ეს არის გუნდების Roster Report ,ანუ ასახელებენ გუნდების წლის საუკეტესო და ყველაზე იმედგამაცრუებელ მოთამაშეს,ასევე წერია თუ რა ხდება გუნდების თავისუფალი აგენტების მხრივ,მოკლედ ყველაფერი წერია რაც გუნდების შემადგენლობას ეხება


p.s. ცოტახნით დატოვეთ ეს თემა,მემგონი საკმაოდ საინტერესოა


Indiana Pacers Roster Report

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Mike Dunleavy finally lived up to the expectations of being the No. 3 pick in the 2002 draft. Dunleavy, who had four-plus mostly miserable years in Golden State, averaged a career high in points (19.1), field goal percentage (47.6) and three-point percentage (42.4) this season. The Pacers plan to build their team around Dunleavy and Danny Granger.
MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER: This was supposed to be the year that Jermaine O'Neal didn't have to worry about taking a beating in the post. Coach Jim O'Brien's up-tempo offense was supposed to allow him to get single coverage in the post. Too bad none of that happened for O'Neal this season. The six-time All-Star averaged only 13.6 points a game this season. His future with the franchise is up in the air because president Larry Bird is expected to shop him for an athletic big man that can run the floor and play above the rim.
FREE AGENT FOCUS: The Pacers know they need to get better, but they're going to have a difficult time doing it because they don't have any salary cap space and they don't have a very enticing roster outside of Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavy.
The Pacers could get some salary cap space if power forward Jermaine O'Neal opts out of the final two years of contract, but that's not going to happen because the six-time All-Star will have a difficult time getting any type of contract close to the final $44 million he's scheduled to make.
The Pacers aren't scheduled to lose any significant free agents off their roster this summer.
PLAYER NOTES: --It would be surprising if the Pacers didn't pick up the team option for G Stephen Graham by the June 30 deadline. Graham only played a total of 128 minutes in 22 games this season, but team officials feel like he can be a steady contributor off the bench once they figure out how to unclog their logjam at the wing position.
Coach Jim O'Brien routinely said last season that the team couldn't be successful playing more than 10 players a game, which meant Graham was on the outside looking in most games.
--Pacers officials are still being vague in describing the knee injury that limited G Jamaal Tinsley to a career-low 39 games last season, but they say the point guard won't need surgery to cure his mysterious ailment.
It's uncertain if Tinsley will be back next season after he fell into coach Jim O'Brien's doghouse less than two months into the season. Tinsley averaged 11.9 points and a team-high 8.4 assists in 33 minutes a game last season.

Philadelphia 76ers Roster Report

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Andre Miller by a wide margin. Although Andre Iguodala averaged a team-high 19.9 points, Miller averaged a career-high 17.0 points and shot a career-best 49.2 percent from the field. He had a knack for picking up the offensive slack at key times, especially when others were struggling, and continued to find open teammates for easy baskets.
MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER: After a pretty good regular season, Andre Iguodala learned in the playoffs that he has a lot of work to do if he wants to be an elite player. He averaged just 13.2 points, shot 33.3 percent from the field and led the NBA in turnovers with 4.3 in six games against the Pistons. Tayshaun Prince forced Iguodala to become a jump shooter, which is not his strong suit, especially when the shots are contested by a long 6-9 player like Prince.
FREE AGENT FOCUS: G Kevin Ollie, F Shavlik Randolph and F Louis Amundson are unrestricted free agents not likely to be back. C Calvin Booth could be unrestricted if he declines a $1.14 million player option, but probably won't do that. F/G Andre Iguodala and G Lou Williams are restricted free agents who played essential roles in 2007-08. Iguodala already turned down a five-year, $57 million extension, which president/GM Ed Stefanski does not have to offer him. It'll be interesting to see how much money Williams, who earned the third-year minimum of $800,000, is seeking. Rookie F/C Herbert Hill, who missed the season because of two knee surgeries, is restricted, thanks to a partial guarantee for next season.
PLAYER NOTES: --G Andre Miller's contract will pay him $10 million next season, which is the final year of the deal. When asked if he'd be interested in talking about an extension this summer, he didn't seem overwhelmed with the idea.
"I don't know," Miller said. "It's hard to tell right now. I'll just sit back, watch the playoffs and see what happens from there."
--F Thaddeus Young admitted to being worn out after an 88-game rookie season (regular season and playoffs) following one 31-game collegiate season at Georgia Tech. He emerged in the second half of the season, then averaged 10.2 points (fourth on the team) in starting all six playoff games out of position at power forward. While he hopes his future is at power forward, he's not planning to take any chances this summer.
"I'm trying to get a little bit bigger because those guys are big," Young said. "They're a little bit too big. Sometimes I'm like, 'Look, you don't need to be playing basketball, you need to get another job playing football or something.' Those guys live and eat basketball. I just have to come back stronger next year."
--G Lou Williams said he wants to spend some offseason time in the weight room to get a little stronger and combat opposing guards who had success taking him down low and overpowering him.

