The state of the Western Conference

big3_8_19_21 · Post #1 » by **big3_8_19_21** » Wed Jul 2, 2008 1:36 am

All 15 teams, one thread for discussion of the Western Conference as a whole now and in the future and how the Wolves fit in.

I'll try to keep up with FA signings/agree to terms, but mods feel free to edit this post to update for trades and signings.

Pacific Division

Golden State Warriors
Draft additions: Anthony Randolph, Richard Hendrix
RFA: Ellis, Biedrins, Azubuike
UFA: Barnes, Croshere, POB, Pietrus
players under contract:
Watson
Belinelli
Jackson
Harrington/Wright
Perovic
key losses: Baron Davis (OUCH!)
Synopsis: Warriors...welcome to the bottom of the lottery. Baron was the motor that made the no.1 scoring offense in the league run. They better at least get Ellis and Biedrins back if they want to have a half-respectable team this season.

Los Angeles Clippers
Draft additions: Eric Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, Mike Taylor
RFA: Nick Fazekas, Marcus Williams
UFA: Elton Brand, Paul Davis, Dan Dickau, Shaun Livingston, Corey Maggette, Smush Parker, Quinton Ross
key players acquired: Baron Davis
players under contract:
Baron/Knight
Mobley
Thornton
Thomas/Powell (unguaranteed)
Kaman
Synopsis: With Brand likely returning....LOOK OUT!!! The Lakers' ugly sister no longer!!! Baron Davis, Elton Brand, Chris Kaman, Al Thornton, and Eric Gordon is a ridiculous top 5. Throw any other combination of players in there to back them up and your fine.

Los Angeles Lakers
Draft additions: Joe Crawford
RFA: Ronny Turiaf, Sasha Vujacic
UFA: DJ Mbenga, Ira Newble
players under contract:
Fisher/Farmar/Karl (unguaranteed)
Bryant
Odom/Ariza/Walton
Gasol/Radmanovic
Bynum/Mihm
Synopsis: With Bynum's return, the Lakers continue to have a promising outlook and will be a contender to return to the Finals.

Phoenix Suns
Draft additions: Robin Lopez, Goran Dragic
RFA: None
UFA: Gordan Giricek, Linton Johnson, Sean Marks, Eric Piatkowski, Brian Skinner
players under contract:
Nash/Barbosa
Bell/Tucker/Strawberry (team option)
Hill/Diaw
Amare
Shaq
Synopsis: I'm not buying into this...I just don't like the team on paper. They seem to have come down from their heyday offensively and they certainly don't play championship-caliber defense.

Sacramento Kings
Draft additions: Jason Thompson, Sean Singletary, Patrick Ewing Jr.
RFA: None
UFA: Anthony Johnson, Lorenzen Wright
players under contract:
Udrih/Douby
Martin/Garcia
Artest/Salmons
Moore/SAR/Thomas
Miller/Hawes
Synopsis: Udrih/Martin is a nice young back court, especially if Udrih builds on his season last year. Who knows if Artest is there long, term, though. A lot depends on the development of Thompson and Hawes. That's awfully hard to predict. I'll take a wait and see approach, but not expect much this season.

Northwest Division

Portland Trailblazers:
Draft additions: Jerryd Bayless, Nicolas Batum
RFA: Von Wafer
UFA: James Jones
key players acquired: Ike Diogu
players under contract:
Blake/Rodriguez
Roy/Fernandez
Outlaw/Webster/Miles
Aldridge/Diogu/Frye
Oden/Przybilla/LaFrentz
key losses: Jarrett Jack
Synopsis: Oh...my...god....

Utah Jazz
Draft additions: Kosta Koufos, Ante Tomic, Tadija Dragicevic
RFA: CJ Miles
UFA: None
players under contract:
Williams/Hart/Price
Brewer/Almond
Kirilenko/Korver/Harpring
Boozer/Millsap
Okur/Fesenko/Collins
Synopsis: This is highly dependent on Boozer staying or leaving. As it is, they are going to need to transfer some of that home dominance on the road to make any serious noise.

Seattle Sonics
Draft additions: Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, DJ White, DeVon Hardin
RFA: Robert Swift
UFA: Ronald Dupree, Francisco Elson, Mickael Gelabale
players under contract:
Watson/Ridnour
Durant/Wilkins
Green/Griffin (unguaranteed)
Wilcox/Marshall
Collison/Petro/Sene
Synopsis: Westbrook was a surprise at 4, but there's no doubting his athleticism and defensive capabilities. The Sonics have a nice young core, especially if Ibaka comes. Next season will be rough again, but they should be fine in a couple years.

