The 30: A-G

The NBA draft is right around the corner(June 28) and also happens to be one of my favorite sporting events in the world.  I do not know why this is, but it always has been.  Maybe it has something to do with one of my best friends being a Knicks fan.  For the past few years I have gone to his house for the draft and each and every year the Knicks pick Jordan Hill or Iman Shumpert while the likes of Brandon Jennings and Kenneth Faried sit waiting to have productive careers, I cannot help but find joy in the shear pain it causes my friend(that is the definition of friendship if you were wondering).  It could have something to do with my best friend and I vowing to sit up until we see Brian Cardinal selected, then sprinting upstairs to tell my father who is in a deep slumber and could care less.  Or maybe it simply has to do with the fact that every year some team is going to select Hasheem Thabeet or Michael Olowokandi, but whatever the reason may be I love the NBA Draft!

With all of that said I have been predicting players futures and evaluating the talent of prospects for years.  The only problem is, up until this point it has always been a situation of me saying “I told you Paul George was gonna be good” and my father or a friend saying “sure you did.”  Or me saying “I swear I’d take Durant number 1 over Oden, Oden has a disease that ages him, I’m telling you”  Followed again by, “sure you would.”  Both of those situations are true(I promise) but tonight the “I’m telling you” stops, tonight I will actually put to paper my thoughts and predictions for this 2012 draft class. 

(While we are on the subject of I told you so’s I said Klay Thompson was going to be good too, the jury is still out, but I just wanted to put that out there.)

Now on to some predictions.

Over the next few days I will be profiling a list of 30 NBA hopefuls.  This list of 30 players is a combination of guys that NBA mock drafts think are going to get drafted, coupled with some guys I believe will not be first round picks, but will have good NBA careers.  This list is NOT a mock draft of where I think guys will go or a ranking of the top 30 players.  Just to clear up any confusion the list is going to be put in alphabetical order.  So with that being said here we go:

*Andrew Nicholson and Damian Lillard are by most accounts considered 1st round picks, but are not on this list simply because I have never seen and either of them play and I’m not making a prediction on anyone I’ve never seen play, that’s just stupid.

Quincy Acy

Baylor

2011-2012 Stats: 11.8 PPG, 7.2 RPB, 1.8 BLK, 55.7 FG%

6’7, 235 LBS

Acy is one of the players that I believe will have a solid NBA career while not being at the top of anyones draft board.  There are a few things that translate from college to the NBA and Acy contains one of them: effort.  I see Acy as a max effort/energy guy off the bench that will give a team quality minutes and provide quality rebounding and defense.  He does not strike me as a guy that will be worried about playing time or shot attempts, but rather a good teammate who is willing to do whatever it takes to help his team win.  These attributes coupled with his freakish athleticism should help him overcome his lack of size for a power forward and will enhance his chances at having a long NBA career.  

Harrison Barnes

North Carolina

2011-2012 Stats: 17.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.1 APG

6’8, 227 LBS 

Let me preface what I am about to say by saying to all the UNC fans: I understand why you hate him, I really do.  Now that that is over allow me to tell you how an unbiased UNC fan should feel about Harrison Barnes, the NBA player.  Barnes was handcuffed by the college game.  The smaller floor, poor spacing, people take charges(this is where the UNC fan says he didn’t drive), and lake of pick and role situations did not allow Barnes to flourish.  Barnes has great height for a small forward, above average athleticism, and an above average jump shot, a jump shot that will only get better, even Serge Ibaka can shoot in the league.  Sorry UNC fans, but that translates into a good NBA player.  As for emotionally and psychologically I cannot speak for any of these kids, but I can tell you this about Barnes, he will be a good pro, with a chance to be great.

Bradley Beal

Florida

2011-2012 Stats: 14.6 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2.2 APG

6’4, 207 LBS

Player, that is all I can say about Bradley Beal.  Pure and simple, he is an NBA player, he has the body, the athleticism, and the jump shot.  If I had to put all the money I have ever made or ever will make on one player in this draft to be a very successful pro it would be Bradley Beal.  He is the safest pick in this draft.  He may not be the player in this draft with the most potential(Anthony Davis) but I can guarantee you he will be a very good NBA player.  Would I still take Davis number 1?  Sure, but Beal is Charlotte proof(meaning even if he goes to Charlotte he’ll still be good, something you can’t say for a lot of guys).

