Saturday Slam: Will James Harden push the Brooklyn Nets over the top?

                                              (Credit: Nick Friar-USA TODAY Sports) 

The big news from this week is the trade that sent James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets (click here for the details of the trade). As a result, the Nets now have a "Big Three" consisting of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant in addition to Harden. Before they got Harden, the Nets were already considered by many to be contenders, but now that they have Harden, it's fair to wonder whether or not they're the favorites to come out of the East. 

In my opinion, the real key to the Nets having success will be how well the egos of Durant, Harden, and Irving are managed. If they can put their egos aside, play unselfish basketball, and put the team first, they'll be dangerous. If not, there could be trouble in paradise.

 All three of them are among the most gifted offensive players in the game. Irving has fantastic ball handling that can create space as well as anyone in the league. He knows how to get to the rim, shoot it from deep, and also create plays for others. Durant, he's a 7'0" freak with shoes that can make it rain from deep, attack the rim, and just get buckets. That's what he does. Harden, he's one of the craftiest scorers the NBA has ever seen. He's got an array of moves, can shoot it from deep, and also get to the rim while creating contact. The bottom line is it's going to be tough for teams to figure out how to defend all three of them when they're together. 

This isn't to say that from a pure basketball standpoint, they're a lock to win the East. The biggest issue that these three guys have is they're not great defenders. Especially Irving and Harden. For as great as they are on offense, their defense is just so-so. One could of course argue that with those three guys, who needs defense, but in truth, you can't win by just playing really good offense. You need to play defense as well. Just ask Don Nelson. If the Nets are going to accomplish their championship goals, they're going to have to figure out how to improve on defense. Having DeAndre Jordan in the middle certainly helps as he knows how to block shots and get rebounds. But I'm not sure he's enough. 

Ultimately, I like this Nets team a lot. There's talk about the three of them not getting along and things blowing up, but Durant and Harden know each other from their days in OKC and as for Irving, he's a smart enough guy to get in line as well. When looking ahead to the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Nets should absolutely be a factor now that they have Harden aboard. 

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Skyhook Sunday: Should the Los Angeles Clippers trade DeAndre Jordan?

During the last week or so, DeAndre Jordan's name has come up in trade rumors. According to Gery Woelfel, the Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Milwaukee Bucks are all interested in trading for the Los Angeles Clippers' star big man. Further, it sounds like the Clippers are exploring the option of unloading him in order to help them rebuild. 

The reason why the Clippers are considering this is the fact that they are having a down year (8-14) and don't appear to be close to contending with the present cast of players that they have. With Chris Paul gone, the line of thinking is why not blow the whole thing up and start from scratch with Blake Griffin as the centerpiece? 

While tanking and blowing up your franchise is a rather trendy thing for NBA teams to do, that doesn't make it the right move for every team. For the Clippers, given how recently they were contending, they might be better off tweaking their roster and keeping their foundation in place as opposed to essentially starting all over. 

At 29 years of age, DeAndre Jordan is still producing and has several good years left in him, averaging 10.1 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game. As an added plus, he's having his best free throw shooting season ever (59.6%). Personally, I think that if the Clippers want to get back to where they were a couple of years ago, they'd be wise to hang on to Jordan as well as Griffin and make them their foundation for the next five years. Everyone else should be on the open market, but trading Jordan or Griffin would mark the end of an era and officially put them back into full blown rebuilding mode. 

If there's anyone who the Clippers should look to be getting rid of, it's Lou Williams, who at 31 years of age is averaging 18.7 points and 4.1 assists per game. Williams still has a lot of value and could command a lot in the trade market. If the Clippers used him as a means to getting some higher draft picks and some younger talent, that would be a fantastic move. 

I understand why the Clippers are exploring the trade market for DeAndre Jordan, but ultimately, I think it would be unwise for them to move him. He still has a lot to give them and alongside Blake Griffin, they could have one of the best front courts in the NBA for the next several years. The Clippers need to press forward with those two guys as their foundation and look for ways to put the right pieces around them in order for them to succeed. 

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Tomahawk Tuesday: What does the future hold for the Los Angeles Clippers?

Chris Paul ($24.4M) and Blake Griffin ($21.4M) have both decided to exercise the Early Termination Option on their contracts, which means that they will be unrestricted free agents come July 1st. For both Paul and Griffin, re-signing with the Clippers is the financially smart move to make. The Clippers can re-sign Paul for five years and approximately $200M while other teams can sign him for four years and $150M. As for Griffin, he can re-up with the Clippers for five years and approximately $180M while other teams can offer four years, $130M.

