7 of those threes came in the 1st quarter, on the way to Williams setting an NBA record for most threes in a half, with 9.

Just 5 minutes in, Williams had already hit 5 threes, and the Nets were up 22-2. From that point on, the game was pretty even. But it was too late for the Wizards, as the Nets coasted to a 95-78 victory in Brooklyn

Check out a video below of the shooting exhibition Williams put on in the 1st half.

October 13, 2012; Atlantic City, NJ, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams (8) drives against Philadelphia 76ers guard Jrue Holiday (11) at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

In the year 2013, it should be a clear understanding among true NBA fans that the voting system for the NBA All-Star game is completely flawed. Sure, a couple of inappropriate choices slide in under the radar every season, but that doesn’t mean that the coaches have to screw it up to.

Which is the likely scenario this season with the Nets’ Deron Williams and Sixers’ Jrue Holiday. The higher-ups are likely to send Deron Williams to Houston over Holiday because of his past performance,  name recognition and exciting style of play (comparable and arguable). The fact remains that Williams is having his worst season in years, and almost his whole career.

Of course, where the debate gets sticky is the ”team success” factor. While the Nets are currently riding a 7-game win streak and sit at 23-15 (slightly out of 2nd place in the East), the Sixers have fallen apart and at 16-23, are not currently a playoff team. Does that all rest on each one of these players individually? Certainly not. One could always toss in the counter argument that Williams has a much better team around him (true) and the Nets should be this good. You can call the Sixers  a bad team, but without Holiday, they would be an ever bigger mess. When we go down the ”value to their team” avenue, Brooklyn has enough to stay afloat while Philly would be lottery bound. That’s at least true for this particular season.

Besides, are we not rewarding outstanding individual behavior with the All-Star labeling? In 10 years, nobody will remember that the Nets were a mid-tier Eastern Conference playoff team and the Sixers missed the playoffs. We will however, see the “X”-time All-Star on each player’s career resume. Personally, I want to be able to see that Jrue Holiday made at least ONE All-Star team, while Deron Williams will have more than a few under his belt.

When we look at numbers (because sometimes that’s the bottom line), Holiday has been better, with less talent around him, and far more consistent:

Deron Williams
37 GP, 16.8 pts, 7.7 asts, 3.2 rebs, 1.0 stls, 40.6 FG%, 32.0 3PT%, 85.7FT%

Jrue Holiday:
35 GP, 19.0 pts, 8.8 asts, 4.2 rebs, 1.37 stls, 45.8 FG%, 37.5 3PT%, 78.3 FT%

Even though Williams has the undoubtedly more talented nucleus around him, Holiday has been superior (and some significantly) in every major category except free throw percentage and he does average more turnovers per game. If you used the anonymous “Player A-B” comparison approach, you’d have to agree that Holiday has been an All-Star caliber player.

The coaches need to do the right thing with their votes and get Holiday in the game. Even Deron Williams agrees.

Oct 19, 2012; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets point guard Deron Williams (8) dribbles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Barclays Center. 76ers won 106-96. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Deron Williams
Resume: 21.0 points (9th in league, career best), 3.3 rebounds, 8.7 assists (5th in league), 1.2 steals, 36.3 minutes, 115 threes made (career best), 40% FG, 34% 3PT, and 84% FT… Team record in games played: 21-34 (1-10 without)… All-Star

What exactly do we know about Deron Williams? He’s been selected as a back-up point guard for Team USA for the previous two Summer Olympics. He almost got into a fist fight with Jerry Sloan and is likely the reason that Sloan resigned as Utah Jazz head coach. Anything else? No, I’m being serious. I’m actually asking you guys for help because I’ve got nothing else. How the hell is a Top 10 player in the league so damn boring? Shoot, this isn’t good for the sake of this write-up.

It’s impossible not to find any humor in the fact that the Nets are making their move to Brooklyn (a city where basketball was played in the streets and self-expression, creativity and personality was a vital part of the game) with the most unenthusiastic and boring star player in the NBA (Williams) and the most unenthusiastic and boring 2^nd fiddle in the NBA as well (Joe Johnson) headlining the roster. That’s high comedy right there. I’m not trying to take anything away from the way the two of them play either. I love Deron Williams’ game. He does just about everything you could want a point guard to do, and he does it all extremely well. We just don’t know a whole lot about him. He’s a bit of a mystery.

