khandor’s sports blog

As it has been said in this space on previous occasions …

It is most interesting to see just how easy it is for the words and/or actions of some to be misinterpreted by others who work everyday in the on-line basketball community.

To wit:

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Exhibit A

Carl Landry has forgotten that someone named ‘LaMarcus Aldridge’ actually exists

What’s strange is that Landry, in a recent interview with SLAM’s Chris Haynes, doesn’t appear to have any knowledge of something called a “LaMarcus Aldridge.”

Here’s some evidence:

“I think I can fit in with Portland, “Landry told SLAMonline. “They’re in need of a big post presence down low. I’m not taking anything away from (Greg) Oden and (Marcus) Camby. I just know what I can provide. The Blazers are a good team and I know I can help.”

He’s not wrong. He could help. Landry could help just about any team in a pinch with his touch in the paint. The issue here is the presence of LMA, who came through with an All-Star season last year (even if he didn’t make the team), finishing with averages of nearly 22 points and nine rebounds on the league’s slowest-paced team (slowed pace limits your chances to pile up big stats). Aldridge is only 25, and while he isn’t a low-post demon, he is an obvious starting power forward lock that shouldn’t be dismissed.

Much less forgotten. By someone who has had to guard him dozens of times in his NBA career.

Carl?

“I really like Portland,” said Landry. “I’m good friends with Greg Oden, and Wes Matthews is from Wisconsin like me. There are a lot of ties there and I have no doubt that I would blend in fine.”

Again, he’s not wrong. It’s A-OK to really like Portland, especially if you ride a bike and want to know where your dinner was raised. And Landry would blend in fine, as he would with most teams, as a top-notch sixth man, ready to drop 12 points in a second quarter.

But unless SLAM left some musings about Aldridge out, this seems like a curious oversight. And with the lockout leaving most of us filled with alternating bouts of ennui and anger, could this be the NBA’s newest passive/aggressive feud? Because, with nothing else going on, we’re ready for it.

LMA? Your turn.

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It’s your turn, LMA?

Hmmm …

KD … Evidence?

Really?

This is what you meant to say, in this instance?

How incredulous is it that several other observers – btw, who are not paid a full-time salary by Yahoo! to cover the goings-on in the NBA on a regular basis – in the comments section actually have the ability [insight?] to see CLEARLY what Carl Landry is actually talking about … i.e. the possibility of Landry joining the Trail Blazers, either:

#1. As a back-up PF, in arrears of current starter LaMarcus Aldridge/PF [i.e. with a combination of: A) Marcus Camby and Greg Oden patrolling the C position, plus B) Nicolas Batum and Gerald Wallace at the SF position]; or

#2. As a Starting PF, beside current starter LaMarcus Aldridge/C [i.e. with Camby at the back-up PF spot, Oden as the back-up C, plus Batum and Wallace at the SF position];

when the League’s free agency signing period occurs next …

and, seemingly, Kelly Dwyer does not?

Sometimes it is vitally important that certain people in this world just give their own head a darn good shake … perhaps, to dislodge the cobwebs.

This is one of THOSE times for the usually terrific editor of Ball Don’t Lie.

It may be YOUR turn, Mr. Dwyer … and, the person owed an abject apology is none other than Mr. Carl Landry, who happens to be a prototypical role player for a high-end team in the NBA.

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PS. If the Blazers organization is in fact smart enough to execute this specific signing, whenever the lockout happens to end, then, Portland would create one of the deepest and most talented rosters in the entire league:

STARTERS
PG – Raymond Felton
OG – Wes Matthews
SF – Nicolas Batum
PF – Carl Landry
C – LaMarcus Aldridge

KEY SUBS
PG – Patrick Mills [or Armon Johnson, Elliot Williams, and Nolan Smith]
OG – Brandon Roy
SF – Gerald Wallace
PF – Marcus Camby
C – Greg Oden

RESERVES/EXTRAS/OUTS
PG – Noland Smith [i.e. Selection No. 21, 2011 NBA Draft]
PG – Armon Johnson [i.e. Selection No. 34, 2010 NBA Draft]
PG/OG – Elliot Williams [i.e. Selection No. 22, 2010 NBA Draft]]
OG – John Diebler [i.e. Selection No. 51, 2011 NBA Draft]
F – Luke Babbitt [i.e. Selection No. 16, 2010 NBA Draft]
F – Tanguy Ngombo [i.e. Selection No. 57, 2011 NBA Draft]
C – Earl Barron

Here is the “stats-based” take, from David Berri and Andres Alvarez:

Here is the “on-court basketball effects” take, from yours truly:

You are free to decide for yourself which is a more accurate appraisal of what happened to the Blazers’ playoff chances this season.

