Kings at the 7th spot....

#4
I think is list is fair, besides the Wolves being at 6th.

edit: i think Kerr did a Typo/wrong cut & paste on the T-Wolves i think he met to put Denver at 6th and T-Wolves at 11th.
 
Last edited:

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#7
Kerr is rarely right -- still remember when he picked us 10th(!) in Webb's last year, and we only had like the 5th best record in the league up until the trades started. But of course Kerr's general inaccuracy could be a good thing or a bad thing for us in this case. More room to slide down than there is to move up, and I've mentioned before no less than 14 of the 15 West teams have playoff hopes this year.
 
#9
Lakers and Timberwolves wont be better than the Kings. Also why are New Orleans Hornets at number nine? I think there pretty good.
I totally agree.
I see 4/5/6 all being vyed for by Us, NO & the clips. What the hell was steve thinking putting that order together? Did he stay up real late one night saying, "wow, I'm just not sure. But really think that the Lakers are going to be in a real dog fight for first round home-court advantage come the end of the season."?????????????????????????????????? Really. What the hell?
 
#13
Lakers should be in the bottom half, not in the top 5. Timberwolves are not that good and the hornets are better than 9th. What was steve smokin when he wrote this?
 
#14
Its hard to criticize. You have a pretty clear top 4 in the West and then a bunch of fairly good teams all with different strengths and flaws. You could make arguements either way.

Looking at the list I have a hard time believing that Carmelo and the Nuggets aren't going to make the playoffs. They may have been a fake 3-Seed last year, but they get Nene back and JR Smith is an upgrade at the 2.

The T-Wolves definitely got better with Foye and James, but there's just something wrong with KG and that team.

NO is overrated IMO. At this point Claxton for Bobby is at best a wash. Brown for Chandler is a downgrade. They did get Peja, but the other teams in the West are just better. I thought they just overachieved last year.
 
#15
The Lakers are not better than us. While they may have the best player in the league, that will do you no goood if the rest of the team doesn't even get a chance to touch the ball. They are not a better team and we would have had a better record then them if we had Artest earlier and not to mention our horrible start last season.
 
#16
The Lakers are not better than us. While they may have the best player in the league, that will do you no goood if the rest of the team doesn't even get a chance to touch the ball. They are not a better team and we would have had a better record then them if we had Artest earlier and not to mention our horrible start last season.
I think they could hang w/ Sac in a 7-gmr. If you stretch it out over an 82 game reg season, you may have a point. Honestly, after Phx, SA, Dallas, and maybe LAC & HOU (assuming great luck w/ injuries), there you'll find the Lakers and Kings amid a jumble of teams with close records. There are so many competent teams at the bottom of the West that who's better than who is a little cloudy if you're going by record.

How much do you think the coaching change will affect Sacto? I heard Mussleman's going to stress defense, but where are Miller and Bibby in that equation? Making the paint harder to invade should add a number of Ws to Sac's record, but that's easier said than done.
 
#17
hammystyle said:
NO is overrated IMO. At this point Claxton for Bobby is at best a wash. Brown for Chandler is a downgrade. They did get Peja, but the other teams in the West are just better. I thought they just overachieved last year.
We've seen young teams look great one year only to disappoint the next. I remember reading the Warriors forum on RealGM after their finish to 2005. They were all convinced they were going to win 50 games in 2006.
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#18
We've seen young teams look great one year only to disappoint the next. I remember reading the Warriors forum on RealGM after their finish to 2005. They were all convinced they were going to win 50 games in 2006.
Difference was they made the same mistake Denver did, same mistake we just did -- got a little fat and sassy and sat on their hands. Meanwhile New Orleans went out and aggressively upgraded themselves, upgrading 1/2 of their rotation. and also have the advanatage of a super talented rook who, like almost all super talented rooks, is only going to be better/more solid in yr 2. Heck, you take into account West's youth, and Mason in a bounceback/contract year, they might well end up with an upgrade at all 5 starting positions this year. Peja over Nachbar or Vroman or whoever being the most ridiculous one.

No guarantees, but if Paul is the real deal they've got the goods this year.
 
Last edited:
#19
Difference was they made the same mistake Denver did, same mistake we just did -- got a little fat and sassy and sat on their hands. Meanwhile New Orleans went out and aggressively upgraded themselves, upgrading 1/2 of their rotation. and also have the advanatage of a super talented rook who, like almost all super talented rooks, is only going to be better/more solid in yr 2. Heck, you take into account West's youth, and Mason in a bounceback/contract year, they might well end up with an upgrade at all 5 starting positions this year. Peja over Nachbar or Vroman or whoever being the most ridiculous one.

No guarantees, but if Paul is the real deal they've got the goods this year.
indeed.

peja's probably not worth his contract, but with paul leading the way, he's gonna be gettin' some major touches, and will probably be droppin' some major 3's next season...provided he can hit them...
 
#21
Difference was they made the same mistake Denver did, same mistake we just did -- got a little fat and sassy and sat on their hands. Meanwhile New Orleans went out and aggressively upgraded themselves, upgrading 1/2 of their rotation. and also have the advanatage of a super talented rook who, like almost all super talented rooks, is only going to be better/more solid in yr 2. Heck, you take into account West's youth, and Mason in a bounceback/contract year, they might well end up with an upgrade at all 5 starting positions this year. Peja over Nachbar or Vroman or whoever being the most ridiculous one.

