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2012 NBA Draft and Offseason Blog

Written by Paul Banks of the Washington Times, and David Kay of the The Sports Bank.
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2012 NBA Offseason Losers - July 21

Houston Rockets
Basically, everything general manager Daryl Morey has done this offseason revolved around the longshot of landing Dwight Howard via trade from Orlando, even though Houston is not one of Howard's desired destinations and there is no guarantee he would sign a long-term extension with the team. The Rockets even amnestied their best player, Luis Scola, rather than trying to trade him for some assets, simply so the team could clear about $30 million in cap space over the next three years.

On top of that, Houston gave a 3-year, $25 million contract to Omer Asik, who has career averages of 2.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Morey also bought into Linsanity - literally - by signing Jeremy Lin to a 3-year deal that will net him $14.8 million in 2014-15.

I didn't really love the Rockets' draft either. I'm not sold on Jeremy Lamb and picking Royce White and Terrence Jones now gives the team about five combo forwards on its roster. Houston has set itself up to have a ton of cap space for next summer and, potentially, three first-round draft picks, including the one landed from Toronto in exchange for Kyle Lowry.

Glass-half empty though; Morey doesn't exactly have a great track record recently with acquiring young assets. So now, the Rockets enter next season with a likely starting five of Asik, Patrick Patterson, Chandler Parsons, Kevin Martin and Lin, and is a massive loser in the offseason.

Indiana Pacers
Larry Bird's regime in Indiana was predicated around building the franchise through smart decisions, not overpaying free agents, and drafting wisely. Bird left, Kevin Pritchard took over as general manager, and that blueprint flew right out the window.

I understand the Pacers were backed into a corner and pretty much had to match the max offer sheet that the Blazers threw at Roy Hibbert. An amount of $58 million is a lot to give him for the next four seasons, but big men are constantly overpaid in the NBA - see: Omer Asik.

What didn't make any sense to me was trading a starting-caliber point guard, Darren Collison, to Dallas in a sign-and-trade deal for another center, Ian Mahinmi, just days after Indiania wasted its first-round pick on Miles Plumlee. That deal will net Mahinmi, who has averaged 4.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game during his four year career, $16 million over the next four years. The Pacers did also add some smaller pieces to improve their depth in the backcourt, but I can't look past the moves they made to "bolster" their frontcourt.

Milwaukee Bucks
Perhaps nobody reaped the benefits of having a career year during his free agent season than Ersan Ilyasova. He had a terrific performance in 2011-12 and parlayed that into a 5-year, $45 million deal this summer.

That's a lot to pay Ilyasova, especially when just days before the Bucks drafted another power forward, John Henson. Ilyasova does give Milwaukee an effective stretch four, but now the team has a logjam at power forward which includes its lottery pick, who likely won't crack the rotation.

The Bucks also didn't do anything to improve the small forward position even though Carlos Delfino is a free agent. Therefore, they enter next season with some sort of rotation between Luc Richard Mbah a Moute - another defensive minded, offensively challenged, long forward -, Mike Dunleavy and second-year player Tobias Harris, who didn't show much during his rookie season.

With Monta Ellis holding a player option on the final year of his deal next summer and Brandon Jennings becoming a restricted free agent, Milwaukee needed to add better pieces around its explosive guard duo; I can't say the Bucks succeeded in improving as a basketball team. They did get a great second-round value in Doron Lamb, though and actually added a true center in Samuel Dalembert.

SunsFan 07-06-2012 02:18 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.183 (total posts: 1)

Why the MOTHERF U C KING LAKERS!!!!!NASH WHY!!!!

CJ 07-05-2012 07:11 pm xxx.xxx.xxx6.44 (total posts: 4)

Again Banks is clueless, claiming Eric Gordon has already re-signed with New Orleans.

Also the 'Clippers' weren't involved in the Marvin Williams/Devin Harris trade. Does this guy even proof read anything he writes?

