Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Nash, others look good in their new digs
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
American novelist Thomas Wolfe once wrote a book entitled "You Can't Go Home Again." His argument was that once the door to an era closes, it could never be opened again.
Steve Nash is about to learn that the hard way Tuesday night in Dallas. Nash returns for the first time to face the Mavericks, a team he walked away from this summer when the Phoenix Suns made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
Nash leaving closed an era in Dallas and opened a new one in Phoenix. Are both teams better off after the switch? The Mavs, who many thought would sink in the West without Nash pushing the ball, are off to a 7-1 start.
The Suns, who were the worst team in the West last season, now lead the league in scoring thanks in large part to Nash's brilliant leadership in the early going.
Nash isn't the only one who can't go home again. A number of stars including Shaquille O'Neal, Tracy McGrady, Steve Francis, Carlos Boozer and Kenyon Martin moved on this summer hoping that a change of scenery would write a brighter happier chapter to their careers.
How have they fared? And how have their replacements filled their shoes? Insider takes a look . . .
Steve Nash, Suns
2004 Stats: 15 ppg, 9.7 apg on 54 percent shooting
2003 Stats: 14.5 ppg, 8.8 apg on 47 percent shooting
The skinny: Nash appeared to be a lock to return to Dallas this summer, but an unbelievable six-year, $66 million dollar offer by the Suns caused Mark Cuban to gagged and Nash took the money and ran. So far it's hard to argue with the results. He's taken the worst team in the West last season and turned them into an offensive juggernaut. Nash leads the league in assists, pushes the ball at every opportunity and has made all of the young players surrounding him better. Sounds a lot like what he did in Dallas several years ago. The question in Phoenix is how long can Nash keep it up. He plays with such reckless abandon that there are legit worries about how much longer he'll really play at this level. Regardless, for a team that desperately needed a floor leader and a mentor for a young, athletic crew . . . Nash was the perfect choice.
Nash's return to Dallas: Nov. 16
Devin Harris and Jason Terry, Mavericks
2004 Stats: 18.9 ppg, 6.2 apg
The skinny: Everyone thought that the loss of Nash would sink the Mavs. However, after a 7-1 start, the playbook on Dallas is already being revised. The Mavs traded for Terry in an attempt to replace Nash but Don Nelson quickly became unhappy with how he distributed the ball. Terry is an excellent scorer, but doesn't control the flow of the game the way Nash did. By the start of the season, Harris, despite being a rookie, got the starting call and has been solid. Donnie Nelson told me this fall that he believes Harris is the closest player he's seen to Nash. He's quick, has excellent floor vision and can shoot the lights out when shots are falling anywhere else. Both are much better defenders than Nash. In the short term, the Mavs might miss Nash a little, but the long-term prognosis on Harris looks stellar.
ADVANTAGE: NASH
Shaquille O'Neal, Heat
2004 Stats: 18.6 ppg, 11.5 rpg on 53 percent shooting
2003 Stats: 21.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg on 58 percent shooting
The skinny: Before last spring's Lakers meltdown the conventional wisdom was that the Lakers would NEVER trade Shaq. The Heat are finding out why. Despite a sore hamstring that has limited Shaq's individual performance on the court, his impact has been enormous. Shaq's mere presence has vaulted the Heat from upstart to serious title contender. Players like Dwyane Wade, Rasual Butler and Damon Jones are having career years, in part, because of all the attention Shaq draws. Off the court, the impact has been even bigger. The city of Miami is excited about basketball, selling out the arena with Heat fans – not Knicks' fans – for the first time ever.
O'Neal's return to Los Angeles: Dec. 25
Chris Mihm, Lakers
2004 Stats: 10.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg on 53 percent shooting
The skinny: It's no contest. Mihm is putting up career numbers in Los Angeles and he still comes nowhere close to doing what Shaq has. When Vlade Divac returns from an injury this week, he'll add a dimension, great low-post passing, that Shaq never did. But even the two together really don't add up. What you really have to compare is Shaq vs. Kobe Bryant. Without Shaq, Kobe believed that he'd finally be free to run the offense and lead the team. He's gotten the opportunity. He's second in NBA scoring. Unfortunately for the Lakers, Bryant's doing it while shooting a 39 percent clip from the field – his lowest percentage of his career.
