Author Topic: Of the elite teams, who has had the worst off-season so far?  (Read 4775 times)

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Offline Surferdad

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Boston
Orlando
Cleveland
LAL
San Antonio

Clearly San Antonio has done the best, followed by LAL (if they keep Odom).

Orlando lost Hedo but they got Vince so they finally have someone who can create his own shot.  I would say Orlando was flat, maybe a bit better.

IMO, Cleveland has had the worst off-season of any of the elite teams.  Sure they got Shaq but he isn't the same guy he used to be.  It seems that players don't want to sign on knowing that LeBron may be gone by next year.


Re: Of the elite teams, who has had the worst off-season so far?
« Reply #1 on: July 08, 2009, 12:56:21 PM »

Offline wdleehi

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Orlando

They lost their 2nd and only big man off the bench.

Re: Of the elite teams, who has had the worst off-season so far?
« Reply #2 on: July 08, 2009, 12:57:27 PM »

Online Who

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(1) Orlando (2) Cleveland

Re: Of the elite teams, who has had the worst off-season so far?
« Reply #3 on: July 08, 2009, 12:58:06 PM »

Offline ToppersBsktball10

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Orlando and Cleveland and I'm willing to say us if we don't get another useful body off the bench

Re: Of the elite teams, who has had the worst off-season so far?
« Reply #4 on: July 08, 2009, 01:01:47 PM »

Offline the_Bird

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Orlando

They lost their 2nd and only big man off the bench.

They're short Gortat AND Battie now, and losing Turkoglu is going to hurt them a lot more than VC helps.  If they don't take too much of a step back, it'll be more because they have Jameer Nelson back than bringing aboard Vince.

Cleveland...   Shaq doesn't bother me, but it's hard to say they've gotten WORSE. 

LA, it depends on what happens with Odom.  There's a 50/50 chance that Artest doesn't fit in playing with Kobe (RonRon can be a far, far more selfish player than Kobe), and I'm not sure it was worth the risk to *slightly* upgrade over what Ariza brought them.  They'll be better if Odom comes back, but if he's gone that's a net negative.

Orlando's done the worst, which isn't unexpected since of these teams, their finances have always been the most suspect.


Re: Of the elite teams, who has had the worst off-season so far?
« Reply #5 on: July 08, 2009, 01:20:50 PM »

Offline FanInTheSouth

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Orlando

They lost their 2nd and only big man off the bench.

They're short Gortat AND Battie now, and losing Turkoglu is going to hurt them a lot more than VC helps.  If they don't take too much of a step back, it'll be more because they have Jameer Nelson back than bringing aboard Vince.

Cleveland...   Shaq doesn't bother me, but it's hard to say they've gotten WORSE. 

LA, it depends on what happens with Odom.  There's a 50/50 chance that Artest doesn't fit in playing with Kobe (RonRon can be a far, far more selfish player than Kobe), and I'm not sure it was worth the risk to *slightly* upgrade over what Ariza brought them.  They'll be better if Odom comes back, but if he's gone that's a net negative.

Orlando's done the worst, which isn't unexpected since of these teams, their finances have always been the most suspect.


TP.  Excellent breakdown.

Re: Of the elite teams, who has had the worst off-season so far?
« Reply #6 on: July 08, 2009, 01:21:04 PM »

Offline JHTruth

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Orlando has been abysmal. They could have easily put themselves in the East driver seat but it looks like they will lose Gortat, Hedo, and Battie. They picked up VC but I feel it was an overrated move. Thier fans must be irate.

Cleveland needs another pick-up.

I don't like LA's offseason if they lose Odom. Since I don't think they will, but if they do, yuck for them..

Re: Of the elite teams, who has had the worst off-season so far?
« Reply #7 on: July 08, 2009, 01:21:30 PM »

Offline paintitgreen

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Yeah, Orlando. They lose Turkoglu, Lee, Alston and Battie and gets Carter and Anderson - that's a downgrade. If they don't match on Gortat, it's even worse. They have their midlevel, but I haven't seen any indications they plan to use it. They don't have the investors willing to spend like the Celtics and Cavs.

I don't think Cleveland's offseason has been that bad to be honest with you. They upgraded from Ben Wallace to Shaq. They also lost Sasha Pavlovic and Wally Szczerbiak. Looks like they'll keep Varejao. They also still have their entire midlevel and have shown a willingness to use it, so they're gonna be able to get somebody like Marion, Childress, Kleiza, or Parker.

Now, Cleveland has failed to address certain needs (bigger 2, combo forward), so to that extent, they haven't done great. But the Celtics have also failed to address a glaring need at the 3. While I think Boston's had a better offseason to date, Cleveland's not done. Orlando appears to be, which is a huge mistake in my mind.  
Go Celtics.

Re: Of the elite teams, who has had the worst off-season so far?
« Reply #8 on: July 08, 2009, 01:43:23 PM »

Offline Actionjakson

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Boston

Positive: gained Sheed. Very good bigman off the bench, would start on most teams. Will do very well on the celts. House Resigns (shooter of the bench).

Negative:  still dont have a real back up point guard or a back up 3. Bench is still an issue

Draft: Did best thing they could at #58 and got a proven scorer that can maybe play some backup point in the future

Rest of Off season: Need to resign BBD, Need a wing off the bench, need to figure out back up pg (Bring Steph back? Sign Ty Lue? Trade? Use Pruitt?)

Grade Thus Far: B-

Cavs

Positive: Got a NBA legend (tho aging) in Shaq. Possibly getting Ariza.

Negative: Still have Varejo to deal with. Bench is awful

Draft: Got a little know African nplayer. Very raw. Will not help any time soon.

