NOVEMBER NBA ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS

Best Free Agent Acquisition?

Erik: Dwight Howard. The best free agent in this years class. The way he can change games defensively is unprecedented.

Sammy B: Dwight Howard. Daryl Morey finally signed his big piece. Howard should fit in well as a defensive anchor and is nicely complemented by three point shooters.

Bill: Dwight Howard. Lin, Harden, Parsons, and Howard make up the most dangerous lineup in the West and are the biggest threat to the Spurs to take the Western Conference.

Chris: Andrew Bynum* (1 year guaranteed, $12+ million) with others close behind. I’m all about value picks with most contenders and playoff hopefuls looking to add that final peace. Value adds such as Nate Robinson (2 years, $4 million), Mike Dunleavy (2 years, $6 million), Andrei Kirilenko (2 years, $6+million), Xavier Henry (1 year, less than $1 million), Metta World Peace (2 years, $3+million) come to mind. Andrew Bynum’s contract is a low risk, high reward proposition considering that he is only guaranteed one year. He was one of the best centers in the league a few years back, and was central in the Lakers’ championships. Nice contract!

*While Dwight Howard (4 years, 20+million) is the expected pick, there is no way that I’m on board with that. Dwight has never been a winner anywhere that he has gone, and has always been more interested in goofing off and having fun than winning championships. He even nearly got swept in his only finals appearance in 2009 (snaring various rebounds but struggling to be an offensive weapon), despite having a very talented roster. Dwight Howard is a super athletic big man with almost no skills, but his mental state is even worse!

Eric: Dwight Howard. After two long years, the Dwightmare is finally over. Though there are obviously a number of other contenders for this honor (Andrew Bynum, Paul Millsap, Kevin Martin*, Jarrett Jack), Dwight is deserving of this title because of the level of impact he has. Even during a down year in 2012-2013, he was 7th in free throws made, 2nd in total rebounds, 4th in blocks and 2nd in field goal percentage. Throw in the fact that Dwight is now happy and motivated, and you have a huge game changer for the young Rockets squad and high expectations heading into the 2013-2014 season. *Homer Pick.

Which Team Will Win the Southwest?

Erik: San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs were 20 seconds away from being world champs. They got better by adding Marco Belinelli. Oh yeah, they still have Pop, Parker, Duncan, and Ginobli. Kawhai Leonard continues to get better.

Sammy B: Spurs. It seems like sooner or later Father Time is going to catch up with the spurs but until otherwise I have to trust coach pop and the spurs organization.

Bill: Although Houston will be the biggest threat and Dallas will stay in the hunt if Dirk is healthy, the Spurs have the experience, talent, and motivation to win the Southwest. The addition of Marco Belinelli provides energy and a scoring boost that the Spurs may need as they continue to age. Kawhi Leonard should continue to perform. Look for Popovich to unleash him on the offensive glass more often this season, as he did against Miami in the finals.

Chris: Who is to say that the Rockets wont be last year’s Bad News Lakers – tons of talent but no chemistry or cohesion. Asik-Howard starting will be worse than Gasol-Howard, and the PF position for the Rockets is glaringly bad. The Rockets need to move Asik immediately. Further, it is always silly to count out the Grizzlies considering their continuing playoff success. Finally – the timeless Spurs will contend again this year with the core and supporting cast remaining intact. Despite all of this, it is hard to pick against Harden, Lin, and Parsons to complement the mess in the front court. As a result, I pick the Rockets to win the Southwest.

