Yardbarker: Mike Dunleavy Jr.

Worst NBA Contracts

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:48:31 -0500

These are the worst contracts in the NBA, in no particular order: (Salary this year in millionsl, number of years left on contract, max yearly salary in millions if more than one year) (QO: qualifying offer PO: player option TO: team option) Vince Carter ($15.2, 3 with a PO for 4, $18) Kenyon Martin ($14.1, 2 with a PO for 3, $16.5) Antoine Walker ($9.3, 1 with a TO, then another regular year, $10.8) Andrew Bogut ($6.2, 6, $14.2) Rashard Lewis ($17.2, 5, $23.7) Corey Maggette ($8.2, 5, $10.9) Kirk Hinrich ($10, 4, $10) Andrei Kirilenko ($15, 3, $17.8) Zach Randolph ($14.6, 3, $17.3) Troy Murphy ($10.1, 3, $11.9) Mike Dunleavy ($9, 3, $10.5) Jermaine O'Neal ($21,3, 2, $22.9) Shaquille O'Neal ($20, 2, $20) Stephon Marbury ($21.9, 1) Some of these players are valuable but over priced (Lewis, AK, Jermaine O'Neal) Others are superstars past their time and coasting on earlier success (VC, Walker, Shaq and Marbury) Some had a good contract year and little else in their careers (Z-Bo) Others are bit players who play crucial roles but aren't worth the dough (K-Mart, Hinrich, Maggette) One is a horrible draft pick (Bogut) And the others are just head scratchers (Murphy, Dunleavy) If you have more than one player on this list (Indiana and New York both have two) then your current team is probably doomed until they can shed these contracts, or at the least balance them out with some of the bargain players from the last article.

The All Whitey Basketball Team

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 23:10:31 -0500

We selected a team of all white basketball players from the United States. These are essentially the top twelve American basketball players in the world right now, that happen to be white. Trust us, it was difficult.

NBA Punchlines: Rip Hamilton Criticizes Former Coach Flip Saunders

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 20:48:55 -0500

Welcome to the Clippers: Rookie Eric Gordon sprained his ankle during his first practice and will miss a week. (L.A. Times)

The Lakers are trying Lamar Odom out at point guard this preseason, in what we are guessing will be a Scottie Pippen type role. (L.A. Times)

Mike Dunleavy Jr. is looking to parlay his breakout season, and prove those wrong who doubted he could be a good NBA player. (Indy Star)

Rick Adelman is installing a new offense, his offense, in Houston. (Houston Chronicle)

Rip Hamilton had a few things to say about his former coach Flip Saunders yesterday at Pistons camp. (Detroit Free Press)

We have a Mateen Cleaves sighting. (Detroit Free Press)

Antonio McDyess is back in a bench role with the Pistons this year and he is comfortable with that. (Detroit Free Press)

The Cavs need Varejao and Pavlovic to snap out of whatever was going on with them last season. (Plain Dealer)

Finally: Ben Gordon signed the one-year tender offer with the Bulls worth $6.4 million. (Chicago Trib)

How to Predict Career Years (Draft Guide sample #4)

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:32:51 -0500

Besides being former Warriors, what do Mike Dunleavy and Jason Richardson have in common? In '07-08, Mike-D and J-Rich shot the ball better than ever before and put up career-high numbers in several categories. In fact, you could say they had "career years," and as a result, their fantasy owners prospered. Since drafting these type of players is essential to winning fantasy leagues, the purpose of this article is to show you that, often times, career years CAN be predicted. So what else do Dunleavy & Richardson have in common?

RotoEvil's exclusive 1+ Three, 47% FG club (Draft Guide sample #1)

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 17:55:20 -0500

When you attempt a lot of threes, your FG% usually pays the price. This is especially true in fantasy hoops, which is why I created the 1+ Three, 47% FG club. In '07-08, only 13 players made the cut. The year before, there were only 12. To qualify, a player must play in 40+ games, average 1+ three, and shoot 47% or better from the field. By targeting some of these players, you will achieve a superb balance between threes & FG%, immediately gaining an advantage over your opponents. If you want to dominate your league, plus find out what Steve Nash, Brent Barry, and Mike Miller have done that no one else in NBA history has, then just click on the link...

