Baseball players will do anything to get out of a slump. Anything.
For the first time in my life, I think I agree with Skip Bayless. I refuse to believe Jeter partakes in this thong nonsense.
Month: May 2008 (Page 12 of 28)
There’s no other way to say it: the Cleveland front office has failed LeBron James.
Just look at their current rotation: LeBron, Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, Ben Wallace, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Sasha Pavlovic, Anderson Varejao, Daniel Gibson and Joe Smith. Other than LeBron, is there a player on that list that is in the top 20 at his position? Delonte West was probably the best thing to come out of those two deadline deals the team made in February, but he’s injury-prone and is a restricted free agent this offseason. Ilgauskas is probably still a top 20 center, but I can name 15 guys off the top of my head that I’d rather have on my team. (Okay, want me to list them? Amare Stoudemire, Dwight Howard, Yao Ming, Tim Duncan, Marcus Camby, Chris Kaman, Andrew Bynum, Brad Miller, Tyson Chandler, Andrew Bogut, Andris Biedrins, Samuel Dalembert, Mehmet Okur, Al Horford, Rasheed Wallace, Shaquille O’Neal and Jermaine O’Neal. There, that’s 17 for you.)
The point is that the 2008 Cavs feature LeBron James with four below-average starters and a few mediocre rotation guys. I do like West, Varejao and Gibson, but that’s about it. What’s worse, the Cavs had the fourth highest payroll this season ($81.1 million) and they’re on the hook for another $74.8 million next season.
It takes work to have a roster this expensive be this bad. But don’t blame it all on GM Danny Ferry. He took over in 2005 a full year after the Cavs’ bonehead move to let Carlos Boozer become a free agent because of a “verbal agreement” that he would re-sign for the mid-level exception. At that point, Boozer was a 22 year-old 15.5-point, 11.4-rebound power forward that had All-Star written all over him. Why in the world would you risk the advantage and consistency of pairing he and LeBron for the next decade just to save a few million on his contract? I know the fans in Cleveland hate Boozer for this, but it was probably his agent at the time, Rob Pelinka, who was at fault for Boozer’s part in things. I don’t know what kind of a promise Boozer made to the organization, but once he became a free agent, the Jazz offered him $4.6 million more per season than what the Cavs said they would pay him. For his part, Boozer has insisted all along that there was no handshake and no promise. Still, that kind of deal would be illegal under the collective bargaining agreement, so the blame falls entirely on the Cavs for pursuing (or claiming to pursue) such an arrangement.
It is that historical misstep that has sent the Cavs franchise into its current tailspin. LeBron alone is good enough to win 40 games, and the Cavs supporting cast stepped up enough in the 2007 postseason for Cleveland to get past the dilapidated competition in the East to make a Finals appearance, but as the ensuing sweep (at the hands of the Spurs) would indicate, the Cavs were a long way from a title then and they are even further away now.
And the clock is ticking. LeBron signed an abbreviated deal that allows him to opt-out in the summer of 2010. Barring any additional signings, the team projects to have some salary cap flexibility in the summer of 2009, when Szczerbiak, Joe Smith, and Eric Snow come off the books, but new contracts for Delonte West and Daniel Gibson threaten that flexibility. The team will have to improve through the draft and through trades – two areas where the Cavs have struggled over the past few years.
Here’s a list of all the bad moves that the franchise has made since drafting LeBron:
1. In 2004, the Cavs could have held onto Jason Kapono, one of the league’s best three-point shooters. But they elected not to re-sign him after he shot nearly 48% from long range. Sure, why would you want a guy that could make teams pay for doubling LeBron?
2. Instead of drafting Luke Jackson (#10 overall), the team could have drafted Al Jefferson, Josh Smith, Jameer Nelson or Andris Biedrins, whom were all drafted in the next 10 picks of the 2004 Draft.
3. In 2004, they failed to pick up the option on Carlos Boozer, trying to do an illegal deal to get Boozer on the cheap. The so-called “verbal agreement” falls through when Boozer signs with Utah for six years and $68 million.
4. Instead of trading for Sasha Pavlovic (giving up a first round pick that turned into the #13 pick overall), the team could have instead used that selection on Danny Granger, Rashad McCants, Hakim Warrick or Francisco Garcia, whom were all taken in the next 10 picks of the 2005 Draft.
