Finally...The Boozy has come back to the interwebs (Yes, that was a Rock reference) . Yes its been a long time. But as Buzz Lightyear once said in the hit comedy "Toy Story", "Let's not dwell on the past."
Starting tonight, The Boozy is back. This is as good time as any to relaunch the Boozy. The NBA draft is in two days. We have a whole off-season to get reacquainted....you know to get know one another before we jump into bed and start a long-lasting meaningful relationship. Unlike last time, this is not about one night stands or drunken hook-ups. Here at the Boozy we expect you to stick around for breakfast. Maybe meet the kids.
We will be blogging at least four times a week. So check back often for updates. The site's layout is pretty boring right now, but I promise....that will be worked on in the coming weeks. By Opening Night 2009, the Boozy will be slick, gorgeous, and user-friendly.
So without further ado....let's jump on the NBA wagon.
With the draft only hours away, teams are trying to figure out their position for the upcoming season. This is a very interesting draft. Not so much because of the players involved, but because this is the year teams have to make decisions that will affect their team for seasons to come. Allow me to explain:
-The draft is relatively weak compared to the last few years. The NCAA tournament was, in all honesty, pretty dreadful to watch. Boring games, a predictable outcome, and not enough incredible individual performances. Nearly all the players in the draft (Blake Griffin included) have holes in their games. This steams from the fact in 2006, the NBA put in a rule that only players 19 years of age and at least one year removed from their high school class can enter the draft. This will be the fourth draft since that rule was created. You would have thought that the level of play in collegiate ranks would have increased because high school players who would have entered the draft at 18, now must play at least one year in college. It hasn't. The few guys who could have jumped proved their ability in the college ranks (Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, and etc.) and left after their freshman year. This created the one and done player and essentially turning their colleges into the NBDL....it wasn't about college, it was about becoming NBA factories.
- Every team must choose now where they stand on the 2010 free agent class. We all have heard about this. King James, D-Wade, Mr. Canada, and Chris Bosh (I don't have a nickname for him) will all be available. So now teams are deciding if they will be in or out. A lot of teams are choosing in...which means trimming payroll and rolling the dice for a year from now. If they succeed and sign one of the big-names, it would be a franchise-changing acquisition that would set the team up for years to come. But if the fail....they would have cost the team two years and must start rebuilding....which usually takes another two or three years. So that's five lost years. This summer teams such as the Knicks, Suns, Nets, and Pistons are cost-cutting, which means getting rid of high-priced players and high round draft picks. Teams such as the Spurs, Wizards, and Cavs thinks this is the time to cash in and go for it. So they are trading their picks for more proven talent.
-Yes...the recession. Players that would have in years past gotten absurd contracts are not only getting less, but are being ignored in favored of cheaper talent. You would think this would help the draft. But because the talent this year is less (at least say the experts), the picks are actually being undervalued. The scale salary hasn't changed since 2006. And there's a belief that next year's draft will be better. So some teams rather save their money (as little as it is) and draft next year.
-While the draft may lack superstars...there very well could be a good number of role players. The Lakers and Magic had a blueprint that all of teams are starting to follow: two stars, one complementary player, and a bunch of specialized role players. For example, Stephen Curry. While he probably never be a star (really doesn't play great defense and shoots a lot), he scores. He's a fireplug of a sixth man. A Ben Gordon type with better ball-handling skills. Another example, DeJuan Blair. A big body who knows how to rebound. May not score tons. Think a little less polished Paul Milsap. Solid players...guys you want on a good team. Notice what the T-wolves are doing. They have Al Jefferson and Kevin Love, two potential 20-10 guys. Now they need a backcourt. They have four picks in the first round. They are going to take Curry (3 point shooting and ball handling), a scorer (Harden), a back-up basher (Blair), and Terrence Williams (a defensive specialist). None of these guys will be stars...but they fill a need. This won't make them a playoff team this year, but they are stock piling with role players. Building a team up. Then they go after a Steve Nash or a Jason Kidd next year.
So point being...this is a very important draft for a bunch of reasons. And I am so pumped for it I can hardly contain myself. Tune in tomorrow for the Boozy's full draft preview, including:
-Up to last second Mock Draft
-Trade reviews
-And a surprise guest!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
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