오프시즌 랭킹

[삭2009]

키드여~-_-;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

 

By David Aldridge

Special to ESPN.com

 

Offseason rankings

1. Utah Jazz

2003-04 RECORD: 42-40, did not make playoffs
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: G Kirk Snyder (1st round, draft); F Kris Humphries (1st round, draft); F Carlos Boozer (restricted free agent, Cleveland); C Mehmet Okur (restricted free agent, Detroit)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: C Greg Ostertag (signed with Sacramento)

Last summer, the Jazz stuck a toe in the free agent waters, signing Jason Terry and Corey Maggette to offer sheets. Both were matched, and Utah came away with nothing. But instead of shying away this summer, the Jazz jumped in neck deep. They targeted Okur and got him early. And when whatever happened with Boozer happened in Cleveland, GM Kevin O'Connor was ready to pounce. It is a measure of how much O'Connor is respected around the league that absolutely no one is angry with him for taking advantage of the rules. The free agency boom also overshadows the selection of Snyder midway through the first round of the draft, a player some scouts compare to Latrell Sprewell. And don't forget Matt Harpring, who missed the last half of last season but is expected to be back in time for training camp. Utah now boasts a talented, deep young frontcourt that will give Andrei Kirilenko some help, and allow the precocious Humphries time to develop. We can only hope that Jerry Sloan's heart is in coaching next season after losing his wife, Bobbye, to cancer. We wish him well.

2. San Antonio Spurs

2003-04 RECORD: 57-25, lost in second round
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: G Brent Barry (unrestricted free agent, Seattle); G Beno Udrih (1st round, draft)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: F Hedo Turkoglu (signed with Orlando)

We say it a lot around here: When you're already good, often, the goal is just to keep what you've got. And the Spurs did that again. Last year, they kept Tim Duncan on the reservation before things got, shall we say, Boozerized. This summer, they fended off serious pushes from Denver and Phoenix for Manu Ginobili, re-signing the guard for $52 million, and re-upping Bruce Bowen for three years. Some think the price tag for Ginobili was too high, considering he's a guy who's more comfortable coming off the bench. In most places, it would be. But in San Antonio, where Ginobili's Latino heritage makes him a near-god among the locals, it was a smart investment. And Barry is exactly what the doctor ordered -- a perennial top-10 three-point shooter who should get five or six open looks a game playing off of the Big Fundamental. We love Brother Hedo, but the Spurs had to get better on the perimeter. In the Duncan Era, when the Spurs have knocked down jumpers, they've won titles. And don't overlook Udrih, who seems to be missing a consonant but who could solidify the Spurs' backup point position.

3. Denver Nuggets

2003-04 RECORD: 43-39, lost in first round
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: F Kenyon Martin (acquired from New Jersey)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: F/C Chris Anderson (signed with New Orleans); F/C Michael Doleac (signed with Miami)

Yes, the Nuggets may still need another shooter. But they needed a cop for Carmelo Anthony even more. When the Wolves are talking junk to you, as they did to Denver in the first round, you need to go get an enforcer. K-Mart fits the bill, and then some. He's ornery. He's physical. He's a leader in the clubhouse. He's one of those guys whose impact on the game is so much greater than his numbers. Guys really don't want to mess with him. And with Martin running the floor (call it the Mailman Effect), Anthony and the other Nuggets should be even more lethal in transition. The Nuggets also strengthened their bench, bringing in Michael Cooper from the WNBA as top assistant and making Adrian Dantley -- extremely well-respected around the league -- a fulltime assistant coach. Jeff Bzdelik knows full well that this is his last season in Denver, and that Cooper is his likely replacement. But he's handled it with grace. Besides, if Martin does what he's getting paid $92 mil to do, Bzdelik's going to go out in style.

4. Detroit Pistons

2003-04 RECORD: 54-28, won NBA championship
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: F Antonio McDyess (unrestricted free agent, Phoenix); G Carlos Delfino (reached buyout with Skipper Bologna)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: C Mehmet Okur (signed with Utah)

The champs took about five seconds to replace Okur with McDyess, with a reasonable four-year, $23 million deal with an option for a fifth season. If McDyess can stay healthy, he should provide Larry Brown with the rebounding that Okur did only sporadically. And the 6-foot-6 Delfino, one of the Pistons' first-round picks in 2003, is finally in the fold. He'll be a combo guard who will give Detroit a little bit of everything behind Rip Hamilton. Plus -- you laugh at your peril -- Darko Milicic should get on the court next season. So Detroit's adding three players to an already-strong rotation. Potential glitch: Brown lost a lot of brain power with the departures of assistant Mike Woodson -- who took the head job with the Hawks and took Brown's brother Herb with him -- and assistant John Kuester, who's going to New Jersey. We know that Pound-for-Pound is the best guy out there, but on his teams, the buffer between head coach and players that the assistants provide is critical.

