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The Rules of Pacers Digest

Hello everyone,

Whether your are a long standing forum member or whether you have just registered today, it's a good idea to read and review the rules below so that you have a very good idea of what to expect when you come to Pacers Digest.

A quick note to new members: Your posts will not immediately show up when you make them. An administrator has to approve at least your first post before the forum software will later upgrade your account to the status of a fully-registered member. This usually happens within a couple of hours or so after your post(s) is/are approved, so you may need to be a little patient at first.

Why do we do this? So that it's more difficult for spammers (be they human or robot) to post, and so users who are banned cannot immediately re-register and start dousing people with verbal flames.

Below are the rules of Pacers Digest. After you have read them, you will have a very good sense of where we are coming from, what we expect, what we don't want to see, and how we react to things.

Rule #1

Pacers Digest is intended to be a place to discuss basketball without having to deal with the kinds of behaviors or attitudes that distract people from sticking with the discussion of the topics at hand. These unwanted distractions can come in many forms, and admittedly it can sometimes be tricky to pin down each and every kind that can rear its ugly head, but we feel that the following examples and explanations cover at least a good portion of that ground and should at least give people a pretty good idea of the kinds of things we actively discourage:

"Anyone who __________ is a liar / a fool / an idiot / a blind homer / has their head buried in the sand / a blind hater / doesn't know basketball / doesn't watch the games"

"People with intelligence will agree with me when I say that __________"

"Only stupid people think / believe / do ___________"

"I can't wait to hear something from PosterX when he/she sees that **insert a given incident or current event that will have probably upset or disappointed PosterX here**"

"He/she is just delusional"

"This thread is stupid / worthless / embarrassing"

"I'm going to take a moment to point and / laugh at PosterX / GroupOfPeopleY who thought / believed *insert though/belief here*"

"Remember when PosterX said OldCommentY that no longer looks good? "

In general, if a comment goes from purely on topic to something 'ad hominem' (personal jabs, personal shots, attacks, flames, however you want to call it, towards a person, or a group of people, or a given city/state/country of people), those are most likely going to be found intolerable.

We also dissuade passive aggressive behavior. This can be various things, but common examples include statements that are basically meant to imply someone is either stupid or otherwise incapable of holding a rational conversation. This can include (but is not limited to) laughing at someone's conclusions rather than offering an honest rebuttal, asking people what game they were watching, or another common problem is Poster X will say "that player isn't that bad" and then Poster Y will say something akin to "LOL you think that player is good". We're not going to tolerate those kinds of comments out of respect for the community at large and for the sake of trying to just have an honest conversation.

Now, does the above cover absolutely every single kind of distraction that is unwanted? Probably not, but you should by now have a good idea of the general types of things we will be discouraging. The above examples are meant to give you a good feel for / idea of what we're looking for. If something new or different than the above happens to come along and results in the same problem (that being, any other attitude or behavior that ultimately distracts from actually just discussing the topic at hand, or that is otherwise disrespectful to other posters), we can and we will take action to curb this as well, so please don't take this to mean that if you managed to technically avoid saying something exactly like one of the above examples that you are then somehow off the hook.

That all having been said, our goal is to do so in a generally kind and respectful way, and that doesn't mean the moment we see something we don't like that somebody is going to be suspended or banned, either. It just means that at the very least we will probably say something about it, quite possibly snipping out the distracting parts of the post in question while leaving alone the parts that are actually just discussing the topics, and in the event of a repeating or excessive problem, then we will start issuing infractions to try to further discourage further repeat problems, and if it just never seems to improve, then finally suspensions or bans will come into play. We would prefer it never went that far, and most of the time for most of our posters, it won't ever have to.

A slip up every once and a while is pretty normal, but, again, when it becomes repetitive or excessive, something will be done. Something occasional is probably going to be let go (within reason), but when it starts to become habitual or otherwise a pattern, odds are very good that we will step in.

There's always a small minority that like to push people's buttons and/or test their own boundaries with regards to the administrators, and in the case of someone acting like that, please be aware that this is not a court of law, but a private website run by people who are simply trying to do the right thing as they see it. If we feel that you are a special case that needs to be dealt with in an exceptional way because your behavior isn't explicitly mirroring one of our above examples of what we generally discourage, we can and we will take atypical action to prevent this from continuing if you are not cooperative with us.

Also please be aware that you will not be given a pass simply by claiming that you were 'only joking,' because quite honestly, when someone really is just joking, for one thing most people tend to pick up on the joke, including the person or group that is the target of the joke, and for another thing, in the event where an honest joke gets taken seriously and it upsets or angers someone, the person who is truly 'only joking' will quite commonly go out of his / her way to apologize and will try to mend fences. People who are dishonest about their statements being 'jokes' do not do so, and in turn that becomes a clear sign of what is really going on. It's nothing new.

In any case, quite frankly, the overall quality and health of the entire forum's community is more important than any one troublesome user will ever be, regardless of exactly how a problem is exhibiting itself, and if it comes down to us having to make a choice between you versus the greater health and happiness of the entire community, the community of this forum will win every time.

Lastly, there are also some posters, who are generally great contributors and do not otherwise cause any problems, who sometimes feel it's their place to provoke or to otherwise 'mess with' that small minority of people described in the last paragraph, and while we possibly might understand why you might feel you WANT to do something like that, the truth is we can't actually tolerate that kind of behavior from you any more than we can tolerate the behavior from them. So if we feel that you are trying to provoke those other posters into doing or saying something that will get themselves into trouble, then we will start to view you as a problem as well, because of the same reason as before: The overall health of the forum comes first, and trying to stir the pot with someone like that doesn't help, it just makes it worse. Some will simply disagree with this philosophy, but if so, then so be it because ultimately we have to do what we think is best so long as it's up to us.

If you see a problem that we haven't addressed, the best and most appropriate course for a forum member to take here is to look over to the left of the post in question. See underneath that poster's name, avatar, and other info, down where there's a little triangle with an exclamation point (!) in it? Click that. That allows you to report the post to the admins so we can definitely notice it and give it a look to see what we feel we should do about it. Beyond that, obviously it's human nature sometimes to want to speak up to the poster in question who has bothered you, but we would ask that you try to refrain from doing so because quite often what happens is two or more posters all start going back and forth about the original offending post, and suddenly the entire thread is off topic or otherwise derailed. So while the urge to police it yourself is understandable, it's best to just report it to us and let us handle it. Thank you!

All of the above is going to be subject to a case by case basis, but generally and broadly speaking, this should give everyone a pretty good idea of how things will typically / most often be handled.

Rule #2

If the actions of an administrator inspire you to make a comment, criticism, or express a concern about it, there is a wrong place and a couple of right places to do so.

The wrong place is to do so in the original thread in which the administrator took action. For example, if a post gets an infraction, or a post gets deleted, or a comment within a larger post gets clipped out, in a thread discussing Paul George, the wrong thing to do is to distract from the discussion of Paul George by adding your off topic thoughts on what the administrator did.

The right places to do so are:

A) Start a thread about the specific incident you want to talk about on the Feedback board. This way you are able to express yourself in an area that doesn't throw another thread off topic, and this way others can add their two cents as well if they wish, and additionally if there's something that needs to be said by the administrators, that is where they will respond to it.

B) Send a private message to the administrators, and they can respond to you that way.

If this is done the wrong way, those comments will be deleted, and if it's a repeating problem then it may also receive an infraction as well.

Rule #3

If a poster is bothering you, and an administrator has not or will not deal with that poster to the extent that you would prefer, you have a powerful tool at your disposal, one that has recently been upgraded and is now better than ever: The ability to ignore a user.

When you ignore a user, you will unfortunately still see some hints of their existence (nothing we can do about that), however, it does the following key things:

A) Any post they make will be completely invisible as you scroll through a thread.

B) The new addition to this feature: If someone QUOTES a user you are ignoring, you do not have to read who it was, or what that poster said, unless you go out of your way to click on a link to find out who it is and what they said.

