how many teams are 1 trade away from being a contender

[Bgil]

I'd like to think my Rockets are a Kidd/Artest/Mike Miller away from being contenders. Is that too unreasonable?

, They'd probably still f it up somehow.

[farzi]

-= original quote snipped =-

, They'd probably still f it up somehow.

Unlike those amazing Lakers

[loserX]

jazz aren't contenders yet... are u kidding me???

Well, that's debatable I guess...but the thread isn't about contenders, it's about teams that are one trade away. If we could get a physical interior defender to back up Okur (a Jeff Foster type, maybe), I don't see any reason why the Jazz are so laughable. We went to the WCF last year and are actually ahead of last year's win pace with most of our key players playing better.

[King Roosk]

-= original quote snipped =-

, They'd probably still f it up somehow.

Ahh yes, I never looked at it that way. How insightful...

[Ming Kong!]

Wait a minute.. Artest would make Houston a contender? Did I miss something? They'd have to trade a pretty big piece, like Scola, and Artest is a disaster waiting to happen.

[TheKingOfVa360]

The Wizards are one legit big man away and coach with a brain.

[tmacformvp07]

-= original quote snipped =-



I agree T-Mac is not a top 10 player, but you have been the most negative person against the Rockets.

don't worry about that guy, he thinks stoudemire is the next jesus

too bad that he couldn't make free throws when it counted the most

[Ming Kong!]

He's just mad because Chris Paul is a much better PG than Deron Williams, he'll get over it (eventually).

Anyway I'd say if the Nuggets landed Artest and he played well enough, they'd be contenders.

Wait a second, you said that I'm mad because of the whole Chris Paul/Deron WIlliams thing?

Well have seen how they match up? The Jazz dominate the Hornets, even this year. Check out this year's numbers, for the match up:

Williams: 20.5ppg 9apg 3rpg 0.5spg and shooting .773 .750 .667

Paul: 10.5ppg 6apg 5rpg 1.5 spg and shooting .348 .00 .850

So Williams plays some of his most efficient basketball vs Paul. Sure on the whole Paul is putting up better numbers, and perhaps even playing better, but he's undersized, while Williams never is. Also in comparison Paul is an injury waiting to happen, unlike Williams, who hasn't missed a game this year, and only missed 4 games this whole season. The Jazz are the hottest team since December 31st, so I wouldn't be surprised if the Jazz finish on top of New Orleans, especially with the Rockets, Mavs, and Spurs following the Hornet's All-Star break..

[The_Pope]

Toronto aren't even contending for the weak-ass East yet.

You'd have to say they're at least two good trades away from competing for the whole thing.

[LakersSquad]

-= original quote snipped =-



No I don't. They're near the bottom of the league in defense, and rebounding which are important things in the playoffs. I don't see 1 guy that could help so much to get their defence, and rebounding to a level that would be near the top of the league where it should be to win a title. I doubt Gasol would help that much in those areas.

Jo to the warriors without losing harrington will make them contenders imo

[kookie_819]

Imagine Orlando with a good passing PG like Andre Miller or Jason Kidd

[penbeast0]

Warriors, and Washington are bad overall defensivly. I don't think there 1 player could change them enough to be good enough defensivly to have a legitamte shot at winning a championship.

Jamison for Duncan and we are there . . . get it done Ernie! (assuming OP meant non-completely ridiculous trade though)

[Jack wore plaid]

-= original quote snipped =-



OMG!!! WHY ISN'T PORTLAND ON THAT LIST!! THEY HAD 10 game win streak!!

It was actually a 13 game win streak.

[Reks]

well I think Denver is either missing a good defender
and/or a CONSISTENT 3 pointer

[DraftBoy10]

Cleveland with a legitimate PG.

Rockets with a legit PG or another legit perimeter player. Bibby, Artest, Mike?

Utah with Mike Miller. He's what they need at the two spot.

Orlando with Jason Kidd. He's what they need badly at the PG spot and even Miller at the 2-spot.

[northoakland510]

Warriors, and Washington are bad overall defensivly. I don't think there 1 player could change them enough to be good enough defensivly to have a legitamte shot at winning a championship.

I'de say Utah, and Houston could add a guy to have a real shot at a title. Maybe the Blazers could be a contender nect year if they added someone really good, while getting Oden back, and Roy, and LA improve. Cleveland's hard to say. If they got a mircle trade (gasolesque) They'd have a shot imo.

Why does everyone assume the Warriors play bad defense? They play an uptempo game so the scores are going to be high. But you only win games when u actually stop the other team from scoring and that's called defense.

[Hendrix]

-= original quote snipped =-



Jo to the warriors without losing harrington will make them contenders imo

Assuming they'd want to keep Harrington, Capt Jack, Beidrins, Monta, and Baron, would they realistically have any shot of getting JO?
Either way if some magical trade happened where they got JO for nothing JO's going down hill, and I doubt he'd make enough difference to get them past the Spurs.

-= original quote snipped =-


Jamison for Duncan and we are there . . . get it done Ernie! (assuming OP meant non-completely ridiculous trade though)

Would definitly help the defence to have Duncan instead of Jamison, although it would never happen. They were 28th last year in defence though http://www.knickerblogger.net/stats/2007/ . Think they'd need more then 1 player change to bring their D up to the top of the league where it should be to be a contender imo. At the least they'd need the coach to get everyone to buyin to playing D.

-= original quote snipped =-
Why does everyone assume the Warriors play bad defense? They play an uptempo game so the scores are going to be high. But you only win games when u actually stop the other team from scoring and that's called defense.

It has nothing to do with high scores. It has to do with them letting teams score points more efficintly then most.


They are 23rd out of 30 teams in the league in defensive efficincy. Which factors in Pace, and shows how much they give up per100 possesions.
http://www.knickerblogger.net/stats/2008/

And 2nd last in rebounding differential.
http://www.nba.com/statistics/sortable_ ... &prd=1#top