5. Houston Rockets

2003-04 RECORD: 45-37, lost in first round
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: G Tracy McGrady (acquired from Orlando); F Juwan Howard (acquired from Orlando); G Tyronn Lue (acquired from Orlando)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: G Steve Francis (traded to Orlando); G Cuttino Mobley (traded to Orlando); F/C Kelvin Cato (traded to Orlando)

If McGrady's truly a great player, he'll raise his game to elite levels playing with Yao Ming in the hole and for Jeff Van Gundy on the bench. McGrady should become a great defensive player, for example; no excuse for him not being able to lock people up with his quickness and length. The same goes for Yao, by the way. Entering his third season, he should be close to full-formed. And with Shaq out of the West, Yao should be the best big man in the conference by a lot. Yao and T-Mac will discover what Kobe and Shaq should have known -- hey, together, we're even better. If that happens, the Rockets will be a force in the West. If you look at Howard's career, when he's been a third option -- as he should be in Houston -- he's been pretty good. Lue is a solid backup, but struggles as a starter; the Rockets still need to get a top-shelf ballhandler.

6. Miami Heat

2003-04 RECORD: 42-40, lost in second round
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: C Shaquille O'Neal (acquired from Lakers); G/F Dorell Wright (1st round, draft); F/C Michael Doleac (unrestricted free agent, Denver)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: F Lamar Odom (traded to Lakers); F/G Caron Butler (traded to Lakers); F/C Brian Grant (traded to Lakers); G Rafer Alston (signed with Toronto)

Let me be clear. You do not trade Shaquille O'Neal. Repeat. You do not trade Shaquille O'Neal. Once again, you do not trade Shaquille O'Neal. Everybody clear on where I stand? Yes, the Heat gave up a lot to get a 32-year-old center with iffy knees. But where, exactly, was Miami going next season? Was it going to be better than Detroit (nope) or Indiana (nope)? With O'Neal, the Heat have about a three-year window to get to the Finals. Hey, that's where we are in sports these days. There aren't any five-year plans. It's a trade that Riles should have made a million times out of a million. Let's get one more thing straight: I've read a lot about how Shaq is on the downhill side of his career. Maybe. But the naysayers forget one small thing -- Shaq is less dominant only when compared to Shaq. Entering this year, Shaq had averaged 28 points, 12.9 rebounds and 3.1 blocks in the playoffs. This postseason, O'Neal averaged 21 points, 13 boards and almost three blocks. Show me any team in the league that wouldn't take that from its starting center and I'll show you … the Lakers.

7. Chicago Bulls

2003-04 RECORD: 23-59, did not make playoffs.
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: G Ben Gordon (1st round, draft); F Luol Deng (1st round, draft); G Chris Duhon (2nd round, draft)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: F Marcus Fizer (taken by Bobcats in expansion draft)

The Bulls turned one lottery pick into two, and will reap the benefits. I'm a big Ben Gordon guy, and so are most of the league's scouts -- "he's not going to fail," a personnel guy said before the draft. A Gordon-Kirk Hinrich backcourt is going to be rough sledding for opponents for a long time, and getting Deng, who should step in to the small forward spot, with the seventh pick is only a bonus. Deng isn't going to wow you with athletic prowess, but he does everything well. When he adds a jumper to his game, watch out. Plus, whatever John Paxson decides to do with Jamal Crawford, he should get something good in return, but he's also looking to also rid himself of some onerous contracts (Eddie Robinson and Jerome Williams), and that might not be possible. We know Chicago will only go as far as Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry improve this season, but with the new kids on the block, and with Scott Skiles getting an entire offseason and training camp to get everyone in shape, the Bulls should be much improved next season.

