From Center to Point Guard, NBA future Superstar is in the Hands of a Senior Friendly Scooter

In 1970 the ABA and the NBA merged into one basketball association and from that moment on created a league for some the best athletes in the world. In the 42 years since the merger the league has changed. Many new rules have been added and the international flavor of players entered the NBA as well as high school players going directly to the pros and needing their parent’s signature on their rookie contact because they are still 17, aka Kobe Bryant among others.

Lakers Guard Kobe Bryant signed his rookie contract at the age of 17.

But probably the biggest change from the game many years ago to the game today is the most valuable position in the game. Look back in history and you will see many great centers. Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Willis Reed, David Robinson, Moses Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon are some of the best centers to play the game. Robinson was the last one to play in the NBA and he finished his career in 2003.

Former Spurs Center David Robinson last played in the NBA in 2003.

So where am I going with this? Many years ago if you didn’t have a franchise center then you had no chance of winning a title. Now with the NBA game changing and becoming more scoring and fast paced, if you want your team to contend for a title you need a franchise point guard.

Among the 30 NBA teams 17 teams have a franchise caliber point guard or a young player who has the potential to turn into one. Below I have divided the 30 starting point guards in the NBA into four categories, superstar, young potential superstar, solid starter, needs to be replaced.

Category 1: Superstar Level

1) Clippers Chris Paul

2) Bulls Derrick Rose

3) Celtics Rajon Rondo

4) Nets Deron Williams

5) Thunder Russell Westbrook

6) Spurs Tony Parker

7) Suns Steve Nash

Argument? None! While Rose is the most exciting point guard to watch and is the best scorer among the group (one could argue that Westbrook is the best scorer among the group) but Paul is overall better. Paul’s passing and defense is much better than Rose would if you throw a tall double team at him (aka LeBron James and Dwayne Wade) he will struggle unlike Paul who can make everyone around him much better. Rondo and Westbrook only point guards in the NBA who can legitimately give you a triple double any night and Rondo is the only point guard that can very possibly pull off a quadruple double. Williams is ahead of Westbrook on this list because he is a better passer and a better decision maker. Parker and Nash are the oldest two on the list but both are the most important player on each of their teams. Parker is the fast-flash scoring machine and Nash still is one the best passers despite being 38 years old.

Suns PG Steve Nash makes a no look pass against the Trail Blazers.

Category 2: Young Potential Superstar

1) Warriors Stephen Curry

2) Rocket Kyle Lowry

3) Cavaliers Kyrie Irving

4) Wizards John Wall

5) Nuggets Ty Lawson

6) Bucks Brandon Jennings

7) Timberwolves Ricky Rubio

8) 76ers Jrue Holiday

9) Pistons Brandon Knight

10) Bobcats Kemba Walker

Argument? You could argue that some players should be higher and others lower. But of the list of ten players above, can you argue that any of them don’t have a bright future and superstar potential? No! Wall and Irving probably have the most upside but still Curry and Lowry are better players today. The real player to keep your eye on is Rubio, the Spanish teenager with the pimples, has passing skills are probably top five in the NBA today despite him being a rookie. We will have to wait till next season to see him play again as he tore his ACL a few weeks back against the Lakers and it will keep him out the reason of this season and the 2012 Summer Olympics (another gold medal for the Americans? I think so!).

Timberwolves PG Ricky Rubio tears his ACL against the Lakers.

Category 3: Solid Starters

1) Mavericks Jason Kidd

2) Lakers Ramon Sessions

3) Grizzlies Mike Conley

4) Trail Blazers Raymond Felton

5) Heat Mario Chalmers

6) Jazz Devin Harris

7) Pacers Darren Collison

8) Magic Jameer Nelson

9) Hawks Jeff Teague

10) Kings Isaiah Thomas

Argument? This group is the ten starting point guards in the NBA would are solid as a starter and should be replaced if a better option becomes available. Kidd a few years back would have been in the Superstar Level category but his age has slowed him down, until Nash. Kidd can still play there is no doubt about that but at his age the Mavericks should be looking towards the future at point guard if they want to win another title anytime soon. Players like Felton, Chalmers, Collison, and Teague looked like they could be in the Young Potential Superstar category a year ago but there play over the last year or two has really showed that they will never be superstar talent players. The kicker in this group Thomas, despite being the last pick in the draft this past summer he could turn into a superstar, it’s a long shot but we have seen a lot of crazy stuff before. Like this scooter for a senior citizen.