Still, even with the advantage of being able to offer more money, it's no guarantee Paul and Griffin stay with the Clippers. Both guys have made more than enough money and are at a point of their careers where winning a ring is the focus. Especially Paul, who has been in the NBA since 2005. In order for the Clippers to lock up Paul and Griffin for another five years, they'll have to do a good job selling them on their chances of winning championship in Clipperland. Otherwise, both guys might bolt for a change of scenery and better championship odds.

The advantage that both Paul and Griffin have is that they can literally go wherever they want. There has been talk of Chris Paul possibly joining the Spurs while Blake Griffin has been linked to the Celtics. Of course, these are all rumors at this point, but the fact remains that it is no slam dunk they re-sign. Something that should worry the Clippers.

There are four scenarios that can happen here. Each with its own pros and cons.

                                          (Credit: Keith Allison. Click here for source).     

Scenario #1-Both Chris Paul and Blake Griffin stay: It's entirely possible that both Chris Paul and Blake Griffin decide to re-sign and get back to work on winning a title for the Los Angeles Clippers. They've become the faces of Los Angeles and with a new owner in place, they can feel much more optimistic about the future. For the Clippers, this appears to be the best possible outcome. By keeping Paul and Griffin, they would remain competitive for the short term and continue to be the better team in Los Angeles. There's also the hope that with a few more moves, maybe they can finally get it right and add the pieces necessary to make a serious championship run.

Scenario #2-Chris Paul stays and Blake Griffin goes: There's also the possibility that the Clippers only hang on to one of their two major stars. If it's Paul who stays and Griffin who leaves, this wouldn't be terrible, but not all that great, either. Basically, it would keep the Clippers competitive for the short term, but not as competitive as they've been. They'd become a team that is a 6th or 7th seed in the Western Conference at best and possibly even an 8th seed. With Chris Paul getting older, the Clippers would already have to start thinking about ways to rebuild with Griffin no longer around as their centerpiece for the future.

Scenario #3-Blake Griffin stays and Chris Paul leaves: If the Clippers only hang on to one of these two guys, I think it's more likely that Griffin would be the one to stick around. Paul is in a more desperate situation considering his age, making the lure of going elsewhere stronger for him. With Paul gone, it would firmly become Griffin's team, which wouldn't be a bad thing. By being younger (Rookie class of 2010), Griffin is a better guy to build around for the future. He has five more years on him, creating more time for the Clippers to finally get it right and build a true title contender around him.

Scenario #4-Both Chris Paul and Blake Griffin leave: This is a nightmare scenario that the Clippers have to be prepared to address. The bottom line is that so far, the Chris Paul/Blake Griffin duo has not produced a championship. Doc Rivers hasn't gotten out of them what we all thought and at the end of the day, it just doesn't seem to be working. While they are making the playoffs every year as members of the Clippers, Paul and Griffin are guys who want to win championships and so far, they don't appear to be on track to do so in Los Angeles.

Now is the time for them to get out while they still can. Paul has four to five good years left in him while Griffin could remain an effective power forward for another 10 years. Both guys still have plenty of time to win rings elsewhere. As for what this would mean for the Clippers, this would be devastating. To lose your star duo right as you get new ownership would be nothing short of a major setback. DeAndre Jordan would suddenly be the man and they'd have to scramble to find some quality pieces in free agency to avoid a complete rebuilding season.

When looking at all four of these scenarios, it's clear that July 1st will be a big day for the Los Angeles Clippers. They have to be ready for whatever scenario presents itself and do all they can to not lose the positive momentum that they have been building during these past few years.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: With Blake Griffin out, the Los Angeles Clippers need DeAndre Jordan to step up

                                          (Credit: Keith Allison. Click here for source) 

After the Los Angeles Clippers' 117-110 loss to the Washington Wizards on December 18, it was revealed that Blake Griffin would be out 4-6 weeks following a procedure on his right knee. Griffin is having another all-star worthy season averaging 21.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. Without his presence, it's little surprise that the Clippers are struggling, but after three straight losses at the Staples Center to the Mavericks, Lakers, and Nuggets, it appears as though the absence of Blake Griffin may be an even bigger deal than initially expected.