ADVANTAGE: SHAQ
Tracy McGrady, Rockets
2004 Stats: 19.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 5.2 apg on 42 percent shooting
2003 Stats: 28 ppg, 6 rpg, 5.5 apg on 42 percent shooting
The skinny: Unhappy with the direction the Magic appeared to be headed, McGrady threatened to opt out of his contract this summer if he wasn't traded. New GM John Weisbrod wasn't a T-Mac fan anyway and happily obliged. McGrady handpicked the Rockets, in part, because he wanted to play with a dominant big man. So far the results have been mixed. Playing with Yao takes the ball out of McGrady's hands more than he'd like and despite our early prognostications – Yao isn't quite the dominant big man, yet, that we've made him out to be. Factor in a controlling, defensive minded head coach, no point guard and a razor-thin bench and the experiment, so far, hasn't panned out the way many thought it would.
McGrady's return to Orlando: Jan. 20
Cuttino Mobley, Magic
2004 Stats: 13.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.8 apg on 40 percent shooting
The skinny: Mobley's numbers are never going to compare to McGrady's, but that's only part of the story . . . the trade shipped McGrady and Juwan Howard to the Rockets for Steve Francis, Mobley and Kelvin Cato. You've got to look at the other big swap – Francis for Ward at point guard before you make the final judgements.
2004 Stats: 19.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 5.7 apg on 39 percent shooting
2003 Stats: 16.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 6.2 apg on 40 percent shooting
The skinny: Francis has a chip on his shoulder and it shows. He believes that the Rockets, and Van Gundy specifically, gave up on him too early. After putting up career low numbers in Van Gundy's system, Francis is back with a vengeance. His scoring is up and his rebounding tops many power forwards in either conference. A few more assists and a few more shots dropping would be nice, but Francis is unquestionably having a fantastic season so far for the 4-3 Magic.
Francis' return to Houston: Jan. 24
Charlie Ward, Rockets
2004 Stats: 7.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 4.3 apg on 36 percent shooting
The skinny: Here's where the trade comparisons start to break down. Stripped of a real starting point guard, the Rockets were forced to bring in Ward, a serviceable, but aging point guard to replace Francis. Ward has struggled to get the offense going which has lead to a lot of standing around and few easy buckets on offense. He has hit a few big shots for the Rockets, but for the most part McGrady has had to take over the position - taking away some of the other things he does so well. Factor in that Cato for Howard has been a wash so far and, in the early going at least, it appears that the Magic may have come out ahead in the trade.
ADVANTAGE: FRANCIS AND MOBLEY
Carlos Boozer, Jazz
2004 Stats: 19.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg on 54 percent shooting
2003 Stats: 15.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg on 52 percent shooting
The skinny: Boozer was vilified this summer for taking the Jazz's $68 million and walking away from what appeared to be a verbal promise to re-sign with the Cavs for $37 million. In addition to being called a liar, Boozer also quickly earned the "overpaid" label to go along with. No one knows for sure what Boozer said in his late-night meeting for the Cavs but we do have a pretty good idea that Boozer isn't nearly as overpaid as some have claimed. He's been a huge part of the Jazz's 5-1 start. The highlight reel athletic ability might never be there, but Boozer works as hard as any big guy in the league on the boards and he's an underrated scorer in the low post. He's perfect in Jerry Sloan's system, which should maximize his value of the life of the contract.
Boozer's return to Cleveland: March 15
Drew Gooden, Cavs
2004 Stats: 11.1 ppg, 10.3 rpg on 43 percent shooting
The skinny: After the Cavs blew the Boozer deal, all seemed lost in Cleveland. However, with a few slick moves this off-season, the Cavs were able to replace him with Gooden, an athletic but maligned power forward who just so happened to go 31 spots higher in the draft than Boozer. So far,. Gooden has been great on the boards, matching Boozer's totals early on. Offensively, Gooden has the skills, but doesn't always execute. He takes too many bad shots and drifts out onto the perimeter when he should stay in the paint – which goes a long way toward explaining that 43-percent field-goal shooting. It's doubtful that Gooden will ever be able to fully replace Boozer, but he's a pretty solid safety net.
ADVANTAGE: BOOZER
2004 Stats: 12.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg on 47 percent shooting
2003 Stats: 16.7 ppg, 9.4 rpg on 49 percent shooting
The skinny: The only blunder bigger than the Cavs losing Boozer this summer was the Nets willingly letting Martin out of their grasp. At least the Cavs weren't fully to blame for Boozer's exit. The Nets, on the other hand, bear 100 percent of the guilt. They had every chance in the world to match Martin's offer in Denver and they balked. His loss has sent the Nets into the cellar in the East, but surprisingly his addition in Denver has vaulted the Nuggets to the high altitudes the pundits predicted. Martin has struggled playing against the bigger power forwards in the West. He also misses Kidd, who seemed to get him two or three easy extra buckets each night.