Charlotte Bobcats Roster Report

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Jason Richardson carried them as a scorer the second half of the season, particularly with Gerald Wallace injured much of that span with a concussion and later a groin strain. He had the fourth-most three-pointers (243) in an NBA season.
MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER: The Bobcats signed Earl Boykins at mid-season, hoping he'd offer a pop as both a scorer and playmaker. Not much happened, but in Boykins' defense, he hadn't played in over six months and his minutes were sometimes sporadic in what was always a chaotic rotation of point guards.
FREE AGENT FOCUS: The major focus is obviously on Emeka Okafor, who becomes a restricted free agent after turning down a long-term contract extension before this season. Okafor already turned down over $12 million a season, and though he says he wants to remain here long-term, it wouldn't be shocking if he signed a one-year qualifying offer to reach unrestricted free agency in July of 2009.
Ryan Hollins, Derek Anderson and Boykins are also free agents and it's a given the Bobcats won't exercise a team option on Othella Harrington for next season. Of those four, restricted free agent Hollins -- a young, athletic, but unpolished, big man -- seems the most likely to return to the Bobcats.
PLAYER NOTES: --Larry Brown said he anticipates leaving Raymond Felton at point guard, rather than shifting him between the point and shooting guard, as his predecessors did. Brown can be particularly hard on point guards, so Ford's presence on the staff will be important in acting as a buffer zone between Brown and Felton.
--Brown can be particularly demanding that players be at peak conditioning. That could be interesting, with power forward Sean May rehabbing from knee surgery. The Bobcats need May's rebounding, but he's never been in great condition as a pro.
--Brown has experience coaching two of 14 Bobcats. He coached Nazr Mohammed in Philadelphia and Emeka Okafor in the 2004 Olympic Games (when Okafor was the designated college player on a USA squad otherwise full of pros.)
--The coaching change might have increased the likelihood of Okafor wanting to stay in Charlotte. It was clear Okafor had issues with Vincent. He's a restricted free agent in July. It wouldn't have been a shock, had Vincent stayed, if Okafor signed a one-year qualifying offer to reach unrestricted free-agency. Okafor might still do that, but he has less reason to want to leave now.

