Jacoby_Ellsbury

+1

Mo Williams.... so what? They already had two quality point guards on that roster (Gibson, West), why did they need a third? Williams is negligibly better than Gibson, and does the same things he does. Basically, the Cavs went out and acquired a player they didn't need and didn't have room for. Mo Williams is more likely to counter-productive than productive. The King still doesn't have a second star. The Cavs are basically the same team as last year. I don't see it. Their reserves are horrific, and the Hawks only won 37 games last year. Its going to take a bit more this year. Atlanta didn't improve at all. I think Chalmers will surprise some people in his rookie year. The Heat also signed Jamaal Magloire to play center, and he'll be servicable because they won't be counting on him to score. Last year the Nets signed him with the hopes that he could be their main post scorer. Wade/Marion/Beasley is going to be a great trio this season barring injury, Chalmers and one of Magloire/Blount can fill out the other two spots adequately, and they have enough off the bench (Daequan Cook, James Jones, the other of Magloire/Blount, and Alonzo Mourning might be back the second half of the year) to return to the playoffs. They're a legit 4-6 seed team, in my book. Did you watch Indiana last year? This no-star group played well enough to be in the playoff chase till the end. The one thing they lacked was a good point guard. Enter T.J. Ford, you would agree he's a good point guard, right? He's exactly what that team was missing last year, when they had a real shot at a playoff berth. Indiana's bench consists of Jarrett Jack, Marquis Daniels, Austin Croshere, Jeff Foster, and Eddie Jones. Not spectacular, but its good enough where it won't hurt them. They also have two rookies that a lot of people like, Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert. I don't think depth is a huge issue. Ben Gordon? I do agree with your general point here though. West: IMO, they're primed to take a step back. Where was this team before last year? They were the surprise team in the NBA last season, coming out of nowhere. Having followed the Association for quite a while, I've noticed that surprise teams like that often tend to fall back to Earth the following year. So on paper, this team should at least equal last season's production, but this game is not played on paper. What did Bynum do to deserve the cancer title? Those first couple of years with the Lakers where he was just awful and had everybody inside and outside the organization calling for his head... I think he responded to that pretty well. If he can respond to adversity like that, I think he can handle whatever this season throws at him. Bynum gives L.A. what they did not have after trading for Gasol... toughness inside. Big factor. Lakers will be dominant this season. If they do have in-house chemistry problems, it would be from Odom (and even that's not likely) being upset with his new bench role, not from Bynum. Houston is the premier defensive team in the NBA now. I don't think health will be an issue (but I say that every year about Houston). If everyone stays relatively healthy, the Rockets are absolutely loaded. They're primed for a collapse. The frantic run-and-gun game is gone, and Amare was a star in that system. His main offensive game is run-and-dunk. On defense, which Terry Porter is placing much more emphasis on, Amare is less than stellar. This new system hurts Amare more than anything. At Nash's age, he is also best suited for the fast break game. As far as Shaq, he just can't be counted on. He's finished, he already stated he plans retire in 2010. If he still had a lot in the tank, he wouldn't have said something like that. So to review, the Suns' two core players won't be helped by this new system, and Shaq just sucks now. Not this drastic. San Antonio will be fine. Ginobili will be back in mid-December, and will be around when the Spurs go on their typical mid-to-late season run. That's an all new team in L.A. We'll see, since it worked here in Boston, but I think chemistry will be a major issue there, and the players they bought in aren't on the level of the players the Celtics bought in last offseason.