With Blake Griffin out, the Clippers will obviously need to rely more on their veteran all-star point guard Chris Paul as well as J.J. Redick, Jamal Crawford, and DeAndre Jordan. All four of those guys will have to step up their game and have expanded roles until Blake Griffin returns. If there's any of those four guys who needs to step up the most, it's definitely DeAndre Jordan. Not only does he play in the front court, but he also is getting paid $87,616,050 over four years. DeAndre Jordan is viewed as the third guy in the Clippers' "Big Three" and so it's time he plays like it.

                                                 (Credit: Keith Allison. Click here for source) 

DeAndre Jordan is having a nice season, averaging 11.5 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. With Blake Griffin out, he should see an increase in both his points and rebounds. Unfortunately for the Clippers, DeAndre Jordan hasn't exactly stepped up his game thus far in Griffin's absence. During this three-game losing skid, DeAndre Jordan is averaging 8.7 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 1 block per game.

Those aren't bad numbers if Blake Griffin is at full strength, but without Griffin, those numbers should be better. The bottom line is that without Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan has to be stepping up and earning his money. A big reason for why the Clippers are paying DeAndre Jordan so much money is to take some pressure off of Blake Griffin since he's had a history of getting hurt.

As I said earlier, DeAndre Jordan is supposed to be the third guy in a Clippers "Big Three" and so far he's not playing like it. This isn't to say that the other guys on the Clippers don't need to do their part as well. They do, but outside of Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan needs to be the guy who steps up in Blake Griffin's absence. Especially since he also plays down in the paint.

As far as what the Clippers' schedule looks like, they embark on a three game road trip to New Orleans, Houston, and Oklahoma City before coming home to take on the Phoenix Suns on Monday, January 2nd. If DeAndre Jordan and the Clippers don't wake up, they could come into Monday's game on a six-game losing skid and they don't want that.

At 22-11, the Clippers are currently the #4 seed in the Western Conference behind the Rockets, Spurs, and Warriors. With the Thunder on their heels just 1.5 games back of them, the Clippers better get out of this funk fast before they jeopardize home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Even though the NBA playoffs aren't for quite a while, seasons can be decided by bad stretches of play. The Clippers better snap out of this bad stretch fast before things start to really get out of control.

Saturday Slam: How important is winning an Olympic gold medal in basketball?

     During these Olympic games, Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, who currently is competing for Team USA, told ESPN that Olympic gold medals are "above NBA rings." While it is true that for many athletes an Olympic gold medal is the most prized possession in their sport, NBA players are judged on how many NBA championship rings they win as opposed to how many Olympic gold medals they win.

     A big reason for this is the fact that over the years, USA Basketball has dominated the rest of the world to the point that it is a foregone conclusion that they will win the gold medal. The United States is home to the most NBA players of any country and as a result the best basketball players in the world. This isn't to say that other countries don't have amazing basketball players as well. The world is certainly catching up, especially when we see how many close games USA Basketball has had in the 2016 Olympic games. Even with that being the case, USA Basketball is still heavily favored to win the gold medal every time. When they win a gold medal, we yawn and when they don't, we freak out and are absolutely shocked.

     So, with that being the case, how important is an Olympic gold medal in basketball? The answer is it that it is important for USA Basketball players and career defining for players outside of the United States. For a guy like DeAndre Jordan, who has played very well in these Olympic games, a gold medal would be a very nice addition to his trophy case. Especially when he himself doesn't have an NBA championship ring.

     Even for USA Basketball players with NBA championship rings, an Olympic gold medal is still valuable because of what the Olympics represent for all of sports. When you win an Olympic gold medal for USA Basketball, that means you are one of the very best players in the world and that in and of itself is a huge achievement. The accomplishment doesn't so much lie in the basketball games that are won but rather in playing on the most elite basketball team in the world.

     For guys competing for countries outside of the United States, take Serbia for instance, who is playing USA Basketball for the gold medal, winning a gold medal could very well be bigger than winning an NBA championship or at least on par with it. To lead your team to victory against a team composed of 12 NBA all-stars is nothing short of incredible and truly a feat for the ages.

     Leading your country to a gold medal in basketball with the United States standing in the way would make any player a hero in their country and perhaps even a basketball hall of fame player. It's that incredible of a feat. If Serbia defeats the United States tomorrow, Nikola Jokic and Milos Tedosic will become national heroes and true legends of the game. It would be basketball's version of "Miracle on Ice."
   
      So, in summation, winning an Olympic gold medal is a big deal in basketball. It's just that it matters differently depending on whether or not you are playing for USA Basketball. It's that simple.

