But the once-infamous Clippers have their fingerprints all over the offseason. After grabbing Baron Davis to pair off with Brand, then losing Brand to the Philadelphia 76ers (whom, by the way, may be a team to watch out for this season. They gave the Detroit Pistons a scare early in their first round series last year, and think how much better they’ll be with Brand manning the post). Suddenly, though, they pull off a steal by coming away with all-defensive team regular Marcus Camby in a trade with the Denver Nuggets for – wait for it – a second round pick.

That’s right, they didn’t give up a single player to get Camby. And now, they just signed up Golden State restricted free agent Kelenna Azubuike to an offer sheet. With the Warriors first priority signings being Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins, there’s a possibility LA might come away with this clean.

So you might be looking at a lineup that looks like this

C Chris Kaman
F Camby
F Al Thornton
G Cuttino Mobley
G Davis

Bench
Eric Gordon
Azubuike
Tim Thomas
DeAndre Jordan

Best case scenario looks something like Baron makes Gordon his new Monta and the rook averages better than (or at least close to) 15 a game to complement Davis’ 25. Thornton furthers his development and becomes a legit starter in the league. Camby and Kaman clean up the glass as they norm close to 30 boards a game combined. Everything falls together and they go and contend for the last spot in the western conference playoffs. Their moves won’t make them better than the Lakers, Hornets, Spurs, Jazz, Rockets, Mavs or Blazers. The Suns, I’m not so sure about, seeing as their hopes fall on the knees of old men Shaquille O’neal, Grant Hill and Steve Nash (how much longer can he play MVP-type basketball? He was outplayed last year by Chris Paul – so I’m guessing he stopped playing on that level months ago).

Of course, the Clips have nothing to feel secure about. Camby is known for missing tons of games because of injuries. Kaman will being coming in fatigued because of a tour of duty beside Dirk Nowitzki on the German National Team. Gordon could play like a rookie. Jordan WILL play like a rookie. Thornton is a second-year guy so his youth might be exposed as well. That leaves Baron with what – Cuttino Mobley? Tim Thomas??

One thing’s for sure, the team’s going to be one to watch out for. Davis is an insane talent who can make miracles happen (see: Warriors-Mavs 2006). It would be a different story if they still had Brand. But right now, they have a shot at crashing the playoffs party. That’s enough for most fans, I guess. If they do make it, I hope they find themselves an 8th seed, matched up against the number 1 Lakers in a Staples Center series. Think of the possibilities.

Baron Davis could have scripted it any better himself.

Oh yeah. About time.

http://www.pba.ph/content/view/2203/1/

Frontcourt

DLSU boasts of one of the leanest, meanest and most experienced frontcourts in the UAAP. With Rico Maierhofer leading the charge, they put up a very intimidating defensive front. Rico is probably the best defender in the league – blocking shots, grabbing boards and simply dominating the paint – and he’s once again shown marked improvement in his arsenal of offensive moves. Playing alongside him are James Mangahas, who boasts of a real smooth offensive game, and the bruising PJ Walsham. This is a long, physical frontline that can strike fear in the hearts of the opposition on both ends of the floor. Maierhofer was everywhere on offense and defense, showing off his polished game (as compared to the Ateneo bigs) and sending the message to the rest of the league that he can’t be stopped one-on-one this year, so have the help defense ready.

The Blue Eagles have a frontline that bothered most teams last year with their size (Rabeh Al-Hussaini) and their length (Nonoy Baclao). They both return to anchor the stifling Ateneo defense that can be devastating, if only there is more consistent effort from the players. Big man Al-Hussaini has developed a strong back-to-the basket game, and a reliable hook shot that seemed unstoppable at various points of the game. Baclao is still the same guy who strapped the team on his back in the latter part of last year. Joining the two is rookie Ryan Buenafe, a scoring, rebounding ’3′ who will help reinforce the position that has been Ateneo’s weak link in the lineup. If Buenafe can continue to provide a presence on the offensive end, then this frontcourt joins the league’s elite right up there, next to La Salle and UE.

