Wednesday Insider - Central Division Fix up....

[Admin]

In reply to:

---

Central Fixer-Uppers: Can the Pistons take down the Nets?

by Chad Ford

Send an Email to Chad Ford

Also Below: Will the Mavs dump comrade Wang? | With Reggie out, U.S. will be mired in the zone | Sixers already battling injuries | Peep Show

NBA position battles: Will the Nets find room for Lucious Harris?

NBA Free Agent Watch

Note: Over the past two months, Insider has broken down what last season's NBA lottery teams need to do to get to the playoffs. ESPN.com's "Fixer-Upper" series continues on Insider this week with the playoff teams. Today we tackle the Central Division playoff teams. Thursday we'll do the Midwest.

Detroit Pistons

No offense to the Nets, but the Pistons were the real Cinderella team of last season. We expected Jason Kidd and a healthy Nets team to make a splash. But rookie coach Rick Carlisle's team was equally impressive. They were phenomenal defensively and got career years out of Ben Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse. The Pistons' weaknesses, however, were exposed in the playoffs. The point guard play was shaky, they couldn't knock down shots from the perimeter and couldn't generate enough offense to beat the Celtics. They addressed one of their biggest needs via free agency when they signed point guard Chauncey Billups. But the team still needs more scoring punch to be able to make a serious run at the title.

Step 1: Pull the trigger on Stackhouse for Bonzi Wells

The problem with sign-and-trades is that you end up including a bunch of players you may not even want just to get the numbers to work. The Pistons have some incentive to trade Stack. He's a free agent next summer and is looking for more money than they are willing to pay. To make the numbers work, the Blazers would have to sign Wells to a contract starting at $6.5 million a season, and then ship him along with Dale Davis, Amal McCaskil and Charles Smith to Detroit in return for Stackhouse, Corliss Williamson and Zeljko Rebraca. That's a big trade for both teams. The main carrot for the Blazers would be Rebraca. He'd be a formidable companion next to Arvydas Sabonis on the frontline. Stackhouse is a minor upgrade at the two and Williamson found a role for himself coming off the bench last season. For the Pistons, Wells gives them a young, more versatile, better shooting and cheaper option at the two. Davis is a solid low-post player who made the All-Star team last time he played in the East.

Step 2: Swap Rodney White for James Posey

White was a bit of flop for the Pistons in the summer league. While his talent is undeniable, he doesn't play defense and will never crack Carlisle's rotation until he figures out how to get it done on D. That won't be this year. The Nuggets are in the throes of rebuilding and would love to get their hands on another raw talent that has the potential to be a star. Posey would be able to contribute immediately for the Pistons. He's a terrific defender with emerging offense. Once Uncle Cliffy came off the books, Posey should be ready to take over.

Those moves would give the Pistons this opening-day roster:

Point guard: Chauncey Billups, Chucky Atkins

Shooting guard: Bonzi Wells, Jon Barry, Charles Smith

Small forward: Cliff Robinson, James Posey, Michael Curry, Tayshaun Prince

Power forward: Ben Wallace, Mehmet Okur

Center: Dale Davis, Amal McCaskill

Indiana Pacers

Donnie Walsh made his big move at the trade deadline this winter, but the Pacers still seem a step or two away from being a real contender. They have a great mix of veteran experience and youth, but their roster is almost too crowded, if that's possible. Jamaal Tinsley was a great surprise for them last season, but it's tough to go deep in the playoffs with an inexperienced point guard. Al Harrington, Jonathan Bender and Ron Artest all have big upsides, but none figure to be the piece this year that puts them over the top. If the Pacers really want to compete, they need to make a bold move now, while the Eastern Conference is still in disarray.

