Below is a look at the free agent class for 2008. There a handful of valuable restricted free agents, however, those players rarely end up with other teams. The remaining players are all fringe-NBA end-of-the-bench type players.
Here is a breakdown of the upcoming free agents:
Opt-out Stars (Early Termination Option)
Allen Iverson
Baron Davis
Elton Brand
Jermaine O'Neal
Ron Artest
Shawn Marion
Other Opt-out Players (Early Termination Option)
Corey Maggette
Kenny Thomas
Raef Lafrentz
Stephon Marbury
Unrestricted Starter
Antawn Jamison
Fringe Unrestricted Starters
Beno Udrih
Chris Webber
DeSagana Diop
Jason Williams
Veteran Role Players
Bonzi Wells
Bostjan Nachbar
Carlos Arroyo
Chris Duhon
Eddie House
Eduardo Najera
Flip Murray
Gerald Green
Ira Newble
Jamaal Magliore
Jarvis Hayes
Keyon Dooling
Kurt Thomas
Kwame Brown
Lindsey Hunter
Matt Barnes
Maurice Evans
Mickael Pietrus
Ricky Davis
Tyrone Lue
Player Options to Become Unrestricted Free Agent
Adonal Foyle
Calvin Booth
Chris Mihm
Eddie Jones
Grant Hill
Jacque Vaughn
James Jones
James Posey
Jannero Pargo
Jason Hart
Keith Bogans
Melvin Ely
Rasho Nesterovic
Smush Parker
Steve Francis
Stromile Swift
Trevor Ariza
Free Agents Likely to Retire
Alonzo Mourning
Brent Barry
Damon Stoudamire
Darrell Armstrong
Darrick Martin
Dikembe Mutombo
Eric Piatkowski
Juwan Howard
Kevin Ollie
Michael Finley
Robert Horry
Sam Cassell
Showing posts with label Elton Brand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elton Brand. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Thursday, August 30, 2007
What Are the Clippers Thinking?
When the Los Angeles Clippers today signed free agent veteran forward Ruben Patterson, it got me thinking about the strategy that Elgin Baylor and the franchise have decided to take on.
With Elton Brand possibly out for the entire season after undergoing surgery to repair his left Achilles tendon, the Clippers should consider this season a loss and begin to look forward. Brand has a player option after this season where he is set to be owed $16,440,000. If he opts out of his contract and becomes a free agent, the Clippers are immediately right back to the bottom of the NBA.
With this season a loss, the Clippers should look to build for the future rather than salvage this season. Meaning, they should look to trade the expiring contracts of Sam Cassell and Aaron Williams. Combined, these two players are set to make nearly $8,000,000 this season. Cassell is most likely in his last season and could be a big help to teams looking for a veteran point guard, like the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, or Orlando Magic. Each one of these teams would give up assets to bring in Cassell for his last season in the NBA.
Trading Aaron Williams and Cassell to the Heat for Michael Doleac ($3,120,000 with one year remaining), Chris Quinn ($687,456 with one year remaining), Dorrell Wright ($2,040,746 with one year remaining), and a future draft pick would be beneficial to both teams. The Heat would bring in another veteran who could help them in the playoffs and the Clippers would receive a young, promising player in Wright. Wright is a 6'8" small forward, who is still only 21 years old. They would have a full year to evaluate his abilities and then have the opportunity to resign him to a longer term deal once the season ends.
This season, coach Mike Dunleavy Sr. needs to give significant playing time to many of their young players, such as: Shawn Livingston, Jared Jordan, Quinton Ross, Guillermo Diaz, Al Thornton, and Paul Davis. Ideally, going into next season the Clippers can mix some of these players with the remaining veterans like Corey Maggette, Cuttino Mobley, and Chris Kaman, plus Elton Brand if he returns.
The additions of Brevin Knight and Ruben Patterson are two moves I certainly do not agree with. Both of these players are veterans and would be a nice addition if the team were a true competitor. However, without Brand for most of this season, they will not have this opportunity. Although both of these players signed short and relatively small contracts, their playing time should go to younger players. Targeting younger free agents who still can develop like Anderson Varejo, Sasha Pavlovic, Mickael Pietrus, Hassan Adams, James White, or Dee Brown would have been more sensible.