New Jersey Nets Roster Report

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: For much of the first half of the season, Vince Carter seemed destined to be most "disappointing," not most "valuable" Net. And although he surrendered the team scoring lead to Richard Jefferson, Carter took on the team leadership mantle as well as anyone and raised his game after the trade of Jason Kidd. He raised his averages in virtually every category after the All-Star break, going from 20.5 points per game to 22.7 (627 points in 27 games) while lifting his shooting from .445 to .475. All that on an ankle that probably will need surgery in the off-season.
MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER: He left in February, but the negative imprint Jason Kidd put on the team carried through the entire season. The team captain wanted out, made it be known and too many times played with extreme indifference. Ultimately, he was traded and the Nets tried to change on the fly but never recovered.
FREE AGENT FOCUS: The Nets have, technically, five free agents if you count Keith Van Horn (wink, wink) who came over with a one-year deal from Dallas in the Jason Kidd trade to make the numbers work. Their key unrestricted free agents are F Bostjan Nachbar and C DeSagana Diop, two key bench players who both should attract a fair amount of interest. G Darrell Armstrong, another unrestricted type, won't be back. He was brought in during training camp only after G Marcus Williams was injured.
An intriguing case is free agent Nenad Krstic, who is restricted, meaning the Nets can match any offer he receives from another team. But there is no guarantee they will match a big pact because they do not want to be a luxury tax team, plus Krstic struggled terribly in his return from a torn ACL and subsequent knee surgery.
PLAYER NOTES: --F Vince Carter underwent surgery April 23 to remove bone spurs from his ankle. He is expected to be on crutches for several weeks but should be ready to play well ahead of training camp.
--G Devin Harris repeatedly showed the promise that excites the Nets for the future (he just turned 25). In the 25 games he played for the Nets after arriving in the trade for Jason Kidd, Harris established numerous career highs: points, 27 (Mar. 28, at Indiana); assists, 15 (Mar. 26 versus Indiana); rebounds, 8 (Mar. 15 versus Utah); steals, 6 (Apr. 12 at Milwaukee). Plus, Harris tied career highs in minutes (41), blocks (3) and offensive rebounds (3).
The one disappointing career moment for Harris? This was the first time he was excluded from the playoffs.
"I never had that before. I don't want to deal with that," Harris said.
--F Richard Jefferson, although a Top 10 scorer virtually all season, knows that he may have played his last game as a Net. The Nets in the past were involved in serious trade discussions involving Jefferson -- with the Lakers and Bobcats in a 3-team deal; with Indiana for Jermaine O'Neal; with Chicago for Luol Deng. Talks could start fresh this summer, although Jefferson is tough to move (three years remaining at $42.4 million total).
"I've been fortunate where I've been here a long time. I've seen things change," Jefferson said. "I could be suiting up for someplace else next year. Nobody knows. Change happens. 'The NBA -- where change happens.' What you would like and what is a possibility are two different things."
--F Nenad Krstic wants to return to the Nets. But he knows his preferred team might not match an exceptionally large restricted free agent offer this summer, especially after his down season following knee surgery. The Nets might not be able to gamble on losing the 7-footer who turns 25 in July. But Krstic is prepared for anything.
"It's a business. They always say to me it's a business. So if somebody offered more money, probably I would go there but it's still early to think about it. I mean if somebody offers me more money and they're not going to match, what am I going to do?" Krstic said.

Chicago Bulls Roster Report

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: This is a tough one, since no one on the entire roster met expectations this season. By default, it might as well go to guard Ben Gordon, who was the Bulls' leading scorer for the third straight season at 18.6 points.
MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER: This honor could be split about eight ways and include one player now toiling in Cleveland. Ben Wallace aside, F Luol Deng might have to lead the disappointing category since he missed 19 games with injuries and didn't build on last year's promise. That said, Deng was also a strong candidate for team MVP by averaging 17.0 points while shooting 48 percent from the field.
FREE AGENT FOCUS: Most of the focus will be on G Ben Gordon and F Luol Deng, who will become restricted free agents on July 1 because they turned down the Bulls' offers for contract extensions last summer. The Bulls won't let either player walk away, but may explore sign-and-trade scenarios. Beyond that, G Chris Duhon and G Shannon Brown are unrestricted free agents. Rookie F Demetris Nichols is a restricted free agent.
PLAYER NOTES: --F Drew Gooden missed the final 10 games of the season with a lower abdominal strain. In one of the last games he played, Gooden piled up 31 points and 16 rebounds in a win over Atlanta, giving the Bulls high hopes of what could happen next season if the six-year veteran dedicates himself during the summer.
--F Tyrus Thomas finished the season by scoring 26 points in a win over Toronto, one point short of his career-high. Thomas averaged 12.4 points and 6.6 rebounds while starting the final 10 games of the season.
--G Chris Duhon is a restricted free agent this summer and doesn't figure to return for a fifth season with the Bulls. But he did finish strong, following up his 22-point, 15-assist effort against Milwaukee with eight points and six assists in 24 minutes against Toronto.
--C Joakim Noah did not start the final game of the regular season. He was given permission to travel to New York the previous day because of a death in the family, then returned late. He reached the locker room at the United Center about an hour before tip-off. Noah still played 30 minutes, notching 12 points, nine rebounds, four blocked shots and three assists.

