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VITAL FACTS: Selected facts and story ideas from Vital Signs 2006-2007
Selected facts and story ideas from Vital Signs 2006-2007
Food and Agriculture
- For the second year in a row, the world produced over 2 billion tons of grain (more than at any other time in history). (p. 22)
- Since 1997, wild fish harvests have fallen 13 percent. Yet total fish production continues to grow—to 132.5 million tons in 2003—bolstered by a surging aquaculture industry. (p. 26)
- World exports of pesticides reached a record $15.9 billion in 2004. Pesticide use has risen dramatically worldwide, from 0.49 kilograms per hectare in 1961 to 2 kilograms per hectare in 2004. (p. 28)
Energy and Climate
- Oil use grew 1.3 percent in 2005, to 3.8 billion tons (83.3 million barrels a day). (p. 32)
- In 2005, the average atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration reached 379.6 parts per million by volume, an increase of 0.6 percent over the record high in 2004. (p. 42)
- The average global temperature in 2005 was 14.6 degrees Celsius, making it the warmest year ever recorded on Earth's surface. The five warmest years since recordkeeping began in 1880 have all occurred since 1998. (p. 43)
- Economic damages from weather-related disasters hit an unprecedented $204 billion in 2005, nearly doubling the previous record of $112 set in 1998. (p. 44)
- Global wind power capacity jumped 24 percent in 2005, to nearly 60,000 megawatts. The growth in wind power capacity was nearly four times the growth in nuclear power capacity. (p. 36)
- In 2005, worldwide production of photovoltaic cells jumped 45 percent to nearly 1,730 megawatts, six times the level in 2000. (p. 38)
- Production of fuel ethanol, the world's leading biofuel, increased 19 percent to 36.5 billion liters in 2005. (p. 40)
Economic Trends
- In purchasing-power-parity terms, the global economy reached another new peak, with the gross world product hitting $59.6 trillion in 2005. (p. 52)
- Global advertising spending increased 2.4 percent to a record $570 billion in 2005. Nearly half of this spending was in the United States, with $56.6 billion alone going to the production and distribution of 41.5 billion pieces of mail advertisements. (p. 54)
- In 2005, steel production reached a new record of 1,129 million tons while aluminum production reached a record 31.2 million tons. (p. 56, 58)
- Roundwood production hit a new record of 3,402 million cubic meters in 2004. (p. 60)
- In 2004, nearly 1,800 transnational corporations or their affiliates filed corporate responsibility reports, up from virtually none in the early 1990s. While this reflects growing transparency and commitment to social and environmental principles, 97.5 percent of the nearly 70,000 TNCs worldwide still do not file such reports. (p. 122)
Transportation and Communications Trends
- The world reached a new record in vehicle production, with 64.1 million cars and light trucks being manufactured in 2005. (p. 64)
- Air travel hit new records as well: in 2004, 1.9 billion passengers traveled 3.4 trillion kilometers. Yet only 5 percent of the world's population has ever flown. (p. 68)
- Total membership in car-sharing organizations (CSOs) hit 330,000 in 2005, 2.5 times the number in 2001. Total vehicles used by CSOs reached 10,570. According to studies, sharing a car reduces the need for 4–10 privately owned cars in Europe and 6–23 cars in North America. (p. 118)
Conflict and Peace
- The number of wars and armed conflicts worldwide declined to 39 in 2005, the lowest figure since the peak in the early 1990s. Yet at the same time, global military expenditures hit $1.02 trillion, the highest spending since the early 1990s. (p. 82, 84)
Health and Society
- World population added 74 million more people in 2005, reaching a record 6.45 billion. (p. 74)
- Five million more people were infected by HIV in 2005, while 3 million people died from AIDS-related illnesses. (p. 76)
- Infant mortality rates fell 7 percent over the last five years, from 61.5 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1995–2000 to 57 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2000–2005. (p. 78)
- Over half of the world's 7,000 languages are endangered, and more than 500 are nearly extinct. (p. 112)
- One billion individuals, or one in every three urbanites, live in "slums," areas where people cannot secure one or more of life's basic necessities: clean water, sanitation, sufficient living space, durable housing, or secure tenure. (p. 114)
- As of 2002, 1.1 billion people lack access to an improved water supply, and some 2.6 billion are thought to lack access to improved sanitation facilities. (p. 116)
- Obesity now afflicts more than 300 million people, increasing their chances of contracting cardiovascular disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and other ailments. (p. 120)
Environment Trends
- Humanity overdrew the natural capital it depends on by 23 percent in 2002. (p. 92)
- Between 2000 and 2005, global forested area shrunk by more than 36 million hectares (just under 1 percent of the total forested area). (p. 102)
- As of late 2005, an estimated 20 percent of the world's coral reefs had been "effectively destroyed," while 50 percent are threatened in the short or long term. (p. 94)
- Twenty percent of the world's mangrove forests have been destroyed over the past 25 years. (p. 100)
- Twelve percent of all bird species were categorized as "threatened" in 2005. (p. 96)
- Three percent of all plant species are currently threatened with extinction. (p. 98)


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Trade Targets In The West
James Blancarte takes a look at some Western Conference players who could be trade targets this offseason.
Trade Targets in the West
In roughly 24 hours, the NBA Finals will finally begin after a six-day break from the end of Conference Final play. Many individuals have been able to pass the time debating how LeBron James's career matches up to Michael Jordan's, the pressure on Kevin Durant to finally win a NBA title and who wins hypothetical player match ups in the Finals.
However, there are still 28 other teams in the Association, including many who will be looking to improve their respective rosters through trades. With the NBA Draft coming up, there is an additional catalyst for transactions to occur as draft picks are potentially in play in various potential trades. Here we take a look at a few players who are potential trade targets in the Western Conference.
J.J. Redick – Los Angeles Clippers
J.J. Redick has been a member of the Los Angeles Clippers for four years. During that time he has continued to perfect the art of using off-ball screens as the foundation for a very capable and precise three-point attack. This season he shot 42.9 percent from three-point range. Redick's off-ball movement has been a catalyst for the Clippers' offense for years and his defense has been surprisingly effective as well.
Redick is now an unrestricted free agent and is in control of his own destiny. Put another way, if Redick chooses to sign with a team that has the requisite cap space to afford his services, the Clippers will not have the option to match his contract and retain his services. Redick earned $7.34 million for his services this season and is set for a handsome pay raise this upcoming offseason.
For a trade to be possible, Redick would have to be amenable to a sign and trade. So, why would this happen?
Redick may wish to play for a team that does not immediately have the cap space to directly sign him. In addition, there have been rumors involving New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, who has been a subject of trade speculation for some time. Notably, Anthony is in a position to decline any potential trade as he has a no-trade clause (NTC) in his contract. For him to be traded, he would have to authorize the transaction or he would invoke his NTC. With a NTC, Anthony is in a position to dictate which teams he is open to being dealt to. With Phil Jackson and the Knicks seemingly eager to move Anthony, and with Anthony being tied to the Clippers in previous reports, a trade scenario involving these two teams is feasible. A lot of things would have to come together, but this is a situation worth keeping an eye on.
D'Angelo Russell – Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers point guard D'Angelo Russell is just 21 years old, is on a team-friendly rookie contract and has played well in his two years in the league. Russell has demonstrated the potential for further improvement and has already had a few signature moments in his brief career. With major skill and upside, why would the Lakers look to trade Russell?
With the second pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, it is widely anticipated that the Lakers will select UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball. Ball recently agreed to conduct a solo work out for Lakers officials. Ball is seen as a gifted, pass first point guard who does a great job of making the players around him better. He is also a gifted scorer and can defend opposing guards effectively with his length. With excitement around Ball and the prospect of building the franchise around him, Russell suddenly looks to be somewhat expendable.
Russell is going into his third year of his rookie contract and is a great value for any potential suitor who might trade for him. Russell himself has shown the ability to be creative with the ball in his hands both as a scorer and facilitator. The Lakers even briefly experimented at the end of the season with Russell playing as the off-ball guard, allowing him to score more freely without the pressure of facilitating.
Standing in the way of this trade is a failure to get decent value for Russell. The Lakers are in a new era of management with Jeannie Buss's hiring of Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka. Lakers management would be loathed to give away one of their best young pieces for poor value. Furthermore, the Lakers are not seen as being a single transaction away from being truly competitive yet and are not under intense pressure to trade away core players.