The Clippers caught a bad break with the Brand injury, but they made it worse by making later moves that were illogical. When Brand injured his Achilles tendon on August 3 during a regular daily workout, Elgin Baylor and the Clippers should have decided that this would be a rebuilding and development season. Without Brand, the Clippers may only be better than Minnesota, Sacramento, Portland, Seattle, and Memphis in the Western Conference. They should have focused on bringing in more young players to develop and gain future salary cap flexibility.
With Elton Brand possibly out for the entire season after undergoing surgery to repair his left Achilles tendon, the Clippers should consider this season a loss and begin to look forward. Brand has a player option after this season where he is set to be owed $16,440,000. If he opts out of his contract and becomes a free agent, the Clippers are immediately right back to the bottom of the NBA.
With this season a loss, the Clippers should look to build for the future rather than salvage this season. Meaning, they should look to trade the expiring contracts of Sam Cassell and Aaron Williams. Combined, these two players are set to make nearly $8,000,000 this season. Cassell is most likely in his last season and could be a big help to teams looking for a veteran point guard, like the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, or Orlando Magic. Each one of these teams would give up assets to bring in Cassell for his last season in the NBA.
Trading Aaron Williams and Cassell to the Heat for Michael Doleac ($3,120,000 with one year remaining), Chris Quinn ($687,456 with one year remaining), Dorrell Wright ($2,040,746 with one year remaining), and a future draft pick would be beneficial to both teams. The Heat would bring in another veteran who could help them in the playoffs and the Clippers would receive a young, promising player in Wright. Wright is a 6'8" small forward, who is still only 21 years old. They would have a full year to evaluate his abilities and then have the opportunity to resign him to a longer term deal once the season ends.
This season, coach Mike Dunleavy Sr. needs to give significant playing time to many of their young players, such as: Shawn Livingston, Jared Jordan, Quinton Ross, Guillermo Diaz, Al Thornton, and Paul Davis. Ideally, going into next season the Clippers can mix some of these players with the remaining veterans like Corey Maggette, Cuttino Mobley, and Chris Kaman, plus Elton Brand if he returns.
The additions of Brevin Knight and Ruben Patterson are two moves I certainly do not agree with. Both of these players are veterans and would be a nice addition if the team were a true competitor. However, without Brand for most of this season, they will not have this opportunity. Although both of these players signed short and relatively small contracts, their playing time should go to younger players. Targeting younger free agents who still can develop like Anderson Varejo, Sasha Pavlovic, Mickael Pietrus, Hassan Adams, James White, or Dee Brown would have been more sensible.
The Clippers caught a bad break with the Brand injury, but they made it worse by making later moves that were illogical. When Brand injured his Achilles tendon on August 3 during a regular daily workout, Elgin Baylor and the Clippers should have decided that this would be a rebuilding and development season. Without Brand, the Clippers may only be better than Minnesota, Sacramento, Portland, Seattle, and Memphis in the Western Conference. They should have focused on bringing in more young players to develop and gain future salary cap flexibility.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Dream Team? This Is It
The 2007 USA Basketball team has started Jason Kidd, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwight Howard in each game. This starting lineup is the modern day dream team.
Point Guard:
In international play, it is important to have a point guard who can distribute the ball to his teammates and penetrate well. Defensively, someone who can stop the opposing teams point guard is needed. Jason Kidd is best at all of these skills. Although perimeter shooting is his biggest weakness, on a team with the players around him that he has, this is a skill that is not needed from the point guard.
Shooting Guard:
Ideally, the player at the shooting guard spot can score at will from anywhere on the court. He would be able to shutdown the opponent's best wing player. Kobe Bryant certianly fits this bill. Nobody in the league is as good of a one-on-one offensive and defensive player.
Small Forward:
The small forward should be a versatile player, who can finish well at the basket and excels in the transition game. The ideal small forward is an exceptional passer and has range on his shot. Defensively, a player at this spot can get into the passing lanes and create offense from the defensive end. A player with long arms and a strong upper body is best to succeed on defense. LeBron James definitely is the type of player to play the small forward position on a dream team.
