, Darko Milicic and Kwame Brown are some of the most famous draft busts of all time, with their teams regretfully looking back at draft night decisions.

One franchise that particularly has plenty of overwhelmingly bad draft busts however is the Portland Trail Blazers. In recent years, they have found luck by getting All-Star point guard Damian Lillard in the 2012 NBA Draft. Unfortunately, it hasn’t always been pretty for Portland. Here are the top 5 worst draft mistakes in Portland Trail Blazer history.

5. Barry Parkhill (1973 Draft)

In the 1973 draft, with the 15th overall pick, the Trail Blazers selected Barry Parkhill. This pick wasn’t a great player, but the Trail Blazers fortunately didn’t have to deal with him, because Parkhill chose to play in the ABA for the Virginia Squires instead of playing in Portland.

There were many players drafted after this pick, such as Swen Nater, who enjoyed a long NBA career. So not only were great players selected right after Parkhill and Portland’s pick, but the Trail Blazers essentially wasted a pick. This was one of their many woeful draft mistakes in the 70’s.

4. Wally Walker (1976 Draft)

Wally Walker was selected with the 5th overall pick by the Trail Blazers in the 1974 NBA Draft, only a year after the mistake that was Barry Parkhill. Walker is more known for being the CEO/President of the Seattle Supersonics rather than his short stint with the Trail Blazers.

He averaged only 5.1 points per game in 75 games for them across two seasons. Walker was selected over Hall of Famer and Celtics legend Robert Parish, who was selected with the 8th overall pick. Parish enjoyed a 21-year career in the NBA, and was part of 4 Celtics championship teams.

3. Greg Oden (2007 Draft)

Greg Oden will go down as one of the biggest draft busts in NBA history, which is really unfortunate to say.

Oden was selected 1st overall in the 2007 NBA Draft and had all the talent scouts looked for in a big man. Oden caught the injury bug early on in his career unfortunately and couldn’t sustain a consistently healthy career.

Portland chose Oden over Texas product Kevin Durant, who has been very successful for the Thunder and Warriors up to this point in his career. Durant has won an MVP award and is one of the most dynamic scorers this game has ever seen.

A frontcourt pairing of Durant and Aldridge would’ve been ridiculously dominant offensively, and who would’ve known what the Trail Blazers could’ve done with those two on the roster.

2. LaRue Martin (1972 Draft)

A lot of people are probably wondering how Oden was only number 3 on this list. Those people don’t know of LaRue Martin.

Martin was selected with the 1st overall pick in the 1972 NBA Draft, after receiving a lot of hype during his time at Loyola University Chicago, outplaying future teammate Bill Walton in a matchup against UCLA. He played 4 seasons with the Blazers and averaged 5.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. After 4 seasons, he suddenly retired after being outplayed constantly by Bill Walton, who was drafted two years after Martin.

The Trail Blazers sat on and watched helplessly as 2nd overall pick Bob McAdoo and 12th overall pick Julius Erving enjoyed themselves Hall of Fame careers. More often than not, you usually get a franchise player out of a number 1 overall pick, and unfortunately for the Trail Blazers, they passed up on two all-time greats for a player who had no impact at all for his franchise.

1. Sam Bowie (1984 Draft)

One of the most infamous draft busts of all time, of course Sam Bowie had to be number one on this list.

Bowie was selected 2nd overall in the 1984 draft in front of the G.O.A.T Michael Jordan. Bowie showed brief signs of great basketball, but couldn’t seem to stay healthy enough while with the Trail Blazers, missing the entire 1987-88 season due to a leg injury.

He only played 139 games with the team and went on to have some above average seasons for the Nets, averaging 10.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for his career.

The drafting of Sam Bowie is still one of the worst draft mistakes to this date because of the fact Michael Jeffrey Jordan was passed on, as well as future Hall of Famer Charles Barkley.

The NBA Draft can be a hit or miss affair for teams in the NBA. You can either select the NBA’s next star or you can select a rookie who will end up having an unsuccessful career in the NBA. Here’s a list of the Top 10 NBA players who never played for the NBA franchise they were drafted by.

(The following list is in order)

Honorable Mentions:

Kevin Love – Drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies
Traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves

Rajon Rondo – Drafted by the Phoenix Suns.
Traded to the Boston Celtics

10. Marc Gasol 

The 7’1” Spaniard was selected with the 48th overall pick in the NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Marc was then traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for his older brother Pau Gasol. This was the first time in NBA history that two brothers were traded for each other.

Marc has went on to have a good career in Memphis averaging 14.9 ppg and 7.6 rpg so far in his NBA career. Gasol also was voted the 2012-2013 Defensive Player of the year as well as being named to two different All-NBA teams during his playing career.

Marc would have been a great fit in L.A if he hadn’t been traded away but unfortunately, at the time it was a win-now situation for the Lakers.

9. LaMarcus Aldridge

Considered one of the top power forwards in the NBA for the past few years, Aldridge never actually played for the team he was drafted by.

Aldridge was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the second overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. LaMarcus was then traded to the Portland Trailblazers in exchange for the 4th overall pick in the Draft – Tyrus Thomas. Aldridge went on to spend nine seasons in Portland and is now currently playing with the San Antonio Spurs.

Aldridge has been selected as a NBA All-Star 5 times in his career and has averages of 19.1 ppg and 8.3 rpg. This was definitely a huge mistake on the Chicago Bulls part.

8. Chris Webber

Webber was selected first overall in the 1993 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic before being immediately traded to the Golden State Warriors. The Magic received Penny Hardaway and three first-round picks in exchange for the power forward’s services.

Webber went on to have a successful career in the NBA winning the 1994 NBA Rookie of the year award and being selected as an All-Star 5 times in his career. Chris also made his way onto five All-NBA teams during his career.

Webber never returned to play for Orlando during his career and ended his playing career after 17 seasons in the NBA.

7. Dominique Wilkins

Wilkins was selected with the third overall pick in the 1982 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz. Wilkins did not want to play for the Jazz so he was traded to the Hawks a few months after the Draft.

Dominique went on to have a successful career in the NBA, being selected as an All-Star nine times in his career, winning two Slam Dunk contest awards and also being crowned the 1986 NBA scoring Champion.

For such a good player you just wonder how his career could have turned out if he had stayed and played for the Utah Jazz.

6. Pau Gasol

Pau was selected with the 3rd pick in the 2001 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks traded Pau’s rights to the Memphis Grizzlies in return for Shareef Abdur-Rahim. This turned out to be a big mistake as Pau went on to win the 2002 Rookie of the Year Award.

Gasol has since become a two-time NBA Champion and been voted to 4 All-NBA teams. He also still provides useful minutes in the NBA as he currently plays with the San Antonio Spurs.

5. Ray Allen

Considered the best shooter to ever play the game of basketball by some, Allen never played for the Minnesota Timberwolves even though he was drafted fifth overall by the franchise in the 1996 NBA Draft.

The Timberwolves traded Allen in exchange for Stephon Marbury. This turned out to be a huge mistake for Minnesota as Ray went on to be a Star in the NBA finishing his career with a total of 2973 three-point field goals made and with two NBA Championships under his belt.

4. Dirk Nowitzki

Considered the ‘Best European Player of All-Time’, Dirk Nowitzki wasn’t actually drafted by the Dallas Mavericks. Dirk was drafted ninth overall in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. He was then traded to the Bucks with Pat Garrity in return for Robert Taylor.

This turned out to be a huge mistake for the Milwaukee Bucks as Nowitzki has went on to have an amazing career in the NBA winning an NBA Championship with Dallas in 2011. Dirk also has 13 All-Star selections to his name and he was also voted to 12 All-NBA teams during his playing career.

The good news? Dirk still isn’t done playing in the NBA and we expect to see him make a return to the court next year with the Dallas Mavericks.

3. Scottie Pippen

Michael Jordan’s main sidekick during the years where the Chicago Bulls were the most feared team in the NBA – Scottie Pippen was selected fifth overall in the 1987 NBA Draft by the Seattle Sonics. Pippen was then traded to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for a center – Olden Polynice and a second-round Draft pick.

Pippen went on to play 11 straight seasons with the Bulls before returning in the 2003-2004 season to finish his NBA career with a final 23 games in a Bulls jersey.

Scottie was a 7-time All-Star and 6 time NBA Champion who is now a Hall of Famer. Just imagine what could have been for Pippen if he wasn’t traded to the Bulls back in 1987. The NBA could have been a whole lot different than it is now.

2. Bill Russell

Believe it or not, the 11 time NBA Champion never played for the team he was drafted by. Russell was selected 2nd overall in the 1956 NBA Draft by the St. Louis Hawks (Now known as the Atlanta Hawks). The Head Coach of the Boston Celtics at the time – Red Auerbach, traded away both Cliff Hagan and Ed Macauley in exchange for the young Bill Russell.

This turned out to be the right decision on the Celtics part as Russell led the team to 11 NBA Championships during his 13-year playing career. The Legendary ‘Number 6’ was a 12 time NBA All-Star and also won 5 NBA Mvp awards! Regarded as one of the best to ever play in the NBA, just imagine what could have happened if Russell hadn’t been traded to Boston.

Read More

Top 5 Worst Draft Mistakes in Portland Trail Blazers History

Re-Drafting the Historical 1996 NBA Draft

Top 10 Cheapest Contracts In The NBA 2016/17

1. Kobe Bryant

Selected 13th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft, ‘The Black Mamba’ wasn’t actually selected by the L.A Lakers. Kobe was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets but ended up being traded to Los Angeles in July 1996 in exchange for Vlade Divac.