Williams was the number 3 pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, but wasn’t even close to being the most popular or talked about player on his own college team. That honor went to Dee Brown, who played in just 68 career NBA games, a number that was doubled by the 137 he played at Illinois. Maybe it was because Brown had cool cornrows and Williams hair looks like it is painted on his head, but we don’t know that for sure. Anyway, Williams has had just a tad bit more success than Brown did in the NBA. In his seven years in the NBA Williams has been in the top 5 in assists per game six times, a frequent mention in any discussion about the best point guards in the NBA, and a better postseason player than regular season player. That little nugget can’t be neglected.

The question now is what kind of team will the Brooklyn Nets be? Can Williams, Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace, the overrated-in-my-opinion Brook Lopez, Kris Kardashian Humphries and a mediocre at best supporting cast make a splash in the Eastern Conference, and actually give Williams a chance to showcase himself on a bigger stage? The Nets are a playoff team but I can’t see them making an extended run in the postseason. There just isn’t enough from the rest of the roster outside of Williams and Johnson. An even bigger question that should be asked is can Brooklyn emerge as the number one basketball team in New York from a fan base standpoint? It doesn’t look promising in my opinion. I’m just not sure that the Nets can steal away Knicks fans, or even completely gain the approval of the casual fans in New York with the least charismatic superstar in the NBA leading the way. Then again, maybe I’m totally wrong about Williams. There is at least one person in the world who finds Deron Williams completely amazing.

Apr 18, 2012; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks power forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) comes off the court during the game against the Houston Rockets at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Rockets 117-110. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-US PRESSWIRE

11. Dirk Nowitzki, F, Dallas Mavericks: One of the league’s poster children for returning from the work stoppage out of shape (and to his credit, admitting it), Nowitzki struggled early as a result last season.  There were times in January that it was apt to wonder whether he would ever regain his form as one of the league’s best players; that’s what happens when a shot-making veteran like Dirk averages 15 points per game, looks a step-and-a-half slower than he ever has, and is coming off a championship season.  But then the light came on just as we should have always known it would, and Nowitzki was his normally awesome self in February, March, and for the most part even a humbling first-round playoff loss to the Thunder.

So the narrative of Nowitzki’s decline for the first few weeks of 2012 are long gone, but so is the thought that he’s among basketball’s top few players.  That’s hardly a knock, but it is something that the Mavericks must recognize if they want to squeeze another legitimate title run in while Dirk can still be a team’s first banana.  Like friend and former teammate Steve Nash, Nowitzki’s game revolves so much around skill and craft that he’s likely to play near his 2012 level for the next couple seasons.  That beautiful jumper and the multiple fakes, kicks, and such that set it up won’t be going anywhere, just as Nowitzki is likely to retain his height of seven-feet, too.  He’ll remain a devastating offensive player for the foreseeable future even if he relies more than ever on long jumpers – he’s scary-accurate on long twos by the way, ranking second in the NBA last season – and loses some semblance of the dribble-drive game that made him so dominant in the 2011 playoffs.  Nowitzki is just that talented a shooter.

In analyzing these rankings, it’s become obvious how difficult it is to assemble a list of the league’s best power forwards (or PFs masquerading as centers in the small-ball era).  Kevin Love is the only one yet to be named and that deserves more scrutiny, but in the last 10 spots alone Garnett, Aldridge, Bosh, Gasol, Griffin, and finally Nowitzki have come off the board.  The difference between those guys – with the possible exception of Aldridge – is razor thin, and a case could be made for each that they deserve consideration as that group’s best.  It’s truly splitting hairs at this point, though, and memories of June 2011 alone make Nowitzki as worthy or more than the rest.

10. Deron Williams, PG, Brooklyn Nets: Considered by many to be the NBA’s best point-guard just two or three seasons ago, a slew of new lead guard stars and Williams’ trade to the Nets made him a blip on the league’s recent radar.  That changed after last season when he was the most courted free agent available, and will change even more once this one kicks off and he’s officially the face of the Brooklyn Nets.

One of the game’s most well-rounded players, Williams struggles in nary an area.  He can play the role of scorer, distributor, and defender as well as most depending on the need of his team, and with the depleted Nets in 2011 and 2012 it was the former.  So while his shooting and assist numbers dipped considerably last season, it’s not necessarily indicative of any sustained decline; more so that he was surrounded by the last ragtag group New Jersey fans ever had the “pleasure” of watching.  That’s hardly the case in 2012, as Mikhail Prokhorov and Billy King were the offseason’s biggest aggressors is resigning Gerald Wallace and Brook Lopez and making a shocking trade for Joe Johnson.  So Williams has help this season, and it will be a welcome sight to see him play the way he was meant to as more of an overall creator.

