That's just not Westbrook though, I don't think he'll ever be able to become the distributor that they want. If he tries to do that he'll take away so much from his biggest strength, his scoring.

Good news for you there Mark, apparently Lin + Novak both have full Birds rights after the hearing today. Leaves that full mid level exception free for you to chase (+ fail) Nash.

Good news for the clippers as well, can resign Billups outsign of the salary cap.

Am I the only person thinking Charlotte drafted MKG so they could bomb again this season and try to land Shabazz?

Don't get me wrong, MKG is a fine player, but they are so weak offensively and MKG won't change that too much. I think he's a fine piece to have whilst they won't improve too much in his first year. Possible good move in the long run.

Perhaps, but maybe not to the extent you think.

After Davis, the rest of the top 6 just contained players who could be a number 2 or 3 option on a team. If you need a sidekick, MKG will be the best of the bunch. Wait for next year see if you can get the franchise player.

None of the other picks would have been much of a better fit, perhaps Drummond as he has the potential to be a franchise player, but he's have been a risk.

I think Beal will be a great player, Robinson was by far the most 'ready' to get them the instant improvement you'd think they want. As I said, MKG will be a great player but he won't bring the instant success a side that bad needs. I think they will tank again and hope to get Muhammad next year, who would compliment MKG extremely well, it seems.

Yeah, reading my post back it seemed I tried to disagree with you and inevitably agreed totally. Haha.

Best move for Charlotte, none of the other picks are going to turn them around, get the pieces in place in hope of snaring a big one next year.

KG gets a few more years at the Celtics.

Batum looking for a big pay day with Minnesota - they'll be a force with the lineup their building.

The Nets though, got Wallace signed up to a $40m 4 year deal, supposedly chasing Joe Johnson hard, that makes no sense to me though. Why would they try and load up on a massively overpaid player who isn't a true superstar, UNLESS the Magic have stated he'd be a key component in any trade for Howard.

Either way though, I think Williams + Kidd are going to Brooklyn, and they are having all the pieces fall into place for them.

Why would the Knicks send Shumpert to Phoenix for Nash? I like Nash, but Shumpert is a scary good defender, whilst he could contribute offensively eventually, IMO. Unless something's gone wrong with his injury that we don't know about, is it really worth it for the Knicks? The improvement they made defensively was one they desperately needed, Shumpert was a big reason for that alongside Chandler, could you really hide Stoudemire, 'Melo and Nash?

It's fine, they haven't!

Really didn't think the Lakers rumours would happen, but to be fair they've had to give up a fair amount of Phoenix to facilitate a S+T! Gonna be interesting to see how they blend together now.

I'm also desperately hoping the Nets don't give up everything to go for Howard. I like Lopez (if fit), and I like Humphries. I reckon they'd have a better shot if they signed Illyasova. 3 good bigs there to match with the best guard pairing in the NBA. Hope it works for them, cos otherwise that JJ contract is a huge drain.

What are the odds on Phoenix now putting together a daft package to get Howard I wonder...

Can't see it. The only team I can see coming from nowhere and making a big play for Howard (that might stick) is the Clippers. Pairing him up with a better PG than Williams is the only way you have a chance of getting an extension out of him. I'd add in Chicago, but I think he wants the LA/NY kinda treatment.

I must add though, I hope they don't. He's more hated than LeBron now

Better than Harden and Westbrook? I don't think Joe Johnson is that great a player to be honest. He's smooth and highly skilled, but I don't think he's a superstar, he just doesn't have the character or the will.

I think DWill is twice the player Westbrook is though. At least twice the point guard.

Having Williams alongside him will push Johnson up to 20+ ppg without breaking a sweat.

and also, LOL at the Raptors for giving that amount of money to Landry Fields. I realise it was to try and block their move for Nash, but that's just backfired horribly imo.

Williams has been forgotten, there's no doubt about that, but part of the reason for that is because of players like Westbrook and Rose. Williams is clearly a better distributor, but Westbrook is a better defender, better athlete and probably a more capable scorer across the board. Harden is already better than Johnson IMO.

I just can't get my head around the Johnson trade. Yes, he's a good player and Brooklyn desperately want them, but he just doesn't strike me as a champion, or even a potential champion. He's smooth, stylish and certainly capable, but he seems a few notches below the superstars of the world. IMO, those two players will clearly improve them, but there are still many questions to be asked and answered.

Nets asked him who he wanted to play with, Joe Johnson was one of the names on his list. They went and got him, he re-signed.

So from what I can gather...

Magic get Brook Lopez, Luke Walton, 2 1dp from Nets, 1dp from Clippers.

Nets get Dwight + Scrap.

Cleveland get Humphries in a S+T

Clippers get MarShon Brooks.


Aside from the obvious Nets/Magic, Cleveland and Clippers are both getting great deals outa this. Cleveland get to wave goodbye to Walton and his rank contract and get a very decent player in his place. Clippers get a promising SG for what is effectively going to be a pretty late 1st dp.

Brooks could be a solid player for the Clippers. Nice skills, good playmaker and his offense will continue to develop playing next to Paul. The Clippers need a centre though as well as re-signing Kenyon Martin.

I wouldn't have Kenyon Martin as a priority anymore though, Odom would takeover his role off the bench imo.

Definately need a backup centre though, Clips have that much depth I could easily see them flipping Brooks along with Bledsoe and Butler for a big name like Iguodala.

I've said before, the Clippers could really do with a player like Thabo Sefolosha, a guard that can shoot but ultimately defend to a stupendous level. Iguodala is a great player but I don't think he'd be worth it. I think Martin provides good experience and defence, something Blake and Jordan can struggle with. Odom is solid but his consistency isn't there, they need all the depth they can get. Odom and Butler could be enough at small forward, but I'm not a big fan of Butler. He doesn't bring it often enough, he seems to take it easy too often and makes the Clippers play predictably.

With Blake and CP3, they're settled for superstars, whilst Odom and Bledsoe are great players off the bench that are versatile enough to play two positions. Jordan is in dire need of somebody to teach him defence, would Camby be a good option for a year or two for them at centre? Billups will be back at the 2 with Brooks in there possibly, whilst Odom/Butler are solid at the three. Bigs off the bench is what they really crave, I would say go for Blair if he's available but I do wonder if he's big enough, especially with Blake not being the biggest. He's the type of player they could do with though, high character, somebody who'll bring his all every night.

Cambys gone back to NY.

Agree with regards to Butler though, was a solid enough piece when they were just trying to get in the playoffs but if they are to try and go deep then not sure he's good enough. Someone like Batum isn't going for much more money and he'd be huge upgrade on Butler.

Jeremy Lin - do NY match or not?

No way imo, $14mil in the 3rd year is a no go. Especially now you've got a pretty decent PG combo in Felton + Kidd.

And as for not matching Fields' offer, that was just stupid money. Bet Fields and his Agent were laughing all the way to the bank.

NY won't match the Rockets offer. Would be hit for $85 million in luxury tax in the 3rd year. No way.

Monster trade sets up the Lakers for a title run and gives Philly a great shot in the East this year.

It still put's Philly behind Boston, Miami and Chicago. It put's the Lakers favourites though. Nash, Kobe, Metta, Pau, D12 as the starters and Blake, Ebanks, Jamison, McRoberts, Hill as the bench. Frightening, I can still see us adding a shooting guard to the mix.