To utilize this feature, from any page on Pacers Digest, scroll to the top of the page, look to the top right where it says 'Settings' and click that. From the settings page, look to the left side of the page where it says 'My Settings', and look down from there until you see 'Edit Ignore List' and click that. From here, it will say 'Add a Member to Your List...' Beneath that, click in the text box to the right of 'User Name', type in or copy & paste the username of the poster you are ignoring, and once their name is in the box, look over to the far right and click the 'Okay' button. All done!

Rule #4

Regarding infractions, currently they carry a value of one point each, and that point will expire in 31 days. If at any point a poster is carrying three points at the same time, that poster will be suspended until the oldest of the three points expires.

Rule #5

When you share or paste content or articles from another website, you must include the URL/link back to where you found it, who wrote it, and what website it's from. Said content will be removed if this doesn't happen.

An example:

If I copy and paste an article from the Indianapolis Star website, I would post something like this:

http://www.linktothearticlegoeshere.com/article
Title of the Article
Author's Name
Indianapolis Star

Rule #6

We cannot tolerate illegal videos on Pacers Digest. This means do not share any links to them, do not mention any websites that host them or link to them, do not describe how to find them in any way, and do not ask about them. Posts doing anything of the sort will be removed, the offenders will be contacted privately, and if the problem becomes habitual, you will be suspended, and if it still persists, you will probably be banned.

The legal means of watching or listening to NBA games are NBA League Pass Broadband (for US, or for International; both cost money) and NBA Audio League Pass (which is free). Look for them on NBA.com.

Rule #7

Provocative statements in a signature, or as an avatar, or as the 'tagline' beneath a poster's username (where it says 'Member' or 'Administrator' by default, if it is not altered) are an unwanted distraction that will more than likely be removed on sight. There can be shades of gray to this, but in general this could be something political or religious that is likely going to provoke or upset people, or otherwise something that is mean-spirited at the expense of a poster, a group of people, or a population.

It may or may not go without saying, but this goes for threads and posts as well, particularly when it's not made on the off-topic board (Market Square).

We do make exceptions if we feel the content is both innocuous and unlikely to cause social problems on the forum (such as wishing someone a Merry Christmas or a Happy Easter), and we also also make exceptions if such topics come up with regards to a sports figure (such as the Lance Stephenson situation bringing up discussions of domestic abuse and the law, or when Jason Collins came out as gay and how that lead to some discussion about gay rights).

However, once the discussion seems to be more/mostly about the political issues instead of the sports figure or his specific situation, the thread is usually closed.

Rule #8

We prefer self-restraint and/or modesty when making jokes or off topic comments in a sports discussion thread. They can be fun, but sometimes they derail or distract from a topic, and we don't want to see that happen. If we feel it is a problem, we will either delete or move those posts from the thread.

Rule #9

Generally speaking, we try to be a "PG-13" rated board, and we don't want to see sexual content or similarly suggestive content. Vulgarity is a more muddled issue, though again we prefer things to lean more towards "PG-13" than "R". If we feel things have gone too far, we will step in.

Rule #10

We like small signatures, not big signatures. The bigger the signature, the more likely it is an annoying or distracting signature.

Rule #11

Do not advertise anything without talking about it with the administrators first. This includes advertising with your signature, with your avatar, through private messaging, and/or by making a thread or post.
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ESPN 2011 offseason grades

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  • ESPN 2011 offseason grades

    Offseason grades for all 30 teams

    One of the longest offseasons in NBA history is over and so is the illusion that comes with it -- the belief that almost every team in the league can be a winner with a little offseason luck. You know the feeling: If my team can just make a big trade or a huge free-agent acquisition or hit a home run in the lottery, maybe next season will be different.

    This year, the dream lasted longer than expected thanks to a prolonged lockout. But once the two sides agreed, the deals have been coming in fast and furious.

    With the NBA's abbreviated exhibition season now upon us, fans are settling into either the exciting or harsh realities of what their team did this offseason.

    Unlike last season, when seismic changes happened across the league (thanks in part to LeBron James), this year things have been relatively quieter. Chris Paul was the only star to change teams and a few other potential key players, including Tyson Chandler, David West and Eric Gordon also changed addresses. But overall the landscape of the NBA hasn't changed that much. Everyone is still wondering what will happen with Dwight Howard, but the Magic seem determined to wait until the trade deadline to make a decision about him.

    A less-than-stellar NBA draft, led by overall No. 1 Kyrie Irving, also has played a role in reshaping rosters. So have a few coaching changes, a couple of front office shake-ups and a major ownership change in Philadelphia.

    Now that the preseason is under way, it's time to grade each NBA team on what it did this offseason.

    I'm a college professor in my day job and I understand that this exercise really is the equivalent of giving a student a final grade after the first day of class -- there's so much we just don't know about how these changes will pan out. In other words, these grades are totally subjective and completely unfair. In truth, you cannot really grade an offseason until you get to the postseason.

    The grades below take into account how each team in the league has performed so far in remaking its roster, considering both the opportunities it had and the moves it has made. The grades are not a ranking of which are the best teams in the league, just a device to track which teams appear to have improved and which teams haven't.


    ATLANTA HAWKS

    Key additions: Tracy McGrady (FA), Vladimir Radmanovic (FA), Keith Benson (draft)

    Key subtractions: Jamal Crawford, Damien Wilkens

    The Hawks seem to be stuck in limbo. They have a good core of Al Horford, Joe Johnson and Josh Smith, but those three just haven't been able to push the Hawks over the top.

    Every year management and ownership say the same thing: Just give them a little more time. So, not surprisingly, the team hasn't done much to change the fortunes of the franchise this offseason either. Super sixth man Jamal Crawford is gone, replaced by an older, less-effective Tracy McGrady. And that's about it.

    The Hawks are still capable of getting to the second round of the playoffs. But for them to make the next step, something, anything, has to change.

    GRADE: D


    BOSTON CELTICS

    Key additions: Brandon Bass (trade), Keyon Dooling (trade), Marquis Daniels (FA), Chris Wilcox (FA), JaJuan Johnson (draft), E'Twaun Moore (draft)

    Key subtractions: Jeff Green (injury), Glen Davis, Nenad Krstic, Delonte West, Von Wafer, Troy Murphy

    How bad did Danny Ainge want Chris Paul?

    With the team's title window quickly closing due to the declining games of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, the Celtics spent much of the first two weeks of December trying to deal Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green -- the two youngest players of their core -- to get him.

    But once it was clear Paul wouldn't be wearing Celtics green, Ainge started to piece together a supporting cast for the season. He re-upped Green for a year, swapped Davis for Bass (better player, cheaper contract) and acquired Dooling, Daniels and Wilcox to fill the bench. Unfortunately, that plan is already falling apart. The Celtics learned on Saturday that Green needs heart surgery and will be out for the season. While the team will be able to void his contract, giving them some cash to spend, it's unlikely they'll find a player with Green's talent to replace him.

    Nevertheless, the Celtics should continue to be contenders in the East this season. Ainge has made sure of that. But their long-term future has never been a bigger question mark than it is right now.

    GRADE: C


    CHICAGO BULLS

    Key additions: Richard Hamilton (FA), Jimmy Butler (draft)

    Key subtractions: Keith Bogans, Rasual Butler, Kurt Thomas

    The Bulls' core of Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer and Luol Deng continues to make Chicago one of the top two threats in the East. They made that threat a bit stronger with the addition of Hamilton.

    Hamilton's shooting ability in both the midrange game and from beyond the arc is the weapon this team sorely lacked last season. While Hamilton is far from his prime, he should be able to carry the load the Bulls are asking him to shoulder without a problem.

    As for Butler, he's probably not the type of player who would be a household name if it wasn't for his miraculous "Blindside"-esque story. Drafting him has to be good karma for Chicago.

    GRADE: B+


    CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

    Key additions: Kyrie Irving (draft), Tristan Thompson (draft), Omri Casspi (trade)

    Key subtractions: Baron Davis, J.J. Hickson, Joey Graham

    The Le-pocalypse is over. LeBron has moved on. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert ... not so much. But the team's reward for last season's suffering was two picks in the top four of the draft. Sadly for Cavs fans, it wasn't the strongest draft in recent memory and the team didn't land the next LeBron with the No. 1 pick.