Step 1: Do what it takes to get Gary Payton and Rashard Lewis from Seattle

What would it cost the Pacers to get their hands on both Lewis and Payton? A lot. To make the salaries work and to give the Sonics an infusion of young talented players they're looking for, the Pacers would have to give up Harrington, Bender, Tinsley, Austin Croshere and a re-signed Carlos Rogers just to make the salaries work. Walsh has been on record as saying he loves Harrington, Bender and Tinsley and sees them as the future of the team along with Jermaine O'Neal. However, with the exception of Tinsley, all of those players are still role players with his team. In return, he'd be getting two quality starters, one of whom is just 22 years old.

The Pacers would give up some of their most promising prospects, but they'll still keep hold of O'Neal, Artest, Brezec, Brad Miller, and of course, Reggie Lewis. Most teams would die to have that many young, promising players on their squad. The downside for the Pacers comes from the luxury tax. They'll have to add a few veterans via the mid-level exception just to fill out the roster. And next summer will be painful.

Step 2: Sign a few free agents for depth

The moves would leave the Pacers with only 11 players under contract. The team could still use its mid-level exception to get a little depth up front and behind Payton. Both Wizards forward Popeye Jones and former Pistons point guard Damon Jones are looking for jobs. They could be had cheap and give the Pacers the depth they need to make a serious run at the Finals.

Those moves would give the Pacers this opening-day roster:

Point guard: Gary Payton, Damon Jones, Jamison Brewer

Shooting guard:: Reggie Miller, Ron Mercer, Fred Jones

Small forward: Rashard Lewis, Ron Artest

Power forward: Jermaine O'Neal, Jeff Foster, Popeye Jones

Center: Brad Miller, Primoz Brezec

New Orleans Hornets

The Hornets made three huge moves this summer that should put them into contention for the Eastern Conference Championship this year. First, the team resisted Baron Davis' call for a trade and signed him to a six-year extension. The Hornets also pulled off a smooth draft move, sending their No. 17 pick to Washington for high-scoring two guard Courtney Alexander. But the biggest move the Hornets made had nothing to do with their roster. They left behind a fledgling fan base in Charlotte for the Big Easy. How big will that be? The Hornets were just 21-20 last season at home — the worst home record among any playoff team. Now that they have a real home- court advantage, expect big things.

Step 1: Swap P.J. Brown and George Lynch for Brian Grant

Brown and Lynch are in the last year of their contracts and could bring back a valuable player in return. Brown had another solid, if unspectacular season for the Hornets and is a Paul Silas' favorite. He's also a Pat Riley favorite and Riley would love to get his hands on him again. Lynch has been complaining about being "unappreciated". Riley would appreciate his all-defense, no-offense approach to basketball. The team would have to throw in Matt Bullard (in the last year of his deal) to make the numbers work, but the trade would make a lot of sense for Miami. It would free up more cap space to make a run at a major free-agent next summer. But would it help the Hornets? Once Davis' extension kicks in next season, the Hornets won't be under the cap anyway. Adding Grant, an unselfish tough guy coming off a bad season, would be a nice upgrade to the frontcourt. It also would give the Hornets some roster flexibility to do step 2.

Step 2: Re-sign Lee Nailon

Nailon had a breakout year for the Hornets last season. He's a restricted free agent and has had trouble finding a team to give him an offer sheet. Plenty of teams are interested, but most assume that the Hornets will match any reasonable offer. The fact that the Hornets already have 14 players under contract makes it even tougher to re-sign Nailon. If the Hornets take Step One, there will be enough room at the inn for Nailon

Those moves would give the Hornets this opening-day roster:

Point guard: Baron Davis, Bryce Drew

Shooting guard:: Courtney Alexander, David Wesley

Small forward: Jamal Mashburn, Lee Nailon, Stacey Augmon

Power forward: Brian Grant, Robert Traylor, Jerome Moiso, Kirk Haston

Center: Elden Campbell, Jamaal Magloire

Toronto Raptors

The Raptors had a tough, tough summer. First, they made an inexplicable draft-day deal that shipped promising rookie Kareem Rush to the Lakers for troubled point guard Lindsey Hunter in an effort to stem their problems at the point. The problem is that Hunter, like starting point guard Alvin Williams, isn't really a point guard — their short shooting guards are in love with their shots. Then to make things worse, the team was forced to withdraw its qualifying offer to Keon Clark to avoid the luxury tax. In the end, the team lost Clark to the Kings, and a team that struggled to make the playoffs last season looks considerably weakened. There are lots of things the Raptors could do to improve their team, but if you're Glen Grunwald and your hands are tied financially, you'll have to take a few baby steps instead.