Anthony Davis

Kentucky

2011-2012 Stats: 14.3 PPG, 10 RPG, 4.7 BLK

6’11, 220 LBS

As a Kentucky fan I watched Anthony Davis play nearly every game(approx. 40 times).  So I have seen him stellar(99% of the time) and not stellar(why does Cody Zeller own him?).  Therefore I say to New Orleans, you have to take him number 1, there is no 1A, even with what I said about Beal there is no way in the world you would take him over Davis.  Potentially Davis can be a cross between Kevin Durant and Marcus Camby, but even if he fails and never reaches his potential, he will be an interior defensive presence that will have to be accounted for at all times.  To the doubters who say he is weak and frail, take a look at the new Slam magazine cover and tell me he has not been in the weight room.  That is just 1 months work, think about 5 years.  To the people who say he has no interior game realize this, Davis came to Kentucky as a 6’11 big who’s offensive game resembled a guard with no post presence and no clue as to what to do on the block.  He left with a deadly right and left handed jump hook; 1 year!!!  Davis’ potential is unlimited and his floor is pretty high as well, I like my odds if I am New Orleans.

Andre Drummond

UCONN

2011-2012 Stats: 10.2 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 2.7 BLK

6’11, 278 LBS

If there is a higher risk, higher reward player in this draft I have yet to find him.  Watching highlight videos from high school of Drummond make you think of Dwight Howard 2.0, watching anything of him in a UCONN uniform makes you wonder if he has ever played basketball before.  He looked lost, disinterested and out of touch this past season for the Huskies.  Drummond shot 29 percent from the free throw line, 29!  Chris Dudley thinks Drummond sucks at shooting free throws.  This number has to come up, but how much? Doubled would be 58 percent, scary.  There is no denying Drummond’s athleticism, but can we doubt whether or not he can play basketball?  Yes.  In the end, there is no middle ground for Andre Drummond, if he gets it, he’ll be a perennial All-Star, if he does not, he’ll be a journey man who makes Kwame Brown feel good about his career.  For Kwame MJ, pick Drummond, for Andre, please stay away.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Kentucky

2011-2012 Stats: 11.8 PPG, 7.6 RBG, 2 APG

6’7, 230

This may be the hardest profile for me as a Kentucky fan to write.  There is no denying MKG was the heart and sole of the 2012 Wildcats and there is no doubt they do not win the title without him, but there are legitimate concerns when it comes to translation to the NBA.  The most glaring weakness, if not the only weakness is shooting.  To put it mildly, the hitch in MKG’s jump shot should not be taught to anyone.  On the way up it is as if he slightly double clutches before releasing the ball, thus making him a poor jump shooter.  MKG shot 25.5 percent from the 3-point line this past season, not great, but at the same time he shot 74.5 percent from the foul line.  This tells me(along with watching him) that he has a good follow through.  The hitch however, combined with the lack of ark on his shot is something to fret over.  The positive for Gilchrist(and the NBA team that picks him) is, whatever his issue or weakness may be, there is no doubt he will work harder than anyone to fix it.  No one, and I mean no one will outwork MKG, he plays as hard or harder than anyone in this draft and as I said earlier about Acy, effort/energy translates.  In the end I do not ever believe Gilchrist will ever be a consistent 3-point shooter, but someone with 15-17 foot range.  If Gilchrist is the third or fourth best player on your team, you will be in the finals, if he is your best or second best, get familiar with the lottery.

Draymond Green

2011-2012 Stats: 16.1 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 3.6 APG

6’7, 235 LBS

Draymond Green improved as a basketball player every year in college.  From averaging 3.3 points per night as a freshman to 16 as a senior.  The two things Draymond Green seems to not have the ability to do: grown and become more athletic.  These are legitimate issues for a power forward who is considered an offensive player.  Green, unlike Drummond does have a great feel for the game, yet I just do not see how he can be overly successful in the league.  I would love to compare Green to Glen Davis, and I would, but there is one problem, Davis is 6’9.

Be sure to stay tuned as I profile H-L in the next couple of days.

Why does Georgia's Basketball Team Stink?

In remembrance of the University of Georgia’s effort last night against the University of Kentucky, I decided to investigate and ask the question: why does Georgia stink?  No offense to Georgia’s fans, players, or coaches(Fox is the real deal), they just do not have much talent.  Yes, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is very good and a likely 1st round pick someday, but currently he is a freshman and is Georgia’s best player.  Georgia’s second best player is an undersized combo guard who transferred from Tennessee State, you read that right, OVC power house Tennessee State.  Fun fact of the day Gerald Robinson, the transfer from Tennessee State scored over 1000 points in just two years while attending and if continues on his 13.4 point per night average will score over 800 points at Georgia, that is impressive.

Anywho, back to Georgia’s main problem: lack of talent.  That really is there only problem, which in today’s college landscape is not that bad.  A lot of schools have to deal with poor facilities, a poor academic institution, or a ridiculously hard institution, and let us not forget what usually is the problem, a bad coach.  Georgia has none of these issue, I cannot speak to the specifics of Georgia’s academic rigors but I will venture to say it is not as difficult as Stanford or Harvard, but certainly should not be mentioned with notorious party school Arizona State.  