Advantage: Even

Backcourt

JV Casio is coming into the season as probably the strongest offensive force in the league. His experience in the PBL has him distinctly a cut above many of the top players in the UAAP today, and he showed it in the Ateneo game where he displayed a balanced inside-out game en route to 19 points. He should have an MVP-type season this year in leading La Salle deep into the tournament. His backcourt mate, sophomore Simon Atkins, seems like he’s got the potential to be a game-changer as well, but seems too green to handle the point guard duties full-time as of the moment.

The Ateneo backcourt is bannered, of course, by team leader Chris Tiu who scattered 26 in the Ateneo-La Salle tiff. Tiu once again displayed his smart play in getting his points. His shooting touch is still scorching hot and his intelligent decision-making led to several easy plays for his teammates. Kirk Long started at the point for Ateneo, where he can provide some stability in that he doesn’t have a lot of weaknesses on the floor, although he doesnt do anything spectacularly well either.

Advantage: La Salle

Bench

Technically, Maierhofer comes off the bench, but since this term really refers to the supporting cast of the top players, I’m evaluating Rico as one of the starters. Without Rico, though, their bench proves to be a very young and inexperienced group. With the exception of Peejay Barua, who plays with veteran form, the La Salle bench of Bader Malabes, Ferdinand and rookies Maui Villanueva, David Joshua Webb, Hyram Bagatsing and LA Revilla all seemed shaky at times – looking like they need more time to adjust to the college game. Coach Franz Pumaren’s system allowed for many of them to get the opportunity to make contributions and some of them stepped up, but they ultimately fell short.

The Ateneo bench seems to have the potential to be really deep, headed by the explosive Eric Salamat. The comebacking Jobe Nkemakolam looks like he’s in better shape to contribute (although he still has to watch his fouls) and the offense/defense two-headed monster at the point guard spot in Jai Reyes and Yuri Escueta (who were subbed frequently in the endgame) can provide some decent shared playing time until one of them – or Kirk Long – can distinguish himself from the rest of the point guards in the team. Mike Baldos and Bacon Austria are rotation regulars who can put up numbers, though not consistently. Rookies Nico Salva, Justin Chua and Vince Burke will find themselves brought in slowly but will get their chances to play nonetheless. If those guys can adjust to the level of play in the UAAP, then Ateneo may prove to be one of the deepest teams in the league.

Advantage: Ateneo

Key Additions/Losses

La Salle lost backcourt regulars TY Tang, who was arguably the best point guard in the UAAP last year, and Cholo Villanueva – the Finals MVP. Malabes and Atkins will attempt to fill in the void, but neither seems ready to match that kind of play. Point guard LA Revilla from San Beda and the under-the-radar Hyram Bagatsing will both be solid rookies this year but nothing spectacular. Joshua Webb might be the freshman that will shine the most this year, with the way he plays his heart out on the floor. He’s long and athletic – a perfect fit in the La Salle press. He also showed promise in defending Ateneo’s prized recruit Buenafe man-to-man. Webb found his spots and put up good offensive output.

Ateneo’s key loss will be big man Ford Arao but the development of both Al-Hussaini and Baclao and the sporadic contributions of Nkemakolam will make up for that loss. They have a strong recruiting class in Buenafe, Salva, Chua and Burke. None seem as ready as Buenafe but any of the other three seem capable of breaking out and being contributors this season. I’m expecting the former NCAA MVP Buenafe to be a star as early as his rookie campaign and give the Blue Eagles a guy they can lean on for offense.

Advantage: Ateneo

Key Matchup

Forget Maierhofer-Baclao. The long, athletic, hard-defending forwards will cancel each other out (not exactly, but Baclao will contain Rico as far as one can hope to contain him, sacrificing his own contributions on the other end.) The most intriguing matchup I see is Yuri Escueta vs Simon Atkins. Neither is in the mold of Mike Cortez or LA Tenorio or TY Tang – at least not yet. The point guard who can get it earlier and can be a reliable playmaker for his team will be the one to lead his team to victory. In their opener, Escueta played like Rajon Rondo, using his length and quickness to bother ballhandlers. Atkins wasnt much of a factor and was benched in the crucial moments of the game in favor of a Malabes/Bagatsing situational sub team with Casio handling the point guard duties. One of them will become the point guard his team needs first and while Escueta drew first blood, the long season will provide Atkins more opportunities to even the count.