Weekly Fix Episode 20 - Fantasy Basketball Preview Pt. 2

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:08:47 -0500

Zach Harper, Brandon Gallawa, and Andy Eisner actually decide to discuss basketball for pretty much an entire episode of the Weekly Fix. In Part 2 of the Weekly Fix Fantasy Basketball Preview, this trio of fantasy experts discuss who should be ranked higher, who should be ranked lower, who will do better and who should be a sleeper for multiple positions plus offer drafting strategies. The positions they discuss in the Part 2 of this Fantasy Preview are : 1. Fantasy Small Forwards - Is Josh Smith still good enough to be Top 3? Danny Granger or Rudy Gay? Where does Caron Butler fit in? Is Jamario Moon the new Andrei Kirilenko? Kevin Durant or Carmelo Anthony? 2. Fantasy Power Forwards - Elton Brand or Tim Duncan? Is Michael Beasley worthy of where he'll be drafted? Is Nick Collison going to be overlooked by everybody once again? Can Al Jefferson stop Wolves' fans from hating their basketball lives? Be sure to listen, tell your friends, and continue to Support the Habit.

2008 Fantasy Hoops Rankings: Small Forwards

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:04:16 -0500

FIO and TalkHoops.net staff writer Zach Harper breaks down the Top 25 small forwards heading into fantasy basketball drafts this season, including in-depth analysis about the Top 10 and some notes about the remaining players on the list.

GS Warriors Deal: Will There Be A Harrington-Tinsley Swap?

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 06:53:50 -0500

Its no secret the Warriors are in desperate need of backcourt relief after Monta Ellis's injury, evident of general manager Chris Mullin flying out to Chicago to view comeback hopeful, Shaun Livingston in a private workout session. Across the states, the Indiana Pacers are also in need of a few materials, primarily three point shooting and an athletic power forward. By taking these two requirements into account, I created this potential trade that both teams would easily benefit from. I crunched the numbers and an Al for Jamaal trade wasn't exactly allowed by NBA measures. So to make the trade work, I threw in additional pieces to the trade to make the salaries intertwine. The trade scenario resembles this: www.rawsportsblog.com