Saturday Slam: DeAndre Jordan doesn't owe the Mavericks an apology

                                             (Credit: Keith Allison. Click here for source) 

     The biggest story of the week in the NBA was DeAndre Jordan backing out of his verbal agreement with the Dallas Mavericks to re-sign with the Los Angeles Clippers. It was a total shock since players hardly ever decommit from a team during the free agency moratorium period, a period in which players and teams can agree to deals, but not yet sign contracts.

     This year, the period was from July 1 at Midnight EST through July 9 at Midnight EST. During this time period, DeAndre Jordan agreed to a four-year contract with the Mavericks worth over $80M and then decided to change his mind and re-sign with the Clippers for approximately the same contract.

     As a result of his decision or indecision, depending on how you look at it, Clippers fans rejoiced over the news and Mavericks fans got really upset. DeAndre Jordan recognized that there would be some backlash for what he did and so he decided to smooth things over on twitter by apologizing to the Mavericks organization and their fans.

I want to publicly apologize to one of the best owners in the world @MCuban, the @DallasMavs and their fans.

— DeAndre Jordan (@deandrejordan6) July 11, 2015

I am humbled by @DallasMavs & @MCuban kindness and understanding. I am sorry to have a change of heart.

— DeAndre Jordan (@deandrejordan6) July 11, 2015

 While it was certainly a nice gesture by Jordan to apologize in the manner that he did, it was also a totally unnecessary gesture. DeAndre Jordan doesn't owe the Mavericks any apology whatsoever. The NBA is a business where players, owners, and coaches look out for themselves as individuals ahead of everybody else. All that DeAndre Jordan did was look out for himself and do the right thing at the expense of a team who he was trying to beat last season.

     The Mavericks only have themselves to blame for not being able to convince DeAndre Jordan to sign with them. At the end of the day, DeAndre Jordan realized that he had a better gig with the Clippers and he ultimately made the right decision for himself. That is all.

     If he should apologize for doing that, then every star in the NBA should apologize to the other 29 teams he chooses to not sign with. E.g. David West should apologize to the Pacers for leaving them to go to the Spurs while taking a massive pay cut. I understand that the way this all went down was sloppy and not pretty, but that doesn't mean DeAndre Jordan owes the Mavericks an apology.

     The larger question here is whether or not the free agency moratorium period should exist or not. In my opinion I'm all for it because I think it gives both teams and players more flexibility and freedom to get deals done that benefit themselves. Obviously, the Mavericks got hurt by this system, but DeAndre Jordan benefited tremendously as a result of it.

     If there is anything we learned from Mitt Romney, it is that corporations are actually NOT people. They are merely a collection of people who share a common interest or goal with the hopes of making money. The Dallas Mavericks are a corporation and DeAndre Jordan is an individual person who has a job, friends, family, and feelings.

     People are making the mistake of acting as if both DeAndre Jordan and the Dallas Mavericks are the same type of entity. They are not the same type of entity. One is a corporation and the other is an individual person. When it comes down to an individual versus a corporation in matters of doing what is best for either the corporation or the individual, we should always side with the individual and not the corporation. The end decision clearly has a bigger impact on the individual from an emotional standpoint, financial standpoint, and an overall well-being standpoint.

     DeAndre Jordan did what was best for him emotionally, financially, and what was best for his overall well-being. That alone is why he doesn't owe the Mavericks an apology. If anything, they should thank him for considering them in the first place. If he hadn't done the little dance that he did and instead agreed to a deal with the Clippers on July 1, the end result would still be the same. He would be on the Clippers and the Mavericks would be entering a period of rebuilding and retooling.

     As a matter of fact, entering such a period is what the Mavericks need to do if they want to win another NBA championship. The harsh reality for the Mavericks is that the addition of DeAndre Jordan would have only delayed them from doing something that they ultimately would have needed to do anyways. They need to look at his departure as a blessing in disguise.

     In conclusion, DeAndre Jordan doesn't owe the Dallas Mavericks an apology. He did something that was unusual and surprising, but that doesn't mean he owes the Mavericks an apology. If I eat a banana while drinking a diet soda through a long curly straw, it may be weird, but I don't need to apologize to anybody for my bizarre behavior. If some dude wants me to apologize to him because what I did in front of him traumatized him, that's his problem to deal with and not mine. If on the other hand I throw the straw at him and use it as a weapon to put a gash in his leg, then I owe him an apology because I did something illegal and also something that did him direct harm.