Ricky Rubio – Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio has been the subject of trade rumors on an annual basis for quite some time. To hear rumblings of Rubio possibly being traded is par for the course for Timberwolves fans. Rubio is a talented player with prodigious passing abilities, which peaked at a career high 9.1 assists per game this season. He can make almost any pass and genuinely enjoys setting his teammates up in creative ways. So, what's the problem?
To put it bluntly, Rubio is a poor shooter. On pick and rolls, defenders go under the screen frequently, daring Rubio to shoot from the outside. This allows opposing defenses to clog up the lane and stymies Rubio's own ability to facilitate Minnesota's effectively. Rubio did show signs of improvement this past season with a couple of high-scoring games as well as hitting a career high 44.3 percent of his shots from two-point range.
Unfortunately, these incremental improvements did not coincide with a winning season for a franchise still searching for a return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2004 playoffs. At $14.2 million, Rubio is one of the Timberwolves' more expensive players and yet with recent cap increases is still relatively well priced for potential suitors. With talented but untested backup point guard Kris Dunn (the fifth pick in the 2016 NBA Draft) on the roster, the Timberwolves may look to capitalize on Rubio's most recent campaign and finally trade him.
Enes Kanter – Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter has had a bad summer. While hosting a basketball camp in Indonesia he received a tip that Indonesian police were looking for him based on a call from the Turkish government and that he should leave. Kanter took a flight a few hours later in the middle of the night, found his passport had been revoked by the Turkish government, but eventually made it back to the United States where he wrote above the whole ordeal. Let's hope Kanter can focus on basketball now to create distance from this ordeal.
As the backup center and occasional front court partner of starting center Stephen Adams, Kanter had solidified a role as an off the bench scorer for the Thunder. Criticism of his defense has never really subsided but in this role, his defensive shortcomings have been easier to hide. Unfortunately, the 2017 NBA Playoffs included a harsh realization for Kanter. When it mattered most, the Thunder couldn't hide Kanter's poor defense, which relegated him to the bench and forced him to watch as the Thunder eventually fell to the Houston Rockets.
Kanter is still a talented basketball player who can score. If the Thunder look to move on from Kanter, there are teams that could use a player with his abilities. The biggest question then is, will another team be willing to absorb his contract? Kanter has two years remaining on his contract, the second being a player option. He is set to be paid $17.88 million next year and $18.86 million the year after if he opts in. As mentioned, Kanter's defense stuck out like a sore thumb and got him benched. Now his contract might prevent the Thunder from generating more interest. Any team looking to trade for and invest in Kanter's services will also have to have a creative game plan that takes into account his less than stellar defense.
Brandon Knight – Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns guard Brandon Knight has been around the league. Having played for the Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks and now the Suns, another move presumably wouldn't be a total shock for Knight. In fact, a trade would likely be a benefit to Knight. In his first five seasons, Knight has been a starter for all but 13 games. In his first four seasons, he played roughly 32 minutes a game, which jumped in 2015-16 to 36 minutes per game when he averaged 19.6 points per game.
Now in his sixth season, he has since been relegated to a bench role behind oft-injured point guard Eric Bledsoe and young scoring phenom Devin Booker. In this role, his scoring (11 points) and minutes (21.1) per game dropped to career-lows. Knight is not far removed from being a primary option and would benefit from joining a team that is more stable and looking to maximize his scoring abilities.
What could get in the way? Knight may simply not generate a lot of interest. He is set to be paid $13.62 million this upcoming season, which is not a bad value if you are getting something close to pre-2016-17 version of Knight. In addition, he is a poor defender, with his defensive RPM dropping from -1.5 in the 2015-2016 season to -3.0 this past season.
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Minnesota Timberwolves 2019-20 NBA Season Preview
The Minnesota Timberwolves have new leadership but are bringing back functionally the same roster that missed the playoffs last year by 12 games. Can the Wolves improve enough internally to make the postseason or will the Wolves become sellers at the trade deadline? Basketball Insiders takes a look at the Minnesota Timberwolves in this 2019-20 NBA Season Preview.
After another up and down season, the Timberwolves find themselves looking at a defining season in 2019-20. There is new leadership in place that is not tied to anyone on the roster, and all of the contracts and commitments made came from the previous regime, which means everyone starts with a clean slate.
That said, the clock is ticking on All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns, who is entering the first season of his 5-year, $190 million extension signed in 2018. Modern NBA history says All-Stars won't stay committed long if they don't have a chance to win and win big, which put the pressure squarely on the new front office to turn the ship.
To say this is an important season for the future of the Wolves is an understatement.
The Wolves missed the playoffs last year by 12 games and are returning functionally the same roster, which means if things are going to change its going to have to come from internal growth or a mid-season trade. The outcome of the first half of the season could answer that question either way. The Wolves have solid players, the question is can they put it together?
Let's take a look at the Minnesota Timberwolves in this 2019-20 NBA Season Preview.
The Timberwolves are in serious need of a second star. Karl Anthony-Towns should continue to be productive, but even he needs to continue to develop – mostly on the defensive end of the floor. They were pleasantly surprised last season with the play and motor of Josh Okogie, who will be relied on even more so this season. Rookie Jarrett Culver projects to be a strong two-way player with a versatile offensive game – he should be another positive for the Wolves. And there is good depth in Noah Vonleh, Jeff Teague, Robert Covington and Keita Bates-Diop. But the lack of efficiency and effort from Andrew Wiggins has hurt the T-Wolves developmental trajectory. As has been the case for a number of years now, if he improves his three-point shooting, shot selection, and defense, the Wolves have the potential to be a very different team. As currently constructed, they're going to struggle to keep up with the best in the West.
4th Place – Northwest Division
– Drew Maresca
We're entering another year with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins as the focal points of the Wolves. Are there more expectations or less? Jimmy Butler is not around anymore, nor is Tom Thibodeau. Ryan Saunders is taking over and following in his late, great father's footsteps. Can the 33-year-old continue to galvanize this underperforming franchise and turn it into a contender? Stocked with a plethora of forwards, the roster could make it difficult to do so this season. But with a mixture of veteran talent and interesting prospects, there might be a culture shift in Minnesota – and it will prove to be the mark of a new era. As a part of one of the toughest divisions in the NBA, it's hard to see this team playing in the postseason, though.
4th Place – Northwest Division
– Spencer Davies
The Timberwolves have one incredibly good thing going for them, and that's Karl-Anthony Towns. He is a superstar and, luckily for the Wolves, they have him locked in for the next several years. After him though, the rest of the team is kind of a question mark. Robert Covington emerged as arguably the second-best player on the team, but his season was cut short due to injury. They lost some of their bench depth in Tyus Jones and Taj Gibson, and they're looking to Jordan Bell and Shabazz Napier to fill those roles. What they really need though is Andrew Wiggins to play like the max contract guy the Wolves believed they had. He was once thought to be a budding star, but he's been wildly inconsistent to say the least. If he plays as he should, maybe the Wolves challenge for the eighth seed. If not, look for another lottery finish.
4th Place – Northwest Division
– David Yapkowitz
Things have to turn for the Timberwolves right? There is simply too much talent in Minnesota for them to be a team that's outside the playoff picture. New team president Gersson Rosas resisted the temptation to blow things up in Minnesota, and beyond some minor changes, the bulk of last year's team is coming back, as is Ryan Saunders at head coach. That could either make this the beginning of the end, or the turning point for the youth on the roster. There is little doubt Karl-Anthony Towns is the franchise cornerstone, but if Andrew Wiggins doesn't step up on a night to night basis, he could be gone by the trade deadline and that could start a tidal wave of changes. The Wolves have the talent to be a playoff team, the question is can they be consistent and healthy enough to cement themselves in the 7-8 seed discussion?
4th Place – Northwest Division
– Steve Kyler
It's a bit difficult to assess the Minnesota Timberwolves' offseason. I like a lot of the smaller moves Minnesota made but I think the team may have missed the mark on what could end up being the biggest move of its offseason. I liked that Minnesota traded Dario Saric and the rights to Cameron Johnson (11th) to the Phoenix Suns for the sixth overall pick in this year's draft. However, rather than addressing the team's point guard situation by drafting Coby White, Minnesota drafted Jarrett Culver. Culver is a talented player, but White is the better prospect in my opinion and could have been the long-term solution for a major area of need for this team. Having said that, I like that the team locked in Ryan Saunders at head coach, signed Noah Vonleh to a $2 million contract, signed Jordan Bell to a minimum contract (notably Bell will again be a restricted free agent after this upcoming season), acquired Shabazz Napier ($1,845,301 guaranteed for 2019-20), and claimed Tyrone Wallace off of waivers. Minnesota has an expensive roster, so adding talent on the margins at little cost is a nice outcome for this offseason. The team still has some foundational issues in terms of its overall roster balance but Minnesota showed some savviness this offseason.