Martin's return to New Jersey: Feb. 13
Eric Williams, Nets
2004 Stats: 7.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg on 28 percent shooting
The skinny: Should we start by point out that Williams isn't even a power forward? Or that he's never averaged more than 4.5 rebounds in a season? Williams was the best guy that the Nets could afford but he's struggled terribly to get things going early on. Even with Martin struggling in Denver right now . . . this is still a wash. They'd take Kenyon's 12 and six in heartbeat.
ADVANTAGE: MARTIN
Antawn Jamison, Wizards
2004 Stats: 22.7 ppg, 8.6 rpg on 43 percent shooting
2003 Stats: 14.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg on 53 percent shooting
The skinny: Last year's Sixth Man of the Year was released from his shackles this summer and he's playing like a convict on furlough in Cancun. Through last night's games, Jamison ranked fourth in the league in field goal attempts at a whopping 20.1 per game. While that might seem excessive, he's the first legit low post scoring option the Wizards have had since Chris Webber skipped town. The early results are promising.
Jamison's return to Dallas: January 18
Jerry Stackhouse, Mavericks
2004 Stats: 15.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.4 apg on 43 percent shooting
The skinny: The Mavs traded Jamison to Washington to get their hands on the No. 5 pick in the draft and Devin Harris. After initially trying to move Stackhouse to another team, the Mavs have been surprised with his performance. With Michael Finley down with an injury, Stackhouse has been fantastic. He's scored 28 points in two consecutive games for the Mavs. If he can keep up that solid production off the bench when Finley returns, the Mavs might bring home the Sixth Man award for the second straight year.
ADVANTAGE: JAMISON
Jamal Crawford, Knicks
2004 Stats: 14.8 ppg, 3 apg on 41 percent shooting
2003 Stats: 17.3 ppg, 5.1 apg on 39 percent shooting
The skinny: No one pursued Crawford harder this summer than Isiah Thomas. In fact, it appears that Isiah was the only guy that pursued him with any vigor at all. So far, the results have been disappointing. With Allan Houston out, Crawford has taken over the two-guard position in New York. His assists are down, his shot isn't falling and his defense still needs plenty of work. I always believed that Crawford could be a special player if he ever got to take over as the full-time point guard on a team. At shooting guard, he's average and the Knicks are paying $56 million to find that out.
Crawford's return to Chicago: January 15
2004 Stats: 9 ppg, 0.8 apg, on 30 percent shooting
The skinny: The Bulls parted with Crawford, in part, because they believed their No. 3 pick in the draft, Gordon, was a better fit. Gordon, like Crawford, was a combo guard with a sweet outside shot. However, the Bulls felt Gordon was more athletic, a better defender and a winner after a courageous performance in the Final Four last season. So far he's been just awful. Gordon has struggled to get his own shot off against bigger defenders who are just as quick and athletic as he is. His confidence has taken such a hit that even his open jumpers aren't falling. It's two or three years too early to write off any rookie, but you have to wonder if the Bulls, with Kirk Hinrich already firmly entrenched at point guard, are the right fit. While Gordon isn't a true point, it might be the only position in the league where he'll excel.
ADVANTAGE: DRAW
Al Harrington, Hawks
2004 Stats: 15 ppg, 7 rpg on 40 percent shooting
2003 Stats: 13.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg on 46 percent shooting
The skinny: Harrington wanted a chance to be more than a sixth man in Indiana, but with Jermaine O'Neal and Ron Artest firmly anchored to the front line, he didn't have a shot. Larry Bird conceded to his request for a trade and sent him to a team where he could shoot to his heart's desire – the Hawks. Harrington didn't know what he was in for. If the constant losing isn't enough to drive him crazy, the fact that defenses are now keying in on him will. Without guys like O'Neal or Artest to deflect attention, Harrington's getting a healthy dose of what stars in the league have to fight through every night. So far he's struggled, throwing up wild shots when the defensive pressure heats up. The fact that he's playing out of position right now doesn't help matters. It's too early to write him off, but Harrington's early candidacy for Most Improved Player seems in real jeopardy at the moment.