Memphis Grizzlies Roster Report

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Rudy Gay emerged as a budding All-Star. A year ago in a shaky rookie season, his outside shot was unsure and he didn't have decisive moves to the basket. He fixed that in the off-season, improving every facet of his game. His scoring average jumped from 10.8 points last year to 20.1 this season, as he became the third Grizzly after Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Pau Gasol to average at least 20. He also set a single-season franchise scoring record for most points with 1,632. He's the first second-year player in three years (LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony in 2004-05) to average 20-plus points.
MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER: Free agent Casey Jacobsen was supposed to give the Grizzlies some outside shooting pop. But when he showed he couldn't do that, he was worthless. He can't guard and he can rarely beat anybody off the dribble. Management finally ordered Marc Iavaroni to cut his playing time next-to-nothing.
FREE AGENT FOCUS: Kwame Brown and Casey Jacobsen are unrestricted free agents, and the Grizzlies are helping them pack. Getting the grocery-eating Brown from the Lakers in the Pau Gasol trade was nothing but a cap space move. Now, with Brown and his $9.075 million salary gone, that's a nice chunk of change to play with, as is Jacobsen's chump-change salary of $798,328. Three-point specialist Juan Carlos Navarro and power forward Andre Brown are restricted free agents. The Grizzlies should make an honest effort to re-sign Navarro, but need to save the bulk of their money to get a quality inside player.
PLAYER NOTES:
--G Mike Conley had some shoulder problems leading to surgery that kept the rookie out of action early. But once he came back, he got better and better as the season progressed.
In the last month, Conley figured out the NBA game top to bottom. His outside shot improved dramatically, which helped his driving game. His field goal percentage rose and defense respected him more.
"I was watching people too much instead of me being the guy who takes the open shot," Conley said. "As a rookie, you try not to come in too aggressive. You want to get people involved. I'm one of the more unselfish guys you'll meet. Now that everybody knows me and I know them, it's a lot easier for me to go out there and get my shot with confidence."
Conley finished the season averaging 9.4 points and 4.2 assists, scoring in double-figures the last five games (including a career-high 25 versus Minnesota) to close out the year.
--F Hakim Warrick was in a quandary last year with Grizzlies. He started and played well early in the year when Pau Gasol was still recovering from foot surgery, then he got sent to the bench when Gasol returned. Warrick adjusted to that role.
This year, he had to prove to new coach Marc Iavaroni that he could play defense well enough to earn minutes. Once Warrick did that, Iavaroni became a fan of his, and Warrick had a big year.
He averaged 11.4 points and 4.7 rebounds. He closed the season scoring in double-figures 15 straight games with back-to-back games of 29 points at Denver and 26 at Sacramento.
"They (the Grizzlies' coaches) know I can score, so I don't even worry about offense as much," Warrick said. "I've tried to go in there and focus on rebounding and defense. It's something I'll be working on in the off-season -- playing against smaller, quicker guys. I realize I have to become a better perimeter defender. But the last 40 games or so has shown that you can count on me for 15 or 16 points a game and I can rebound as well."
--Backup G Kyle Lowry, who missed almost all of his rookie season a year ago with a broken wrist, returned this year only to find the starting point guard went to first-round draft choice Mike Conley.
Lowry just went back to work, supported Conley and provided tremendous spark off the bench. He had 22 points in the season finale loss at Denver, raising his final scoring average to 9.6 points. He and Juan Carlos Navarro are the only Grizzlies that played in all 82 games.
"As the season went along, I did a better job of doing the things that helped our team win," Lowry said. "I want to be an NBA starter. I'm not satisfied with being a backup.
"Everybody gets mad (about not starting), but you still have to work hard. You can't stop your progress."

Miami Heat Roster Report

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: G Dwyane Wade will likely be the MVP as long as he's on the team. But this season you could make a case for G/F Ricky Davis, the only player to play all 82 games. Skeptics might say Davis, an unrestricted free agent at season's end, might have used his contract status as motivation to play all 82 games. Regardless, he rarely displayed a bad attitude despite playing alongside borderline NBA talent. His presence didn't affect the won-loss record greatly, but he showed up for work every day and played through back and groin injuries.