5th Place – Northwest Division
– Jesse Blancarte
The Wolves have new management with president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas, which could lead to roster turnover, though the $122.2 million still owed to Anthony Wiggins isn't exactly a liquid contract. The team has 15 guaranteed players, which means one would have to go for Ty Wallace and his non-guaranteed deal to stick.
The Wolves still have their $3.6 million Bi-Annual Exception and almost $5 million of the Mid-Level Exception. By acquiring Jake Layman via sign and trade from the Portland Trail Blazers, Minnesota is locked into a hard cap of $138.9 million, but they're not close to that figure, at least $6.3 million under the $132.6 million luxury tax line.
Before November, the team needs to pick up its option on Josh Okogie.
– Eric Pincus
Top Offensive Player: Karl-Anthony Towns
The Timberwolves' fortunes start and end with Towns, particularly on the offensive end. His blend of size, agility and shooting touch is unrivaled in the NBA, even in the age of the unicorn. As Minnesota's best three-point shooter (40.0 percent last season on 4.6 attempts per game), most-efficient scorer (57.2 effective field goal percentage last season) and even best free-throw shooter (83.6 percent last season), not to mention its best post player, Towns represents the most effective option at every level of the offensive attack.
With Derrick Rose and his 14.8 shot attempts per game now in Detroit, Towns' workload should only increase. When Jimmy Butler arrived in 2017, Towns' attempts per game fell from 18.0 the year before to 14.3. Last year's uptick to 17.1 represented him picking up a share of Butler's work, but it did not entirely compensate for what had been a trend line toward prolific offensive numbers. Approaching 20 shots per game would put Towns in the category of ball-handlers like Devin Booker (19.6 last season), Steph Curry (19.4) and Damian Lillard (19.2), but that is appropriate for a seven-footer who has handles enough to comfortably drive on other post players.
For that matter, there is hardly a bad shot for a player with Towns' skillset. He scored 1.19 points per roll, 1.10 per spot-up and 1.02 per post-up last season, according to NBA.com.
Top Defensive Player: Robert Covington
Covington is a bit of an unknown commodity to Timberwolves' fans, playing in only 22 games after he was traded from the Philadelphia 76ers. He is a complete unknown in a Ryan Saunders system, not taking the court at all under Minnesota's then-interim, now-permanent head coach due to a bone bruise that led to loose bodies in his knee.
Covington made his reputation in Philadelphia as a 3-and-D specialist, but even when his three-point percentage waned to 33.3 in 2016-17, his defensive aptitude justified the 6-foot-9 wing's playing time. He can defend every position on the floor and should be the fulcrum to Saunders' defensive schemes, if once again healthy.
Top Playmaker: Jeff Teague
Partly by default as the only true point guard in what figures to be the Timberwolves' top-eight players, Teague is the only genuine ball distributor on Minnesota's roster. Acquiring Shabazz Napier from the Golden State Warriors put a nominal backup on the roster, but he has yet to average more than 2.6 assists per game in his four seasons.
This is a precarious position for the Timberwolves, particularly coming off the first season in his 10-year career in which Teague did not play at least 66 games, battling a litany of lower-body ailments to appear in only 42. Teague's patient dribble and aptitude in the pick-and-roll game are ideal to fit with Towns. He may not be more than a league-average point guard, but he is a steady one and averaged 8.2 assists per game last year. Now, the Wolves need Teague more than ever.
Top Clutch Player: Karl-Anthony Towns
This may be another by default designation simply due to Towns' offensive repertoire. Teague would rather move the ball than shoot more often than not, and Andrew Wiggins' inefficient tendencies are exacerbated in pivotal situations. Towns, meanwhile, can score from any point on the court.
That Wiggins-Towns contrast has never been more on display than it was at the end of a January overtime against the Memphis Grizzlies. After Wiggins missed a long two from the top of the key, Towns snagged the rebound over Marc Gasol and then let loose a buzzer-beating fadeaway baseline jumper over Gasol, hitting nothing but net for the win. Those rebounding abilities — Towns averaged 12.4 per game last year — make him a constant threat for putbacks in clutch moments, as well.
The Unheralded Player: Josh Okogie
The No. 20 pick in the 2018 draft, Okogie earned notice from last season's outset for his persistent defense and all-around hustle. He repeatedly wowed crowds with steals only to lose the ball in a chaotic drive to the bucket. Minutes later, Okogie would again flash his athleticism with a highlight reel dunk.
That was the general limit to his contributions, more intangible than anything else. Yet those intangibles earned Okogie 52 starts on a team racked by injuries and drama. The under-the-radar draft pick could have been in over his head, but instead earned the trust of his teammates and both coaching staffs. Yes, even Tom Thibodeau was willing to play this rookie, beginning with the third game of the season.
Okogie has spent the last month leading the Nigerian national team in the FIBA World Cup, averaging 12.6 points per game. More notably, he hit 42.1 percent of his 3-point attempts, which would be a significant jump from his 27.9 percent from beyond the arc in his first NBA action.
Best New Addition: Jarrett Culver
The piece acquired for the No. 11 pick and Dario Šarić will forever be seen as the first move from new Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas. Even without that mantle, expectations would be large for Culver. Minnesota did not intend to have a high lottery pick for a long time after selecting Wiggins and Towns No. 1 overall in back-to-back drafts. Culver restores that belief moving forward.
The 6-foot-7 wing was known for his defense at Texas Tech, eventually developing a scorer's mentality when it mattered most. That mentality did not inherently include efficiency, as Culver went 5-of-22 in the national championship game. The Timberwolves want his defense right now and will be content to let the rest of his game progress in time.
Not to put too much pressure on a rookie, as if the Rosas burden has not already done so, but Minnesota finished No. 24 in defensive rating last season, and Culver is pegged to be the best defender added to the roster. If that ranking improves, he may get much of the credit, but if it doesn't, the offensive loss of Šarić could become a regret.
– Douglas Farmer
1. Stability
If any NBA franchise is grateful to have little attention paid to it this fall, it is the Timberwolves. A year ago, infamous practices featured Butler-led bench units embarrassing the supposed stars of the future, buttressing Butler's berating of Minnesota front office personnel. The chaos undermined whatever credibility Thibodeau still had. The 4-9 start may have actually been better than it should have been, in retrospect.
Barring a complete shock, the Timberwolves will have a quiet preseason camp this time around. Towns has made an offseason point of embracing some of the free agent signees; Wiggins and Covington spent considerable time in Minneapolis over the offseason, compared to the roster going separate ways in 2018; and Saunders has a clear runway as head coach.
2. Outside Influence
Hiring Saunders as the permanent head coach was expected. It would have been hard to fire the son of the franchise's most-beloved figure after only 42 games, especially as he had to pick up the debris from the Butler fiasco, the Thibdoeau disillusionment and then a rash of injuries.
Contrarily, Minnesota owner Glen Taylor hiring Rosas was unexpected. Taylor has long preferred to stay within the family, so to speak, and considered former Timberwolves players Calvin Booth and Chauncey Billups. Sticking to his norms would have meant bringing in one of them. Instead, Taylor shook things up.
Rosas brings an analytics-driven approach from Houston. His star hunting will be high in both risk and reward, but for a franchise that has rarely appealed to free agents, such innovation and aggression is necessary.
3. Ryan Saunders
Saunders is young, unproven and arguably unqualified, but he is also a crowd favorite, beloved by his roster and willing to adjust to improve. Implementing an up-tempo offense and a switch-heavy defense will be massive deviations from the previous regime, but those should also play into Towns' strengths and a wing-heavy roster. With Covington, Wiggins, Okogie, Culver and 2018 second-round draft pick Keita Bates-Diop, Saunders will have both flexibility and numbers, concepts Thibodeau avoided wholesale.
He may have been a questionable hire on paper, but Saunders is also not another coaching retread. Minnesota just lived through that cycle. Doing so again would have been a step backward simply by staying put.