Power Forward:
In international play especially, it is important to have someone who can play in transition and defend strong post players. The ability to score from anywhere on the floor is also very important. Although Carmelo Anthony may not be a prototypical power forward, he does fit the bill very well. He does not have the bulk that some power forwards may have, but still is tall enough and has a large wingspan to defend most power forwards. His ability to handle the ball well and score from any spot on the court makes Anthony a perfect fit. Anthony's ability to run up-and-down the floor makes him a perfect fit for this team. A more conventional power forward like Elton Brand or Tim Duncan would slow down this group.
Center:
The center for the best team is someone who can defend the other team's best post player and can block shots. Defensive rebounding and the ability to finish at the basket are two very important abilities the center for this team needs to have. Dwight Howard excels at following-up missed shots and blocking an opponent's shot. Howard does not have a vast array of post moves, but certainly can score in a variety of ways. He can get down the court quicker than any other big man in the world and is one of the strongest players in the NBA.
With a dream team starting lineup, there is no reason to think that the U.S.A. will lose a game in the FIBA Americas Championships. If they are fortunate enough to bring back the same core from the starting five, the U.S.A. will win the gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Point Guard:
In international play, it is important to have a point guard who can distribute the ball to his teammates and penetrate well. Defensively, someone who can stop the opposing teams point guard is needed. Jason Kidd is best at all of these skills. Although perimeter shooting is his biggest weakness, on a team with the players around him that he has, this is a skill that is not needed from the point guard.
Shooting Guard:
Ideally, the player at the shooting guard spot can score at will from anywhere on the court. He would be able to shutdown the opponent's best wing player. Kobe Bryant certianly fits this bill. Nobody in the league is as good of a one-on-one offensive and defensive player.
Small Forward:
The small forward should be a versatile player, who can finish well at the basket and excels in the transition game. The ideal small forward is an exceptional passer and has range on his shot. Defensively, a player at this spot can get into the passing lanes and create offense from the defensive end. A player with long arms and a strong upper body is best to succeed on defense. LeBron James definitely is the type of player to play the small forward position on a dream team.
Power Forward:
In international play especially, it is important to have someone who can play in transition and defend strong post players. The ability to score from anywhere on the floor is also very important. Although Carmelo Anthony may not be a prototypical power forward, he does fit the bill very well. He does not have the bulk that some power forwards may have, but still is tall enough and has a large wingspan to defend most power forwards. His ability to handle the ball well and score from any spot on the court makes Anthony a perfect fit. Anthony's ability to run up-and-down the floor makes him a perfect fit for this team. A more conventional power forward like Elton Brand or Tim Duncan would slow down this group.
Center:
The center for the best team is someone who can defend the other team's best post player and can block shots. Defensive rebounding and the ability to finish at the basket are two very important abilities the center for this team needs to have. Dwight Howard excels at following-up missed shots and blocking an opponent's shot. Howard does not have a vast array of post moves, but certainly can score in a variety of ways. He can get down the court quicker than any other big man in the world and is one of the strongest players in the NBA.
With a dream team starting lineup, there is no reason to think that the U.S.A. will lose a game in the FIBA Americas Championships. If they are fortunate enough to bring back the same core from the starting five, the U.S.A. will win the gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Lewis Joins the List of Maximum Contract Players
On July 11, Rashard Lewis signed a six-year contract worth more than $110,000,000 with the Orlando Magic. By doing so, he became the twenty-second player currently making maximum money. Here is the full, up-to-date list in order of team they currently play with:
Joe Johnson, Atlanta
Paul Pierce, Boston
LeBron James, Cleveland
Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas
Carmelo Anthony, Denver
Allen Iverson, Denver
Baron Davis, Golden State
Tracy McGrady, Houston
Jermaine O’Neal, Indiana
Elton Brand, L.A. Clippers
Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers
Shaquille O’Neal, Miami
Dwyane Wade, Miami
Michael Redd, Milwaukee
Kevin Garnett, Minnesota
Jason Kidd, New Jersey
Stephon Marbury, New York
Rashard Lewis, Orlando
Shawn Marion, Phoenix
Tim Duncan, San Antonio
Chris Bosh, Toronto
Antawn Jamison, Washington
Joe Johnson, Atlanta
Paul Pierce, Boston
LeBron James, Cleveland
Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas
Carmelo Anthony, Denver
Allen Iverson, Denver
Baron Davis, Golden State
Tracy McGrady, Houston
Jermaine O’Neal, Indiana
Elton Brand, L.A. Clippers
Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers
Shaquille O’Neal, Miami
Dwyane Wade, Miami
Michael Redd, Milwaukee
Kevin Garnett, Minnesota
Jason Kidd, New Jersey
Stephon Marbury, New York
Rashard Lewis, Orlando
Shawn Marion, Phoenix
Tim Duncan, San Antonio
Chris Bosh, Toronto
Antawn Jamison, Washington
Friday, July 13, 2007
Does a Big Man Guarantee Success?