Harrington's return to Indianapolis: Nov. 17
Stephen Jackson, Pacers
2004 Stats: 16.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg, on 42 percent shooting
The skinny: Bird swapped Harrington for Jackson, hoping that he'd give the Pacers a similar boost off the bench. With Reggie Miller nearing retirement, the Pacers wanted a tall two guard who could shoot it from the perimeter and believe they got a steal in Jackson. So far he's proven to be a better rebounder than a shooter, but the Pacers like his defense and tenacity on and off the court. He's never going to fill Miller's shoes, but he's more than a worthy replacement for Harrington.
ADVANTAGE: JACKSON
Gary Payton, Celtics
2004 Stats: 11.8 ppg, 6.8 apg on 50 percent shooting
2003 Stats: 14.6 ppg, 5.5 apg on 47 percent shooting
The skinny: Underused. Betrayed. Underrated. Payton had some serious issues with the Lakers after he agreed to a big pay cut to sign on last season. The fact that they turned around and traded him the next summer to a middling Celtics team sent him into frenzy. However, Doc Rivers' up-tempo system is a better fit for Payton. Paul Pierce might be the star of the team, but he's a quieter leader than Kobe. This team has given Payton a voice and authority in the locker room. It's still early to judge what Payton's going to do this year, but so far the results have been encouraging.
Payton returns to Los Angeles vs. the Lakers Feb. 22
Chucky Atkins, Lakers
2004 Stats: 9.3 ppg, 3.3 apg, on 46 percent shooting
The skinny: The Lakers swapped Payton and a retiring Rick Fox for Atkins and Mihm. So far it looks like the Celtics have gotten the better end of the deal. Atkins is a back-up point guard at best, but he's been forced into the limelight in LA. His numbers are under whelming to say the least but unfortunately for the Lakers, they don't have anyone else to rely on right now. Maybe Payton wasn't so bad after all.
ADVANTAGE: PAYTON
Nash, others look good in their new digs
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
American novelist Thomas Wolfe once wrote a book entitled "You Can't Go Home Again." His argument was that once the door to an era closes, it could never be opened again.
Steve Nash is about to learn that the hard way Tuesday night in Dallas. Nash returns for the first time to face the Mavericks, a team he walked away from this summer when the Phoenix Suns made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
Nash leaving closed an era in Dallas and opened a new one in Phoenix. Are both teams better off after the switch? The Mavs, who many thought would sink in the West without Nash pushing the ball, are off to a 7-1 start.
The Suns, who were the worst team in the West last season, now lead the league in scoring thanks in large part to Nash's brilliant leadership in the early going.
Nash isn't the only one who can't go home again. A number of stars including Shaquille O'Neal, Tracy McGrady, Steve Francis, Carlos Boozer and Kenyon Martin moved on this summer hoping that a change of scenery would write a brighter happier chapter to their careers.
How have they fared? And how have their replacements filled their shoes? Insider takes a look . . .
Steve Nash, Suns
2004 Stats: 15 ppg, 9.7 apg on 54 percent shooting
2003 Stats: 14.5 ppg, 8.8 apg on 47 percent shooting
The skinny: Nash appeared to be a lock to return to Dallas this summer, but an unbelievable six-year, $66 million dollar offer by the Suns caused Mark Cuban to gagged and Nash took the money and ran. So far it's hard to argue with the results. He's taken the worst team in the West last season and turned them into an offensive juggernaut. Nash leads the league in assists, pushes the ball at every opportunity and has made all of the young players surrounding him better. Sounds a lot like what he did in Dallas several years ago. The question in Phoenix is how long can Nash keep it up. He plays with such reckless abandon that there are legit worries about how much longer he'll really play at this level. Regardless, for a team that desperately needed a floor leader and a mentor for a young, athletic crew . . . Nash was the perfect choice.
Nash's return to Dallas: Nov. 16
Devin Harris and Jason Terry, Mavericks
2004 Stats: 18.9 ppg, 6.2 apg
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[font=verdana, arial, geneva]Harris comes to play on defense, too.[/font]The skinny: Everyone thought that the loss of Nash would sink the Mavs. However, after a 7-1 start, the playbook on Dallas is already being revised. The Mavs traded for Terry in an attempt to replace Nash but Don Nelson quickly became unhappy with how he distributed the ball. Terry is an excellent scorer, but doesn't control the flow of the game the way Nash did. By the start of the season, Harris, despite being a rookie, got the starting call and has been solid. Donnie Nelson told me this fall that he believes Harris is the closest player he's seen to Nash. He's quick, has excellent floor vision and can shoot the lights out when shots are falling anywhere else. Both are much better defenders than Nash. In the short term, the Mavs might miss Nash a little, but the long-term prognosis on Harris looks stellar.