8. Orlando Magic

2003-04 RECORD: 21-61, did not make playoffs
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: F Dwight Howard (1st round, draft); G Steve Francis (acquired from Houston); G Cuttino Mobley (acquired from Houston); F/C Kelvin Cato (acquired from Houston; F Hedo Turkoglu (restricted free agent, San Antonio); G Jameer Nelson (acquired from Denver)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: G Tracy McGrady (traded to Houston); F Juwan Howard (traded to Houston); G Tyronn Lue (traded to Houston)

Considering he inherited a train wreck, with an unhappy superstar, new GM John Weisbrod performed, I think, a pretty good salvage operation. I would have held onto McGrady a little longer to see if there were more lucrative offers, but you certainly can't say Orlando got robbed. Francis is a big-time scorer, and it would surprise me if Johnny Davis doesn't give him the ball like he gave Allen Iverson the ball during AI's rookie season. Time will tell on Howard, but the Magic didn't flinch; they chose the high schooler over the polished college kid with the national championship pedigree. The $93 million question is always going to be Grant Hill's ankle. Again, Hill is hopeful that he'll play next season, but he doesn't know, I don't know, nobody knows. It may be more realistic to expect a return to health of forward Pat Garrity from knee surgery; his three-point shooting would come in handy. Turkoglu will be an able small forward whose passing skills should help Francis and Howard get good shots. It says here that Nelson will be a starter in this league; it's just a matter of whether it will be in Orlando.

9. Golden State Warriors

2003-04 RECORD: 37-45, did not make playoffs
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: F Andris Bierdins (1st round, draft); G Derek Fisher (unrestricted free agent, Lakers); C Dale Davis (acquired from Portland)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: G Nick Van Exel (traded to Portland); F Brian Cardinal (signed with Memphis)

They finally gave Chris Mullin the keys to the car, and Mully hasn't wasted any time. He brought in Rod Higgins as his right-hand man, drafted big man Bierdins out of Latvia with the 11th pick and hired Stanford's Mike Montgomery as head coach. The last is the biggest gamble, but at least Mullin put solid assistants (Terry Stotts, Mario Elie) around him, and the NBA guys who worked with Montgomery on the World Championship team say he's got a chance. And Mullin is surrounding his young core of Jason Richardson, Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy with veterans from winning situations -- enter 0.4 hero Fisher, and Davis, whose been in the playoffs for most of the last decade. Giving Adonal Foyle $41 million is a reach, though, even if Dampier won't be retained. That should set up an interesting negotiation next summer with Dan Fegan, Dampier's agent -- and the rep for Murphy and Richardson, both of whom could be restricted free agents after next season. But Mullin isn't going to back down from a fight.

10. Phoenix Suns

2003-04 RECORD: 29-53, did not make playoffs.
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: G Steve Nash (unrestricted free agent, Dallas)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: F Antonio McDyess (signed with Detroit)

We love Nasty Nash around here, but giving the 30-year-old $65 million, with his history of injury, is a major risk. Still, it's indicative that new owner Robert Sarver, after writing Jerry Colangelo a check for $400 million, is willing to spend money to win, and that's the biggest reason the Suns have reason to hope. Colangelo was always there with his checkbook, but it's been harder the last few years as he tried to walk a financial tightrope with the Diamondbacks, too. The offseason will be even better if the Clippers don't match Phoenix's offer sheet for Quentin Richardson, which would give the Suns a dynamic guard rotation with Nash and Joe Johnson. It would be the best three-man weave this side of what Dallas used to have. But the guess here is that Q will never see the Valley of the Sun. If that's true, the Suns will lose a player, but gain cap room that can still be put to use.

Offseason rankings

11. Portland Trail Blazers

2003-04 RECORD: 41-41, did not make playoffs
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: G Sebastian Telfair (1st round, draft); G Viktor Khryapa (1st round, draft); G Nick Van Exel (acquired from Golden State)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: C Dale Davis (traded to Golden State)

Telfair should be good, some day, and while the Blazers will have major cap room next summer, they have roster problems now, with log jams at point guard, shooting guard and small forward. Unless GM John Nash can get Arvydas Sabonis to come out of retirement, he doesn't have a lot of big man depth behind Theo Ratliff. So why do I have Portland rated so high? Because the Blazers brought back assistant coach Tim Grgurich, who is simply the best at what he does on the planet -- working with and getting the most out of young talent. Ask guys like Eric Snow how Grgruich spends hours with them perfecting one move, or retrieving balls for guys that shoot for hours. You don't hear his name mentioned in public often because he's allergic to the media, but we know, Tim. We know.

12. Charlotte Bobcats

2003-04 RECORD: N/A
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: F/C Emeka Okafor (1st round, draft); F/C Melvin Ely (acquired from Clippers); F Gerald Wallace (picked in expansion draft from Sacramento)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: None

Considering they started with nothing, you have to give GM Bernie Bickerstaff credit for moving up in the draft to get Okafor -- the perfect face for a new franchise trying to win back skeptical Charlotte hearts -- and to be able to get the underrated Ely from the Clippers when a dozen other teams wanted the second-year forward. In three years, those two and Wallace will be the only guys still on the current roster. But three young, athletic bigs in the first go-round is pretty impressive. The Bobcats were hurt a little when top assistant Sam Mitchell went to Toronto; it seemed like he was being groomed to take over on the bench when Bickerstaff kicks himself upstairs. Team president Ed Tapscott has assembled a first-rate organization, but the bigger question is what owner Bob Johnson will do in three years, when he'll have a full cap and have to spend the dollars necessary to either retain his own guys or bring in impact free agents. So far, Johnson seems more interested in getting his regional sports network off the ground.