The “problem” with Williams – and it’s a relative one, obviously – is that he lacks the singular trait(s) that makes the league’s other top point-guards so great: Nash’s shooting, Rondo’s vision, Westbrook’s explosiveness, Paul’s genius.  Williams doesn’t have that truly elite skill but that hardly matters.  His game isn’t always flashy (though he does this on occasion) but it’s always effective, and enough to warrant his inclusion among the NBA’s 10 best players.

9. Russell Westbrook, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder: The league’s most divisive talent deserves better than this, and it doesn’t take more than this to realize that.  With the slightest hint of projection in mind, it’s easy to imagine Westbrook will merit an unmovable place among basketball’s top quartet of James, Durant, Paul, and Howard.  It’s a small injustice he’s ranked below players like Bryant, Love, and Rose, and there’s a case to be made he’s already better than Wade, too.

The basketball world’s infatuation with the length and shot-making of his more heralded teammate has more than anything to do with the narrative that Wesbtrook can’t seem to shake: he’s not a point-guard, takes too many shots, and can’t coexist with Durant.  As little as several months ago there were many clamors for Oklahoma City to trade him, and before that consternation at his well-earned extension worth the maximum.  With a bit of improvement Westbrook will firmly hush those same critics; he’s clearly still developing the mental side of his game, and even at this cocooned stage he’s one of its most brilliant and effective players.

Imagine if Westbrook – 23 and in his fifth year ever playing point-guard, mind you – hones his three-pointer, learns the finer points of defense, or gains patience and overall understanding on the other end.  Just how much better will he be than he is now? Considering those are glaring deficiencies in his current game, warts just as or more visible than those of any other player similarly ranked, the answer is much, much better.  As in top three player in the league better.  Westbrook isn’t quite there yet, but he’s already better than two players ranked ahead of him (Bryant and Love), healthier than his closest contemporary (Rose), and perhaps already another’s equal (Wade).  And by this time next year, the rankings will show it.

LOSERS:

 Orlando Magic, Dwight Howard’s Public Image

Mar 14, 2012; San Antonio, TX, USA; Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard (12) shoots a free throw during the first half against the San Antonio Spurs at the AT

Where do we even begin?  After requesting a trade in the off-season, and a series of eyebrow-raising comments and little girly-like, flaky behavior, most expected Dwight to be traded today.  But after changing his mind seemingly every 15 minutes, he ultimately decided to waive his ETO to become a free agent this summer and extend this back-and-forth debacle for another year.  Sure, it’s a temporary relief for Orlando to keep him and have more time to decide what to do with him.  But the stigma of Howard wanting to leave has not changed and will continue to linger with the team.  Here is a notional transcript of how I think conversations between him and those giving him advice (whether it’s his friends, Nets personnel, or anyone not qualified to help him make a decision) went:

• [Dwight]:  Man, I don’t know what to do.  I want to go to Brooklyn and play with my boy D-Will, but I don’t want them to clean out their roster in order to get me.
• [Bad Advisor]:   Why don’t you just sign with them as a free agent for less money?  That way, they’ll keep Brook Lopez, MarShon Brooks, and draft picks they would have had to give up if they traded for you.
• [Dwight]:  Hmm, maybe I could tell them to “roll the dice” [which he stupidly did, by the way] and make them keep me until the off-season, and then maybe I could audition for free agency by carrying my mediocre Magic team to the second roundof the playoffs and beyond!
• [Bad Advisor]:  Oh yeah!  Maybe tell them that you won’t opt out of your contract this year.  That way, you can leave for nothing!

A few hours later, after the Magic told Dwight to sign a waiver to commit to the 2012-13 season:

• [Dwight]:  ****, they’re making me sign a waiver because of what I said!  I was hoping they would just take my word for it!  I don’t know if I want to wait to leave for a whole ‘nother year!  They’re totally on to me..
• [Bad Advisor]:  Sounds like you’re between a rock and a hard place on this one.  They don’t trust you – you have to earn their trust back; maybe after a year, they will think you’re loyal again.
• [Dwight]:  Okay, how about this – I’ll just sign the waiver and try to be super loyal from now until next summer so that they can let me go for free!  And then, the Nets won’t have to blow up their roster before I get there!  And if D-Will leaves by then, I’ll at least have my choice of where I can go when I become a free agent!
• [Bad Advisor]:  Great idea!  Now just let the Magic and their fans know how sorry you are and that you’re in it for the long run – and by that I mean, you’re in it for another year.