    Nevertheless, the Cavs did get better. Point guard Kyrie Irving has the potential to be an All-Star someday. He's quick and smart and he has a nice balance between scoring and distributing. Tristan Thompson was a bit of a gamble at No. 4 -- especially with Jonas Valanciunas still on the board -- but the team feels that his athleticism, offensive rebounding and emerging offensive game will be a good fit. I'm skeptical he'll be better than Valanciunas, but you can make a solid argument he will be. Omri Casspi adds some toughness at small forward.

    Using the amnesty clause on Baron Davis was also a solid move. Davis is talented when he's motivated and a distraction when he's not. Most likely, he would've been a major distraction in Cleveland this season.

    While the Cavs will still dwell in the Eastern Conference basement, things are looking up. With another top draft pick and a free-agent pickup or two next summer, the team should be back on track.

    GRADE: B-


    CHARLOTTE BOBCATS

    Key additions: Corey Maggette (trade), Kemba Walker (draft), Bismack Biyombo (draft), Reggie Williams (FA), Derrick Brown (FA), Rich Cho (GM)

    Key subtractions: Stephen Jackson, Shaun Livingston, Kwame Brown, Dominic McGuire

    For more than a year, our Future Power Rankings have had the Bobcats ranked dead last. Last season, in fact, the team even got a little worse. But this season, there are finally some signs of life.

    Although I didn't like the Corey Maggette-for-Stephen Jackson swap -- that was, at best, a wash for the Bobcats -- the rest of the moves they've made give the Cats hope. If Kemba Walker lives up to his potential, he could be the star they've been longing for. Bismack Biyombo also has heaps of upside and, while I'm skeptical he can live up to it, was probably worth the gamble as the seventh overall pick. Reggie Williams, meanwhile, gives Charlotte a much-needed sniper on the perimeter.

    The biggest addition to the team, however, might have been new GM Rich Cho. The team has been badly mismanaged over the past few years and I expect that to change under Cho. Cho's ability to manage the cap, negotiate favorable contracts and put a professional organization in place can't be overstated. The Bobcats have screwed up just about everything they've touched. If they're going to get better, especially in a small market, they have to be smarter than the other guys. For the first time in a while, they finally have that chance.

    GRADE: B-


    DALLAS MAVERICKS

    Key additions: Lamar Odom (trade), Vince Carter (FA), Delonte West (FA), Brandan Wright (FA)

    Key subtractions: Tyson Chandler, Caron Butler, J.J. Barea, Rudy Fernandez, Corey Brewer

    Fresh off winning an NBA championship, Mark Cuban stunned many when he decided not to bring back the key cog in the Mavs' championship run, Tyson Chandler. But the Mavs owner has a plan. It wasn't that the Mavs didn't want Chandler or didn't think he was valuable, it's that Cuban knew he had a small window to rebuild this team on the fly next summer. Signing Chandler to a huge, multi-year deal would have destroyed those chances. So Cuban decided to take it on the chin for the chance to land a Deron Williams or Dwight Howard down the road. Hard to fault him.

    After working out a sign-and-trade for Chandler, Cuban then made another heist using the trade exception he just received in the Chandler deal to land the Lakers' disgruntled Lamar Odom -- the best player he could probably land who also happened to be in the last year of his contract. Odom isn't Chandler, but with him on the floor, the Mavs can play some seriously potent small ball. And if Vince Carter can give them anything, the Mavs will still have a shot at repeating while retaining maximum flexibility next summer.

    Under the new CBA, having smart ownership and management will be a must. Cuban and GM Donnie Nelson just put on a master class for the rest of the NBA to learn from.

    GRADE: A-


    DENVER NUGGETS

    Key additions: Nene (re-signed), Andre Miller (trade), Rudy Fernandez (trade), Kenneth Faried (draft), Jordan Hamilton (draft), Corey Brewer (trade), DeMarre Carroll (FA), Michael Ruffin (FA)

    Key subtractions: Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, J.R. Smith, Kenyon Martin, Gary Forbes

    The Nuggets have rebounded better than expected in the post-Carmelo era. Nuggets GM Masai Ujiri got decent value for Melo at last season's trade deadline and the team went on to be more effective without Melo than with him.

    This offseason, the task was simply not to screw things up. After Nene flirted with a number of teams in free agency, he returned home to Denver and was met with open arms. The Nuggets also added Andre Miller, who gives the team a veteran presence at the point; Fernandez and Brewer, who were cheap pickups; and draft picks Faried and Hamilton, both of whom I really like. Faried has boundless energy and is a great rebounder. Hamilton is a pure scorer who should help the Nuggets while they await the return of Wilson Chandler from China.

    If the team can lock up restricted free agent Arron Afflalo to a long-term deal, the Nuggets have a shot of being better than they ever were with Carmelo Anthony. I'm not sure that should inspire a lot of confidence in Knicks fans.

    GRADE: B


    DETROIT PISTONS

    Key additions: Rodney Stuckey (re-sign), Brandon Knight (draft), Tayshaun Prince (re-signed), Jonas Jerebko (re-signed), Tom Gores (owner), Lawrence Frank (coach), Damien Wilkens (FA)

    Key subtractions: Richard Hamilton, Tracy McGrady, Chris Wilcox, Mike Woodson (assistant coach)

    The Pistons had another quiet offseason. After winning just 27 games in 2009-10 and 30 games last season, you'd think Pistons president Joe Dumars would be in the middle of a major overhaul in Detroit. Although the Pistons' lack of moves were easy enough to explain last year when the team was for sale and management's hands were tied, many thought the Pistons would be more aggressive this offseason with new owner Tom Gores on board. Instead, the team worked to bring back Prince, Jerebko and Stuckey on multiyear deals, keeping intact most of the core of last season's team.

    Still, three things have changed for the better in Detroit. (1) The Pistons waived Richard Hamilton, who had become unhappy in Motown, freeing him to leave for a contender. They made the move as a buyout and saved nearly $8 million in the process. Talk about addition by subtraction. (2) The team drafted Brandon Knight who, while still a little raw, has terrific upside. Put him on the floor with Stuckey, Greg Monroe and Austin Daye, and the Pistons suddenly have a nice, young core. (3) The team made yet another coaching change, bringing in former Nets coach Lawrence Frank to run the show. Frank has a great reputation around the league and is promising a more disciplined, hardworking team in the future.

    While those moves won't particularly wow anyone, the Pistons are moving in the right direction again. This team could win 35 games and start to win back fans who left the team over the past few years.

    GRADE: B-


    GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

    Key additions: Mark Jackson (coach), Jerry West (executive), Bob Myers (assistant GM), Klay Thompson (draft), Kwame Brown (FA), Charles Jenkins (draft), Jeremy Tyler (draft), Dominic McGuire (FA), Bradon Rush (trade)

    Key subtractions: Coach Keith Smart, Reggie Williams, Charlie Bell, Vladimir Radmanovic, Al Thornton, Jeremy Lin, Acie Law, Louis Amundson

    After a season of the same Warriors status quo, new Warriors owner Joe Lacob has begun to make changes. Mark Jackson is in as head coach, respected player agent Bob Meyer is being groomed to be the new GM and Jerry West is back as a consultant. That's the good news after years of mismanagement on the part of the Warriors' old regime.

    The bad news? The changes on the court haven't been nearly as bold unless you think Kwame Brown is going to take Golden State to the next level. And while the Warriors' draft landed them two big-time scorers in Thompson and Tyler, overall the team still seems to be a player away from being a true playoff contender.

    GRADE: C

    HOUSTON ROCKETS

    Key additions: Kevin McHale (coach), Marcus Morris (draft), Jonny Flynn (trade), Chandler Parsons (draft), Jeremy Lin (waivers)

    Key subtractions: Rick Adelman (coach), Yao Ming, Chuck Hayes, Brad Miller

    Last offseason, GM Daryl Morey made a strong pitch at Chris Bosh -- but his creative approach, iPad included, didn't seal the deal. After trying several other alternative deals, he took a simpler approach to this past offseason: Wait and see.