4. Noah Vonleh and Jordan Bell
Two of the Timberwolves' few free agent signings, both Vonleh and Bell should be able to play alongside Towns in Saunders' system in ways Gorgui Dieng cannot. Neither is a dominant player, but that is not needed when Towns is on the floor. Either Vonleh or Bell should be able to defend a power forward when opponents go big while still being able to run the floor to keep up the pace.
These were minimal signings by Rosas and intentionally so, each on only one-year deals, but they will not compromise Towns and could come to be a solid fit with the superstar.
– Douglas Farmer
Towns might not yet be a top-10 player in the NBA, but he is on the cusp and could offer a dominant season as Minnesota's unquestioned leader, finally. Any team with such a cornerstone will construct everything around him, and the Timberwolves are no different. The bevy of wings, the malleable big-man free agent signings and even the chosen head coach all accommodate Towns.
In a season stilted by mayhem, Minnesota still finished No. 13 in the league in offensive rating. Steering into Towns in every way possible will only help that figure further. The wings and Vonleh, Bell and Jake Layman should slightly reduce Towns' defensive workload while not depriving him of offensive opportunities. For a player with his skillset, allowing him every shot attempt he desires is both the prudent and the efficient decision.
– Douglas Farmer
This remains a lengthier list than the previous categories, but it can all trace back to a singular shortcoming. It could be argued the best offensive post-up threat on the roster beyond Towns is Wiggins and his 0.74 points per post-up last season. The secondary ball-handler beyond Teague may also have to be Wiggins.
These concerns all landing on the same slight shoulders underscores the Timberwolves' tipping point. Wiggins has a max contract, but until he becomes a semblance of a max-contract player, this roster will remain depleted in areas it cannot afford to be if it wants to avoid the cellar of the Western Conference.
A charitable view would claim the year-plus of Butler stagnated Wiggins' growth even more than it did Towns'. Indeed, Wiggins' career highs in 3-point percentage, effective field goal percentage and field goal attempts per game all came in 2016-17, the season prior to Butler's arrival. A return to those levels may not be what Taylor had in mind when he committed years of max-contract space to Wiggins to be Towns' second-fiddle, but it would be a distinct improvement from last season, nonetheless.
– Douglas Farmer
Can the Timberwolves show enough evidence of long-term potential to keep Towns from forcing his way out sooner than later?
Minnesota will claim playoff aspirations this season, but in the competitive whirlwind that will be the Western Conference, it is an unrealistic hope in 2019-20. If things stay that way, though, the Timberwolves' situation will quickly become dire. Towns is signed through 2023-24, but in the current era of player empowerment, those contract lengths are mere hiccups to moving along. If Towns voices a desire to contend for the playoffs, a majority of the other 29 franchises will call Rosas to gauge trade possibilities.
Minnesota needs to at least be respectable this season to give Towns reason to believe playoff contention is not far off. Doing so will come as a result of leaning on Towns more than ever until Rosas' front office can figure out what big deal it inevitably wants to swing.
Towns is capable of such a monster season so as to keep the Timberwolves in vague playoff conversations past the All-Star break, maybe even into May. For now, that kind of individual showcase should placate him. That will give Rosas the time needed to thoroughly understand the mismanaged roster on hand.
– Douglas Farmer
Memphis Grizzlies 2019-20 NBA Season Preview
The Memphis Grizzlies have embraced the full rebuild, which could make the upcoming season brutal to watch, but necessary to restart the franchise around the promising young guys on the roster. Basketball Insiders takes a look at the Memphis Grizzlies in this 2019-20 NBA Season Preview.
The Memphis Grizzlies have finally closed the door on the "Grit and grind" era after trading away franchise cornerstones Marc Gasol and Mike Conley over the past year. The Grizzlies drafted one future star in Jaren Jackson Jr last year, and look to have nabbed another in Murray State's Ja Morant. Both will need time to find their way in the NBA, which seems to suit the Grizzlies just fine as they seem to have fully embraced the rough road of a rebuild.
Let's take at a look at the Memphis Grizzlies in this 2019-20 NBA Season Preview.
It's been a long, long time since the Grizzlies had an opening night that didn't feature Mike Conley Jr. or Marc Gasol on the roster. Over a decade, in fact. The era of Grit-N-Grind is over with, and now it's the kids' turn to take over. Continuing a rebuild that began with the upstart Jaren Jackson Jr., rookie sensation Ja Morant should provide us with plenty of exciting moments. Fellow first-year addition Brandon Clarke looks as prepared as anybody to contribute right away as well. We'll see if Taylor Jenkins is the right man for the job in Memphis, as he's got a responsibility to uphold to bring this fresh roster together.
5th Place – Southwest Division
– Spencer Davies
The Grizzlies didn't turn a corner as quickly as the Pelicans did, but they made a lot of progress. They now feature two franchise cornerstones in Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. and some pieces they'll look to learn more about in 2019-20, including Grayson Allen, Josh Jackson and Tyus Jones. While Andre Iguodala is a great piece both on and off of the court, he recently let it be known that he prefers a release to finish out his career with a contender. It's hard to know what the Grizzlies season will look like, but it will be considerably worse if they let Iguodala walk for nothing in return. There isn't nearly enough established talent to make a playoff push, but the Grizzlies are in a good place – just not necessarily for 2019-20.
5th Place – Southwest Division
– Drew Maresca
The Grizzlies officially moved on from the Grit and Grind era. They're ushering in a new beginning with some intriguing young players. Jaren Jackson Jr. was a darkhorse candidate for Rookie of the Year. They now get pair him up with Ja Morant, one of college basketball's best playmakers. They've got a few other young guys in Brandon Clarke and De'Anthony Melton who could also help make up the new core. There should be some exciting basketball in Memphis, albeit a lot of losses. New head coach Taylor Jenkins is getting his first head coaching opportunity so it's going to be a learning season for everyone. Expect a team that plays incredibly hard, but won't win many games.
5th Place – Southwest Division
– David Yapkowitz
I have been critical of some deals that Memphis Grizzlies have made and failed to make in the past. I have no such criticisms for the Grizzlies this offseason. Memphis made several significant deals that are detailed more throughout this season preview, so I will focus on a few moves I particularly liked. Memphis finally traded point guard Mike Conley and ended up with a better package than I would have expected considering Conley has an early termination option for the 2020-21 season. Ja Morant was the right choice with the No. 2 overall pick, in my opinion. Trading Julian Washburn to the Golden State Warriors for Andre Iguodala and a 2024 first-rounder was a great move. That draft pick may end up being quite valuable depending on how the next few seasons go for Golden State. Also, Memphis has Iguodala on the roster and could eventually trade him for a nice return assuming a contender is willing to pay that price. Jae Crowder is on a value contract and can be flipped for more assets. Signing Tyus Jones is a nice addition. Even trading C.J. Miles for Dwight Howard and buying out Howard saved money. Simply put, Memphis made smart moves, added young talent, acquired future assets, rebalanced the roster and made the most of their tools this offseason.
5th Place – Southwest Division
– Jesse Blancarte
The Grizzlies have a lot of up-side youth. That bodes well for the future, but not much for the upcoming season. Head coach Taylor Jenkins might be the most unproven guy we've seen in awhile land a top job in the NBA. This makes him more likely a placeholder through the rebuild than the future of the franchise, which will likely make this season tough to watch as not only will the players have to learn on the job, so will the head coach. This season looks to be a throw away season focused on developing the young guys, and while that's good for the long-term, in the short term the Grizzlies are in for a tough season.
5th place – Southwest Division.
– Steve Kyler
The Grizzlies cycled through multiple trades this offseason, including the deal sending Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz. The team has a high payroll but currently stands at roughly $3.2 million under the NBA's luxury tax threshold of $132.6 million. The issue for the team is roster space, with 16 players under standard NBA contracts.
Both Bruno Caboclo ($300,000) and Ivan Rabb ($371,758) have sizable partial-guarantees. If the Grizzlies want to keep the two developing players, they'll need to shed a total of three fully-guaranteed contracts to make room. That could mean Andre Iguodala (though reports say the team has not explored a buyout and expects the forward to report to camp), Solomon Hill and Miles Plumlee. If not, someone else has to go, unless Caboclo and Rabb don't make the cut.
The Grizzlies also have to decide on team options for Josh Jackson, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Grayson Allen before November. The franchise still has its $3.6 million Bi-Annual Exception available, along with multiple trade exceptions (the largest at $7.7 million for Conley), but roster space and avoiding the tax may limit any significant additional spending. Memphis is hard-capped at $138.9 million after using their full Mid-Level Exception on Tyus Jones.