Denver Nuggets
Draft additions: Sonny Weems
RFA: JR Smith
UFA: Anthony Carter, Yakhouba Diawara, Eduardo Najera
Atkins/Taurean Green (unguaranteed)
Iverson
Anthony/Kleiza/Bobby Jones (unguaranteed)
Martin/Nene
Camby/Hunter
Synopsis: With little changing, it's hard to see their on the court product changing. Lots of points, but I don't see them being a serious contender. They haven't done anything substantial to improve their defense.

Minnesota Timberwolves
Draft additions: Kevin Love, Nikola Pekovic
RFA: Ryan Gomes, Craig Smith, Chris Richard
UFA: Michael Doleac, Kirk Snyder, Sebastian Telfair
players acquired: Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal, Jason Collins
players under contract:
Foye
Brewer/McCants
Miller
Jefferson/Madsen
Love/Collins (or vice versa)
players lost: Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker, Greg Buckner
Synopsis: The Wolves are about to experiment with starting 2 6'10" players at PF and C, but both are highly skilled an terrific rebounders. Though not too much is expected of them this year from most people, the Wolves are in a pretty good situation for the future.

Southwest Division

San Antonio Spurs
Draft additions: George Hill, Malik Hairston, James Gist
RFA: None
UFA: Brent Barry, Michael Finley, Robert Horry, DerMarr Johnson, Damon Stoudamire, Kurt Thomas
players under contract:
Parker/Vaughn
Ginobili
Bowen/Udoka
Duncan/Bonner
Oberto/Mahinmi
Synopsis: Well, they're certainly old, but always a threat with Parker, Ginobili and Duncan, so don't count them out.

Dallas Mavericks
Draft additions: Shan Foster
RFA: Jose Juan Barea
UFA: Malik Allen, Devean George, Juwan Howard, Tyronn Lue, Jamaal Magloire, Antoine Wright
players acquired: Gerald Green
players under contract:
Kidd/Terry
Stack/Green/E.Jones
Howard
Dirk/Bass (unguaranteed)
Damp
Synopsis: Seem to have made a pretty big error in judgment selling the farm for Jason Kidd. They now have a very narrow window of opportunity before Kidd really fizzles.

New Orleans Hornets
Draft additions: NONE, PICK SOLD (and we were pissed that we traded Mayo for Love and Miller)
RFA: None
UFA: Chris Andersen, Ryan Bowen, Jannero Pargo, Bonzi Wells
players under contract:
Paul/M. James
Peterson/Wells
Stojakovic/J.Wright/Butler
West/Ely
Chandler/Armstrong
Synopsis: The Hornets screwed the pooch on draft night. They have some incredible pieces, especially Chris Paul, but man oh man, they could have had CDR, Darrell Arthur, Donte Greene, Mario Chalmers...at a bargain basement price. Foolish move. Still, a promising young squad to look out for.

Houston Rockets
Draft additions: Donte Greene, Joey Dorsey, Maarty Leunen
RFA: Carl Landry
UFA: Dikembe Mutombo
players under contract:
Alston/BJax/Francis/Brooks
McGrady/Head
Battier/Novak (team option)
Scola/Hayes
Yao
Synopsis: The Rockets always seem to outperform my expectations, especially when you factor in the kind of injuries they usually suffer. If McGrady and Yao stay healthy, this team could be very lethal. The additions of Dorsey and Greene shouldn't be overlooked. I don't know much about Leunen.

Memphis Grizzlies
Draft additions: OJ Mayo, Darrell Arthur
RFA: Juan Carlos Navarro
UFA: Andre Brown, Kwame Brown, Casey Jacobsen
players under contract:
Conley/Lowry/Crittenton
Jaric/Buckner/McKie (unguaranteed, so I'm assuming he'll be a FA)
Gay
Warrick/Arthur/Walker
Milicic
Synopsis: An empty void of a front court. Loads of talent at the 1-3, but sorely lacking big men.

casey · Post #2 » by **casey** » Wed Jul 2, 2008 1:54 am

Portland>all

Sorry, but it had to be said.

4ho5ive · Post #3 » by **4ho5ive** » Wed Jul 2, 2008 2:06 am

So casey, were you happier with Bayless or did you want to keep Brandon Rush around?