ADVANTAGE: NASH
Shaquille O'Neal, Heat
2004 Stats: 18.6 ppg, 11.5 rpg on 53 percent shooting
2003 Stats: 21.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg on 58 percent shooting
The skinny: Before last spring's Lakers meltdown the conventional wisdom was that the Lakers would NEVER trade Shaq. The Heat are finding out why. Despite a sore hamstring that has limited Shaq's individual performance on the court, his impact has been enormous. Shaq's mere presence has vaulted the Heat from upstart to serious title contender. Players like Dwyane Wade, Rasual Butler and Damon Jones are having career years, in part, because of all the attention Shaq draws. Off the court, the impact has been even bigger. The city of Miami is excited about basketball, selling out the arena with Heat fans – not Knicks' fans – for the first time ever.
O'Neal's return to Los Angeles: Dec. 25
Chris Mihm, Lakers
2004 Stats: 10.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg on 53 percent shooting
The skinny: It's no contest. Mihm is putting up career numbers in Los Angeles and he still comes nowhere close to doing what Shaq has. When Vlade Divac returns from an injury this week, he'll add a dimension, great low-post passing, that Shaq never did. But even the two together really don't add up. What you really have to compare is Shaq vs. Kobe Bryant. Without Shaq, Kobe believed that he'd finally be free to run the offense and lead the team. He's gotten the opportunity. He's second in NBA scoring. Unfortunately for the Lakers, Bryant's doing it while shooting a 39 percent clip from the field – his lowest percentage of his career.
ADVANTAGE: SHAQ
Tracy McGrady, Rockets
2004 Stats: 19.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 5.2 apg on 42 percent shooting
2003 Stats: 28 ppg, 6 rpg, 5.5 apg on 42 percent shooting
The skinny: Unhappy with the direction the Magic appeared to be headed, McGrady threatened to opt out of his contract this summer if he wasn't traded. New GM John Weisbrod wasn't a T-Mac fan anyway and happily obliged. McGrady handpicked the Rockets, in part, because he wanted to play with a dominant big man. So far the results have been mixed. Playing with Yao takes the ball out of McGrady's hands more than he'd like and despite our early prognostications – Yao isn't quite the dominant big man, yet, that we've made him out to be. Factor in a controlling, defensive minded head coach, no point guard and a razor-thin bench and the experiment, so far, hasn't panned out the way many thought it would.
McGrady's return to Orlando: Jan. 20
Cuttino Mobley, Magic
2004 Stats: 13.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.8 apg on 40 percent shooting
The skinny: Mobley's numbers are never going to compare to McGrady's, but that's only part of the story . . . the trade shipped McGrady and Juwan Howard to the Rockets for Steve Francis, Mobley and Kelvin Cato. You've got to look at the other big swap – Francis for Ward at point guard before you make the final judgements.
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[font=verdana, arial, geneva]Francis (3) and Mobley have taken to this new kind of Magic.[/font]Steve Francis, Magic2004 Stats: 19.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 5.7 apg on 39 percent shooting
2003 Stats: 16.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 6.2 apg on 40 percent shooting
The skinny: Francis has a chip on his shoulder and it shows. He believes that the Rockets, and Van Gundy specifically, gave up on him too early. After putting up career low numbers in Van Gundy's system, Francis is back with a vengeance. His scoring is up and his rebounding tops many power forwards in either conference. A few more assists and a few more shots dropping would be nice, but Francis is unquestionably having a fantastic season so far for the 4-3 Magic.
Francis' return to Houston: Jan. 24
Charlie Ward, Rockets
2004 Stats: 7.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 4.3 apg on 36 percent shooting
The skinny: Here's where the trade comparisons start to break down. Stripped of a real starting point guard, the Rockets were forced to bring in Ward, a serviceable, but aging point guard to replace Francis. Ward has struggled to get the offense going which has lead to a lot of standing around and few easy buckets on offense. He has hit a few big shots for the Rockets, but for the most part McGrady has had to take over the position - taking away some of the other things he does so well. Factor in that Cato for Howard has been a wash so far and, in the early going at least, it appears that the Magic may have come out ahead in the trade.
