I'm a Knicks Fan This Year

I am a lifelong Bulls fan. Growing up near-ish Chicago during Jordan's prime basically ensured that I would love the Bulls with all of my heart. But I remember the bad years as well, drafting guys like Marcus Fizer and signing guys like Eddie Robinson; they were awful for a really long time. Then they started drafting better, lucked into the number one pick and had one of the best coaches in the NBA, so it was a whole lot easier to like them.

Then the Bulls got rid of that coach for a guy whose best attribute was getting guys kicked out of other universities to come to his and play together. Shockingly, that did not spell success at the NBA level. Then, they basically got rid of everyone from those fun grinding Bulls teams, only keeping Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson around. And of course, I still like those guys, I even like Dwyane Wade, Doug McDermott, Nikola Mirotic, and Bobby Portis, but I like those guys more in a vacuum than on this team. Also, they picked up Rajon Rondo, the player I hate the most in the NBA, and another shocker here, it hasn't worked out too well.

So I'm a still Bulls fan, but I don't want to actually watch the Bulls. You see my predicament here? So I've watched some other NBA teams. I have to eliminate all west coast teams, because I can't stay up that late. I'm not going to watch a good team, because then I might fall in love, and I don't want to do that to the Bulls, so I glanced around the league and found the perfect solution, The New York Knickerbockers.

I mean, let's think about it. The only other decent options are the Pacers who show potential but aren't all that fun, and the Bucks, but they're a little too cool and spelling Giannis Antetokounmpo is just a giant pain to spell, so I didn't want to write that.

As a Bulls fan during the 90s, I am predisposed to hating the Knicks, and yes, I will forever hate John Starks and think that they were responsible for the worst years of basketball after Jordan retried (in my mind, Jordan retired from the Bulls and never played again). So saying out loud that I like the Knicks is difficult, but watching the Knicks is a really enjoyable experience.

Let's get the obvious out of the way. They took two of my all-time favorite Bulls when they got Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose this offseason. I still love these guys. Neither of them is the same player they were in their prime, but they show enough flashes to let you get lost in the moments and convince yourself that they are about to have a career renaissance. Rose can still make ridiculous drives and avoid contact as he lays something up high off the glass, and Noah isn't as springy, but he is wily and still more hustle plays than you can expect from any single person. I will forever love watching these guys play (Also, not concerned about Derrick Rose just disappearing from the team last week; that's part of the Derrick Rose charm).

The next reason to like the Knicks is Carmelo Anthony. Carmelo gets a bad rap, because he has never won anything in the NBA, but he's still super awesome at basketball. When Melo gets hot, it is special. I saw the Knicks play the Heat earlier this year, and it was a close game about halfway through the third quarter until Melo just decided to make a shot every time he touched the ball. It finally stopped when he took a contested three as a heat check, but by that time, the Knicks were up double digits and the game was over. Appreciate Carmelo Anthony, because even though he's not the perfect basketball player, he is one of the best.

Then there's Kristaps Porzingis. Porzingis is the guy everyone wants to talk about, but he's still a distant fourth for my favorite Knicks players to watch. Don't get me wrong. He's really good, but he doesn't compare to those top three. His game is easy to enjoy; it's effortless. He's fully appreciated, which makes it less fun to root for him but still fun to watch him.

After that, I still enjoy watching Brandon Jennings. I know he can't make a shot to save his life, but he can still dribble real nicely, and that counts for something. I guess I could say I like Kyle O'Quinn and Courtney Lee, but those are just solid players that you should like, not players that I really care about. They could easily be replaced.

The rest of the Knicks bench is hot garbage. There is nothing of notable talent or consequences, and that's fine. It gives them a ton of potential for easy upgrades. But that's nitpicking at this point.

With D-Rose, Noah, Melo, Zinger, and Young Money, this team is the perfect blend of fun and stupidity. And since they are likely to lose Rose and Jennings after this year, it will be easy to throw them to the side and start cheering for the Bulls after they ditch Rondo and Hoiberg. The Knicks are my team...for this year.

Reviewing My Fantasy Basketball Draft - Part 1

My annual fantasy basketball draft was held this past Tuesday, and as opposed to a free-for-all with everyone having a chance to take home a title, this is more a ceremony, almost a coronation, if you will, as I have yet again acquired a ton of basketball assets to put myself in prime position to take home another fantasy basketball championship. Since we can trade between leagues, I had an extra first and fourth round pick as well as a couple prime keepers. But, just for fun, we'll take a look at the draft, and see who has the best chance of coming in second place this year. Today will be rounds 1-5, with the rest coming next week.