Rest of Off season: Need to do something to help the bench. Especially at the guard position and back up big men.

Draft: Awful. Why would they take that guy when players that could have helped them greatly

Off Season Grade: C+ if they get Ariza, C- if they dont

Magic

Positive: Got an All Star in Carter. Got a couple of good young prospects (Anderson).

Negative: Lost their most important offensive player (Hedo) and a great young guard (Lee). Also lost their back up point (Alston). Their only back up big man is on his way out too (Gortat).

Draft: No Picks

Rest of Off Season: Need to get Brandon Bass or BBD. Probably should pick up a point guard too.

Grade Thus Far: D+/C-

Lakers

Positive: Got Artest. Cleared cap room through draft day trades. Resigned Brown.

Negative: Lost Ariza, could lost Odom

Draft: Nothing Special

Rest of Offseason: Need to resign Odom. Other than that there isnt too much to improve.

Grade: B+

Spurs

Postive: Got Jefferson to enhance starting lineup. Probably getting McDyess

Negative: Nothing really

Draft: Best second round ever. Three steals in Blair, McClinton, and De Colo.

Rest Of Offseason: Dont do anything stupid.

Grade: A


So...


Worst so far is the Magic. They have gotten worse thus far while all of the other teams have gotten better. They need to make some serious moves if they still want to compete
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Re: Of the elite teams, who has had the worst off-season so far?
« Reply #9 on: July 08, 2009, 02:04:06 PM »

Offline paintitgreen

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Interesting that Chad Ford ranked LA by far the last among the 5 teams. In fact, he has them 23rd among all 30 teams. What's really curious, to me, is that he has the Rockets 24th. And the moves by those teams are just mirrors of each other. He thinks LA made a mistake in going for Artest over Ariza ("I know Artest is a talent, but he's unreliable. Why the Lakers would pass the torch from Ariza, who was just coming into his own, to Artest is a risk I just don't understand. And if somehow Odom decides to bolt for a team like Cleveland for the midlevel exception, the Lakers will have taken a big step backward") but he also doesn't see Houston's point ("And so far the best the Rockets have been able to do is sign Ariza. While he's a talented, athletic wing who in the long run will be an upgrade over Artest, in the short run it's not clear exactly how he'll fit. Put all that together and it looks like the Rockets could be a team in free fall in the West next season"). I guess, though, he factored losing Yao into Houston's offseason, a bit unfair if you're just grading moves.

His rankings of the relevant teams:
1. San Antonio
5. Boston
6. Orlando (he really likes swapping out Turkoglu for Carter, and makes no real mention of Lee or Alston, though he does say his ranking would drop if they lose Gortat who he lists as "in limbo" but calls a "key addition" to Dallas elsewhere)
8. Cleveland
23. Los Angeles

What really bothers me, though, is that he says the Pistons had the third best offseason. Really? Paying a guy who will never be an effective starter $50 mil for 5 years and another guy who hasn't shown he'll be an effective player $40 mil over 5 years is a great offseason? When neither of them fills your two biggest positions of need - power forward and center?
Go Celtics.

Re: Of the elite teams, who has had the worst off-season so far?
« Reply #10 on: July 08, 2009, 02:05:08 PM »

Offline Surferdad

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Orlando

They lost their 2nd and only big man off the bench.

They're short Gortat AND Battie now, and losing Turkoglu is going to hurt them a lot more than VC helps.  If they don't take too much of a step back, it'll be more because they have Jameer Nelson back than bringing aboard Vince.

Cleveland...   Shaq doesn't bother me, but it's hard to say they've gotten WORSE. 

LA, it depends on what happens with Odom.  There's a 50/50 chance that Artest doesn't fit in playing with Kobe (RonRon can be a far, far more selfish player than Kobe), and I'm not sure it was worth the risk to *slightly* upgrade over what Ariza brought them.  They'll be better if Odom comes back, but if he's gone that's a net negative.

Orlando's done the worst, which isn't unexpected since of these teams, their finances have always been the most suspect.


I didn't ask who got worse, only who has fared the worst in upgrading.

Overall the consensus is Orlando.

Re: Of the elite teams, who has had the worst off-season so far?
« Reply #11 on: July 08, 2009, 02:10:56 PM »

Offline Mr October

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I think Orlando is in trouble. Turkoglu (also with Lee) are better than Carter on that team. The combo of Turkoglu and Lewis burying 3's over slower forwards is over. Carter next to Lewis is easier to defend.

There is no way Orlando is going back to the finals in 2010. The big boys in Boston and Cleveland are going to duke that out.

Re: Of the elite teams, who has had the worst off-season so far?
« Reply #12 on: July 08, 2009, 02:17:11 PM »

Offline BudweiserCeltic

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For those that are Insiders of ESPN, Chad Ford currently has some rankins out:
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=ford_chad&page=OffseasonRankings-09

It's quite awful.

Re: Of the elite teams, who has had the worst off-season so far?
« Reply #13 on: July 08, 2009, 02:32:19 PM »

Offline CelticWes34

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Gonna have to go with Orlando on this one...
Carl: And, technically, he's supposed to be spayed, and uh, he ain't that. I know that first hand. Go ahead, ask me how I know. Go ahead. Ask me. Ask me how I know.

Re: Of the elite teams, who has had the worst off-season so far?
« Reply #14 on: July 08, 2009, 02:46:52 PM »

Offline bigtyc55

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orlando also lost courtney lee, who started 42 games for them and was very effective, and alston. I know he sucked sort of and they have nelson, but they don't have much else in the backcourt now, just JJ and anthony johnson i think.