Now that it has been decided that Georgia’s issues are neither facility or academic related, let me touch on the coach: Mark Fox.  When Coach Fox was hired in 2009 I was elated, no I’m not a Georgia fan, but I am a South Eastern Conference fan and let me put it nicely and say the coaches around the league were ummm....slipping.  Insert Mark Fox and the league gets the former Nevada coach who compiled a record of 123-43 and three NCAA tournament appearances in five years.  Not only did Coach Fox look good on paper, it was pretty clear when watching his teams that he simply put: could coach.

Now back to the issue at hand: lack of talent.  This is coach Fox’ third year at UGA and it is pretty safe to say, this is his worst team yet.  In year two he took Georgia to the NCAA tournament and a first round loss.  The offseason was not kind as he saw his best two players:Travis Leslie and Trey Thompkins bolt for the NBA(they sit for the Clippers).  Maybe he could have seen this coming, maybe he could not, it doesn’t matter.  What does matter is that he did not have the roster prepared to lose those two starters.  Why didn’t he have the roster prepared?  Because the head coach of Georgia(not just Fox)has not recruited the state of Georgia well since before 2006.  So in order to show you just how vicious the recruiting trail has been for Georgia’s head man we will take a look at all the players from the state of Georgia in recruiting classes 2006-2012.

A look at high school players from Georgia:

*Rankings based on Rivals150

2006

*6 players ranked in the top 150

*0 attended the University of Georgia

*Notable names include: Javaris Crittenton-G-Tech, Jodie Meeks-Kentucky, and Landon Milbourne-Maryland.

2007

*8 players ranked in top 150

*1 player attended Georgia: Jeremy Price

*Notable names include: JJ Hickson-NC State, Gani Lawal-G-Tech, Chris Allen-Iowa State, Senario Hillman-Alabama

2008

*14 players ranked in top 150

*2 players attended Georgia: Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie

*Notable names include: Al-Farouq Aminu-Wake Forest, Chris Singleton-FSU, Wesley Witherspoon-Memphis, Cashmere Wright-Cincinnati

2009

*12 players ranked in top 150

*0 players attended Georgia

*Notable names include: Derrick Favors-G-Tech, Lorenzo Brown-NC State, Ari Stewart-Southern Cal, Richard Howell-NC State, Kenny Hall-Tennessee, Glen Rice Jr-G-Tech

2010

*8 players ranked in top 150

*1 player attended Georgia: Marcus Thornton

*Notable names include: Jelan Kendrick-Ole Miss, Ryan Harrow-Kentucky, Jeremy Lamb-UCONN

2011

*7 players ranked in top 150

*1 player attended Georgia: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

*Notable names include: Shannon Scott-Ohio State, Di-Jon Parker-Vanderbilt

That list in itself is damning enough, and an optimist would say that the 2012 class will be good, we will get some of those guys.  You would only be half true, the 2012 class is good, you’re just not getting any of them.  There are 14 kids from Georgia ranked in the top 150, 1 of them is going to Georgia and of the 13 remaining only 3 have not already committed.  One of those players(Tony Parker) is a 6’8 power forward ranked in the top 40 yet does not even list Georgia as a school he is considering.  This is a problem!

Once again I just want to reiterate how much I truly do like Mark Fox.  I believe he is one of the top 5 coaches in the conference(its a better conference than you think)and can really coach, if he has the talent.  I do not care how good of a coach you think you are if you do not have talent, you cannot consistently win, Tubby thought he could in his final years a UK and you see where he is now.  My high school coach once said “if my Jimmy’s are better than your Joe’s, we’ll probably win”.  Well if Mark Fox can just get equal Jimmy’s I like his chances, but the clock is ticking.

The "All Right Situation Team"

The time has finally come for me to showcase to you the “junkie” part in this blog's title.  So far everything I have written about has been relevant, meaningful, and for the most part, respectable topics.  Topics that will help you contribute intelligently during your 10:15 AM break at work to safeguard you from sounding like a bafoon when someone mentions how bad the Wizards are(they fired Flip Saunders today), or when the office bandwagon fan Larry in accounting(who happens to be from Galax, Virginia) starts yapping about “his team” Lob City.  

This blog has helped you become knowledgeable on subjects that some normal person might say, “matters."  This post, is not that at all, if you come to this site to learn just enough not to get made fun of, stop and turn around.  This post will have the adverse affect on your popularity, because just like knowing how many planets there are(is it 8 or 9?), knowing that Jerryd Bayless deserves more run in Toronto will not aid you in your conquest of women.  

