What if... the Utah Jazz had a New Year's Resolution, what would it be?

by Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY Sports from http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2013/12/06/nba-a-to-z-gordon-hayward-jason-kidd-lawrence-frank-nets-pau-gasol-rockets/3891835/

          The Utah Jazz are a young team that's mostly built through the draft. They were exciting and fun to watch at the beginning of the season. The starters were Trey Burke, Alec Burks, Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, and Enes Kanter. We knew from the start of the season, they're not a playoff team but they're a team that plays hard every night. Gordon Hayward has really stepped it up for the Jazz this season averaging 19.4 points per game.This goes to show a max-contract can motivate a player to step up their game. He is capable of taking over games but like most good players, he needs to show consistency and more importantly, leadership. Hayward has to make sure his team is communicating and playing defense every possession. Derrick Favors has also shown signs of improvement and has been the teams interior defense along with Rudy Gobert. Like Hassan Whiteside from the Miami Heat, Gobert is a shot blocker who can rebound and is capable of learning the team's offense. Along with Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter can be the next three-headed monster in the paint. They remind me of bigs from the Chicago Bulls who have Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, and newcomer, Nikola Mirotic. The Utah Jazz team is raw and they are developing playing who can play next to Gordon Hayward. With one franchise player, they must generate chemistry if they want to produce wins.

          Alec Burks was such an important piece for the Indiana Pacers because his play style is very similar to Paul George. They can both attack the paint and make the mid-range jumper. However, he went down with a season-ending shoulder injury. They are currently 17-31 and have a young core with a high motor. Their resolution to the new year is improving upon their bench. Other than Trey Burke and Rudy Gobert, they need help in their secondary unit. The number one reason why the Golden State Warriors are so good is because of their deep bench. They have David Lee, Andre Iguodala, and Shaun Livingston who can come in anytime and for the team to not be worried. The Utah Jazz can learn from them and build from experience. With time, the Utah Jazz might be able to be the same time of team when they had John Stockton and Karl Malone. The fans missed those years in the playoffs and how anxious they are for the team to return. Question is... when will they be ready?

What if... the Sacramento Kings had a New Year's Resolution, what would it be?

by Bill Baptist/ Getty Images from http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1907837-dont-blame-sacramento-kings-strggules-on-demarcus-cousins

          A stability in the coaching position would be a good start. Early in the season, head coach Mike Malone was fired after going 11-13. DeMarcus Cousins has already played with four different coaches in his first five seasons in the NBA. This doesn't show much faith in the organization but Cousins is sticking to the program. With the addition of Rudy Gay last year, they team has an athletic wingman who can create their own offense and drive to the basket. The arrival of Darren Collison has certainly been an upgrade over Isaiah Thomas on defense. He can be pesky against other guards averaging 1.6 steals per game. What the Kings need to work on is at the power forward and shooting guard position. A player like Taj Gibson would be a great pickup because he can be a defensive presence inside the paint with Cousins. The duo could be similar to Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol, Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah, or Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan. Sometimes it's tough to handle the paint by yourself and with the help of Gibson, it might ease up at times for Cousins, resulting in more energy on offense whom they heavily rely on. Playing for Team USA, Cousins has shown signs of maturity which has led to his first All-Star appearance selection for the West. Congratulations, Demarcus Cousins!

           What can the Kings hope for? We know DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay are not enough to bring them to the playoffs especially with a crowded Western Conference. They can also go after a shooter to kick out to when Cousins is doubled in the post. Someone like Wesley Matthews who is a perfect fit for Lamarcus Aldridge, would be a great pickup. He can shoot the three ball and more importantly, defend his position. Kyle Korver is another player who can space the floor but it looks like he won't be leaving the Atlanta Hawks who seems like a perfect team for him. His impact doesn't show in the stats but he creates easier shots for his teammates because of his lethal outside shooting, a major reason why the Atlanta Hawks are 38-8 and winners of 17 straight games. Having any one of these players for the Kings who be great. Let's see if the Sacramento Kings can improve on their weakness and fight for a playoff spot where they haven't been to for over nine years.

What if... the New York Knicks had a New Year's Resolution, what would it be?

by Dan Favale, Featured Columnist/ Getty Images from http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1990273-carmelo-anthony-says-phil-jackson-wont-have-impact-on-free-agency-decision

          With Carmelo Anthony as the New York Knicks franchise player, they have the worst record in the league, percentage wise, with a record of 7-36. The Knicks recently won two games in a row. The fans still love them. I still watch them. Phil Jackson still believes them. Let's give them a few years and see what he can do with the team. Amare Stoudimire is in the last year of his 5 year, $100 million contract and we will see if Jackson wants him back in New York. Carmelo Anthony is the obvious center piece Jackson wants to build around but is he the right player?