Unlike certain other ”stats gurus” …

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e.g. LeBron is Wrong about LaMarcus Aldridge

The Blazers have won 37 games this far.  The team’s efficiency differential of 0.97 – and corresponding Wins Produced — is consistent with a team that should have won about 34 games.

When we look at performance in 2009-10, though, we see a team that should have won about 43 games.  In other words, the Blazers should have the best record in the West.  And in terms of efficiency differential, the team’s projected mark of 5.4 would only be topped by the San Antonio Spurs and LA Lakers in the West.  In sum, the Blazers – based on last year’s performance – should be contenders in the West.

When we look at how performance has changed, we can see three players – Brandon Roy, Nicolas Batum, and Dante Cunningham — who are responsible for the Blazers failure to contend.  Roy has been hurt, so it is easy to understand his performance decline. 

As for Batum and Cunningham, the trade for Wallace can help resolve both issues.  Thankfully for the Blazers, Jordan took Cunningham in the trade for Wallace.  So a player who was hurting the team is now playing elsewhere.

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… yours truly was not among the list of NBA observers who believed that either Portland or Oklahoma City should be characterized as ”hands-down winners” of the two deals which were completed at the NBA Trade Deadline [i.e. Feb 24, 2011], sending:

A. Gerald Wallace [SF-PF] to the Portland Trail Blazers, in exchange for Joel Przybilla [C], Dante Cunningham [PF], Sean Marks [PF] and 2 Future 1st Round Draft Picks;

and,

B. Nazr Mohammed [PF-C] to the Oklahoma City Thunder, in exchange for DJ White [PF] and Morris Peterson [OG-SF].

In the aftermath of these two trades, the Charlotte Bobcats have endured:

i. A 6-game losing streak [i.e. book-ended by Ws against Sacramento and Portland];

ii. The continued absence of Tyrus Thomas [SF-PF] for a stretch of 7 games [i.e. marked with a $], due to injury;

iii. The absence of Stephen Jackson [OG-SF] for a stretch of 3 games [i.e. marked with a *], due to injury; and,

iii. The absence of Joel Przybilla for a stretch of 4 games [i.e. marked with a ^], due to injury.  

This past Friday, however, Thomas and Jackson each returned to the Bobcats’ line-up.

Despite the on-going absence of Przybilla, the Bobcats have now won two consecutive games, while getting outstanding performances from two unlikely sources, i.e. DJ White [6-9, 251] and Dante Cunningham [6-8, 230] … each of whom is a still-youngish player yours truly first suggested – prior to their respective drafts - would eventually develop into a highly serviceable NBAer,

DJ White, Game Logs/2010-2011
Dante Cunningham, Game Logs/2010-2011

if afforded the opportunity to get consistent minutes.

There are 16 games left in the regular season schedule, and Charlotte is still very much in the hunt for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

It will be very interesting to see how this version of the Bobcats will perform coming down-the-stretch, if they can ever get themselves 100% healthy.

Of all the trades that were made in conjunction with last week’s NBA Trade Deadline, the one which involved Portland and Charlotte might turn out to have the most negative effect on the immediate fortunes of a specific franchise previously thought to be on the rise by many astute NBA observers.

From the Trail Blazers’ Perspective

Sent to the Charlotte Bobcats:
- Joel Przybilla/C, Dante Cunningham/PF, Sean Marks/PF-C and a future 1st Round Draft Pick

Received from the Charlotte Bobcats:
- Gerald Wallace/SF-PF

When you compare the respective BEFORE vs AFTER rosters for Portland:

what you should be able to see immediately is the GIGANTIC hole which now exists for the Trail Blazers at the Back-up Center position, given the still-injured status of Greg Oden [i.e. former No. 1 Draft Pick] … and just how “small” this team will be anytime LaMarcus Aldridge and Marcus Camby are not on the floor.

When Portland lost to Atlanta, at home, on Sunday night, it was due in large part, to the simple fact that the Hawks pounded the Trail Blazers on the backboards:

Atlanta Hawks, 49 [15/Off]
Portland Trail Blazers, 34 [14/Off]

through the combined efforts of Zaza Pachulia [12], Josh Smith [11] and Al Horford [4].