Kobe finished his career an 18-time All-Star, the 2007-2008 MVP and also had 5 NBA Championships under his belt when he decided to call it a day.

The question is how would Kobe’s career have panned out if he had not been traded by the Hornets back in 1996?

The Western Conference matchup we’ve all been waiting over 2 years for is finally set but many people are already counting the San Antonio Spurs out. They overwhelmingly believe that Warriors-Cavs part 3 is on the horizon.

What if I told you, that the Spurs have all the tools to pull off a major upset here? You’d probably immediately stop reading but I’m willing to that risk anyway. As long as Pop is at the helm of the Spurs engine, there is a way.

1. They Have Hungry Players

From top to bottom. These players are out to prove all the doubters wrong. LaMarcus Aldridge is out to prove that he can win at the pro level, having never even been to the Finals. In fact, this is his first appearance in the Western Conference Finals. A feat he could never accomplish during his long tenure in Portland. The furthest he went as a Trailblazer would be the second round out. He’s battled many criticisms for how he has played for the San Antonio Spurs so far in his 2-year tenure. The belief is that he cannot win at the pro level. At 31 years of age, if Aldridge doesn’t break through to the finals or win an NBA Championship now, will it ever happen for him?

Another player that has something to prove is David Lee. It was not too long ago that David Lee was an All-Star caliber player for the Golden State Warriors and he got replaced due to the rise of Draymond Green. I’m sure that had to hurt his confidence as a player, to know that he was that replaceable. Sure, he got an NBA championship out of the deal, but he has to be feeling some type of way with how quickly the Warriors ditched him after that 2015 run. They essentially traded him for nothing, since they waived Gerald Wallace.

2. They Just Blew Out The Houston Rockets Without Two Key Players

Granted they will be without Tony Parker for the rest of the playoffs, they should get back Kawhi Leonard for Game 1. The fact that they blew out the Houston Rockets in Houston by 39 points without their best player in Kawhi Leonard is scary. The Warriors run a similar offensive style of living and dying by the three-pointer. The Spurs have excellent perimeter defenders in Leonard, Manu, Green, and Simmons. There is no reason to think that this Spurs team can’t continue to defend well against the Warriors.

They also have a good interior defense when it is on. Guys like LaMarcus Aldridge, Pau Gasol and Dewayne Dedmon can swat away or alter shots when the Warriors offense decides to penetrate into the lane or operate in the post. David Lee has made improvements as a defender this year as well and has always been good at corralling defensive boards to prevent second chance points.

Curry and Durant are likely going to get their points but if you can make them work for everything and limit the supporting cast. There’s a chance in Spurs country baby.

3. The Spurs Will Play Their Style

An efficient offense that values the basketball and rarely turns it over. Leading to more possessions. An offense where the ball moves around faster than an opposing defender can slide his feet. An offense where everyone can be a playmaker.

They will make strides on the defensive end too. They have a defense that committed the fewest fouls per game this season. They show discipline and do not get baited into calls. Having the best two-way player in Basketball in the form of Kawhi Leonard helps too. Assuming that he should be ready to go for this series. Basing it off his post-game reaction and the fact that he felt that he was ready to play in Game 6 of the Spurs-Rockets series the other night.

4. They Are A Resilient Team

The Spurs have shown this year that they are never out of a fight. They are capable of cutting deficits. People should expect the Warriors to put big runs together, maybe even win a game this series by 20+ points but just know that the Spurs can and will counterpunch.

During the regular season, they came back from 28 points to beat the Sacramento Kings using just their bench. Now, I know it was only the Kings but a 28 point comeback is nothing to scoff at no matter the opponent. Especially, considering that it was their bench that cut the deficit.

Last series they lost Game 1 to the Houston Rockets by a margin of 29 points and came back in Game 2 to win by 27. Ultimately ended in 6 games with the Spurs taking the series. A majority of fans and myself thought the Rockets were taking the series after that game but the Spurs quickly shut us up.

Read More

Top 5 Best Point Guards For The San Antonio Spurs Next Season

Top 10 NBA Players You Forgot Played For The San Antonio Spurs

Ranking The Top 10 Best NBA Players Of 2017

5. Popovich Is Quick At Adapting

In Round 1, Gregg Popovich coached his Spurs against a grit and grind Memphis defense that forced the Spurs to play at a much slower pace than they are used to. Most of the games rarely exceeded 90 or even 100 points. Popovich took the challenge head on and finished the Grizzlies off in 6 games. He was able to win the 50-50 balls and limit his team’s fouls against a bump and bully ball type of Grizzly team. How’s that for data?

In Round 2, the pace completely changed. The Houston Rockets coached by Mike D’Antoni played a face paced transition offense. The Spurs were able to heed the call to limit the Rockets fast break points by valuing the possession of the basketball and tiring out Rockets players by making them work on the defensive end. It showed when James Harden struggled in Game 6 and in OT during Game 5. He was completely gassed out having to deal with Aldridge and Gasol in the post due to D’Antoni deploying small ball lineups.

The point I’m trying to make here is, no matter the style, Gregg’ Spurs can and will adapt. Popovich has seen every type of defense and every type of offense. There is no catching him off guard. His players will play hard for him because an angry Pop is their worst nightmare.

Therefore, let’s not be too quick to count out the San Antonio Spurs. Yes, the Golden State Warriors are a super team but so was the 2013-14 Miami Heat team. We all know how that matchup turned out. As long as there is a Pop, there is a way.

All year long, the Spurs were considered one of the top teams in the NBA. Had it not been for Kawhi Leonard’s injury in the Western Conference Finals, the Spurs could have posed a serious threat to the now reigning NBA Champions. With LaMarcus Aldridge being a center piece for the franchise (after Kawhi Leonard), expectations have been high for the star Power Forward.

But for these Playoffs, and the entire season, he just hasn’t seemed to truly meet those expectations. His 17 points per game may seem okay on paper, but for a guy who’s previously averaged 20+ points for five straight seasons, it becomes clear that his production is slipping.

According to a report by John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7, the Spurs have actually already made an offer centered around their underachieving star. The Spurs reportedly offered Aldridge in a failed effort to acquire a top 5 pick in the draft. The exact details of who the Spurs called and what those potential traders offered in return is not yet known, but it’s safe to assume that the Phoenix Suns were one of the ones on the list.

The Suns could offer the 5th pick, Tyson Chandler, and TJ Warren in exchange. It looks like an unfair trade on the surface, but by unloading Aldridge’s contract the Spurs would open up much more space to sign a max free agent in July.

The Suns’ proposed deal would make a lot of sense. But there’s more than likely been calls to the Celtics, Lakers, and Kings as well. It looks like the Spurs are being pretty serious about their options for LaMarcus.

As the Warriors celebrate their Championship, and the Cavs work tirelessly to work out their front-office replacement, the Spurs could be ready to make a move and challenge them both.Those “quiet” Spurs that everyone’s so used to? Well, looks like they are finally starting to make some noise.

It’s only June 28th, but the NBA has already been shaken up with trades, rumors, and all kinds of hot news. With the trading of D’Angelo Russell, the Lakers cleared way for a potential superstar to come. In New York, the Knicks fired former President of Basketball Operations, Phil Jackson. For them, it triggers the long and uneasy way to a fresh start.

But, by far, the biggest news of the NBA Offseason is Chris Paul, who has just been traded to the Houston Rockets. With a James Harden and Chris Paul backcourt duo, the Rockets have become serious contenders out West. According to reports though, Houston may not be done. They believe they can get one more star before the summer is over, making them the newest Big-Three. With so many stars rumored to be on the go, here’s some big names that could find themselves playing for the Rockets next season:

Paul Millsap

Paul Millsap has had a great career in Atlanta. For the Hawks, he’s been their best player for at least the last few years. While they’ve seen some great seasons, the Hawks were never a real threat against the Eastern Conference elite. In Houston, Millsap could find the success he never experienced in Atlanta. Playing alongside two brilliant playmakers, the 6’8″ power forward would find easy shots around the rim. This non-selfish All-Star would fit right in, and could be the perfect peace for the newly formed super squad.

Paul George

While you’re probably getting tired of hearing his name by now, the Rockets could be a real dark horse to land Paul George. Once he told the Pacers he’d be gone next summer, it was almost a sure-fire fact that he’d be playing in a different city pretty soon. The Lakers and the Cavs have been the biggest contenders for PG’s services. But with the CP3 news, Houston could have a real chance. Not only could George provide instant offense for the team, he’d also give them elite level defense as well. The only concerns here would be the ball movement, as both PG and Harden like to play with the ball in their hands. Even with that though, this would be one scary team.

LaMarcus Aldridge

Admittedly, it would be pretty hard for the Rockets to pull this off. Having traded away a lot of assets in the Chris Paul deal, and with the Spurs not being ones to make stupid trades, Houston would have to work a miracle to pull this off. But, LaMarcus Aldridge is reportedly not happy in San Antonio and he wants out. Who says he has to go anywhere far though? He could stay right in Texas, and play with two of the best guards in the league. Not only does LaMarcus have the experience of a true NBA veteran, but his well rounded game and mid range shooting touch would compliment the team pretty well. The only question here, would be if he could hold his own come playoff time, where he has a tendency to disappear.