Of course, this is all my personal speculation.  But I don’t see anyone else making plausible sense of Dwight’s last 24-48 hours.

Also, if I’m other NBA teams, I don’t even want to touch this guy unless he signs with me long-term.  His logic for what he wants in a team has been shaky at best.  Even though he claims he wants to pair up with a superstar, he doesn’t want to go to Chicago because it’s too cold.  He also wants to be the #1 guy.  He wants to play with his friends.  He wants to have input on personnel decisions.  I mean, seriously, what the heck does he want?  Nobody knows, and that’s why nobody pulled the trigger on a trade.  That’s what he gets for being flaky.

If you’re a Magic fan, you have to loathe this guy right now.  And don’t be fooled for a second – he wants to go elsewhere – just not to a bad and depleted team.  In the super awkward and embarrassing press conference after his decision was announced, Dwight pretended that his decision was a result of his “loyalty” to the team.  Please!  If he were really loyal, he would have signed a long-term extension.  Instead, he’s opting to drag this circus on for another year.  I can’t wait!

Of all the parties listed below, several were directly affected by the Dwight Howard saga.

New Jersey Nets

The obvious loser, at least for the short term, may have to wait until next summer to reap the benefits of Dwight’s exit strategy.   This is a huge blow to their chances of keeping Deron Williams as well, as he may not want to wait an entire year on a bad team before Dwight gets to town.  Their inability to land Dwight led them to make a panic trade for Gerald Wallace from Portland.

New York Knicks

Mar. 14, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks interim head coach Mike Woodson and small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) on the sidelines during the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 121-79. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Much of the turmoil and destruction of Linsanity has been attributed to Carmelo Anthony and Coach Mike D’Antoni.  In a league that seemingly values “star” players more than coaches, D’Antoni became the scapegoat.  When D’Antoni resigned, it was a statement by the Knicks that they are behind Carmelo, even though he is the obvious culprit to the Knicks’ struggles.  Back when I was gloating about Linsanity, I warned everyone with a disclaimer that Melo may put an abrupt end to the Linsanity.  Sadly, my fear of Carmelo’s return was fully realized (read the full article here).  Ultimately, Melo refused to adapt to D’Antoni’s offense, and completely destroyed what made Jeremy Lin flourish.   In other words, expect Knicks fans and Melo haters to keep up the “Carmelo Anthony Sucks” forums.  I don’t blame them.  Firing D’Antoni, after he gave the abysmal franchise 10 days of hope without his two “superstars”, and keeping Melo through the trade deadline makes them perhaps the biggest losers of the trade deadline.

Also, blowing out Portland hours after D’Antoni’s firing means nothing.  All that meant is that it was a classic “Which Team is Less Dysfunctional” game.

Los Angeles Lakers

With Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum now fully vested in the team, the Lakers can make some noise in the Western Conference.  But I really have to question their moves today.  After acquiring Ramon Sessions and getting rid of Derek Fisher – who was one of the true staples of the franchise – I’m not so sure if they’re much better.  Sessions is a talented scorer and finisher, but not a true point guard.  How is that going to mesh with their Big 3?  And by getting rid of Fisher, they are going to be relying much more heavily on Kobe Bryant in crunch-time situations.   Given their narrow margins of victory over the last several games, I think this may come back to haunt them – especially in the playoffs.

WINNERS:

Milwaukee Bucks

Acquiring Monta Ellis for the oft-injured Andrew Bogut, their now-former franchise player, makes them a virtual lock to acquire the 8^th seed in the playoffs.  Ekpe Udoh gives them much-needed front court depth, as well.

Dallas Mavericks

I know they stood pat today, but their chances of replacing aging point guard Jason Kidd with superstar Deron Williams has increased exponentially.  After Dwight Howard’s catastrophic PR actions led him to stay in Orlando for another year, he threw a curveball in D-Will’s plans this offseason.  Now, Williams will have to make up his mind as a free agent this summer whether he thinks pairing up with Dwight will be an option or not.