ROUND 1
1             Anthony Davis, Nor PF     The Kid From Thunder Struck
2             Stephen Curry, GS PG       The Outsiders
3             LeBron James, Cle SF       Flint Tropics
4             James Harden, Hou SG    The Outsiders
5             Kevin Durant, OKC SF       Team Autoprick
6             Russell Westbrook, OKC PG          For the love of the game
7             Serge Ibaka, OKC PF         Wilson Chandler Bing
8             DeMarcus Cousins, Sac C               Kissing Cousins
9             Chris Paul, LAC PG            Butt Stuff
10           John Wall, Wsh PG           For the love of the game
11           Blake Griffin, LAC PF        Unleash the Dragic
12           Damian Lillard, Por PG     Wennington Baseline
Best Pick: Damian Lillard
Lillard was a top-10 fantasy player last year, and now LaMarcus Aldridge is gone, so I really can’t see him taking a step backwards. I would have strongly considered him as high as pick six, as I have Westbrook, Cousins, Wall, and him all rated very close together. He won’t supply much on the defensive side of the ball, but his offense will more than make up for it, and it really wouldn’t shock me if he took a leap into that Steph Curry/James Harden fantasy guard monster group.

Worst Pick: Serge Ibaka
What? For a second, I thought the ESPN Fantasy Draft room was having a glitch and forcing everyone to take Oklahoma City Thunder players. I was fully expecting Enes Kanter to go #8 off the board, but alas, it was just an…interesting pick. I am lower than most on Serge as he didn’t step up last year with Durant out, and his numbers are going in the wrong direction. As a guy who depends on his athleticism more than most, I don’t really see those numbers rebounding, as he’s only going to get less springy with age.

My Picks: Stephen Curry and James Harden
Steph Curry was a no brainer with the #2 pick. He had ankle issues earlier in his career, but he’s shown he can stay healthy, so I’m not too concerned about the injury bug popping up again. He was the best fantasy player last year, and I think there is a good chance he has a repeat performance.

James Harden was the pick that I struggled with. Before the draft, I knew I wanted either Harden or Durant with this pick and figured one of them would be off the board at #3. Since LeBron went at 3, I had to think about everything that I have read about Harden and Durant. Durant has the higher ceiling, but that foot injury terrified me. James Harden started hanging out with a Kardashian, and his minutes may go down now that Houston has an improved bench. But I also heard that Harden is pissed about not winning the MVP last year and has something to prove. I went with the safer choice in Harden as even if he takes a step back, he’s probably a top-8 fantasy performer and considering the assets that I acquired for this draft, the safe choice was the right choice for me.

ROUND 2
13           Klay Thompson, GS SG     Wennington Baseline
14           Carmelo Anthony, NY SF Unleash the Dragic
15           Kawhi Leonard, SA SF      Duncan's Donuts
16           LaMarcus Aldridge, SA PF              Butt Stuff
17           Paul Millsap, Atl PF           Kissing Cousins
18           Eric Bledsoe, Pho PG        Wilson Chandler Bing
19           Rudy Gobert, Uta C          For the love of the game
20           Nikola Vucevic, Orl C       Team Autoprick
21           Victor Oladipo, Orl SG     oladipOOOOYEA YOURHOT!!!!!!
22           Gordon Hayward, Uta SG              Flint Tropics
23           Chris Bosh, Mia C             The Outsiders
24           Andre Drummond, Det C The Kid From Thunder Struck
Best Pick: Carmelo Anthony
I am a sucker for Carmelo. The dude is just so naturally gifted at basketball. He’s just so smooth and effortless out there. If he’s healthy, I don’t see how he’s not a top-10 guy, and really, who else is putting up numbers on the Knicks? The Knicks added enough talent to help facilitate Melo without really making a dent in his numbers.

Worst Pick: Rudy Gobert
As you can tell from my best and worst picks, I am a points whore, so I’m not huge on the defensive specialists that either barely add or hurt your offensive categories. Also, Gobert has a fairly limited sample size of success, so I’m not fully ready to buy in on the guy in the second round.

My Pick: Chris Bosh
Chris Bosh is super good at basketball. Had he stayed healthy, he would have been a top-15 guy. The blood clots are not a long-term issue, so I don’t see why he can’t pick up where he left off last year. Miami does have some more weapons this year, so there could be a slight dropoff, but my team is focused on winning the small ball categories, and Bosh is a guy that fits in perfectly with my fantasy philosophy.