Carmelo Anthony

Phil Jackson’s long awaited firing did not put a stop to the Carmelo Anthony trade rumors. In fact, things are only heating up as the Knicks begin their next chapter. Whether or not Anthony is a part of that may depend on what Houston wants to give up to get him. If it happens though, the Rockets would have a near unstoppable offense. CP, Harden, and Melo would put up buckets like 5:00 rush hour. It’s also no secret that the New York star is a good friend of Paul, meaning their chemistry on the court would already be pretty lethal.

Blake Griffin

Here’s a scenario nobody thought of: What if Chris Paul and Blake Griffin planned this all along? When CP3 announced he was leaving L.A. earlier today, everybody just assumed he’d played his last game with Griffin. But maybe BG is the final part of a three prong plan. It’s probably unlikely, to be honest. But it’s certainly not impossible. Griffin and Paul already have amazing chemistry on the court, and he would provide an athletic spark to a ball club with mostly talented shooters. If this really becomes reality, imagine how DeAndre Jordan would feel, knowing his two former teammates went to have fun in Houston.

What a few days it’s been. First Chris Paul teams up with James Harden in Houston to form a backcourt ready to rival Golden State’s, then Paul George is traded to OKC to go play with Russell Westbrook and Steph Curry just signed that largest contract in NBA history; a $201 million deal.

Big names are on the move and record-breaking contracts are being signed, but we are far from done. The trade rumor machine keeps on turning, keeping us on our toes until the next name comes along.

One name that has been on people’s’ lips for a while now is Aldridge. LaMarcus although still an effective player has shown time and time again that he isn’t a big game player. When Kawhi Leonard went down in game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, the Spurs next best player was Aldridge. In order to have a chance to win he needed to perform, but he averaged a measly 15.5 and 5.8 rebounds on 41.3% from the field.

Gregg Popovich is an extremely tough man to please; he’s the best coach in the world who demands nothing but excellence from his players, especially when it matters most. The Spurs are now Kawhi’s team, they form their offense and defense around him and with Aldridge aging and unable to perform I expect him to be on the move very soon.

Here are my top three trade destinations for LaMarcus Aldridge.

3. Detroit Pistons

After an exciting 2015/16 season which saw Andre Drummond earn his first All-Star selection and the Pistons making their first playoff appearance since 2009, Detroit has really gone backward.

They had 6 players averaging between 16 and 10 points a game last season which sounds like they have a balanced offense, but really they have no leader. There is no focal point of their team like LeBron James is for the Cavs and it’s really hurting them. Drummond is the best player on that team but he hasn’t developed enough offensively yet to take on the role of Detroit’s number one guy.

LaMarcus Aldridge can fix that.

Aldridge has the skills and experience to be the number one guy like he was in Portland for 5-6 years. He also provides floor-spacing as a stretch 4/5 which is something Detroit really needs as they ranked 28th in team 3pt percentage last year.

Drummond is a valuable asset, sending him and Davis Bertans who shot nearly 40% from three last year would benefit both teams immensely.

2. Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis have to do something soon, they are just so boring to watch and they are stuck in the bottom half of the top 8 in the Western Conference. They aren’t going to make any noise in the playoffs and they aren’t getting any good draft picks.

They have to shake things up soon and this is how they do it.

Aldridge and Jonathon Simmons head to Memphis, Marc Gasol goes to San Antonio. Aldridge is a more athletic partner to run with Mike Conley and they get an exciting prospect in Simmons who turned some heads against the Warriors averaging 15 points a game in the absence of Leonard.

San Antonio would love this trade because Pop loves bigs than can pass and Gasol might just be the best of the bunch.

1. Portland Trail Blazers

By far the biggest rumor regarding Aldridge is for him to return to Portland to team up with Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. Portland has an incredible scoring backcourt that can shoot the lights out, it just needs a big man to balance things out.

When Aldridge was with Lillard before the Blazers had one of the best offenses in the league which was based on the duo of Lillard and Aldridge. They ran the pick and roll to perfection and would do the same again this time round.

The Blazers do have an up and coming big in Jusuf Nurkic who averaged 15 and 10 before he got injured, but Aldridge is a proven commodity with a playing style that suits the fast pace that Portland wants to go at. Trading Aldridge for Nurkic and Evan Turner would see the Blazers get their star back and give the Spurs a talented young big and a good passing forward in Turner who can keep that team-first spirit alive and well in Texas.

The two summer leagues in Orlando and Las Vegas are about to come to an end. Lonzo Ball was awful in his first game, then got a triple double in his second. Luke Kennard looks pretty polished offensively and Bam Adebayo looks like a real stud. Now that the next basketball games we’ll watch are in the preseason in several months time, our focus is solely on free agency and trade rumors.

This offseason has already been incredibly exciting with record-breaking contracts signed, hugely surprising trades an abundance of drama, and we’ve still got loads to come.

There are quite a few teams in the precarious position of not being good enough to challenge for a title, but too good to get quality draft picks. These teams are stuck in a mediocre limbo that can only be broken by either signing a superstar to challenge for a ring or accepting defeat and hitting the reset button. That means trading away your star players for draft picks and beginning the rebuilding process.

Here are 9 guys likely to be traded very soon for the reasons stated above.

9. Reggie Jackson – Detroit Pistons

Ever since Detroit won the title in 2004, besting the much more talented Los Angeles Lakers the Pistons have been in a state of flux. They have been unable to assemble a squad good enough to really compete for some time now, and primarily it’s all been down to one thing; a lack of shooting.

You simply cannot win in today’s NBA if you can’t hit the three. You become too easy to defend against as the opposition can just sag off you and clog the paint, meaning you can’t hit shots inside either. Your offense grinds to a halt.

The Pistons ranked 28th in three point shooting percentage last season. That ain’t gonna cut it. The Pistons have one the best rebounders in the game in Andre Drummond and believe that they can still build a team around him, but it has to be with snipers. Drummond is pure inside player who also gobbles up offensive rebounds, mainly because his team misses so much.

Reggie Jackson is not a good shooter and as the team’s point-guard, he has to be able to stretch the opposing team’s defense. He shot just 35.9% last year and has a career percentage of 32.1%. Jackson is still only 26 and he is a great athlete so he will have some trade value but he and Pistons have to part ways soon, for both their sakes.

8. Brandon Knight – Phoenix Suns

You’ve got to feel bad for Brandon Knight. The talented 6 foot 3 guard has never found anywhere in the NBA where he could settle down and get some momentum in his career. Even in 2014/15 when was up for an All-Star selection, the Bucks traded him to Phoenix where he has struggled to get minutes behind Eric Bledsoe. After averaging a tidy 19.5 points a game in 2015/16 when Bledsoe only played 31 games, he’s only managed 11 points an outing last season and he was shooting below 40% from the field.

Knight has the talent to be a team’s starting point-guard and has a lot of trade value. Before he was traded, Knight was shooting roughly 41% from beyond the arc, a stat that will have a lot of teams willing to take the risk. The Suns need a quality wing player to go alongside Bledsoe and Devin Booker and trading Knight would be a good way to get one.

7. Goran Dragic – Miami Heat

Another team that is stuck in no-man’s land is the Miami Heat who finished 9th in the Eastern Conference last season, just missing out on the playoffs. They were able to tie down the beast that is Hassan Whiteside for the foreseeable future and Dion Waiters looks to be finally picking up steam.

Dragic did play really well last year where he averaged 20.3 points a night and shot better than 40% from the three point line, but this is quite a young team and with Dragic hitting 31 this offseason it might be prudent to capitalize on what’s left in his career and move him along.

I don’t know what the Heat will try and do this year, they make surprise everyone if Dion lives up to his new contract or they may stumble along like last year and barely make the playoffs. If the later happens, I expect every big name to be traded and for Miami to go into full rebuilding mode.

6. Jonas Valanciunas – Toronto Raptors

Toronto has to do something and fast. They have two of the premier guards in the NBA in Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan and have a great stretch-4 in Serge Ibaka who is also a quality defensive player. Toronto plays in the much weaker Eastern Conference, but they cannot get past LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers. They’ve lost to them twice in a row in the playoffs and with their current squad, nothing will change.

They have to shake things up and take some big risks. It’s the only way they have a chance of making it to the Finals to compete for a title. Toronto as a franchise has never been really successful and this current squad is the best they’ve ever had, but it’s still not good enough.

Lowry and DeRozan, of course, aren’t going anywhere so it’s their other big pieces which need moving and Valanciunas is the guy that should go. They wisely traded away DeMarre Carroll which now opens up a spot on the wing to sign a quality shooting small forward, or bring in a guy like Andre Drummond who can focus solely on rebounding and finishing at the rim.

5. Andre Drummond – Detroit Pistons

Another Piston that could be on the move is Andre Drummond. He has a huge amount of talent; he is so agile and fluid for a guy that stands 6 foot 11 and weighs nearly 280lbs. He is incredibly strong and nobody can keep him from grabbing rebounds left, right and center.

He has got to improve at the free throw line where his career average is a disgusting 38.1%. Although is his very raw offensively his fits the modern, effective style of NBA center extremely well. He rebounds, he defends and he can finish on lobs, pick and rolls, drop offs and putbacks. He needs to be surrounded by shooters so he can snatch offensive rebounds and either slam it home or pass it out for an open three.

4. LaMarcus Aldridge – San Antonio Spurs

This season, with Tony Parker set to miss a large chunk of the season, could mark the final end of the Spurs ‘Big Three’ era. Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker won more games together than any other trio is history. Duncan retired after the 2016 season and Manu has said goodbye this year. Parker will be 35 and coming off major surgery on a quadriceps muscle and for a player known for his speed and quickness, Tony will surely be a lot slower when he comes back.