March 09, 2012; Sacramento, CA, USA; Dallas Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd (2) controls the ball against the Sacramento Kings during the first quarter at Power Balance Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-US PRESSWIRE

San Antonio Spurs

Once again, never underestimate the Spurs.  After a few disappointing seasons by Richard Jefferson, they were finally able to dump him and Stephen Jackson in return.  If you recall, Jackson was once a Spur, and was instrumental in their 2003 championship run.  As a seasoned veteran this time around, he should fit seamlessly in Popovich’s system.  Once again, their savvy roster moves continue to amaze, and  I officially consider them to be a legitimate championship contender this spring.

The 2011 are right around the corner, and are sure to be the most competitive NBA Playoffs we’ve seen in years.  While the 2^nd round and beyond, are the rounds everyone’s anticipating, there are a few things we need to be on the look-out for.  Here are 10 of them…

1^st Round Upsets

1.  The New York Knicks vs. The Boston Celtics

How can this happen, you ask?  Simply put, Youth and Hunger.  The Knicks are considerably younger, and faster than their Boston Counterparts.  The running style that they live by, is the exact opposite type of game that the C’s want to get in to.  Yes the Knicks have had their struggles versus the Celtics this season, but have also had their moments.  When their backs were against the wall, their closer showed up. Carmelo Anthony put the team on his back on multiple occasions, and performed like the star that he is.  These are the leadership qualities that I spoke of before, that are there, just inconsistent.  If Melo can maintain that drive, and killer instinct throughout the series; The Celtics are in Trouble.  Now the likelihood of an upset isn’t in the Knicks’ favor.  However, the Celtics haven’t been the same team since the Perkins trade, and are injured across the board.  The funny thing about this series is that the Knicks lack that “Inside Toughness,” but then again, so do the Celtics.  Yes of course KG is still the backbone of the team, but then what?  You have an old and injured Shaq, who’s paired with another old and injured Jermaine O’neal.  Either way, the Knicks will make a series vs. ANYONE they play this year; you can put money on that! (more…)

Remember how the Jazz were sitting atop the Northwest Division in early December? They were 15-5 and looked to be very capable to keep the Thunder and Nuggets at bay. Remember how people were saying that you can’t count out of the Jazz as long as they were armed with their never-say-die coach Jerry Sloan and superstar point guard Deron Williams?

Flash forward to last night, with the Jazz losing in overtime to a lowly Washington Wizards team, possibly their last win of the season. Since December 1st, they’ve lost 34 games, their franchise point guard, their Hall of Fame coach, and their identity.

So… how did that happen?

(more…)

For today’s report, I’ve highlighted a few important news items in the world of the D-League and included a list of all the D-League Call Ups and Assignments so far this season. Enjoy!

(more…)

On February 18th, the NBA announced a list of the twelve finalists for induction into the Hall of Fame this year. The list includes Maurice Cheeks, Chris Mullin, Tex Winters and Dennis Rodman.

It caused me to think about Rodman’s career in the NBA, but it also forced me to take a good hard look at what I think qualifies a player to be enshrined. Should a player’s on-court resume stand alone, or should a player’s off-court behavior affect his candidacy, and if so, to what degree?

Let’s take a look. (more…)

TRADE ONE:

The first major trade was obviously Carmelo Anthony going to the Knicks.

TO NEW YORK: Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Renaldo Balkman, Shelden Williams, Corey Brewer

TO DENVER: Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Timofey Mozgov, a 2014 first round pick, and 2012 and 2013 second round picks

TO MINNESOTAA: Eddy Curry, and Anthony Randolph

This trade obviously is huge. Carmelo gets his extension, and gets to play with his good friend Amar’e Stoudemire. He also gets to play under the shining lights in New York. Carmelo had a solid first game in blue and orange with 27 points and 10 boards. Chauncey Billups may be the key to this trade, as he has plenty of playoff experience and a Finals MVP under his belt. He may be the leader that this team needs. Look forward to big things from New York next year, especially if they can land Chris Paul or Dwight Howard in 2012. (more…)

Devin Harris and Derrick Favors will be heading to Utah in exchange for Williams, which officially gives the Jazz a new start as they’ve now lost Jerry Sloan as their coach and Williams as their franchise player.

Going back to the Nets…..wow. Just wow. Mikhail Prokhorov decides that if he isn’t gonna get Carmelo, he’s going to the next best (or better?) thing. People were doubting this guy’s approach after the Melo to the Knicks deal was finalized, but now? He looks like a genius. (more…)

What do we think? Well, here’s what the STS crew had to say following last night’s deal:

James Holas – This trade makes me think of the classic Kenny Roger’s joint that’s now the anthem for every wanna be poker player: “You gotta knooow, when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em/Know when to walk away. Know when to run!” (more…)

He’d sit on the bench with those hawk-like eyes, and whenever he saw a missed call, he’d jump out of his seat like he had springs in his pants; barking and hollering at the refs like they were part of some evil conspiracy to throw the game and destroy the world.

