Most Productive Offseason Acquisitions By PER
2012/13's first iteration of John Hollinger's stat-based power rankings has been unveiled at ESPN.com, with the Grizzlies, Knicks, Thunder, Heat, and Clippers making up the top five. Now that the NBA regular season is nearly a month old, there's enough data related to scoring margin, strength of schedule, and home-road difference for Hollinger's formula to produce a reasonably accurate list.
By the same token, after four weeks of games, it's worth taking a look at another one of Hollinger's creations, Player Efficiency Rating. While the sample size is still small, the fact that LeBron James and Kevin Durant are first and second in the league in PER suggests the numbers are starting to reflect what we can expect to see for the rest of the season.
PER doesn't necessarily capture a player's all-around contribution to a team, but it comes about as close as a single statistic can. As such, let's use this season's PER leaders to check out which offseason acquisitions have been the most effective so far. These players changed teams via trades or free agency since the end of last season and have appeared in at least half of their new clubs' games so far. Here's the top 15:
Kyle Lowry (Raptors): 24.6
Carl Landry (Warriors): 22.7
Goran Dragic (Suns): 22.3
James Harden (Rockets): 21.5
Jason Kidd (Knicks): 21.3
Dwight Howard (Lakers): 21.0
Ryan Anderson (Hornets): 21.0
Andray Blatche (Nets): 20.7
Jermaine O'Neal (Suns): 20.7
Louis Williams (Hawks): 20.2
O.J. Mayo (Mavericks): 20.0
Jamal Crawford (Clippers): 19.6
Ray Allen (Heat): 19.5
Rasheed Wallace (Knicks): 19.3
Andrei Kirilenko (Timberwolves): 19.1
A few notes on the list:
- Some players who re-signed as free agents with their previous teams, such as Brook Lopez (Nets) and JaVale McGee (Nuggets) are also among the league leaders on PER. They weren't listed here since they didn't change teams.
- A trio of big men who were virtually written off, Blatche, O'Neal, and Wallace made the top 15, but have played limited minutes. They're averaging 16.2, 18.8, and 15.8 minutes per contest, respectively.
- Blatche, O'Neal, and Wallace are also among the best values on the list, as all of them signed for the veteran's minimum. Other bargains so far: Landry ($4MM), Mayo ($4MM), Kidd ($3.1MM), and Allen ($3.1MM).
- Lowry and O'Neal have each appeared in only eight games so far.
Blatche: Wizards “Tried To End Me”
Following the Nets' overtime win against the Knicks last night, Andray Blatche took to social media, tweeting: "Feels good to be part of a winning organization." The message's not-so-subtle undertone: Blatche is happy to be out of Washington, where the Wizards fell to an NBA-worst 0-12 earlier in the evening.
While Blatche's tweet didn't attack the Wizards head-on, the Nets forward appeared on 106.7 The Fan in Washington this morning, where he was more direct with his criticism of the franchise that amnestied him earlier this summer. As Mike Prada of BulletsForever.com and Michael Lee of the Washington Post detail, Blatche contended that he was unfairly scapegoated in Washington by an organization that didn't have his back.
"For them to say, 'Oh, he’s a bad teammate. He’s a cancer in the locker room.' He’s this and that. All that is a bunch of lies," Blatche said. "That’s what really made me mad. That showed me, they tried to end me.
"I can't remember not once anybody say, 'Give him a break. Let's try to pick him up.' Or anything. They were like, when things weren't starting well, they used me as an excuse."
Blatche had the worst season of his career in 2011/12, in part due to poor conditioning and injuries. The 26-year-old admitted that showing up for the season out of shape was "100% on me," but suggested that the team could have done much more to improve the public perception of his work ethic and locker room influence.
"That's my other point," Blatche said. "For them to say, 'He's a bad teammate. He's a cancer in the locker room.' All that was a bunch of lies. That's what really made me mad. When they said all those rumors and put them in the media, that's what angered me. Who else would say that? None of my teammates would say that. [The media] can ask every last one of my teammates here, and I guarantee you what they say is completely different than what everyone else says."
Although Blatche and the Wizards certainly aren't in for a reunion anytime soon, the two sides are tied together in at least one way: Washington will be paying most of the money remaining on Blatche's amnestied contract through 2015. The deal still had three years and over $23MM left on it when Blatche was cut in July.
Atlantic Notes: D-Will, Carmelo, Nets, Lowry, 76ers
On the heels of Deron Williams and Carmelo Anthony matching up in Brooklyn for the first time last night, Ken Berger of CBS Sports takes a look back at the February 2011 trade deadline. Nets general manager Billy King believed he had a chance to acquire Anthony right up until the moment he got the call saying Carmelo had been sent to the Knicks, says Berger. The CBS scribe speculates that, if things played out a little differently at the '11 deadline, Anthony and Williams could still be cross-town rivals now, with 'Melo in Brooklyn and D-Will in Manhattan.