Now that you have decided to continue reading and not stalk the receptionist Ashley's Facebook page you may be asking yourself: How do I make this team(you can’t)? What are the qualifications? And also, why is this important(it isn’t)?  Of those three questions only one was reasonable, so let me answer that.  Players on this team are guys in the league who if the situation were right could become a household name, not a multi-year All-Star or a Hall-Of-Famer, but a very good player in their own right.  Things that keep this player from being on your fantasy team include:

1. Lack of playing time.
2. Coach’s system does not fit player's game.
3. Teammates don’t complement player's game.
4. Log jam at his position.
5. Better player in front.
6. Needs to develop slightly more.

So, without further ado, I give you the All Right Situation Team(and a bench player):

PG: Jerryd Bayless, Toronto Raptors

2011-2012 Stats: 8 PPG, 2.5 APG, 1 RPG, 15 MPG, 66% FT, 41% FG, 57% 3P

That’s right, you knew Bayless was going to get mentioned again.  The fact that he does not deserve more run in Toronto though(Jose Calderon averages over 8 assists per game), does not mean he should not get minutes somewhere else.  Since being drafted out of Arizona in 2008 Bayless has gotten consistent minutes only twice for more than a 10 game stretch.  In the 2009-2010 season during a 25 game stretch Bayless played 24.7 MPG, averaged 12.4 points and dished out 3.64 assists per game.  In 2010-2011 while splitting time between the Raptors and the Hornets Jerryd had a 12 game stretch where he averaged 23.5 MPG, 13.3 PPG, 4.41 APG, and 3.5 RPG.  Not bad numbers for a 23 year old still learning the game.  As I mentioned earlier, Calderon’s numbers are good, but don’t tell me for a second Bayless can’t start in this league, ask Kobe if he would like to have scoring help from the point.

SG: Corey Brewer, Denver Nuggets

2011-2012 Stats: 14.9 MPG, 7.7 PPG, 2 RBG, .6 APG, .9 SPG, 51% FG, 57% 3PT

Yes, I know Brewer is more of a small forward, but just go with it.  Unlike Bayless, you might actually know Corey Brewer. he was the high flying, defensive stopper for Florida when they won back to back NCAA Championships in 2006 and 2007.  Well, he is pretty much the same player as he was back then, still skinny as a rail(6’9, 188) and still gets his hands on everything.  Unlike Bayless though, I am not sure if Brewer should start in the league.  He is not a very good shooter from deep and in the right situation could get taken advantage of when guarding a bigger 3(say...Lebron).  But...bump those minutes up to 22, get him on the court with a second unit that gets up and down the floor and you have yourself a defensive savant who will average double figures and 2 steals without having one play designed for him.

SF: Austin Daye, Detroit Pistons

2011-2012 Stats: 12.2 MPG, 3.5 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 1 APG, 25% FG, 83% FT

As you can tell from Daye’s numbers this season, his current situation, isn’t right.  Daye has all of the God given ability anyone would want or need to succeed in the NBA.  The pedigree(his father played in the league), the size(6’11), the ball handling, and the shooting touch.  For whatever reason though ever since Austin left Gonzaga after his sophomore year he has not found his rhythm or playing time.  Aside from unbiasedly assessing Daye’s talent, I am a huge fan, I love his game, his skill level, and the smoothness with which he plays.  I can say however that maybe he is not quick enough to guard 3’s, and not strong enough to guard 4’s, Daye also may not be able to create his own shot(a key in the league) from the wing.  For goodness sakes though, he is is 6’11, can shoot the lights out, and don’t these NBA teams have weight rooms?  Get his butt in the gym, force feed him a protein shake(or 1,000), become a pick and pop quicker than average power forward(Tim Thomas style) and get your minutes up!!!!!  There is a place for Austin Daye in this league, and it is not limited to one or two teams.  Oh, he is also only 23 years old. #freeAustinDaye

PF: Kenneth Faried

2011-2012: 2 games played, 3.5 PPG, 4 RPG

Faried marks the 2nd Nugget to make the cut.  In no way should you read that as, “I believe George Karl is poorly coaching his team”, he’s not, I just feel the Nuggets might be hoarding, that’s all.  Oh Knicks fans, you only think your team made a good choice when selecting Iman Shumpert in the 1st round(he wasn’t getting drafted elsewhere, by anyone) when in fact you could have actually drafted someone that could help your team.  Insert the more talented, more athletic version of Charles Oakley: Kenneth Faried.  I got a chance to see Faried play twice this summer(the NBA locked out, remember?), he was the strongest and most athletic player on the court both times(games included John Wall, Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph, Eric Gordon, Damarcus Cousins).  If the minutes are right, there is no doubt that Faried will average double digit rebounds, multiple blocks, and occasional awkward conversations between you and your girlfriend about how you never knew you could love another man so much based solely on his effort.

