Post by 2019 Champs on Sept 16, 2010 18:51:42 GMT -5
So this is part 2 of the contract year assessment of all rebuilding teams, covering the Western Conference teams this time. Like I said before I am just taking a looking at all the teams, now West teams, with 3 or less years remaining on their contract years and then just making an educates guess on their odds of making their CY, however far away it might still be.
Houston Rockets
Years Left: 3
What they sucked for
Kahari Beaufort SF 20 6'8'' 230 B+ C C B- C+ A
Treshawn Bolden C 22 6'9'' 255 B+ D+ D+ C C+ C
The Rockets are in their first year with a brand spanking new GM in Ducky, and with that you have to wonder whether or not he can be active enough to build this team into a contender. In his first year the helm they picked in the late lotto at 11th and got the SF Kahari Beaufort. Khari looks rock solid but is probably going to need some upgrades to continue to improve as a starter in this league. Treshawn looks like a possible steal in the 2nd round but still has a way to go defensively and in his rebounding ability.
Other Key Pieces
Jonas Valanciunas C 24 6'11'' 265 A- C+ C A- A B
Jonas is the Rockets' most valuable piece right now, and it is up in the air if they should keep or trade the 5th year big man. Ducky is actively shopping Jonas but you have to wonder who is going to give value for him, he is a stud but there isn't much interest being generated in his trade block. It is key they deal him so they can finish closer to the bottom and draft a stud, rather than be drafting in the late lotto again.
The future of the Rockets depends completely on what happens with this guy.
CY ODDS:75%
It's hard to gauge the chances of him making his CY but they aren't off to a good start, they seem to be stuck in that shitty in between shit and mediocre, the spot where you draft solid players but not studs. The Rockets need to either get some players with Jonas ASAP or get rid of him ASAP to start losing more. Their direction is fuzzy with Jonas in the picture, I find it hard to predict since I don't really know what Ducky is trying to do.
Minnesota Timberwolves*
Years Left: 3
What they sucked for
Tyrek Coger C 22 6'11'' 275 B C- C- B- C+ A
L.J. Rose PG 23 6'3'' 185 C B- B+ B C- B
The Wolves, not unlike the Rockets, were forced to be picking in the late lotto this past year at the 10th slot, getting Tyrek Coger. Coger is still very raw but has solid inside, B inside is pretty sick for a rookie. They traded all their assets for pretty much shit but L.J. Rose looks pretty good so far, like Coger he is still raw, but he has a solid foundation to build on to become a really good starter eventually.
Coger is the Wolves prize from their first year of non-playoff basketball, not a great prize but still solid.
Other Key Pieces
Jordan Tebutt SF 23 6'7'' 230 B- B D+ B- C+ B
Outside of the mediocre prospects they just drafted, they have 3rd year forward Jordan Tebutt, who also is extremely mediocre. The Wolves need to be shit this year, this team needs a franchise player and they only place they are going to find that is in the top 5 of the coming draft. They are going to need to continue to add pieces through FA, luckily time is on their side with 3 years left still.
CY ODDS:
Things are murky in Minnesota right now, there isn't much to be excited about on that roster, the top pick in this coming draft could go a really long way in helping speed up, or improve, this rebuilding process. But in the first year of losing/not getting 42 wins they didn't add any great prospects. 65% could turn into 85% with a top prospects and a couple solid FA signings though that is for sure.
San Antonio Spurs**
Years Left: 3
What they sucked for
Julius Randle SF 22 6'11'' 235 B C C+ B- B A
Amile Jefferson SF 23 6'10'' 215 B+ C- D+ C+ C+ B
Aaron Harrison SG 22 6'7'' 225 B- B- C- B C A
Jaequan Brown PG 23 6'3'' 185 C B B- B+ D+ C
Brian Bridgewater C 22 6'9'' 255 B C C- A- B- B
While a lot of these guys the Spurs didn't draft themselves, they were still directly acquired immediately when they started rebuilding. The Spurs are as loaded as anyone right now with quality young talent, some of these guys were late round picks too which is a major bonus for the Spurs. Obviously these guys still need to make steps to continue to improve and become quality players moving forward, the Spurs have to be ecstatic with all the young talent they have right now.
Randle is just one of many sick young prospects on this Spurs squad that has only been rebuilding 1 year.
Other Key Pieces
Nothing
CY ODDS:[/u] 90%
The Spurs still have tons of time to try and win 42 games, they could probably flip all their young talent and win 50+ right now, but Play probably, and smartly, will continue to compile great young talent. But with all they young talent they have the options are endless, not winning 42 within 3 years would be pretty hard to do with the way the Spurs are positioned.