– Eric Pincus
Top Offensive Player: Jaren Jackson Jr.
The offense in Memphis will run through the versatile big man. Jackson's unique combination of size, agility, and length is the perfect fit in today's NBA. He can stretch the floor, as he made 51 three-pointers last season at a respectable 36 percent clip. He can block shots, handle the ball like a guard, and has showcased some impressive post moves.
While Jackson will continue to develop his game, he is also entering his sophomore season in the league. Teams will now be game-planning for him, and he will need to make adjustments and learn how to combat defensive schemes designed to slow him down. He can score from many areas on the floor, and Memphis will desperately need that this season.
Top Defensive Player: Kyle Anderson
Anderson is not the flashy name that comes to mind when you think about tough defenders in the league. However, his deceptive speed and athleticism can be used to his advantage, and his high basketball IQ always has him in the right spot on the floor. Despite playing just 43 games last season, he nearly led the team in steals and was top-five in blocks per game for the Grizzlies. He ranked 33rd in the league in defensive real plus-minus a year ago.
Memphis does not have the one standout high-level defender, but they do have a great collection of defensive talent. Jackson and Jonas Valanciunas are outstanding rim protectors. They also added three excellent defenders this offseason in Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder, and Brandon Clarke. It remains to be seen how much if any, Iguodala plays for Memphis, but Crowder is a great defender that can guard multiple positions.
Top Playmaker: Ja Morant
It will take some time, but this will ultimately be Ja Morant's show. Rookies typically need time and experience before they can become the focal point of the offense, even on a bad team. For Morant, that will mean utilizing Jackson and relying on him to finish plays and bail them out when the offense bogs down and becomes stagnant.
The No. 2 overall draft pick from this summer will be a high-level pick-and-roll player almost from the start. The front office has surrounded him with a smorgasbord of quality role players. The key for Morant will be finding his comfort zone and figuring out the game. It took time for Trae Young in Atlanta, but he eventually settled in and flourished. Ja will be given ample time and opportunity to get to that point, so patience will be key with him.
Top Clutch Player: Dillon Brooks
The Grizzlies do not yet have a player they feel comfortable with taking over late in a close game. Fortunately for them, they do not necessarily need someone like that right now. Their young roster does not have many guys that have played in big games or shined in monumental moments. Iguodala would fit the bill here, but it is unlikely that he plays the entire season in Memphis. Crowder has hit some big shots in his career, but if they need someone to create and go get a bucket, Brooks has the confidence and the ability to make something happen with the ball.
Josh Jackson is an interesting candidate here as well. Jackson was hot and cold in Phoenix, and Memphis sees him as an intriguing project right now. It will be interesting to see how he slides into the rotation, and what role they want him to fill this year. Jackson and Morant could very well be this guy for Memphis as well, but Brooks will want the ball at the end of close games.
The Unheralded Player: Tyus Jones
Tyus Jones joins a team where he will fit in nicely as a top-level backup point guard. Playing that same role in Minnesota, Jones will be an excellent replacement for Delon Wright for the Grizzlies. Jones has an extremely high basketball IQ and rarely turns the ball over. Last year Jones posted a 6.9 to 1 assist-to-turnover ratio, the best in NBA history.
Jones does not gamble much and exhibits excellent court vision. He had career-high marks in points, assists, and rebounds per game last season with the Timberwolves. The 23-year old guard is entering his fifth season in the league and will be a steady rock for Morant to lean on during his rookie campaign.
Best New Addition: Ja Morant
There were several nice additions that the Grizzlies front office was able to land this offseason. Several new role players are going to shape this franchise over the coming years. After winning the Summer League championship and MVP honors, Clarke has already been dubbed as the steal of the draft. Their first pick this year is still the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Despite the truckload of players that Memphis added, Morant is without a doubt their best new piece. The keys to the franchise belong to him and Jackson, who are both still very young. Jackson is still 19, and Morant just turned 20 last month. The future is bright is Memphis, but they will have to be patient. Rome wasn't built in a day.
– Chad Smith
1. Jaren Jackson Jr
What is there not to love about this kid? He already possesses so many skills and has a solid head on his shoulders. He has already gotten a great feel of the modern NBA. Last season he was either hitting three-pointers (142 attempts) or working inside (389 attempts around the rim) while anchoring the defense. He had the lowest defensive rating among rookies last season and knows how to get to the free-throw line.
2. Ja Morant
Most superstar players in the NBA are great at many things, but elite in one area. For Morant, his elite skill is his passing. His supreme court vision and passing ability were on full display at Murray State. The young point guard is much more than just an athlete. His ability to create off the dribble and get his teammates open shots is something coaches dream of. Morant's ceiling is incredibly high, and he will be given plenty of time to develop.
3. Jae Crowder
Every team needs a veteran leader, especially one that is willing to sacrifice and lead by example. Crowder is willing and able to lay it all out on the line. He will guard the best offensive player, dive for loose balls, and do whatever it takes for his teammates. Those traits are what help teams gel and genuinely care for one another. Both Crowder and Valanciunas will be key factors in how quickly this team learns the nuances of the game.
4. Dillon Brooks
After playing in all 82 games during his rookie campaign, Brooks only managed to play in 18 games last season due to injury. Brooks has a strong build and can be a very good defender at times. His shooting has not been outstanding (44 percent his rookie year), but he is arguably the Grizzlies' best effective shooter. With the attention on Jackson and Morant, Brooks could have some excellent open looks this season.
– Chad Smith
After finally moving on from Mike Conley and Marc Gasol, the young Grizzlies are on their way up. The team will be moving at a much quicker pace, which is something Memphis hasn't experienced in quite some time. They ranked 30th in pace last season and 26th in attendance. You can bank on both of those numbers improving this year, as they will boast one of the more exciting young duos in the league. They are oozing with young talent at nearly every position.
There is also something to be said for having strength in numbers. A team like the Rockets have the star power in the starting lineup, but their bench is almost non-existent. The Warriors ran into trouble in the Finals last year after injuries depleted their roster. The Grizzlies have an extremely deep team, with a bunch of parts that all work very nicely together.
– Chad Smith
These guys are babies. The Grizzlies have the seventh-youngest roster in the league and are going to rely on the growth and emergence of essentially two teenagers. They are more than that obviously, but they are going to experience some growing pains, and they will have to figure it out in a gauntlet of a Western Conference. Fortunately, they have some quality veterans like Iguodala and Crowder that they can lean on, but their time in Memphis may be short-lived.
The Grizzlies will desperately need to improve their overall shooting, as they were 27th in offensive rating and dead last in points per game last season. In terms of three-point shooting, they ranked 27th in threes made and 25th in three-point percentage. The addition of Crowder and the return of Brooks should help there, but they do not have a strong and consistent three-point shooter.
– Chad Smith
How will Taylor Jenkins be graded in his first season as Head Coach?
All of the buzz surrounding Memphis is how their young duo will look. With so many roster moves and potential buyout deals and draft picks, it is easy to overlook the new Head Coach of the organization. While it is Taylor's first lead role, he certainly brings some valuable coaching experience with him.
Jenkins spent last season as an assistant coach under Mike Budenholzer in Milwaukee. Before that, he was with Budenholzer in Atlanta for five years, where they made it to the 2015 Eastern Conference Finals in addition to three other playoff appearances. In 2013, Jenkins guided the Austin Toros (Spurs G League affiliate) to the Semifinals.
It will be interesting to see the rotation that Jenkins goes with, with so many bodies on the roster. There are some unknowns as well, with guys like Clarke, Grayson Allen, Josh Jackson, Bruno Caboclo, De'Anthony Melton, and Miles Plumlee. They need to figure out who can play, and who cannot. The best way to make that determination is with playing time on the court.
The players are going to be learning on the job, and so will their coach. The relationship between the two is going to be vital in terms of the growth and success of the organization. This is going to take time, but the Grizzlies seemingly have everything lined up to be a real contender in the foreseeable future.
For Jenkins, his grade will be determined not by how many meaningful basketball games they win, but by how he can develop his young cornerstone players.