5. In the summer of 2005, instead of signing Larry Hughes to a five-year, $67 million deal, signing Donyell Marshall to a four-year, $22 millon contract, and re-signing Zydrunas Ilgauskas to a five-year, $51 million deal, the team could have made a stronger run at Michael Redd or Ray Allen (whom were both unrestricted free agents that summer) and Tyson Chandler or Samuel Dalembert (whom were both restricted free agents). If that failed, they could have saved all of that cap space for the future.
6. In the 2006 Draft, the Cavs could have selected Jordan Farmar, one of the league’s best young point guards, instead of Shannon Brown. The Lakers took Farmar with the pick immediately following the Cavs’ pick. (Kudos to Ferry for drafting Gibson in the second round.)
Simply stated, had the Cavs exercised the option on Boozer and made a better pick in the summer of 2004, the team could have had a core of LeBron and Boozer, along with Al Jefferson or Josh Smith. Now that sounds like a group with championship contender written all over it.
Alyssa Milano buried Carl Pavano. Tom Brady has hoisted zero Lombardi Trophies while dating Gisele Bundchen. Pat Burrell has never recovered since splitting with Heather Mitts. Reggie Bush’s sophomore slump? Kim Kardashian.
And now, The Big Lead notes that Brad Penny might be yet another athlete snake bitten by a celebrity girlfriend.
Last year, Brad Penny started the season 13-1 with a 2.51 ERA while dating actress Elisha Dushku. Apparently, they split in the offseason – she’s now inexplicably with this character – and we decided to take a peek at how Penny has opened this season devoid of a celebrity girlfriend. The answer: 5-4, 5.09 ERA. He’s experiencing stiffness. If he gets roughed up today, is a DL trip in his near future?
I think the only crime Eliza Dushku has committed here is ever dating Brad Penny in the first place. Well that, and being hot.
This is the second of five installments of my position-by-position rankings, where I consider the four major factors that affect a player’s total value: talent (statistical performance), affordability, age and potential. To see a more detailed explanation of my approach, give my point guard rankings a gander.
To summarize a player’s stats, I’ll use the NBA Efficiency statistic, which is defined as:
EFF = ((Points + Rebounds + Assists + Steals + Blocks) – ((Field Goals Att. – Field Goals Made) + (Free Throws Att. – Free Throws Made) + Turnovers))
Essentially, the order of this list depends on the answer to the question – would you trade Player X for Player Y, assuming the goal is to win a title in the next three seasons, while also building a strong franchise for years to come?
On with the rankings…
1. Kobe Bryant, Lakers
Age: 29
EPG: 26.8
Contract: three years, $69.1 M ($23.0 M per)
His salary is astronomical, which makes it difficult to rank him ahead of the almost-as-effective-for-half-the-price Manu Ginobili, but Kobe is probably the league’s best one-on-one player and is the only guy who can match Manu’s fire and competitiveness.
2. Manu Ginobili, Spurs
Age: 30
EPG: 19.9
Contract: two years, $20.6 M ($10.3 M per)
Ginobili should still be effective for the next three years, so his very reasonable contract makes him a reasonably close second to Kobe. His game has no holes and he is one of the best players in the league in the clutch.
3. Brandon Roy, Blazers
Age: 23
EPG: 19.4
Contract: three years, $12.2 M ($4.1 M per)
Who would you rather have – Roy for $4.1 million per season or Dwyane Wade for $15.8 million? I’d take Roy and spend the difference elsewhere. He’s a terrific combo guard that has helped to bring the Blazers back to respectability.
4. Dwyane Wade, Heat
Age: 26
EPG: 21.8
Contract: three years, $47.3 M ($15.8 M per)
Wade is extremely difficult to guard and he almost single handedly beat the Mavericks in the ’06 Finals. He has been bothered by a series of nagging injuries, which makes one wonder if his future is as bright as it once was.
5. Kevin Martin, Kings
Age: 25
EPG: 19.8
Contract: five years, $55.5 M ($11.1 M per)
It looks like the Kings got a pretty good deal when they locked Martin up. He’s a terrific shooter and he should be able to anchor the Kings offensively for the remainder of his contract.
6. Andre Iguodala, Sixers
Age: 24
EPG: 20.1
Contract: restricted free agent
Iguodala is a poor man’s Wade, and has the numbers to prove it. But is he just another player who can put up good numbers on a bad team? It’s going to be interesting to see how much the Sixers end up paying him. I expect it will be more than what Martin makes, which is why he’s below him on this list.