ADVANTAGE: FRANCIS AND MOBLEY
Carlos Boozer, Jazz
2004 Stats: 19.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg on 54 percent shooting
2003 Stats: 15.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg on 52 percent shooting
The skinny: Boozer was vilified this summer for taking the Jazz's $68 million and walking away from what appeared to be a verbal promise to re-sign with the Cavs for $37 million. In addition to being called a liar, Boozer also quickly earned the "overpaid" label to go along with. No one knows for sure what Boozer said in his late-night meeting for the Cavs but we do have a pretty good idea that Boozer isn't nearly as overpaid as some have claimed. He's been a huge part of the Jazz's 5-1 start. The highlight reel athletic ability might never be there, but Boozer works as hard as any big guy in the league on the boards and he's an underrated scorer in the low post. He's perfect in Jerry Sloan's system, which should maximize his value of the life of the contract.
Boozer's return to Cleveland: March 15
Drew Gooden, Cavs
2004 Stats: 11.1 ppg, 10.3 rpg on 43 percent shooting
The skinny: After the Cavs blew the Boozer deal, all seemed lost in Cleveland. However, with a few slick moves this off-season, the Cavs were able to replace him with Gooden, an athletic but maligned power forward who just so happened to go 31 spots higher in the draft than Boozer. So far,. Gooden has been great on the boards, matching Boozer's totals early on. Offensively, Gooden has the skills, but doesn't always execute. He takes too many bad shots and drifts out onto the perimeter when he should stay in the paint – which goes a long way toward explaining that 43-percent field-goal shooting. It's doubtful that Gooden will ever be able to fully replace Boozer, but he's a pretty solid safety net.
ADVANTAGE: BOOZER
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[font=verdana, arial, geneva]Martin has not made a thundering impact as a Nugget.[/font]Kenyon Martin, Nuggets2004 Stats: 12.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg on 47 percent shooting
2003 Stats: 16.7 ppg, 9.4 rpg on 49 percent shooting
The skinny: The only blunder bigger than the Cavs losing Boozer this summer was the Nets willingly letting Martin out of their grasp. At least the Cavs weren't fully to blame for Boozer's exit. The Nets, on the other hand, bear 100 percent of the guilt. They had every chance in the world to match Martin's offer in Denver and they balked. His loss has sent the Nets into the cellar in the East, but surprisingly his addition in Denver has vaulted the Nuggets to the high altitudes the pundits predicted. Martin has struggled playing against the bigger power forwards in the West. He also misses Kidd, who seemed to get him two or three easy extra buckets each night.
Martin's return to New Jersey: Feb. 13
Eric Williams, Nets
2004 Stats: 7.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg on 28 percent shooting
The skinny: Should we start by point out that Williams isn't even a power forward? Or that he's never averaged more than 4.5 rebounds in a season? Williams was the best guy that the Nets could afford but he's struggled terribly to get things going early on. Even with Martin struggling in Denver right now . . . this is still a wash. They'd take Kenyon's 12 and six in heartbeat.
ADVANTAGE: MARTIN
Antawn Jamison, Wizards
2004 Stats: 22.7 ppg, 8.6 rpg on 43 percent shooting
2003 Stats: 14.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg on 53 percent shooting
The skinny: Last year's Sixth Man of the Year was released from his shackles this summer and he's playing like a convict on furlough in Cancun. Through last night's games, Jamison ranked fourth in the league in field goal attempts at a whopping 20.1 per game. While that might seem excessive, he's the first legit low post scoring option the Wizards have had since Chris Webber skipped town. The early results are promising.
Jamison's return to Dallas: January 18
Jerry Stackhouse, Mavericks
2004 Stats: 15.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.4 apg on 43 percent shooting
The skinny: The Mavs traded Jamison to Washington to get their hands on the No. 5 pick in the draft and Devin Harris. After initially trying to move Stackhouse to another team, the Mavs have been surprised with his performance. With Michael Finley down with an injury, Stackhouse has been fantastic. He's scored 28 points in two consecutive games for the Mavs. If he can keep up that solid production off the bench when Finley returns, the Mavs might bring home the Sixth Man award for the second straight year.