Krapinsky · Post #4 » by **Krapinsky** » Wed Jul 2, 2008 2:53 am

Casey,

I loved you in this movie:

http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/01/23/sun ... w-baghead/

casey · Post #5 » by **casey** » Wed Jul 2, 2008 3:06 am

4ho5ive wrote:So casey, were you happier with Bayless or did you want to keep Brandon Rush around?

I almost got punched in the face for saying "#11 for #13 and #27" so much as Bayless kept sliding. So yeah, I absolutely loved it.

mnWI · Post #6 » by **mnWI** » Wed Jul 2, 2008 3:18 am

casey wrote:
4ho5ive wrote:So casey, were you happier with Bayless or did you want to keep Brandon Rush around?

I almost got punched in the face for saying "#11 for #13 and #27" so much as Bayless kept sliding. So yeah, I absolutely loved it.

To be fair, I was the one who was going to punch him in the face. Because I suggested Portland might trade up for Bayless before the draft, and he wouldn't let his dream go...lol

casey · Post #7 » by **casey** » Wed Jul 2, 2008 3:18 am

Dr.Krapinsky wrote:Casey,

I loved you in this movie:

http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/01/23/sun ... w-baghead/

Thank you sir.

spoilerz alert!

I'm the guy with the bag on his head. Yep.

Wingman · Post #8 » by **Wingman** » Wed Jul 2, 2008 3:23 am

casey wrote:Portland>all

Sorry, but it had to be said.

I agree 100 percent. They are definitely the team to watch next year. I hope they fail miserably, but I just don't see it happening. I was so angry when they got Bayless. Infuriating.

Post #9 » by **Basti** » Wed Jul 2, 2008 9:58 am

Baron Davis signed with the Clippers? damn. I didn't know they had cap space. anyway, if Brand remains a clipper they have a great S5. look out for them - barring any injuries!

Tirion · Post #10 » by **Tirion** » Wed Jul 2, 2008 10:32 am

casey wrote:Portland>all

Sorry, but it had to be said.

not next season. me personally, I want to see oden play first, before crowning them.

mayorhoiberg · Post #11 » by **mayorhoiberg** » Wed Jul 2, 2008 1:03 pm

This is a great thread, big 3. I look for the Clippers and the Blazers to make some noise next year.

casey · Post #12 » by **casey** » Wed Jul 2, 2008 2:39 pm

Tirion wrote:
casey wrote:Portland>all

Sorry, but it had to be said.

not next season. me personally, I want to see oden play first, before crowning them.

I see them making the playoffs next year, but it'll be a year or two before they actually contend.

Devilzsidewalk · Post #13 » by **Devilzsidewalk** » Wed Jul 2, 2008 2:43 pm

Lakers have Portland destroyed at every position

TMo519 · Post #14 » by **TMo519** » Wed Jul 2, 2008 3:11 pm

Ugh, the West is just so freakin ridiculous. The east may be top heavy with teams, but man, the West from like 1-10 is just plain NASTY.

funkatron101 · Post #15 » by **funkatron101** » Wed Jul 2, 2008 3:28 pm

Yep, baring injury, the Clippers are a force next year. I think one of the "elite" will no longer be a factor.

4ho5ive · Post #16 » by **4ho5ive** » Wed Jul 2, 2008 5:07 pm

I personally think the Suns are done. Management is trying to force this team into something they are not. Steve Nash is like 47 years old. If Amare had trouble listening to D'Antonio (which I heard, not sure if its true) why would he listen to Terry Porter? Shaq is no longer the Diesel. Hill is about over it. And Im not even sure what their identity is anymore, im not sure Porter does either.

Clips can push the Suns out of the West. Im gonna go to at least 2 Clipper games this year, they are gonna be so exciting. Baron brings alot of heart and he is a great teammate.

Charlie78 · Post #17 » by **Charlie78** » Wed Jul 2, 2008 7:42 pm

Devilzsidewalk wrote:Lakers have Portland destroyed at every position

Seriously? How so?

cpfsf · Post #18 » by **cpfsf** » Wed Jul 2, 2008 7:50 pm

I think the only team that has the best chances of having a dynasty run is the Portland Trailblazers. The Celtics and the Lakers are both very good teams (the best in quite a while), but the Blazers are a team that could make the playoffs this year while having 4 starters with rookie contracts.