7. Richard Hamilton, Pistons
Age: 30
EPG: 16.4
Contract: two years, $22.0 M ($11.0 M per)
Rip just keeps chugging along. The guy has always been a terrific midrange shooter, but over the last three years he’s improved his accuracy from long range (44% in 2007-08), which has made his offensive game even more dangerous. He’s a tireless defender and has a great work ethic, so his game shouldn’t decline as fast as usual. Moreover, he’s affordable.
8. Joe Johnson, Hawks
Age: 26
EPG: 19.6
Contract: two years, $29.2 M ($14.6 M per)
Johnson had a couple of nice games in the playoffs, but he’d still look a whole lot better in a Suns uniform right now. Still, he’s a young, virtual player who is just hitting his prime, and he doesn’t have any glaring holes in his game.
9. Mike Miller, Grizzlies
Age: 28
EPG: 18.1
Contract: two years, $18.8 M ($9.4 M per)
Miller’s contract is very affordable considering his production. He’s one of the best pure shooters in the league and has a pretty solid all-around game.
10. Jason Richardson, Bobcats
Age: 27
EPG: 19.0
Contract: three years, $39.9 M ($13.3 M per)
His contract is little on the pricey side, but J-Rich returned to form this season to anchor the Bobcats offensively.
11. Stephen Jackson, Warriors
Age: 30
EPG: 17.0
Contract: two years, $14.8 M ($7.4 M)
Jackson’s surly rep has him seriously underrated. His contract is a bargain for what he brings to the table, but he’s on the wrong side of 30.
12. Michael Redd, Bucks
Age: 28
EPG: 18.4
Contract: three years, $51.1 M ($17.0 M per)
After seven straight seasons of improving his game, Redd took a step back last season. Improving his shot selection will be key as he tries to earn that big contract.
13. Tracy McGrady, Rockets
Age: 28
EPG: 18.8
Contract: two years, $44.3 M ($22.2 M per)
I think it’s clear that you can’t build around T-Mac (and his huge salary) and expect to win in the playoffs. However, he is still one of the most dangerous shooting guards in the game, even though he has a creaky back.
14. Randy Foye, Timberwolves
Age: 24
EPG: 11.8
Contract: three years, $11.2 M ($3.7 M per)
Foye bounced back from a knee injury to have a pretty solid season for the new look Timberwolves. He has a solid all-around game and nice upside.
15. Vince Carter, Nets
Age: 31
EPG: 21.6
Contract: three years, $48.8 M ($16.3 M per)
Carter is getting on in years and since he relies on his athleticism, age may hurt him more than most. Also, his contract is long and expensive for a guy his age.
16. Ronnie Brewer, Jazz
Age: 23
EPG: 13.3
Contract: three years, $8.3 M ($2.8 M per)
If he can ever fix that busted jump shot, watch out. Brewer has all the other tools to be an excellent player.
17. Ben Gordon, Bulls
Age: 25
EPG: 14.8
Contract: restricted free agent
Gordon’s contract situation makes him tough to rank. He’s a phenomenal scorer, but is only average in other parts of the game. He turned down an extension that would have paid him $10 million a season, so if he signs a deal like that, he’ll be pricey for what he brings to the table.
18. Ray Allen, Celtics
Age: 32
EPG: 15.9
Contract: two years, $36.2 M ($18.1 M per)
Allen is an NBA great whose star is fading fast. Even if he improves on his sketchy play in the postseason, his contract is tough to swallow.
19. Jamal Crawford, Knicks
Age: 28
EPG: 16.1
Contract: one year, $8.6 M
Crawford needs to improve his shot selection, but there’s no doubt that the guy can score. He’s actually a nice fit as an off guard in Mike D’Antoni’s up-tempo attack, so the 2008-09 season will go a long way to determine the direction his career is headed.
20. Anthony Parker, Raptors
Age: 32
EPG: 13.5
Contract: one year, $4.6 M
The only problem with Parker’s all around game is his age. He’s a terrific shooter and is happy to do all the little things.
21. John Salmons, Kings
Age: 28
EPG: 12.9
Contract: three years, $16.4 M ($5.5 M per)
Salmons is a versatile guy who can play three positions. He’s in his prime and his contract is very affordable.