From the 2000-01 to 2006-07 seasons, 14 traditional post players (excludes Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Garnett, etc.) have scored 20.0 points per game or more in more than one season. Shaquille O’Neal (6 times), Tim Duncan (6), Elton Brand (5), Chris Webber (4), Jermaine O'Neal (4), Amare Stoudemire (3), Karl Malone (3), Chris Bosh (2), Shareef Abdur-Rahim (2), Pau Gasol (2), Zach Randolph (2), Carlos Boozer (1), and Antonio McDyess (1) have reached this feat. So how does having a big time scorer in the post affect a team’s success? Let’s take a look at each player, the year they reached the feat, the team they were on, their key teammates, and the success of the team.
Shaquille O'Neal
2000-01, Lakers, Kobe Bryant, 56
2001-02, Lakers, Kobe Bryant, 58
2002-03, Lakers, Kobe Bryant, 50
2003-04, Lakers, Kobe Bryant, 56
2004-05, Miami, Dwyane Wade, 59
2005-06, Miami, Dwyane Wade, 52
Tim Duncan
2000-01, Spurs, David Robinson, 58
2001-02, Spurs, David Robinson, 58
2002-03, Spurs, David Robinson/Tony Parker, 60
2003-04, Spurs, Manu Ginobili/Tony Parker, 57
2004-05, Spurs, Manu Ginobili/Tony Parker, 59
2006-07, Spurs, Manu Ginobili/Tony Parker, 58
Elton Brand
2000-01, Bulls, Ron Artest/Ron Mercer, 15
2003-04, Clippers, Corey Maggette, 28
2004-05, Clippers, Corey Maggette, 37
2005-06, Clippers, Sam Cassell, 47
2006-07, Clippers, Corey Maggette, 40
Chris Webber
2000-01, Kings, Peja Stojakovic, 55
2001-02, Kings, Peja Stojakovic/Mike Bibby, 61
2002-03, Kings, Peja Stojakovic/Mike Bibby, 59
2005-06, 76ers, Allen Iverson, 38
Jermaine O'Neal
2002-03, Pacers, Ron Artest, 48
2003-04, Pacers, Ron Artest, 61
2004-05, Pacers, Stephen Jackson/Reggie Miller, 44
2005-06, Pacers, Stephen Jackson, 41
Amare Stoudamire
2003-04, Suns, Shawn Marion, 29
2004-05, Suns, Steve Nash/Shawn Marion, 62
2006-07, Suns, Steve Nash/Shawn Marion, 61
Karl Malone
2000-01, Jazz, John Stockton/Donyell Marshall, 53
2001-02, Jazz, John Stockton/Donyell Marshall, 44
2002-03, Jazz, John Stockton/Matt Harpring, 47
Chris Bosh
2005-06, Raptors, Mike James/Morris Peterson, 27
2006-07, Raptors, T.J. Ford, 47
Shareef Abdur-Rahim
2000-01, Grizzlies, Mike Bibby, 23
2001-02, Hawks, Jason Terry, 33
Pau Gasol
2005-06, Grizzlies, Mike Miller/Eddie Jones, 49
2006-07, Grizzlies, Mike Miller, 22
Zach Randolph
2003-04, Trail Blazers, Damon Stoudamire, 41
2006-07, Trail Blazers, Brandon Roy, 32
Carlos Boozer
2006-07, Jazz, Deron Williams, 51
Antonio McDyess
2000-01, Nuggets, Nick Van Exel, 40
So what does this mean? Of the seven seasons examined, six of them ended with the champion having one of the big men listed above. The one exception is the 2003-04 season, which ended with the Detroit Pistons beating Shaquille O'Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers. Additionally, here are the results broken down by number of regular season wins:
0-19 wins: 1 time
20-29 wins: 5
30-39 wins: 4
40-49 wins: 11
50-59 wins: 15
60-up wins: 5
So, it's obvious that having a big man who can score twenty points a night greatly increases your chance of winning the championship. But what about the players around that big man? How does that effect your chance for success?