Step 1: Lure Bryon Russell north

Right now the team needs veterans who can score. Russell is having trouble finding a job and looks like he's close to grabbing a small portion of someone's mid-level exception and calling it good. Right now the team has no really depth behind either Vince Carter at the two or Mo Peterson at the three. Russell's ability to defend and his shooting would both be big helps.

Step 2: Give Tyrone Nesby a one-year deal

Nesby was another player Michael Jordan once thought highly of. He had a few nice seasons with the Clippers and knows how to put the ball in the basket. Most important for the Raptors, he'll take a minimum contract.

Point guard: Alvin Williams, Lindsey Hunter

Shooting guard:: Vince Carter, Bryon Russell

Small forward: Mo Peterson, Tyrone Nesby, Chris Jefferies

Power forward: Antonio Davis, Jerome Williams, Michael Bradley

Center: Eric Montross, Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Stewart, Nate Huffman

Also see: Hawks Fixer-Upper | Bulls Fixer-Upper | Cavs Fixer-Upper | Bucks Fixer-Upper

Raptors: So many promises, so few results

Chris Young / Toronto Star

Will the Mavs dump comrade Wang?

I know, it's tough to get excited about any 7-foot Chinese center not named Yao Ming, but several teams are quietly optimistic that the recent flap between Mavs free-agent center ZhiZhi Wang and the Chinese Basketball Association may lead to a Wang-Mavs divorce this fall.

Why? The Mavs have spent years courting the Chinese government and gave them their promise that Wang would be available to return to China for important national tournaments. Wang not only refused to return to China to train for the World Championships, he further jeopardized his status when he told the CBA that he would not participate in the Asian Games this fall.

His reasoning? He didn't want to miss training camp and the NBA preseason. Take that Shaq.

That puts the Mavs in a funny position. Asked about the implications of Wang's expected omission, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told the Dallas Morning News only, "We don't know yet."

Should the Mavs decide the costs of keeping Wang outweigh the benefits of keeping him, they will undoubtedly explore sign-and-trade options to guard against losing an asset for nothing. There would be plenty of suitors for Wang, and the Mavs would have a good chance to work out a sign-and-trade.

The top contender would be the Warriors, who had their eyes opened when fans came in hordes to watch Yao scrimmage against the Team USA last week. Wang played with the Warriors' summer league team and was impressive. But it would be his star power that would make the signing a slam dunk. The team is shopping several of its men, including Danny Fortson and Erick Dampier. If Mavs were interested, it seems like they could work out a deal.

Other teams with a lot of interest include the Knicks, who are still trying to find a real center to replace Marcus Camby; the Heat, who always need insurance for Alonzo Mourning; and the Magic, who are in desperate need of some help on the frontline.

Wang's status for Worlds affects Mavs

Marc Stein / Dallas Morning News

With Reggie out, U.S. will be mired in the zone

Reggie Miller may have been the elder statesman of this year's version of the USA Dream Team, but he was also one of our most valuable weapons.

In the upcoming World Championships, international teams love to play zone defense, especially against teams that don't have great shooters. The team already lost Ray Allen, who pulled out of the competition completely. Now, with Miller nursing a sore, sprained ankle, the U.S. is running dangerously low on sharp-shooting zone busters.

Of the remaining players on the team, Paul Pierce, Baron Davis and Shawn Marion are the only real threats from behind the arc.

Pierce is the best of the bunch. He ranked third in the league in three-pointers made last season and shot a decent 40 percent on his threes. Davis ranked sixth in the league in three pointers made last season, but only shot 35 percent from behind the arc. Marion is less of a threat, but he's been shooting the ball well in practice and coach George Karl may ask him to dial it up from downtown on occasion.