    Then Morey went all out to land Pau Gasol in December only to see David Stern crush his hopes again. They went to Plan B, with Marc "I'm not as good as Pau, but close" Gasol only to have the efforts thwarted by the mighty Grizzlies. With the free-agent pool dwindling, the Rockets just decided to sit back and wait again.

    Eventually, Morey will be able to pull off a major deal. Until then, Rocket fans will have to placate themselves with a large measure of Kevin McHale and rookie Marcus Morris. I think McHale is a pretty good coach, though I thought Adelman was a very good one. Meanwhile, Morris has a solid chance of being a good NBA player -- but he's not going to turn the Rockets around by himself.

    Those last two sentences really seem to sum up the Rockets -- pretty good and solid. Whether they'll ever amount to any more depends largely, it appears, on having a little bit of luck.

    GRADE: C-


    INDIANA PACERS

    Key additions: David West (FA), George Hill (trade), Jeff Pendergraph (FA), Louis Amundson (trade)

    Key subtractions: Mike Dunleavy, T.J. Ford, Josh McRoberts, James Posey, Brandon Rush

    The tenure of team president Larry Bird and GM David Morway has been defined by patience. The two have been carefully and methodically rebuilding the Pacers from the ground up after the Ron Artest debacle. They entered this offseason loaded with young talent and cap room -- a covetable position few NBA teams ever reach -- and desperately needed an upgrade at the 4 and a reserve guard who can get his own shot.

    Awash with cash in a shallow free-agent pool, Bird and Morway did what they always do -- they waited. And once again, it paid off. They patiently plugged and plugged away for more than a year until the San Antonio Spurs finally surrendered Indy-born George Hill. Then they waited until impatient teams overpaid the more overhyped free agents on the market and signed West to a very reasonable two-year, $20 million deal. Both players fit their needs perfectly without breaking the bank.

    Meanwhile, the Pacers still have about $14 million in cap room to play around with during the season. With so much player movement expected closer to the March trade deadline, the Pacers are perfectly positioned to be major players in the trade market while still boasting a roster that's as deep as any team in the East. Even if Indy doesn't make another move, it's not inconceivable that this team could be a top-five team in the East this season.

    GRADE: A-


    LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

    Key additions: Chris Paul (trade), Chauncey Billups (amnesty), Caron Butler (FA), DeAndre Jordan (re-signed), Trey Thompkins (draft), Travis Leslie (draft)

    Key subtractions: Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu, Craig Smith, Jamario Moon, Ike Diogu

    The Clippers grew up on Dec. 14, 2011. After years vacillating between pathetic and mediocre the team finally and boldly landed a star. Chris Paul is the type of player that can turn around a franchise. Pair him with a frontcourt of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan and the Clippers, for the first time in history, have the makings of a future championship contender.

    To land Paul, the Clippers paid a huge price. The loss of Eric Gordon especially hurts. But ultimately, if CP3 stays in LA, he's worth it. One of the Clippers' other moves, the shrewd pick-up of Chauncey Billups off the amnesty waiver wire, should also shore up their backcourt. Yes, they overpaid for Jordan and Caron Butler. But when you look at the long-term future of this team, it's as bright as any in the NBA.

    GRADE: A


    LOS ANGELES LAKERS

    Key additions: Mike Brown (coach), Josh McRoberts (FA), Jason Kapono (FA), Darius Morris (draft), Andrew Goudelock (draft), Troy Murphy (FA)

    Key subtractions: Phil Jackson (coach), Lamar Odom, Shannon Brown

    The Lakers are on dangerous ground. They've been good for so long it's easy to forget what happens to great teams that hang on too long. With Phil Jackson out the door and Kobe Bryant now 33, things are about to change in LA.

    The Lakers made an attempt to get a jump-start on the rebuilding process by making strong moves for both Chris Paul and Dwight Howard in December. Were in not for a last-second David Stern intervention, Paul would be a Laker, not a Clipper, right now. Nevertheless, the Lakers still look like they have the best offer on the table (Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol) for Howard. If the Magic decide to let go, the Lakers' building process gets a huge boost.

    Until then, it's going to be messy. The Lakers inexplicably gave away Lamar Odom to the Mavs for what amounts to a cap dump. There's been some talk about the Lakers using the trade exception they received in another deal, but to date it's not clear exactly what that deal would be. The Lakers' incoming class of Josh McRoberts, Jason Kapono and Darius Morris is anemic by Laker standards and this may be the year the Lakers slide from elite status in the West.

    If all of this mess ends with Dwight Howard in a Laker uniform all will be forgiven. But if he stays in Orlando or goes to the Nets, it's not out of the question that Kobe will force his way out and the Laker rebuilding process will be on the slow boat to lottery land for the next few years.

    GRADE: D



    MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

    Key additions: Marc Gasol (re-signed), Josh Selby (draft)

    Key subtractions: Shane Battier

    The Grizzlies are good. I know, it's hard to believe. After watching what they did to teams in the playoffs last season without Rudy Gay, it's plausible they are a title contender with him.

    So Michael Heisley did what any competent owner would do. He signed Zach Randolph to a contract extension before last season ended and locked up Marc Gasol to a big contract in December. He now has his full core of players to go compete for a championship. For most owners all of this would be a no-brainer. But for Heisley? There was a considerable amount of uncertainty about whether it would actually happen.

    The Grizzlies still have holes in some places and a glut of players in others. But if they can catch the magic they had last April and May again this season, it's not out of the question that this team could win a title. Heisley fulfilled his part of the deal. Now it's up to Gay, Gasol, Randolph, Mike Conley and Tony Allen to do their part.

    GRADE: A-


    Miami Heat

    Key additions: Shane Battier (FA), Mario Chalmers (re-signed), Norris Cole (draft), James Jones (re-signed), Eddy Curry (FA)

    Key subtractions: Mike Bibby, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Jamaal Magliore

    Last season, the Miami Heat were coming off possibly the greatest summer in the history of the NBA. With LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in the fold, the Heat rounded up the best trio of players in the NBA.

    This offseason was much more muted. Their big free-agent acquisition was Shane Battier, who has a stellar rep as a no-stats All-Star, but his effectiveness has waned with age. Still, he provides the Heat with important depth, leadership and defense behind LeBron.

    The other move of note has to do with the departure of Mike Bibby. Bibby was way past his prime, but it's hard not to have some trepidation with Mario Chalmers running the point all the time. But if the Heat don't add another veteran in the backcourt, watch out for rookie Norris Cole. The Cleveland State product was one of the biggest draft sleepers and has been impressive in camp. He can score and distribute, and he rarely makes mistakes. He isn't an elite athlete, but when you factor in who's on the floor with him, he doesn't have to be.

    GRADE: B-


    MILWAUKEE BUCKS

    Key additions: Stephen Jackson (trade), Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (re-signed), Beno Udrih (trade), Shaun Livingston (trade), Mike Dunleavy (FA), Tobias Harris (draft), Jon Leuer (draft)

    Key subtractions: Corey Maggette, John Salmons, Keyon Dooling

    The Bucks went from the surprise team in the East in 2009-10 to one of the most disappointing teams of 2010-11. Injuries played a major factor, but a series of questionable offseason moves by the normally steady-handed John Hammond didn't help things.

    This offseason, Hammond moved quickly and decisively to right his wrongs. His two biggest acquisitions last year -- John Salmons and Corey Maggette -- are gone. The question is whether their replacements -- Stephen Jackson, Beno Udrih and free agent Mike Dunleavy -- will be any better. Jackson should provide a stronger scoring kick and Udrih gives them one of the better backup point guards in the league. Combine them with a (hopefully) healthy Andrew Bogut and Drew Gooden, and the Bucks should move back into playoff contention in the East.

    GRADE: C+




    MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

    Key additions: Rick Adelman (coach), Derrick Williams (draft), Ricky Rubio (draft), J.J. Barea (FA), Brad Miller (trade), Malcolm Lee (draft), Robert Vaden (trade)

    Key subtractions: Kurt Rambis (coach), Tony Ronzone (assistant GM), Sebastian Telfair, Lazar Hayward

    For the first time in two years, GM David Kahn didn't completely blow it. The talent on this year's Wolves team is impressive. And coach Rick Adelman, one of the most underrated coaches in the game, seems like a perfect fit for what looks like a turbo-charged squad.