Team Preview #20: Indiana Pacers

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 19:24:30 -0500

LAST SEASON The Pacers won 36 games under new Coach Jim O'Brien, a year after winning 35 games under Rick Carlisle. The difference? In '06-07, they had a 92.4 pace factor (10th), made 5.9 threes (17th), dished out 20.5 assists (19th), and scored 95.6 points (24th) per game. In '07-08, they had a 97.7 pace factor (3rd), made 9.2 threes (3rd), dished out 22.7 assists (7th), and scored 104.0 points (7th) per game. The result? A more exciting squad and much better fantasy stats. OFFSEASON MOVES Key Additions: TJ Ford, Jarrett Jack, Nesterovic, Brandon Rush, R. Hibbert, J. McRoberts, M. Baston Key Losses: Jermaine O'Neal, Flip Murray, Diogu, Kareem Rush, Jamaal Tinsley?, Shawne Williams? Jermaine O'Neal's wish was finally granted, as he got traded to Toronto over the summer for TJ Ford, Nesterovic, and Maceo Baston. I remember Baston throwing down a lot of dunks as a Michigan Wolverine, and thought he had potential as the Bulls' very last pick (#58) in 1998. While he helped turn Maccabi Tel Aviv into a Euroleague powerhouse, he's played just 614 total minutes in the NBA. What's odd however, is that he played in 16 games for Toronto in '02-03, 47 games for Indiana in '06-07, back to Toronto for 15 games last season, and now he's back in Indiana. At 33 years old, is this the year that he finally gets some serious playing time? With Ike Diogu also gone (sent to Portland for Jack & McRoberts), perhaps. The Pacers also received two 1st round picks in their trades, netting swingman Brandon Rush (to replace his brother Kareem!) and 7-foot-2 center Roy Hibbert. TJ Ford will basically replace Jamaal Tinsley, whom the Pacers are actively shopping. Don't be surprised if Shawne Williams is sent packing as well, as Indy is trying to cleanse itself from any troublemakers. Perhaps their most unheralded yet most intriguing pickup was the 21-year old McRoberts, who was born & raised in Indiana before starring at Duke. ROTATION / PLAYING TIME It sounds like Tinsley's days in a Pacers uniform are over, so T.J. is now running the show. While Tinsley always flashed potential, Ford will be much more dependable. If healthy, I project he'll start and play around 30 minutes per game. It took 6 years, but Mike Dunleavy, Jr. finally showed why he was the #3 overall pick in '02. He set career-highs in nearly every single category and shot the ball way better than he ever did before. He's found a home in Indiana, so he's a lock to duplicate the 36 mpg that he averaged last season. Backing up both guys will be Jarrett Jack, who performed fairly well as Portland's 3rd guard. I'll project 22-24 mpg for him off the bench, which means much fewer minutes for both Marquis Daniels & Travis Diener. At small forward, Danny Granger is one of the most underrated young players in the league and is only going to get better. He saw nearly 38 minutes of action after the break, so expect the same for '08-09. I think Brandon Rush is a much better defender and athlete than his brother Kareem, so I'm expecting him to play a key role as a rookie. He'll get at least 10 minutes per game, and perhaps up to 20 if Williams is traded and they give Granger a chunk of minutes at power forward. Like Dunleavy, Troy Murphy has never sniffed the postseason. The Notre Dame grad hasn't been that spectacular since signing a lucrative 6-year deal for $58 million in 2005, but his minutes should go up this year with Jermaine & Ike now out of the picture. I'm projecting 32-33 minutes for Murph and a solid bounceback campaign. At center, Jeff Foster will likely start and pull down mad rebounds as always. He averaged 24.5 mpg last season, but that number may fall to 22-23 with Nesterovic around. Rasho should get 18-20 minutes at center, which leaves some garbage time for Hibbert until he proves himself. Baston & McRoberts will battle for the remaining big man minutes, and could even play a key role if someone gets hurt. DON'T SLEEP ON: Troy Murphy Looking at his recent stats, it's hard to believe that Murphy was one of just 5 players to average 15+ points and 10+ rebounds per game in '04-05. Since then, his role on the Warriors declined, he was traded to the Pacers, and he's had to battle for minutes ever since. But it's time for Troy to step up. And based on his Post All-Star numbers, I think he's ready. After the break, his minutes rose to 31.8 and he put up 14.8 points, 7.7 boards, 2.4 assists, .7 steals, .5 blocks, and 1.4 threes while shooting a rock solid 50.5% FG and 42.2% 3P. While those shooting %'s are sure to decline a bit, the rest of his numbers could easily rise with a few more minutes. So I'm going to project around 15 points, 9 boards, .5 blocks, and 1.5 threes per game. The blocks are weak, but the threes are money for a center-eligible player. Did you know? Only 4 players have ever been named Big East Player of the Year TWICE: Chris Mullin (St. Johns), Patrick Ewing (Georgetown), Richard Hamilton (UConn), and Troy Murphy (Notre Dame). BE CAREFUL OF: Mike Dunleavy As I said before, Lil Dun had a career-year in '07-08. His 17.3 PER blew away his previous high of 15.1 (set in '03-04), and the green light from Jim O'Brien helped him finish 12th in 3P% (42.4%) and 17th in threes per game (2.0). And he was surprisingly consistent, shooting 48% FG or better in 4 of the 6 months. Mike D. turns 28 next month, so he's in his prime, but I'm doubtful that he can duplicate last season's stats. For starters, I think the Pacers will have a more balanced scoring attack this season, as Murphy will get more shots and Ford is a better scorer than the Tinsley/Diener/Andre Owens PG trio. I also like Jack & Rush off the bench. They're not going to steal any minutes away from Dunleavy, but they could steal a few rebounds & assists. And lastly, I'd estimate that the chances of him shooting better than 42.4% from beyond the arc are about 12%. He's still a Top 50 fantasy player, but you need to be careful. ROUND BY ROUND TARGETS (Where you should draft these guys in an 8-cat Roto league with 12 teams and 14 man rosters) Click on the link to find out!