13. Philadelphia 76ers

2003-04 RECORD: 33-49, did not make playoffs
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: G Andre Iguodala (1st round, draft); F Brian Skinner (unrestricted free agent, Milwaukee); G Kevin Ollie (acquired from Cleveland)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: G Eric Snow (traded to Cleveland)

The Sixers are trying to cut costs, but they're doing it while adding solid players for new coach Jim O'Brien. Obie's presence is the bigger deal. If the Sixers gravitate to him half as much as his Celtics players did, you won't hear any more talk about trading Iverson. It says here that O'Brien will get through to Iverson the same way that Brown did his first two or three seasons, and when the coach and star are on the same page, everyone else has to fall in line. Philly's trying to get back to the annoying defensive style that got them to the Finals -- which just happens to be the way that O'Brien wants to play. Swingman Iguodala fits the mold perfectly -- athletic and long -- and Skinner, in his second go-round in Philly, should help Sam Dalembert on the glass. Philly still has too many holes to be a real contender in the East, but the slide toward the bottom should stop.

14. New Orleans Hornets

2003-04 RECORD: 41-41, lost in first round
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: G J.R. Smith (1st round, draft); F Chris Anderson (unrestricted free agent, Denver); F Morris Peterson (restricted free agent, Toronto)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: None

I like Anderson as an energy guy behind Jamaal Magloire, and Smith can certainly shoot. But that's not a huge talent upgrade. We give New Orleans the benefit of the doubt because Byron Scott should be an upgrade over Tim Floyd. Players have to believe in their coach, and nothing against Floyd, who did the best he could, but the Hornets were a .500 team for four months after their hot start -- which leads one to believe that the players had lost faith. New Orleans will miss GM Bob Bass, one of the league's more underrated executives, who kept his team stocked with players for years. Bass did a lot of the heavy lifting for new GM Allan Bristow already by re-signing Magloire to a three-year deal last fall. There should be a fire under Scott, who still has to overcome the perception that he was more a CEO in New Jersey than the head coach. New assistant Darrell Walker, who never met a fight he wouldn't win, will have Scott's back.

15. Boston Celtics

2003-04 RECORD: 36-46, lost in first round
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: F Al Jefferson (1st round, draft); G Tony Allen (1st round, draft); G Delonte West (1st round, draft)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: None

The last time Boston had three first-round picks, the Celtics chose Joe Johnson, Kedrick Brown and Joe Forte. Um, that didn't turn out good. The C's tried to move into the top 10 in the draft, but wound up with high schooler Al Jefferson at 15 and are delighted. They may also have gotten a steal at 24 in Allen, whose presence makes me wonder about Paul Pierce's long-term future in Beantown. I know Danny Ainge says he's not going to move Pierce, and that may be true. Today. Re-signing Mark Blount was important. He's not a great player, but after taking a blowtorch to the roster last season, Ainge needed stability. He'll also need a big season next year from Raef LaFrentz, who missed the second half of last season, and increased development from Marcus Banks and Kendrick Perkins. I don't think John Carroll did a bad job as interim coach after Jim O'Brien resigned, but Ainge obviously has a better comfort level with Doc Rivers. Their relationship is crucial to the Celtics' chances of a rebound. Neither had a strong bond with their former counterparts (Ainge with O'Brien; Rivers with John Gabriel); they have to be on the same page now. Rivers is a great salesman; his lobbying was a key factor in Blount's decision to stay. Doc did a strong job early in his Orlando tenure with a team of no-names. Other than Pierce, he's going to have the same kind of group in Boston.

16. Minnesota Timberwolves

2003-04 RECORD: 58-24, lost in Western Conference finals
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: None
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: None

Status quo for a team this close to the Finals is usually a good thing: Latrell Sprewell opted not to opt out of his contract, keeping Minnesota from having to fill a big hole, and the Wolves moved quickly to re-sign guard Troy Hudson before he really got on the open market. Hudson's absence from the playoffs may well have kept the Wolves from the Finals. But in the West, doing nothing is doing 55 in the right lane. And without one last first-round pick (the final penance for Joe Smith), Minnesota couldn't even take a young big man to develop, and it's not likely that 2003 first-rounder Ndudi Ebi will be ready to make a big contribution next season. It would surprise me if Minnesota started next season with the same Ervin Johnson-Michael Olowokandi duo in the middle. Normally, you hear a lot of Wally Szczerbiak trade talk in the summer, but things have been quiet along those lines; World proved in the playoffs that he and Fred Hoiberg are a pretty good combo off the bench. Assuming Minnesota gets Trenton Hassell re-signed, the Wolves have had a good summer. But they're a big man short. In the West, that can be fatal.