Conclusions

I don’t know if La Salle is a better team this year than they were last year. I think the loss of their reliable guards will be difficult to fill but with two MVP candidates in Maierhofer and Casio, they’re just too talented not to make another deep run this year. They’ve got a healthy mix of veterans and rookies that can make plays within the system and plenty of players who know how to get the job done. Championship experience cannot be taken for granted. They’re also one of the best-coached teams, with Franz Pumaren at the helm. Intangibles in a game always favor La Salle.

Ateneo will definitely be better than they were a season ago. Once the rooks get the hang of the game, they’ll entrench themselves into the rotation and make this a really deep team. Tiu will continue to lead the team but contributions from Salamat, Buenafe, Al-Hussaini and Baclao will lessen the burden on him to carry the team on his back. Considering they came in third last year, and they made improvements, it wont be out of the question to say they might make it to the finals this year.

Not to take the rest of the league lightly, but this may be the best chance for the rival teams to make it another Ateneo-La Salle final like in 01 and 02. UE, UST and maybe FEU will all have their say in it, but both the Eagles and Archers have the firepower to make it happen.

Maggette might be the guy who holds the future of the league in his hands. Though the talented wing can command more than that, he’s being offered the mid-level exception by both the San Antonio Spurs and the recently-crowned Boston Celtics. If he does take it, I don’t see how a Duncan-Parker-Ginobili-Maggette or a Garnett-Pierce-Allen-Maggette led squad won’t be an instant favorite to win the championship next season. Of course, there’s Andrew Bynum and the Lakers, but I’m sure the rest of the league is following this decision intently.

LBJ in New York by 2010? In the race between the New York Knicks and the soon-to-be Brooklyn Nets, I’m liking the Nets if I’m LeBron. Quality teammates in Devin Harris, Yi Jianlian, Brook Lopez, Sean and Marcus Williams, Nenad Krstic (if he’s staying) and whomever else they getting in return when they rid themselves of Vince Carter. That’s a good young team that’ll be continue to get better past 2010. New Yorkers better hope Danny Ferry in Cleveland can’t get the King a running mate, but with the talent level they have there, I’m not really sure how they can land an all-star to pair off with James.

And speaking of the Knicks, the signing of Chris Duhon will probably indicate the end of troubled star Stephon Marbury’s stay in the Big Apple. If he’s bought out, he might be a decent pickup for a talent-starved team that could use a former all-star. Or the risk of bringing in a guy with his character could scare off a good number of teams in the league. Is it the NBA or Italy (he professed an interest of relocating there at the end of his career) for Starbury? And does anybody really care?

San Beda still looks like a beast this year. I think that as long as Sam Ekwe, Pong Escobal and Ogie Menor are there, this team is going to be breezing past the league. They trashed Mapua – a team that reached the final four last year – 85-56 in the first game of the season. They just make it look too easy.

Their rivals from last season, Letran, had an impressive start as well, knocking off JRU by double-digits. Definitely too early to tell, but I think it’s going to be a two-horse race this year between these two teams. The other games were all closer, with CSB nipping PCU (with a surprisingly unproductive showing from Harbour Centre’s Beau Belga) and Perpetual beating SSC-R.

No doubt, the defending champs made a pretty strong statement with that game, though.

1. Kirk Hinrich, PG

Captain Kirk was one of the Bulls’ best players during that 06 playoff run, providing leadership and some tough defense (he made the all-defensive team) as they swept the defending champion Heat and gave the Pistons a war. Last season, however, Hinrich seemed to have lost his mojo – he couldnt make a jump shot if his life depended on it, and he wasnt much better on the other end of the floor.