ROUND 3
25           Rudy Gay, Sac SF               The Kid From Thunder Struck
26           Al Horford, Atl C               The Outsiders
27           Kevin Love, Cle PF            Flint Tropics
28           Hassan Whiteside, Mia PF             oladipOOOOYEA YOURHOT!!!!!!
29           Marc Gasol, Mem C         Team Autoprick
30           Chandler Parsons, Dal SF For the love of the game
31           Jeff Teague, Atl PG           Wilson Chandler Bing
32           Kyle Lowry, Tor PG           Kissing Cousins
33           Pau Gasol, Chi PF              Butt Stuff
34           Brook Lopez, Bkn C          Duncan's Donuts
35           Goran Dragic, Mia PG      Unleash the Dragic
36           Nerlens Noel, Phi C          Wennington Baseline
Keeper: Nerlens Noel

Best Pick: Kyle Lowry
I came very close to drafting Kyle Lowry. He has gotten in really good shape, which I know is bogus a lot of the time, but dude looks like he lost 20 pounds of fat off of his body. With a slimmer body, there is a better likelihood of him holding up throughout the entire season, which has really been his only question mark these past few years. He’s a menace on defense, and he sets the table on offense. I had him rated much higher than the other point guards taken in this round.

Worst Pick: Hassan Whiteside
I promise that I will not only pick big dudes who block shots on my list of worst picks, but I definitely have a type I don’t like, and it seems to be those guys. But honestly, if Whiteside does what he does, then this is a totally fine pick. The problem is that the guy has had troubles off the court, and even when he was successful last year, he still made poor decisions that got him in trouble. There’s a little upside with Whiteside, but there is tremendous downside with him, and that’s why I would have stayed away this early in the draft.

My Pick: Al Horford
I love Al Horford. This is the third straight year me and Al are going to pair together to dominate a fantasy basketball league. The first year he was doing great until he got injured for the year. The second year he did exactly what he was supposed to do and was great all year long. There is very little difference between Horford and Millsap, but Horford was rated criminally low by ESPN. In Yahoo, he was rated as the 13th best player. I think that’s a little high, but I will gladly take him twice as late as that, as I do think he will be a top-20 player.

ROUND 4
37           Reggie Jackson, Det PG   Wennington Baseline
38           Kenneth Faried, Den PF   Unleash the Dragic
39           Kyrie Irving*, Cle PG         Duncan's Donuts
40           DeAndre Jordan, LAC C   Butt Stuff
41           Derrick Favors, Uta PF     Kissing Cousins
42           Nicolas Batum, Cha SF    Wilson Chandler Bing
43           Monta Ellis, Ind SG           For the love of the game
44           Jonas Valanciunas, Tor C               Team Autoprick
45           Brandon Knight, Pho PG                 The Outsiders
46           Karl-Anthony Towns, Min C           Flint Tropics
47           Bradley Beal, Wsh SG      The Outsiders
48           Al Jefferson, Cha C           The Kid From Thunder Struck
Best Pick: Jonas Valanciunas
Valanciunas was the 40th ranked player last year, and he’s a young Center who has gotten better every year. I think he continues to get better and could become a top-30 guy. It is stupid that this is my favorite pick, since this guy didn’t even show up, and he just got an autopick of Jonas when he probably would have taken somebody stupid.

Worst Pick: Reggie Jackson
I think Reggie Jackson is worthy of this pick to start the season, but Brandon Jennings is going to be coming back, and I don’t know what that means for Reggie Jackson. I think Jackson remains the starter, but I have to think he’ll be giving some of the ball handling responsibilities to Jennings by the end of the year which could diminish him for the playoffs.

My Picks: Brandon Knight and Bradley Beal
Brandon Knight is my guy for this year’s draft. That guy that I am way obsessed with and was going to throw a hissy fit if he didn’t end up on my team. There are a few things that really stand out for me with Knight. The Suns acquired him and got rid of Isaiah Thomas and Goran Dragic, so that means that they believe that Knight will not only fit in their system but flourish. Next, all Suns guards put up big time fantasy numbers, so that is pretty sweet. Finally, point guards take some time. It’s rare for a guy to set the world on fire right away. His teammate, Eric Bledsoe, is a great example. So is former Sun, Goran Dragic. So is John Wall, and that last name is the one that has me excited. Knight is super talented, and although he’s not John Wall, I could see him making a big step forward and getting into the conversation along with some of the top guards in the league. I love me some Brandon Knight.