Well since the preseason is pretty much over and SI's sure-to-be-entertaining NBA preview issue is out tomorrow (or today, actually), I thought I would launch our own predictions thread for the upcoming season. Here be mine: *note* -- only doing the top 8 for each conference EAST 1. Celtics -- Defending champs, and no one in the East improved to the point where they can realistically catch us. The C's did lose Posey, but I don't think that's a huge loss at all. A healthy Tony Allen can fill his role no problem. That said, I do think the C's will see a sharp drop in regular season wins this time around, possibly by double digits. Reason being, there isn't the same anticipation and pressure around the team as there was this time last year. Guys are more inclined to relax, and the core guys have nothing to prove. I still say we're the favorite to win the East though. 2. Magic -- I think they have to be the clear cut 2nd best team in the East right now. 4/5 of their starting five is just outstanding (Shard, Howard, Nelson, Turkoglu), and they picked up two guys in the offseason to help at shooting guard, which was their weakest position last year. Howard and Nelson are only going to improve, and Shard should fit in better his second year in Orlando. 3. Pistons -- Billups and Hamilton are starting to get up there in age, but the Pistons have Rodney Stuckey backing them up, who figures to have a breakout season. Detroit has a solid enough frontcourt to keep them going strong. I see a dip in wins for them this season, but there's no reason to think they won't be around in mid to late May. 4. Heat -- This is my sleeper team, obviously. Assuming Wade comes back and plays at least 75 healthy games, Miami has a good enough cast around him to bounce right back into the playoffs. I think it will happen. Another thing, this team was no where as bad as their final record indicated. Wade was hurt, Shaq was old, they got off to a really bad start out of the gate, and more or less quit after that, fielding D-league lineups by March. Wade has a quality supporting cast, with Shawn Marion, Michael Beasley, Mario Chalmers, and Daequan Cook, to name a few. Don't forget Shaun Livingston, who's coming off a horrific knee injury that cost him all of last season. If he can tap into his potential and give Miami a solid point guard presence, that would be a huge boost. 5. 76ers -- Signing Brand was a low-risk, high reward move for a Sixers group already on the rise. This team figures to have one of the best starting fives in the league (Miller, Iguodala, Young, Brand, Dalembert), and spent much of the offseason getting cheap help for their bench, such as Donyell Marshall, Theo Ratliff, Kareem Rush, etc. to help Willie Green and Louis Williams. The Sixers have all the tools to do well their first year together. A championship may be a stretch though, at this point, as I doubt they can really compete with Boston, Detroit, or Orlando... yet. 6. Cavaliers -- The Mo Williams trade was one of the most pointless trades they could have made. Cleveland already had two solid point guards that could drain it from 3, why did they need a third (who isn't much better than the other two)? Cleveland is one year removed from an Eastern Conference title, but they only had to beat one team to get there. This team is just like all the other Cavs teams in the past 4 years; good, but not nearly good enough. LeBron is still lacking in the help department. Time's getting short, Cleveland. 7. Raptors -- Toronto acquiring Jermaine O'Neal was also a lateral (and pointless) move, at best. The Raptors had one of the very best PG tandems in the NBA, what's the sense in abandoning that to take on an injury prone forward/center who does pretty much the same things Bosh does? The Raptors will stagnate this season, as opposed to improving. 8. Pacers -- For those who payed attention to the Pacers last season, there were two major issues with last year's team. First, Jermaine O'Neal could not get healthy, was counter-productive to the team when he was healthy, and Indiana was hell-bent on getting rid of him. Second, the remaining players on the floor played very good basketball, surprising even, and what killed them was the point guard position; Tinsley is a waste of space, and Travis Diener is not a starting point guard. They settled both problems this summer by trading O'Neal to Toronto for T.J. Ford and Roy Hibbert. Ford is a speedy, slashing guard who really helps Jim O'Brien's up-tempo style, and he'll create more shots from distance for guys like Dunleavy and Murphy. Considering how Indiana played last year without any point guard to speak of, they're in great position to return to the playoffs after a two year absence. WEST 1. Lakers -- At least for the regular season, this is not debatable. The Lakers will run away with the regular season wins crown. Bynum is returning, and to help ease what would have been a crowded frontcourt, they send Odom to the bench, with Luke Walton being the likely new starter as the SF. That move can only help, as Odom will be better served backing up Pau Gasol as opposed to playing with him. You only play with one basketball. However once they get to the playoffs, there is plenty of stiff competition in both conferences that could take them out. 2. Jazz -- This team is constantly overlooked by pretty much everyone, but they have a basketball tandem in Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer that may rival Stockton and Malone. Just look at the success they've been having in two years together, if you don't believe me. There is plenty of depth around the two of them (Kirilenko, Brewer, Okur, Miles, Knight, Millsap) for Utah to be at the top of the standings again, and to be a legitamite Finals threat. 3. Rockets -- The newest big three in the NBA came together when the Rockets went for it and acquired Ron Artest. Its a risky move, but I think it will pan out. Houston has arguably the league's premier defensive team with that move, and I consider them as much of a title contender as anyone. 4. Spurs -- I've learned my lesson: don't bet against the San Antonio Spurs. Manu Ginobili is out until mid-December with an ankle injury, but the Spurs have depth surrounding Parker, Ginobili, and Duncan. They have three nice looking young players, Salim Stoudamire, Ian Mahinmi, and George Hill, that could handle a decent-sized role this year if need be. The Spurs might see an end to the 55 wins a year streak, but they are still a championship contender. Its also an odd year. 5. Hornets -- The Hornets were a surprise team last year, coming out of nowhere to place 2nd in the elite west. One thing I've learned following the NBA, surprise teams like that often come back down (or closer to, at least) to Earth the following season. This team had the same squad, except for Morris Peterson, the season before last, and they were completely absent from the playoffs that year. For this year, New Orleans will take a step back as opposed to another step forward. 6. Mavericks -- Rick Carlisle's free flowing offense will probably save this team from plunging into mediocrity. Nowitzki won't be forced into being a post player anymore, he can be the perimeter that he's supposed to be. Jason Kidd should also be revived, as this system/team is a little friendlier toward his style of play. Dallas has plenty of firepower at point guard, with Kidd and Barea, and solid center and power forward combos (Dampier/Diop, Nowitzki/Bass respectively). On the wings right now they are a little thin, but they have two former first-round draft picks in Gerald Green and Antoine Wright, who still have time to turn things around. I think there is way too much talent on this team to miss the playoffs, even if they aren't a real title contender. 7. Trail Blazers -- Yes they are young, but there is just too much to love about the talent they have. Brandon Roy's an established stud, Outlaw and Aldridge are very nice players, and we'll be getting our first look at Jerryd Bayless, Rudy Fernandez, and Greg Oden (yes, that Greg Oden). All three figure to contribute heavily in the near future, if not this year. Enough teams in the West sunk out of the picture this offseason for Portland to slip comfortably into the playoffs. 8. Kings -- No one noticed, but the Kings were closing in 40 wins last season, for a team that was projected to win no more than 30. For the time that Ron Artest was playing for the Kings, they actually played better when he wasn't in the lineup. They traded him to Houston this summer, and got a solid prospect in Donte Greene (they also re-acquired Bobby Jackson to help at guard). There is no doubt Sacramento is in rebuilding mode, but led by Kevin Martin, who can contend for the scoring title this year, the Kings are a surprise team perfectly capable of making the playoffs and being heard from. Discuss. And of course anyone is more than welcome to post their own ideas.