When the Houston Rockets/#19 pay a visit to the Rose Garden, later on this evening, pay particular attention to whichever team happens to come out on top in the Battle of the Boards … and whether, or not, the Trail Blazers/#18 – who were formerly one of the best Rebounding Differential teams in the NBA, e.g. 2009-2010/#7 and 2008-2009/#1, under the direction of Kevin Pritchard/GM and Nate McMillan/HC - can possibly find a way to address this alarming [and, often-times, fatal] deficiency, in regard to W’s and L’s.

If not … and despite the high degree of R.E.S.P.E.C.T. this corner has for the fine work of Coach McMillan … the last phase of Portland’s regular season schedule this year might well turn out to be extremely disappointing for their exceptionally loyal fanbase, primarily, because – and, in spite of what some “stats gurus” will try to tell you – as good a rebounder as Gerald Wallace happens to be, he DOES NOT play the Center position, and it really does matter a great deal whether, or not, your team actually has a “legitimate” Point Guard, Off Guard, Small Forward, Power Forward and Center in its 5-man unit, at any given point in time, if winning is, in fact, the goal. 

If you’ve taken the time to read a good portion of what’s been published on this blog to-date, then, you are already familiar with a few simple “facts” about the game of basketball:

[for example]

- it is comprised of 3 distinct main phases, i.e. Defense, Rebounding and Offense

- the 1 of these 3 phases which is the least well-understood, by “fans” and other so-called “expert observers” is Rebounding … followed by Defense … primarily, due to its “central” role and the way it influences the character of an elite level team

- basketball is, fundamentally, a “team” game … in which major success and failure [i.e. winning and losing the championship] are determined, in large part, by the highly specific strengths and weaknesses of the “individual” players and their ability to work “in concert” against a particular opponent

- while statistics, in general, are a terrific tool to help one understand how the game actually works, in isolation, they are not a wholly accurate reflection of reality and, at all times, need to be evaluated critically in the appropriate context

- an examination of highly specific anecdotal evidence is a gateway to developing an accurate understanding of the way in which a championship-winning team operates that is separate and distinct from its competition 

- putting an elite level team together properly is akin to “composing a virtuoso work of art” … moreso, than simplistically “painting by the numbers”

============================

To wit:

[this is the specific comment which was just submitted by yours truly at the Wages of Wins Journal]

Another Look at Team USA in 2010

Hmmm …

If someone could take the time to explain the reason the previous comment which I left in this thread was removed, it would be appreciated.

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In the interim, let’s try again.

It is a mistake in basketball judgment to think that keeping the 12 players with the highest WP48 numbers is necessarily the best way to construct a championship-winning basketball “team”.

Just because Gerald Wallace’s WP48 number … which [in fact] “fails to reflect a picture of reality” [according to a respected commentor [sic] on this site like Tom Mandel] … is substantially higher than Rudy Gay’s does not mean that simply “replacing Gay with Wallace” is the better way to go, in this case, i.e. with this specific group of players, their expected opposition, and the relatively large group of [at least, somewhat redundant] PG’s still on the active roster [i.e. Curry, Billups, Rondo, Rose and Westbrook], when compared with the sheer number of wing players [i.e. combo OG/SF/PF] with good size, strength, relative quickness – at their respective positions – and the ability to: i. defend, ii. rebound, iii. shoot the ball efficiently from distance, and iv. be high volume scorers, e.g. like Iguodala, Gay and Durant].

When you dissect how a championship-winning team is actually put together, what you will find is that rarely – if ever – is it simply a conglomeration of the 12 players with the highest available WP48 numbers [e.g. Was Charles Barkley a member of the 1984 team? or, Was Isiah Thomas a member of the original Dream Team?] And, the exact reasons for this are rarely – if ever – rooted in the way these specific players performed in lead-up public scrimmage situations.

Unfortunately, numeric-based analysis of basketball which reads like this is what can create a poor image overall for “stats” gurus, in the eyes of elite level coaches the world over.

[Hopefully this comment meets with your approval.]

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Enjoy!

