Jacoby_Ellsbury

Metta World Peace amnestied by the Lakers and picked up by the Knicks. Melo, Amare, Bargnani, and now MWP in the same frontcourt is a recipe for disaster. Knicks finally looked like they were on track for some success, now with their leadership gone and the malcontents they're bringing in they could be headed for another 2006 style implosion. Okay probably not that bad, but still.

Smith cares about money at this point, can't say I blame him for taking it. Bad signing for Detroit though, unless Monroe is on the trading block. Even then though Detroit doesn't have many offensive options on that team, so there's nobody to stop Smith from running wild and firing up the hasty 19 footers he's become notorious for the past couple seasons. They'll probably make the playoffs this season thanks to tankapalooza, but after that they're looking like a perennial 38 win team unless Drummond turns into a star center. As for PER, okay, but still a lot more to defense than steals and blocks.

I guess someone forgot to tell Bill Simmons that a) Howard was injured last year, but it wasn't a major injury comparable to the 'yes' guys on that list, and PER is a strictly offensive statistic (although I think rebounding has some influence), and Howard has never been particularly great from a strictly offensive standpoint. Compared to many other guys on that list, Howard's post game leaves a lot to be desired. His impact has always revolved around his ability as a defensive anchor and rebounder. Orlando Dwight was Dwight at his best physically. Just like Cleveland LeBron was LeBron at his best physically. Has LeBron's game declined since then? No it has not.

Harden's a top SG in the league. He put some big numbers last season at reasonable efficiency in his first season as the man, with only Parsons to take pressure off, even though the entire league knew of his talent, so he wasn't sneaking up on anybody. Depending on how things shake out with Wade's aging and Kobe's injury/aging, Harden could well be the best shooting guard in the NBA come April. Harden and Howard is a worthy tandem, on par with McGrady and Yao. Parsons is a worthy third wheel. With the roster filled out, that's a top 4 team in the west, for sure. Houston's achilles heel last season was their defense. Dwight by himself helps a lot to address that, seeing as he's one of the better defensive anchors to ever play in the league. If the Rockets add Josh Smith via S&T, which they certainly have the means to do and has been rumored for a while (for Asik), you can add another elite level frontcourt defender to that mix. Now you're a championship contender. If that goes down, I have them coming out of the west next year. Daryl Morey already deserves next year's executive of the year award. The Rockets appeared rudderless and mediocre ever since Yao went down in the 09 playoffs. Last fall they turn it around by capitalizing on OKC's impending cap hell and stealing Harden, now they pull Dwight and they have assets left over to maybe add one more guy they need. The issue now is whether Dwight will grow up and stop disrupting everything. You'd think he will, since he chose his destiny here and free agency is no longer looming, but after the way he's handled himself over the past year and a half, who knows. His personality is disturbingly similar to Manny's.

Biggest surprise is the division lead, for sure. Don't want to jinx it though. Just checked the overall standings for the first time in a while. The f***ing Pittsburgh Pirates have the best record in the game??

Story broke that Dwight chose the Rockets, but it was shot down by Dwight's agent and some other reporters. But apparently the Lakers, Warriors, and Mavs are all out of the picture so I don't know where that would leave him aside from Houston.

I agree about the forum layout too busy, but what are you gonna do. This was my last regular forum left that didn't overhaul itself this year. :/

Can't send a PM, seems that you're above your quota.

That's gonna be one expensive 46 win team in Brooklyn.

Reeeeeal glad I didn't have my earbuds in when I first tried to get on here. Would've gone deaf and/or s*** my pants.

Not really. Lopez and Johnson can score but they don't do much else. That's fine with the team they trotted out there last year, but far from ideal with this team where everyone's going to be craving shots. And Jason Kidd has to coach them. Brooklyn is second round maybe for the next two years or so, then they'll fall off the cliff and we get two unprotected picks. Pretty good.

I can't remember, was Vitaly Potapenko a fan favorite?

Kelly Olynyk is even more meaningless.

AND reports are we're committed to Rondo for the future. Raptorsville here we come. Should I root for the Spurs, Mavs, or Rockets?

So Boston traded up and gave away 2 second-rounders for a homeless man's Brad Miller.

Hopefully it gets by KG, but it's a cruel bit of irony that NOW we're getting the rebounder we've needed since Leon Powe left (Reggie Evans).

I approve. Pierce avatar pending.

Yeah, it's twatter. And yeah, it's Woj. But...

2013 (tonight) is a garbage draft and Atlanta has the right to swap Brooklyn's 2015 pick with their own. So we'd probably get boned on that one regardless. So the 2017 pick would be the only one with value, and even that's a toss up since it's a ways away. 2014 on the other hand is a deep, solid draft, 2016 looks good too but too early to tell. Assuming that protection is minimal of course, which it better be if those Wallace and Humphries contracts are coming back.

If the picks are for 2014, 16, and 18 then it's a good deal. 13, 15 and 17, not so much.

I don't know, maybe, I just came across it. Doesn't help his case, that's for sure. Btw Hernandez is now being investigated for a double murder in July 2012.

This guy is a world class moron based on the s*** I'm reading. f***ing guy left a shell casing in his rental car when he returned it. And the cops found a chewed piece of gum next to it (claim they can prove that Hernandez bought it at a gas station). Also took a mirror selfie of himself holding a pistol.

Oh god. I might have to steal this for another forum, it's that good.