He was so animated that even fans who didn’t see the missed call would start hollering too, even if they didn’t know what they were hollering for.

Over time, the fans got better at noticing what Jerry was reacting to and better at seeing the game the way that Jerry saw the game. Before long, the Jazz fan base started looking for things like offensive schemes and off-ball screens and needle threading passes to the open man on the cut. (more…)

"Also, MJ might call you Crumbs."

Being a GM in the NBA has GOT to be one of the most thankless jobs ever. The personnel maneuvers, the salary dumps, worrying about the PR, the athlete’s egos, and the fans’ roarin’-rabid certainty that YOU SUCK at your job, cashing those 6 figure checks. All of the pretty talk about salary caps and “remaining competitive” are hogwash- the one and only successful team is the one left holding the Larry O’Brien trophy and giving Obama a bro hug on the White House lawn sometime in June or July.

There are 30 teams in the NBA, meaning there are 30 different ideas about how to build that winner. Slow, patient building of talent through the draft and shrewd free agency? Sounds good- organically growing a team builds a passionate fan base, is cost effective: look at OKC, it’s GOTTA work, right? The Trailblazers are the other side of that coin. (more…)

So without any further ado, here’s a look at the rankings: (more…)

Indiana Pacers (14-19) at Atlanta Hawks (24-14) – 7:00 PM ET, Regional

The Hawks have surprised me lately by actually shooting good shots. They won a big road game at Utah the other night, and are clearly the better team in this matchup. Indiana has struggled after starting well, and it’ll be another tough task for them here. (more…)

Let’s take a look at this week’s power rankings, and see which teams are in good shape…..and which teams are already searching for that Top 5 draft pick that will change the culture of their franchise. (more…)

Source: Yardbarker.com

In this year’s crop of free agents, the position of power forward is heavily stocked with worthy talents. With Chris Bosh and Amar’e Stoudemire already profiled, I move on today to another top 4 in the league, who — while certainly not up to their level on terms of desirability — Carlos Boozer is still a solid option at the position for even the best NBA teams.

Boozer has shown he can be a top force in the league since he began playing with the Utah Jazz several years ago. After a few disappointing, if productive, seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the transition to Jerry Sloan’s system, in which he encountered Deron Williams, was the best thing that could ever happen to Boozer.

On the offensive end, Boozer has a very complete and well-rounded game. He combines effectiveness around the basket on layups with an abundance of post moves and polishes it off with range to about 15 feet on his jump shot. His many talents in that regard contributed to his 59.9 true shooting percentage, good for third among power forwards in the league who played 21 or more minutes. That said, he stands at only 6-foot-9, so he does have an inordinate number of shots swatted away by lengthier players.

In what can only be described as a quandary, Boozer excels on the boards despite his short stature and stunningly negligible vertical leap. By muscling and manhandling other players in the post, Boozer establishes fantastic position for rebounding. The effort paid off this season, as he wrangled in over 11 rebounds per game this past season with a rebound rate of 19.4: third in the league among power forwards.

Boozer further augments his talents on the offensive end with sound game awareness and above-average passing ability. In fact, his 14.3 assist ratio slid him in at eighth among power forwards playing 20 minutes or more.

Despite these numerous talents, many are holding off on committing to Boozer for two major reasons, the first of which is his suspect defense. While Boozer manages to largely negate his physical limitations through good work and awareness on the block and the boards, he fails to do so on the defensive end. As demonstrated by the Lakers’ slaughter of Utah’s front court in this year’s playoffs, Boozer simply cannot effectively prevent taller players from scoring on him. They simply shoot over his outstretched arm, and his lack of vertical renders him a complete nonfactor as a shot blocker.

The other major problem people have with Boozer is his susceptibility to injury. During his six-year tenure in Utah, Boozer has played more than 51 games only three times, and he played under 40 contests in two of those seasons. His legs are shaky, and any team that signs him has to be wary of an eventual breakdown.

While Boozer is not the top option at the position, many teams are going to be in the market for a big man who is a proven 20-10 commodity. However, he might not get the money or length of contract he truly desires, as many GMs have concerns about both his defense and injury concerns, much like Stoudemire’s.