Still, point guards are in high demand this offseason, with the Heat and Knicks desperately shopping for someone to play the ’1′ for them. Kirk is a good young guy who just his prime, and with good pedigree with his play in recent seasons. He could likely be traded not only because he shares the position with the stellar rookie, but also because he’d be the one to net the most value in a trade. Bulls fans will miss him, but it might be the wisest option the team has.

2. Ben Gordon, SG

Gordon was the team’s leading scorer the last two seasons (at 18.4 this year and 22.1 the previous) but is probably one of the most likely to be let go as well. For all his offensive skills, his undersized frame often made him a liability on defense, forcing Hinrich to have to guard his man while he switched to the point. Ben is a sweet shooter, but can be one-dimensional. He shoots a good percentage from the field, the three-point line and the stripe but having the ball in his hands doesnt exactly strike fear in the hearts of defenders in the way a Kobe or LeBron would.

After he rejected the Bulls offer for an extension last year, it could be expected that the restricted free agent wont come cheap. He might be on the move because he’s also one of the few players that could get the team good value in return. Taking him off the equation would probably mean more responsibility for forwards Luol Deng and Tyrus Thomas on the offensive end, something fans are clamoring for anyway.

3. Drew Gooden, PF

He’s not a guard, but Gooden could be on the block as well. With everyone waiting for the breakout season of Thomas (especially with the expectation of Rose making him better like Chris Paul makes Tyson Chandler look good), the Bulls better make sure Tyrus has the minutes at the ’4′ to go nuts. Drew is a solid big who isnt spectacular but gets the job done. On some nights, he can be huge off the boards but disappear on others.

He also isnt part of the core that made the second round of the playoffs, so hes one of the players fans wouldnt mind giving up in a deal. He came with Larry Hughes in the big Cleveland deal, but Hughes might be difficult to move considering his unattractive contract and lack of production. Nows the time you almost miss Isiah’s Knicks…

The Bulls are expected to hang onto Deng, Thomas and sophomore center Joakim Noah, who all seem like good fits with Rose. The multi-talented Thabo Sefolosha also looks like a nice commodity to keep. Im not entirely sure what to do with Andres Nocioni, who may be add value to any deal we make. Hes no slack, but I dont know if hes what the Bulls need at this point.

If they can package a combination of those players listed above and make a run at Atlanta’s Josh Smith (whom reports say the Hawks are unwilling to break the bank for), then I think they should definitely give it a go. Smith would give them an intimidating presence on defense and one of the most dangerous finishers off the break, especially as running mate to Rose. Plus, hes only 22 – so he has the time to mature alongside the 19-year-old rookie. It might be a long shot, cause the Hawks have to be crazy if theyre not locking up Smith for however amount he wants, but the Bulls should at least give it a try.

Would a Gordon, Nocioni and Thomas (who you probably have to include in a deal for Smith) plus a couple of future picks for Smith deal – give or take a couple of contracts to match things up – be attractive enough for Atlanta? Or should Chicago include Thabo instead of Noc to sweeten the deal. If I were the Bulls, I’d go for that in a heartbeat. Consider how scary a frontline of Deng, Smith and Noah would be.

Bulls management has promised to be cautious in blowing up the team this summer. Maybe all the changes GM John Paxson has in mind is a run at a quality free agent like DeSagana Diop with the midlevel exception. In any case, this figures to be a very interesting offseason.

Here’s a little something about me, so you know what to expect from the blog. My favorite teams are the Chicago Bulls (since the Jordan era), the Boston Celtics (since they acquired KG from ‘Sota) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (since they drafted Ticket in ’95) in the NBA. In the local leagues, I grew up a San Miguel Beermen fan – idolizing guys like Samboy and Agustin and Calma to the likes of Caidic, Asaytono and Bong Alvarez and eventually Seigle, Ildefonso and Racela. I also support the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the UAAP, being a supporter since the 2001 season where they lost to the Ritualo-led Archers in the finals. I enrolled in the school a year later – the season they took revenge on La Salle and took the championship for their own.

That’s pretty much it for the very first post.

This isn’t the end though, it’s just the opening tip…