Rumors and Free Agent Updates - Hornets' New Look Edition

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:56:06 -0500

The Timberwolves aren't the only team who will have new uniforms this season, the Hornets unveiled their new look uniforms on Wednesday. They will not only have new uniforms this coming season, but also new colors, a new logo, and a new floor, which will be unveiled Friday. And, let's not forget that they have a new player with a new championship ring in James Posey. Oklahoma City has waived 14 year veteran Donyell Marshall. Marshall is in the final year of a contract that would have paid him $5.9 million. Oklahoma City must pay Marshall the remainder of his guaranteed salary and it will count against the team's salary this season, but it opens up a roster spot for him. Including restricted free agent center Robert Swift, who they haven't signed yet, Oklahoma City will have 14 players under contract when they sign their two rookies. Devean George and the Dallas Mavericks have reached an agreement on a new two-year contract worth approximately $4 million. George's refusal to be included in the trade for Jason Kidd almost prevented Kidd from becoming a Maverick. George's refusal cost Mavs owner Mark Cuban more than $11 million last season in additional payroll and luxury-tax payments. It seemed as though his days in Dallas were numbered but new coach Rick Carlisle was eager to keep him with the team and now he will remain with the team for another 2 years/ The Miami Heat and forward Dorell Wright have agreed to terms on a two-year deal. It is expected to be finalized this week. A restricted free agent, Wright had been given a qualifying offer of $2.9 million for 2008-09. His new contract will start at roughly the $2.9 qualifying offer. This gives the Heat 13 players under contract for next season. The Heat are also in talks with Jamaal Magloire who postponed his visit to Miami because of Tropical Storm Fay. Magloire would definitely be an upgrade over Mark (I'll get the rebound if I don't have to work for it) Blount. Heat free agent center Earl Barron agreed to a one-year deal with Fortitudo Bologna of the Italian League. The Heat had not attempted to re-sign Barron, who will make close to $2 million in Europe. Shaun Livingston's rehab is progressing. Reports are that he has been playing five-on-five, for at least the past week and a half, at fitness trainer Tim Grover's facility in Chicago. It was also confirmed Wednesday that Livingston has progressed to playing full-scale, full-court pickup games with the contingent of 20 or so NBA players that work out regularly at Grover's site. He is an unrestricted free agent and if healthy, could become one of the league's top point guards and a top defender. Some team is going to take a chance on him and be rewarded big time if he gets back to pre-injury playing form. Team USA will play Argentina for the gold I guess it is fitting that the two teams with the most NBA players should be still playing at the end. Argentina has Luis Scola, Manu Ginobili, Fabricio Oberto, Carlos Delfino and Andres Nocioni and may give the US more of a challenge than any of the others they might have faced in the gold medal round. NBA teams always hold their breath when they have key players on the Olympics teams because there is always the chance of an injury. Pau Gasol comes to mind as he broke his foot playing on the Spanish National Team a couple of years back. In their last game against the United States, Andrew Bogut injured his ankle and that has to have the Bucks wringing their hands. He said that it popped and that can't be a good thing. The Raptors' Jose Calderon was also injured in Spain's win over Croatia. It was described as a strained adductor. I can see why an NBA team would try to discourage players from participating in the Olympics. I know it is an honor to play for their country, but it has to take a lot out of them even if there isn't an injury. Brandon Roy is anxious to play basketball again. Six days after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, Brandon Roy arrived at the Blazers' practice facility without crutches or any noticeable limp. He says that he will definitely be ready for training camp. Bill Walker had a similar surgery and has been working out in Boston since his surgery. The Celtics haven't signed him yet, but I think they will because Danny went out of his way to get him from Washington. I think he will be able to contribute this season if given the opportunity. The Sixers have officially signed Theo Ratliff to a veteran's minimum contract. They needed another big man when their second year center Jason Smith went down with an ACL injury. Ratliff's agent said that the former Celtic passed on 2 more lucrative offers to sign for the veteran's minimum as a backup center. He said that he chose Philly because he wants to help win the Eastern Conference. I wonder if that means that he harbors some kind of ill will toward the Celtics. He played only 2 games for the Celtics before he and his expiring contract were shipped to Minnesota for Kevin Garnett. He said that he also liked Philly because he knows coach Mo Cheeks and knows the city and he believes that the team is going to be good. I think they are going to be good too. Philly should give the Celtics a run for the division title. With new point guard TJ Ford in Indiana, Larry Bird is still hoping to trade Jamaal Tinsley but so far hasn't has much luck. Bird said earlier this week that he thinks things will pick back up after Labor Day because a lot of league officials are either on vacation or at the Olympics in Beijing. Ford is expected to workout with teammates Mikebu Dunleavy and Troy Murphy this week. The Suns finally have their point guard in their second round pick, Goran Dragic whose contract will be worth close to $8 million over four years. His deal will start at about $1.8 million with at least $1 million of that going to his Tau Ceramica buyout. If he is as good as they are saying he is, they may have a steal. Although, I expect the bigger steal in the draft will be Bill Walker who was grabbed by the Celtics at #49. Guard D.J. Strawberry's status is still in flux for the coming season. The Suns have until Oct. 31 to exercise his option for a $711,517 salary, $200,000 of which is guaranteed once he makes the opening night roster. Without him, the Suns would need to sign a 13th player. The US Women's team advanced to the finals by beating Becky Hammon and the Russian team in a hard fought contest. They fell behind early but pulled ahead in the second half. There were several hard fouls that resulted in technical free throws and the game was much closer than any they have played so far but the Americans pulled it out 67-52 in the end. They will play on Saturday for the Gold Medal.