This then means that, as we all know, Kawhi Leonard is their cornerstone from now on. For the Spurs to keep challenging for the title however they need to get another star alongside him, as LaMarcus Aldridge has now proven that he is no longer good enough to be a second option in the Western Conference if you want a title.

When Kawhi went down last year in the Western Conference Finals it was up to Aldridge to carry the load, and he struggled under the weight. He only averaged a measly 15.5 points and 5.8 rebounds on 41.3% from the field, numbers nowhere near good enough to beat teams like the Warriors on the Rockets.

Aldridge can still be a good third option, but his salary of over $21 million for the next two seasons is a lot to take on. Hopefully, the Spurs can find a suitor and give Kawhi the pairing he deserves.

3. Kevin Love – Cleveland Cavaliers

Another player who has proven he isn’t good in big games in Kevin Love. In this year’s Finals, he only averaged 16 points a game on 38.8% shooting, and his numbers from the year before were even worse.

Despite winning the title in seven games Love scored a pathetic 8.5 points a game, again shooting well below 40% from the field. Cleveland is in serious trouble again this year if they don’t do something soon. The Warriors will have only have gotten better this upcoming season with improved team chemistry and Cleveland is staying still. The Cavs should easily make it back to the Finals again but without a lot more firepower they will simply be crushed by the duo of Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, two of the best scorers we’ve ever seen.

LeBron doesn’t have much left and his desire to win another title is as strong as ever. If the Cavs don’t upgrade Love soon then the King might decide to leave Cleveland again in search of another ring.

2. Marc Gasol – Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis are another team stuck in the shackles of mediocrity. Despite making the playoffs every year since 2010, they’ve never managed to get over the hump and reach the Finals. They are good, but not good enough and they aren’t going to get better.

Mike Conley is too valuable for them to let him go so Marc Gasol, the other star on that team will be the one to move. Gasol is a great post scorer and passer who can also rebound and defend well. He is so long at 7 foot 1 and you can run your whole offense through him.

He is just the kind of guy Boston should go for to complete their starting five so that Horford can move to his true position of power forward. Gasol is too skilled and too excited to be stuck in the grindhouse of Memphis, hopefully he moves soon to where his skill set can be put to better use.

Read More

Top 10 Ankle Breakers In NBA History

Top 5 Worst Draft Mistakes in Boston Celtics History

Top 10 Best European NBA Players of All Time

1. Carmelo Anthony – New York Knicks

For the first time in a long time, the Knicks front office made a positive move in firing Phil Jackson from his position as head of operations. He was dreadful and took every chance he had at slighting Melo who played his heart out last season for his city.

Melo is one of the greatest scorers of all time yet he has never made it to the Finals. He is usually a big time performer and everyone would love to see him strut his stuff in the Finals where he would finally be unleashed.

He only has a few years left in him. The basketball Gods need to make it so that Melo gets his shot, his opportunity to solidify his hall of fame career.

Russell Westbrook had one of the most unbelievable MVP seasons ever last year, averaging a triple-double per game for the entire season, but he was far away from winning the NBA championship.

Next season, he has a player option and he will be probably the most attractive free agent over the next summer. Recently, Fred Katz from the Norman Transcript said that Russell Westbrook has had this extension offer on the table for about a month, but he actually has delayed to sign in.

After the big trade, which sent Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Westbrook finally has help after last season, when he played almost completely alone. But, to be honest, Paul George and Russell Westbrook can’t beat the Golden State Warriors, and they are not stronger than the San Antonio Spurs or even the Houston Rockets (even if they don’t get Carmelo Anthony).

Westbrook is 28 years old, and he has played 9 seasons in the NBA and only once in the NBA Finals. Next year, he will decide on his future and if he wants to win an NBA championship, and that may be a very tough decision. Sam Presti knows that, and even if he had one of the best draft selections in the last 10 years with Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook, he has also lost Kevin Durant and James Harden, so maybe the biggest fear for the Oklahoma City Thunder fans could be – can he lose Westbrook too?

Oklahoma is a small market, and even when loyalty is over the money, the big markets like Los Angeles and New York will waiting for one of the best players in the league and it will be very tough to reject those offers.

The only way Presti can keep the MVP on his team is to add more superstars, so the Oklahoma City Thunder can finally win an NBA championship. But who can help Russell Westbrook and Paul George? Maybe they will find the light at the end of the tunnel next season.

Recently, a source close to the San Antonio Spurs organization said that LaMarcus Aldridge is extremely unhappy in San Antonio because he can’t adjust in the Spurs and Gregg Popovich’s system. The five-time All-Star wants to have more freedom on the court and he feels that he can contribute more if he played like he did in the Portland than with San Antonio.

Gregg Popovich needs players who can share the ball and who can adjust in his system. He always uses big men in a special role, like Rasa Nesterovic or Tiago Splitter, or Pau Gasol right now. At the moment, the face of the franchise is Kawhi Leonard, and he is good enough to lead the Spurs into the future. Maybe the best option will be to gather more role players to help Kawhi than to use LaMarcus Aldridge who wants to be somewhere else.

This could be an ideal situation for both sides. Oklahoma City can offer Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott, Jeremi Grant and a future first round pick for one of the best power forwards in the NBA.

Gregg Popovich likes to have good shooters, and Doug McDermott could help a lot in that department because Gregg knows how to use players to create extra space for shooters.

Enes Kanter will be a great option for the Spurs, as he already plays with Westbrook and knows that he is there to rebound and contribute to his team more than just with his individual stats. Jeremi Grant could be a good addition to the SF position, so Gregg can move Rudy Gay to play Power Forward.

On the other side, LaMarcus Aldridge will join Westbrook and George, and if they can reach the Western Conference Finals or if they can beat the Warriors, both Paul George and Westbrook will resign with the Oklahoma City Thunder next season. That will be a great move for Sam Presti, because he will lock two superstars up for the next 3-4 years.

It will be very interesting to see how Sam Presti will save Westbrook and George, because they need help and the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks will be very happy to see that duo in their jerseys.

Sam Presti will be under some big pressure next season, and if Oklahoma City somehow loses again in the first round, it will be very tough to keep Paul George and Westbrook, espcially if he doesn’t sign an extension, as they will both become free agents next season.

For years, the NBA has suffered from unbalanced conferences. For the last few years, the West has been significantly better than the East. A barely .500 team could actually make the Playoffs in the much weaker East.

This summer did not change that. In fact, the NBA’s unbalance problem only got worse.

Eastern stars like Paul George and Jimmy Butler found new teams out West, leaving their old squads in disgrace. Carmelo Anthony and Kyrie Irving may be joining them, as their situations are getting worse by the day.

With the bulk of the NBA’s biggest names heading to the Wild West, it leaves room to wonder: who will be the one to head East?

Here are the 5 most likely Western star candidates to take their talents to the East:

LaMarcus Aldridge

When LaMarcus chose the Spurs a few years ago, he never imagined it would turn out like this. The team as a whole looks great, but Aldridge has had enough. According to him, the Spurs haven’t used his talents the right way. He feels like he’s not being used to his maximum potential, and his role has diminished a lot since his first days on the team. If the right team gives him a good situation, he would likely leave the Spurs in a heartbeat.

Chris Paul

CP3 is desperate for a ring. In Houston, he has a great chance to get one. But even with a team as loaded as the Rockets, it’ll be hard for him compete with the Warriors and Spurs. The West is just too tough. If the experiment in Houston fails to materialize, Paul could elect to head East for an easier road to the Finals. Who knows, maybe he could even find himself playing for the Cavaliers, alongside LeBron James.

DeMarcus Cousins

This is a bit of a longshot, but DeMarcus could find himself wearing Celtic green in a few years. His stint with the Pelicans has been short, so it’s hard to gauge how successful he can be there. But the Pelicans aren’t known for stability. And if the team ends up being a disaster, the Pels may find themselves hitting the reset button. A trade with Boston or Cleveland could see DeMarcus heading East, and would probably make the most sense.

Rajon Rondo

Like DeMarcus, Rondo is a part of a Pelicans team surrounded by misfortune. Even if they don’t trade Rondo, it’s hard to see him staying long term. A return to Boston, a stint with LeBron in Cleveland, or a contract in New York could all be future possibilities for Rondo. He doesn’t have to ring chase, but the East could be his best chance to play a role for a decent team. Not to mention that Rondo’s time in the West has not brought him much success.

Kenneth Faried

A bit of a question mark at this point in his career, Kenneth Faried’s role in Denver has declined dramatically. Once one of the best young guys in the league, Faried has fallen into the shadows in Denver. He needs a change of scenery, and the Nuggets surely have no use for him. Several East teams (like the Wizards) would love to have him on the roster. He adds rebounding, athleticism, and toughness to any organization willing to take a chance on him. And that team will likely be out East.

I’ve mentioned before that each position seems to have its time as the most dominant in the NBA. Centers had the Wilt and Russell era and the 90s, points guards had the start of this decade and power forwards had the decade prior.

The trio of Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki and Tim Duncan personified the position during that time and the battles they had were a real clash of the titans. Power forwards are usually just as big as centers, but they have more skills to boast of. They are better shooters, can dribble more and are more mobile.

Nowadays it seems like the 4 spot has taken a bit of a back seat to the other positions, but there are still some decent guys out there. Here are my top ten power forwards for the start of the 2017/18 NBA season.

