What was Mark Cuban smoking with the trade for
Antoine Walker, anyway?
2003 - 2004 Midwest Division Preview
Home of the reigning NBA Champs, but this season the Spurs might not even be the second best team in the division after the upgrades pulled off by Dallas and Minnesota. Duncan, Dirk and KG all have new running mates, and the stage is set for those three Western Conference powers to beat other teams' (and each other's) brains in to the finish. Likely it will come down to which team's chemistry comes together quickest, or even more likely, which team escapes the injury bug. Put money on it - in this year's NBA, just because you finish first during the regular season will not guarantee you anything come playoff time. The Haves of the league have become even stronger, while the Have Nots will sink lower into the NBA muck. Here now are Joe's thoughts on the Midwest Division teams, and their projected order of finish.
1) San Antonio Spurs
World Champs got stronger, ironically, after losing out on the Jason Kidd sweepstakes this summer. Ron Mercer and Hedo Turkoglu were added to the bench for basically nothing, Rasho Nesterovic was signed to replace David Robinson, Anthony Carter (courtesy of his incompetent agent) and Robert Horry are here, and Stephen Jackson stupidly held out for more money and was subtracted from this equation (enjoy going from Champion to chump, Crazy Train). Boring-ball gets a facelift, but behind the best player in the NBA, Tim Duncan, hardly skips a beat.
Biggest Surprise: Hedo Turkoglu becomes more Peja Stojackovic than Stephen Jackson.
Biggest Disappointment: Rasho Nesterovic is not David Robinson, which hurts Tim Duncan.
# Wins Expected: Put them down for something approaching 60, again.
San Antonio Spurs Cheat Sheet
Incoming: C Rasho Nesterovic (T'wolves); SF Hedo Turkoglu (Kings); PG Anthony Carter (Heat); PF Robert Horry (Lakers); SG Ron Mercer (Pacers).
Outgoing: C David Robinson (retired); PG Steve Kerr (retired); SF Stephen Jackson (Hawks); PG Speedy Claxton (Warriors); SG Steve Smith (free agent); PF Danny Ferry (retired).
Drafted: SG Leandrinho Barbosa, Brazil (#28) - traded to the Suns.
2003 - 2004 Spurs Roster
2) Dallas Mavericks
Antoine Walker for Raef Lafrenz? Trot out the old joke about The Big D not standing for defense, because now that Antoine Walker is part of the mix at forward with Antawn Jamison and Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavs will have to outscore everyone they play. To be an opponent of the Mavs will be like being in London, circa 1941: bombs falling from the sky everywhere, wrecking havoc on your defensive scheme. Talk about the perfect team for Walker. My goodness, look at the pieces: the aforementioned forwards plus Michael Finley, Steve Nash, Danny Fortson, Travis Best and Van Exel replacement part Tony Delk. And only giving up underachieving Lafrenz? Expect some early chemistry issues as they sort out who gets to touch the ball, but otherwise, the Mavs are once again going to challenge for the Western Conference crown. Bombs away!
Biggest Surprise: Nowitzki, Finley, Nash, Jamison and Walker all average between 15 and 25 points per game.
Biggest Disappointment: Nick Van Exel isn't here to forge a six-way scramble for the basketball.
# Wins Expected: Right with the Spurs. Call it 40 blowout aerial-assault wins plus another 18 where the Mavs score the last basket.
Dallas Mavericks Cheat Sheet
Incoming: SG Josh Howard (draft); PF Antoine Walker (Celtics); SG Tony Delk (Celtics); SF Antawn Jamison (Warriors); PG Travis Best (Heat); C Danny Fortson (Warriors).
Outgoing: PG Nick Van Exel (Warriors); SF Raja Bell (Jazz); C Raef LaFrentz (Celtics); SF Adrian Griffin (Rockets) .
Drafted: F Josh Howard, Wake Forest, (#29); C Xue Yuyang, China (#57).
2003 - 2004 Dallas Mavericks Roster
3) Minnesota Timberwolves
It's certainly all about KG now, isn't it? Garnett signed another massive contract after examining the pieces that were assembled to help him get out of the first round of the playoffs. Garnett, who may be the most talented player in the NBA (look at his 2002 - 2003 stats: 23 ppg, 13 rpg and 6 apg - incredible), now looks around and sees Latrell Sprewell, Sam Cassell, Michael Olowokandi and holdover Wally Szerzbiak surrounding him. Another team with playing time and chemistry issues to sort through, and a bench thinner than Mark Madsen's talent, but expect the T-Wolves to finally make that second round.
Biggest Surprise: Sam Cassell feeds Garnett, Spree, Szerzbiak and still scores 20 ppg.
Biggest Disappointment: His name is synonymous with disappointment: Michael Olowokandi.
# Wins Expected: Garnett, with help, leads the Wolves to another 50-plus win season.
Minnesota Timberwolves Cheat Sheet
Incoming: SF Ndubi Ebi (draft); SG Latrell Sprewell (Knicks); PG Sam Cassell (Bucks); C Michael Olowokandi (Clippers); SG Fred Hoiberg (Bulls); PF Mark Madsen (Lakers); C Ervin Johnson (Bucks .
Outgoing: C Rasho Nesterovic (Spurs); PF Joe Smith (Bucks); PF Marc Jackson (76ers); SG Anthony Peeler (Kings); SF Kendall Gill (Bulls); PG Rod Strickland (free agent); PG Mike Wilks (Rockets).
Drafted: F Ndudi Ebi, Westbury Christian HS (TX), (#26); F Rick Rickert, Minnesota, (#55).