Jermaine O' Neal / T.J. Ford Trade - Initial Fantasy Breakdown

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:01:38 -0500

The reports of the impending trade were too much to resist. A fantasy breakdown of the "done deal" I have been hearing about all day.

NBA Offseason: Nuggets Should Campaign For Avery Johnson

Tue, 27 May 2008 18:59:46 -0500

After a successful start to his coaching career with the Dallas Mavericks, Avery Johnson was fired earlier this offseason. During his four-year tenure with the Mavs, Johnson went 264-190 with a winning percentage of .735. www.rawsportsblog.com

Ranking the Top 30 Small Forwards by Total Value

Mon, 26 May 2008 13:00:17 -0500

This is the third of five installments of my position-by-position rankings, where I consider the four major factors that affect a player's total value: talent (statistical performance), contract, age and potential. To see a more detailed explanation of my approach, give my point guard rankings a gander. I have also completed the first edition of my shooting guard rankings. To summarize a player's stats, I'll use the NBA Efficiency statistic, which is defined as: EFF = ((Points + Rebounds + Assists + Steals + Blocks) - ((Field Goals Att. - Field Goals Made) + (Free Throws Att. - Free Throws Made) + Turnovers)) Essentially, the order of this list depends on the answer to the question -- would you trade Player X for Player Y, assuming the goal is to win a title in the next three seasons, while also building a strong franchise for years to come? On with the rankings... 1. LeBron James, Cavaliers Age: 23 EPG: 30.6 Contract: three years, $47.3 M ($15.8 M per) What's there to say about LeBron that hasn't already been said? He's only 23 and is, at worst, the second-best wing in the NBA. He has some things to work on (i.e. post game, consistent shooting), but the sky is the limit. 2. Kevin Durant, Sonics Age: 19 EPG: 15.2 Contract: four years, $23.3 M ($5.9 M per) ROY probably should have gone to Al Horford, but Durant won it and his game is dripping with potential. I don't think the Sonics would trade Durant away for anyone on this list but LeBron. 3. Rudy Gay, Grizzlies Age: 21 EPG: 18.5 Contract: three years, $10.3 M ($3.4 M per) Gay broke out in a big way, averaging 20/6 in his sophomore season. He's young and talented, and will be the cornerstone to Memphis' rebuilding effort. (See the rest of the list after the jump.)