C: Anthony Randolph, Minnesota Timberwolves

2011-2012 Stats: 12.5 MPG, 6.2 PPG, .6 BPG, 2.5 RPG, 51% FG, 80% FT

Lets get everything out in the open, this team could be named The All Anthony Randolph Team, because lets face it, if he were getting minutes he would be putting up great numbers.  Anthony Randolph is a 6’11 left handed athlete who simple does not get his due.  Every since Randolph was selected 14th overall by Golden State in 2008 he has done nothing but sit(a lot), get hurt(some), and put up huge numbers when he gets 20 minutes or more.  In his 3 1/2 year career when Randolph receives 20 or more minutes he has scored in double figures every time but 6.  Get Anthony Randolph minutes!!!!!  There is nothing left to say, it is a direct correlation. 

Bench: Eric Bledsoe, Los Angeles Clippers, Guard

2011-2012 Stats: Injured 

As a Kentucky fan I have seen a lot of Eric Bledsoe, I watched he and John Wall guide Kentucky to the Elite 8 in 2010, and I watched him as much as TNT and ESPN would let me last year with the Clippers(not much) this past season.  Eric Bledsoe has not played this entire season, but I am not sure it would matter much.  The Clippers have such a log jam at the point guard position(CP3, Chauncey Billups, Mo WIlliams) that they start Billups at the shooting guard spot.  Thus, it goes without saying, there is not a lot of minutes for Eric.  That does not mean Del Negro shouldn’t make minutes.  Eric Bledsoe like most rookies had good moments last season and bad moments.  Eric is also still learning to play the point after spending the year at Kentucky as a wing.  But, one thing you should never forget about Eric Bledsoe is this: Go to 1:40 mark

Who is the Real Lob City: Lexington or Los Angeles?

Who is the real Lob City?  For those of you who do not know, Lob City is the name in which the national media placed on the Los Angeles Clippers the moment Chris Paul was delivered to LA.  The Clippers who already had the 2011 Slam Dunk Champion(given, not earned) Blake Griffin and 6’11 human pogo stick DeAndre Jordan(Texas A&M) needed only one thing to set the media ablaze and bestow on them the name “Lob City”; a point guard who love’s to throw the lob(don’t believe me, ask Tyson Chandler); insert Chris Paul.

The contender for Lob City? Lexington, Kentucky.  The Thoroughbred Capital's Wildcats are equipped with some high flyers in their own right, names like Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist should resonate with any college basketball fan.  Let us also not forget sophomore Terrence Jones, who’s dunk last season against South Carolina still wakes Sam Muldrow from his slumber: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AD7DBaOuofw.  And, I would be remised if I did not mention my personal favorite on the team, the Commonwealth’s very own: Darius Miller.  Not sure which one he is, here is your reminder. 

After that gushing description of the Wildcat’s personnel and the 2-0 lead in youtube clips linked I have already made it pretty clear that Kentucky is “my team”.  You should not however read that statement or anything that proceeds it as; “well, he thinks Kentucky is Lob City” because I will not be stating at any point in this article which team I believe to be the true “Lob City”.  That will be left up to you.  With all of that said, let us begin the debate of Who is the Real Lob City?

Important Notes:

*There is no official record for lob’s completed, thus the statistical analysis that follows will focus directly on dunks recorded.

*College game is 40 minutes, NBA game is 48 minutes.

*All dunk statistics for the Los Angeles Clippers were gathered from the cbssports.com NBA Dunk-O-Meter.

*All statistics for Kentucky’s dunk totals were gathered from sifting through play-by-play transcripts on espn.com and does not include the game verses Marist College.

The Case for the Clippers:

12 Games

Total Dunks: 69

Dunks Per Game: 5.75

Dunks Per Minute: .1197

Dunks Per 40 Minutes: 4.791

Recap: These numbers are pretty astounding, especially when you consider that two of the players on the 15 man roster; DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin, have combined for 56 of the teams 69 dunks.  To me this says everyone in the NBA knows that dunking is a huge proponent of Jordan and Griffin’s game, and they still cannot do anything about it.

The Case for the Wildcats:

18 Games

Total Dunks: 88

Dunks Per Game: 4.888

Dunks Per Minute: .1222

Dunks Per 48 Minutes: 5.865

Recap: The number of charges taking in an average NBA game pales in comparison to the charges taken in a college game.  Combine that with no defensive three second call  and the multitude of teams playing zones against more athletic teams(Kentucky fits that category) and it is equally impressive that Kentucky has amassed this many dunks. The Cats rely on three constituents to jolt the fans out of their seats; Anthony Davis- 46 dunks, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist- 18, and Terrence Jones- 16.  