10. Serge Ibaka – Toronto Raptors

The Oklahoma City Thunder front office must be really hating life right now. In 2012 they had an amazing young core that looked set to take the world by storm and win themselves a bunch of Larry O’Brien trophies in the meanwhile.

Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Serge Ibaka were all under the age of 24 when he managed to reach the 2012 NBA Finals. Things looked incredibly bright, but extremely poor management meant that James Harden was traded away for pennies on the dollar, Kevin Durant went to Golden State and Serge Ibaka to Toronto via Orlando.

Ibaka is still a very effective power forward in the NBA thanks to his potent combination of offense and defense. Although he’s not the same guy that was averaging 3.7 blocks a game in 2012 he’s swatting 1.4 shots a night and his offensive game has matured well over the years.

He is a very good stretch 4 given that he hit 39.1% of his 3s last year making 1.6 a game. With today’s NBA being all about shooting and floor space he is a very valuable guy to have on the floor; he stretches the offense and provides solid defense.

9. Ryan Anderson – Houston Rockets

Speaking of floor spacing…

When it comes to stretch 4s this guy has got it down to a tee. Anderson is a big reason why the Houston Rockets broke the NBA team made 3 pointers last season. They made over 14 a game and Anderson contributed well, knocking down 2.8 a night on a very efficient 40.3%.

He was a fantastic acquisition by Mike D’Antoni as he gives James Harden another 3 point shooter to spread the defense for him. The pick and pops by these guys are deadly given how quick and from how deep Anderson can shoot.

Now that Houston has acquired Chris Paul, the best pure point guard in the NBA, to play alongside Harden there will be even more opportunities for Anderson to really show just how lethal a shooter he is.

8. Dirk Nowitzki – Dallas Mavericks

Despite being 39 years old Dirk Nowitzki stills finds a way to be effective. He’s easily the best shooting big man of all time and a great example to any young player. If any NBA athlete deserves a statue in his honor, it’s the 7-foot German.

The man has spent his entire career with the Dallas Mavericks and racked up over 30,000 points in his 19-year career. He’s the 6th highest scorer in NBA history and if he’s healthy for the whole season could move up to number 5 on that list.

His signature fadeaway on the block is one of the toughest shots to defend in NBA history and the fact that for his entire career he shot 47.5% from 16 feet to the 3 point line shows that he’s worked incredibly hard for this level of efficiency.

Hopefully, the Mavs somehow make it into the Playoffs just so we get one more chance to watch Dirk do his thing against whichever defender is unlucky enough to guard him.

A legend through and through.

7. Kristaps Porzingis – New York Knicks

Although this is Dirk’s last season which is indeed sad, we basically have his clone playing in New York to compensate. It’s uncanny how similar these two players are; both over 7 feet tall, both very good shooters and both from Europe instead of the USA.

Porzingis has incredible potential both on offense and on defense. On offense, nobody can guard him because the release on his jump shot is so high and so quick that big, lumbersome power forwards that usually guard him have no chance in hell at stopping it. He’s also very athletic and boosts an incredible 37.5” vertical leap which is 2 inches more than Blake Griffin’s.

On defense, he is so long that anyone driving to the rim against him has a lot of trouble. Porzingis averaged 2 blocks a game last year and was the 4th best rim protector for players who played more than 60 games and defended at least 4 shot attempts a game inside 6 feet.

Who knows if Porzingis sticks around New York long enough for the franchise to get itself in order. Either way, we have many years of quality basketball to enjoy from this 7 foot 3 monster, the spirit of Dirk is strong in this one.

6. LaMarcus Aldridge – San Antonio Spurs

Even though he had a terrible series against the Warriors in last year’s Playoffs I still rate Aldridge very highly. Gregg Popovich isn’t going to sign someone to a max level contract if they can’t play.

As a 2nd option last year Aldridge averaged 17.3 points and 7.3 rebounds and helped the Spurs reach another Western Conference Finals. After Kawhi went down in-game 1 the series was over and it was unfair to expect Aldridge to really compete with the might of the Golden State onslaught.

With a healthy Kawhi and with Gregg Popovich out for revenge expect another quality season for the Spurs which will put them right back in Championship contention.

5. Kevin Love – Cleveland Cavaliers

Much like Chris Bosh in the Big Three era in Miami, Kevin Love often finds himself the scapegoat for Cleveland’s failures. Everyone loves LeBron too much, he’s the chosen one and Kyrie is the guy who hit the big 3 to seal the title in 2016.

Love came from Minnesota where he was the man averaging 26 points and 12.5 rebounds to the Cavaliers where he’s just a stretch 4 who plays the occasional outlet pass. But even with this vast reduction is a responsibility he still manages to average a double-double behind LBJ and Uncle Drew.

I have no idea what will happen with Love in the coming months; he could well be traded next week or so as the Cavs look to make moves to keep LeBron happy and persuade him to stay in Cleveland.

4. Paul Millsap – Denver Nuggets

Although he stands at only 6 foot 8 Millsap has shed the ‘tweener’ label and become one of the better players in the NBA for the last 4 seasons. Every season he was in Atlanta he was an All-Star where he averaged 17.4 points and 7.5 rebounds.

He can score in a huge variety of ways such as from the 3 point line, mid-range and the post. This huge variation of scoring options at his disposal means that defenders have a very hard time dealing with him as they can’t pressure him into a weakness because he has none.

Millsap is now in Denver and should form an interesting partnership with Nikola Jokic, one that will have an avid NBA fan such as myself very intrigued as to what they can accomplish.

3. Draymond Green – Golden State Warriors

Draymond Green is the type of player you really really hate if you’re playing against him but love if you’re playing with him. He’s unbelievable valuable for the Warriors and they would not have won either of their two recent titles without him.

On offense, he’s the cog in the middle of the machine that makes all the others run smoothly. He averaged 7 assists a game last year which shows just how good of a team player he is. The Warriors have so much firepower, and Green is often the one fueling the flames.

He has great court vision and the ability to grab the defensive rebound, dribble the ball up the court and initiate the offense. On defense, you could easily argue that he’s the best in the league. He was last season’s Defensive Player of the Year and it’s very easy to see why.

He was 2nd in the league in Defensive rating (99.1), 1st in steals at 2 per game and was the best rim protector in the league in terms of opponent field goal percentage less than 6 feet from the rim.

He’s a major stud and anyone who says they wouldn’t have him on their team in a heartbeat is just lying to themselves.

2. Blake Griffin – Los Angeles Clippers

Poor, poor Kendrick Perkins. Need reminding? Here you go, a gift from me to you.

Blake Griffin is one of the most exciting players in the NBA and a monster of a dunker. The list of player’s he’s posterized keeps getting longer and longer and I expect many more to be added this season.

Over the past few years, Blake has also managed to add some substance to his flare. He has developed his outside shot a lot and the work he has put into his free throws has paid huge dividends.

He’s gone from a 52.1% shooter in 2012 to a 76% shooter last season, truly a testament to his work ethic. If he could just stay healthy now for a whole season then he could easily improve on his 21.6 points per game average last year, especially now that he will have more responsibility thanks to the departure of CP3.

Read More

Ranking The Top 10 Best Centers For The 2017-18 NBA Season

Ranking 13 NBA Players On Who Will Be The Last To Survive In The Gym

Top 5 Worst NBA Draft Comparisons Of All-Time

1. Anthony Davis – New Orleans Pelicans

As I’ve said the power forward spot is definitely the weakest out of the five. There just aren’t that many quality players at this position. However, there is one guy who is a cut above the rest and who makes up for this lack of quality with a bucketload of his own.

Davis much like Draymond Green is a fantastic two-way player. On offense, he averaged 28 points a game on 50.5% from the field. He has an incredible touch for a big man with both hands, his midrange game is on point and he can shoot the occasional 3 as well.

On defense, he’s a demon, someone who has already lead the league in blocks per game twice and looks set to do that multiple times before he retires. He has an amazing 7 foot 6 wingspan along with very fluid athleticism and predatory defensive instincts.

Drivers be warned, don’t try and do a layup against this guy, odds are the ball will end up in the 10th row.

The pairing of Davis and DeMarcus Cousins, arguably the best center in the NBA, is the duo to watch next year. If they can get the chemistry right then New Orleans could easily win 50 games or more.

The NBA is full of its up and down moments. Every team and every player go through good and bad times. While some are more extreme than others, it’s a natural process of pro basketball.

So when you talk about redemption, it’s singling out some players that need to redeem a bad season. For the guys on this list, their value and production have dipped to disappointing levels. In order to rise back to stardom, they’ll need a serious redemption story.

LaMarcus Aldridge

The San Antonio Spurs are known for being one of the best organizations in all of the sports. Their respect and stability is a thing of rare beauty in today’s NBA. But that hasn’t changed LaMarcus’ mind of wanting out. That’s right, he has not been happy playing for the Spurs. His production has slipped, his reputation has dropped, and his value as a star has taken a steep hit. In order to get some of that back, he’ll need to impress this upcoming season. he needs to be the star the Spurs need him to be.

D’Angelo Russell

You either loved D’Angelo or hated D’Angelo. But even those that hated him never would have guessed the Lakers would trade him for a guy like Brook Lopez.  But that is exactly what happened, and D’Lo will likely fade into the sunset. In order to keep everyone’s eyes focused on him, and to prove he belongs in the league, he’ll have to lead the Nets in a dominating way. The team is completely his, so he has every opportunity to turn some heads.