17. Los Angeles Lakers

2003-04 RECORD: 56-26, lost in NBA Finals
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: G Sasha Vujacic (1st round, draft); F Lamar Odom (acquired from Miami); F Caron Butler (acquired from Miami); F/C Brian Grant (acquired from Miami); C Vlade Divac (unrestricted free agent, Sacramento)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: C Shaquille O'Neal (traded to Miami); G Derek Fisher (signed with Golden State)

I've spent the past week or so reading about how the Lakers, to put it delicately, are about to go into the toilet. Let me paint a slightly more bullish scenario. No matter his role in the demise of Phil Jackson and departure of O'Neal, Kobe Bryant is still the best player in the NBA, and that's a start. Freed to do what he does best, he could be a weapon the likes of which the L hasn't seen since the early days of … well, you know who. And, the Lakers will be a younger, more athletic team next season, capable of doing different things than in previous years -- especially with Odom, who will create matchup problems playing alongside Bryant -- if he can stay at small forward. Plus, people seem to be totally deval‎uing Rudy Tomjanovich as a coach. T didn't just sit around and smoke cigarettes on the way to back-to-back titles in Houston, you know. Also, the Lakers won't be cash poor next season, starting a new local cable television deal that will pump millions into Jerry Buss' pockets over the next few years. The bottom line is the bottom line; the Lakers are no longer a dominant team. But they aren't going to fall over a cliff, either.

18. Los Angeles Clippers

2003-04 RECORD: 28-54, did not make playoffs
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: G Shaun Livingston (1st round, draft)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: F/C Melvin Ely (traded to Charlotte)

There was much teeth-knashing and boo-hooing in Clipper Nation when Bryant, to the surprise of absolutely no one except the Clippers and my man Stein (the monkeys are ready to roll, Steiny), decided to stay with the Lakers. Here's one voice saying relax, things will be fine. Especially since they were able to get Livingston, whom many scouts believe will be the best point guard in the league in three years. Maybe it's me, but I don't know if that would happen if he had to give the rock to the Kobester every time up the floor. Assuming the Clips match Phoenix's offer sheet for Quentin Richardson, the starting five isn't bad at all, and L.A. should still have a little bit of room left for next summer. Still, I'm not buying the notion that because the Clippers were in the final two in the Kobe Sweepstakes, that's worked some kind of magic on Donald Sterling's reputation. Only winning -- and paying to keep the winning going -- will stop the rolling of that rock.

19. Washington Wizards

2003-04 RECORD: 25-57, did not make playoffs
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: F Antawn Jamison (acquired from Dallas)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: G Jerry Stackhouse (traded to Dallas)

The Wiz didn't want one more kid on their roster, so they traded what became Devin Harris to Dallas for Jamison's 20 points a game. In the East, Jamison should be able to do a little more on the low block and give Kwame Brown room to operate. Most of Washington's improvements have to come from the existing roster, especially Brown, second-year forward Jarvis Hayes and third-year forward Jared Jeffries. Hayes could stretch the floor for everyone with his range, but he looked lost on the floor in his rookie season. Fully healthy after an ACL tear his rookie season, Jeffries looked strong in the summer league, but you know what that and 50 cents will buy you. But the biggest key is Brown. He showed a definite uptick last season, putting up some big numbers on the likes of Chris Webber. But it's decision time for GM Ernie Grunfeld; Brown is in his option year and the Wizards are going to have to ante up next summer if they want to keep Brown around. Washington also needs a healthy season and more maturity from Gilbert Arenas, who teased when on the floor last season with his ease in scoring -- and drove everyone in D.C. crazy with his turnovers. Eddie Jordan really likes second-year point Steve Blake, and the Wizards better take notice, because a half-dozen other teams do, too. But Washington's best hope comes from realignment; in a new division with Orlando, Charlotte, Atlanta and Miami, the Wizards should at least compete.