*A quick tangent on Anthony Davis.  Of his 239 points(not counting his 23 against Marist) he has scored 184 points from the field, 92 of those points are from dunks.  It is pretty simple math from there, 50% of his points from the field have been dunks.  There is only one word to describe that: otherworldly.  I can also say as a person who has seen every game, at least 25 of those 46 dunks have been off of lobs(I'm not saying, I'm just saying).

After all the youtube clips and data provided, I have but one question; Who is the real Lob City?

The Bad, the Good, and the Fix: Wizards Edition

If you follow me on twitter you know it is not a secret that I believe the Washington Wizards are terrible.  It also is not a secret that if you follow the NBA for yourself you too will shortly realize this is not simply an opinion; the Wizards really do stink.  Before I delve into player analysis and possible roster changes that need to take place, let us simply look at the shear raw facts of the Wizards dreadfulness.  

The Bad:

Herm Edwards is famous for saying you are what your record says you are.  Well, the Wizards are winners of one game and losers of 12, thats last in the division, last in the Eastern Conference, and last in the NBA.  It does not stop there, the Wizards also rank 28th in the league in points per game, 21st in rebounding, 29th in assists(the clear problem with this team) and 23rd in points allowed(only because it takes them 22 seconds to get a shot off, thus shortening the game, otherwise they’d be more like 28th).  Those numbers are collectively so bad that if the Wizards were a Premier League soccer team they would soon find themselves in the minor leagues.  The Wizards also shoot a more than woeful 41% from the field and an even worse 28% from the 3-point line.  It should not be a shock to anyone after looking at these numbers that the Wizards are 1-12.

So, what is the problem outside of the simple numbers? Selfish, uninspired, and lazy play, or as I like to call it; Andray Blatche, Nick Young, and Rashard Lewis.  I have never in my life seen a more selfish basketball team; usually selfish is reserved for people who do not pass(this team has them), but it goes further then that.  This team has an attitude of “that’s not my man, I don’t care if he scores” and “that’s a terrible shot, I’m not getting back on d”.  I have never been more frustrated watching a team I do not care about or have a rooting interest in than this Wizards ball club.  They are, in a word, unwatchable.

The Good:

1. Two, young, very talented players to build around: John Wall and JaVale McGee.

2. Only 2 bad contracts; Rashard Lewis(who can be amnestied anytime) and Andray Blatche who is signed through 2015 for an average of 7.52 million a year(not good, but not so bad someone won't take him)

3. Likely a top 5 pick in the 2012 draft(a highly talented draft) as well as 2 second round picks. 

The Fix:

Here is the current Wizards roster as of 1/17/12.

PG: John Wall(team building block, number 1 pick in 2010) 

G: Shelvin Mack(rookie out of Butler, from Lexington, KY)

G: Jordan Crawford(a hired gun, will shoot at anytime)

G: Roger Mason(solid defensively, spot up shooter)

G: Maurice Evans(ummm....played at Texas?)

G: Nick Young(high volume shooter, not much else, career 38% 3-point, career 1 apg)

F: Rashard Lewis(2nd highest payed player in the NBA, that’s enough)

F: Andray Blatche(25 year old with some talent, needs new start and attitude change)

F: Trevor Booker(plays very hard, tries to dunk everything)

F: Jan Vessely

F: Ronny Turiaf(big heart, literally)

F: Chris Singleton(rookie forward, could be defensive stopper)

F: Kevin Seraphin(ummmm....from France?)

C: JaVale McGee(the other building block, 23 years old, shot blocking machine)

C: Hamady Ndiaye(ummmm...went to Rutgers?)

Now that you have seen the roster in whole for the first time(why would you ever have looked at it before?) I will show you how it can be fixed.  First and foremost, amnesty Rashard Lewis, why has this not been done already?  Now, with all that money you just got off your books by cutting Lewis’ corpse, you fly immediately to China, you free JR Smith(free him, literally, his contact keeps him there till March) and pay him whatever he wants(John Wall needs a shooter to pass it to dang it!!).  Thirdly, TRADE ANDRAY BLATCHE!!!  This cannot be said enough, Wizards fans are sick of him and it is clear he is not going to change the way he plays the game.  The good news for the Wizards is, there is a sucker in every crowd and the NBA is no different.  Plus, Blatche has some talent(pick and pop guy, 6’11, 25 years old).  The key here is not getting greedy, I say ship him to Milwaukee for Luc Mbah a Moute(signed through 2015, defensive minded/high energy) and a second round pick in 2012.  

That trimmed some major fat, quickly.  I would love to say trade Nick Young, but honestly, I do not know who would take him and according to hoopshype.com he is in the last year of his contract, so, you ride out the year and let him walk.