Eric: This one is going to be a dogfight. In continuing with the above theme, I’m picking the Rockets to win the Southwest. This is no doubt a bold proclamation, but with the additions of Howard, Ronnie Brewer, Marcus Camby, Omri Casspi and Reggie Williams and additional development for young studs Chandler Parsons and James Harden, the Rockets look poised to challenge for the division title. Though Tony Parker still looks like a world-beater and Kawhi Leonard is on his way to becoming a star, the Spurs, though coming off of a Finals appearance, are showing serious signs of age. Manu Ginobli will turn 37 this season and Tim Duncan, the Ageless One, will turn 38. They also lost playoff darling Gary Neal and solid backup DaJuan Blair. The Grizzlies, though retaining most of their talent as well as adding Mike Miller, are in my opinion, not quite as good as their record stated last season and will struggle with the Harden-led Rockets with the addition of Howard.

Who Are the Best Three Centers in the League?

Erik: Dwight Howard, because of his athleticism and shot-blocking ability. Roy Hibbert, he has mastered the rule of “verticality” and might be the best rim protector when it comes to using his size and length to misdirect shots at the rim. Also, he has great footwork and touch for his size as well as a great work ethic. Marc Gasol, he’s the back-bone of Memphis’ top five defense. I don’t think there is anyone better than Marc who can run the high-low. Andrew Bynum when healthy bumps out Gasol because of his ability to not be stopped around the rim. He can score with both hands, effectively and can be a 20 rebound guy.

Sammy B: Howard, And the Gasol brothers. I already touched on Howard as the best free agent signing. The Gasol brothers both provide a solid inside/outside game, are comfortable running the offense from the post. Marc is a better defender especially at communicating and getting defenders where they need to be.

Bill: Marc Gasol, Dwight Howard, and Roy Hibbert.

Chris: Dwight Howard (for brute strength); Joakim Noah (all around talent); and Al Horford (offensive skill). This is becoming a crowded conversation in recent years with the emergence of players like Marc Gasol, Roy Hibbert, the return of Andrew Bogut and Tyson Chandler, and perhaps even the potential of players like Spencer Hawes. Are we seeing the sun set on the era of the wing – I sure hope so!

Eric: The accolades keep pouring in for ol’ Dwight. Let’s go with Dwight Howard, Joakim Noah and Marc Gasol in that order. There is clearly no center in the league that is more of a load than Dwight who commands double teams every single night. Joakim, with his unique combination of size and athleticism, is one of the best rebounders (8th in rebounds per game) and defensive players (6th in blocks per game) in the league and has a growing offensive game (12th among centers in scoring, tied for 1st in assists per game). Marc Gasol was the other center along with Noah who tied for most assists per game by a center with 4.0. Marc is not as strong defensively as either Howard or Noah, but he makes up for that with his finesse offensive game and strong passing ability.

Who is the NBA’s Most Over Paid Player?

Erik: Joe Johnson, but a close second, Rudy Gay. Joe is the second highest paid player in the league and has never made it past the second round of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. He is the reason Brooklyn won’t make it to the NBA Finals due to his “Joe Iso” times during a game.

Sammy B: Gilbert Arenas* is somehow still being paid $22 million by the Magic this year. Enough said.

*Editor’s Note: Until now, I did not realize that there was a RIGHT answer to this question! Due to a contractual loophole/ negotiation, Gilbert Arenas is still being paid by the Magic from his mega contract despite not participating in any team activities.

Bill: Joe Johnson.16 and 3 on 42% shooting with zero defense is not worth the nearly 18 million dollars he will make this season.

Chris: Stoudemire is by far the easier selection here. He is top five highest paid players and Coach Woodsen has already said he won’t play in back to backs this season. Worse yet, his salary increases next year! What a disaster ever since Melo arrived. There is serious risk in having too many players with super high usage. Also, I’ll take this moment to admire the brilliance of the Boozer signing (consistent and solid production over the life of the contract).

Eric: I’m going to have to go with Amar’e Stoudemire. He has only played 76 games in two years and has a bloated salary of $21,679,893 for 2013-2014. Not only is not available very much, his minutes and production have dropped considerably from his first season in New York – only 14.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in 23 minutes last season.

Current Player Who Should Be Retired?