– Chad Smith
New Orleans Pelicans 2019-20 Season Preview
The New Orleans Pelicans may have had the busiest offseason in the NBA by trading away Anthony Davis, drafting the top overall pick in Zion Williamson and remaking the front office into a world-class operation. Will that be enough to matter this season? Basketball Insiders takes a look at the Pelicans in this 2019-20 NBA Season Preview.
No team in the NBA has remade themselves quite like the New Orleans Pelicans. After a drama-filled season last year that saw franchise cornerstone Anthony Davis ask for — and ultimately receive — a trade, the Pelicans pulled off an offseason no one could have expected a year ago.
The Pelicans tapped long-time NBA executive David Griffin to run the team and he wasted no time to put his own stamp on the franchise. The Pelicans landed the top pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, which became Duke big man Zion Williamson. Then New Orleans earned an absolute windfall from the Lakers in the Davis trade, thus giving Griffin a rebuild-on-the-fly that could set the franchise up for a very bright future.
Let's take a look the New Orleans Pelicans in this 2019-20 NBA Season Preview.
Talk about a quick rebuild! The Pelicans are now one of the most interesting teams in the league — and not only because of No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson. New Orleans now features incredible depth and versatility in Jrue Holiday, Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, JJ Redick, Josh Hart and Jaxson Hayes. They will be incredibly fun to watch, and they could even compete for the final seed in the Western Conference.
They're still really young and that will probably cost them a few too many games. Williamson's ability to stay on the court will be put to the test immediately. Remember, very few non-centers have played at 285 pounds or above, so the shape in which Williamson enters the season could play a major role in his durability. But the Pelicans really streamlined their rebuild and look better off now than they were prior to trading Anthony Davis, which says a whole lot about their immediate and long-term future.
4th Place – Southwest Division
– Drew Maresca
The Pelicans officially hit the reset button when they traded Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers. But they managed to get a really good haul for him, bringing in Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and drafting Jaxson Hayes with the Lakers lottery pick. Not to mention the basketball gods smiled upon them with the No. 1 pick and Zion Williamson. They also pulled off a draft-day trade for Nickeil Alexander-Walker. This team is oozing with young talent, you couldn't have asked for a better rebuilding situation. Playoffs are probably out of the question this season, but this will be a very entertaining team to watch.
3rd Place – Southwest Division
– David Yapkowitz
What hasn't been said about the Pelicans' busy offseason? We've been treated to the new-look squad in NOLA all over social media. Former Lakers such as Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart are going to be a key part of this re-tooling, but it's the addition of Zion Williamson that is drawing the hype train. Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jaxson Hayes put their potential on display in Las Vegas. Smartly, David Griffin went out to get veteran presences in both Derrick Favors and JJ Redick to ensure the team would hit the ground running. Jrue Holiday is going to show the world just how good he really and he'll bring the rest of the crew along with him. Talking playoffs isn't too far off with Alvin Gentry's resilient squad.
3rd Place – Southwest Division
– Spencer Davies
While the upcoming season is still over a month away, I still believe Griffin has already put himself in the running for the 2019-20 NBA Executive of the Year Award. That may sound hyperbolic but when you consider where the Pelicans were last season when Anthony Davis demanded he be traded, the moves Griffin made in response to this situation and where the team currently stands, it seems clear to me that Griffin is already a leading candidate for this award. There is a wide range of opinions on the young players the Pelicans acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers for Davis, but each player has serious talent and is worth investing in.
Griffin also managed to shed Solomon Hill's contract and sign JJ Redick to a very reasonable deal. The savvy-front office expert also added Favors, whom the team can re-sign after this season using his full Bird rights. And Griffin drafted some promising young prospects in this year's draft who will grow alongside Zion Williamson. Landing the No. 1 pick and drafting Williamson was a lucky outcome so we aren't crediting Griffin with that necessarily. But the roster he has structured around Williamson can credibly compete on a nightly basis this upcoming season and is loaded with young talent. This is a great overall outcome for the Pelicans and Griffin deserves a lot of praise for it.
3rd Place – Southwest Division
– Jesse Blancarte
It is hard not to look at the Pelicans offseason in awe. Few franchises survive the exodus of a mega-star player without needing to hit the bottom to get another one, but not only did the Pelicans get an epic return for Anthony Davis from the Lakers, but they also landed the future face of the franchise in Zion Williamson — all without having to part with Jrue Holiday. On paper, the Pelicans might be a better all-around team than they were with Davis, mainly because of his extensive injury history and the upside of the guys coming in from the Lakers. We'll see if the Pelicans can come together fast enough to matter, but the roster work was impressive.
2nd Place – Southwest Division
– Steve Kyler
The Pelicans were one of the most active teams over the offseason, rebuilding the team under the leadership of new executive vice president David Griffin. The franchise went under the salary cap to bring in veterans like Derrick Favors and JJ Redick, supplementing the bounty they got from the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis. One big question is the future of Brandon Ingram, who can sign a contract extension before the start of the season.
New Orleans also needs to pick up the team option on Josh Hart and Lonzo Ball before November. With Darius Miller out with a torn Achilles, the Pelicans will probably ask the league for a disabled player exception that would give the team another $3.6 million to acquire a player (with one year left on their deal), either via free agency, trader or off waivers. The Pelicans have two players on partially guaranteed deals in Jahlil Okafor and Kenrich Williams. If both stick, they round out the roster at 15 (not including two-way players).
– Eric Pincus
Top Offensive Player: Jrue Holiday
It's amazing what one year can change. Last year at this time, Anthony Davis could have been considered the top player in almost all of the following categories. He was the best player on the team, so, obviously, the franchise was gutted when he demanded a trade prior to the All-Star break.
This made things even worse for the second-best player, Jrue Holiday. He had recently signed a big extension with the franchise and received his money, but once Davis wanted out, he was hung out to dry. Certain reports even said the Pelicans were calling teams to gauge interest in Holiday, just in case they wanted to trade him.
Things changed dramatically for the franchise come lottery time. Not only did they receive a nice haul of young talent from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Davis, but they were also blessed with the No. 1 overall selection in the 2019 NBA Draft.
With Zion coming to the team, all hope was not lost. And moving forward – at least in the immediate future – this is Jrue Holiday's team.
Last season, Holiday averaged career-highs in points, steals, blocks and rebounds. As the best offensive player, let's highlight the specific stats that point to that designation.
His 21.2 points per game were best for third on the team last season behind Julius Randle and Davis. Both of those players have moved to different teams, and none of the players brought in as replacements averaged more than 18.3 points per game. Williamson could eventually become a bigger scoring threat than Holiday, but we need to see him play some serious NBA minutes first.
Holiday had career-highs in both free throws made and free throw attempted — still, even after all these years, he is getting better at drawing fouls and getting to the line.
He averaged 7.7 assists to only 3.1 turnovers — cementing that he is both a capable ballhandler as well as a legitimate scoring threat.
His one glaring weakness on offense is his three-point shot. It's not horrible, but it has dramatically gotten worse throughout his career. There is almost a direct correlation in his shot attempts increasing with the percentage decreasing. In fact, last season he put up a career-high 5.4 three-point attempts per game but made a career-low 32.5 percent of them.
Top Defensive Player: Derrick Favors
Many fans don't quite understand the caliber of player that Favors has become. He's more-or-less been in the shadow of Rudy Gobert the last few seasons but — as one of the most humble guys in the NBA — you haven't heard any complaints. Utah – reluctantly – had to trade Favors in order to make room for their new free-agent acquisitions, so New Orleans was the team lucky enough to pick up the last year of his team-option contract.
Favors is one of just 11 players in the last five seasons to average at least 13.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. Take away guys that played more than 30 minutes per game and guess how many that leaves on the list? Just one: Favors.
What's more, he has only averaged 27.6 minutes per game over the last five seasons. Imagine what he can do with a full load of starting five-caliber minutes.
He's a monster in the paint, easily a top-5 rim protector in the NBA, and strong enough to guard the most powerful post players. He isn't elite at switching onto forwards but has the ability to make a decent impact when it's necessary.
Jrue Holiday has a case for the best defensive player, but he won't have near the impact as Favors does in stopping opponents from scoring. New Orleans will be more than pleased with their new starting center.
Top Playmaker: Lonzo Ball
The inevitable finally occurred for the Ball family. Ever since Davis requested his trade, Lonzo was considered to be a centerpiece in the trade talks. Much to the dismay of LaVar, the baby Ball found himself out of Hollywood and down in the Big Easy.