     The Mavericks act as if DeAndre Jordan did direct harm to them. He didn't do direct harm to them. He merely got them excited for a future that didn't actually exist in any sort of metaphysical way. The Mavericks forgot that time as far as we conceptualize it, exists only in the present and in the past. Anything in the future is purely hypothetical and subject to change pending on what happens in the present and in the past. Reality as far as we understand it, is constructed this way and the Mavericks have to deal with its sometimes unfriendly consequences.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news 

Saturday Slam: Why Draymond Green doesn't deserve Defensive Player of the Year

     There has been a lot of speculation and debate about the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award going to Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard despite Warriors forward Draymond Green getting more first place votes. What I will do in this article is offer an explanation for why Draymond Green did not win Defensive Player of the Year and why it makes sense for him to not make the ballot entirely.

     Before I explain my argument, it's important that you understand how the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award is given. Over one hundred sportswriters vote for this award and they each have a first place, second place, and third place vote. First place is given the most amount of points, second place the second most amount, and third place gets the least. If a player doesn't get first, second, or third on somebody's list, they get zero points in their favor.

     So, to understand how Kawhi Leonard won the award ahead of Draymond Green, Leonard simply had more points. He didn't get as many first place votes, but he made up for it in second and third place votes. In the end, Leonard got on more total ballots than Draymond Green and that is why he ended up winning the award.

     What a lot of people are complaining about is the idiocy of those who didn't include Draymond Green on their ballot. The people who have the megaphone are making it out that like Draymond Green got robbed and that he deserved to win this award. Further, they argue that there is no way possible to justify leaving him off the ballot.

     I am not one of the people with the megaphone or one who supports their position. If I had a vote for Defensive Player of the Year, Draymond Green would not have made my ballot. My list would have been Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, and DeAndre Jordan in that order. So, I guess if you'd like, you can call me one of the "idiots" who would leave Draymond Green off their ballot.

     The reason why Draymond Green wouldn't make my ballot is simple: He doesn't make the same impact on defense that those other guys do from a statistical point of view. Anthony Davis was #1 in blocks per game and #8 in rebounds per game during the regular season; Kawhi Leonard was #1 in steals per game; and DeAndre Jordan was #1 in rebounds per game and #5 in blocks per game. Draymond Green isn't top 15 in any of those categories.

      As a matter of fact, the best he does in any of those three categories is tied for 20th in steals per game.  If you want to include defensive rebounds as a category, Green ranks 12th, which isn't bad, but even in that category he is behind Anthony Davis and DeAndre Jordan. Defensive Player of the Year is given to the best individual defender in basketball and I don't see how somebody can be warranted to win that award without being at least a top five player in one of those categories.

     One reading this who still thinks Green deserves this award will argue that there is more to defense than rebounds, steals, and blocks. They will also argue that Draymond Green is a great team defender who took on the challenge of guarding bigger players in the paint. Those points are all true, but there is no way to really quantify or measure that kind of defense. Draymond Green is a great defender because he plays well in the Warriors' defensive system, but playing well in a system doesn't mean you are the best defender in the NBA.

     This award is about who the best individual defensive player in the game is. I.e. The guy you would take first if you wanted to have a great defense. If you had to pick one player to anchor your defense on, would it really be Draymond Green ahead of Anthony Davis, DeAndre Jordan, Kawhi Leonard, and even Rudy Gobert? For me it wouldn't be and that is precisely why some guys left him off of their ballot.

     It isn't because Draymond Green is undervalued or overlooked. It's that the impact he makes defensively isn't as easy to quantify or measure because he is one piece on a team that collectively plays great defense thanks to other quality defenders like Andre Iguodala and Andrew Bogut. The bottom line is that if you vote for Defensive Player of the Year based on who individually impacts the game the most in a quantifiable way, Draymond Green won't get your vote. Your vote will go to the guy who blocks the most shots, gets the most steals, or grabs the most rebounds. Guys like Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, DeAndre Jordan, and Rudy Gobert.

     It may not seem fair since there is more to defense than just rebounds, blocks, and steals, but those three things are still a big part of playing defense. If a player  doesn't rank especially high in any of those categories, it becomes a lot harder to argue a case for why he should be defensive player of the year when there are guys who rank high in at least one and sometimes two of those three categories.

(Note: Hopefully you enjoy the video I just shared. It's a tribute to Draymond Green, who without question deserves a lot of credit for the Warriors' incredible success!)

---Ben Parker: Follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news