Author Archive
Hasheem Thabeet Sent To D-League
Posted by: | CommentsOnly fifty games into his professional career, Memphis’ Hasheem Thabeet is finally going to get his chance to prove he is an NBA player . . . in the NBA’s Developmental League.
After struggling to find playing time in coach Lionel Hollins front-court behind All-Star Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, and Hamed Haddadi, the Grizzlies sent the former Co-Big East Conference Player of the Year to their D-League affiliate, the Dakota Wizards. Thabeet averaged a paltry 2.5 points and 2.9 rebounds, to go along with 1.2 blocks per game in only 10 minutes/gm this season.
The 7-foot-3 shot blocking specialist from the University of Connecticut becomes the highest draft pick (#2 in ’09) to be assigned to the D-League. Martell Webster of the Portland Trailblazers, who was drafted #6 in ’06, was the previous highest pick sent down to the NBA’s version of baseball’s minor leagues.
He may have a shot of returning to the Grizzlies in quick order since the Dakota Wizards play a frantic schedule, which includes seven games over thirteen days before having a week off. At that point, if Hasheem has shown signs of improvement, he may once again be on the NBA roster for the remainder of the Grizzlies season.
Hopefully the former college star who averaged more than four blocks per game for his career for UConn will be able to develop a little more potent offense to go with his already imposing defensive presence. At Connecticut, he was relied upon to be a defensive stopper, while other players like Jerome Dyson, AJ Price, and Jeff Adrien provided the offense. Undoubtedly the Grizzlies hoped that Thabeet could become one of the premiere defensive big men for the next decade, since he sought out and received help last summer from NBA Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon on his offensive moves.
In his two games with the Wizards in the NBDL, Thabeet has been both good and bad. In his first game, he put up less than stellar numbers like 8 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 fouls in only 18 minutes, while in his second game, he showed much of what the Grizzlies were hoping to get in 19 points, 16 rebounds, and 6 blocked shots in 38 minutes.
The jury is still out on Thabeet, but this is a good thing seeing as how he is only a few years removed from playing soccer in his native Tanzania in Africa. A bit more seasoning through more playing time against lesser competition should help the young, but raw shot blocker develop into a better rounded professional who could be a mainstay of some NBA team’s front-line for many years to come. After all, the D-League has been beneficial to a number of current NBA players like Shannon Brown, Rafer Alston, and Chris “Birdman” Andersen.
So will we see Hasheem Thabeet on an NBA roster next season, or will he go down as one of the league’s biggest draft busts?
Allen Moll is an avid NBA and College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously. He also coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen is a regular columnist for thehoopdoctors.com, Bleacherreport.com, UpperDeckBlog.com, and his own blog, Hoops Haven (thehoopshaven.com).
Popularity: 1% [?]
What is Jason Kidd’s Legacy?
Posted by: | CommentsEarlier this season, Jason Kidd became second all-time in assists, passing Mark Jackson and trailing only the Utah Jazz legend John Stockton. Even though he still ranks in the Top 5 in assists this season, at age 36 we may not be graced with his presence on the NBA hardwood for much longer. In short time, the Dallas Mavericks may be looking for a younger replacement for the former two-time Olympic Gold Medalist.
With his age slowly creeping towards 40 and his point production also dipping below double figures, we will soon regrettably see the last of Jason Kidd. Upon his eventual retirement, one has to wonder: what is Kidd’s legacy? Based on statistics, where does Kidd rank among the all time greatest point guards in NBA history?
Jason Kidd came out of the University of California as the #2 overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft, leaving behind two tremendous seasons where he earned National Freshman of the Year and First Team All American honors, as well as setting numerous school records at Cal for assists and steals. Very few elite level NCAA players go on to have first ballot Hall of Fame NBA careers as exceptional as Kidd.
Despite only having the 58th best single season assist total in history, Kidd has been remarkably consistent, averaging 9.2 assists per game for his career (ranking him sixth all-time, and second among active players behind Chris Paul). He has averaged nine or more assists per game in 12 of his 15 NBA seasons, and has led the league in assists per game five times in his career.
To pass all-time assist leader John Stockton, Kidd would have to play another 6+ years at an average of 750 assists per year, based on his production the past three seasons between New Jersey and Dallas. While that appears unlikely, Kidd’s rapid rise to the top the NBA’s steals chart is equally impressive. He currently ranks sixth behind legendary players like Stockton, Jordan, and Pippen. Upon retirement, Kidd should be second best in both assists and steals.
While other great point guards like Magic Johnson and Gary Payton were more of a scoring threat, Kidd’s career has been in the mold of a “true” point guard, dropping dimes at alarming rates and being a demon on the defensive end (while totaling less career turnovers than Isiah Thomas and Allen Iverson). He also is one of the best rebounding guards in the history of the NBA, as evidenced by his 6.7 career rebounding average.