Bradley Beal is a guy who always ends up on my team, always fails me because of injuries, and yet I can’t quit him. I’m probably putting too much stock in his playoff run last year, but he has that sort of elite talent, and if he’s healthy, then he should be able to show that. Washington needs scorers, and Beal is the type of guy that can put up 20 a game while also helping out in a lot of other categories. Come on Brad Beal, this is the year.

ROUND 5
49           Andrew Wiggins, Min SG The Kid From Thunder Struck
50           Mike Conley, Mem PG     The Outsiders
51           Ty Lawson, Hou PG          Flint Tropics
52           Giannis Antetokounmpo*, Mil SF Flint Tropics
53           Khris Middleton, Mil SF    Team Autoprick
54           Tobias Harris, Orl PF        For the love of the game
55           Tyreke Evans*, Nor SF     Wilson Chandler Bing
56           Derrick Rose, Chi PG        Kissing Cousins
57           Kemba Walker, Cha PG   Butt Stuff
58           Tim Duncan, SA PF            Duncan's Donuts
59           Dwight Howard*, Hou C Unleash the Dragic
60           Greg Monroe, Mil PF       Wennington Baseline
Keeper: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Best Pick: Andrew Wiggins
If I didn’t have a strong obsession with Bradley Beal, Wiggins would have been a really nice pick for my team. But he’s a nice pick for any team. He was good last year and showed glimpses of the potential to be great. The big question with him is scoring, but he’s a freak of an athlete, so everything else will get better and better these next few years.

Worst Pick: Dwight Howard
Surprisingly, this was the toughest round I had in finding a worst pick. It’s at the level where you’re not super excited about guys, but they all seem pretty good, and I could imagine any of these guys giving top-40 production. I probably should have gone with Derrick Rose, but I can’t do that to D-Rose, so I’ll go with another guy with injury issues and say that Dwight is probably not going to get a ton of minutes this year as they try to preserve him for the playoffs and take advantage of their bench depth. Also, even when healthy, Dwight is trending downwards, and I don’t see that reversing.

My Pick: Mike Conley
I have never had Mike Conley, but I’m excited to give it a try. I was a huge fan of his back in his Ohio State days, and he is one of the better examples of my Brandon Knight theory where point guards take a while to mature into great basketball players. I do think that Ty Lawson has a higher upside, but Mike Conley made sense in that he provides very little downside and provide in the categories where I need him to excel.

That's all for today. We'll hit up Rounds 6-10 on Monday before finishing up the final rounds and overall predictions on Tuesday.

Reviewing the Bulls 2014 Offseason

The Bulls are one of the most interesting teams in the NBA. These past two years they have been good enough to make the playoffs, but not good enough to make it out of the first round. Still, Bulls fans have dreams of them competing for the championship in this upcoming season. These dreams were especially strong as they potentially had a lot of money to sign an impact free agent to add to the roster. Let's look at what went down, and just as important, what didn't go down and try to determine whether this offseason was a success.

First off, let's look at the draft. The Bulls had their own first round pick as well as Charlotte's, so they had a good shot of adding not one but two impact players. Still, Thibodeau has not been one to give rookies a lot of minutes, so a great impact for their rookie year would be tough to expect. On draft night, the Bulls turned two assets into one better asset when they traded the two picks for a slightly higher one in order to select Doug McDermott from Creighton. Many people thought they gave up too much to get McDermott, but if that is the player they really wanted, then it makes sense to do what is necessary to get him. There are only five guys on the floor, so getting one that you really like is a smart move. Also, one very underrated aspect of the Bulls front office is doing a very good job of acquiring talent through the draft. Taj, Joakim, and Jimmy Butler were all picks that didn't get them much acclaim but have worked out very well for the team.

Before the free agency period began, the Bulls were involved in three credible rumors, two of which were good, and one of which was terrifying. The good was a possibility of trading for Kevin Love or signing Carmelo Anthony. The bad was that the Bulls would just keep Carlos Boozer and do nothing. That last one had me waking up in cold sweats. Let's attack them one by one.

This first one is still a possibility, but I don't really think the Bulls have what it takes to get Love at this point. They could trade Taj, Mirotic, one of their wings (Snell, who looked much improved in Summer League, McDermott, or Butler) and a couple first round picks. If I were Minnesota, I'd definitely take the lottery tickets of Wiggins and Bennett, but maybe they really love Mirotic. Still, this is very doubtful, and I'm okay with that.