Runner-up for MVP might be trainer Ron Culp. With six of the Heat's top eight players going down to season-ending injuries, Culp stayed busy. By the way, Culp is retiring at season's end after 37 years in the NBA with Cleveland, Portland and Miami. He's the only three-time NBA trainer of the year and the blazer he wore at Wednesday's season finale will be sent to the Hall of Fame.
MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER: C Shaquille O'Neal. Easy choice. He was injured during training camp. Then he returned and griped about not getting the ball enough. Then he almost got into a skirmish with coach Pat Riley in November, demanded a trade, got the trade, and trashed coach Pat Riley, the Heat training staff and former teammates Ricky Davis and Chris Quinn.

FREE AGENT FOCUS: F Shawn Marion is the biggest domino. If he opts out and leaves with Miami getting nothing in return, the Heat is in big, big trouble. Most likely, however, Marion will return. It'll be either for the final year, which pays him $17.8 million, or for a few years after signing a contract extension.

G Jason Williams is an unrestricted free agent and will most likely depart.

G-F Ricky Davis is an unrestricted free agent but could be back. He'd be a valuable member of the bench. Davis earned $6.8 million this year but he could be looking at a huge pay cut, maybe in the neighborhood of $2 million.

F Dorell Wright, a part-time starter the last two seasons, is a restricted free agent who will likely return. He's a key to the Heat's bench success. Wright is athletic and can defend and rebound, although he still hasn't found consistency.

G Chris Quinn is an unrestricted free agent and he'll likely return. The second-year man from Notre Dame proved capable the last two years when called upon, and he's cheap labor.

C Earl Barron is an unrestricted free agent who might not return. Barron, a third-year player from Memphis, is cheap labor, which is a benefit for both him and the Heat, but he hasn't shown much.

C Alonzo Mourning is an unrestricted free agent and if the 38-year-old decides to play again it will be for the Heat.

PLAYER NOTES:
--G Dwyane Wade finished the season averaging 24.6 points per game, 4.2 rebounds per game and 6.9 assists per game. None were career-bests or career-worsts.

--C Alonzo Mourning, who sustained a torn patella tendon and torn quadriceps tendon in his right knee on Dec. 19, might return next season. If not, he'll finish his career 10th on the NBA all-time blocked shots list with 2,356.

--F Shawn Marion, whose season ended early due to tendonitis in his left foot, played just 16 games for the Heat and averaged 14.3 points per game and 11.2 rebounds per game.

Sacramento Kings Roster Report

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Kevin Martin had already improved immensely last season, coming in second place behind Golden State's Monta Ellis for the Most Improved Player award while becoming one of the league's elite scorers.

Nonetheless, the fourth-year player managed to get even better, as his scoring jumped from 20.2 to 23.7 points per game and he finished ranked sixth in the league in scoring. In terms of offensive improvement from a rookie season to Year No. 4, Martin is second all-time with an increase of 20.8 points and trailed only Derek Smith (21.3 increase from 1982 to 1986).
MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER: Quincy Douby came up far short of preseason expectations, as the second-year guard was unable to show much this season by some fault of his own and some of the Kings' coaching staff.

Douby, who was drafted 19th overall in 2006 for his scoring ways, got off to a bad start when he missed the team's summer league in July because of a back problem. The project of turning him into a point guard, then, was put on hold, and the struggles continued all the way through the season. Douby could never gain the confidence of Kings coach Reggie Theus, as he entered the regular season finale having played in 72 games but averaging just 11.5 minutes. With his limited time, Douby couldn't showcase the shooting touch that brought him to Sacramento to begin with, as he shot just 38.6 percent overall and averaged 4.4 points after shooting 38.1 percent as a rookie and averaging 2.8 points in 42 games.

FREE AGENT FOCUS: Point guard Beno Udrih will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and the Kings will most certainly be looking to bring him back.

Udrih was claimed off waivers by the Kings after he was traded from San Antonio to Minnesota in late October and instantly cut by the Timberwolves. The Kings have only their midlevel exception (approximately $6 million per season, up to five years) with which to work, and Udrih's camp will certainly be pushing for the full amount.