Along with the record setting numbers came some lofty NBA accolades as well. As a nine time All-Star, Kidd has been a member of the All NBA first or second team six times, and the NBA All Defensive Team nine times, along with finishing second to Tim Duncan in the ’01-’02 MVP voting. He was an amazing 56-0 in international competition, while garnering five Gold Medals as a member of USA Basketball, and led his squad to the NBA Finals in two consecutive seasons in ’02 and ’03. He also has tallied more than 100 triple-doubles, second to only Magic Johnson.
By the numbers, Kidd should go down as the second best point guard of all time, but will probably only be remembered as a Top 5 or Top 10 talent among floor generals because of his offensive limitations. It’s a matter of opinion. If you consider offense numbers, Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas have to be at the top. If you consider point guards in the truest sense of running a team while taking care of the basketball with minimal turnovers, I would put Stockton #1, with Jason Kidd a close second.
Who is your #1 point guard of All Time?
Allen Moll is an avid NBA and College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously. He also coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen is a regular columnist for thehoopdoctors.com, Bleacherreport.com, UpperDeckBlog.com, and his own blog, Hoops Haven (thehoopshaven.com).
Popularity: 1% [?]
Which Three Teams Are Most Likely To Trade For Tracy McGrady?
Posted by: | CommentsWith the Tracy McGrady/Coach Rick Adelman situation apparently at an impasse, T-Mac has been granted an indefinite leave of absence from the Rockets while management decides on where and for whom they will trade him. Are the Rockets justified in their actions, or are they acting on hurt feelings over lost money paid to McGrady for the number of missed games over his tenure with the franchise? One thing is for sure: T-Mac has likely played his last game in a Rockets uniform, so where is he most likely to wind up?
1) New York Knicks
This rumor has been floating around for some time now, since McGrady first voiced his displeasure with not being activated during the early part of the season. Even though the Knicks are stock-piling cash to be prime players in the 2010 Summer of free agency, theywould be willing to take on T-Mac’s monstrous $23 million price tag, since it would come off the books at the end of the season. Attempting to resign McGrady, one of the game’s most dynamic players, at a much lower amount before the end of the season would undoubtedly help to entice one of next summer’s free agents. The Rockets would be forced to take back either Jarred Jeffries’ or Eddy Curry’s bloated contracts, both of which have killed the Knicks’ ability to make deals to improve their current roster in this throw-away season. Another team may be needed to match up all the high salaries. Could we see Lebron, McGrady, and John Wall playing for the Knicks next season?
2) Chicago Bulls
It is well known around the league that the Bulls are primed to rebuild their roster after such a disappointing season centered around Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. Tyrus Thomas is the name that has been floated around as trade bait, since the Bulls are apparently happy with the improvements of Noah and rookie Taj Gibson in the frontcourt. Brad Miller’s $12 million contract and Jerome James’ $6+ million would have to be accepted by the Rockets in a trade, which would be rather tough to swallow. Resigning McGrady past this season would also be beneficial in luring Chicago-native Dwyane Wade and other free agents to come play for the Bulls next season. A 1-2-3 punch of Rose, Wade, and T-Mac would have Bulls fans salivating.
3) Philadelphia 76ers
Although the Sixers have brought in two aging veterans recently in Elton Brand and Allen Iverson to provide leadership to their talented young core of players, it just hasn’t worked this season. The squad is wallowing near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. With the cash-strapped Sixers stuck with some of the league’s worst long-term contracts in Brand and Sam Dalembert, the 76ers have been rumored to be shopping the two underachieving frontcourt players with virtually no takers. Now that T-Mac is suddenly available, the Sixers have shown some interest in offering leading scorer Andre Iguodala in a package for the 2-time scoring champ. Although Iggy is one of the league’s best athletes and one-on-one defenders, he is destined to be a #2 option in the mold of Scottie Pippen. The idea of T-Mac playing alongside longtime personal friend Allen Iverson has to be enticing for the Rockets’ former franchise player. It makes sense as long as the Sixers wouldn’t have to give up too much of their bevy of young talents like Marreese Speights, Lou Williams, or Thaddeus Young. Even if they only kept him for this season, the Sixers would be out from under all the long-term contracts, giving them money for free agents, and getting a Top 5 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.
Of course all of these scenarios hinge on how much McGrady still has in the tank. Reportedly, the Rockets are willing to take their time and wait until the All-Star break to receive the best offer. Rockets management has also stated that they are unwilling to just give away T-Mac for nothing. They want serviceable players and possibly draft picks that will produce in the near future. Are they asking too much for a 1-year rent-a-player with a pro-rated $23 million price tag?
Allen Moll is an avid NBA and College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously. He also coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen is a regular columnist for thehoopdoctors.com, Bleacherreport.com, UpperDeckBlog.com, and his own blog, Hoops Haven (thehoopshaven.com).
Popularity: 1% [?]
What Would Paul Pierce Change About the NBA?