    Ricky Rubio is finally here, too, and should be a really nice fit with this team, while Derrick Williams and J.J. Barea should add more firepower to an already potent offensive team.

    Still, the question on everyone's mind is, while a number of the individual parts look stronger than they have in a couple of years, will the team win enough games to matter? Give Kahn credit for amassing a number of assets over the years, but at some point assets have to turn into players and players into wins.

    GRADE: B


    NEW JERSEY NETS

    Key additions: Shawne Williams (FA), Marshon Brooks (draft), Jordan Williams (draft), Shelden Williams (FA)

    Key subtractions: Travis Outlaw, Brandan Wright, Sasha Vujacic

    Last year I wasn't too kind to the Nets and their summer haul of Derrick Favors, Travis Outlaw, Anthony Morrow and Johan Petro. That group seemed a galaxy away from last year's target -- LeBron James. But what do I know? The Nets had assets and somehow found a way to package them together to land All-Star point guard Deron Williams at the trade deadline.

    Now the plan is to use their assets this season to get an even bigger fish. The Nets desperately want Dwight Howard and Howard wants them too. They offered center Brook Lopez and a whopping five first-round draft picks to the Magic to try to get him in December. They even offered to take back Hedo Turkoglu's toxic contract. But the Magic balked. Still, the question is whether they'll be so stubborn in March when the possibility of Howard walking away for nothing gets more real.

    So you'll have to forgive the Nets if their offseason haul looks a bit bare. Yes, ideally they would've managed to find a way to surround Williams with talent now. But if they land Howard in March ... the Nets will have the most potent point guard-center combo in the league. It's hard to fault them for being patient.

    GRADE: INCOMPLETE


    NEW ORLEANS HORNETS

    Key additions: David Stern (owner, GM, head coach, starting PG), Eric Gordon (trade), Chris Kaman (trade), Al-Farouq Aminu (trade), Carl Landry (re-signed)

    Key subtractions: Chris Paul, David West, Aaron Gray

    David Stern won't win many awards for his performance as NBA commissioner this year. Another prolonged lockout combined with PR disaster after PR disaster will taint his legacy. But as an NBA GM? He's doing just fine.

    Stern, violating the spirit -- if not the letter -- of conflict of interest rules, shocked the NBA by getting in the middle of Hornets GM Dell Demps' attempts to trade Chris Paul. Whether he did it on the insistence of the 29 other owners in the league (as every GM I know believes he did) or on his own as an independent owner of the Hornets, it was bad form for the NBA to meddle. His intervention is the sort of pulp that conspiracy theorists have suckled on for years.

    Yet, when viewed purely from the realm of negotiating strategy, Stern forced the hand of the Lakers and Clippers and got New Orleans a better return for their star. The haul of Eric Gordon, the Wolves' unprotected No. 1 pick, Al-Farouq Aminu and Chris Kaman was as good as they were ever going to get.

    Now Stern's Hornets are loaded with young assets that Demps can use as he pleases. Whether he ultimately keeps Gordon (who I'm hearing desperately wants out of New Orleans), Kaman or Aminu is irrelevant. They are all chips that can bring back their own bounty.

    The product on the court won't be the same without Paul (and his longtime running mate David West) flying up and down the floor. But the Hornets' future in New Orleans, thanks to Stern, is a bit brighter than it was a month ago.

    GRADE: B-


    NEW YORK KNICKS

    Key additions: Tyson Chandler (trade), Baron Davis (FA), Mike Bibby (FA), Iman Shumpert (draft), Jerome Jordan (draft), Josh Harrellson (draft)

    Key subtractions: Donnie Walsh (president), Chauncey Billups, Ronny Turiaf, Shawne Williams, Shelden Williams, Derrick Brown, Anthony Carter, Roger Mason, Andy Rautins

    The Knicks didn't get their ultimate prize last summer -- LeBron James -- but the two star players they did land over the course of last season (Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony) have made the Knicks a prime-time destination again.

    For much of this offseason, the next move on the Knicks' rebuilding chessboard was clear -- land Chris Paul. The problem? The Knicks didn't have the cap room to sign him as a free agent, nor did they have the assets to make a trade for a player like Paul.

    Credit interim GM Glen Grunwald for doing something bold. Convinced his chances of landing Paul were small, and knowing that the Knicks' biggest need was in the middle, he abandoned Paul, gave amnesty to Billups and lured Chandler to New York. While Chandler isn't a star, he is a massive upgrade in the middle and gives the Knicks their first real defensive presence at center since Patrick Ewing owned MSG.

    The move left the team very weak in the backcourt, however, which the Knicks have since addressed by adding veterans Baron Davis and Mike Bibby. If the motivated version of Davis shows up in New York (likely, if he's healthy) and if Bibby has any juice left (I don't think he does), the Knicks should be fine at the point when you also factor in third-year guard Toney Douglas. And if Landry Fields reverts back to his rookie form or if Iman Shumpert is as good as his pre-draft hype New York will be very, very dangerous.

    GRADE: B+


    OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

    Key additions: Reggie Jackson (draft), Daequan Cook (re-signed), Lazar Hayward (trade)

    Key subtractions: Robert Vaden

    The Thunder tend to be overly conservative during the offseason. In their case, it's a virtue. Too many teams panic and believe they have to spend all of their money or the offseason is a failure. GM Sam Presti waits and waits and waits for the right deal to come to him. When it does (like the Celtics offering him Kendrick Perkins for Jeff Green at the trade deadline) he pounces.

    The truth is that there wasn't a lot for Presti to do this summer. He has a team that is my pick to be the best team in the West this season and possibly for the next five years. Kevin Durant is locked up. Russell Westbrook will be shortly. Their supporting group of James Harden, Serge Ibaka, Nick Collison and Eric Maynor is strong.

    Their only major addition is rookie Reggie Jackson, who has enormous talent and slipped in the draft because of injury issues. If he blossoms the way some NBA scouts think he could, he could be one of the steals of the draft.

    GRADE: B-


    ORLANDO MAGIC

    Key additions: Glen Davis (trade), Jason Richardson (re-signed), Justin Harper (draft), Von Wafer (trade)

    Key subtractions: Gilbert Arenas, Brandon Bass

    The Magic had a pretty bad offseason. The question is, will it progress to Armageddon?

    GM Otis Smith continues to bumble his way through this job in a way that would make Peter Sellers proud. At one point the Magic had a team that looked like a Finals contender for the next five years. Now? It's a mess: Dwight Howard and a bunch of overpaid, underperforming role players.

    At the heart of this year's problems is the fact that Howard is pushing for a trade. The Magic are, rightfully, turning down lousy offers, but at this point it appears unlikely they'll be able to get the same haul for Howard that the Hornets got for Chris Paul.

    Right now the team's two best scenarios involve the Lakers (Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol) or the Nets (Brook Lopez and a plethora of first-round picks). Neither trade gives the Magic back fair value, but it's probably as good as they'll get.

    On the periphery are a number of recent head-scratching moves. The team brought in Gilbert Arenas and Hedo Turkoglu at last season's trade deadline. A few months later, they regretted that $96 million indiscretion badly. The Magic gave amnesty to Arenas in December, choosing to eat the remaining three years, $62 million on his contract. And now they're insisting that whoever takes Howard takes Turkoglu and his $34 million contract with them.

    On top of that, the team re-signed the aging Jason Richardson to a reported four-year, $25 million deal despite the fact he didn't appear to have any other serious suitors. This, as Magic fans know, is a Smith special. He signs players to big deals without context. The second was trading Bass for Davis. Bass made less money and is a better player. Go figure.

    GRADE: F


    PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

    Key additions: Thaddeus Young (re-signed), Spencer Hawes (re-signed), Nikola Vucevic (draft); Josh Harris (new owner)

    Key subtractions: Jason Kapono

    The Sixers took a major step forward last season thanks to one significant move in the offseason -- hiring head coach Doug Collins. Collins took a Sixer team that most predicted would win around 35 games and got them the seventh seed in the East playoffs.

