This is the second installment of my six part NBA season preview. For the Southwest Division preview, click here.
Los Angeles Clippers
What's New: The Clippers acquired two former Georgia Bulldogs in this past June's draft. PF Trey Tompkins isn't overly athletic like teammates Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, but possesses a solid jump shot, and is physical in the post on both sides of the ball. G Travis Leslie is an explosive shooting guard, and has a ridiculous 6'11" wingspan despite standing 6'4". His jumpshot is inconsistent, but should be able to attack the basket and be lethal on the fast break. He reminds me some of Russell Westbrook, in that he's also a very good rebounder for a guard (7.2 per game last season).
Biggest Concern: C DeAndre Jordan is a restricted free agent, and while the Clippers have indicated that they'll match any offer he might get, never underestimate the tight wallet of owner Donald Sterling.
Outlook: I do expect the Clippers to match an offer for DeAndre Jordan, but if the offer is deemed "too big", don't be surprised to hear about Donald Sterling contemplating using the amnesty clause. The most likely casualty of that may be Mo Williams, who will make $8.5 million this year, and has an $8.5 million player option for 2012. With Jordan there to play alongside fellow dynamic youngsters SG Eric Gordon and PF Blake Griffin (and don't forget about Chris Kaman), this team should be contending for a playoff spot.
Los Angeles Lakers
What's New: Former Cavaliers coach Mike Brown takes over for the retired (for now) Phil Jackson. Brown had a lot of regular season success in Cleveland when he coached LeBron, but was unable to win a title. When push came to shove, the Cavs fired him in hopes it would help keep "King James" in Cleveland (oops), and we all know how that worked out. Brown takes over a better situation in Los Angeles, as there's more talent on the roster from top to bottom, but anything less than a championship will be a disappointment for Lakers fans.
Darius Morris (Michigam) was drafted due to the fact that their guards got exposed as slow and old in their embarrassing loss to the Mavericks in the Western Conference semifinals last year. Morris has very good size for a point guard (6'4") and is a good distributor and defender, which should get him in Mike Brown's rotation fairly quickly. Andrew Goudelock is shooting guard in a point guard body, but has ridiculous range on his shot. He's not athletic enough to play long minutes, but should be a nice situational shooter. C Ater Majok is a 24 year old defensive specialist out of UConn, but will likely spend the majority of his time in the D-League this year, as his offense needs a lot of work.
Biggest Concern: While there will inevitably be rumors and discussions about acquiring Dwight Howard and Chris Paul, how this team takes to coach Brown and his offensive and defensive philosophies will determine his success or failure. With Kobe Bryant now 33 years old, the Lakers championship window may be closing, if only slightly.
Outlook: The Lakers are one of the more talented teams in the league, but might struggle a bit early with the change in philosophy from Jackson to Brown. The Lakers should be no worse than a top three seed in the Western Conference, and have enough pieces to contend for a title.
Sacramento Kings
What's New: The Kings acquired PF/C J.J. Hickson from the Cavs in exchange for F Omri Casspi just prior to the draft. Hickson is an active scorer in the post, and does a decent job of blocking shots as well. Jimmer Fredette arrives with much hoopla, and should provide scoring alongside PG Tyreke Evans. Tyler Honeycutt is an offensively raw player, but is active on defense and is should carve out a role in the rotation of head coach Paul Westphal. Fellow second rounder Isaiah Thomas is undersized for a point guard, and will likely see time in the D-League to work on his outside shot.
Biggest Concern: The Kings likely see C Samuel Dalembert return, as he'll likely want to play for a contending team. SG Marcus Thornton is a restricted free agent, and the Kings would like to bring him back. In 23 games with Sacramento, he averaged 21.3 points per game, and 45 percent from the field. With Tyreke, Jimmer and Thornton in tow, I'm not sure how there are enough shots for all of these guys to be happy.
Outlook: The Kings probably have one more year of rebuilding before they're true playoff contenders, but if the young talent on this team can gel quickly, a berth in the playoffs isn't entirely out of the question. Despite the likely loss of Dalembert, a front line rotation of Hickson, DeMarcus Cousins and Jason Thompson should be able to hold its own offensively.
Phoenix Suns
What's New: The arrival of the other Morris twin, Markieff, gives the Suns another power forward. Morris may actually be the most well-rounded post player on the team, as he has the ability to stretch the floor, but also rebounds well (8.3 at Kansas last season). Despite the fact he'll probably be behind Channing Frye to start the season, I do think the two could end up with a near-split of minutes by the end of the season due to Morris' high activity level.
Biggest Concern: Robert Sarver drove away Amar'e Stoudemire due to his unwillingness to spend to keep him. The draft rights to Rajon Rondo and Rudy Fernandez were traded away because he didn't want to pay them their rookie salaries. My biggest concern is Steve Nash (37) and Vince Carter (34). Both have struggled with injuries, and Nash has done a good job of playing through his, but the Suns need Aaron Brooks and Mickael Pietrus to step up their respective games should those two miss significant time.
Outlook: So long as Alvin Gentry is the head coach and Steve Nash is the point guard, this team will continue to be among the league's highest scoring teams. If their defense can do a better job of stopping opposing teams (.472 FG defense last year), then this team could compete for a playoff berth. If this team falls short, Nash could be a candidate for a trade, either at mid-season or around the 2012 Draft.
Golden State Warriors
What's New: Former Washington State SG Klay Thompson will provide the offense with a solid third guard off the bench, as he has a smooth shooting stroke. Second round pick Jeremy Tyler is a bit of a project, but has very good physical tools (6'11", 263 pounds, 7'5" wingspan), and can also spot up shoot out to about fifteen feet. Skipping his senior year of high school was a mistake, but former NBA head coach Del Harris mentored him this past year when he played in Japan. If given a year or two to refine his game and mature, Tyler could be the steal of the 2011 Draft. Former Knick point guard and ESPN NBA analyst Mark Jackson takes the reigns as head coach, which will be his first time as a coach at any level.
Biggest Concern: Re-signing restricted free agent Reggie Williams will be the most interesting thing to watch when free agency begins on December 9th. With the drafting of Thompson, as well as having Dorell Wright may make Williams expendable, but his services as a shooter off the bench for contending teams will be well-coveted. It will be interesting to see how Mark Jackson does as a first time head coach. Being a former all-star, Jackson will have the ears of the locker room early, but will need to display consistency and leadership, or if the team struggles, he could lose the locker room.
Outlook: Like the Suns, this team has a lot of offensive firepower. The one area of concern for me is inside scoring, as apart from David Lee, there isn't someone who has the ability to get points in the paint. The backcourt will be one of the strongest in the league on offense, but both Ellis and Curry gamble on steals a lot, which leaves the rest of the team scrambling when they don't get the steal. This team has enough talent to compete for a playoff berth, but will likely come up just short. Also, look for the Warriors to at least consider using the amnesty clause on C Andris Biedrins, who hasn't looked the same since his groin and back injuries in 2009. He's still owed $27 million over the next three seasons.
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