Signing Carmelo Anthony did not happen and looking back had very little chance of happening. The Bulls simply didn't clear enough cap space to make a competitive offer. I think Carmelo would have happily gone to the Bulls had they been able to keep the roster in place and make the same offer the Knicks made. I think it was a strong possibility that they could have gotten them had they made the same offer the Lakers made as well, but it was not meant to be. We blame athletes like Carmelo for taking the money, but basketball is only going to last the next few years, and even on a good team, it's really hard to win a championship. I can't really blame the guy for staying in New York and hoping that Phil Jackson can luck into some game changing talents through free agency and the draft.

Finally, the last one did not come to fruition. Once the Bulls signed anybody, it was pretty clear that Boozer would no longer be with the team. Unlike most Bulls fans, I do not have animosity towards Boozer, as he was a fine player for the Bulls. He did not live up to his contract; he was not as good as Taj Gibson, but he still played hard. Still, he wore out his welcome, and it was pretty clear that the Bulls could not bring him back. I wish him luck as part of the new Big 3 with Jeremy Lin and Swaggy P.

But let's get back to what the Bulls actually did, from least exciting to most exciting:

Kirk Hinrich is back. Kirk Hinrich will always be back.

Nikola Mirotic is finally coming over to the United States. In my fantasies, he's a better version of Dirk Nowitzki. In reality, he should be a good offensive weapon, but the defense will likely leave something to be desired. He will be an interesting piece, and he can definitely step in right away to stretch defenses and cause matchup problems, especially when he is playing against second units.

The most exciting move was Pau Gasol. I love Pau. You love Pau. We all love Pau. Health is a concern, but when he was healthy, he was pretty damn good still. He nearly averaged a double-double, so having that as a backup big is a pretty nice improvement over Nazr Mohammed. And, like Mirotic, he will playing a lot of minutes against backups, which means he can cause serious issues against bench units. The Bulls will actually have scoring options on the floor for all 48 minutes of the game. Pau turned down offers for more money, so overall, this is just great news for the Bulls.

Finally, the Summer League happened. Doug McDermott was the only rookie to make the All Summer League first team, and you could make the argument that last year's first round pick, Tony Snell, played even better. This solidifies the bench for the Bulls. The starters still project to be Noah, Gibson, Dunleavy, Butler, and Rose with Gasol, Mirotic, McDermott, Snell, and Hinrich coming off the bench. I would definitely like to see Thibodeau be more willing to mix and match the big guys, as Mirotic could use a guy like Noah to protect him on defense, while Gibson can do the heavy work on defense with Gasol in at Center.

So that wraps it up. The Bulls have convinced me, yet again, that they are going to be the dominant force in the East. If Derrick Rose stays healthy (his stats may not have been great during his comeback last year, but a lot of that was just figuring out his touch around the rim as the explosiveness was still there), they are the favorites to win the East, and I don't see why they can't compete with the top teams in the West.

It may not be the Jordan years, but it's still a good time to be a Bulls fan.

What Should The Bulls Do This Offseason?

The Bulls are one of the most fascinating teams going into this offseason. Derrick Rose's health is the biggest question, but all Bulls fans can do about that is hope, pray, and wait to see what happens. Almost as big of a story is whether the Bulls will make a big move to bolster their lineup. There are a lot of options out there, but what is the best option? Let's look at some likely scenarios.

1. Do Nothing

This is the one that scares Bulls fans, and although I don't love it, I'm also not totally against it. Everyone assumes that the Bulls will amnesty Boozer, but the Bulls are notoriously cheap, so throwing away $15 million doesn't seem like it would be at the top of their list of things to do. Still, if Nikola Mirotic finally comes over from Spain, there really isn't a place for the Bulls to play Boozer, as Gibson can play the traditional 4 and Mirotic can be used as a stretch 4. That would mean they have no money, but considering they have two first round picks, they could hopefully find a solid wing and a backup center. That's a team that will probably need some luck, but LeBron's supporting cast is getting older, so are the Spurs, and OKC has Scott Brooks, whose skill with Xs and Os starts and ends with Tic-tac-toe. Still, this plan would drive Bulls fans crazy, and yet wouldn't totally surprise me.