Category 4: Needs to be Replaced

1) Knicks Jeremy Lin

2) Raptors Jose Calderon

3) Hornets Jarrett Jack

Argument? Make one for me? Without Mike D'antoni’s offense around anymore Lin has hit earth and hit it hard. He isn’t a great ball handler and his defense and turnover rate are flat out disgusting. Calderon is one of the better passers in the NBA but again defense kills him, I high doubt he could guard this kid.

And amazingly the Hornets traded away the best point guard in the NBA to have the worst starter in the NBA. Jack is a solid player, I don’t want you think he is total trash but he is much better off player 12-16 minutes a game and not 30 plus.

The New Orleans Hornets franchise was really hurt but the trade but the lottery is not that far away and the Hornets could get two potential franchise changing players in the draft this year. And they should draft a pass first point guard in this draft like North Carolina’s Kendall Marshall.

UNC PG Kendall Marshall is a likely lottery pick in the 2012 NBA Draft should he enter it.

NBA Trades that SHOULD Happen? Don't Ask me, I'm an Idiot but I know the Moon is pretty Large! I think?

In case you haven’t heard yet and you check this crappy site for your sports updates the Warriors and Bucks have completed a deal that will send Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh and Kwame Brown to the Bucks for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson.

So it got me thinking… who got the better end of the deal? Well the answer is both teams got screwed but that’s not what this blog post is about. Instead I’m going to give you five trades that SHOULD happen but most likely won’t. Why? I don’t know, I guess I'm just an idiot. But at least I’m smart enough to know the moon is larger than an elephant.

The Word IDIOT doesn't say enough!!

Trade 1: Jazz trade Devin Harris to the Trail Blazers for Raymond Felton

The teams swap point guards; both need a change so why not swap them? Harris gives the Blazers a quicker more scoring minded guard and Felton gives the Jazz a natural pick and roll guard. Both guards are better off on their new teams.

Trade 2: Nets trade Jordan Farmer, Anthony Marrow, Johan Petro, and their 2012 first round pick to the Bobcats for Borris Diaw.

Assuming the Nets don’t make a trade for Dwight Howard before the deadline they should try and clear all the cap they can for the summer run at Howard and other free agents. By giving up the first round pick the Bobcats will take back three players who contracts run through next season, this way the only player the Nets have under contract for next year is promising rookie MarShon Brooks. The Bobcats realize a lottery bound first round pick in this great draft class is worth taking on the three players. Diaw’s contract is up at the end of the season and will let walk so there is as much space available for Howard and other free agents.

Will Howard be a Net? We will see.

Trade 3: Lakers trade Luke Walton, Andrew Goudelock, two first round picks in 2012 draft (theirs and the Mavericks) and their 2014 first round pick to the Bucks for Brandon Jennings and Drew Gooden.

The Lakers need to get a point guard, today! Jennings is a L.A. born kid and has made noise about leaving the Bucks for a bigger market team when his rookie contract expires. So why would the Bucks want to lose him for nothing? The Bucks continue to clean house and get three first round picks for Jennings, plus they can rid themselves of Gooden’s horrible contract. Walton’s deal runs out next season and could be a used as a trade chip at the deadline next year.

Trade 4: Kings trade J.J. Hickson to the Knicks for Mike Bibby, Tony Douglas, and a future conditional first round pick.

Hickson hasn’t been good fit with the Kings and should be moved. The Knicks have only 15 point guards on their roster (no its actually just five players who can play point guard) and have been looking to deal one or two for a big man. The Knicks ship two away and a conditional first round pick (not like picks mean anything to the Knicks) to get Hickson who can back up at both the center and power forward positions.

Trade 5: Cavialers trade Antawn Jamison, Christian Eyenga, Luke Harangody, and a 2013 first round pick from the Heat to the Hornets for Emeka Okafor, Trevor Ariza, and a 2012 first round pick from the Timberwolves.