The Kings will also be eager to know what Ron Artest decides to do, as the small forward can opt out of his contract but has indicated he is unlikely to do so. Artest is due $7.4 million next season if he sticks around. The Kings will also likely let their other free agents walk, as big man Lorenzen Wright and point guard Anthony Johnson will be free agents. They were acquired in the Feb. 16 Mike Bibby trade, with their expiring deals helping the Kings get under the luxury tax threshold of the salary cap.

Minnesota Timberwolves Roster Report

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Al Jefferson. The only real reason to believe in the future, Jefferson proved he could place a franchise upon his shoulders and carry it with a 20-plus point, 10-plus rebound night nearly every time out. Whether he makes the next step forward next season that he did this one will depend on whether his focus on shot-blocking and passing late in the season was just a passing fad.

MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER: Corey Brewer. Wolves' fans hoped the rookie, seventh overall pick and 2007 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player would prove to be the sleeper of the draft. He demonstrated flashes of great athleticism and enough length and ability to defend the other team's best player many nights. But he also couldn't shoot a lick, averaging 5.7 points on 37.5 shooting for the season. So skinny, Brewer must get stronger and relax with his shot.
FREE AGENT FOCUS: There are five, all restricted free agents: Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Craig Smith, Kirk Snyder and Chris Richard. Gomes developed into a consistent starter who can play both forward spots and appears to be the top priority. Telfair's return depends upon the price and whether the Wolves get lucky in the lottery and win a chance at Memphis point guard Derrick Rose.

"It's going to be an interesting, important summer for a lot of guys," said Smith, a second-year forward.

PLAYER NOTES:

--F Ryan Gomes got married and traded last summer.

"And I thought that was a big summer," he said.

This time around, he and his wife, Danielle, are expecting their first child, a girl due July 11. Two days before that is the NBA's first day to sign free agents and Gomes is one of five young Timberwolves who will be a restricted free agent come July 1.

"It'd be great if my wife gave birth and I got the phone call (guaranteeing a big contract) all in the same day," he said.

Gomes is one of five Timberwolves who will become restricted free agents on July 1. The Wolves will have the right to match any offer made to any of the five players. Gomes was one of five players acquired from Boston in last summer's Kevin Garnett trade.

"And two of the guys are already gone," Gomes said. "Me and Sebastian are the only ones left (unsigned, Al Jefferson is already signed to a $65 million, five-year contract extension). You never know: Both of us might be back, neither of us might be back. You just never know."

--F Ryan Gomes and F Al Jefferson both played all 82 games for the first time in their young careers. They were the only Timberwolves to do so.

Until this season, Jefferson had never played more than 71, and that was in his rookie season when he averaged 15 minutes a game. Gomes had never played more than last season's 73, when he missed nine games because of a foot injury.

"That's a hell of an accomplishment," Wolves coach Randy Wittman said. "That's something you want to hang your hat on and do every year. Al has to find out what he has to do to carry a team and be ready to play all 82 games."

Jefferson vows to come back even better next year.

"I'm going to take it to another level this summer and do things I never even thought about doing," he said. "When I'm tired, I'm going to keep going."

--F Antoine Walker, a 12-year veteran on a team committed to its youth, sat out the season's final 30 games and last played on Feb. 19. When the Wolves didn't trade him or reach a contract buyout on a deal that will pay him $9.3 million next season, he reached an agreement with the team that he would be inactive rather than be asked to play little or no minutes.

He said his agent will meet with team officials, perhaps at the pre-draft camp in Orlando in June.

"A buyout or a trade, something's got to happen," he said. "I want to go play, man."


* * *
Golden State Warriors Roster Report

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: You could argue Monta Ellis posted better overall numbers and it would be fair to say the Warriors would have made the playoffs if Stephen Jackson hadn't missed the first seven games of the season, but Baron Davis was the no-doubt-about-it team MVP. He ranked among the league leaders in scoring (21.8) and assists (7.6), but nobody league-wide was better in one surprising category -- games played. After having been dubbed fragile following consecutive seasons in which he missed 34, 28 and 19 games, Davis was the only Warrior to play in all 82 this season.

MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER: When the Warriors dealt Jason Richardson for a draft pick last June, they knew they'd need Mickael Pietrus to fill some big shoes and have a big season. He appeared ready for it, having improved from 9.3 points and 3.1 assists a game in 2005-06 to 11.1 points and 4.5 rebounds last year. Playing for a new contract in 2008-09 only added to his potential. But the Frenchman, who saw his agent get rejected time and again in sign-and-trade offers to get out of Golden State, didn't have his head on straight for four months, then suffered a groin injury just when he was playing his best basketball in March. In the end, the Warriors wish he'd played elsewhere.

FREE AGENT FOCUS: The Warriors re-signed 2006-07 surprise Matt Barnes to a one-year deal and got veterans Troy Hudson and Austin Croshere to come to Oakland with veterans-minimum deals. All three were considered bargains. But in the final analysis, the Warriors got what they paid for -- very little. Even a low-risk, high-reward move to give Chris Webber a homecoming at midseason didn't pan out.

PLAYER NOTES:

--G Baron Davis was the only Warrior to play all 82 games and also led the team in scoring (21.8) and assists (7.6). His shooting percentages -- 33.0 on 3's and 42.6 overall -- were disappointing.

--G Monta Ellis is a candidate to win back-to-back Most Improved Player awards after raising his scoring average from 16.5 last season to 20.2 this year. The third-year player also improved his rebound numbers from 3.2 to 4.9. Ellis, who made just $771,000 in 2007-08, will be a restricted free agent this off-season.

--F Stephen Jackson sat out the first seven games of the season on suspension, then saw the team go 47-28 after that. The .627 winning percentage after he returned would have ranked seventh in the Western Conference. Jackson was great both on and off the court, improving his scoring average from 15.5 last year to 20.1 this year, while at the same time earning the franchise's Angela and Christopher Cohan Community Service Award for his above-and-beyond commitment to community service in the San Francisco Bay Area.

--C Andris Biedrins made eight of his 13 shots against Seattle on the final night of the season to finish with a 62.6 shooting percentage and edge Tyson Chandler (62.3) for the league title. He became the first Warrior to lead the NBA in field-goal percentage since Chris Gatling (63.3) did it in 1994-95. Biedrins finished strong with seven consecutive double-doubles, giving him 27 for the season. He led the team in rebounding with a 9.8 average.

Denver Nuggets Roster Report

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Many observers believed guard Allen Iverson would slow down at 32. Instead, he got better. Iverson raised his scoring average from 26.3 to 26.4, which was fourth in the NBA, and his field-goal percentage from 44.2 to 45.8. He played in all 82 games for just the second time in his 12 seasons.

MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER: The Nuggets signed Chucky Atkins to a three-year, $9.7 million contract last summer in hopes he would be the starting point guard. But Atkins, 33, was bothered by a groin strain and a sports hernia and played in just 24 games. Even when healthy, Atkins, who averaged 4.7 points and shot 34.4 percent, didn't show a lot, leading some to believe he's washed up.
FREE AGENT FOCUS: Unrestricted are forward Eduardo Najera and guard Anthony Carter. Najera is a longshot to return, with the Nuggets likely wanting his $4.95 million contract off the books, while Carter could return, although he might bolt if he doesn't get the contract offer he wants. Restricted are guards J.R. Smith and Yakhouba Diawara. The Nuggets want to re-sign Smith and vow to match any offer. Diawara has a chance to return if it's for a minimum salary, but he could depart.

PLAYER NOTES:

--F Carmelo Anthony averaged just 22.5 points in the playoffs and shot just 36.4 percent while also taking heat for saying the Nuggets quit in a lopsided Game 3 loss. But F Kenyon Martin defended Anthony, saying, "If (critics) want to point fingers, they need to point fingers at the whole organization, not just supposedly the face of the organization."

--F Nene, despite missing 2 1/2 months at midseason because of testicular cancer, called it a "positive" season. "I know somebody in my position, they're not going to do what I did. I'm sure about that," said Nene, who left the team because of his cancer on Jan. 11 and didn't return to play until March 27.

--After an injury-riddled season in which he played just 24 regular-season games, G Chucky Atkins vows he will be Denver's starting point guard next season. "I'm going into next year like the job is mine," Atkins said. "I'm not worrying about who they bring in or nothing."