From here on it is all about the off season: Ronny Turiaf, the afor mentioned Nick Young, Roger Mason, Maurice Evans, Hamady Ndiaye, and Shelvin Mack are all free agents at the end of the 2012 season.  I would resign two of these guys: Roger Mason and Shelvin Mack.  As for trades in the offseason, I would find a way to get Jordan Crawford off my team, he is a talented player, but dribbles the air of the ball and causes spacing issues when he and Wall are in the game.  I say, trade him for a future 2nd round pick or cash.  After he has been traded I would replace him with Marco Belinelli(a 6’6 spot up shooter w/above average athleticism), who is in his last year with New Orleans.  Then, after all four draft picks are signed one roster spot will be open for....Andre Miller.  Miller is in his final year with Denver and is an excellent choice to teach John Wall the game, not to mention there will not be an ego problem because he is at the end of his career and will understand he is there to mentor and be a back up.  Oh, did I forget to mention get rid of Seraphin? Well, now I just did, get ride of Seraphin, I do not care how.

After these decisions have been made, it is draft time, a time of the year where people like Bill Simmons(and myself) sit around and pray the Knicks or David Kahn have a high draft pick so we can rightfully crucify them, but not the Wizards, not this year.  Assuming the Wizards finish with the worst record in league(more than likely) the will not get the first pick(worst team usually doesn’t), I will say they get the fourth pick.  A good spot to be in this years draft, why?  Likely the number 1 pick will be Anthony Davis(a player similar to McGee), likely 2 pick will be Andre Drummond(very raw, but athletic big man) and the possible 3 pick could be either Jeremy Lamb or Harrison Barnes; athletic wings,(Wiz have Singleton and JR Smith, don’t need a top 3 pick wing) are all bad fits for the Wiz.  That leaves my man Jared Sullinger out of Ohio State there at the 4 spot. A power forward in a power forwards body(6’9, 265 according to espn.com) who can step 15-17 feet away from the basket and knock down jumpers, while also not being afraid to go inside and throw his weight around.  He has also put up stellar percentage numbers this year; shooting 74% from the foul line, 43% from the 3-point line, and nearly 60%(59.7) from the field(Andray Blatche...39.7%)  

Now, as I said earlier, this is a deep draft, and with the addition of the Andray Blatche trade the Wizards will have three second round picks.  According to nbadraft.net these are some names that will be available: Quincy Acy(undersized PF, amazing athlete out of Baylor), Robert Sacre(7 footer from Gonzaga with back to the basket game), JaMychal Green(Bama), Herb Pope(Seton Hall), Dee Bost(Miss. St), and Festus Ezeli(6’11 defensive minded center from Vandy).  I say take Acy, Sacre, and Ezeli and sign all three of them.

With free agency and the draft complete, let’s look at the new roster:

Wizards 2012-2013

PG: John Wall Quincy Acy

SG: JR Smith Festus Ezeli

SF: Chris Singleton Luc Mbah a Moute

PF: Jared Sullinger Trevor Booker

C: JaVale McGee Andre Miller

Bench

Roger Mason

Shelvin Mack

Marco Belinelli

Jan Vessely

Robert Sacre

Now that is a roster to get excited about, and did I forget to mention the best part?  Hire Mike D’Antoni after the Knicks fire him this year.  Enjoy dreaming of this roster Wizards fans.  For John Wall’s sake, I hope it happens.

The Problem with the Charge Call, and how it can be fixed.

Welcome, welcome all!  Some of you may have ventured to this blog by choice; I say thank you, some of you may have come as friends out of sheer pity; thank you again, and some of you may have stumbled upon this little nugget after a night at the bar or club, and in your drunken stupor searching for porn or a different way of getting high found this instead.  To you as well, I say thank you.  Feel free to be disappointed that this is neither of those, but most importantly also feel free to continue reading.  So again I appreciate all of you and without further ado, my first post.

I am a huge sports fan as you can tell by the title of this blog, and yes, some would consider me a junkie, because like a a drug addict I feel that I need sports (yes I realize I don’t, but why would I choose that?). And throughout my years of attending, watching, and participating in sports I can say without a doubt the most upset I get(outside of UK losing a basketball game) is when a charge is called during a basketball game.

This call, if made repeatedly throughout a game(which it always is) can truly ruin the game for me.  Now, before you Bob Knight and Coach K followers bust a blood vessel and say things like; you are not tough unless you take charges, or it is a great part of the game, or it shows heart and more people should take charges, let me say this;  Yes, I love offense and yes, if it were up to me, teams in college and the NBA would receive a loss if they did not reach 75 and 90 points respectively (Wizards, you would go winless this year). But I am a realist and notice the need for the charge call (something has to stop people who put their head down and go) so I shall offer a new, simpler way of calling the charge.  But, first we must look at the reason the current system is flawed(so you don’t simply think this is an opinion piece of course).