The trade boils down to one simple thing, the Hornets want to get rid of the bad contracts of Okafor and Ariza. To swap a likely 12-16 first round pick in 2012 for a likely 28-30 first round pick in 2013 is worth getting rid of those horrible contracts and getting the expiring deal of Jamison. The Cavs have the exact opposite mind set. They are doing what they did last year at the trade deadline. Taking on a bad player with a bad contract with the condition being a draft pick is included in the trade, the Cavs got Baron Davis and the Clippers 2011 first round pick for Mo Williams but if it wasn’t for that pick the Cavs wouldn’t have Kyrie Irving today. So by taking back the headache and bad contract aka Davis, they Cavs have a franchise player in Irving to replace that other guy named LeBron James.

The Future looks bright thanks to the Baron Davis trade that landed the Cavs Kyrie Irving.

Celtics Roster goes KA-BOOM, Diaper Changes Coming for the Big Four

Life is a funny thing, we are born and we wear diapers and need help with everything. Then we grow up and become adults and spend a third (or more) of our life working on something most of us don’t enjoy. And then that great retirement day comes and everything is good…. Until you’re in a retirement home wearing dippers and needing help with everything AGAIN!! That’s till god puts you out of our… crap! I mean your misery.

Five years ago the Boston Celtics created the original big three by trading for Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett and pairing them with Paul Pierce. The Celtics gave away many young players and picks to do so. But soon after it became the big three plus one (Rajon Rondo) and now it’s the big four. Now it’s time for the Celtics to get the young players and picks back for the veterans.

Well the oldest three members of the big four age combined is 105. With the team out of championship contention this year and looking more and more like it’s time to rebuild, the team should blow up the big four and look towards future drafts and young players.

Allen and Garnett both have contracts that expire at the end of this season while Peirce and Rondo have contracts that last for two and three more years after this season respectively. The team’s original plan was to start to rebuild around Rondo and the veteran Peirce (34 years old) and see what happens.

Well if the Celtics do that they will go nowhere. Now yes that team will be in the playoffs as a seven or eight seed, maybe a sixth seed on a bad year but if you’re not in contention for the NBA title you should be in the lottery trying to add young superstar potential prospects.

So the Celtics should not just wait for the season to be over and start to rebuild from the middle of the first round of the draft and in free agency but instead blow up the team like the Wizards did during the 2009-2010 season and the Thunder (then Seattle Super Sonics) did after the 2006-2007 season. Both the Wizards and Thunder have started or have turned into a NBA Championship contender.

The Wizards removed all their “big three” players (even though Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, and Antawn Jamison were never superstar players but more like very good role players) and hit gold in the 2010 NBA lottery and drafted John Wall and have started to add young players around Wall.

2010 Number One Overall Pick John Wall is the Corner Stone
 to the Wizards Rebuilding Process.

The Super Sonics traded, guess who? Ray Allen to the Celtics for young players, expiring contracts and the fifth overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft; which turned out to be Jeff Green. Not only did the Super Sonics trade Allen for a young player but the expiring contracts that will lead to cap relief, which is key.

So now it’s time for the Celtics to do the same thing, below I’ve given trades on how to get the best value for each member of the big four. The players’ contract details are included.

UFA: Unrestricted Free Agent

RFA: Restricted Free Agent

First I’ll start with Rondo and Peirce

In a three team deal with the Lakers and Timberwolves:

Celtics get Michael Beasley (RFA) Wes Johnson (1year plus two team options) Luke Ridnour (3years) Anthony Randolph (RFA) from the Timberwolves, two first round picks from Lakers (theirs and Mavericks) and a first round pick from the Timberwolves (originally from the Jazz).

Lakers get Paul Pierce (3years), Rajon Rondo (4years), and Brandon Bass (player option) from Celtics.

Timberwolves get Pau Gasol (3 years) and Matt Barnes (UFA) from Lakers.

The Celtics do this trade to remove Rondo who has been reportedly a headache to coach but Kobe Bryant would allow that to happen and he will keep Rondo in check. They remove Pierce’s three years left on his contract creating more cap room, the Celtics also add two players with expiring contacts plus the young talented Wes Johnson who needs a change of scenery and the team can decide to keep Beasley and Randolph as both of them are still young players. Ridnour gives them a good solid point guard to replace Rondo. The three first round picks are the real value in this trade.

The Lakers do this trade to get what they really need, more offensive firepower. Rondo gives them a huge upgrade at point guard; Rondo is a defensive and passing play maker which helps the Celtics a lot. Pierce gives them an upgrade at the small forward spot and another perimeter scoring option besides Kobe. Bass gives the Lakers a replacement at power forward.