Erik: Marcus Camby. Camby hasn’t accomplished anything in the last few seasons and was just recently cut by Houston because of an injury.

Sammy B: Derek fisher. He can’t really defend anymore. It would be best to give his playing time to some of the younger thunder players to try and make up what they lost with harden and then Martin.

Bill: Kevin Garnett or Steve Nash. Garnett is a fake tough guy who brings nothing to his team and is simply looking for one last paycheck. Nash continues to search for an NBA title that is not coming as his body fails him. He missed a career high 32 games last season.

Chris: Obviously the answer is Keith Bogans (3 years, $5+ million). He has been a total scrub for years, but he has somehow latched on with teams due to defensive skills. Admittedly, he led the league a few years back in defense after pick and rolls. Either way, he’s only in the league to make the Celtics-Nets trade work. I may need to revisit my most overpaid comment considering that he will make $15 million over the next three years unless Boston wisely completes a buyout.

Eric: For me, it’s a toss-up between Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu. They are both way past their prime and making entirely too much money.

Team With Best Chance to Contend Against the Heat?

Erik: Indiana Pacers. Their length on the perimeter and Paul George’s consistent improvement is why I give them the edge in a seven-game series. The number one ranked defense last year has great post defense and rim protection. They keep everything in front of them, with Roy Hibbert sitting at the rim. They are much bigger than Miami and get consistent second opportunities because of their ability to control the offensive glass.

Sammy B: Indiana. I pick Indiana just barely edging the bulls. They are physical, have a young core who is only getting better and significantly upgrading their bench.

Bill: Indiana in the East due to favorable front court match ups. Ditto for Houston in the West.

Chris: The Chicago Bulls! The Bulls have always had the defensive talent and schemes to compete with the Heat, but they have always struggled to compete offensively. With Dunleavy, an improved Butler, Rose, Deng, Boozer, and chip ins from Noah and Hinrich – this team should be able to compete and push the Heat to seven. The Pacers (good big men – but bad guards and ball handling) or the Nets (super high usage and average age) are also in the discussion. The keys to beating the heat are efficient offense (without turning the ball over), big men that can rotate and play help side defense without fouling, and effective guards that won’t get trapped. The Bulls have the best chance to be effective in these three categories.

Eric: The Bulls have the best chance to compete with the Heat in the East. In a playoffs which saw them without their best player (Derrick Rose) and a hobbled Joakim Noah, the Bulls still managed to make it to the Conference Semifinals and win a game against a healthy Heat team. With the triumphant return of Rose and the addition of Mike Dunleavy, the Bulls look poised to make a deeper playoff run this season if they can stay healthy.

Next Great NBA Shooting Guard?

Erik: Paul George. He isn’t a superstar, yet, but he’s close. George is a legitimate two-way player and will consistently be an All-NBA teamer, as well as an All-NBA defensive player.

Sammy B: Harden. Or is Harden already considered great?* If so I’ll go with Beal. He’s a good shooter who improved as he rookie season progressed. It also doesn’t hurt to be playing alongside John wall.

*Editor’s Note: Yes Sam, 2012-2013 averages of 26, 6, and 5 already place him in the category of great.

Bill: Dion Waiters’ improved strength and conditioning and a better fit at head coach will help him make the leap this year.

Chris: Ben McLemore. Klay Thompson (elite shooting) and Jimmy Butler (all around game) also get a nod for their continuing improvement. Ben McLemore is one of a handful of pure shooters to enter the league over the last couple of years. What sets him apart – he has the most explosive athleticism I’ve seen from a pure shooter in a long time. He immediately draws comparisons with Ray Allen, but I think McLemore might even be more athletic than Allen when he entered the league. This will take a few years to happen, but McLemore is on deck.

Eric: Bradley Beal. Beal looks to improve on a rookie season which saw him score over 13 points a game and shoot 38% from downtown on over 4 3-pointers a game. He should be ready to take a big step forward this season.