According to Tim Povtak, a senior writer at NBA Fanhouse …

Aging Theo Ratliff Has Sparked Bobcats’ Playoff Rise

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However …

If you take a closer look at the individual Game Logs for 3 specific players on the Bobcats’ current roster [shown below]:

Theo Ratliff’s Game Log This Season For Charlotte, since Feb 19

Tyrus Thomas’ Game Log This Season For Charlotte, since Feb 19

Tyson Chandler’s Game Logs This Season for Charlotte, since Feb 19 

you should be able to see clearly that the team’s recently improved performance has actually coincided with the return to good health of Tyson Chandler [i.e. Charlotte's Back-up Center] and the gradual integration of Tyrus Thomas [i.e. Charlotte's Back-up Power Forward] into their primary rotation, as much as [or, perhaps, even more than] the role and production of Theo Ratliff, as their Starting Center.

When a team like Charlotte finally turns the corner and morphs into a legitimate playoff contender it is rarely the case that there is only 1 player responsible for this actual transformation.

The simple fact is …

Charlotte has been engaged in the process of a long term build-up over the course of the past 2 years, given the additions of:

Larry Brown, Head Coach

DJ Augustin, PG [acquired via the Draft]
Alexis Ajinca, C [acquired via the Draft]
Boris Diaw, PF-SF [acquired via trade]
DeSagana Diop, C [acquired via trade]
Gerald Henderson, OG [acquired via the Draft]
Derrick Brown, PF-SF [acquired via the Draft]
Tyson Chandler, C [acquired via trade]
Stephen Graham, SF-OG [acquired as an UFA]
Stephen Jackson, OG-SF [acquired via trade]
Tyrus Thomas, PF-SF [acquired via trade]
Theo Ratliff, C [acquired via trade]
Larry Hughes, G-F [acquired as an UFA]

and,

Michael Jordan, Principal Owner,

in conjunction with the decision to retain the services of:

Gerald Wallace, SF-PF
Raymon Felton, PG
Nazr Mohammed, C

… and, the single individual most responsible for their success today is their once much-maligned General Manager, Rod Higgins.

Related:

Kudos to the Bobcats for resurrecting their once morbid franchise 

5 Men On A Single String … Kudos to Larry Brown

During Wednesday’s television broadcast of the Orlando/Toronto game, Jack Armstrong, Toronto’s analyst, made the following observation about the perceived talent level for this year’s Raptors team:  

Then, on Thursday evening , during the FAN590′s ”Hoops” broadcast, Eric Smith, Toronto’s radio analyst, tried to re-iterated this same point of view, when a caller suggested that the Charlotte Bobcats should actually be considered as “a better team with more NBA talent than the Raptors” … along with, at least, 4 other teams in the Estern Conference, i.e. Boston, Orlando, Cleveland and Atlanta.

After hearing Eric’s response to that caller, this is the exact comment [including errors] which was submitted by yours truly to his FAN590 blog, The Rap, on Friday, Dec 18 2009, at 2:17 PM:

————-

Hi, Eric.

I heard you on speak with a caller on last night’s show, just prior to 8:00 PM, concerning your belief that the Raptors [11-17/.393] are a better team than the Bobcats [10-14/.417]. According to what you said, your opinion was based on conversations you have had with various NBA insiders who you have encountered across the league and what their impression of Toronto and Charlotte has been to this point in the season.

Respectfully, it is my contention that you … and these NBA insiders who you happened to have communicated with regarding the relative strength of these two teams … happen to be incorrect in this assessment, and will eventually be proven wrong are the season plays itself out.

After starting the season poorly, without Stephen Jackson on their roster, the Bobcats have begun to climb up the standings in the Eastern Conference, and are now ahead of the Raptors. Although the Raptors [#4] have played a more difficult schedule than the Bobcats [#15], to this point, IMO, Charlotte has more “NBA talent” on its current roster, and should probably be expected to close out the current season by finishing ahead of Toronto in the final standings.

Calderon [+1] > Felton
DeRozan < Jackson [+1]
Turkoglu < Wallace [+2]
Bosh [+2] > Diaw
Bargnani < Chandler [+3]
———————-
Jack = Augustin
Belinelli < Henderson [+4]
Wright < Brown [+5]
Johnson = Mohammed
Nesterovic [+3] > Diop
———————-
Banks < Murray [+6]
Seems [+4] > Law
 Mensah-Bonsu = Graham
Evans [+5] ?
O’Bryant = Ajinca
———————-
Triano < Brown [+7]

PS. Hopefully, the fanbase should now be able to see that we’ve been saying for a while now, re: Jose Calderon’s relative lack of individual defensive prowess not being the major catalyst for the team’s many short-comings on that side of the ball, has been a highly accurate assessment.

