Category: General NBA insight

General NBA insight

Return of the Wizards

Remember the Washington Wizards? They were pretty good a while back, when Gilbert Arenas and various other key guys were fully healthy. The team has been forgotten about in recent seasons but they hope to place themselves back on the map in 2009-10.

Mike Jones of the Washington Times reports:

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From new coach Flip Saunders to three-time All-Star/three-time surgery survivor Gilbert Arenas to free-agent-to-be Brendan Haywood down to aging backup point guard Mike James, every member of the Wizards has some individual criticism, fault or doubt to disprove.

But when the Wizards’ players held court during media day Monday at Verizon Center, the common theme – as cliche as it may sound – was Just win.

DeShawn Stevenson and offseason acquisitions Mike Miller and Randy Foye will compete for the starting spot at shooting guard, but all three said they’ll accept whomever Saunders chooses to start and do their part to contribute.

On paper, the Wizards should qualify for the playoffs in the East. Whether they’re a first-round-and-out team or something better remains to be seen.

Glancing at Eddy Curry

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Eddy Curry showed nice potential offensively as an inside force with the Chicago Bulls and early on with the New York Knicks, but things have gone downhill since 2006-07. In 2007-08 Curry played just 59 games and averaged an unimpressive 13.2 points and 4.7 rebounds. Last season he didn’t really exist, registering a mere three games played and spending the season an injured, out of shape mess.

Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reports:

Curry is also one of the highest-paid Knicks despite never appearing in a playoff game. He has two years left on his contract and his future in New York is shaky at best. Curry was never in shape last season and quickly fell out of favor with D’Antoni. It began when he missed camp with a stomach virus. His year was further derailed by a series of events off the court, including the murder of his infant daughter, which set him back emotionally as well.

Curry dropped 40 pounds but he’s not 100% fit. He already has injured his left hamstring and right calf during scrimmages last week but plans to practice with his teammates today at Skidmore College. It’s not much but it’s something.

The Knicks, in full rebuild mode, still look to deal Curry for expiring contracts.

John Salmons makes up for Bulls losing Ben Gordon

New Detroit Pistons guard Ben Gordon was a big part of the Bulls, on offense at least. Will Chicago miss him? Yes, but John Salmons is more than capable of easing the pain.

John Jackson of the Chicago Sun-Times reports:

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The reason no one is sweating the loss of Gordon is the presence of Salmons.

Though he played almost exclusively at small forward since bring acquired from the Sacramento Kings in February last season because of the injury to Deng, Salmons actually has spent most of his career playing shooting guard.

He probably won’t lead the team in scoring like Gordon, but Salmons is more of an all-around player and at 6-6 gives the Bulls more size in the backcourt than they’ve had in years.

”[Salmons] gives you a little more versatility,” coach Vinny Del Negro said. ”We’ll have to wait and see how all that pans out, but you like that length.

Both the Bulls and Pistons will be fun to watch early on in the season as they adjust to summer roster changes.

Discuss the Bulls on the InsideHoops Chicago Bulls forum.

Jameer Nelson returns

Jameer Nelson returns

The Orlando Magic aren’t really themselves anymore with Hedo Turkoglu gone and Vince Carter in his place. There are other changes too, of course, like rugged forward Brandon Bass coming on board.

But despite reaching the NBA Finals last season, the Magic weren’t truly themselves because point guard Jameer Nelson was injured.

Although the team will be different this season, fans should get to see the old Nelson again.

Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel reports:

Is Jameer Nelson back to being his old self?

“I feel good — normal now,” he said. “I worked harder this summer than I did any summer ever because I had to. I wanted to get back to the level I was at. I didn’t want to become just one of the guys.”

Nelson concedes that the little guy running around in the NBA Finals against the L.A. Lakers, making a surprise return just four months after major shoulder surgery, was an imposter.

“I was nowhere near 100 percent,” he said after a recent workout at RDV Sportsplex. “I’m not sure of where I was at. Because of who I am, I was really confident out there. I didn’t play with any lack of confidence. It was just me knowing the reality of the situation, knowing I couldn’t do certain things.

“I had to tone things down a little bit.”

The Magic will be interesting to watch in 2009-10. Even with Nelson playing like his old self, I can’t help but wonder if they’ll take a step backwards this season.

Jazz hope to avoid injury woes

On paper, last season’s Utah Jazz were a very good team and while not necessarily a championship contender they appeared to be as good as anyone on that next level down. But the  injury bug big hard, keeping them at a constant disadvantage. Ross Siler of the Salt Lake Tribune reports:

More than anything, the Jazz are hoping to avoid a repeat of last season, when they lost players to injuries for a combined 149 games, forcing them to use 20 starting lineups.

