NBA notes July 1, 2008

MIAMI HEAT

The summer league games always sound like they’re going to be so interesting and then when they're on they seem like a practice, especially when the last basketball that was on television was two teams playing for the NBA championship. Why isn’t Miami’s new coach bothering to coach the summer league team. It’s not like he’s has any experience as a head coach. Both in Chicago and Detroit the head coaches are coaching the summer league teams and the consensus in those places is that it’s a good idea since neither Michael Curry or Vinnie Del Negro have any head coaching experience. Erik Spoelstra, where are you?

DALLAS MAVERICKS

The Mavericks could really use the help of Shaun Foster, the rookie from Vanderbilt. He’s a prototypical size for a shooting guard, but for the majority of these rookies, the sports writers are wasting ink. This may be one of those guys. He’ll have to break through a lineup that has had set rotation at guard with Jason Kidd, Jason Terry and Jerry Stackhouse. If today’s story was correct in its assessment of Foster’s shooting, the goal for him next year should be filling the role as a knockdown shooter from the bench. That’s one thing Stackhouse is not. Stackhouse is an explosive player. Unfortunately when those types of guy start to get older, they’re like the power pitcher in baseball that can no longer blow his fastball by batters.

DETROIT PISTONS

James Posey is the type of backup Detroit has been looking for to come in and spell Tayshaun Prince. The only problem is that it is unrealistic to think the Pistons can land the him. The Celtics have come out and said he is the team’s top priority in free agency and they can offer the same amount of Detroit. The Pistons will have to make it worth the hassle of uprooting and leaving a team that won the NBA championship last year and has a team capable of winning it again next year. Detroit would have to offer an attractive star as bait to give him the impression a move to Detroit would give him a better shot at a title. Right now that it doesn’t hold true that the Pistons could beat the Celtics if the teams as they are currently constructed were to meet again in next year’s playoffs. They key will be the length of the contract the Pistons are willing to offer and that will be something that will be easier to grasp once Detroit pulls off its imminent monster trade.

NEW ORLEANS HORNETS

The Hornets can’t overpay for Chris Paul. When the terms came out today about his contract extension fans should be hoping they’re talking in the five year range. He’s destined to be an elite point guard for the foreseeable future. He’s arguably the best point guard in the league already and all indications are he stays out of trouble and he has shown an interest in staying with New Orleans when he could have played out his contract and hit the market as a restricted free agent after last season. Then he really could have set the market for his value since he would have been the top free agent to come out that year. The Hornets, like everyone else, is also targeting James Posey. But I like the idea of them going after Corey Maggette. He could add some toughness that is lacking with Peja Stojakovic, who might be more suited to come off the bench at this point in his career as someone that will come into the game to knock down shots. Maggette would give the Hornets another player that can create offense. The biggest need, however, is for a shooting guard. Where are they going to find one of those?

NEW YORK KNICKS

Chris Duhon might fit into the Knicks style of play, but in Chicago last season -- which was disastrous -- Duhon seemed to do more pouting and complaining than actual playing. He didn’t act like professional. His showing up at the Duke NCAA tournament game was a blatant act of insubordination and the more guards that came to the Bulls, the more he complained instead of rising to the challenge and forcing the coach to play him, he simply gave up. After what the Knicks have gone through in recent seasons as far as chemistry problems, why bring in someone with a history of being disruptive. The Knicks need team players right now. New coach Mike D’antoni seems like he’s laying down the law. If Duhon doesn’t like what’s going on, what’s he going to do?

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

Losing point guard Baron Davis will be huge blow for the Warriors for a long time to come unless they can convince Gilbert Arenas to join the team. The Warriors might have done the only thing they could do here. Davis wanted five years guaranteed. Smartly, the Warriors were only willing to offer him two. Davis has shown no history that he will be able to play in the majority of games over the next five years, most of which will be into his 30s. He’s a phenomenal player and will be for the next couple of seasons, but beyond that is anyone’s guess. If Monta Ellis doesn’t come back the Warriors will be in even bigger trouble. Apparently they’re willing to throw $100 million at Arenas. Maybe they should be looking at Suns guard Leandro Barbosa, who the Suns, inexplicably, are rumored to be shopping around.


CHICAGO BULLS

Hopefully for the Bulls, Derek Rose will not be similar to their No.2 overall pick in 2002 Jay Williams as far as off-court fortune. There are some similarities in the two in they way they were regarded coming into the NBA. Williams came out of Duke the best college player in America. He was on a normal learning curve before the motorcycle accident. Rose will be playing for a better team next year than the team on which Williams played. Next week’s summer league can’t some soon enough. The Bulls are going to have to find out if they want to turn the team over to Rose right away. If that is the case, they’ll have some lucrative trade bait with Kirk Hinrich, a player that Golden State also might want to start thinking about acquiring. A Bulls backcourt of Rose and Larry Hughes is probably they’re best option right now with Gordon coming off the bench, assuming he sticks around. Up front they should make it Luol Deng, Tyrus Thomas and a true center. There are a few on the market. Disagna Diop from New Jersey, Andris Biedrins from Golden State. Noah and Thomas seem to repetitive, like the Cavs having both Ben Wallace and Andersen Varajao.

LOS ANGELES LAKERS

The Lakers appear to be set as a team for the next couple of seasons. They are already over the salary cap and still need to sign center Andrew Bynum to a long-term contract. There isn’t much room to upgrade this Lakers team anyway other than getting a better point guard. Derek Fisher is a nice player that is perfect for the triangle offense, but his best attributes are what he brings to the team in terms of leadership and ability to command the team. He understands his role in it and his role on the floor. The Lakers might be able to find a point guard with more individual skill, but they might miss the intangibles Therefore, the Lakers are set. That’s why they’re offseason headlines are about signing backups. They do still have the mid-level exception to play with, which puts them in the mix for James Posey