    Can he repeat the feat this season? He must be pretty confident because the Sixers did very little to change up their team. They re-signed two of their young players -- Thaddeus Young and Spencer Hawes -- and got USC big man Nikola Vucevic in the draft.

    Vucevic gives the team some much-needed size, but it's unclear exactly how much he'll be able to contribute as the rookie. What the Sixers are banking on is that Young, Jrue Holiday, second-year wing Evan Turner and Hawes all make improvements this season. With time, the new Sixers ownership team may get more aggressive, but for now, there's not much here to celebrate.

    GRADE: C-


    PHOENIX SUNS

    Key additions: Grant Hill (re-signed), Shannon Brown (FA), Markieff Morris (draft), Ronnie Price (FA), Sebastian Telfair (FA)

    Key subtractions: Vince Carter, Aaron Brooks, Gani Lawal

    The sun continues to set in Phoenix. Steve Nash, the heart and soul of the Suns, is still plugging away at age 37, but the rest of his mates from the original run-and-gun Suns are long gone. The 39-year-old Grant Hill is back to provide support and big man Marcin Gortat was a very good pickup last season.

    The rest of the team, however, is a mess.

    Owner Robert Sarver made most of the quagmire himself. When he wasn't ripping up a successful roster, he was alienating players this summer with his hardline stance during the lockout. Sarver has since come out claiming he was actually a dove -- a reversal that only a politician could pull off with a straight face.

    The Suns' free-agent haul this year won't do much to inspire Suns fans. It consisted of Shannon Brown, Ronnie Price and Sebastian Telfair. Of the three, Brown is a legit pickup, albeit a role player. Their draft pick, Markieff Morris, is big and can shoot, but the chances of him being a starter in the NBA, let alone a franchise savior, are slim.

    At some point the Suns will get around to realizing they should have traded Nash two years ago when he still had enormous value. At this point, with Nash in the last year of his deal, they won't get much. When he leaves, the team will likely be among the worst in the NBA.

    GRADE: D+


    PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

    Key additions: Jamal Crawford (FA), Greg Oden (re-signed), Nolan Smith (draft), Craig Smith (FA)

    Key subtractions: Brandon Roy, Rich Cho (GM)

    No one had a rockier offseason than the Blazers. First, owner Paul Allen inexplicably fired Rich Cho one year into his tenure as GM. Then Allen almost single-handedly prolonged the lockout. And in the course of a single day in December, the Blazers learned that Brandon Roy was retiring for medical reasons, Greg Oden had yet another setback in his rehab and LaMarcus Aldridge's heart irregularities were acting up again.

    Aldridge looks like he'll be fine in a couple of weeks, but you can't say the same about the rest of the Blazers roster. Two years ago we thought the Blazers had the pieces to be a championship contender. Now? The second-best player on their team is either Gerald Wallace or Raymond Felton.

    The Blazers have enough pieces to be solid, but that's about it. Jamal Crawford will provide a scoring boost off the bench, but I'm not sure that translates into wins. Nolan Smith seemed like a bit of a reach in the draft. Craig Smith was a steal in free agency, but a 6-6 power forward isn't the missing piece of the puzzle.

    GRADE: D


    SACRAMENTO KINGS

    Key additions: Jimmer Fredette (draft), Marcus Thornton (re-signed), John Salmons (trade), J.J. Hickson (trade), Chuck Hayes (FA), Travis Outlaw (amnesty pick-up) Tyler Honeycutt (draft), Isaiah Thomas (draft)

    Key subtractions: Samuel Dalembert, Beno Udrih, Omri Casspi, Marquis Daniels, Darnell Jackson

    The Kings have a high batting average when it comes to the draft and, for the third year in a row, they may have hit paydirt. In 2009 they drafted the Rookie of the Year, Tyreke Evans. Last season Kentucky big man DeMarcus Cousins proved that when he's focused and not brawling with assistant coaches, he has the potential to be a dominant big man.

    This year the rookie of the moment is Fredette. There's no logical way to evaluate Jimmer. You either love him or hate him. The Kings, apparently, love him.

    Jimmer should be a Paul Westphal-type of player. He lets it fly from anywhere on the floor and has more point guard skills than most fans know about. Whether there will be enough basketballs to keep Fredette, Evans and Cousins all happy is a different story entirely.

    When it comes to things other than the draft, however, Kings GM Geoff Petrie hasn't been as hot. The Salmons-for-Udrih deal may have been the single worst deal of the offseason. The Hickson-for-Casspi one was OK. And last season's Thornton-for-Landry deal may be the one that pays off the most. Signing Chuck Hayes, meanwhile, looked like a good move at the time, but he's currently undergoing tests for a heart abnormality. And adding $12 million long-term to the payroll for the rights to Travis Outlaw seemed like overkill.

    The Kings have a number of talented young players at every position. They have cap flexibility in the future and they received a stay from leaving for Anaheim. Whether any of this amounts to winning actual basketball games is, perhaps, a better question.

    GRADE: B


    SAN ANTONIO SPURS

    Key additions: Kawhi Leonard (draft), T.J. Ford (FA), Cory Joseph (draft), Gani Lawal (FA)

    Key subtractions: George Hill

    The Spurs are old. Tim Duncan is 35. Manu Ginobili is 34. Richard Jefferson, who signed an excessive four-year, $39 million deal two summers ago, is 31. Even Tony Parker turns 30 in May.

    Yet it's hard to break up a team that still performs the way the Spurs do.

    Spurs GM R.C. Buford has talked about blowing things up for the past few years, but he doesn't have the heart to do it. When he finally made a trade to move up in the draft and nab Kawhi Leonard, he did it by trading the team's best young player (and one of coach Gregg Popovich's favorite players) -- George Hill.

    The Spurs' thinking was that the team wouldn't be able to afford to keep their core together and pay Hill this summer, so they cut bait and landed Leonard, a super-talented, high-energy combo forward instead. Leonard was a good pick, but when you factor in what they gave up for him combined with the rest of their haul this offseason, it just feels like the Spurs are still going in the wrong direction.

    GRADE: C-


    TORONTO RAPTORS

    Key additions: Jonas Valanciunas (draft), Gary Forbes (FA), Rasual Butler (FA), Aaron Gray (FA), Anthony Carter (FA), Jamaal Magloire (FA)

    Key subtractions: Sonny Weems

    GM Bryan Colangelo got a second lease on his job this offseason. With the pressure off, he is wisely preaching patience as he rebuilds the Raptors in the wake of Chris Bosh's defection last year.

    The team got off to a great start when it landed what could be the steal of the draft, Lithuanian big man Jonas Valanciunas, with the No. 5 pick. The Raptors took a gamble, knowing Valanciunas can't play in the NBA this season. But he is worth the risk. The team is in dire need of help in the middle, and when he comes over, he should be a franchise type of center.

    The Raptors will try to repeat that haul in the 2012 draft -- widely considered one of the strongest in the past five years. They won't be very good this season, but a high draft choice will be balm to that wound. The Raptors are eyeing about $15 million in cap space next summer too (even more if they choose to grant amnesty to Jose Calderon or Linas Kleiza then) and feel that next year's free-agent class has a lot more potential.

    GRADE: B

    UTAH JAZZ

    Key additions: Enes Kanter (draft), Josh Howard (FA), Alec Burks (draft)

    Key subtractions: Andrei Kirilenko, Ronnie Price

    Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor never gets the credit he's deserved all of these years in Utah. No one has figured out how to completely rebuild a roster as quickly and thoroughly as O'Connor has. O'Connor made the boldest move of anyone at last season's trade deadline when he abruptly traded Deron Williams to the Nets for Derrick Favors and draft picks.

    O'Connor used one of those assets to draft Enes Kanter with the No. 3 pick. Then he used his own pick to bring in Alec Burks. Put those two players together with Favors and last year's lottery pick Gordon Hayward and the Jazz suddenly have one of the best young cores in the NBA. All four players have the ability to be All-Stars if they live up to their potential.

    What makes O'Connor one of the best in the business is that he's doing the rebuilding while still putting a respectable team on the floor. He has solid veterans like Devin Harris, Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson still on the roster and added more depth by getting Josh Howard on a super cheap deal.