Atrocious.

abe 07-05-2012 08:39 am xxx.xxx.xxx1.87 (total posts: 1)

walt eric gordon is signing with the suns not the hornets

Ben Wallace 07-04-2012 06:54 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.153 (total posts: 1)

To be totally honest, Henson and Zeller wouldn't be any better than Meyers Leonard. They are all going to bust.

C-3PO 07-04-2012 05:27 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.234 (total posts: 1)

Eric Gordon signed an offer sheet with the Suns dumb @ss, New Orleans has yet to match that offer, so he didn't resign like you said.

Geiger 07-03-2012 07:03 pm xxx.xxx.xxx3.66 (total posts: 2)

The Nets are not out of the running for Dwight and are offering a package of Humphris, Lopez and Brooks with draft picks..Its sad to even hear the Nets entertain that idea, but it very well could happen.

A team to look out for is the Lakers..an offer of Bynum, Artest and the Odom exception for Howard and Turkaglus monster contract is a win-win for both teams.

Geiger 07-03-2012 07:03 pm xxx.xxx.xxx3.66 (total posts: 2)

@CJ 07-03-2012 04:33 am xxx.xxx.xxx.104 (total posts: 1)

121

So basically you're asking Walt to fire one "clueless" dumbass for another? lol Whats the point?

Rise Above

CJ 06-30-2012 04:54 pm xxx.xxx.xxx6.44 (total posts: 4)

213

107

Paul Banks, yet again showing how clueless he is. Almost every other draft analyst has the Rockets' with a positive ranking. This clown does understand that the Rockets are likely to make trades, with all the assets they've compiled?

I agree that Meyers Leonard is probably going to be a bust, but you can't call Portland a 'loser' for stealing the 6th pick from the Nets.

How about a 'loser' ranking for the Cavs for reaching so much for Dion Waiters? Or trading all their other picks for another likely bust in Tyler Zeller? But Banks has a 'man crush' (not that there's anything wrong with that) on Waiters, so he'd never mark the Cavs down.

Fire this guy Walt, I'll work for free!

Ben 06-25-2012 09:00 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.254 (total posts: 1)

So....Henson is overrated because he has trouble keeping and putting on weight and strength. And you stated that size and strength is everything in the nba for a big. But....isn't Davis just as if not more lanky and undersized than Henson....? And Henson is only one year older and both have similar wingspans? Just a thought..

@Live 06-22-2012 10:10 am xxx.xxx.xxx6.15 (total posts: 1)

You are an idiot, you apparently don't know how basketball trades work, its all about salary dumping. IN the NBA you are either rebuilding, championship contender, or youar e going to stay consistently medicore. They were never going ot win a championship with Okafor and Ariza taking up that much money on their books.

Live 06-22-2012 04:28 am xxx.xxx.xxx3.80 (total posts: 1)

Washington - B
Hornets - Big fat F

Sure the Hornets is going to waive Lewis and relieve cap space to sign Gordon to a longer deal and draft Anthony Davis but so what! They let go a great defensive guy that can hit 3s here and there. They got NOTHING in return for Ariza and Okafor but a 2nd rounder. I didn't like what the Hornets got in return and it was a bad deal IMO.

Vince 06-19-2012 04:03 am xxx.xxx.xxx3.99 (total posts: 1)

It was a play on words, not a pun. More importantly, know who else couldn't bench press 185 pounds at the NBA Combine? This one player called Kevin Durant.

Ben 04-15-2012 09:06 pm xxx.xxx.xxx7.65 (total posts: 1)

I like how only one of these players actually got traded

Omar 03-23-2012 04:20 pm xxx.xxx.xxx6.60 (total posts: 1)

its a good thing i was wearing sartight white with built in neon when i went to the Super bowl. they almost didnt let me on the field:) and on a side note.. i feel bad for Slash:/

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NFL Picks - Feb. 3

2012 NBA Draft and Offseason Blog

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