20. New York Knicks

2003-04 RECORD: 39-43, lost in first round
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: None
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: None

Isiah Thomas is trying everything -- Jamal Crawford from the Bulls, Antoine Walker from the Mavs, Erick Dampier from the Warriors, Vince Carter from the Raptors. I don't think he'll get all of that done, but he'll get something done. Watching Thomas as the Knicks got filleted by the Nets in the playoffs was all the evidence you needed that he knew his roster wasn't near good enough to compete for real. Any of those proposed moves will take the Knicks even further over the cap, but owner Jim Dolan still doesn't seem to care about costs. With the demise of the Nets, the Knicks are top dog again in the greater NYC. But that's obviously not enough. Which is why, even if Allan Houston returns to health next season, Thomas is shopping everyone on his team except for Stephon Marbury. Sooner or later, someone will bite.

Offseason rankings

21. Indiana Pacers

2003-04 RECORD: 61-21, lost in Eastern Conference finals
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: G Stephen Jackson (acquired from Atlanta)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: F Al Harrington (traded to Atlanta)

Despite his team making the Eastern finals, Larry Bird obviously didn't like what he saw. He shipped Harrington off to the Hawks for Jackson, who got $44 million in a sign-and-trade deal and will ultimately be Reggie Miller's replacement. Jack has a lot of good attributes -- he's not afraid of anyone, he'll take and make big shots and he's got superior defensive instincts. But he clashed at times with Gregg Popovich in San Antonio, and Rick Carlisle is cut from a similar coaching cloth. I don't expect Ron Artest to be on the opening-day roster, either; he's been shopped around all summer after his mystifying near-absence from the Pistons' series. The Pacers are still trying to figure out a way to get Dampier, but the biggest concern has to be Jermaine O'Neal's knee. He says he'll be okay, but no one is penciling him in for 80 games just yet. Even though Indiana dominated the Pistons in the regular season, Detroit won when it mattered, and the Pistons have gotten even better. Indiana needs to make another deal to keep pace.

22. Sacramento Kings

2003-04 RECORD: 55-27, lost in second round
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: C Greg Ostertag (unrestricted free agent, Utah)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: C Vlade Divac (signed with Lakers); F Gerald Wallace (taken by Bobcats in expansion draft)

Another team whose window of opportunity is now. GM Geoff Petrie is not one to panic; despite his team's inability to break through, he's kept the core group together for five years and shows no signs of making noise with a big trade. Divac's departure hurts more emotionally than on the floor; he was a big brother to Peja Stojakovic and Vlade was the first guy who said he wanted to play in Sacramento when he signed up six years ago. That changed things. But the Maloof Brothers are adamant about not being a tax payer, so Vlade had to go. Ostertag has never been as bad as people say. As a player, he was overpaid. But he is what he is. And as a backup for Brad Miller, he'll be fine. I think the Kings will get a big season next year from Chris Webber, who gutted it out on one leg down the stretch in the playoffs. Bobby Jackson's return is obviously a major shot in the arm. But keep an eye on Stojakovic. He did not play well against the Wolves and didn't take kindly to Webber's veiled criticism of him afterward. I point this out for information purposes only: Peja has a contract out in two years.

23. Seattle Sonics

2003-04 RECORD: 37-45, did not make playoffs
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: C Robert Swift (1st round, draft)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: G Brent Barry (signed with San Antonio)

Losing Barry was a blow, though not totally unexpected. Seattle was hoping to replace him with Derek Fisher; they were in on Fish until the very end. But the need for a one remains. Despite constant rumors that they're shopping Ray Allen, the Sonics insist they want to give him a contract extension. Now that he's hired Lon Babby as his agent, they'll have the chance. Still, there's been too many rumors about the Sonics shopping everyone for anybody to really be comfortable. I sense major changes up and down the organizational chart before next season. Whether that's Vlad Radmanovic or Rashard Lewis remains to be seen, but you keep hearing that owner Howard Schulz is determined to cut costs. Swift, the high schooler out of Bakersfield, CA., looks like a keeper. But he's a kid, and it's going to take him a while to find his legs … and his arms.

24. Atlanta Hawks

2003-04 RECORD: 28-54, did not make the playoffs
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: G Josh Childress (1st round, draft); F Josh Smith (1st round, draft); F Al Harrington (acquired from Indiana)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: G Stephen Jackson (traded to Indiana)

The Hawks are about the future, with a new ownership group, Atlanta Spirit, taking over from Time Warner. It's a strong team, with Steve Belkin and Bruce Levenson at the top. Bernie Mullin will run the team as president, and his first decision was a good one -- leaving GM Billy Knight alone to continue the rebuilding effort. Knight brought Mike Woodson in from Detroit to be head coach, and Woodson is putting together a solid staff that includes Herb Brown and Larry Drew, who still deserves to get a chance to run his own team. But that's another story. Woodson will do well if ownership is patient. Given time, he and Knight will put a good roster together. They ached for Dwight Howard, but the ping-pong balls didn't bounce that way, so Knight went for solid if unspectacular in Childress. Harrington will get the opportunity to start and put up numbers that he didn't have in Indiana. The Hawks will struggle next season, but they should have a lot of cap room next summer, and will likely be a bigger player in free agency.