Recently, after the announcement that the Magic were going to add Rashard Lewis to the mix with Dwight Howard and the rest of the group in Orlando, head coach, Stan Van Gundy said: "I don't know if the formula of a great perimeter player and a great inside guy has failed very often. Those are always very good teams. There may be other ways to do it, but the most tried-and-true formula in this league is to have one great perimeter player and one great inside player."
Well, let's take a look and see how strong inside-outside duo's have done:
Shaquille O'Neal: Playing with Bryant in Los Angeles and Wade in Miami, he has won at least 52 games each season, while winning three championships during that period.
Tim Duncan: From the 2002-03 season to now, Duncan has teamed with Tony Parker. From 2003-04 to now, Manu Ginobili has also been in the mix. During that time, Duncan has won three championships and at least 57 games per year.
Elton Brand: Brand has only played with a legitimate outside threat once in his career. In teh 2005-06 season, Sam Cassell was traded to the Clippers and they won 47 games and made it to the second round of the playoffs. In Brand's other four seasons where he reached the twenty point per game mark, he was paired with players such as Ron Artest, Ron Mercer, and Corey Maggette. Because of inexperience or the inability to score efficiently, I would not consider these players to be real outside threats or at least at the same ability of Rashard Lewis today.
Chris Webber: Each year he has reached the twenty point per game mark, Webber has had the fortune of playing with a great outside game. First, it was Peja Stojakovic in Sacramento, then in the 2001-02 season, Mike Bibby was added to the Kings roster. From 2000-01 to 2002-03, the Kings won at least 55 games per season. The one mark on Webber's history, is his 2005-06 season with the 76ers where he teamed up with Allen Iverson. That season, Philadelphia was only able to win 38 games, which clearly was a disapointment.
Jermaine O'Neal: O'Neal has had the good fortune in playing with some really intriguing wing players during his career. In 2002-03 and 2003-04, a seasoned Ron Artest led the way with O'Neal for the Pacers. Both of those years were a great success as they were clearly a competitor for the championship. In 2004-05, the Pacers season was disrupted early by the malaee in Detroit. Artest was suspended for the season, and Stephen Jackson and Reggie Miller had to provide support from the outside for O'Neal. However, Indiana was still able to win 44 games. The 2005-06 was not successful for the Pacers who were led by O'Neal and Jackson. The Pacers only won 41 games and lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Amare Stoudemire: Stoudemire has had a great deal of success during his time with the Suns since point guard, Steve Nash, joined the squad. Unfortunately, before Nash joined the team in 2004-05, the Suns did have their struggles. In 2003-04, Stoudemire scored more than twenty points per game, but the Suns only won 29 games. After 34 games, guard Stephon Marbury was traded away from the team and Shawn Marion and Joe Johnson were the consistent outside prescence for the Suns. This season was a stepping-stone for the Suns, but a failure at the time for the Suns and Stoudemire.
Karl Malone: Malone had great success in Utah during his career as the inside of the greatest inside-outside combination in NBA history. In the 2000-01, 20001-02, and 2002-03 seasons, Malone reached the twenty point per game mark each year and the team won 53, 44, and 47 games each season. Although they lost in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs each year, the Jazz were still a success each year with Malone in the post.
Chris Bosh: This past season, Bosh teamed with T.J. Ford to create a strong inside-outside game for Toronto. The Bosh-Ford duo led to the best year in franchise history with 47 wins and their first division title.
Shareef Abdur-Rahim: Although Mike Bibby and Jason Terry did become great outside threats later in their careers, when Abdur-Rahim played with them, I do not consider them to be strong enough players.
Carlos Boozer: Boozer teamed with Deron Williams this past season in Utah to win 51 games and reach the Western Conference finals. The Boozer-Williams team was the perfect inside-outside duo and suprised many teams throughout the season.
Pau Gasol, Zach Randolph, Antonio McDyess: By my estimation, none of these players were teamed with a great outside threat during the season they reached twenty points per game. Therefore, like Abdur-Rahim, they will not be considered in this.