          Carmelo Anthony has pointed out he doesn't want the team's mentality of tanking for the season. At the beginning of the season, they traded away Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton to the Dallas Mavericks and in return for Jose Calderon and Samuel Dalembert who was waived in the beginning of this year. I had a problem trading away Tyson Chandler because he was a crucial player who won a championship with the Mavericks but I guess Phil Jackson didn't believe he fit in the triangle offense. In the middle of the season, they also traded away Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Lou Amundson and Lance Thomas, who are both on 10-day contracts at the moment. Can they develop rising player, Tim Hardaway Jr. into two-way shooting guard who can dominate the game? Hardaway has shown signs of greatness but at times can take too many shots like Carmelo Anthony. As of now, the Knicks are running two point guards, Langston Galloway and Jose Calderon, on the floor at the same time. According to Galloway, he is basing his game on Chauncey Billups. He brings defensive intensity which the Knicks lack. The Knicks need to develop their young players to help bring Carmelo Anthony into the playoffs before he gets too old.

          According to rumors within the last week, Tobias Harris would love to win a championship with the Knicks. If the Knicks do reach a deal with Harris, the small forward position would be clogged. Tobias Harris needs to work on his defense but he is only 22 years old so he has time. Tobias Harris does not seem like a good fit with Carmelo Anthony because they play a similar role. The Knicks need to go after a player like Marc Gasol who can play both ends. It would have been great if Pau Gasol signed with the Knicks but instead took his talents to the Chicago Bulls. He has done a wonderful job playing alongside Joakim Noah, Jimmy Butler, and Derrick Rose. Pau Gasol is also starting for the All-Star game as well as his brother, Marc Gasol, for the West. Congratulations to both players as they both deserved it this year. More importantly, let's see if Phil Jackson has something up his sleeve and pull off a trade to turnaround the Knicks franchise.

What if... the Chicago Bulls had a New Year's Resolution, what would it be?

by Sportabsorb from http://www.sportabsorb.com/2014/07/derrick-rose-dunking-practice/

                                         

          The Chicago Bulls are in a great spot to be in when the playoff arrives. Tied for second place of the Eastern Conference with Toronto Raptors, they will get home court advantage but more importantly they will have Derrick Rose back for the playoffs for the first time since the 2012 playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers. It will be a dream come true for the Bulls fans if Derrick Rose is the starting point guard for the Chicago Bulls. It would be such a remarkable story for the city of Chicago if they can reach the NBA finals because they have all the tools to make a deep run in the playoffs. Head coach, Tom Thibodeau, has done a good job maintaining Rose's minutes. This season, they have a really good chance only if, ONLY IF, the players are healthy. And that is why the Bull's resolution is to have their starting unit and bench unit healthy. Everyone has missed the Derrick Rose that brought the house down with his vicious dunks. He is not the only threat anymore as they have Jimmy Butler, Joakim Noah, and Pau Gasol. Unfortunately, injuries are part of the game and each team has to play through those events. The NBA was never the same when Rose missed the whole 2012-2013 season and I wish him all the best to be ready for the playoffs in April.

What If... the Chicago Bulls stayed healthy all season?

by Tom Loxas from http://www.chicagonow.com/loxas-factor/2013/01/interview-espns-nick-friedell-talks-bulls-derrick-rose-kevin-love-and-the-next-ron-atrest-jimmy-butler/

                                 
          We all know what Derrick Rose is capable of when he is healthy on the floor. So far, he is averaging 18 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds. He may not be getting the stats before he was injured but that's because the team has so many options. Through 30 games, he has missed 10 games due to either a knee injury or rest. He will be the key if the Chicago Bulls want to win a championship. Joakim Noah is also having a setback after an off-season surgery. He is only averaging 8.6 points and 9.8 rebounds but newly acquired Pau Gasol from the Los Angeles Lakers is averaging almost 17.8 points and 11.4 rebounds which balances the frontcourt. As a veteran player of the NBA, Gasol is turning back time as one of the leaders of the Bulls as the are off to an 19-11 start, good for 4th in the East. The Bulls have all the tools to win a title because they have a good starting unit and bench. But in order for them to make it to the end, head coach, Tom Thibodeau, must make adjustments like Gregg Popovich, coach of the San Antonio Spurs. Jimmy Butler, who is leading the league in minutes played, almost 39 minutes per game. If he plays to much minutes in the season, Butler will feel the wear-and-tear in his body. He is young but still needs to be careful. But as Chris Webber quoted, "If it wasn't for the injuries of Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler would not have developed into the player he is today. He plays with so much passion on both ends of the floor. He guards the best player on the opposing teams and if the Bulls want to make it far into the playoffs, Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler needs to stay healthy.

