Poll: Which Offseason Signing Looks The Worst?
Yesterday, I examined some early returns on the biggest free agent contracts signed this summer, noting that at least a couple of them were looking a little shaky early in the season. Eric Gordon's injury woes and Roy Hibbert's on-court struggles have ensured that those contracts look the worst of the maximum-salary deals handed out in the offseason.
If I'd kept going down the list of free agent signees though, I would've come cross a few more players who are off to poor starts after signing for big bucks. Ersan Ilyasova has recorded a dismal 4.4 PER for the Bucks so far after inking a five-year contract to remain with the club. Landry Fields' and Jeff Green's deals were panned even when they were signed, and neither looks a whole lot better now — Fields is sidelined with an elbow injury, while Green is off to a slow start in Boston.
Is there a specific summer free agent signing that you believe is headed for disaster? Submit your vote in the poll and weigh in below in the comments section with your thoughts.
Which offseason signing looks the worst?
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Eric Gordon (Four years, $58.37MM) 36% (299)
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Landry Fields (Three years, $18.75MM) 24% (202)
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Ersan Ilyasova (Five years, $40MM) 18% (148)
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Roy Hibbert (Four years, $58.37MM) 13% (112)
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Jeff Green (Four years, $36.24MM) 8% (64)
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Other 1% (12)
Total votes: 837
Poll: Which Team Most Needs To Add A Wing?
Although the season is only a little over two weeks old, a handful of teams have already seen players go down with significant injuries. The Pacers, Timberwolves, and Warriors are among the clubs to lose players for three months or more, having all lost key contributors at shooting guard or small forward.
For the Pacers, Danny Granger is expected to miss three months with left patellar tendinosis. Minnesota's Chase Budinger will miss around the same amount of time after undergoing knee surgery. And the Warriors won't even get Brandon Rush back this season after he tore his ACL in the team's second game.
All three teams have been linked to potential replacements since their players suffered their respective injuries, with free agents like Mickael Pietrus and Josh Howard discussed as possibilities, along with trade candidates such as Raja Bell. So far, none of three teams have made a move, but each club has the flexibility to do so, with fewer than 15 fully guaranteed contracts on the books.
Today's poll question is this: Which of these three clubs most needs to add a player on the wing? Granger is the biggest star of the three, but he should be back in time for the second half for the Pacers, whereas the Warriors will be without Rush all season. Meanwhile, Budinger isn't necessarily a top scorer in Minnesota, but with a handful of players already sidelined by injuries, the T-Wolves may be the team in most immediate need of a replacement.
So which club do you think most needs to make a move?
Which team most needs to add a wing?
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Minnesota Timberwolves 45% (190)
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Indiana Pacers 31% (132)
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Golden State Warriors 16% (66)
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They'll all be fine standing pat 8% (33)
Total votes: 421
Poll: Did The Lakers Make The Right Hire?
Earlier today, the Lakers made their hiring of Mike D'Antoni official via press release, bringing closure to a bizarre week in Los Angeles. Unsurprisingly, the announcement placed a strong emphasis on how D'Antoni's up-tempo offensive philosophy will make for a strong fit for the 2012/13 incarnation of the club.
"After speaking with several excellent and well-respected coaching candidates, Dr. [Jerry] Buss, Jim [Buss] and I all agreed that Mike was the right person at this time to lead the Lakers forward," said GM Mitch Kupchak. "Knowing his style of play and given the current make-up of our roster, we feel Mike is a great fit, are excited to have him as our next head coach and hope he will help our team reach its full potential."
Of course, Phil Jackson was among the top candidates considered for the position, and, from the outside, it appeared that the job would be his if he wanted it. It turns out that this was the perception from the inside as well, as Jackson claimed earlier tonight that he was told he was offered the job and would have until today to accept. Instead, Jackson was woken up at midnight by a phone call from Kupchak who informed him that D'Antoni would instead take the reins on a three-year deal.