Top 30 NBA Small Forwards

Mon, 05 May 2008 12:23:52 -0500

When it comes to small forwards, LeBron James is king, with Carmelo Anthony right behind him. He confirmed that he's 6'9 and 260 pounds, yet he's fast and athletic. He had an MVP caliber regular season with 30 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 7.2 APG 1.8 SPG and 1.1 BPG. Unguardable 1-on-1, LeBron is only 23 years old, and is a force to be reckoned with in the NBA. Player (Current Team/Former Team) PPG, RPG, APG, SPG, BPG * = Best in Category (R) = Rookie Steals 1+ Shown Blocks and Steals Shown if both are 1+ 1. LeBron James (CLE) 30*, 7.9*, 7.2*, 1.8, 1.1 2. Carmelo Anthony (DEN) 25.7, 7.4, 3.4, 1.3 SPG 3. Caron Butler (WAS) 20.3, 6.7, 4.9, 2.2 SPG 4. Shawn Marion (MIA/PHX) 15.4, 10.2, 2.2, 2, 1.5 BPG* 5. Andre Iguodala (PHI) 19.9, 4.8, 5, 2.2 SPG 6. Ron Artest (SAC) 20.5, 5.8, 3.5, 2.3 SPG* 7. Paul Pierce (BOS) 19.6, 5.1, 4.5, 1.3 SPG 8. Gerald Wallace (CHA) 19.4, 6, 3.5, 2.1 SPG 9. Corey Maggette (LAC) 22.1, 5.6, 2.7, 1 SPG 10. Rudy Gay (MEM) 20.1, 6.2, 2, 1.4, 1 11. Richard Jefferson (NJN) 22.6, 4.2, 3.1 12. Hedo Turkoglu (ORL) 19.5, 5.7, 5 13. Stephen Jackson (GSW) 20.1, 4.4, 4.3, 1.3 SPG 14. Josh Howard (DAL) 19.9, 7, 2.2 15. Mike Dunleavy (IND) 19.1, 5.2, 3.5, 1 SPG 16. Luol Deng (CHI) 17, 6.3, 2.5 17. Andrei Kirilenko (UTA) 11, 4.7, 4, 1.2, 1.5 18. Peja Stojakovic (NOH) 16.4, 4.3, 1.2 19. Ricky Davis 14, 4.3, 3.4, 1.1 20. Tayshaun Prince (DET) 13.2, 4.9, 3.3 21. Marvin Williams (ATL) 14.8, 5.7, 1.7, 1 SPG 22. John Salmons (SAC) 12.5, 4.3, 2.6, 1.1 SPG 23. Shane Battier (HOU) 9.3, 5.1, 1.9, 1, 1.1 24. Grant Hill (PHX) 13.1, 5.3, 2.9 25. Francisco Garcia (SAC) 12.3, 3.3, 1.6, 1.2 SPG 26. Travis Outlaw (POR) 13.3, 4.6, 1.3 27. Andres Nocioni (CHI) 13.2, 4.2, 1.2 28. (R) Al Thornton (LAC) 12.7, 4.5, 1.2 29. (R) Jamario Moon (TOR) 8.5, 6.2, 1.2, 1, 1.4 30. Boris Diaw (PHX) 8.8, 4.6, 3.9 31. Linas Kleiza (DEN) 11.1, 4.2, 1.2 Just Missed Out (R) Jeff Green (SEA) 10.5, 4.7, 1.5 Desmond Mason (MIL) 9.7, 4.3, 2.1 Martell Webster (POR) 10.7, 3.9, 1.2