————- 

As you can clearly see there are several typos and what appear to be “publication errors” contained in that specific comment, which was submitted rather hurriedly and is still awaiting moderation/publication at The Rap.

In an effort to clear up any mis-understanding which Eric Smith - or other visitors to his blog – might have … 

Here is a more “in-depth” analysis of the rosters for the Raptors and the Bobcats, with a few adjustments to the initial ratings that more accurately reflect the current state of affairs with these two teams, from the perspective of this coner:

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 Loading ...

Visitors here are invited to elaborate further on their own answer to this question in the comments section.

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The defensive system of an elite level basketball team is based on the execution of Rules and/or Concepts which are created by a team’s coaching staff to cover each situation which might occur during that team’s season; Rules and/or Concepts with which a casual [or, even, a die-hard] fan might not be familiar with already.

During this specific sequence:

Chris Bosh is X5, checking Tyson Chandler [C/O5].
Andrea Bargnani is X4, checking Boris Diaw [PF/O4].
Hedo Turkoglu is X3, checking Gerald Wallace [SF/O3]. 
DeMar DeRozan is X2, checking Stephen Jackson [OG/O2].
Jose Calderon is X1, checking Raymond Felton [PG/O1].

WHEN O1 MADE THE INITIAL LOW-POST ENTRY PASS TO O2 [RIGHT BLOCK] AND LAKER CUT TO THE WEAK SIDE OF THE FLOOR:

X1 was responsible for denying the Pass-back to O1 [as he cut through the lane to weak side of the floor [which is exactly what X1 did]. Once O1 got to the weak side, X1 was responsible for: i. Being outside of the lane on the weak side [to avoid an Illegal Defense Violation]; and, ii. Releasing Off his individual check [O1] to Zone Up against whichever opponents [i.e. 1, 2 or 2+] were located on the perimeter of the weak side.

X2 was responsible for defending against O2 in a 1-v-1 situation.

X3 was responsible for: i. Being outside of the lane on the weak side of the floor [to avoid an Illegal Defense Violation]; and, ii. Releasing Off his individual check [i.e. O3] to Zone Up against whichever opponents [i.e. 1, 2 or 2+] were located on the perimeter of the weak side.

X4 was responsible for: i. Being outside of the lane above the Free Throw Line [to avoid an Illegal Defense Violation]; and, ii. Releasing Off his individual check [i.e. O4] to Zone Up against whichever opponents [i.e. 1, 2 or 2+] were located on the perimeter above the Free Throw Line Extended [either on the weak or the strong side of the floor].

X5 was responsible for defending against O5 [located at the ball side elbow] in a 1-v-1 situation.

SPECIFIC RULES FOR O2 vs X2 POST-UP SITUATIONS vs MAN-2-MAN D

Since X2 is a frail 1st year player [20 yrs of age] who cannot defend successfully vs O2′s post-ups … based on a lack of guile and physical strength … X4 was responsible for Covering Down on the ball-handler to get the ball out of O2′s hands [in an effort to avoid the 1-v-1 isolation vs X2]. In general, there are three different techniques which a team can use to execute this specific Cover Down with X4, after the Post Entry Pass has already been made: I. Immediately, On The Initial Catch; II. Delayed, On The 1st Dribble; and, III. Late, on the 2+ Dribble. In this instance, the Raptors chose not to Cover Down Immediately, but to execute either Option II or III … which one exactly is unclear, given the physical movement of X4. All that’s known for certain is that X4 did not execute Option I.

AS X4 PREPARED TO INITIATE HIS COVER DOWN [either Option II or III vs O2]

X3 was responsible for Stepping-up Above The Free Throw Line Extended in order to maintain a Zoned Up position vs O4 [who moved above the Three Point Line] on the weak side of the floor [i.e. in order to avoid an Illegal Defense Violation].  

X1 was responsible for maintaining a Zoned Up position vs O1 [weak side FTLX] and O3 [weak side Corner].

X5 was responsble for: i. Denying an interior pass to O5 [who had cut to the weak side Block]; ii. Being within a step of O5 on the weak side of the floor [in order to avoid an Illegal Defense Violation], iii. Providing Help against a baseline drive by O2.