ADVANTAGE: JAMISON
Jamal Crawford, Knicks
2004 Stats: 14.8 ppg, 3 apg on 41 percent shooting
2003 Stats: 17.3 ppg, 5.1 apg on 39 percent shooting
The skinny: No one pursued Crawford harder this summer than Isiah Thomas. In fact, it appears that Isiah was the only guy that pursued him with any vigor at all. So far, the results have been disappointing. With Allan Houston out, Crawford has taken over the two-guard position in New York. His assists are down, his shot isn't falling and his defense still needs plenty of work. I always believed that Crawford could be a special player if he ever got to take over as the full-time point guard on a team. At shooting guard, he's average and the Knicks are paying $56 million to find that out.
Crawford's return to Chicago: January 15
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[font=verdana, arial, geneva]Gordon, a scorer at UConn, is finding it hard to create his own shot in the NBA.[/font]Ben Gordon, Bulls2004 Stats: 9 ppg, 0.8 apg, on 30 percent shooting
The skinny: The Bulls parted with Crawford, in part, because they believed their No. 3 pick in the draft, Gordon, was a better fit. Gordon, like Crawford, was a combo guard with a sweet outside shot. However, the Bulls felt Gordon was more athletic, a better defender and a winner after a courageous performance in the Final Four last season. So far he's been just awful. Gordon has struggled to get his own shot off against bigger defenders who are just as quick and athletic as he is. His confidence has taken such a hit that even his open jumpers aren't falling. It's two or three years too early to write off any rookie, but you have to wonder if the Bulls, with Kirk Hinrich already firmly entrenched at point guard, are the right fit. While Gordon isn't a true point, it might be the only position in the league where he'll excel.
ADVANTAGE: DRAW
Al Harrington, Hawks
2004 Stats: 15 ppg, 7 rpg on 40 percent shooting
2003 Stats: 13.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg on 46 percent shooting
The skinny: Harrington wanted a chance to be more than a sixth man in Indiana, but with Jermaine O'Neal and Ron Artest firmly anchored to the front line, he didn't have a shot. Larry Bird conceded to his request for a trade and sent him to a team where he could shoot to his heart's desire – the Hawks. Harrington didn't know what he was in for. If the constant losing isn't enough to drive him crazy, the fact that defenses are now keying in on him will. Without guys like O'Neal or Artest to deflect attention, Harrington's getting a healthy dose of what stars in the league have to fight through every night. So far he's struggled, throwing up wild shots when the defensive pressure heats up. The fact that he's playing out of position right now doesn't help matters. It's too early to write him off, but Harrington's early candidacy for Most Improved Player seems in real jeopardy at the moment.
Harrington's return to Indianapolis: Nov. 17
Stephen Jackson, Pacers
2004 Stats: 16.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg, on 42 percent shooting
The skinny: Bird swapped Harrington for Jackson, hoping that he'd give the Pacers a similar boost off the bench. With Reggie Miller nearing retirement, the Pacers wanted a tall two guard who could shoot it from the perimeter and believe they got a steal in Jackson. So far he's proven to be a better rebounder than a shooter, but the Pacers like his defense and tenacity on and off the court. He's never going to fill Miller's shoes, but he's more than a worthy replacement for Harrington.
ADVANTAGE: JACKSON
Gary Payton, Celtics
2004 Stats: 11.8 ppg, 6.8 apg on 50 percent shooting
2003 Stats: 14.6 ppg, 5.5 apg on 47 percent shooting
The skinny: Underused. Betrayed. Underrated. Payton had some serious issues with the Lakers after he agreed to a big pay cut to sign on last season. The fact that they turned around and traded him the next summer to a middling Celtics team sent him into frenzy. However, Doc Rivers' up-tempo system is a better fit for Payton. Paul Pierce might be the star of the team, but he's a quieter leader than Kobe. This team has given Payton a voice and authority in the locker room. It's still early to judge what Payton's going to do this year, but so far the results have been encouraging.
Payton returns to Los Angeles vs. the Lakers Feb. 22
Chucky Atkins, Lakers
2004 Stats: 9.3 ppg, 3.3 apg, on 46 percent shooting
The skinny: The Lakers swapped Payton and a retiring Rick Fox for Atkins and Mihm. So far it looks like the Celtics have gotten the better end of the deal. Atkins is a back-up point guard at best, but he's been forced into the limelight in LA. His numbers are under whelming to say the least but unfortunately for the Lakers, they don't have anyone else to rely on right now. Maybe Payton wasn't so bad after all.
ADVANTAGE: PAYTON