2. Trade for Kevin Love

This seems to be the option that gives Bulls fans wet dreams. Love is definitely the best player that the Bulls could add, but that's pretty easy to say since he is one of the 10 best players in the league. Obviously, he would be a great addition, but I'll admit that it would still be bittersweet. I, like many Bulls fans, love Taj Gibson more and more every year. The reason he is so valuable is that when other teams go small, they can keep Taj at the four, dominate the boards, and still have him hang with a wing on defense. That is a really valuable commodity. Also, I have been dreaming of Mirotic for years, and have already decided that he is a poor man's Dirk, which gives the Bulls all kinds of fun options. But it's still Kevin Love, so even if they traded Gibson, Mirotic, and two first round picks, they would still be putting themselves in a better position to win a championship in the next few years. Also, it would ensure that Boozer would be gone, which Bulls fans seem to need at this point.

3. Get Melo

After thinking about it, I have joined Joakim Noah as saying this is the move I want the most. Carmelo is not perfect, but he is very much needed for the Bulls and fills their biggest need. He can score from the wing, and that is what the Bulls need. He is a force with the ball in his hands, so not all the offense would have to fall on Derrick Rose in crunch time. They'd have to amnesty Boozer and probably get rid of Dunleavy to have enough money to bring over Mirotic, but these are all realistic possibilities. Also, I would expect Carmelo's defense to improve since he will finally be playing for a coach that cares about that side of the ball (I admit this is slightly unfair to Mike Woodson, but he's not on the level of Thibs). In the draft, the Bulls can add depth and be ready to bring the championship back to Chicago.

I am way too optimistic about the Bulls. Even in the first scenario, I could see them competing for a championship. With Love, their odds increase, but I still like Carmelo Anthony the most. A lineup of Noah-Gibson-Melo-Butler-Rose is probably the best starting five in the league. Thibodeau has shown he can turn just about any bench players into solid contributors, so I really don't see how the Bulls would not be the favorite for the title if they can stay healthy. My childhood was filled with six championships, so I will never be too mad at the Bulls. But as a Cubs, Bears, and Bulls fan, it has been 16 years without a professional title (really wish I liked hockey), so I feel like I am due, and the Bulls are my best shot at that. Bring on Melo, and me and Lala can make jokes about Carson Daly. Everybody wins, especially the city of Chicago.

Something To Be Excited About For All 30 NBA Teams

The NBA is back, and I'm super excited about it. Since I grew up a Bulls fan, nothing will ever touch the 90s for my basketball love, but even though my love can never be as deep, the variety of things to love for the current NBA is incredible. There is not a team that is not at least somewhat interesting to watch this season, and I am incredibly excited for so many things. Here is one thing for every team.

Atlanta Hawks - Lou Williams is coming back. He is awesome off the bench, and I used to hate him, because my brother used to be the 76ers a couple years ago and dominate me with Lou Williams. If Williams finally becomes as good as his video game identity, he will be first-team All NBA.

Boston Celtics - Jeff Green. I have an unnatural love for Jeff Green, because I worked for the Sonics during their final year, meaning I saw Green's and Durant's rookie year. He also got Scottie Pippen comparisons all the time, and Scottie will always be near and dear to my heart. Is he going to be Scottie Pippen? No, but he showed flashes of brilliance, and the Celtics are going to need somebody to step up, and Jeff Green is probably their best option for that.

Brooklyn Nets - Aundray Blatche. Oh yes, out of all the changes the Nets made, I'm going with a guy they brought back. Blatche, who took the minimum to screw over the Wizards more, so they have to pay him as much as possibly after amnestying him is going to be one of the most interesting players of the season. That is because he will be playing with KG. Blatche has always had talent, so will KG help him unlock those skills, or will he drive KG insane? There is NO MIDDLE GROUND. Can't wait.

Charlotte Bobcats - Kemba Walker. I think most would say he had a disappointing rookie year, but his second year, he improved across the board with increased usage. Now that he has Al Jefferson to take some of the defensive focus away from him, he could easily go for 20 PPG. Also, do not count them out of having the worst overall record. This team isn't just going to stand up and let the 76ers be worse than them; they'll have to earn it.

Chicago Bulls - Derrick Rose. So I'm an admitted Bulls fan, and there are a lot of things I could write here, but everything pales in comparison to this team having Derrick Rose back. The Bulls could really use a backup center, but outside of that, this team looks great. They may even occasionally bench Deng since they have Dunleavy to take minutes at the 3, and they can just play Jimmy Butler 45 minutes a game so Thibodeau doesn't get out of rhythm. Taj added 20 pounds of muscle and has looked like a beast in the preseason. Okay, need to stop before I start waxing poetically about what Erik Murphy can bring in his 10 minutes of garbage time this season.