THE PASS FROM O2 TO O3 HAPPENED WHEN:

1. X4 shifted to the Left Elbow and waited for O2 to take his 1st dribble … which never came … in order to initiate Option I or II in his Cover Down vs O2.

2. X3 failed to communicate with X1 and X5 that he [i.e. X3] was Stepping-Up to defend the area of the floor above the Free Throw Line [i.e. where O4 was positioned] in unison with X4′s Cover Down; and,

3. X1 and X5 failed to: i. Recognize that X3 was Stepping-Up to defend that specific area of the floor and was no longer responsible for being Zoned Up on the weak side of the floor [i.e. vs O3 and O1]; and, then, ii. React quickly to the baseline basket cut which was beautifully executed by O3.  

SPECIFIC RULES FOR O2 vs X2 POST-UP SITUATIONS vs ZONE D

If the Raptors had shifted into their Zone Defense vs O2′s post-up, then their players would have been located in the following positions [in a 2-3 Zone]:

X2 – Left Baseline Defender … checking O2, in a 1-v-1 situation

X4 – Left Top Defender … at the Left Defensive Elbow

X1 – Right Top Defender … at the Right Elbow

X3 - Right Baseline Defender … at the Right Block

X5 – Middle Defender … at the Left Block

Since, X1 [i.e. Jose Calderon] did NOT step-up to the Right Elbow position and, instead, X3 Stepped-up to defend against X4, this indicates that the Raptors had not shifted into their Zone Defensive alignment during this sequence but were responsible for moving and reacting to O2′s post-up within the parameters of their Specific Man-2-Man Cover Down Rules.

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PS. Follow-up queries are welcome in the comments section.

re: How an astute NBA observer might expect the first part of the schedule to unfold for the Raptors this year

Game 16 – at Charlotte [Wed Nov 25]

This is a back-2-back game for the Raptors. Although these two line-ups are relatively equivalent, in terms of individual match-up advantages, the additional experience which Raja Bell and Larry Brown have, in comparison with DeMar DeRozan and Jay Triano, respectively, gives Charlotte an edge which should be enough to secure a W in a close game.

Expect the Bobcats to be one of several improved teams in the EC this year battling for a lower tier playoff spot with the Raptors.

Raptors expected W-L Record: L, 6-10

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PS. This contest holds a high degree of interest, due to the presence of rookies DeMar DeRozan [No. 9/1st Rd, USC, OG-SF], Gerald Henderson [No. 12/1st Rd, Duke, OG-SF] and Derrick Brown [No. 40/2nd Rd, Xavier, PF-SF]. Brown, in particular, was a relatively unheralded player in this year’s NBA Draft who yours truly would have liked to see the Raptors trade down to obtain … in addition to receiving other assets, in exchange for the No. 9 [overall] Selection. Although it is still very early in the process, all three players seem to be acquitting themselves nicely in the NBA.

“How to turn around the fortunes of your pro sports team”, NBA 101 Management Handbook, p. 23.

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Make a legitimate run for the 8th playoff spot in the 2008-2009 season

Add Vladimir Radmanovic [Lakers] in exchange for Adam Morrison

Add DeSagana Diop [Mavs] in exchange for Ryan Hollins & Matt Carroll

Decide NOT to trade Raymond Felton [PG]

Add Raja Bell and Boris Diaw and Sean Singletary [Suns] in exchange for J-Rich & J-Dudley

Add Juwon Howard [as a veteran Big off the bench] from the scrap heap

Decide NOT to trade Sean May AND to sit him on the bench  

Add Cartier Martin [OG/SF] and Dontell Jefferson [OG] from the pool of undrafted players

Add DJ Augustin [as a solid PG] from the 2008 NBA Draft

Add Alexis Ajinca [as a long term project, C] from the 2008 NBA Draft

Decide NOT to trade Gerald Wallace [SF/PF]

Hire Larry Brown to coach your team AND empower him to make trades

Retain Nazr Mohammed [as a solid veteran Big off the bench]

Re-sign Emeka Okafor, your 2004 No. 2 [overall] Draft Pick, as an emotionally stable, hard-working Center, who can Rebound & Defend his position, when others suggested that he was a “bad” long term investment for your team

Hire the most reknowned former player in NBA history to oversee the operation of your franchise [i.e. you know who]

—————–

It’s not rocket science … and, your GM certainly doesn’t NEED to have been named a winner of the NBA’s Executive of the Year Award even one time, during his career to-date.