The Timberwolves do this trade because they have been trying to pull Gasol away from the Lakers for months. The Lakers think adding Gasol to their roster will make Ricky Rubio even better. To get Gasol is worth the young talent and the draft pick.

Gasol and Rubio Both Play for the Spanish National Team.

Next it’s time to get rid of Ray Allen

In a four team deal with the Bucks, Bulls and Timberwolves:

The Celtics get Beno Udrih (player option) from Bucks and Wayne Ellington (2 years) from Timberwolves and the Bulls first round pick.

The Bucks get Ronnie Brewer (2 years) from Bulls, Anthony Tolliver (UFA) and Malcolm Lee (1 year plus 2 team options) from Timberwolves.

The Bulls get Ray Allen (UFA) from Celtics.

The Timberwolves get Rip Hamilton (2 years plus team option) from Bulls.

The Celtics are going to let Allen walk in free agency so this way they get Wayne Ellington (a young prospect who can shoot) and Udrih who will either decline his player option this year or will be a trade chip next year because of his expiring contract. Plus to get yet another first round pick is another chip towards the future.

The Bucks head coach Scott Skiles and Stephen Jackson can’t get along so he is likely to be traded or released at some point soon. So Brewer can bring a defensive presence to the Bucks, Tolliver can bring some outside shooting for a big man and Lee is a rookie that has some talent.

The Bulls get Ray Allen, which spreads the floor for Derrick Rose and gives the Bulls a number two scoring at the end of games.

The Timberwolves are going to need a new starting shooting guard after trading Wes Johnson away in the last trade so to add the veteran Hamilton gives the Timberwolves an outside scoring option and some veteran leadership.

Now time to give Garnett up

In a three team deal with the Blazers and Cavaliers:

The Celtics get Marcus Camby (UFA), Raymond Felton (UFA) and a future first round pick from Blazers and Omri Casspi (2 years) from the Cavaliers.

The Blazers get Kevin Garnett (UFA) from Celtics and Ramon Sessions (player option) from Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers get Gerald Wallace (player option) from Blazers.

The Celtics are going to let Garnett walk like Allen so to get back a future first round pick from the Blazers is good, plus IF Felton turns his act around he could get a long term deal in Boston (which mean Ridnour will be traded).

The Blazers get a defensive post player who can rebound and spread the court with his jump shot, the Blazers are trying to get rid of Felton and get another point guard, insert Sessions.

The Cavaliers have talent at the power forward and point guard spot but have zero talent at the shooting guard and small forward. Wallace is expendable since Nicolas Batum is ready to take over a starting role and replace Wallace. Wallace gives the Cavaliers some perimeter defensive and some veteran leadership.

Batum, left, Looks Ready to Replace Wallace, right, as the Blazers Starting Small Foward.

The Celtics should take their roster and go

KA-BOOM!!!

The reality is that if you’re not in contention to win it all, you should be fighting for the lottery and the number one overall pick, because in the middle is just not worth it.

If these three trades don’t happen here’s a bonus trade for my followers to consider.

In a three team deal with the Lakers and Magic:

The Celtics get Ryan Anderson (RFA) and Daniel Orton (UFA) from Magic.

The Lakers get Kevin Garnett (UFA) from Celtics and Dwight Howard (pending he signs a contract extension) and Jameer Nelson (player option) from Magic.

The Magic get Andrew Bynum (team option) and Pau Gasol (3 years) and two first round picks in 2012 (theirs and Lakers) and a 2014 and 2016 first round picks from Lakers.

The Celtics basically give up Garnett for the up and coming Anderson, pretty simple deal to me.

The Lakers get Garnett and Howard; both are upgrades defensively over Gasol and Bynum. Nelson is an upgrade at point guard and fits in the Lakers trade exception.

The Magic get a young big man (Bynum) and the veteran Gasol, who they could turn around and trade to the Timberwolves for Michael Beasley (RFA) Wes Johnson (1year plus two team options) Luke Ridnour (3years) Anthony Randolph (RFA) and another 2012 first round pick. If they send Gasol on his merry way the Magic can get Bynum, three-four young players and a total of five first round picks for Howard. Sounds like they won this trade big time!!!

Will Dwight Howard End Up in LA? We Will See.