“I thought it definitely put a damper on our season,” said Deron Williams, who suffered a sprained left ankle in the preseason and missed 13 games before returning for good.

“We never got comfortable, we never got continuity with each other. It was just a tough adjustment for everybody to go in and out of different lineups and play with different roles. Nobody had a defined role for a whole season.”

Although the Jazz dropped seven of their final nine regular-season games, including a crushing home loss to a seven-man Golden State team, general manager Kevin O’Connor opted to keep together the roster.

The Jazz continue to have a talented, very good, scary team, on paper at least.

Anderseon Varejao in a good place

Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Anderson Varejao is in a good place right now as far as his basketball life both home and abroad is concerned. Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports:

anderson varejao overpaid

Not only is Varejao sporting a new contract, he’s also got his national hero status back.

Healthy and with a new six-year, $48 million deal, he was able to play to Brazil in the FIBA Americas Championship in Puerto Rico. He played well, averaging 13.6 points and 8.4 rebounds, and the Brazilians won the gold medal and qualified for next summer’s world championships. Team USA didn’t take part.

“It was a good summer for me, it was good to be able to play for Brazil again,” Varejao said. “When I was at the airport in Sao Paulo on my way back, there were people who wanted to take their pictures with me now.”

Varejao said it helped that the team’s performance in Brazil got excellent television coverage at home. But what he did after he came back didn’t hurt his reputation, either.

The Cavs remain one of several favorites in the Eastern conference to reach the NBA Finals.  The team is playing Varejao more money than what a role player expects to make. I’m not sure how much he can improve.

Dennis Rodman wants to inspire children

If there’s one former professional basketball player you’d want to give advice to children, naturally the first name on everyone’s list would be… Dennis Rodman.

Jason Stromberg of Forum Publishing Group reports:

Dennis Rodman says he hasn’t picked up a basketball in forever and insists the game isn’t what drives him anymore.

“I want to reach out to today’s children, because nowadays it’s hard to do such a thing,” said the former rebounding king and five-time NBA champion. “Look at the world we live in. It’s so fast-paced with all the electronics. I want to make it a better place.”

A seven-time first-team All-Defensive selection, Rodman was at the Ocean Manor Resort Hotel, 4040 Galt Ocean Drive in Fort Lauderdale, last Wednesday for an appearance on the Jeff DeForrest sports talk show on WWNN 1470 AM. He was on hand to help promote the You –Me –BBQ & Tennessee charity event to benefit the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“My advice for kids is to understand the difference between good and bad and learn from it,” he said. “You try and reach out to as many as you can. A lot of the kids look at me as a cartoon character, someone who is witty and funny. I love that, but I also want them to see me as a beneficial person, someone who isn’t bad and is doing as many positive things as possible.”

Rodman may be a cartoon character, but if he says positive stuff to the kids that’s all that matters. I just hope they didn’t see him on The Apprentice.

InsideHoops talks to Brandon Jennings

Milwaukee Bucks rookie Brandon Jennings is a flashy, exciting point guard. And with Ramon Sessions gone, the kid has a great shot at being an immediate contributor.

Instead of spending one year on a college campus pretending to be a student, Jennings went overseas after high school and received limited minutes in Rome.

InsideHoops.com met with him in early August. Read the Brandon Jennings interview.

Michael Redd working on comeback

Michael Redd working on comeback

Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports: Michael Redd is back on the court, and that is good news for the Milwaukee Bucks. The 30-year-old shooting guard is encouraged with his progress six months after undergoing surgery in early March, to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament and torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee. Redd worked out with teammates at the Cousins Center on Wednesday and said he “could see the light.”

The Journal-Sentinel continues: Bucks strength and conditioning coach Jeff Macy has worked with Redd this week and been impressed. “He’s pretty much at an advanced stage of returning to play,” Macy said. “Physically, he’s very strong right now. He’s making the transition from machine-based conditioning. He’s more on his feet now.”

InsideHoops.com editor says: Redd faces an uphill battle in returning to All-Star form. His injuries were major. And with the trade of Richard Jefferson there will be even more pressure on him to step up and lead. The Bucks are rebuilding and have very few offensive weapons. They should struggle in 2009-10.

Share your Bucks opinion on the InsideHoops Milwaukee Bucks forum.