25. Toronto Raptors

2003-04 RECORD: 33-49, did not make the playoffs
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: C Rafael Araujo (1st round, draft); G Rafer Alston (unrestricted free agent, Miami)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: F Morris Peterson (signed by New Orleans)

I think new general manager Rob Babcock is going to do well. He's put a terrific braintrust around him, including brother Pete, the former Hawks' GM, and Wayne Embry, one of the best ever at building a franchise. And I think Sam Mitchell is going to be a really good head coach. The problem is that this team isn't very good, and its best player is demanding to be traded. Not an auspicious beginning for the new guys. I like Araujo, just not with the eighth pick overall; he would have been available midway through the first round. I also like Alston, and $5 million a year isn't going to kill anybody. But the Vince situation needs to be resolved. It's not going to do the franchise any good if its franchise player wants to be elsewhere. I know he sells out Air Canada Centre, and in a nation with one NBA team, that is not a small consideration. I do not pretend I have the answer here. But it's a problem.

26. Dallas Mavericks

2003-04 RECORD: 52-30, lost in first round
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: G Devin Harris (1st round, draft); G Jerry Stackhouse (acquired from Washington); C Pavel Podkolzine (acquired from Utah)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: G Steve Nash (signed with Phoenix)

Cubes has written his version of why Nash went to Phoenix on his blog, but that doesn't change the fact that he lost an asset -- one of his biggest -- for nothing, and that violates NBA 101. It may not make business sense, but in this league, you've always got to assume that there's some crazy team out there who will overpay, and plan accordingly. Harris has gotten rave reviews in summer league play, but if you want to bet the joint on a rookie point, go right ahead. And the Mavs couldn't get anything going with the Lakers for O'Neal. Still, losing Nash isn't a death blow. Cuban was smart to re-sign Marquis Daniels, who'll be a key component of Dallas' team of the future, with Harris and Josh Howard and, maybe, Podkolzine. (And this 7-foot kid Didier Ilunga-Mbenga signed last week isn't bad, either). The problem for Dallas is that it still has guys like Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Finley who want to win now. The kids are going to be good, but can they help next year?

27. Milwaukee Bucks

2003-04 RECORD: 41-41, lost in the first round
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: F Zaza Pachulia (acquired from Charlotte)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: F Brian Skinner (signed with Philadelphia)

The Bucks are hoping to pry Etan Thomas from Washington with an offer sheet, but I wouldn't count on it. And that's not much accomplished for a team that overachieved last season, but won't have the element of surprise next year. And why am I hearing rumblings about Terry Porter, who did a sensational job in his rookie season as head coach? Assistant Jim Boylan is a good pickup. A full year from Keith Van Horn will help, but the Bucks go nowhere if T.J. Ford doesn't make a full recovery from his back injury. After he went out of the lineup, Milwaukee struggled to score in transition. They'll probably lose able backup Damon Jones, so shoring up the point is a key; Michael Redd needs somebody who's creative to get him the ball, because he knows what to do with it once it hits his hands.

28. Cleveland Cavaliers

2003-04 RECORD: 35-47, did not make playoffs
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: G/F Luke Jackson (1st round, draft); G Eric Snow (acquired from Philadelphia)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: F Carlos Boozer (signed with Utah); G Kevin Ollie (traded to Philadelphia)

Okay, we all know why Cleveland is all the way down here. A promising rebuilding project was knocked off the rails when Boozer decided to spurn an alleged agreed-upon deal and went to Utah. (I'm not going to rehash what happened except to ask one thing -- if Boozer had re-signed with Cleveland, wouldn't the league have had to look into it?) Owner Gordon Gund can hold his head up; his reputation, already strong around the league, is now sterling, and only idiots would hold GM Jim Paxson accountable for what his owner told him to do. The damage to the team, though, is still significant. A position that shouldn't have given the Cavs a worry for a decade is now unmanned. Tony Battie could start there, but that would affect Cleveland's depth, and the Cavs are adamant that they won't trade Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Jackson and Aleksander Pavlovic, picked up from the Bobcats in an expansion draft deal, will provide desperately needed help on the perimeter, and Snow is a terrific pickup. You could envision Paul Silas playing he and Jeff McInnis together if he really wants to get after people defensively. The Cavs are still going up; that's what having LeBron James can do for a franchise. But their rate of ascent has been slowed dramatically.