Ball was third in assist percentage last season in Los Angeles behind LeBron James and Rajon Rondo – two elite passers. He was second in assist-to-turnover ratio behind, again, only Rondo.
While he has continued to struggle with his shooting, his court vision has only gotten better since college. He is one of the true young talents when it comes to playmaking in the NBA and, considering his age, could likely become the best in the league within a couple of years. He has to be considered the best passer in the league aged 21 or younger — and the only person currently on New Orleans' roster who could give him a run for his money is Holiday. But Holiday has transitioned into more of a scoring role, so his ability to dish the ball has taken a backseat.
Ball is still waiting for his breakout season and, with a bigger role in New Orleans, it might be his time. Watch for his playmaking to improve even more now that he has more room to function.
Top Clutch Player: Brandon Ingram
This will most likely be a tough box to check during the season. Most players on the roster either didn't play much in the clutch last season or performed poorly when they did. As a remember, clutch situations occur when there is a five or less point differential with five minutes remaining in the game.
Holiday played plenty of clutch minutes but shot horrendously from the field when he did. Favors' scoring was incredibly efficient, but he only played 11 games in clutch situations and put up less than one field goal per game.
Ingram performed best in the clutch last season, although he still wasn't a killer by any means. He averaged 1.4 points per game in the clutch, shot 44 percent from the field and 50 percent from three. His unique ability to get to the basket certainly helps in late-game situations when most players are gassed.
Ingram, although young and not mistake-prone, is athletic, knows his handle well and can beat defenders either to the rim or to certain spots where he likes to shoot. He has an elite length for his position and this really comes in handy when his team needs a bucket. He wasn't the Lakers' go-to guy last year for late-game shots – for obvious reasons – but he'll have the ability to be that guy on an inferior starting-five for the Pelicans.
The Unheralded Player: Derrick Favors
Seriously, by the end of the season, you will have a much better idea of who Favors is. It's really hard to point out exactly what it is that Favors does so well, likely because he does many things on the court at a high-level.
As previously mentioned, he is an elite rim protector. Favors is also an incredible rebounder on both ends of the floor. He is superb at finishing at the rim but has quite a solid midrange game, too. The veteran's offensive efficiency is up there with the best players in the league, to boot.
But his best attribute of all has to be his effort. Favors is a workhorse on both ends of the court and will give you his all regardless of how many minutes he plays. Not once during his almost nine-year tenure with Utah was his effort ever called in to question and not a single time did you hear him complain about losing minutes to Gobert or declining touches on offense.
Even better, Favors rarely has an off night. He's outrageously consistent, supremely humble and, overall, just a dude you want in your locker room and on the court every night. Pelicans fans may not have known how to react when they got him via trade, but they'll be very pleased with the results he brings at the end of the season.
Best New Addition: Zion Williamson
Okay, I know you were waiting for this one. Probably the most hyped player to come out of the draft since LeBron James, Zion brings a certain buzz of excitement to the league that hasn't been felt since the aforementioned Davis entered. His mix of size, athleticism and basketball IQ at such a young age are perhaps better than even James' at the time of his draft.
It almost looks extraterrestrial to see his massive frame jump off the ground as high as he does. He has the weight and strength of an NBA center, the height of a small forward and the handles and touch of a guard. At the collegiate level, he was unbelievable in the open court when running fast breaks.
Williamson's defensive skills are ahead of his time. He can guard just about every position with ease and can elevate to levels above the rim that almost seem impossible for his height.
He finished his college campaign with a 20 box plus-minus which is the best on record for a college player, finishing in front of players like Anthony Davis, Karl Anthony-Towns and Victor Oladipo.
It's incredibly difficult to pinpoint what position and situation will allow him to have the biggest impact in the NBA, but his success is almost a sure-fire thing. It is unfathomable to assume his floor is any lower than a solid starter for many years. His ceiling could go as high as the greatest player of all time. We won't get ahead of ourselves here, but the intangibles are all there. Now, it just comes down to whether or not he can put them all together.
– Jordan Hicks
1. Jrue Holiday
Until Zion proves otherwise, this is his team. He remained as second-fiddle to Anthony Davis for quite some time, so this could truly be his breakout year. We got a taste of it last season post-All-Star break when Davis played severely shallow minutes, but Holiday's game has really grown to an All-Star-caliber level. He defends at an elite level and can score quite well, too.
He still needs to improve his finishing, as often his scoring comes as a result of poor efficiency, but downplaying the ability to get points in the NBA, regardless of percentages, is a poor move. Holiday is continually improving his offensive arsenal — and his defense is already at one of the top positions in the league — so he will be a major face to the franchise for at least this season, likely for many to come.
2. David Griffin
Give it to the big man upstairs for constructing this talented roster when all seemed lost. It was expected that they'd get quite the haul for Davis, which they did, but getting Derrick Favors, and JJ Redick, in addition, was huge. Also, drafting both Jaxson Hayes and Nickeil Alexander-Walker using draft picks from the trade, look to be enormous pickups as well. Both of those young guys played incredibly well during the NBA Summer League.
Seriously, things appeared pretty dismal for the Pelicans after the Davis news originally broke. The fact that they are even minutely mentioned in the playoff race six months later in the deep Western Conference is pretty miraculous.
3. JJ Redick
Redick – at age 34 – is coming off his highest-scoring season ever. On a roster that included Jimmy Butler, Tobias Harris, Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid that is surely saying something. He finished the season with 18.1 points per game and did so shooting an effective field goal percentage of 55.7 percent.
It is still quite puzzling that the 76ers just let him go, especially for a team that sorely needs three-point shooting. Redick will be an instant boost on offense for the Pelicans and will absolutely help spread the floor.
He has the ability to consistently knock down shots at multiple levels, which will allow his teammates to move around more freely, as defenses will always need to keep an eye on the veteran's location. He may not do what he did last season points-wise, but Redick isn't anywhere near a decline at this point in his career.
4. Zion Williamson
What's not to like? He's big, strong and fast. For PR junkies, he has a nice smile and always seems to know what to say for a player at his age. He dunks with authority, has a motor that most have never seen and clearly loves the game of basketball. The list goes on and on and on.
What else can be said about this guy? His weight could be a factor down the road as far as the health of his knees is concerned, but something like that is such a small concern for the amount of upside at this time. Plus, it's not that difficult to lose weight. And Williamson's weight isn't all that unhealthy. NBA trainers will get him looking like less of a football player and more of a basketball player in no time.
He will likely be in the starting lineup day one, so look for him to make a hyper-quick impact in the NBA. Fans everywhere will be holding their breath for his first earth-shattering dunk. Especially due to the fact that his play was so limited in the Las Vegas Summer League. Ladies and gentlemen, the Zion Era is almost upon us.
– Jordan Hicks
This team's biggest strengths are that there are no glaring weaknesses. They have pretty solid talent at multiple levels and don't really lack anything on either side of the ball.
Their starting unit will consist of five players that would start for just about any team — and the fact that one of Ball, Ingram or Redick will likely start the season coming off the bench is telling about the level of top-end talent they possess.
The roster was pretty heavily rebuilt during the offseason, so we've yet to see what it will look like on the court, but there is plenty of talent there. Holiday, Favors and Ball can hold things down on defense, while players like Redick, Ingram and Williamson will be able to generate good looks on offense.
– Jordan Hicks
On the flip side, however, their biggest weakness is that they have no outlying strengths. While everything on the court looks solid on paper, nothing really sticks out as an outright strength. The team is still incredibly young — there's a lot to like about their roster, but what is one supposed to like the most?
Obviously Williamson will be fun, there's no denying that. But calling him a strength without seeing any minutes against actual NBA talent would be a stretch. There's no doubt he'll get there, and maybe relatively quickly, but it's still a question mark for now.
Until we see the finished product on the court working as a cohesive unit, you can't really point to any major strengths. Will they make the playoffs? Maybe. But what will it be that gets them there? Only time will tell.
– Jordan Hicks
Will the Pelicans make the playoffs?
It would be so fun to say yes here. The team is young, hungry, rebuilt and, in some cases, ready for revenge. What was the Lakers' young core likely feels like used goods and is ready to show the NBA why they shouldn't have been traded for Davis. Williamson is ready to make his stamp on the NBA, Favors is ready to blossom post-Jazz-life and Redick is out to prove why the 76ers should have paid him instead of others.
Unfortunately, the conference is just too deep. There are at least eight teams better than New Orleans and at least three teams that are arguably just as talented — to wit, to this writer: the Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings Oklahoma City Thunder.
