Anthony Macri:
Happy Monday everybody!  Gorgeous day out here.  Yesterday was my birthday – feeling old for sure.  But I have a good feeling about this year so let’s get it started with a bang.  Sorry I’m a bit late – will hang out til 4:15p to answer your Qs.  There is plenty of room in the queue so put them in now!

I think that is an excellent comparison and tend to think I would rate Nowitzki ahead of Garnett, if only slightly, on a list of all-time power forwards.  Both changed the game but I do think it’s easier to build a franchise around Nowitzki as a franchise player than it is around Garnett.  Garnett was also the (significantly) better defender, but Nowitzki’s completely invincible offensive repetoire is hard to argue with.  Great question though – folks should throw their thoughts into the comments!

 

Anthony Macri:
I tend to think pretty negatively about the impact of Nick Young, though I think the world of John Wall.  I want to see how they start the season this coming before making a final decision – I think I like the John Wall / Jordan Crawford backcourt more in this regard (so, in other words, replace Nick Young with most other younger, more solid shooting guards and I think a pairing with John Wall is a winner all the way).
 

Anthony Macri:
I think Minnesota gets the better player and prospect in that deal.  Johnson just doesn’t do enough things for me to get super-excited about him.  I like him, but I don’t love him. Courtney, who I might have some underlying biases for, is just so much more complete as a player.
 

Anthony Macri:
I think it is certainly possible for Los Angeles to present just about any team in the league with some very valuable short and long term assets.  The question is whether parting with those assets is worth the prize.  I do tend to think acquiring CP3 would obviously be a net positive, the problem is do they have to gut the team or prevent success in the future in order to do so?  I don’t think CP3 ends up in LA.  There are a few other destinations that seem more likely, but without getting a sense of the new CBA, this is a pretty worthless thought experiment.
 

Anthony Macri:
What does Hill do well?  While I haven’t seen him enough (has anyone?) to know if his career is salvageable, I do know it isn’t terribly notable.  He is a strong though not completely overwhelming athlete, but that means little when you don’t use your athleticism in productive ways.  Similar to Joe Alexander, Hill needs to develop a plan that he employs on each possession.  That will help channel his energy / athleticism and become much more effective.  Right now, it’s unbridled, and it’s not so overwhelming that you look past the lock of polish.
 

Anthony Macri:
I tend to think the biggest thing they were msising in their starting lineup is quickness.  Who is the quickest player they have?  Shannon Brown?  That just isn’t going to cut it.  Quickness would be my first and central goal.  The rest revolves around that skill.  While Monta is obviously quick, I’m not sure I’d advocate acquiring him to any team making a realistic run at a title.  Are there are places they can look to get quicker?  That’s where I’d go first.
 

Anthony Macri:
Complicated question.  Let me try to break it down a little bit.

I do think Amare and Melo can coexist and that they should be able to figure it out without a lot of problems.  They are both very good players and as they play more together a synergy should start to develop.  The real question is what they do with Chauncey at the point guard slot.  I’m not sure he’s really the best fit for the way I think this team should approach things (a lot of possessions in transition), though I’m not sure if there is a better fit in terms of leadership.

With that said, I don’t think they are Top 4 in the East yet – but they do have real potential to be an upset special in the first round as the 5th or 6th seed.  I wouldnt’ want to draw them this year.

 

Anthony Macri:
I don’t mind this idea on its face though I’d near to hear who Philly would be getting back in exchange for Iggy.  I know Coach Thorpe got to spend some limited time with Thabeet this summer but haven’t really gotten an update on his progress, though he had very little to do to get better.  I’m not one of those folks who think the 76ers have to jump at any opportunity to trade Andre – I like him as a player.
 

Anthony Macri:
Making change for change’s sake is usually not sound strategy, and I’m not sure the Bobcats should be trying to strike gold where none have succeeded thusfar.  What’s the definition of insanity again? Doing something over and over and expecting to get a different result.
 

Anthony Macri:
I tend to agree that they are unpredictable.  In fact, I think they would have offered a lot more trouble for Dallas than they faced with most of their Western Conference foes during the postseason.  They are built to really given trouble to jumpshooting teams (though, honestly, with as well as Dallas shot, it might not have really mattered).  I think Afflalo is underrated, and I really like their roster.  I’d say this could be a team that challenges for a top 5 slot in the west, along with Dallas, OKC, the Lakers, and the Spurs.
 

Anthony Macri:
Molding that into a consistent and cohesive unit will prove to be pretty difficult, I think.  I was surprised Paul Westphal made it all the way through the season last year, and I think they will need to show some marked improvement this year to give him the abiliyt to stay on.  Cousins has the ability to be a franchise player but, as they say, attitude determines altitude, and he has shown only limited awareness of that reality.  Evans is super talented but without a position, and the other guys are not exactly world-beaters yet.  I think they are two to three years away – but how much progress can they make this year?  That’s the real question.  My answer is probably not much.
 

Anthony Macri:
Not sure Michael Beasley fits next to Kevin Durant given the way that offense runs, though they are friends and might enjoy the experience.  Also not sure we’d ever see Westbrook pass the ball up the floor then, for fear of never getting it back again.
 

Anthony Macri:
I’m OK with OJ though I don’t think it’s a slam dunk fit.  I’d like a guy that can catch and shoot out of a stationary spot better than OJ, since Rose creates so many of those kinds of opportunities.  I do like that Mayo can handle the ball and has size to guard opposing twos.  I have made no secret that I think a guy like Courtney Lee (or Aaron Afflalo) would be absolutely perfect in that role.  I stay by my story.
 

Anthony Macri:
I have to admit to only seeing bits and pieces, though I hope to have seen a few full games soon.  From what I’ve seen and what I’ve heard from people I trust, he is the real deal and will help out very quickly in Toronto when he’s able to come over.  He definitely passes the eye test, but his ability to change speeds, and his court awareness with regard to open spaces is very high.  I like him as a prospect.
 

Anthony Macri:
Not a lot of other basketball news to talk about.  I think Durant had an extremely informative postseason.  We may see Durant 2.0 this year – I just think he really had front row tickets to an absolute show put on by Nowitzki, and now he’s ready to take his own game to the next level.  Some of the things you see him doing in highlight films are pretty remarkable – the level of defense doesn’t really matter, just how fluid he continues to make his game is a spectacle in itself.
 

Anthony Macri:
This is like the most popular question that I get in terms of individual player improvement.  I’m going to do a Coach’s Notebook on just ball-handling – maybe this week or next – so be on the lookout for it.  The number one most important thing is that when you practice, dribble the ball EXTREMELY hard.  Like so hard that you lose control.  Work on maintaining control, but if you are able to do so, you aren’t going hard enough.  That will get you ready for really working the rock when a defender is up on you.

Alright folks – remember, I need topics for off-season Coach’s Notebook articles – send them my way at amacri[at]hoopsworld.com.  In the meantime, a new Notebook will be out this Thursday, and I’m back next Monday to chat again.  Enjoy the end of summer!