With less than two weeks before NBA training camps open, most of the off-season moves have been made. The best free agent still on the market is Bonzi Wells. I'm a bit surprised he's lasted this long after his impressive playoff performance for Sacramento against San Antonio. Denver seems to be making a late push for Wells. Former Bucks forward Keith Van Horn is still trying to choose between signing another contract and retiring.
In the Central Division, the Bucks reshaped more than half their team. Of the potential newcomers, Charlie Villanueva will be counted on the most at power forward. Ruben Patterson should be a valuable defender and will try to push Bobby Simmons at small forward. How the holdovers perform will be just as critical. Mo Williams will have the opportunity to establish himself as the on-court leader as the starting point guard, assuming he can beat out Steve Blake. Andrew Bogut moves to his more natural center position. One NBA scout told me last season that Bogut "can't defend centers". We'll see.
The Bulls made the Central's biggest splash by signing Ben Wallace away from the Pistons. No one questions the Bulls defensive prowess, but do they have enough low-post scoring when the outside shots of Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon aren't falling? With the acquisition of veteran P.J. Brown, rookie Tyrus Thomas will have time to adjust to the NBA. I don't see Detroit taking a huge step back without Wallace. With Flip Saunders and his offensive emphasis, too often it was like 4-on-5 for the Pistons when Wallace was on the court. Nazr Mohammed could fit in well and Flip Murray was a nice addition to Detroit's bench. Cleveland's biggest move was to sign LeBron James to an extension. But he can't do it alone. Rookies Shannon Brown and Daniel Gibson might have a chance to make an impact. Indiana made significant moves to try to get more athletic. They drafted Shawne Williams and James White and traded for Al Harrington and Marquis Daniels. Rick Carlisle is in the last year of his contract and may feel the breath of newly acquired Darrell Armstrong, expected to be a coach when he retires. The Central could have five of the Eastern Conference's eight playoff teams again.
Here's an overview of the rest of the NBA teams heading into training camp:
Atlanta: Speedy Claxton will be the new point guard. The Hawks are counting on Marvin Williams and Josh Smith to become stars. Their ownership situation is still a mess and they didn't get enough in return in letting Al Harrington jump to Indiana. Joe Johnson gained positive reviews in the World Championships. Rookie Shelden Williams is expected to contribute immediately.
Boston: They threw an awful lot of money at Paul Pierce in a long extension. Doc Rivers has a new pair of young point guards in Sebastian Telfair and Rajon Rondo. I've always liked Theo Ratliff for his defense and dirty work. The growth of Al Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins might control Doc's fate.
How many years will Danny Ainge be able to sell his "youth movement?"
Charlotte: Michael Jordan was their big-name acquisition. Unfortunately, he doesn't play anymore.
Rookie Adam Morrison will get every chance to blossom and Sean May's return from injury will help bolster the front line. There's speculation that Charlotte saved money to chase 2007 free agent and former North Carolina star Vince Carter next summer.
Dallas: The defending Western Conference champions stuck with their nucleus and made only minor tweaks. Rookie Maurice Ager from Michigan State should be a good fit. Former Laker Devean George was an "under the radar" pickup in free agency. Austin Croshere figures to replace Van Horn in the role of an outside shooter off the bench. Wisconsin's Devin Harris has tremendous potential and will look for more consistency.
Denver: Carmelo Anthony was one of the leaders of Team USA in the World Championships. He will try to bounce back from a terrible playoff showing. Kenyon Martin is still around with his big salary and it seems like a given that there will be more friction with George Karl. Wells would be a nice addition but he also has a history of giving coaches headaches.
Golden State: Ol' Nellie (Don Nelson) returns to the Bay Area for a second stint as Warriors coach. I think he can coax them into the playoffs. Baron Davis will have to buy into Nelson's act and stay healthy. This could be Jason Richardson's time to shine. Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy seem like Nellie guys. The development of youngsters Mickael Pietrus, Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrins and Ike Diogu may determine whether Golden State can break their long playoff drought.