Posted by: | CommentsCeltics captain Paul Pierce has been a guest blogger at Boston.com for about a month now. He has given readers his personal insight on a number of issues, such as his cravings for chocolate, how Boston became his town, and details about when he and Kevin Garnett played AAU ball together before getting drafted. One of his more interesting blog posts recently involved a hypothetical situation where Paul was given the reigns and allowed to make changes to the NBA. He provided three items he would like to change about the league, some of which are very interesting:
1) Raise the Rim Three Inches - Paul sounds serious about this one and he actually makes sense. With players becoming more and more athletic, they find it more important to dunk the basketball rather than learning the finer nuances of the game like the jumpshot. By raising the rim, the league would see a much more even playing field, where only a select few high risers would be able to dunk the basketball, thus seeing an increase in fundamentals. Some players will actually still be able to dunk on a higher rim. Remember Dwight Howard dunking on a 12 foot rim in the ’09 Dunk Contest? Perhaps Paul is so in favor of this because he ranked among the players with the lowest percentage of dunks in the NBA last season.
2) Shorten the Season to 60 Games – Paul thinks that with the Playoffs, preseason games, and even the Olympics, today’s players are breaking down and suffering recurring injuries because of the volume of games being played (and with virtually no downtime, players are destined for serious injuries). Very similar to the NFL, players in the NBA seemingly have a 12 month schedule if you include off-season workouts. Although I’m sure that all players wear down by the end of the season, players rarely play back-to-back games anymore. Where the NFL shortening their season could make sense because of all of the constant impact of tackling and vicious hits, it probably will never happen in the NBA since most teams have one or two days off between games (and it would obliterate all statistics from season’s past).
3) Get Rid of the Age Minimum – This is the age old argument about eligibility. It appears that everyone except NBA brass agrees that if a player is talented enough to play, and gets drafted, he should be allowed to play no matter what their age is. In Europe, some players are playing in professional leagues as early as 14 or 15 years old. Why not here? True, there are some exceptions (Kwame Brown), but most early entry players have succeeded and had impressive careers like Kobe, Kevin Garnett, and LeBron James. The rule should be modified to either allow everyone out of high school to play, or make sure that players stay in college for four years. Most universities are just using these players to make money while they barely go to any classes in their one semester, which is all that is required for a one-and-done player. Should we really be deprived of seeing Kevin Durant, Carmelo, or John Wall in the pros immediately?
Allen Moll is an avid NBA and College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously. He also coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen is a regular columnist for thehoopdoctors.com, Bleacherreport.com, UpperDeckBlog.com, and his own blog, Hoops Haven (thehoopshaven.com).
Popularity: 1% [?]
Raging Bull: Chicago’s Joakim Noah
Posted by: | CommentsWhen the Chicago Bulls selected Joakim Noah as the #9 overall pick in the ’07 NBA Draft, they thought that they had found a dominating 6’11, shot blocking center with energy that rivals the Energizer bunny. During his first two seasons, what they got was an underachieving player who had career totals of 6.7 ppg and 6.6 rebounds; he was well on his way towards becoming one of the biggest draft busts of the decade. All of that has changed since Noah hit the weight room this past offseason, and he’s now started to live up to the hype of being a lottery pick, a two-time NCAA Champion, and the Most Outstanding Player of the ’06 Final Four.
This season, Noah has averages of 11 ppg, 12.2 rebs, and 1.6 blocks which ranks him among the Top 5 in rebounds and blocked shots for most of the season. He credits his recent success to growing up a bit and committing himself to getting in prime shape by hitting the weights hard: he’s added 15 lbs of muscle since last season to be able to compete with the bigger front-court players in the NBA.
Noah admits that he has always been an emotional player, but understands that it has been a learning experience to better control those emotions. Instead of exploding after every bad call, he now lets it all out after every successful play he or his teammates accomplish on the court. Whatever the methods, it has definitely worked with Noah also being among the league leaders in double-doubles with 15. More impressive is that he has had 23 of 31 games this season in double figures in boards and has already had 4 games of 20+ rebounds.
While he still struggles at times with his offensive game, he is one of the better big men in the league at finishing the pick and roll, which was a mainstay of the Florida Gators in college. Even though he gets most of his points off of offensive put-backs, his scoring average has gone up from 6.7 to 11 ppg this season. Part of his deficiencies on offense has been an ugly jump shot, which he continues to work at. He has a sideways roll off of his hands which is visible on his free throws, which is another area of improvement. He has gone from a less than spectacular .684 % in his first two seasons to a more respectable .740% this season.
With the Bulls struggling with a sub .500 record (16-20), they are likely to blow up their roster with the exception of a few select players that they can build around. Because of Noah’s outstanding play this season, he most certainly will be a part of the Bulls rebuilding efforts along with Derrick Rose and Taj Gibson.
At age 24, Noah definitely has a bright future ahead of himself as one of the most talented rebounders and shot blockers around. Hopefully he can develop his offensive game to match his defensive prowess. It may be a stretch, but Joakim could become the modern day Dennis Rodman: a rebounding demon with an abundance of energy and emotion which is always evident on the basketball court.
Let’s just hope that he learns how to control those emotions a bit better than “The Worm.”
Allen Moll is an avid NBA and College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously. He also coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen is a regular columnist for thehoopdoctors.com, Bleacherreport.com, UpperDeckBlog.com, and his own blog, Hoops Haven (thehoopshaven.com).
Popularity: 1% [?]