What If... you can repick the top 5 picks of the 2007 NBA draft?

by Clark Mitchell from http://www.chatsports.com/san-antonio-spurs/a/Report-San-Antonio-Spurs-To-Target-Grizzlies-Marc-Gasol-If-Tim-Duncan-Retires-10-192-358

          If we were to start all over with the picks of the 2007 NBA draft, Greg Oden who was originally the top pick of the draft, should not belong in the top ten. But injuries are part of the game and Oden was an unfortunate player to have multiple leg injuries throughout his short career. So far, the favorite to come first out if we were to restart the draft, it would be Kevin Durant no questions asked. In his first 8 years of his career, he has claimed himself as one of the most lethal shooters in the game. As the 2nd pick of the same draft, I would go for Marc Gasol, who was actually traded for his brother Pau Gasol. He has been as good as his brother if not better. For the third pick, it would be Joakim Noah, who is a very underrated center in this league. He is a tenacious defender who will frustrate the opposing player on every possession. Moving on to the fourth pick, Al Horford who is a center who has a quiet well-around game. For a big man, he has great quickness and footwork to go along with an mid-range shot. For the last pick, it would be Mike Conley,Jr., a crafty player known more for his picky defense. His offense wasn't quick there in his first few seasons but kept working hard and did well after receiving his new contract. Overall, my top five draft would be Kevin Durant, Marc Gasol, Joakim Noah, Al Horford, and Mike Conley, Jr.

What If... you had to make a starting line-up with only bench players?

by Jamie McDonald/ Getty Images Europe from http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/7vQu9Mimnp-/Oklahoma+City+Thunder+v+Philadelphia+76ers/pIDqJ1M6Zjy/Reggie+Jackson

          For my backcourt, it would have to be Isaiah Thomas and Reggie Jackson. In order to have a good team, you need point guards. Thomas and Jackson has toughness and quickness at their position. At the small forward spot, I would take Andre Iguodala because he is versatile and can guard every position. As the manager, I would make him play this position because he can lock down great forwards and guards with the exception of a few players who are just unstoppable like Anthony Davis. For my forward spot, I like Taj Gibson because he's always aggressive on the defensive end and when Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah are out on nights, he can get 20 point 10 rebound game if needed. Brandon Wright would have to me my center because his field goal percentage is high and takes reasonable shots. He is able to protect the paint and plays help defense which is key to having a long career in the NBA. Draymond Green is an asterisk because he is currently replaced as a starter for David Lee who hasn't played in the season yet. Otherwise, I would pick him because he can fill the stat sheet up with assists, rebounds, blocks, and steals. Another honorable mention would be Ryan Anderson who can is a stretch four who can spread the floor for his teammates. What are your five picks?

What If... Kobe Bryant never played with Shaquille O'neal or Pau Gasol?

by Trey Kerby from http://blogs.thescore.com/tbj/2011/10/18/shaq-and-kobe-are-still-shaq-and-kobe/

          Would Kobe Bryant be compared to Michael Jordan as the best NBA player of all-time? Kobe Bryant has won five championships so far and all his five had a dominant big man on the roster. If we were to take Shaq and Gasol away from Kobe Bryant, we might be comparing him to Allen Iverson who was always a great scorer and leader but never had a championship. Kobe Bryant is a competitive player because there was a team built around him with a great coach, Phil Jackson, who has more championships than fingers can count. I'm curious to see a young Kobe Bryant lead a team to the NBA Finals. This reminds me of Lebron James who averaged around 25 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds with the Cleveland Cavaliers before he went on to form the Big 3 in Miami with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Lebron James could lead his team to the playoffs but in decisive moments he had less success. Would Kobe Bryant have led the Los Angeles Lakers without Shaq or Gasol? We all know what Kobe Bryant is capable of as he was an elite defender and scorer. Because of the situation, Kobe Bryant did his part and helped his team. Without Kobe Bryant, the Lakers wouldn't have had those championships and without a great team, Kobe Bryant probably wouldn't have championships either.

What If... Carmelo Anthony went to the Chicago Bulls?

by diehardspot from http://www.diehardsport.com/nba/hypothetical-trade-sends-derrick-rose-jimmy-butler-carmelo-anthony/

          Would he have taken the pay-cut to go to the Chicago Bulls? No, that's why he returned to the New York Knicks. Some say it's all about the money. Carmelo Anthony tells the media some people aren't ready to play at MSG and he feels no pressure playing there.

          But what if he went to the Chicago Bulls and formed a legit contender for the championship? Starting with head coach Tom Thibodeau, who is defense minded which would allow Anthony's game to evolve. With a starting lineup of Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler, Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah plus himself, wouldn't they compete with any other team in the league? He decided to stick to the new look Knicks with first year head coach, Derek Fisher. We know Phil Jackson is a great foundation but it's going to take some time before free agents will head to New York. By that time, Carmelo will be over thirty years old and who knows how he will play like unless his mindset is like Kobe Bryant who is having a heck of a year at the age of 36. But going back to Carmelo Anthony as a member of the Bulls, the team has a pretty good bench as well. Leading off with a power forward who can start on most teams, Taj Gibson. As well as Mike Dunleavy, who can shoot the three ball well and a well-rounded defender. Then there's Kirk Hinrich and Arron Brooks who are reliable point guard backing up Derrick Rose anytime he needs a rest or is out due to a minor injury that comes up often. Their draft picks are great with Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic. Both are big men with range and potential to contribute in their rookie year. Carmelo Anthony would be thinking on a potential championship this year, instead he's struggling to see his Knicks win on a daily basis.