Houston: Marquette's Steve Novak went to a perfect place to launch his outside bombs off the bench.
Shane Battier is what Al McGuire called a "glue guy" who makes the whole team better. The Rockets have Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming--but the backcourt still seems like a weak spot. This would seem to be a pivotal year for Jeff Van Gundy.
L.A. Clippers: Tim Thomas was signed to replace the departed Vladimir Radmanovic. Shaun Livingston will see more minutes as Sam Cassell conserves his energy for the big moments. Cassell plans on being an NBA coach when his playing days are over. Elton Brand is a true force. Paul Davis was drafted from Michigan State.
L.A. Lakers: Vladimir Radmanovic adds an outside shooter to loosen things up for Kobe Bryant. Rookie Jordan Farmar could end up starting at point guard if he can beat out Smush Parker. Maurice Evans was acquired from Detroit and could bloster the bench. Hope Kobe's happy being the lone ranger.
Memphis: The loss of Pau Gasol to a broken foot suffered in Spain's gold-medal run is devastating to the Grizzlies. Jerry West wants to see young guys like Rudy Gay, Kyle Lowry and Hakim Warrick get substantial minutes. That's not really Mike Fratello's preference but he has no choice now.
Miami: The defending NBA champs basically stood "pat"--as in Riley returning as coach and the spectacular Dwyane Wade signing an extension. As Shaq, Gary Payton and Alonzo Mourning get a year older, the Heat will likely use the regular season as a training camp for the playoffs.
Minnesota: Kevin Garnett is watching the sand in his NBA hourglass slip away as the Timberwolves remain a long way from title contention. The big off-season additions were rookie Randy Foye and free agent Mike James--but those guards won't help Garnett much up front.
New Jersey: Perhaps the final chance for the threesome of Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson to make it work. Carter's a pending free agent. Rookie Josh Boone was lost for the season with an injury. Rookie Marcus Williams from Connecticut should give Kidd some more rest.
New Orleans/Oklahoma City: The Hornets signed Peja Stojakovic and Bobby Jackson and traded for Tyson Chandler. Those additions should make outstanding young guard Chris Paul and David West even more effective. The most fascinating story may be watching if George Shinn is sincere about returning to New Orleans or if he'll try to manipulate events to keep the Hornets in Oklahoma City so the Sonics can't move there.
New York: Larry Brown was an expensive flop and Isiah Thomas now has to clean up his own mess from the bench. There's an overload of guards and small forwards (including free agent signee Jared Jeffries). The Knicks never established roles last year and with so many big salary guys on the roster, Thomas will need to settle on a rotation--something Brown could never do.
Orlando: Keep an eye on the Magic. Dwight Howard is a stud. Jameer Nelson and Darko Milicic started to come on late last season. It's up to rookie J.J. Redick from Duke to prove that his game can work in the NBA. Yes, Grant Hill is still on the roster for one last chance. They also are expected to make a run at Vince Carter next summer.
Philadelphia: Allen Iverson was shopped but is still a Sixer. The only additions of note are rookies Rodney Carney and Bobby Jones. Philadelphia is in no man's land. Iverson is still money in the bank at the box office but the team seems too flawed to be a true contender.
Phoenix: The return of Amare Stoudamire from a knee injury is the big addition. Boris Diaw was a revelation last season. The Suns are an absolute joy to watch but many NBA insiders remain convinced that their style can't win a title. Steve Nash keeps on rolling but needs fewer regular season minutes to be fresher for the playoffs.
Portland: They took a lot of criticism on draft night but brought in some exciting young talent in LeMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy. They've been unable to unload head cases Zach Randolph and Darius Miles because of their bloated contracts and immature habits. Randolph might be the next Rasheed Wallace--a great fit for a contender than can get him to grow up.