No guarantees, but if Paul is the real deal they've got the goods this year.
Got the goods to do what? A lot of blustery movement is not the same as an upgrade. You were way, way down on Peja when he was with the Kings, now all of a sudden he's the difference maker for the Hornets? Do you really think Bobby Jackson is better at this point in his career than Speedy Claxton?

Being aggressive is not the same thing as improving. I liked the Chandler trade, that's the type of player you gamble on, and he may work out well with West. But overpaying Peja and BJax was pretty dumb.

They might improve, but unless Paul turns into a superstar overnight or unless Peja suddenly undergoes a magic rejuvination they're still not that good.
 
#26
Difference was they made the same mistake Denver did, same mistake we just did --
More often than not, having a bearish attitude about franchises like the Hornets works, espec when they're young and their best player is their youngest. I think Peja is soft and he dropped off the face in Indy. I wanna see what he's got left in the tank. Chandler is a bust. He's like Kwame -- if he were ever going to blossom, he would've done it by now.
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#27
Got the goods to do what? A lot of blustery movement is not the same as an upgrade. You were way, way down on Peja when he was with the Kings, now all of a sudden he's the difference maker for the Hornets? Do you really think Bobby Jackson is better at this point in his career than Speedy Claxton?

Being aggressive is not the same thing as improving. I liked the Chandler trade, that's the type of player you gamble on, and he may work out well with West. But overpaying Peja and BJax was pretty dumb.

They might improve, but unless Paul turns into a superstar overnight or unless Peja suddenly undergoes a magic rejuvination they're still not that good.

Peja never was, at any point, a franchise type player. He has no heart.

And that matters not at all in New Orleans, and I'm calling right now that he's going to have a big scoring year (provided no major injuries of course). In New Orleans you know what his job is going to be? Just shoot. Just score. he can be as big a wuss as he's ever been, but he's playing alongside a budding star in Paul who is going to drive and dish, dirve and dish all ngiht long. And in that situation, Peja has value. Not as a leader, nto as some great superstud, but as the leading scorer for a team that doesn't need him to do much else. Chandler is there to rebound and block shots, Paul is there to lead and dish, Peja is there to score. Perfect fit.

You are too new around here to remember that once long ago back in the day, before the screeching of the Peja lovers got too loud, I was generally fine with him as a limited second scorer in our prime years. We had everything else covered, we had the bigger star out in front of him, asked to just score while others passed, rebounded, led, Peja was a solid #2...until you hit the playoffs. It wasn't until the shallow insanity of Peja replacing Webb as superstar and elader, and until we started loading up with Peja Jrs at PG (Bibby), C (Brad), PF (SAR), OG (Mobley) that he became superflorous and his lack of heart a truly titanic issue.

Now he goes to New Orleans. He'll be their #1 scorer. He'll get a ton of good looks. And he won't be needed to do much more. He'll be able to get maximum value out of being a glorified roleplayer. Just score baby.

End result is that New Orelans has the goods...to make the playoffs. Maybe high end...6th seed? Maybe. But they've got the talent now. The starting 5 is solid and balanced. Not perfect, but everything is there. With health, they'll be a team to contend with this year, and given their youth, for a lot of years to come. Certianly no title anytime soon, but they are yet another young team just gunnign to make the playoffs, and with the goods to do it if it all breaks right.
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#28
More often than not, having a bearish attitude about franchises like the Hornets works, espec when they're young and their best player is their youngest. I think Peja is soft and he dropped off the face in Indy. I wanna see what he's got left in the tank. Chandler is a bust. He's like Kwame -- if he were ever going to blossom, he would've done it by now.

1) That same young franchise was even younger last year, and yet was playing us for the right to go to the playoffs 3 games before the end of the season last year.

2) Chandler is only a "bust" if you care about draft position, which I do not. If he's "only" as good as he's been, he's a major interior presence which the ghost of PJ Brown (I think all of 9 and 7 or some such last year) could no longer provide. With a half step up in minutes, he's 8 and 10, which is all he needs to be. Top interior roleplayer.

3) Peja is soft. But he actually played somewhat better in Indy than he did for us. And now in New Orleans he walks into a featured offensive role, on a team with a PG who can flat out get him the ball. My overwhelming impression of Peja is of somebody who pouts when he does not get his shots. Well he's going to get them.
 
#29
Really, i think the Lakers & Kings.... are a draw it can go either way neither team did much this off-season but the Lakers improved there shooting we really didn't do anything that upgraded anything of sort.

usually all the moves we have done this off-season has been down-grades.. we can all speak volume for Eric and his preach for defense but hes a question mark until he makes this team work.
 
#30
Really, i think the Lakers & Kings.... are a draw it can go either way neither team did much this off-season but the Lakers improved there shooting we really didn't do anything that upgraded anything of sort.

usually all the moves we have done this off-season has been down-grades.. we can all speak volume for Eric and his preach for defense but hes a question mark until he makes this team work.

One thing people ignore about the Lakers is the triangle. It's been said many times but it takes several years to get comfortable with. Having a full year under their belt will be a improvement in itself.