Here are a few more items of interest from around the Atlantic:
- Also from Berger's piece, King spoke about his three top targets when he assumed the role of Nets GM: "I got the job and I knew there was… the potential for three guys to be available. I made a run at Chris [Paul], [the Hornets] said no right away, and then I made the run at Carmelo. I figured if I got him, then I could go after Deron as a free agent. Really, I was getting Carmelo to get Deron."
- According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, while King was "privately maligned" by rival GMs for the March 2012 trade that sent out a lottery pick for Gerald Wallace, the Nets GM recognized that Williams needed a veteran addition to help him get through the final few months before free agency.
- The Raptors love the toughness and swagger of new point guard Kyle Lowry, and would like those traits to be part of the team's identity, says Doug Smith of the Toronto Star.
- Despite Andrew Bynum's injury woes, the Sixers are better off having made the blockbuster deal that brought him to Philadelphia, argues Danny Pommells of CSNPhilly.com.
- With the Mavericks set to play in Philadelphia tonight, Elton Brand will get a chance to see family in the area and to reunite with his old head coach Doug Collins, as Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes.
- Speaking to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld, Jeff Green says it was a "no-brainer" to sign with the Celtics this offseason.
Lakers Not Looking To Trade Pau Gasol
Despite a flurry of new trade speculation that surfaced when new head coach Mike D'Antoni arrived in Los Angeles, the Lakers aren't actively looking to trade Pau Gasol, according to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. The team is waiting to see what the roster looks like when Steve Nash returns from the small fracture in his leg that has sidelined him for most of the season.
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld reported a similar sentiment yesterday, noting that the Lakers would simply like to see Gasol play better, rather than trying to move him. According to Bresnahan, D'Antoni believes the Spaniard can be a solid fit in his system, though there's been an up-and-down adjustment period so far.
"He can easily play our system and he's going to be a very important player for us," D'Antoni said of Gasol after he recorded 13 points and nine boards against the Mavericks on Saturday.
With Nash, Kobe Bryant, and Dwight Howard obviously not going anywhere, Gasol represents the most likely trade candidate of the Lakers' stars, given his declining numbers and his sizable contract ($38MM+ over the next two seasons). For now though, without having seen those four star players together on the court under D'Antoni, the Lakers have no interest in exploring a deal.
Odds & Ends: Gordon, Lakers, Kobe, Jackson
There was a great deal of anticipation for the first ever "clash of the boroughs" after Hurricane Sandy postponed it for nearly a month and the Nets and Knicks did not disappoint. In a close contest throughout, the Nets ultimately pulled out a 96-89 overtime win on their home floor. Brook Lopez – who has taken flack for his inconsistent rebounding in the past – pulled down 11 boards and led the way with 22 points. Star guard Deron Williams also turned in a strong effort, putting up 16 points and dishing 14 dimes. Here's more from around the Association..
- Hornets guard Eric Gordon says that his knee is improving, but declined to give specifics about the mysterious injury, writes Jimmy Smith of the Times Picayune. "It's almost like a disorder. There was a little bit of a bone bruise, and, you know, kind of like some of these other guys like [Andrew] Bynum and [Danny] Granger. Luckily my process will be shorter than that," said the guard. There was speculation earlier this year that Gordon's insistence on sitting out stemmed from displeasure with the club, but Gordon insists that he's committed to the Hornets.
- Kobe Bryant has been playing extremely efficient basketball as of late and credits the system of new coach Mike D'Antoni for his improved play, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
- Speaking of the Lakers, former coach Phil Jackson told TMZ (video link) earlier today that the chances of him returning to coach again are "slim to none". Jackson, of course, was widely believed to be the frontrunner for the Lakers vacancy earlier this season before D'Antoni was tabbed to replace Mike Brown.
West Notes: Warriors, Aldridge, Blazers, Jazz
Here's a look at some items out of the Western Conference..
- Stephen Curry says that the Warriors' trade of Monta Ellis to the Bucks has significantly changed his approach to the game, writes Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld. Now more of a playmaker, Curry has embraced his adjusted role in Golden State. “The backcourt that we have, we mesh well together, especially with Jarrett [Jack] coming off the bench, so it’s been a different look, but we are getting used to each other and we are playing well," Curry explained. The club's acquisition in that trade, Andrew Bogut, figures to give them a major defensive boost upon his return.
- John Canzano of The Oregonian opines that the Blazers need to ease the burden placed on star big man LaMarcus Aldridge in order to help guard against his potential departure. Aldridge is under contract for $60MM through three more seasons and has yet to win a playoff series in Portland.
- For guard Kevin Murphy to return to the Jazz, General Manager Dennis Lindsey says that he hopes to see the rookie operate as a team player rather than a "pig scorer", write Brian T. Smith, Steve Luhm, and Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune. Murphy was demoted to the D-League earlier today and will be in Reno for a minimum of five games.
- One of the Blazers' biggest problems is that they have been unable to develop their recent draft picks into true contributors, tweets Mike Tokito of The Oregonian. The new CBA places extra emphasis on teams being able to get strong production out of their reasonably-priced younger players, which is obviously essential for a smaller-market team.