Sacramento: The Kings are counting on Kevin Martin to be their next star. The top acquisitions were free agent John Salmons and rookie Quincy Douby. Can Ron Artest fly straight for a full season? New coach Eric Musselman is known for his intensity. The partnership between Artest and Musselman will either be toxic or a winner, with likely nothing in-between.
San Antonio: The Spurs got rid of centers Rasho Nasterovic and Nazr Mohammed and replaced them with bargain free agents Francisco Elson and Jackie Butler. The Spurs looked slow in losing to Dallas in the playoffs. Still, with the core of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, San Antonio will remain a force in the West.
Seattle: Is this the last year for the Sonics in Seattle? New owner Clay Bennett is from Oklahoma City and has laid down the gauntlet to the city for a new arena. The Sonics showed some life late last season but Ray Allen and his teammates got little help in the off-season. The off-court drama will dominate the headlines.
Toronto: Bryan Colangelo essentially kept Chris Bosh and ripped up the rest of the team. Why not?
The Raptors will have an international flavor, led by top draft pick Andrea Borgnani. T.J. Ford will have a chance to be the trigger man for what Colangelo hopes will be a Suns-style offense north of the border.
Sam Mitchell will have to sort out all of the new players and define roles.
Utah: The Jazz will be interesting. If they can keep Andrei Kirilenko and Carlos Boozer healthy, young players like Deron Williams and Ronnie Brewer give Utah a chance to contend for a playoff spot. Derek Fisher was a shrewd pick-up. Jerry Sloan is an NBA treasure near the end of the trail.
Washington: The Wizards lost Jared Jeffries but Ernie Grunfeld responded by acquiring Darius Songaila and DeShawn Stevenson. Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler will keep Washington in the mix for a playoff spot but it's hard to imagine them jumping into the elite of the East.
In the Central Division, the Bucks reshaped more than half their team. Of the potential newcomers, Charlie Villanueva will be counted on the most at power forward. Ruben Patterson should be a valuable defender and will try to push Bobby Simmons at small forward. How the holdovers perform will be just as critical. Mo Williams will have the opportunity to establish himself as the on-court leader as the starting point guard, assuming he can beat out Steve Blake. Andrew Bogut moves to his more natural center position. One NBA scout told me last season that Bogut "can't defend centers". We'll see.
The Bulls made the Central's biggest splash by signing Ben Wallace away from the Pistons. No one questions the Bulls defensive prowess, but do they have enough low-post scoring when the outside shots of Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon aren't falling? With the acquisition of veteran P.J. Brown, rookie Tyrus Thomas will have time to adjust to the NBA. I don't see Detroit taking a huge step back without Wallace. With Flip Saunders and his offensive emphasis, too often it was like 4-on-5 for the Pistons when Wallace was on the court. Nazr Mohammed could fit in well and Flip Murray was a nice addition to Detroit's bench. Cleveland's biggest move was to sign LeBron James to an extension. But he can't do it alone. Rookies Shannon Brown and Daniel Gibson might have a chance to make an impact. Indiana made significant moves to try to get more athletic. They drafted Shawne Williams and James White and traded for Al Harrington and Marquis Daniels. Rick Carlisle is in the last year of his contract and may feel the breath of newly acquired Darrell Armstrong, expected to be a coach when he retires. The Central could have five of the Eastern Conference's eight playoff teams again.
Here's an overview of the rest of the NBA teams heading into training camp:
Atlanta: Speedy Claxton will be the new point guard. The Hawks are counting on Marvin Williams and Josh Smith to become stars. Their ownership situation is still a mess and they didn't get enough in return in letting Al Harrington jump to Indiana. Joe Johnson gained positive reviews in the World Championships. Rookie Shelden Williams is expected to contribute immediately.
Boston: They threw an awful lot of money at Paul Pierce in a long extension. Doc Rivers has a new pair of young point guards in Sebastian Telfair and Rajon Rondo. I've always liked Theo Ratliff for his defense and dirty work. The growth of Al Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins might control Doc's fate.