29. Memphis Grizzlies

2003-04 RECORD: 50-32, lost in first round
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: F Brian Cardinal (unrestricted free agent, Golden State); G Andre Emmett (acquired from Seattle)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: None

No, I haven't lost my mind. The Logo is still the Logo. But the teams behind Memphis in the West last season are all muscling up, and every team ahead other than the Lakers isn't losing ground. Moving into FedEx Forum should be a big boost for a team that built a nice fan base last season at the Pyramid. But what's Logo got up his sleeve? He's taking his sweet time re-signing Stromile Swift, which leads me to believe he's already got a deal in his pocket and is trolling for something a little better. Bringing in Cardinal will help, but you wonder if Memphis can keep Cardinal at $39 million, and re-signed Shane Battier at $37 million, and get Swift under contract this summer, and still be able to pay Pau Gasol next summer. The Grizz are only down here for now. Once the Logo pulls off whatever he's going to pull off, they'll go on a rocket ride.

30. New Jersey Nets

2003-04 RECORD: 47-35, lost in second round
SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS: F/C Nenad Kristc (2003 first-round pick)
SIGNIFICANT LOSSES: F Kenyon Martin (traded to Denver); F Rodney Rogers (opted out of contract)

There's a pall over 16W. It's not just losing Martin (yes, I know it was a "trade," but they lost him). It's Jason Kidd's knee and the gamble on Alonzo Mourning that failed. Mostly, it's not doing right by team president Rod Thorn and giving him a new contract. It was Thorn that brought Kidd to East Rutherford, and it was Thorn that drafted Martin, and it was Thorn who helped reshape the image of the Nets from a bumbling, stumbling franchise to one that knew what it was doing. I'm told that the Nets didn't allow Thorn to talk to the Raptors about their vacant GM position, which is their right. But if you do that, you then have to give him a new deal. His expires at the end of the season. I'm willing to bet that if Thorn is re-signed, he and new GM Ed Stefanski will figure out a way to keep New Jersey competitive. The Nets could have $15 to $20 million available in cap room next summer, assuming they don't re-sign Kerry Kittles and Mourning doesn't try another comeback, in which case New Jersey should be off the hook for the last two seasons of his deal. (Dikembe Mutombo's $14 million is already going away after next season.) That would put them in the exact position the Nuggets and Jazz were in this summer. Bruce Ratner is already behind the eight ball in the court of public opinion by taking a pass on Martin. He can do a lot to stanch the bleeding by keeping Thorn in the fold.

 

 

[No 1. 폐니..]

뉴저지 마크가... 뉴욕이네요,, ^^;

[삭2009]

간만에 ESPN이 실수했다는 ㅎㅎㅎ 제가 수정할까요? ^^;;

[[Sac]CW]

염치없지만 누가 해석좀 해주시면 감사히 보겠습니다 =_+

[이겨달라#4]

필라가 13위...

[▶위구르-_-◁]

뉴저지는 키드가 무릎수술에 들어갔고, 마틴을 놓치고, 키틀즈도 보내려고하고, 모닝도 끝났고 등등 그나마 제대로 오프시즌을 보내는 선수는 제퍼슨뿐인가...

[M.mouse]

심한 여담이지만 멤피스로고가 츄리닝 마지막표정과 흡사한듯...;;;

[duncan&parker]

미국 전문가들은 어찌 스퍼스 팬들보다 스퍼스를 더 선호 하는듯.이상하리만치 높게 평가하죠.언제나 기분은 좋지만..오프시즌 움직임이 2위까지는 아닌거 같은데.

[trash talker]

코비 잔류시키고 마이애미 군단의 5/3을 끌고 오고 디박까지 수혈했건만 17위라니..샤크가 대단하긴 대단하군요...흠..성적으로 말하자 호수인들아!!

[[Card*하경우*]]

의외로 스퍼스가 순위가 높네요. 휴스턴이 낮고.. --;

[힐튼]

이거 실력랭킹이 아니라 실력변화랭킹 같네요.맞나?

[다크프린세스]

그런것 같네여..

[선수명단]

오프시즌 잘치르고 있는 순위 아닌가요??-_-;;아니면 낭패-_

[T.mac Attack]

미네소타는 가만히있는데도 중간을 하네요...이래서 자고로 가만히 있으면 중간이나 간다는말이..켁

[Baron&Veron]

선수명단님 말씀이 맞아요

[♡앤서사랑해♥]

샤크를 놓쳤으니 17위도 대단한거죠..괜히 샼이 아니죠..;;