22. Rashad McCants, Timberwolves
Age: 23
EPG: 11.3
Contract: two years, $6.2 M ($3.1 M per)
Injuries limited his sophomore season, but McCants came back and averaged almost 15 points a game for the Timberwolves. He doesn’t do much else, but the guy can certainly shoot it.
23. Nick Young, Wizards
Age: 22
EPG: 5.2
Contract: four years, $9.6 M ($2.4 M per)
Young is an athletic prospect who proved in his rookie season that he can shoot the ball from long range.
24. J.R. Smith, Nuggets
Age: 22
EPG: 9.8
Contract: restricted free agent
Smith has a rep for having a bad attitude, but there’s no doubt that the guy can score. For the limited minutes he played, he was more efficient than Joe Johnson, Jason Richardson and Michael Redd.
25. Kyle Lowry, Grizzlies
Age: 22
EPG: 10.7
Contract: three years, $6.2 M ($2.1 M per)
Lowry is caught in a backcourt logjam with Mike Miller, Mike Conley, Juan Carlos Navarro and Javaris Crittenton. I should probably have him in with the point guards, but that ship has sailed (at least for this year). Still, Lowry is a reasonably productive player and is still a nice prospect.
26. DeShawn Stevenson, Wizards
Age: 27
EPG: 10.7
Contract: three years, $11.6 M ($3.9 M per)
Known more for silly feuds with LeBron than his own game, Stevenson is a nice defender and a decent three-point shooter. But why did his FG% plunge from 46% last season to 39% this season?
27. Daniel Gibson, Cavs
Age: 22
EPG: 10.3
Contract: free agent
Has Boobie’s rep surpassed his true ability? For a guy who gets over 30 minutes a game, his line is pretty thin (2.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists), but that might have to do more with LeBron than Boobie’s versatility. One thing’s for sure, the guy can shoot it from long range (44%).
28. Kelenna Azubuike, Warriors
Age: 24
EPG: 9.1
Contract: restricted free agent
Azubuike and Mickael Pietrus are very similar players, but it was Azubuike who got more run late in the season. He rebounds well from the guard position and is a decent three-point shooter.
29. Mickael Pietrus, Warriors
Age: 26
EPG: 8.7
Contract: free agent
Pietrus is an athletic, versatile wing who fell out of Don Nelson’s favor and was limited by a strained hamstring. His stock is low enough that he’ll likely be a good bargain for whichever team manages to sign him.
30. Raja Bell, Suns
Age: 31
EPG: 12.0
Contract: two years, $10.3 M ($5.2 M per)
Bell is getting on in years, but he can still defend and shoot the three.
Youngsters with potential: Sasha Vujacic, Lakers; Thabo Sefolosha, Bulls; Willie Green, Sixers; Martell Webster, Blazers
Fading vets: Maurice Evans, Magic; Cuttino Mobley, Clippers; Bonzi Wells, Hornets; Morris Peterson, Hornets; Ricky Davis, Heat; Larry Hughes, Bulls; Marko Jaric, Timberwolves
Filip Bondy of the New York Daily News is subtly suggesting that Yankees’ manager Joe Girardi is already on the hot seat following the Bronx Bomber’s poor effort against in state rivals the Mets.
More to the point, the Yanks are doing almost nothing well. They entered this game batting .258 and stood 11th in runs scored in the AL. Their team ERA of 4.32 placed them 10th. The only bright spots were old dependables Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera, a depressing notion. The Yanks are still relying heavily on their heroes from the ’90s, after all these years of revolving rosters and transactions.
Despite all of Girardi’s announced plans for more aggressive play on the bases, for building runs, the Yankees have stolen only 14 bases all season, while opponents have swiped 45 against a quartet of catchers. Girardi, it turns out, is no more aggressive than Torre.“We’ve tried to do things,” Girardi said. “You have to have the opportunity to be aggressive. We don’t have the guys who can fly. We’re not going to outrun the baseball. We have to try to take advantage of situations when they’re there. Sometimes, they don’t present themselves.”
Then again, it looked Sunday night a lot like disaster.
The media (and Hank Steinbrenner for that matter) need to give Girardi a chance, here. The Yankees look bad, but they’ve had injuries and nobody should be surprised that the pitching has struggled with a blend of aging arms and inexperienced youth. The panic button should not be pushed yet on Girardi with it only being May 19.
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