So what does this all mean? At the end of the day, only Webber in 2005-06 (Iverson), Jermaine O'Neal in 2005-06 (Jackson), and Stoudemire in 2003-04 (Marion) played with a great outside threat and did not have success. At the same time, 24 guys during the 2000-01 to 2006-07 season were apart of a great inside-outside duo and in fact did experience success.
So, after looking at this, we can now prove that Magic head coach, Stan Van Gundy, was correct when he made his comments recently. As long as Rashard Lewis can continue his production, the Magic should have big success coming. With a perimeter player who can score twenty points per game every night, and a post player in Dwight Howard, who will score twenty points per game every night, the Magic will have success - at least if you look at recent history.
Shaquille O'Neal
2000-01, Lakers, Kobe Bryant, 56
2001-02, Lakers, Kobe Bryant, 58
2002-03, Lakers, Kobe Bryant, 50
2003-04, Lakers, Kobe Bryant, 56
2004-05, Miami, Dwyane Wade, 59
2005-06, Miami, Dwyane Wade, 52
Tim Duncan
2000-01, Spurs, David Robinson, 58
2001-02, Spurs, David Robinson, 58
2002-03, Spurs, David Robinson/Tony Parker, 60
2003-04, Spurs, Manu Ginobili/Tony Parker, 57
2004-05, Spurs, Manu Ginobili/Tony Parker, 59
2006-07, Spurs, Manu Ginobili/Tony Parker, 58
Elton Brand
2000-01, Bulls, Ron Artest/Ron Mercer, 15
2003-04, Clippers, Corey Maggette, 28
2004-05, Clippers, Corey Maggette, 37
2005-06, Clippers, Sam Cassell, 47
2006-07, Clippers, Corey Maggette, 40
Chris Webber
2000-01, Kings, Peja Stojakovic, 55
2001-02, Kings, Peja Stojakovic/Mike Bibby, 61
2002-03, Kings, Peja Stojakovic/Mike Bibby, 59
2005-06, 76ers, Allen Iverson, 38
Jermaine O'Neal
2002-03, Pacers, Ron Artest, 48
2003-04, Pacers, Ron Artest, 61
2004-05, Pacers, Stephen Jackson/Reggie Miller, 44
2005-06, Pacers, Stephen Jackson, 41
Amare Stoudamire
2003-04, Suns, Shawn Marion, 29
2004-05, Suns, Steve Nash/Shawn Marion, 62
2006-07, Suns, Steve Nash/Shawn Marion, 61
Karl Malone
2000-01, Jazz, John Stockton/Donyell Marshall, 53
2001-02, Jazz, John Stockton/Donyell Marshall, 44
2002-03, Jazz, John Stockton/Matt Harpring, 47
Chris Bosh
2005-06, Raptors, Mike James/Morris Peterson, 27
2006-07, Raptors, T.J. Ford, 47
Shareef Abdur-Rahim
2000-01, Grizzlies, Mike Bibby, 23
2001-02, Hawks, Jason Terry, 33
Pau Gasol
2005-06, Grizzlies, Mike Miller/Eddie Jones, 49
2006-07, Grizzlies, Mike Miller, 22
Zach Randolph
2003-04, Trail Blazers, Damon Stoudamire, 41
2006-07, Trail Blazers, Brandon Roy, 32
Carlos Boozer
2006-07, Jazz, Deron Williams, 51
Antonio McDyess
2000-01, Nuggets, Nick Van Exel, 40
So what does this mean? Of the seven seasons examined, six of them ended with the champion having one of the big men listed above. The one exception is the 2003-04 season, which ended with the Detroit Pistons beating Shaquille O'Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers. Additionally, here are the results broken down by number of regular season wins:
0-19 wins: 1 time
20-29 wins: 5
30-39 wins: 4
40-49 wins: 11
50-59 wins: 15
60-up wins: 5
So, it's obvious that having a big man who can score twenty points a night greatly increases your chance of winning the championship. But what about the players around that big man? How does that effect your chance for success?
Recently, after the announcement that the Magic were going to add Rashard Lewis to the mix with Dwight Howard and the rest of the group in Orlando, head coach, Stan Van Gundy said: "I don't know if the formula of a great perimeter player and a great inside guy has failed very often. Those are always very good teams. There may be other ways to do it, but the most tried-and-true formula in this league is to have one great perimeter player and one great inside player."