D'Antoni and Jackson were obviously the top two choices for the Lakers gig and it doesn't appear that the club went any further down their list. Former Blazers coach Nate McMillan was viewed as a possible candidate, but was reportedly never contacted by the club. Same goes for longtime Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, who said that he would not lobby for the job without first hearing from Kupchak & Co.
The Lakers are hoping that a reunion between D'Antoni and starting point guard Steve Nash will allow the team to fulfill its vast potential, but there are plenty of question marks when it comes to the former Knicks and Suns head man. While D'Antoni-led teams are known for delivering high-octane offense, they tend to be less-than-tenacious on the other side of the floor, to put it mildly. Having center Dwight Howard to control the low-post should be a major boost to the club, but it's fair to wonder if they'll be playing quality D while putting up shots in seven seconds or less on offense.
Do You Like The Lakers' Hiring Of D'Antoni?
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No 55% (669)
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Yes 45% (555)
Total votes: 1,224
Poll: Best NBA Contract
Earlier today, HoopsWorld posted an article debating the best-valued contracts in the NBA. Among the names the writers posited were Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Raymond Felton, Kyle Lowry, and Tony Parker.
Which of these contracts to you think is best? Or is it someone else entirely? Weigh in in the comments.
Who Has The Best Contract In The NBA?
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Rajon Rondo 45% (305)
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Kyle Lowry 16% (108)
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Ray Allen 14% (94)
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Tony Parker 10% (64)
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Raymond Felton 8% (55)
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Other 7% (45)
Total votes: 671
Poll: Who Should Be The Lakers’ Next Coach?
The Lakers have ensured it's an eventful Friday afternoon, dismissing Mike Brown in what former Magic coach Stan Van Gundy called "the most ridiculous firing in the history of NBA," according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. Just five games into the regular season, the Lakers are now involved in a search for their next permanent head coach, with assistant Bernie Bickerstaff taking over in the interim.
Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak and executive VP Jim Buss are certainly making phone calls, but for now, Mike Trudell of Lakers.com (Twitter link) says any speculation about the team's new head coach would be just that — speculation. Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld hears from a source that the Lakers have yet to zero in on a specific name, and that "everyone is a candidate" (Twitter link).
Still, there are a number of ex-coaches that make sense for the Lakers to varying degrees. I outlined some of the pros and cons for a few of the high-profile candidates in an earlier post. Now it's your turn to weigh in. Which candidate do you feel is the best fit for the Lakers? Who would you hire if you were running the team? Vote in the poll below, and feel free to explain your choice in the comments section.
Poll: Who Should Be The Lakers' Next Coach?
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Phil Jackson 53% (694)
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Jerry Sloan 15% (196)
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Mike D'Antoni 12% (158)
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Brian Shaw 10% (136)
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Nate McMillan 5% (68)
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Someone else 3% (37)
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Bernie Bickerstaff or another Lakers assistant 1% (17)
Total votes: 1,306
Poll: Did Mark Cuban Cost Himself A Ring?
It has been nearly 18 months since the Mavericks beat the Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals, but if you take a look at their current roster, it sure seems longer than that. Forced to change their offseason approach after missing out on Dwight Howard and Deron Williams, the Mavs overhauled their roster by adding much cheaper veteran alternatives like Elton Brand, Darren Collison, O.J. Mayo and Chris Kaman. At 4-1 through their first 5 games, their strategy looks like a stroke of genius so far.
However, accoring to Marc Berman of the New York Post, Tyson Chandler said today that he thinks that by blowing up the 2011 title team, Mark Cuban cost himself a second championship. With Jason Kidd now also in New York, Chandler addressed Cuban's post-title decision-making:
"I'm glad because I'm here. It's a great situation. I'm very happy with the situation. I definitely think we had an opportunity to win back-to-back. Unfortunately things were blown up. That's the business side of it."
So what do you think? Had Cuban opted to retain Chandler and Jose Barea, among others, would the Mavericks have won a second title?
Did Mark Cuban Cost Himself A Ring?
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No, it was a one-run type of team 77% (528)
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Yes, they would've gone back-to-back 23% (162)
Total votes: 690
Poll: Will Kenyon Martin Sign With An NBA Team?