Aldridge On Bobcats, Pacers, Hibbert, Lakers
After 2011/12's historically awful season, the Bobcats are quietly turning things around, writes David Aldridge of NBA.com. After finishing the campaign with a .106 winning percentage and dropping their last 23 games, the club is finding success with a defense-first approach under first-year coach Mike Dunlap. After already matching their win total from last year, the team even feels for the winless Wizards who are in the NBA's cellar at 0-11. Here's more from Aldridge..
- It's early in the season, but it's evident that Pacers center Roy Hibbert isn't playing with the same intensity that netted him a four-year, $58MM contract. Some have speculated that the big man is pressing in order to live up to his newly-raised expectations, and even he acknowledges that might be the case. "Before, I would say I wasn't," Hibbert said. "But if I look myself in the mirror, maybe I'm thinking too much. I wouldn't say it's totally because of the contract, but it possibly could be."
- The Pacers' problems obviously extend beyond Hibbert's slow start, beginning with the absence of star forward Danny Granger. The summer trade of Darren Collison for center Ian Mahinmi has left the club to rely on one-guards George Hill and D.J. Augustin, who don't provide the same type of tempo. Head coach Frank Vogel is already re-tooling the offense to help accommodate the new-look backcourt.
- Aldridge wonders if it might be time for the Lakers to pull the trigger on a Pau Gasol trade. Often linked to trade rumors in Los Angeles, it's clear that management is less-than-thrilled with Gasol's conditioning as of late. There's no indication that the Lakers are shopping Gasol just yet, but Aldridge wonders if a three-team deal with the Wizards and Timberwolves could be a fit. Gasol could return to his natural center position in Minnesota while the Lakers could receive Chris Singleton and Trevor Ariza from the Wizards with Luke Ridnour and J.J. Barea coming from Minnesota. Aldridge's hypothetical would also see Minnesota send Derrick Williams to the Wizards, giving the former No. 2 pick a chance at a new start.
Nets Expected To Assign Taylor To D-League
The Springfield Armor may be welcoming a new player in the near future, as Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv reports (via Twitter) the Nets are expected to assign Tyshawn Taylor to the team's D-League affiliate. Although the Nets are the only NBA team affiliated with the Armor, Brooklyn has yet to assign a player to Springfield so far this season.
Taylor, the 41st pick in the 2012 draft, has appeared in seven games for the Nets, but has seen limited action in those contests. Since scoring five points in nine minutes against the Magic on November 9th, the 22-year-old point guard has played less than three overall minutes in four games. The assignment to Springfield should mean a significant increase in playing time for the rookie.
Bucks Looking To Move Drew Gooden
4:22pm: The Cavaliers and Jazz are among the many teams not interested in Gooden, according to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter). However, Amico adds that the Bucks are "sure trying to move him."
11:26am: After averaging more than 26 minutes per game in 2011/12, Drew Gooden has been removed entirely from the Bucks' rotation this season, failing to appear in any of the team's first 11 games. According to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times, "scuttlebutt around the league" suggests that the Bucks are looking to trade Gooden.
Gooden was fairly productive for Milwaukee last season, recording averages of 13.7 PPG and 6.5 RPG to go along with an 18.8 PER. It's not clear why the 31-year-old has fallen out of favor, but forwards like Tobias Harris and Larry Sanders have seen big bumps in playing time so far this season to make up for Gooden's lack of minutes.
Moving Gooden will be no easy task for the Bucks, particularly with the frequent DNPs doing nothing to improve his stock. The Kansas product is under contract through 2014/15 at an annual cost of about $6.69MM, which figures to make it difficult for Milwaukee to find value on the trade market. For what it's worth, the Bucks have yet to use their amnesty provision, and Gooden is one of only two players on the team still eligible to be amnestied.
Odds & Ends: Saric, Draft, Murphy, Collins, Lakers
Let's check out a few items from around the Association as we prepare for an eight-game evening slate….
- Although we heard on Friday that Dario Saric's contract in Croatia wouldn't have an NBA out until 2014, Saric confirmed today that his new deal will include an NBA out after every season. Saric, who ranks 16th on DraftExpress.com's big board for 2013, indicated that he'd declare for the draft next season if he receives a top-10 guarantee, as Emiliano Carchia of Sportando writes.
- NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper notes (on Twitter) that one NBA executive has Saric in his current top 10, but that he's hardly a lock, and plenty can change between now and next June.
- In an Insider piece at ESPN.com, Jay Bilas and Chad Ford debate which college prospect is the early favorite to be picked first overall next June, and discuss a few more draft topics.
- Kevin Murphy, who was assigned to the D-League today, will be with the Reno Bighorns for at least five games, according to Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey (Twitter link via Jody Genessy of the Deseret News).
- Chris Bernucca of Sheridan Hoops fills out a hypothetical roster made up of the NBA's worst contracts.
- Mardy Collins, who played in parts of four seasons for the Knicks and Clippers after being drafted 29th overall in 2006, has reached an agreement to play for Israel's Maccabi Ashdod, reports David Pick of Sportando.
- Lakers offseason acquisitions Jodie Meeks and Antawn Jamison have begun to thrive under new coach Mike D'Antoni, says Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. Medina adds that there's still no set timetable for Steve Nash's return.