Cleveland Cavaliers - Anderson Varejao. Yes, Kyrie is great and everything about Andrew Bynum is worth paying attention to, but don't forget how great Varejao was last year before a blood clot ended his season. It's never just one thing with Varejao, but it's always something. I really hope he stays healthy, because he's a total hustle player, and if he's playing the Bulls, I'll want to reach through the screen and strangle him, but you just gotta respect what he brings to the court.

Dallas Mavericks - Dirk Nowitzki. If he's back to 100%, or even near there, he's amazing to watch. He does things that nobody else in the game can do, and we should not forget how great he is. Never forget: Initially traded for Robert "Tractor" Traylor.

Denver Nuggets - Everybody. Seriously, everyone. Checking out their roster from top to bottom, I can see the value in every player they have. They are kind of like an experienced college team where they'll play a lot of guys and can scrap with teams that have better talent. They will just keep throwing out lines, and they have an insane bench scorer who can turn into the best player on the court in Nate Robinson. JaVale McGee and Kenneth Faried as their starting front court has so much potential. They are likely going to regress, but they are also likely to bother every team they play as they keep sending out fresh guys.

Detroit Pistons - The Frontcourt. I kind of feel bad for Greg Monroe, because he is a very good NBA player, but he is completely uninteresting compared to Josh Smith and Andre Drummond. But how those three work together in an offense where they will basically just all be calling for the ball in the paint, with Josh Smith occasionally popping out for an ill-advised three just because he can. Also, they may never get the ball with Brandon Jennings running the point. They will have the biggest smiles on some nights and the biggest frowns on others. I expect this team to make Assistant Coach Rasheed Wallace proud with their number of ejections.

Golden State Warriors - Stephen Curry. He's really amazing when healthy. I don't think he'll ever be fully healthy for a full year, but who cares? When he's out there, it is nearly impossible to change the channel.

Houston Rockets - Dwight Howard. I know everybody hates Dwight Howard, and he does seem incredibly douchey, but back when I worked for the Sonics. I saw him put up 39 points, and I'm pretty sure that 24 of those points were scored on dunks. I just checked the box score and he somehow made 15-20 free throws in that game. To be fair, Robert Swift was injured during that game, but I will never forget how dominant he was in that game. Back surgeries are bad news, but he has actually had time to totally rest it, and if he's back to Orlando Magic Howard, the Rockets are going to be a contender.

Indiana Pacers - The Next Level. The Pacers have three guys who have a very realistic shot of making a huge leap forward in their game. The most obvious is Paul George who already showed that he's good enough to be a star, but if he can make a higher percentage of shots and get to the line some more, he might be a superstar. Roy Hibbert was dominant in the postseason, and if he does that all season, that could make things very interesting. There's also Lance Stephenson, who might be great, but could also turn into a guy who takes so many bad shots that he cancels out his defensive contributions. But if he developed a consistent three from the corner, he could cause some serious issues for other teams.

Los Angeles Clippers - The Wings. Yes, Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are great, but their wings are what could bring this team to the next level. They are all guys who are way better suited to be on a contender. Jamal Crawford is a heat check guy who can score a ridiculous amount of points if he's on. If he's off, you bench him, and it's no big deal because of the other guys around him. Matt Barnes is a nice contributor, Jared Dudley fills many of the same roles, as he plays tough defense and is high energy. And then there's JJ Redick, who was made to play for a contender as he provides above average defense and great shooting. Nothing else, but that's all they need. I also really like Reggie Bullock, but I do think it'll be tough for him to get many minutes.

Los Angeles Lakers - Steve Nash. I love Kobe too and am anxious to see him back, but I feel like everybody forgot how great Steve Nash is. The way that people talked about Nash, I would have thought he played 20 games and produced zero value. Yes, he's awful on defense, but he still has tremendous court vision and almost shot 50-40-90 last year. Also, Kobe. He's more like Jordan than any other player in history. And yes, LeBron's better, but he would cut his left arm off to win another championship, and you have to respect that.

Memphis Grizzlies - Grit n' Grind. This is not going to be pretty basketball, but if you fondly look back on the 90s, this is the most 90s style team you could ever possibly see.