Well, let's take a look and see how strong inside-outside duo's have done:
Shaquille O'Neal: Playing with Bryant in Los Angeles and Wade in Miami, he has won at least 52 games each season, while winning three championships during that period.
Tim Duncan: From the 2002-03 season to now, Duncan has teamed with Tony Parker. From 2003-04 to now, Manu Ginobili has also been in the mix. During that time, Duncan has won three championships and at least 57 games per year.
Elton Brand: Brand has only played with a legitimate outside threat once in his career. In teh 2005-06 season, Sam Cassell was traded to the Clippers and they won 47 games and made it to the second round of the playoffs. In Brand's other four seasons where he reached the twenty point per game mark, he was paired with players such as Ron Artest, Ron Mercer, and Corey Maggette. Because of inexperience or the inability to score efficiently, I would not consider these players to be real outside threats or at least at the same ability of Rashard Lewis today.
Chris Webber: Each year he has reached the twenty point per game mark, Webber has had the fortune of playing with a great outside game. First, it was Peja Stojakovic in Sacramento, then in the 2001-02 season, Mike Bibby was added to the Kings roster. From 2000-01 to 2002-03, the Kings won at least 55 games per season. The one mark on Webber's history, is his 2005-06 season with the 76ers where he teamed up with Allen Iverson. That season, Philadelphia was only able to win 38 games, which clearly was a disapointment.
Jermaine O'Neal: O'Neal has had the good fortune in playing with some really intriguing wing players during his career. In 2002-03 and 2003-04, a seasoned Ron Artest led the way with O'Neal for the Pacers. Both of those years were a great success as they were clearly a competitor for the championship. In 2004-05, the Pacers season was disrupted early by the malaee in Detroit. Artest was suspended for the season, and Stephen Jackson and Reggie Miller had to provide support from the outside for O'Neal. However, Indiana was still able to win 44 games. The 2005-06 was not successful for the Pacers who were led by O'Neal and Jackson. The Pacers only won 41 games and lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Amare Stoudemire: Stoudemire has had a great deal of success during his time with the Suns since point guard, Steve Nash, joined the squad. Unfortunately, before Nash joined the team in 2004-05, the Suns did have their struggles. In 2003-04, Stoudemire scored more than twenty points per game, but the Suns only won 29 games. After 34 games, guard Stephon Marbury was traded away from the team and Shawn Marion and Joe Johnson were the consistent outside prescence for the Suns. This season was a stepping-stone for the Suns, but a failure at the time for the Suns and Stoudemire.
Karl Malone: Malone had great success in Utah during his career as the inside of the greatest inside-outside combination in NBA history. In the 2000-01, 20001-02, and 2002-03 seasons, Malone reached the twenty point per game mark each year and the team won 53, 44, and 47 games each season. Although they lost in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs each year, the Jazz were still a success each year with Malone in the post.
Chris Bosh: This past season, Bosh teamed with T.J. Ford to create a strong inside-outside game for Toronto. The Bosh-Ford duo led to the best year in franchise history with 47 wins and their first division title.
Shareef Abdur-Rahim: Although Mike Bibby and Jason Terry did become great outside threats later in their careers, when Abdur-Rahim played with them, I do not consider them to be strong enough players.
Carlos Boozer: Boozer teamed with Deron Williams this past season in Utah to win 51 games and reach the Western Conference finals. The Boozer-Williams team was the perfect inside-outside duo and suprised many teams throughout the season.
Pau Gasol, Zach Randolph, Antonio McDyess: By my estimation, none of these players were teamed with a great outside threat during the season they reached twenty points per game. Therefore, like Abdur-Rahim, they will not be considered in this.
So what does this all mean? At the end of the day, only Webber in 2005-06 (Iverson), Jermaine O'Neal in 2005-06 (Jackson), and Stoudemire in 2003-04 (Marion) played with a great outside threat and did not have success. At the same time, 24 guys during the 2000-01 to 2006-07 season were apart of a great inside-outside duo and in fact did experience success.
So, after looking at this, we can now prove that Magic head coach, Stan Van Gundy, was correct when he made his comments recently. As long as Rashard Lewis can continue his production, the Magic should have big success coming. With a perimeter player who can score twenty points per game every night, and a post player in Dwight Howard, who will score twenty points per game every night, the Magic will have success - at least if you look at recent history.
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