Flaw 1: Most charges are called only if you fall to the ground

If you are being an unbiased person, you know this is true.  How many times have you seen someone take a charge and not have to get up from their backside afterwards? Think about it, and if no time comes to mind, start looking for it in games, and also look for blocks being called if a player stands firm but does not fall (Doron Lamb in the 1st half against TN).  This gets me thinking, why in a time when athletes are bigger, faster, and stronger than ever(no one will dispute that) are players constantly falling down?  Are they not athletic/strong enough to stay on their feet?  Or are coaches constantly telling their teams to fall, flail, and scream as if they have just been raped every time an opponent remotely hits them?  I will choose the latter. 

Flaw 2: Ref’s love to call the charge

Throughout my years of playing and watching basketball I have seen some referees that truly enjoy calling the game (that’s not a compliment). You have seen them too,(Ted Valentine comes to mind) they somehow do not seem to get the simple fact that no one payed to watch them.  Sure 75% of referees get this, but the 25%, boy do they make up for the rest of them. The charge is their moment, that time when a collision has occurred and everyone in the gym is staring at them, waiting, they rarely disappoint.  CHARGE!!! they will yell as that arm extends straight out while the other arm raises to the head.  It is almost as if they believe their paycheck is directly linked to the number of charges they call. To quote the great Latrell Spreewell, “my family’s gotta eat!!”  Well Latrell, if calling charges makes a referee more money, families ain’t going hungry.*

*Yes, flaw 2 is nearly a complete tangent, but it needed to be said.

Flaw 3: The Flop

Dictionary Definition

Flop: verb; to fall, move, or hang in a heavy, loose, and ungainly way.

Let us focus on ungainly, which is an adjective for awkward or clumsy.  Now, if what I said earlier in flaw number 1 is true about athletes today being more athletic than ever, why would a word meaning awkward or clumsy be used to decide something they just did?  It should not, but they do it anyway. Players flop and referees reward said player for flopping.  It is a disgusting habit and something that should not go unnoticed.  The game of basketball and its fans deserve better.  The best form of floppery(yes, I know this isn’t a real word) is when a 6’2 170 pound guard spins in to or drives to the hole and a 6’10 260 pound monster steps over, contact occurs, and the big man falls like a ton of bricks (I’m looking at you Louis Scola).  Flaw 2 runs in and yells: CHARGE!!!!!!  This same situation can happen in reverse when a 5’11 guard playing help defense slides under (literally) a 6’9 freak about to rip the rim off the goal and falls backwards to the floor whether contact occurs or not.  Here comes flaw 2 again running in to make the charge call.  What just happened? Not much other than fans being stripped of pure excitement, the play of the game, or simply the sole reason they came to the game...to be entertained.  

For your viewing pleasure, this youtube clip is provided to further drive home the villainous/disrespectful nature of a flop.

Flaw 4: Definition of the rule itself is.....wordy at best

Whether you are a fan of the charge or a detractor we can all agree that the charge/block call is the most ambiguous, most controversial, and most inaccurately call made in  basketball.  The inconsistency of this call and the quickness with which a referee must decide, make this call beyond infuriating for players, coaches, and the people who pay to watch; fans.  To show you just how confusing this rule can be, I used the google machine and looked up the definition of a charge.  I stumbled upon the word for word definition for charge by NBA standards.  Take a look for yourself and decide if it is just ; slightly wordy.

http://www.nba.com/analysis/rules_c.html?nav=ArticleList

I think it goes without saying, that could be clearer.

The Fix

As an observer of the game (college especially) it seems as if there is a collective agreement among officials that everything is a charge whether it is the right call or not.  Defenders are constantly still moving and sliding under(literally) offensive players who have left their feet to complete a pass or shot.  It has come to the point where I have seen players pull up for horrible 7 foot floaters because 3 defensive players have lined up under the goal prepared to lay down at the first hint of contact (there is nothing tough about that).  

Finally, with all of this complaining and anger I think back to what my mother has always told me, “Don’t complain unless you have a better way of doing it.”  Well mom, NCAA, and NBA, I do have a better way of doing it.  The 14 paragraphs above to describe the NBA charge rule can be condensed into two simple statements and used for college as well. 

1. No defensive player may draw a charge if offensive player has left the air.
2. Only the on ball defender can draw a charge.

Wow, that was simple.  All of mine, yours, and most importantly the games problems have been solved.

Thank you for reading my first post, I hope you enjoyed it, and if you did not, well, thank you for reading anyway, and please visit again soon.