"He's been fantastic," Karl told the Indianapolis Star. "He knocked down the threes today, too. If he can make the threes, he's going to be tremendous in this tournament."

Still, Miller's injury is cause for concern. The U.S. got in trouble during the Olympics because it couldn't nail the wide open jumper. That won't be the case for teams like Yugoslavia and Argentina. Almost every player on that team can sink the J.

U.S. fans shouldn't be too worried, however. Indianapolis Star columnist Bob Kravitz thinks that fear of failure will keep the Dream Team's unbeaten record intact.

"The more often they hear they're vulnerable, the less vulnerable Team USA gets. You know what we have here, practicing at the IUPUI gymnasium in preparation for the World Basketball Championship? The first truly inspired and properly respectful Dream Team in history. These guys think they can lose. Which is why they won't."

Reggie might be out

Sekou Smith / Indianapolis Star

Marion gives U.S. athletic lift

Sekou Smith and Mark Montieth / Indianapolis Star

Fear of failure will keep this Team USA unbeaten

Bob Kravitz / Indianapolis Star

Sixers already battling injuries

It's Groundhog Day in Philly again. After coming off a season filled with injuries and disappointment, the news that Derrick Coleman's bum knee wasn't healing came as quite a blow.

An examination Monday in New York showed the tissue in his left knee had not mended properly since June arthroscopic surgery. Coleman is not due back until late November. The Sixers also believe second-round pick Sam Clancy won't be ready until sometime in November. That's why the team acted so quickly to bring in another free-agent power forward, Brian Skinner.

"This news surprised all of us, Derrick as well," GM Billy King told the Philly Daily News. "The tissue just hasn't healed as quickly as expected. Fortunately, with the addition of veterans like [skinner], we've got an abundance of big guys who can play, and now it will be a matter of competing to see who gets minutes."

While Skinner, 26, showed some promise when he played for the Clippers, he struggled last season for the Cavs, averaging just 3.4 ppg and 4.3 rpg.

Bad news on DC overshadows signing

Kevin Mulligan / Philadelphia Daily News

Skinner sees spot he can fill

Ashley McGeachy Fox / Philadelphia Inquirer

Peep Show

Timberwolves: Watch out Terrell Brandon, recently signed Troy Hudson is back in town with some unfinished business. "When I was here the first time, I wasn't ready yet," he said. "I had a lot of maturing to do. I think I had the skills, but they weren't all together yet. Now, I've done that over the last three years, and I think they saw that and are giving me a second chance." Hudson played for the Wolves in 1999, being cut on the last day of training camp. "Troy definitely gives us a change of pace from Terrell," coach Flip Saunders said. "He's much quicker, much more up and down. I think, of everybody we've ever had here in recent times, he probably pushes the ball more than anybody."

---

[Guest]

the Blazers would have to sign Wells to a contract starting at

$6.5 million a season, and then ship him along with Dale Davis,

Amal McCaskil and Charles Smith to Detroit in return for Stackhouse,

Corliss Williamson and Zeljko Rebraca."

This is a dumb trade for Detroit.Rebraca will be a starting center

LONG after Dale Davis is gone.I wouldn't trade 6th man of the

year and Rebraca for Dale Davis.

[JTFan31]

Is any point guard in the league a true point guard for Chad? Sometimes I wonder if Chad Ford is really Diesel? ever wonder that, couple of reasons why I get that idea at times.

1. Chad Ford is always making up trades just like Diesel is.

2. Chad Ford practically talks always about point guards, isn't that been Diesel latest conversations, "point guards"?

3. Last but not least, wasn't Diesel defending Chad Ford the other day, hmmmmmmmm?

[jerrywest]

Didn't I say that yesterday? Now you know who pays diesel for doing all that work.

[jerrywest]

Sorry, wrong statement. Ford said - he rarely watched the Hawks. That sounds more like Walter.