Carmelo Anthony

Melo isn’t the guy he used to be. That doesn’t mean, however, that he’s washed up. If you ask a lot of basketball fans, Carmelo would hardly make their list of top 15. To be honest, the New York Star did disappoint last year, even on a team that was not going anywhere. To find that swagger again, Anthony will have to show the world he’s still as much a star today as he was a few years back. The pressure is on.

Joakim Noah

Talk about abysmal seasons, Joakim Noah has almost literally hit rock bottom. Once considered an MVP candidate, Noah has fallen hard since his back injury a few seasons ago. Since then, he just has not been able to produce at a productive level. Joakim Noah will need to redeem himself big time come October, or his future in the league could be in jeopardy.

Derrick Rose

My, how the mighty have fallen. The 2011 MVP is now getting paid close to the vet minimum at under 30 years old. The reason it took Rose so long to get signed was that he was expecting something more. Once reality hit him though, it must have been a tough blow. With no Kyrie, Rose has a second chance to regain the spotlight. If he can show the world that he’s still got some MVP flashes in him, his value may be restored.

The NBA counts with great figures and it always has, but at the same time, the Association has witnessed lots and lots of flukes throughout its history. This is not new, but it seems a little bit odd that this still happens nowadays considering how much scouting teams do since the very early days of the young ballers.

This will not end anytime soon and it is very unlikely to come to an end at any point since we have various players who looked great during workouts or at a NCAA level but failed to replicate their success with the pros.

Growing up and developing in the National Basketball Association takes a lot of hard work, some patience and of course, talent; but even though some players look like they have it all, they still may struggle to live up to the expectations.

Today, we’ll name five players that landed in the league looking strong and powerful, but after several seasons they are still the same players (or worse), with no evolution and flinching every time they have to play, and they’re very likely to let us down yet again this upcoming season.

Aaron Gordon

Aaron was great when he arrived in Orlando a few seasons ago, showing big skills for a rookie and stating that he was going to make meaningful things in the near future, but so far none of that has happened. Aaron is stuck, let’s face it. Gordon had two good seasons but after that he went down; he hasn’t proved any evolution.

Aaron hasn’t developed his shoot as expected and seeing his performances last season, he needs to go back and play as a PF if he wants to have a chance for saving his career, coming into the league as the new big thing and now being just like all that’s wrong with Blake Griffin.

Harrison Barnes

Harrison is one of the most overrated players in the NBA right now. Barnes was part of a great team such as Golden State and seeing his lack of opportunities, he decided to move to Dallas, but that only proved he wasn’t as good as Golden State made him look. He is a good player, but he is not as good as his former teammates in Warriors.

He owes everything to Golden State and he must have never left the bay. He is a boring player, he has no impact and Dallas is the one suffering Harrison Barnes, who couldn’t even properly replace Chandler Parsons and that has absolutely nothing to offer to any team at this point of his career.

Andrew Wiggins

Andrew Wiggins was considered at some point of his college career as the new LeBron James, but so far he hasn’t proved anything. Wiggins started his career in a team full of talented youngsters, but he never was able to become the leader of the team. Instead, he has become just a regular player in Minnesota, playing under the shadow of Karl Anthony Towns.

Now with the addition of Jimmy Butler, Wiggins will have to share the ball even more than he did before Butler’s arrival. Jimmy is going the be the leader of the team and that will only decrease Wiggins’ chances to become the big star everybody thought he was going to be. This one is going to be a rough term for the Canadian player.

Chandler Parsons

Chandler Parsons was definitely the most disappointing player this prior campaign, coming with a lot of hype as the Memphis Grizzlies’ brand new reinforcement to help Marc Gasol, Mike Conley and Zach Randolph on their playoff runs, but it’s pretty safe to say that they got scammed big time with a guy that barely saw any playing time.

Dealing with constant nagging pain and being months since he was actually able to set foot on an NBA Hardwood, we wouldn’t expect much from a guy that missed most of the past season and played horribly through the few games he was suited up for his duties. Parsons is a great player, but he’s going to need a lot of time to go back to his old self and with the Grizzlies reluctant to enter rebuild mode just now, he may not get the run he needs to do so.

Read More

5 NBA Teams That Made The Playoffs In 2017 But May Miss Them In 2018

Only Four Players In NBA 2K18 Have A 99 Overall Rating

5 Low-Risk Signings That Could Reap Big Rewards

LaMarcus Aldridge

Besides Pau Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge’s was one of the Spurs’ fans favorite scapegoats this prior season, as the All-Star big man hasn’t proved his worth since landing at San Antonio as one of the biggest signings of the team, struggling to find his touch from the field alongside Kawhi Leonard and being one of the team’s biggest defensive liabilities.

And now, after letting pretty much everybody knows that he wants to get the hell out of Popovich’s team, we wouldn’t expect much effort from a guy that’s shown laziness on both ends of the court and that’s going to have to fight for his playing time with veterans like Pau Gasol and newcomer Rudy Gay, and you know Gregg Popovich won’t hesitate to send him to the doghouse as soon as he realizes he just doesn’t fit in their system.

This summer has not been kind to the Cleveland Cavaliers. After getting annihilated in the NBA Finals, the team went into Free Agency hoping for a miracle.

But as the weeks raged on, those hopes soon turned into panic. Free Agency flew by, with the team failing to acquire someone new. The front office was shaken up with the firing of David Griffin. Then, Kyrie Irving made his infamous trade request public and sent the league into chaos.

As bad as it has been, the summer is not over yet.

During the Kyrie trade, they acquired the Nets 2018 first round pick from the Boston Celtics. And because the Nets are expected to be so bad, that draft pick has some real value.

LeBron James is 32-years old and he can’t wait for young players anymore. He needs to win now, and the only way for that to happen is to trade the 2018 Nets pick and get an All-Star player. If the Cavs don’t trade the 2018 Nets pick and LeBron James doesn’t win the NBA Championship this season, he will probably leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for good.

A good thing may yet come to Cleveland this summer, so long as they make the right move. Here are the top 5 best offers for that coveted 2018 Nets draft pick:

The Pistons’ Offer

For a long time now, the Cavs have lacked a true, high-quality Center. Timofey Mozgov? Tristan Thompson? Needless to say, the Cavs have been sour in that department. Andre Drummond would not only solve that problem but provide the team with an added bonus on defense.

Drummond is certainly no Kyrie Irving, but playing with a playmaker like James, he’ll be more than able to rack up some points. On the Pistons end, they’ve needed a complete rebuild for years, and that Nets pick could finally help them get started.

Andre Drummond is just 24-years old and he is one of the best rebounders in the league right now, so he can help LeBron James and Kevin Love immediately.

Cavs Get: Andre Drummond

Pistons Get: Iman Shumpert, Channing Frye, 2018 Nets Pick

The Grizzlies’ Offer

Iman Shumpert and Tristan Thompson may be a little too much to give up for Cleveland. But if the Grizzlies dangled Marc Gasol for a slightly cheaper price tag, that’d be something Cleveland might consider. While Marc Gasol is on the wrong side of 30, the Cavs only have a few more years to contend anyway. They’re in win-now mode and would only need Gasol to produce at a star level for a few years. In return, the Grizz would get some help on offense while getting a draft pick to add some youth.

Even though the Memphis Grizzlies recently announced that Marc Gasol is untouchable, whenever I see that someone is untouchable, I know that a trade could very well be imminent.

Marc Gasol is the best two-way center in the league, a great passer, and it’ll be the first time in LeBron’s career that he has a center in his prime next to him.

After Zach Randolph signed with the Kings, Memphis need to rebuild their squad, and they can start fresh with the Brooklyn Nets’ pick. It’s not even certain that Michael Conley is untouchable at the moment, that’s how badly the Grizzlies need to rebuild.

Cavs get: Marc Gasol

Grizzlies get: Tristan Thompson, 2018 Nets Pick

The Spurs’ Offer

People forget just how good LaMarcus was back in Portland. Back then, he was a nightly double-double guy who could score from basically anywhere on the court. And now, he wants off the Spurs, which means the Spurs are looking for takers. Admittedly, James/Love/Aldridge would be a weird combo, and it’s certainly not the most star-studded in the league. However, it could very well get the job done with a few other role playing vets. Meanwhile, the Spurs would get some great pieces in return, and another young prospect to train up for the future.

LeBron James is a great passer, and his pick-and-fade game with Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge would be an unstoppable action in the league. LaMarcus was one of the best players in the league 2-3 years ago, but since his move to San Antonio, he has lost that superstar status, which could be regained in Cleveland.

On the other side, Gregg Popovich will get a young pick and he’ll have more space in the salary cap so he can sign one more talent to help Kawhi Leonard in the future.

Cavs Get: LaMarcus Aldridge

Spurs Get: Tristan Thompson, Channing Frye, 2018 Nets Pick

The Warriors’ Offer

By far, this scenario is the unlikeliest to happen. But remember, the main part of the Warriors’ return on this trade isn’t Tristan Thompson, it’s that 2018 lottery pick. Also, the Warriors will still be title favorites without Klay. They still have Steph, Draymond, and KD, and they may not want to give Thompson that huge payday he’s almost surely going to ask for in the future.

Also, Klay Thompson is in the shadow of Durant and Curry, and at the moment he is the 4th best player for the Warriors. He needs a team where he can get more freedom on offense, and there’s no better place than alongside LeBron James.

Imagine that trio – LeBron James, Kevin Love and Klay Thompson. With LeBron James at the point guard position, Klay will just have to follow his lead. If Ray Allen was great with LeBron James, Klay will be twice as good.