How many years will Danny Ainge be able to sell his "youth movement?"
Charlotte: Michael Jordan was their big-name acquisition. Unfortunately, he doesn't play anymore.
Rookie Adam Morrison will get every chance to blossom and Sean May's return from injury will help bolster the front line. There's speculation that Charlotte saved money to chase 2007 free agent and former North Carolina star Vince Carter next summer.
Dallas: The defending Western Conference champions stuck with their nucleus and made only minor tweaks. Rookie Maurice Ager from Michigan State should be a good fit. Former Laker Devean George was an "under the radar" pickup in free agency. Austin Croshere figures to replace Van Horn in the role of an outside shooter off the bench. Wisconsin's Devin Harris has tremendous potential and will look for more consistency.
Denver: Carmelo Anthony was one of the leaders of Team USA in the World Championships. He will try to bounce back from a terrible playoff showing. Kenyon Martin is still around with his big salary and it seems like a given that there will be more friction with George Karl. Wells would be a nice addition but he also has a history of giving coaches headaches.
Golden State: Ol' Nellie (Don Nelson) returns to the Bay Area for a second stint as Warriors coach. I think he can coax them into the playoffs. Baron Davis will have to buy into Nelson's act and stay healthy. This could be Jason Richardson's time to shine. Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy seem like Nellie guys. The development of youngsters Mickael Pietrus, Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrins and Ike Diogu may determine whether Golden State can break their long playoff drought.
Houston: Marquette's Steve Novak went to a perfect place to launch his outside bombs off the bench.
Shane Battier is what Al McGuire called a "glue guy" who makes the whole team better. The Rockets have Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming--but the backcourt still seems like a weak spot. This would seem to be a pivotal year for Jeff Van Gundy.
L.A. Clippers: Tim Thomas was signed to replace the departed Vladimir Radmanovic. Shaun Livingston will see more minutes as Sam Cassell conserves his energy for the big moments. Cassell plans on being an NBA coach when his playing days are over. Elton Brand is a true force. Paul Davis was drafted from Michigan State.
L.A. Lakers: Vladimir Radmanovic adds an outside shooter to loosen things up for Kobe Bryant. Rookie Jordan Farmar could end up starting at point guard if he can beat out Smush Parker. Maurice Evans was acquired from Detroit and could bloster the bench. Hope Kobe's happy being the lone ranger.
Memphis: The loss of Pau Gasol to a broken foot suffered in Spain's gold-medal run is devastating to the Grizzlies. Jerry West wants to see young guys like Rudy Gay, Kyle Lowry and Hakim Warrick get substantial minutes. That's not really Mike Fratello's preference but he has no choice now.
Minnesota: Kevin Garnett is watching the sand in his NBA hourglass slip away as the Timberwolves remain a long way from title contention. The big off-season additions were rookie Randy Foye and free agent Mike James--but those guards won't help Garnett much up front.
New Jersey: Perhaps the final chance for the threesome of Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson to make it work. Carter's a pending free agent. Rookie Josh Boone was lost for the season with an injury. Rookie Marcus Williams from Connecticut should give Kidd some more rest.
New Orleans/Oklahoma City: The Hornets signed Peja Stojakovic and Bobby Jackson and traded for Tyson Chandler. Those additions should make outstanding young guard Chris Paul and David West even more effective. The most fascinating story may be watching if George Shinn is sincere about returning to New Orleans or if he'll try to manipulate events to keep the Hornets in Oklahoma City so the Sonics can't move there.
New York: Larry Brown was an expensive flop and Isiah Thomas now has to clean up his own mess from the bench. There's an overload of guards and small forwards (including free agent signee Jared Jeffries). The Knicks never established roles last year and with so many big salary guys on the roster, Thomas will need to settle on a rotation--something Brown could never do.