    It's rare that you'll find a team that can compete for a playoff spot and be developing four excellent prospects at the same time. O'Connor has pulled that off this year.

    GRADE: A

    WASHINGTON WIZARDS

    Key additions: Jan Vesely (draft), Ronny Turiaf (trade), Chris Singleton (draft), Roger Mason Jr. (FA)

    Key subtractions: Josh Howard

    The Wizards, still basking in the afterglow of landing John Wall with the No. 1 pick in the 2010 draft, appear content to bask a little longer.

    The team did nothing of significance in the offseason. Rookie Jan Vesely is the closest thing to an impact player among the players added to the roster. He's a high flyer and he should be great in the open court, but he's not turning around the season single-handedly. Turiaf, Singleton and Mason all provide a level of toughness to a team that lacked backbone last season. But let's not kid ourselves. The evolution of Wall and big man JaVale McGee means the Wizards will be better, but it's hard to see them cracking 30 wins this season.

    GRADE: C
    http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story...des-every-team

  • #2
    Nice to see that the national media is seeing exactly what we're seeing!


    Rise up Pacer Nation!!!

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: ESPN 2011 offseason grades

      Finally, an honest assessment of the Pistons from someone that isn't a Celtics lifer.

      Outside of the Clippers and Mavs, the Pacers have definitely had a terrific offseason.

      It wasn't about being the team everyone loved, it was about beating the teams everyone else loved.

      Division Champions 1955, 1956, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
      Conference Champions 1955, 1956, 1988, 2005
      NBA Champions 1989, 1990, 2004

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: ESPN 2011 offseason grades

        Did anyone read New Orleans?

        Quote; Key additions: David Stern (owner, GM, head coach, starting PG)

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: ESPN 2011 offseason grades

          the sad thing is, Stern did more for the hornets in 3 weeks than their previous owner did in the last 20 years.

          It wasn't about being the team everyone loved, it was about beating the teams everyone else loved.

          Division Champions 1955, 1956, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
          Conference Champions 1955, 1956, 1988, 2005
          NBA Champions 1989, 1990, 2004

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: ESPN 2011 offseason grades

            ESPN 5-on-5 Roundtable Report cards: Grading the offseason

            A lot has happened since Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks knocked off the Heat to give the city of Dallas its first NBA title last June. Our 5-on-5 crew takes a look at some of the free-agent signings, trades, hirings, firings and more.


            1. Which team deserves the best grade this offseason?



            J.A. Adande, ESPN.com: The Clippers. It's not that they've never had good offseasons before (the summers that brought Elton Brand, Sam Cassell and Corey Maggette/Quentin Richardson/Darius Miles come to mind) but they've never had the best offseason before. In landing Chris Paul the Clippers made the most significant move since the lockout ended. Maybe they should hang a commemorative banner in Staples Center, since they don't have anything else on the walls there.

            Beckley Mason, HoopSpeak: The Clippers, who will be 20 games better (proportionally) this year than they were last season. But honorable mention goes to (gulp!) the Hornets. New Orleans got solid value for Paul and spent the offseason selling tons of season tickets (likely built on the promise of more Chris Pau -- oops!). In that market, profitability is an impressive achievement.

            Rob Peterson, Hardwood Paroxysm: Miami, just ahead of the Clippers, Celtics and Knicks. As chaos reigned throughout the league, the Heat projected an image of calm (which was quite the contrast to their previous offseason) and didn't overreact to last year's Finals loss. They answered any questions about Erik Spoelstra's job security by extending his contract and the Heat solidified their D by signing Shane Battier. Not bad for the defending Eastern Conference champs.

            Danny Savitzky, Nets Are Scorching: The Los Angeles Clippers. With one trade, the Clippers transformed themselves from perennial laughingstock into an outside-shot title contender. The acquisition of Chris Paul also begins to tip the scales of power in Los Angeles, a change that is almost as valuable as the team's on-court improvement.

            Michael Schwartz, Valley of the Suns: Quietly, the Indiana Pacers. They turned a mid-first-rounder in a weak draft into a solid contributor in George Hill and then plugged their biggest weakness by signing David West to a very reasonable two-year deal. West and Hill bump the Pacers up a notch in the East.


            --------------------------------------------------------------------------------



            2. Which team deserves the worst grade this offseason?



            J.A. Adande, ESPN.com: The Rockets. It's not their fault that the worst-case scenario materialized and Yao Ming's foot problems caused him to retire, it's not their fault that their plans to revamp the team were blown up when David Stern nixed the three-team trade with the Lakers and Hornets and it's not their fault they lost a coach who got more out of his players than anyone else the past couple of seasons (OK, maybe they were responsible for that last one). But they're left with a void at center and uncertainty in the minds of their two best players, Luis Scola and Kevin Martin, who thought they had been traded. How many nights will Kevin McHale wish he was back on the set trading jokes with CWebb, Kenny and the Chuckster?

            Beckley Mason, HoopSpeak: The Lakers. What's the plan here? The Lakers seem to be the team most confounded by the strictures of the new CBA and the allure of Blake Griffin. Josh McRoberts was a nice pickup, but replacing Lamar Odom with McBobs is like trading in a Bentley for a Chrysler 300 because they sort of look the same.

            Rob Peterson, Hardwood Paroxysm: Atlanta. Did the Hawks move to Winnipeg with the Thrashers? Five years ago, I never thought I'd write this, but Tracy McGrady is a downgrade from Jamal Crawford. And Vlad Rad? Because you absolutely, positively need 15 minutes from a guy who shoots only 3s. With a chance to build upon their first-round upset of the Magic and with much of the league in flux, the Hawks did nothing to improve.

            Danny Savitzky, Nets Are Scorching: The Boston Celtics. They got a year older, they didn't add anybody or make any deals of note, and they had a stroke of bad luck with Jeff Green's season-ending heart condition. As a result, the gap widened significantly between the Celtics and the Eastern Conference's true elite: the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls.


            Michael Schwartz, Valley of the Suns: The Pistons. I just don't understand Detroit's direction, tossing a combined $71 million at Rodney Stuckey, Tayshaun Prince and Jonas Jerebko on three- and four-year deals. The Pistons have been awful the past two years with this core, so they should be looking to shed contracts to rebuild rather than ensuring their own mediocrity the next few years.




            --------------------------------------------------------------------------------



            3. Which team gets an incomplete for this offseason?



            J.A. Adande, ESPN.com: The Lakers. We need to see what they do with the trade exception from the Lamar Odom salary dump before we render a final decision on that move. We also wonder whether Kobe's extra rest and German knee treatment will restore him or is it too late? Were the organizational staffing dismissals a cruel lack of loyalty or a necessary purge? How affected will Pau Gasol be by hearing his name in trade rumors?

            Beckley Mason, HoopSpeak: Miami mostly stayed pat, adding only an aging but effective wing player who adds depth at the team's strongest positions. The lack of movement was disappointing considering the gaping holes at center and point guard, but if Norris Cole is the viscous defender and assertive ball handler he appears to be, the Heat may have the steal of the draft.

            Rob Peterson, Hardwood Paroxysm: Dallas. Getting Lamar Odom for nothing was a coup, but losing J.J. Barea, their little postseason engine that could, was a mistake, as was letting Tyson Chandler sign with the Knicks. The Chandler departure is a miscalculation the Mavs will rue this season. And Vince Carter? That's like getting a CD Walkman for Christmas. I'm curious to see how it's all going to work out.

            Danny Savitzky, Nets Are Scorching: The New Orleans Hornets. The decision-makers in the Paul deal wanted young talent and picks in exchange for Paul, but it remains to be seen whether they'll be able to turn their new assets into a contending team without their franchise cornerstone.

            Michael Schwartz, Valley of the Suns: New Orleans. If this is the summer that propels the Hornets toward a Big Three of their own with Anthony Davis, Harrison Barnes and Eric Gordon, the CP3 trade will look like a godsend. If Gordon bolts in two years and their 2012 picks don't turn into stars, losing Paul will be seen as a disaster.



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            4. Which team had the most surprising offseason?