The Warriors know that it will be very tough to keep Klay when he hits free agency, so this could be the best opportunity for them to add some young talent alongside Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant down the line.

Cavs Get: Klay Thompson

Warriors Get: Tristan Thompson, 2018 Nets Pick

San Antonio is not Houston, but they sure had a problem.

Throughout NBA history, the Spurs have consistently displayed a level of greatness that few ever get to enjoy. That constant dominance could be due to the city’s love for basketball, which is unrivaled in the sport of basketball. Or, it could be due to the stars, who frequently make the team their home. Or, it could be due to the coach, who’s the master, the teacher, the mentor everyone wants to learn from.

No matter what (or who) you attribute the Spurs’ long-tenured success to, one thing is for certain: pro-baskeball life doesn’t get much better than San Antonio.

For LaMarcus Aldridge, however, he might dissagree with that remark.

After nine seasons with the Trailblazers, Aldridge hit the free-agent market in 2015, where he elected to take his talents to Texas, and join Kawhi Leonard in his quest to win a ring. His first season there was pretty productive, and all seemed well from the start.

But, as we’d come to find out, things turned ugly during the 2016-17 campaign.

The role he envisioned for himself in the Spurs’ offense differed from what actually took placd on the court. He felt as if he wasn’t being utilized the way he should. As bad as that sounds, things got even worse in the playoffs, when LaMarcus’ production took a steep nose dive.

He averaged career lows in the playoffs, and was getting dominated by opposing bigs on a nightly basis. That was, in his mind, the final straw. The rumors about him being unhappy in San Antonio were true and, as he revealed to ESPN, it took a heart-to-heart with Gregg Popovich for things to finally start turning around:

“It was me kind of being blunt about it, and being kind of forward,” Aldridge told ESPN during training camp. “He was open to it. I kind of just spilled my heart about how I felt about how things were, and how things had been going… I think he was kind of caught off guard. I don’t think he really had noticed that I was unhappy. But once I said it, he was great about listening, and it was good from there. I felt like I wasn’t really fitting into the system as best I could. I wasn’t really helping like I felt I could.“

Popovich himself took some of the blame for Aldridge’s struggles, saying he has to help the 6’11” big man get comfortable in the offense.

And while utilizing Aldridge more on the offensive end sounds great, it’s a lot easier said than done.

“One of our things this year is if myself, Pau or if any big is running the floor and we duck in, it’s just more emphasis on, ‘OK, let’s look at the post,’ ” Aldridge told ESPN. “I think last year, looking at the post wasn’t really what we did. It was more, let’s do something else. But this year, already, it’s about, ‘If he runs the floor and he’s ducking in, give him the ball.’ So it’s just more of an emphasis on those types of things.“

As the Spurs prepare for the upcoming seaoson, many are giving them a real chance to take home the trophy in June. Because, as history has shown us, it’s never wise to count them out.

But if they want to have any hope of overcoming the odds this seaosn, they’ll need thier star big-man to step up more than ever before.

Kyrie Irving’s trade demand to the Cavaliers front office was one of the biggest moments of this past NBA offseason — perhaps the most exciting in the history of the sport — and the drama that led up to his trade was nothing short of a daytime soap opera.

Many teams were rumored to be pursuing Irving after it was made known he wanted out of Cleveland, but the Celtics — armed with All-Star Isaiah Thomas and Brooklyn’s 2018 first rounder — swooped in to take Kyrie off of the Cavs’ hands.

However, recent reports are stating that Cleveland and San Antonio were extremely close to sealing a deal that would send Kyrie to the Spurs way before the Boston trade. The player that was rumored to be heading to Cleveland in exchange for Irving? None other than another former disgruntled star, LaMarcus Aldridge, who only recently signed an extension in the Alamo.

Report: After trade rumors swirled, #Spurs give LaMarcus Aldridge an extension https://t.co/j5fcXadgHI #Warriors #DubsOnNBCS #NBA pic.twitter.com/QXjnYTUHed

— NBCSAuthentic (@NBCSAuthentic) October 16, 2017

It makes a lot of sense that a trade between the two powerhouse clubs was discussed, as both Irving and Aldridge had become frustrated with their role on either team, so a straight swap between the two would’ve remedied both problems.

A duo of Kyrie Irving — under coach Pop’s tutelage — and Kawhi Leonard would’ve run rings around almost every other Western Conference team, and Aldridge joining the Cavs would have created a deadly pick-and-pop game between LeBron and LaMarcus. The issue of the starting power forward most likely would have arisen though between LMA and Kevin Love and may have resulted in a Love trade to acquire a starting caliber point guard to replace Irving.

Alas, Kyrie is now the number one option in Boston, and Aldridge is staying put in San Antonio for the foreseeable future, so this hypothetical will remain just that.

Expectations are a two-way street and sometimes people get extremely disappointed when they put a lot of hype and hopes in some youngsters that just aren’t as good are expected or take a while to blossom.

On the other hand, sometimes players that were considered average or busts shut their doubters up with outstanding play, outplaying their Draft position and even making some GM’s regret to have move them or passed on them.

This campaign has gotten off to a terrific start with a lot of surprises taking place on a nightly basis, including some guys’ performances throughout the first couple of weeks of the regular season.

That’s why today, we’re going to let you know about the top 10 guys that have definitely outplayed the expectations so far, hoping they can keep this kind of momentum going throughout 82 games.

10. Jakob Poeltl

Jakob Poeltl looked pretty much like a bust during his rookie season but has definitely taken a step forward this year as one of the few healthy guys in the Raptors’ frontcourt, backing up Serge Ibaka while Valanciunas is sidelined.

The sophomore big man has averaged over 20 minutes per game while scoring 8.5 points and grabbing 8 boards in over 60% from the floor and 62% from the line, something that would translate to 14.9 points and 14 rebounds per 36 minutes.

9. Patrick Beverley

Beverley has never been known for his offensive repertoire or contributions, but that’s mainly because he has played alongside James Harden for most of his career, and now that he’s a member of the Los Angeles Clippers, he’s been an unexpected contributor on the offensive end.

The fierce defender is averaging career highs in points and field goal percentage and has shown a lot of chemistry with his new teammates, holding onto the starting point guard gig with Milos Teodosic sidelined, averaging 2.6 steals per game so far.

8. Domantas Sabonis

The Oklahoma City Thunder gave up on Domantas Sabonis to land Paul George despite how well he had played during the first passages of the prior campaign, and he hasn’t hesitated to prove his worth on a Pacers squad needed of points down low with Myles Turner injured.

Domantas’ offensive arsenal is pretty complete and even though he’s not Porzingis (or even close to what his father was), he’s been extremely efficient from all over the floor this season, averaging 13 points and 10 boards to go along with 2.2 assists in over 67% shooting.

7. LaMarcus Aldridge

LaMarcus Aldridge has really stepped up in Kawhi Leonard’s absence, leading the San Antonio Spurs in scoring with his averages of 23.6 points (a career high) and almost 9 rebounds per contest throughout 7 games.

Of course, it’s not surprising that a veteran All-Star plays well, but considering all the noise surrounding him and his poor relationship with Popovich and desire to leave the team, this bounce-back season has come as a pleasant surprise.

6. Lauri Markkanen

Way before he made his professional debut, a lot of people was already saying that Lauri Markkanen was a major bust and that he’d be more of a Bargnani than a Porzingis. Gladly for Bulls fans, he proved them wrong during the last FIBA Eurobasket and hasn’t missed a beat since then.

Markkanen has gotten a lot of praise for his sweet shooting stroke, even by LeBron James himself, and he’s averaging 17.4 points and 10.7 rebounds on 43% from the floor and 41% from beyond the arc per 36 minutes, some pretty impressive numbers considering how poorly coached the team is and that he’s giving up shots to some teammates that aren’t even going to last in the league for long.

5. Donovan Mitchell

The Utah Jazz rookie was extremely impressive during the Summer League and the preseason, proving that he wasn’t afraid to step up with the Jazz in desperate need for some scoring, even proving to be a valuable asset on the defensive end as well.

Mitchell has had some really good outings when the Jazz has been shorthanded due to Hood’s injuries, and even though he’s struggled with consistency, his per 36 minutes averages are very sweet at 15.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.9 steals and 0.9 blocks per game at the shooting guard spot.

4. Tobias Harris

Tobias Harris has long time been extremely underrated, as the forward has always been very productive all over the stat sheet but just doesn’t get the credit that’s due, mainly because the Detroit Pistons have sucked for the last 5 years or so.

Still, Harris is one of the main reasons why the team has gotten off to such a great start of this campaign, averaging 20.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.3 dimes in almost 50% from the floor and 46% from three-point territory.

3. Aaron Gordon

Most people were expecting a breakout year from Aaron Gordon and it seems they’re in for a treat, with the forward finally shifting back to his natural position and even having the green light to push up-tempo and run the Magic offense in open court when he feels like it.

Gordon put up a lot of work on his jumper and even attended sport psychology sessions and it seems like they definitely paid off, hitting from all over the floor with a lot of consistency and recording averages of 21 points, 9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals and a block per game in 54% from the floor and 59% from three-point land.

2. Otto Porter Jr

Otto Porter Jr has been one of the few players that have quietly improved on a yearly basis and it feels like he’s reaching his peak this season, picking a lot of the slack that John Wall has left in scoring so far and even showing a lot of defensive upsides as well.