Los Angeles Clippers*
Years Left: 3
What they sucked for
Andre Drummond C 23 6'11'' 265 A- C- C B+ A- B
The Clippers, under new GM Dreamweaver, spent their first year tanking and drafted Kuran Iverson first overall, since then they flipped him in a deal for stud big man Andre Drummond which was a sick deal. The Clippers have opted to put win now talent around Drummond so their time of losing probably will be pretty brief.
Other Key Pieces
Blake Griffin PF 28 6'11'' 255 A- D+ C B A C
Ronnie Brewer SF 32 6'7'' 226 B B- C A- C C
Josh Selby SG 25 6'2'' 180 A- B- C+ B+ C- C
Ricky Rubio PG 27 6'4'' 190 B- B+ A+ A- D C
The Clippers opted not to rebuild for a long time and flipped their assets for guys to help them win now, Josh Selby, Rubio and Griffin are the main pieces that are going to help this team a ton moving forward. The Clippers aren't really contenders to everyone right now, but this is a team that is going to probably win 50 games this year.
The acquisition of Rubio is one of the major reasons this team could be competing for a top seed in the West soon.
CY ODDS:[/u] 99.8%
You never know about injuries and shit like that, but the Clipps have done a sick job acquiring solid talent to help them win now. If they don't win 42 this year somehow you have to imagine that somehow someway they will make the playoffs with that nucleus one of the next 3 seasons.
Portland Trailblazers
Years Left: 2
What they sucked for
Terrence Jones SF 25 6'9'' 210 B- C+ C A- B B
Tyus Jones PG 21 6'3'' 190 B B- C+ B C- A
Rasheed Sulaimon PG 23 6'3'' 195 B B B B- C- B
After a shitty start out of the gate in his first season at the helm, Traves opted to tear the team apart and tank. While using their top picks, the Blazers acquired 2 sick players in Rasheed and Tyus, they haven't really acquired shit all else. Terrence, a former top 3 pick, hasn't improved at all since joining the Blazers, and former top 5 picks Vander Blue and Rakeem Christmas have also sucked since the Blazers acquired them in deals for their players a couple season ago.
Tyus Jones looks like a stud early in his rookie year, but the Blazers might have to deal the kid to ensure 42 wins in the next 2 years.
Other Key Pieces
LaMarcus Aldridge C 32 6'11'' 240 A- C D+ B B+ C
The Blazers don't really have much outside of their main 2 top prospects, they signed Aldridge but he doesn't really help them become a playoff team. Right now they are slotted at the 8th seed but you can't tell yourself they are going to win more than 35 games this year with a straight face.
CY ODDS:[/u] 50%
Basically a coin toss to me, the Blazers have shit all outside of their main 2 and unless they hit a homerun in FA next year they are going to have to deal at least one of them. A top 5 pick this year could help them, flipping it for a stud in the off-season could help them but going into the 4th year with so many unproven players could prove extremely risky. It will be interesting to see how things in Portland unfold over the next 2 seasons.
Sacramento Kings
Years Left: 3
What they sucked for
Goodluck Okonoboh C 22 7'1'' 250 C+ D C- A- C+ A
Basil Smotherman SF 22 6'6'' 210 C+ C+ D+ A- B A
The Kings used their latest lotto pick to draft the 6'6 SF out of Michigan. This was a pretty questionable pick, he is extremely raw offensively, but his awesome D and rebounding definitely make him an interesting prospect, at the 3rd pick though you probably help for a more well rounded player on both sides of the ball, not a specialist, but that could just be me. Goodluck was acquired for Rubio by Ashes, I was not a fan of that since I am not a fan of Goodluck, but obviously that was out of Marty's hands.
Other Key Pieces
Greg Oden C 29 7'1'' 280 B C- D+ A B+ C
Quinn Cook PG 24 5'11'' 160 C B B+ A D+ B
Oden needs to be dealt ASAP, the Kings did well to move Benson for 2 picks which was sick, next in line obviously is to deal Oden. The Kings have really good young complimentary players in place, a top 3 pick, or a franchise player, would do wonders for this team. Time is on their side with 3 years left so Martinez obviously has a ton of time to decide what to do with this team.
Could this guy be the next big man dealt out of Sac-town?
CY ODDS:[/u] 80%
The team is still in rough shape but there is a ton of time to fix it up, Martinez already acquired a couple solid assets for a solid player in Benson, and a similar deal for Oden would be solid as well, the more assets to flip in a couple years the better. With solid complimentary players in Goodluck/Smotherman, and a top pick this year, and 2 years left after this year, you have to be sure the Kings have an excellent shot at winning 42 in one of the seasons coming up.
Overall most of the West teams are pretty well positioned aside from the Blazers. The Blazers have 2 sick young pieces but nothing outside of that, their reluctance to deal one of them is probably going to be their downfall. The other West teams are well positioned to probably win with the talent they have, or to flip a couple pieces to ensure the wins for their team. It will be interesting to see what all the GM's do when it comes time that they HAVE to win 42 games.
[/center]