On Sunday, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports reported that Kenyon Martin has yet to even receive even a non-guaranteed contract offer this year. The forward is, predictably, frustrated by the lack of opportunities put him front of him this offseason, but it's fair to say that he misjudged what the market would be for his services. The 12-year veteran wanted a team to fork over the mini-mid level exception for him, which could have been a realistic request under the old CBA.
Now, Martin is anxious to get back on an NBA court and prove that he can still play at a high level while shedding the bad-boy image that has plagued him throughout much of his career. While Martin struggled to contain his emotions on the court in his early years with the Nets, the forward has since learned to control his anger and no longer racks up technical fouls in bunches. He has also learned a valuable lesson from this offseason and now plans to sign with the next club that makes him an offer. The Knicks, Lakers, Mavericks, Nets, Hawks, and Spurs all checked in on Martin this offseason – will one of those clubs come calling again with a contract in hand?
Will Martin Play In The NBA This Year?
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Yes 73% (351)
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No 27% (132)
Total votes: 483
Poll: Will The Bucks Trade Brandon Jennings?
While the most of the top players from the 2009 draft class received contract extensions prior to the Halloween deadline, Bucks guard Brandon Jennings did not. The 23-year-old has had an up-and-down relationship with Milwaukee management in his time there, but from the outside Jennings has looked much happier to be with the club. In fact, Jennings reportedly backed down from his desire for a max contract and was seeking just $9-10MM annually on a new deal. That figure was still to rich for the Bucks' blood, apparently, as Jennings is now headed towards restricted free agency this summer.
Jennings recently told reporters that he feels as though he's "kind of auditioning for other teams". Any team that acquires the outspoken one-guard has to be willing to match an offer sheet for him next summer, but his high upside should still give the Bucks plenty of value if they decide to move him. The question is, will the Bucks move Jennings before the trade deadline or are they banking on a weak market for him in the offseason?
Will The Bucks Trade Brandon Jennings?
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Yes 51% (360)
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No 49% (346)
Total votes: 706
Poll: Which Extension Will Provide The Most Value?
NBA teams spent big on rookie-scale extensions this offseason, with over $400MM in total salary committed to extensions for eight players. But despite the hefty price tags, more than one of these new deals could turn out to be bargains for their respective clubs.
Of the eight rookie scale extensions signed in the offseason, which contract do you think will provide the most value for its team for the next several seasons? Taj Gibson's relatively inexpensive pact with the Bulls? Ty Lawson's four-year deal with the Nuggets? Maybe James Harden's max-salary extension with the Rockets looks the most appealing after his early-season performance?
Weigh in below with your pick, and feel free to explain your choice in the comments section.
Which extension will provide the most value?
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James Harden (five years, approx $80MM) 44% (403)
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Blake Griffin (five years, approx $95MM) 13% (122)
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Taj Gibson (four years, $32MM + incentives) 10% (91)
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Stephen Curry (four years, $44MM) 10% (88)
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Ty Lawson (four years, $48MM) 8% (72)
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Jrue Holiday (four years, $41MM + incentives) 6% (58)
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DeMar DeRozan (four years, $38MM + incentives) 5% (49)
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Serge Ibaka (four years, $49MM + incentives) 4% (41)
Total votes: 924
Poll: Most Impressive Rookie
Through three days of the NBA season, most of the heavily hyped rookies have made their debuts. In particular, five have had standout first games as pros: New Orleans' No. 1 overall pick Anthony Davis, Washington's No. 3 overall pick Bradley Beal, Cleveland's No. 4 overall pick Dion Waiters, Portland's No. 6 overall pick Damian Lillard, and Toronto's Jonas Valanciunas, drafted in 2011. Charlotte's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist makes his debut tonight.
Which of the five rookies who have made an impact so far have impressed you the most?
Which Rookie Has Been Most Impressive?
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Damian Lillard 51% (436)
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Jonas Valanciunas 20% (172)
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Anthony Davis 13% (110)
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Dion Waiters 13% (109)
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Bradley Beal 4% (31)
Total votes: 858