Entering his 5th NBA season, the Georgetown product is currently averaging 18.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2.7 steals per game in 55% from the floor and 51% from three, all career highs and being a prime candidate for Most Improved Player of the Year.

Read More

Top 10 Best NBA Halloween Costumes

The Best Cities In The World At Producing NBA Talent

5 Reasons Why Basketball Is Better Than Soccer

1. Victor Oladipo

And by far the most impressive player (considering expectations) so far this season has seen Victor Oladipo, and it feels like going back home to where he played his college career has really suited him well and that he’s keen to prove the Magic and Thunder wrong when they gave up on him.

As a matter of fact, Oladipo’s outplaying Paul George in pretty much every aspect of the game, averaging 25.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game on 50% from the floor, 46% from three and 88% from the line compared to George’s 19.5, 4.7, 2.5 and 2.7 on 42%, 38% and 93%.

The NBA regular season is just entering its third week, but we’ve still seen a lot of things that haven’t looked quite good so far, with surprising wins from teams that were supposed to be bad like the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons, while other so-called contenders have failed to live up to the expectations.

With just 9-10 games played so far, it’s still pretty early to make predictions and those teams that got off to a good start can still finish at the bottom of their conferences, while the ones that have been a disappointment can still turn their season around.

Of course, let’s also remember the fact that this preseason was a couple of weeks shorter than it usually is, so it’s quite normal to see good things still kind of rusty from the long inactivity period between campaigns.

If you’re a fan of the 5 NBA teams we’re going to name right now, you should be extremely disappointed. But hey, it’s still pretty early in the season, so get your head up and hope for the best in this upcoming months.

5. New Orleans Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans have one of the best frontcourts in the history of the game with their dynamic duo of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins, but they can’t single-handedly lead a team with one of the worst supporting casts in the league right now to the postseason in the fierce Western Conference.

Rajon Rondo is yet to make his Pelicans debut, while Holiday isn’t looking nearly half as good as they expected him to be, and that 5-5 start of the season isn’t really encouraging for a team trying to keep Boogie Cousins past this season, with the big man likely to leave the team at the end of the season.

4. Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets were one of the most hyped teams entering this season after Paul Millsap’s arrival, as the veteran power forward was looked as the piece they just needed to go back to the playoffs with their young core featuring Gary Harris, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.

Still, and despite Emmanuel Mudiay’s impressive play off the bench, the Nuggets have lost games they were supposed to win with great ease due to very slow starts, but it’s just a matter of time before they turn things around and improve that .500 record they’ve got so far.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder was supposed to completely crash all of their competition after Carmelo Anthony and Paul George decided to join forces with Russell Westbrook, but they’re still figuring out how to play way and win together, and that’s costed them a couple of matchups they could’ve and should’ve won.

Besides, the team is extremely short right now with much of the depth sent to the Knicks and the Pacers to land the couple of All-Stars. Still, they’ve looked pretty much unbeatable when they’ve clicked at the same time on the court, but they desperately need more help from the substitutes.

2. San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs got off to an impressive start of the season with LaMarcus Aldridge leading the way and Rudy Gay really providing a needed spark off the bench, but it was just a matter of time before things eventually fell down due to the absences of Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard.

San Antonio is in a major slump right now, but at least they’re bound to get their two stars back in the court pretty soon, so let’s hope they can stay healthy to take the team back to their usual dominant self.

Read More

6 NBA Players Who Have Been Absolute Disappointments

Top 20 Absolutely Worst Decisions In NBA History

Find Out Your NBA Name Using The NBA Name Generator

1. Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been a complete disaster so far this season, barely losing to a Hayward-less Boston Celtics during their debut and currently they have only 4-5, with 4 of those losses being blowouts against noncontending teams from the weak Eastern Conference.

Reportedly, Tyronn Lue’s coaching job is in jeopardy after that dismal and disastrous showing from his pupils, and they better turn things around before Isaiah Thomas is ready to come back, as they don’t look anything like the team that has reached the last 3 NBA Finals in a row.

The San Antonio Spurs got off to a very good start of the season before sliding all the way back due to Tony Parker’s and Kawhi Leonard’s nagging injuries that have kept them on the shelf for a very long time, and things aren’t looking quite good for Popovich’s squad.

The Western Conference is pretty much a war right now and the Spurs can’t afford to fall back in the standings, even if we’re just talking about the first couple of weeks into this year’s NBA regular season.

Of course, if anybody can turn this team around and get them back to the top of the basketball world, that’s Gregg Popovich and his master basketball mind, but it seems like it’s going to take a while before that happens, even when Parker and Leonard go back to the hardwood.

So, that’s why today we’re going to let you know the 5 reasons why the San Antonio Spurs are going to disappoint us this year, but don’t worry, Spurs fans; Popovich will find the answer and they’ll come back stronger than ever.

5. Are The Spur Too Old?

The Spurs are the second oldest team in the Association (28.5 years), trailing just the slumping Cleveland Cavaliers (29.6 years) in that regard, and even though you definitely need the experience to thrive in this league, tired legs and injuries are going to take a major toll on this team’s chances in the NBA Playoffs even despite Pop’s great rotations.

San Antonio currently has a lot of important players over 30 years of age: Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Rudy Gay, LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol, pretty much their entire core besides Kawhi Leonard.

4. Poor Offense – 99 Problems

San Antonio has always shown a great display on the offensive end, but considering how much their system change in favor of Kawhi Leonard the past couple of seasons, that’s nowhere near true when the Klaw’s not on the floor, being one of the main reasons why they’ve struggled so mightily so far.

See, with Leonard off the court, the Spurs currently have the 26th worst offensive efficiency on the floor with only 99.9 points per game, and they proved that during their latest mediocre blowout against the Golden State Warriors at home.

3. Is Kawhi Leonard Injury Prone Player?

Kawhi Leonard is pretty much the best two way player in the National Basketball Association, being a yearly frontrunner to take home both the Defensive Player of the Year and the Most Valuable Player award, but he’s never been able to play throughout the full 82 games of an NBA season.

Leonard’s been injury prone through his young and successful career and we don’t know how he’ll come back from this quad injury that’s keep him in the bleachers for a very long time now, nor if this will be the last injury he’ll suffer during this campaign.

2. LaMarcus Aldridge And Isolation Play

Popovich himself admitted that he made a mistake when he tried to make Aldridge a different player, as the former Blazer needs to have a lot of touches to get offensive flow and be a prolific scorer, something that’s not going to happen once Kawhi Leonard’s able to go back to action as the team’s go-to guy.

Now, this team runs a lot of isolation sets, both for Leonard and especially for Aldridge, stopping their signature offensive flow. Today, San Antonio ranks 18th in the league with just 21.7 assists per game, while they used to average over 24.5 dimes per contest during their last Championship run.

Read More

Top 5 Most Disappointing NBA Teams Right Now

The 2013 Miami Heat: Where Are They Now?

Top 6 Rookies Who Are Already Looking Like Total Busts

1. Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors are just unfair and mean, and the league should just give them the trophy already. As a matter of fact, they proved it during their last outing, when they were behind for most of the game and were trailing for as much as 19 points before opening a late 20 point lead, outscoring San Antonio with great ease by 39 points.

Of course, the Spurs (besides Memphis) are the only team that can arguably stop them and they were even beating them in the playoffs before Leonard fell down with an injury, but we just don’t seem anyone capable of defeating a team featuring the best 3 shooters in the league and a defensive standout like Draymond Green.

When it comes to the NBA draft, getting things right can be hard.

It’s no wonder that scouts are paid hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to research potential prospects for the entire year, year in and year out, as one player is capable of changing the direction of a franchise for a very long time.

With that being said, scouts cannot predict the future, and just because players get drafted in the top three, doesn’t necessarily mean they are going to be the best three players from that draft class. In fact, I’d hazard to guess that more All-Star talent has come from the 4-9 draft pick range than the 1-3 picks.

Case in point: The last number two overall pick to make an All-Star team was Kevin Durant, who was drafted all the way back in 2007, over 10 years ago, courtesy of StephCurryIsMEXICAN on Reddit.

Let’s have a look at some of the players drafted number two overall since Durant’s arrival to the NBA.

Michael Beasley — Thought to be the second-best player in 2008 behind Derrick Rose, has bounced between the NBA and international leagues.

Hasheem Thabeet — One of the biggest draft busts ever considering the talent taken after him in the 2009 draft.

Evan Turner — Was mediocre for the 76ers and never lived up to his potential.

Derrick Williams — Bounced around the league, playing for five teams in total.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist — Still young enough to become a borderline All-Star, but his shooting needs a major overhaul.

Victor Oladipo — Has the potential to become an All-Star being the focal point in Indiana.

Jabari Parker — Could become a multiple All-Star down the road, but injuries are a big concern.

D’Angelo Russell — In the same boat as Oladipo, could become an All-Star given the opportunity in Brooklyn.

Brandon Ingram — Was touted as the next KD, but hasn’t exactly shown signs of the comparison just yet.

Lonzo Ball — Way too early to tell, but given his skillset, if he can get his shooting woes in order, should become a multiple All-Star given his brand and popularity in LA already.

Before Durant, LaMarcus Aldridge, who was drafted the year prior, was the latest All-Star drafted at number 2.

Given that the number 2 pick isn’t as much of a sure thing as many people percieve it to be, it’ll be extremely surprising if each of the past 5 #2 picks all become All-Stars in their careers, as all of them definitely have the potential to do so — the only reason being, history has not been kind to number 2 picks.