Orlando: Keep an eye on the Magic. Dwight Howard is a stud. Jameer Nelson and Darko Milicic started to come on late last season. It's up to rookie J.J. Redick from Duke to prove that his game can work in the NBA. Yes, Grant Hill is still on the roster for one last chance. They also are expected to make a run at Vince Carter next summer.
Philadelphia: Allen Iverson was shopped but is still a Sixer. The only additions of note are rookies Rodney Carney and Bobby Jones. Philadelphia is in no man's land. Iverson is still money in the bank at the box office but the team seems too flawed to be a true contender.
Phoenix: The return of Amare Stoudamire from a knee injury is the big addition. Boris Diaw was a revelation last season. The Suns are an absolute joy to watch but many NBA insiders remain convinced that their style can't win a title. Steve Nash keeps on rolling but needs fewer regular season minutes to be fresher for the playoffs.
Portland: They took a lot of criticism on draft night but brought in some exciting young talent in LeMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy. They've been unable to unload head cases Zach Randolph and Darius Miles because of their bloated contracts and immature habits. Randolph might be the next Rasheed Wallace--a great fit for a contender than can get him to grow up.
Sacramento: The Kings are counting on Kevin Martin to be their next star. The top acquisitions were free agent John Salmons and rookie Quincy Douby. Can Ron Artest fly straight for a full season? New coach Eric Musselman is known for his intensity. The partnership between Artest and Musselman will either be toxic or a winner, with likely nothing in-between.
San Antonio: The Spurs got rid of centers Rasho Nasterovic and Nazr Mohammed and replaced them with bargain free agents Francisco Elson and Jackie Butler. The Spurs looked slow in losing to Dallas in the playoffs. Still, with the core of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, San Antonio will remain a force in the West.
Seattle: Is this the last year for the Sonics in Seattle? New owner Clay Bennett is from Oklahoma City and has laid down the gauntlet to the city for a new arena. The Sonics showed some life late last season but Ray Allen and his teammates got little help in the off-season. The off-court drama will dominate the headlines.
Toronto: Bryan Colangelo essentially kept Chris Bosh and ripped up the rest of the team. Why not?
The Raptors will have an international flavor, led by top draft pick Andrea Borgnani. T.J. Ford will have a chance to be the trigger man for what Colangelo hopes will be a Suns-style offense north of the border.
Sam Mitchell will have to sort out all of the new players and define roles.
Utah: The Jazz will be interesting. If they can keep Andrei Kirilenko and Carlos Boozer healthy, young players like Deron Williams and Ronnie Brewer give Utah a chance to contend for a playoff spot. Derek Fisher was a shrewd pick-up. Jerry Sloan is an NBA treasure near the end of the trail.
Washington: The Wizards lost Jared Jeffries but Ernie Grunfeld responded by acquiring Darius Songaila and DeShawn Stevenson. Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler will keep Washington in the mix for a playoff spot but it's hard to imagine them jumping into the elite of the East.
Dennis Krause joined OnMilwaukee.com as a contributor on June 16, 2006. He is a two-time Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year and a regional Emmy-award winner. Dennis has been the color analyst on home games for the Milwaukee Bucks Radio Network for the last 10 years. He has also been involved with the Green Bay Packers Radio Network for 16 years and is currently the host of the "Packers Game Day" pre-game show.
Dennis started his broadcasting career as a radio air personality in the Fox Valley and Milwaukee.
He spent three years as a sportscaster at WMBD radio and television in Peoria, Illinois before joining WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee in 1987 as a weekend sports anchor. Dennis spent 16 years at Channel 4, serving as its Sports Director and 5 and 6 pm sports anchor from 1994-2003.
Dennis grew up in Hartford, Wisconsin and attended UW-Oshkosh. He lives in Thiensville with his wife and two children. He serves as the Community Resource Director for the Mequon-Thiensville School District.