* * *
Seattle Supersonics Roster Report

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Kevin Durant. Facing the toughest defender each night and defenses geared toward stopping him, along with the uncertainty of where the team will play next season, the 19-year-old rookie still averaged 20 points a contest in his rookie season.

MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER: Robert Swift. The young 7-footer played in only eight games for a total of 99 minutes this season, suffering a setback after returning for major reconstructive knee surgery on his right knee after adding forty pounds of bulk. Swift tore the meniscus in the same knee in February. He's a restricted free agent at the end of the season and needs to get healthy this summer.

FREE AGENT FOCUS: Francisco Elson, Robert Swift and Mickael Gelabale's contracts end at the end of the season. Elson is the only unrestricted free agent. Gelabale and Swift are restricted free agents. Adrian Griffin has a partially guaranteed contract for next season.

PLAYER NOTES:

--In receiving the Rookie of the Year award on Thursday, Seattle's Kevin Durant remains focused on the future.

"I've worked hard my whole life, and now it's starting to pay off," Durant said. "But I know this is the beginning of things to come -- bigger and better things -- first for my team and for myself. But I've got to continue to work.

"I just want to continue to work hard this summer and next year become a better player to help this team out. I think point plank all we want to do is win. And if we all come back better players we can do that."

Durant finished well ahead of runner-up Al Horford of Atlanta, totaling 90 first-place votes and 545 points overall compared to Horford's 30 first-place votes and 390 total points. Houston's Luis Scola finished third with five first-place votes and 146 points overall. Durant was selected from a panel of 125 writers and broadcasters.

But Durant dealt with people around the league critical of his game all season, and emerged a better player because of it. Some NBA observers, including former NBA All-Star Charles Barkley, lauded Horford over Durant, saying that Durant was a shining star on a bad team who shot too much, didn't rebound enough and took too many bad shots.

However, Durant quieted his critics by playing his best basketball at the end of the year, averaging 23 points and shooting 49 percent from the field in 24 games from March until the end of the season.

He also knocked down two game-winning shots and showed a willingness to take control of the game in final minutes if his team needed him.

By winning the award Durant joins the likes of mentor LeBron James -- who also called to congratulate Durant -- Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird.

"It's just me maybe being defensive about it," Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo said about Durant's critics. "But I think how special his year was is really not appreciated by people. He made it, if anything, look easy at times.

"He was so much a different player in March and April than earlier in the year. And particularly when you look at him in the fourth quarter, he showed some things other people don't have. And he's going to continue to show those things going forward."

True to his nature, Durant said he already selected a spot for his shiny new trophy -- but it won't be at home on the mantle.

* * *


New York Knicks Roster Report

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Jamal Crawford still throws up questionable shots, but he took another step forward in terms of stepping up to fill voids. When the Knicks lost Stephon Marbury for extended periods, he slid over and played the point. When the Knicks needed a voice in the locker room, he spoke up. Crawford averaged 20 points and five assists.

MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER: Stephon Marbury did not like hearing blame for the Knicks' slow start and bolted a road trip for home. He took an extended leave following the death of his father, then shut down in January to have surgery on a cranky ankle. Marbury only appeared in 24 games, averaging 13.9 points and 4.7 assists, both career lows.

FREE AGENT FOCUS: Getting under the salary cap is a priority for new team president Donnie Walsh, but he's going to have to wait. He won't be shedding a lot of salary this summer by letting the likes of Fred Jones and Randolph Morris hit the free agent market. Both are role players who probably don't fit into future plans.

PLAYER NOTES:

--G Stephon Marbury was among the players allowed to complete an exit interview before the Knicks played their final game. He indicated to Donnie Walsh that his preference is to play the final year of his contract in New York, but the Knicks have not made a commitment. The new head coach is likely to have a say in the matter.

--G Jamal Crawford wore No. 11 in honor of Isiah Thomas and was sad to see his mentor leave the sidelines. There was some consolation in knowing Thomas was only a phone call away.

"I just want him here in some capacity," Crawford said. "I love being around him. I love picking his brain."


This post has been edited by კავალერი on 5 May 2008, 12:49