Eewwww...

Personally, I'm expecting him to be back with the Padres. But when a pitcher like him is (seemingly) put on the block, it draws interest.

Ick... he's not that old though is he? Like 48?

The Twins were under more pressure to get rid of Santana, considering he would have been a free agent this winter had they held onto him, and he most definitely would have left for nothing. San Diego has Peavy sealed well into next decade. Slightly different circumstances.

Ok, you're excused.

Why would Sabathia need to be traded for?

LOL That might work too.

Gom you're a traitor. I thought I was the favorite son here. Then you go and name this dude your sidekick. =/

Hmmm... we may be able to get along.

I think Colon should be upgraded to Joe. He did fill in some valuable space in the rotation early this year, no pun intended.

At least one team didn't rip my heart out tonight. Go Bucs. And NBA regular season is right around the corner, which I'm psyched about. Still, I'm an emotionally disturbed motherf***er right now.

While we were extremely fortunate, I find it very hard to believe that none of you are pissed off about this.

Red Sox, Rays, Yankees, .......?? The Jays and Orioles suck.

I like that rotation a lot.

49ers recover a loose ball, Coughlin is challenging.

Giants are the one team that I get on local TV every week that I don't mind watching. They're up on SF right now late in the 3rd.

I say we trade Masterson, keep Buchholz. Clay has unbelievable stuff, and he's still very early in his career. He sucked this season, but a lot of good pitchers in the game had a rocky first or second year. As for the position player, I've never heard of Reddick... so I guess the Padres can have him.