2003 - 2004 Minnesota Timberwolves Roster
4) Houston Rockets
New coach Jeff Van Gundy certainly has someone to look up to, doesn't he? VG gets another shot at a dominant center, but this time he's getting that dominant center, the NBA's answer to international relations Yao Ming, in his prime. And he's got his former center Patrick Ewing as Yao's tutor. Now, can VG get Steve Francis to share the ball with Yao? Chronic man Eddie Griffin has tons of talent but little common sense or brainpower, apparently, and the rest of the crew, excepting Cuttino Mobley and Jim Jackson, is better than last year but still nothing to write home about. It will be up to Van Gundy to lead the Rockets back to the playoffs. Here's betting he does.
Biggest Surprise: Yao Power, to the tune of about 22 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Biggest Disappointment: That Eddie Griffin isn't traded to the Jail Blazers and hooked up with Stoudamire and Wallace.
# Wins Expected: Watch Van Gundy get this team to 45 wins on the back of Ew-Ming.
Houston Rockets Cheat Sheet
Incoming: SF Jim Jackson (Kings), SG Erick Piatkowski (Clippers), SF Adrian Griffin (Mavericks), PG Mike Wilks (T'wolves), C John Amaechi (Jazz).
Outgoing: SF James Posey (Grizzlies) SF Glen Rice (Jazz).
Drafted: F Malick Badiane, Senegal (#44).
2003 - 2004 Houston Rockets Roster
5) Memphis Grizzlies
Grumpy Old Men GM Jerry West and coach Hubie Brown have restored order in Memphis, and reloaded the deck with various spare parts after being unable to convince anyone save free agent signee James Posey to become a Grizzlie. Pau Gasol, Jason Williams and Mike Miller basically comprise the offense, but the new center is Jake Tsakalidis, the sixth man is Shane Battier and the two rookies added to the mix in the first round, guards Troy Bell and Dahntay Jones, should have been drafted in the second round. Is the old man on the NBA logo losing his touch? Improved, yes - but still no playoff team.
Biggest Surprise: Mike Miller, 20 point NBA scorer.
Biggest Disappointment: That someone, anyone, can't man the middle effectively.
# Wins Expected: A franchise record-setting 35 wins from the ol' man on the Mississippi.
Memphis Grizzlies Cheat Sheet
Incoming: PG Troy Bell (draft), SF Dahntay Jones (draft), SF James Posey (Rockets).
Outgoing: PF Mike Batiste (Greece).
Drafted: G Marcus Banks, UNLV (#13); F Kendrick Perkins, Ozen HS (TX) (#27). Both traded to Boston for Troy Bell and Dahntay Jones.
2003 - 2004 Memphis Grizzlies Roster
6) Denver Nuggets
Car-mellow is the word in Denver – the entire psyche of basketball fans in Colorado rests on the back of young Carmelo Anthony, who didn't get as much hype of King James but will most likely get the early nod for Rookie of the Year. To be fair, Denver is no longer quite the wasteland it was last year, with Andre Miller, Jon Barry and Earl Boykins added to the mix of one-name athletic wonder Nene, Marcus Camby, and…well, most of the same flotsam that was here last year. The Nugs improve with Anthony (who is the real deal), outplacing the talent-restricted Jazz, but it's still not quite nirvana in the Mile High city. The good news is, there is still cap-room to burn next season. Maybe by then, free agents will flock to play along side Mellow Carmelo.
Biggest Surprise: The fact that Denver will have an actual NBA offense (and players to run it).
Biggest Disappointment: How do you spell it? Tskitishvili. (don't even ask me how to pronounce it).
# Wins Expected: Figure Anthony alone is good for 20. This Nugs team tops out at 30.
Denver Nuggets Cheat Sheet
Incoming: SF Carmelo Anthony (draft); PG Andre Miller (Clippers); PG Earl Boykins (Warriors); SG Jon Barry (Pistons); SG Voshon Lenard (Raptors); C Francisco Elson (Spain).
Outgoing: PF Juwan Howard (Magic), PF Donnell Harvey (free agent), PG Shammond Williams (free agent).
Drafted: F Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse (#3), SG Sani Becirovic, Slovenia (#46)
2003 - 2004 Denver Nuggets Roster
7) Utah Jazz
Twenty seasons a playoff team. Do not expect it to become 21. Despite having the best coach no one has ever heard of in Jerry Sloan, the Jazz lost two legends and their personality in the offseason, and did next to nothing to replace them/it. Andrei Kirilenko is the best player here, and should continue to blossom if Sloan doesn't overwork him to death. Otherwise, they missed out on Corey Maggette and Jason Terry and find themselves stuck with Matt Harpring, Keon Clark, Raja Bell and two point guards who wouldn't make third-string on most NBA teams in Raul Lopez and Carlos Arroyo. Why can't this franchise have a decent draft, but the way? Saved from being the league's worst team by Milwaukee, Utah needs to resist the urge to raise the white flag by December.
Biggest Surprise: That Jerry Sloan doesn't implode one mid-season fourth quarter.
Biggest Disappointment: Disappointment? Formerly spoiled Jazz fans don't know the meaning of the word, but they're about to get a double shot of depression and dismay.
# Wins Expected: Figure 25, and I'm being charitable.
Utah Jazz Cheat Sheet
Incoming: SG Aleksandar Pavlovic (draft), SG Raja Bell (Mavericks), C Keon Clark (Kings).
Outgoing: PG John Stockton (retired); PF Karl Malone (Lakers); SG Calbert Cheaney (Warriors); PG Mark Jackson (free agent); PF Scott Padgett (free agent); C Tony Massenburg (Kings).
Drafted: SF Aleksandar Pavlovic, Serbia, (#19); PG Maurice Williams, Alabama (#47).
2003 - 2004 Utah Jazz Roster
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