Miami Heat - LeBron. I know I have picked some under-the-radar guys for other teams, but LeBron is amazing to watch. Remember, LeBron got better last year. He could still be improving. That is so scary. When he plays the Bulls tonight, I am going to be filled with hate, but I still can't wait.

Milwaukee Bucks - LARRY SANDERS! - Credit to Zach Lowe, because he deserves the CAPS treatment. Not only does he block shots like no other, but he also did this.

Minnesota Timberwolves - Ricky Rubio. Not only is he the happiest guy in the NBA, but he also makes others around him happier. He is encouraging Alexey Shved to play with a smile, because he plays better when he is happy. If I could adopt an NBA player, it would be Ricky Rubio. Am I the only one who imagines him as the Tom Haverford of the NBA. I can't be.

New Orleans Pelicans - Anthony Davis. If The Brow takes the leap (like everyone in the world seems to be predicting), New Orleans basketball will be really fun. I still worry about their defense, but with Holiday-Gordon-Evans-Anderson-Davis out there, they'll be incredibly fun to watch while they have the ball.

New York Knicks - Carmelo Anthony. He's got old man game. He's not an athleticism guy, but he knows all the tricks to get his shot off, and that will never leave him. Down the road, if he wanted to take a smaller role, he could probably keep being a valuable contributor for a team well into his 40s.

Oklahoma City Thunder - Kevin Durant. Nearly the same explanation as LeBron. Durant is still getting better, and that's scary. He's great. Enjoy him in his prime.

Orlando Magic - Youth. Trying to decide what young guy is the man to get most excited about is too tough, so I'm just happy to watch everybody. Yes, Oladipo and Vucevic are the best bets to stand out, but Tobias Harris, Mo Harkless, and Andrew Nicholson could also take steps forward this year. No, they probably won't be good, but it'll be fun to see who's the best of the bunch.

Philadelphia 76ers - Brandon Davies. Remember him? From BYU. He got dismissed for the honor code, which most likely means he had sex, possibly with the Mormons most valuable commodity, white women. But he's on the 76ers. There are 29 teams that he probably couldn't get playing time with, but he's on the one where he can. I know people keep saying that they won't break the record for most losses, but man, you look at this roster, and they definitely have a shot.

Phoenix Suns - Eric Bledsoe. This is easy, because he was exciting in limited minutes for the Clippers, but now the Suns may as well play him as much as possible and see what good comes from it. They may even trade Dragic to help with the tanking, which would give him even more freedom to do as he pleases. It's Bledsoe's team, and I can't wait to see how that turns out.

Portland Trail Blazers - Damian Lillard. He was Rookie of the Year last year, so he may be getting better still. Even if he is only as good as last year, that's still a fun player to build around. He's also got Aldridge in the middle and a lot of quality NBA players around them.

Sacramento Kings - DeMarcus Cousins. There's basketball in Sacramento, and maybe this is the year that Cousins figures it out. Yes, I could see myself saying that in six years too, but things might finally be coming together. If Cousins cared, just, like 80% of the time, he'd be an All-Star. If he cared all the time, he's an MVP candidate.

San Antonio Spurs - Teamwork. Yeah, it's cliche, but how do you separate an individual on this group that is made to be a team. Duncan is fantastic, Tony Parker is properly rated by hardcore NBA fans, but still underrated by the casual fan, maybe Ginobili can only play 15 minutes, but if he does it at Ginobili levels, that's still great, and then there's Kawhi who turned into a beast down the stretch. You put these parts together, watch them gel perfectly, and enjoy the fun.

Toronto Raptors - Jonas Valanciunas. He was super popular to be a sleeper last year, and he was fine, but what he showed in the summer and preseason lead me to believe that he might be taking a big step forward this year. Honorable mention to Rudy Gay who is seen as highly overrated by analytics, but he's still a really good basketball player, and that shouldn't be underestimated.

Utah Jazz - The Bigs. Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors. Who is going to be the dominant big? No idea. Are either of them going to be good? Probably, but we don't know. I'm anxious to find out.

Washington Wizards - Johnley Beall - John Wall and Bradley Beal are two players I love watching, and they work great together. They have been helping each other get better since the moment Beal was drafted, with Beal helping Wall on his shot, and Wall helping Beal with ball handling and defense. These are two guys who can be All-Stars with Beal as a dominant scorer, and Wall as the most athletic point guard in the league who can do things that nobody else can. Do not underestimate how good these guys can be.

The season opens up tonight, and there's plenty to be excited about.