            J.A. Adande, ESPN.com: The Knicks. They came from nowhere to land Tyson Chandler and instantly upgrade their defense. Iman Shumpert has gone from an unpopular draft pick (remember the initial reaction of the fans at the draft and Carmelo Anthony on Twitter?) to showing he can be an immediate contributor. A New York team that delivered more performance than hype would be the biggest surprise of all.

            Beckley Mason, HoopSpeak: How often does a defending champ let three of its top seven players walk? That's just what the Mavericks did before making a couple of clever moves to add Lamar Odom and Vince Carter on the cheap while opening up their cap sheet to potentially make a move for a superstar like Deron Williams. They won't repeat, but the future is still bright in Dallas.

            Rob Peterson, Hardwood Paroxysm: New Orleans, hands down. And it was surprising not only to fans, but also to front offices around the league. After David Stern scuttled the first Chris Paul-involved trade, the question was: Who was really running things? It was unprecedented and, to a lot of people, unseemly. Then the trade to the Clippers happened, and maybe they got a better deal. No team has had an offseason like it and it provided examples Nos. 1-100 as to why the NBA shouldn't own a team.


            Danny Savitzky, Nets Are Scorching: The New York Knicks. Few expected them to reel in Tyson Chandler, a long center who establishes much-needed defensive credibility for the team. Mike Bibby's certainly not the best player and the league, but he and Baron Davis help to bolster the point guard position. The Knicks' lineup looks significantly more complete than the roster that bowed out in the first round last season.

            Michael Schwartz, Valley of the Suns: The Clippers. With all their young assets they were perhaps best positioned to make a run at Paul, but this organization always figures out a way to bungle it. For once it did not, and with Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler in the fold as well, this long-downtrodden franchise can finally call itself a contender.



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            5. Based on the offseason, which team should be labeled Team Turmoil?



            J.A. Adande, ESPN.com: The Magic. As tumultuous as the process of trading Chris Paul was for the Hornets, at least that's over. Dwight Howard will be an issue for Orlando every day until he leaves (it still feels more like when than if). It's already cost the Magic a CEO, who admitted making a wine-infused phone call to Howard at 1 a.m. When will the cap-clogged roster and ill-fitting parts cost them Howard himself? The only positive is this should make for some entertaining Stan Van Gundy news conferences.

            Beckley Mason, HoopSpeak: The Lakers get my vote here, too. Odom is gone. Pau is pouting. Kobe's attention will be divided at best. Bynum is on the trading block. Derek Fisher is still the starting point guard. They have a guy on the roster named Metta World Peace. This proud franchise may produce more compelling theater than basketball this year.

            Rob Peterson, Hardwood Paroxysm: Lakers. They have a new coach, had a scuttled mega-trade and went through the motions in pursuit of Dwight Howard. Combine that with the Clippers getting Chris Paul, Kobe's aching knees and a free-agent "haul" of Josh McRoberts, Troy Murphy and Jason Kapono and the Lakers' season sets up as one of the better soap operas the NBA has seen for some time.

            Danny Savitzky, Nets Are Scorching: The Detroit Pistons. It's going to be a long year for Lawrence Frank, as the Pistons have no prized assets and a direction that isn't particularly evident. Giving Rodney Stuckey $25 million over the next three years wasn't a great move in that regard.

            Michael Schwartz, Valley of the Suns: The Lakers. First the league scuttled their attempt to acquire Paul for "basketball reasons." Then they gave away one of the key cogs of that deal (Lamar Odom) for nothing to the team that eliminated them last season. If Superman doesn't appear to save the day, this won't be a fun season for Kobe and Staples' other tenants.
            http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/...ding-offseason

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: ESPN 2011 offseason grades

              NY Times: Pacers Are Poised to Get Better on Offense

              Indiana Pacers

              Last season: 101.9 points scored per 100 possessions (22nd in the N.B.A.)

              The ills of the Pacers’ offense won’t be cured overnight, but the newcomer David West provides such an upgrade at the power forward position that improvement is virtually guaranteed. West is not only a terrific offensive player in a general sense, but he provides invaluable court spacing for an Indiana team that was too often constrained by a lack of perimeter threats.

              West’s range doesn’t quite reach the 3-point arc, but his potent midrange abilities should open up even more space for Danny Granger, Darren Collison and Roy Hibbert to operate. Indiana was at its offensive best in last year’s playoffs when Tyler Hansbrough was connecting on open 15-footers, and in West the Pacers have acquired a more accurate shooter than Hansbrough with a more complete all-around game.

              West will also reunite with Collison for an encore performance of their dynamic pick-and-roll game. Collison clearly isn’t on Chris Paul’s level in terms of reading the pick-and-roll, but his chemistry with West is both obvious and productive.

              Plus, the draft-night acquisition of George Hill shouldn’t be overlooked. Hill’s perimeter shooting will be just as important as West’s this season, but even more valuable is the shift he created in the Pacers’ rotation. Trading for Hill made the oft-struggling Brandon Rush more expendable, which led Indiana to trade Rush for the big man Louis Amundson. A. J. Price and Dahntay Jones are serviceable role players, but Hill’s presence pushes them down a peg on the depth chart, where their skills and contributions will be a bit more favorable. More minutes are going to more helpful offensive players, and the Pacers can only reap the benefits.
              http://offthedribble.blogs.nytimes.c...er-on-offense/

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: ESPN 2011 offseason grades

                As far as the Pistons go, they aren't winning 35 games in a 66 game season, I think the writer forgot about that stat.
                "It's just unfortunate that we've been penalized so much this year and nothing has happened to the Pistons, the Palace or the city of Detroit," he said. "It's almost like it's always our fault. The league knows it. They should be ashamed of themselves to let the security be as lax as it is around here."

                ----------------- Reggie Miller

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: ESPN 2011 offseason grades

                  We still lack a player who can truly create for himself, and I believe losing McRoberts will hurt us this year. I'd give us a B...

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: ESPN 2011 offseason grades

                    Originally posted by croz24 View Post
                    We still lack a player who can truly create for himself, and I believe losing McRoberts will hurt us this year. I'd give us a B...
                    I like McBob, but we aren't losing a single game because he's not playing for 15 minutes.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: ESPN 2011 offseason grades

                      Originally posted by Will Galen View Post
                      Did anyone read New Orleans?

                      Quote; Key additions: David Stern (owner, GM, head coach, starting PG)
                      That didn't pop out at me, but this did:

                      Whether he ultimately keeps Gordon (who I'm hearing desperately wants out of New Orleans), Kaman or Aminu is irrelevant.
                      "Nobody wants to play against Tyler Hansbrough NO BODY!" ~ Frank Vogel

                      "And David put his hand in the bag and took out a stone and slung it. And it struck the Philistine on the head and he fell to the ground. Amen. "

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: ESPN 2011 offseason grades

                        Originally posted by Cactus Jax View Post
                        As far as the Pistons go, they aren't winning 35 games in a 66 game season, I think the writer forgot about that stat.
                        They wouldn't have won 35 games in an 82 game season.


                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: ESPN 2011 offseason grades

                          Originally posted by Cactus Jax View Post
                          As far as the Pistons go, they aren't winning 35 games in a 66 game season, I think the writer forgot about that stat.
                          If everything breaks right, they could go be a .500 team. Not saying it will happen, but it's within the realm of possibility. There's more talent on that roster than they showed last season.
                          Last edited by Kstat; 12-19-2011, 04:07 PM.

                          It wasn't about being the team everyone loved, it was about beating the teams everyone else loved.

                          Division Champions 1955, 1956, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
                          Conference Champions 1955, 1956, 1988, 2005
                          NBA Champions 1989, 1990, 2004

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: ESPN 2011 offseason grades

                            Originally posted by Kstat View Post
                            If everything breaks right, they could go be a .500 team. Not saying it will happen, but it's withing the realm of possibility.
                            Does that mean you think the Pistons are a playoff team?

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: ESPN 2011 offseason grades

                              Originally posted by billbradley View Post
                              I like McBob, but we aren't losing a single game because he's not playing for 15 minutes.
                              But we also don't even know if West will be the same player he was preinjury. If West returns to a 20ppg scorer, I can see an A, but there's a huge question mark there...

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