It's certainly not impossible. There is for sure a path that ends with New Orleans in the playoffs at the end of this season. But they are at least a year out before it becomes a determined, expected reality. They are too young, don't have enough time together and still need to find out what their identity is. The Pelicans weren't exactly a powerhouse with Anthony Davis, so they still have a long ways to go.
But they just might have the talent to eventually get them there.
– Jordan Hicks

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Kennickell works with companies that sell a global product or service and have a need
to get marketing collateral into the hands of their channel partners quickly and efficiently.
For example, if a company has a dealer in Australia and needs brochures printed for
a trade show, the dealer can log into the portal we created for them and place the order.
We can then take that order and automatically route a digital file to one of our print
partners in Australia and have it produced in the country/region it needs to deliver.


text:
Samsung Reveals Galaxy S4 and More
What's News: Samsung reveals the new Galaxy S4 Smartphone. U.S. consumer prices rise the most in nearly four years, jumping 9.1%. Boeing's fleet of grounded Dreamliner aircrafts may return to the skies within weeks.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... Samsung and that was named LCS for smartphone this is what's news at this hour I'm WS J live I'm Kelsey Havre ... Samsung revealed its latest device the Galaxy S four as the company jockeys to keep it says in the competitive smartphone market ... the new device sports a five inch high definition touchscreen annual eye tracking technology ... that allows users to operate the phone through gestures and eye sight without touching the screen ... the phone is set to go on sale late April but no word yet on the price of the new device ... U S consumer prices rose the most in nearly four years in February led by a spike in gasoline prices which jumped nine point one percent ... the core CPI which excludes all the categories of food and energy rose point two percent ... Boeing's flee the grounded Dreamliner aircraft could be poised to resume flight ... the company saying the new safety measures for the lithium ion battery systems on the seventy sevens could be good to go in the next few weeks ... senior Boeing executives are expected to explain the company's proposed fixes for the batteries today in Tokyo ... looking keep us in on all the latest news developments throughout the day on what's news on WS J live ...


text:
JÄGER_IT needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 85 designs submitted by 21 freelance designers.
I'm searching for a new clear, fresh but slick logo.
We're a young and flexible IT company in germany. We provide Hard- & Software, Network-Solutions and maintenance work.
You can see our present selfmade-logo at our site http://www.jaegerit.de
Our new logo must be printable, should also be available in black/white e.g. for stamps.
It must be possible to use it on dark and bright backgrounds. Therefore maybe two versions?
We need the work as a vector in high resolution (for printing on letterheads, business cards...maybe you design them, too ;-) )
- Color: A mixture of dark blue and some grey would be nice, but inspirate me
- clearly look
- not to voliminous
- clear to read font
- the name "JÄGER IT" has to be written with "Ä" not "ae"
- There's no slogan at the time. if you get one, put in in the logo
- I need a version of the logo in black/white
- need winning design in .ai or .psd - vector
- Looking like the old Logo, it's to unfortunable for designing
- too big
- unprofessional
- dubios looking
- bad resolution
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


text:
About the For Sale vs. Sold Report
- For Sale numbers are the snapshot of the number of property for sale at the end of the month.
- Pended numbers represent the number of properties that went into the "pending" status for that month.
- New Listing numbers represent the number of properties that are new listed for that month.
- Sold numbers represent the number of properties that are sold for that month.
What Does For Sale vs. Sold Report Do?
- It helps determine the trend of market supply and demand.
- It helps determine whether the current market is a seller or buyer market.
- It helps determine the minimum length of the listing period.
- It helps identify which price range the majority of the properties are in, within a given area.
- It helps focus on where the buyer's activities are and the market condition in those areas.
How to Use For Sale vs. Sold Report?
- Use with Average Price Per Sqft Report to set competitive listing price.
- Use current inventory level to determine market condition. The current inventory level is derived by dividing the monthly listing number by the monthly sold number which is shown in Months of Inventory graph. As a rule of thumb, an inventory level of less than three indicates a strong seller market while an inventory level greater than six indicates a buyer's market.
- A download trend of listing inventory and an upward trend of the number of properties sold indicates the seller is in a better negotiating position.
- An upward trend of listing inventory and a downward trend of the number of properties sold indicates the buyer is in a better negotiating position.
You Should Know
- The properties sold figures are derived from recorded transactions.
- Current monthly sold figures might be adjusted upward on the next month's report. This is to account for any closed transactions that are reported late.


text:
June 1st-5th, Kassel, Germany: 4th International Photo Book Festival
4th International Photo Book Festival
Held at the Kasseler documenta-Halle
June 1-5, 2011
"The 4th Photobook Festival will once again focus on current developments in the genre of the photographic book. Internationally renowned guests have been invited to present their work and to engage with the visitors to the festival. Workshops, screenings, reviews, exhibitions, trade stalls and the presentation of our awards will offer excitement and inspiration." Visit the festival's website (in English or German) to see the schedule and to learn more about the festival.
Self Publish, Be Happy will be participating in the festival as part of their 2011 summer tour, June 2nd-5th.


text:
In a little-known perk at a transit system struggling to control the cost of benefits, BART gives its employees and their families free travel passes on its system — even after they retire.
Although other Bay Area transit agencies offer their own free-ride programs, BART's is among the most generous. It provides the same lifetime travel benefit to board members and their families, the only one of seven surveyed Bay Area transit operators to do so.
The cost? All together, BART forgoes more than $2.1 million a year for the free rides — $741,000 of it for families.
At a time when labor-management strife may lead to a second strike this summer, some critics say the extensive free travel policy is part of a tradition of overly generous benefits at BART.
"It sends a wrong signal that in a time when fares continue to go up there are people who have never worked for BART who ride for free," said Fred Wright Lopez, a Lafayette attorney and unsuccessful BART candidate last fall. "It's an insult to BART's riders."
The free passes, however, are not on the bargaining table this year; bigger-ticket items such as pay and worker contribution toward pension and health benefits are at center stage.
Unionized workers have threatened to walk out again Monday if a contract deal isn't reached on or before Sunday. A strike last month lasted four days before both sides agreed to a 30-day cooling-off period.
BART director Zakhary Mallett, of El Sobrante, said trying to change the policy on free passes now could throw a wrench in already difficult pay and benefit negotiations. "I think it needs to be discussed, but now is not the right time," said Mallett, who favors re-examining the policy for spouses, dependents and board members who have left office.
BART director Gail Murray, of Walnut Creek, agreed. "Each negotiation, you take off a big gulp," she said. "You can't take on everything."
But BART Board President Tom Radulovich, of San Francisco, said he's not convinced the free pass policy should be changed. Getting employees to ride its trains gives BART more eyes and ears on board, and reduces congestion and pollution, he said.
A BART employee leader said her union has no formal position on the passes for full-time workers, but she likened them to employee discounts offered by stores or utility companies, such as bill discounts of up to 25 percent provided to PG&E utility employees. "Many companies do this," said Antonette Bryant, president of Local 1555 of the Amalgamated Transit Union.
Mallett said users of free passes add to the capacity problems on BART's overcrowded trains without producing revenue to upgrade the system.
Free rides by BART workers, retirees and family members account for about 2,104 trips per weekday, or about a half of a percent of the 400,000 weekday trips on the system, according to figures from BART.
While BART's free-ride policy is generous, most other local transit agencies have their own such policies.
AC Transit in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, San Mateo County's SamTrans and Santa Clara County VTA also provide free passes for transit employees, retirees and their spouses, partners and dependents. Golden Gate Transit offers the free travel to current and retired employees, but not to family members, while San Francisco MUNI and County Connection in Central Contra Costa offer free travel to current workers and their family members, but not to retired employees.
Several other transit operators offer free passes to board members, but aside from BART, that perk ends when they leave office. BART director Thomas Blalock, of Fremont, said he doesn't consider the lifetime passes for board members a bad idea.
"There is little enough benefit for being on the board," Blalock said. "And there are plenty of headaches."
Contact Denis Cuff at 925-943-8267. Follow him at Twitter.com/deniscuff.
Take a free ride
Here are details on the free travel passes offered by Bay Area transit systems.
BART: Current and retired BART employees and board members get passes for free travel on BART, as do their spouses, domestic partners and dependents. Board members and retired BART employees — who worked at least five years at BART — are eligible for the passes for life. If a retiree dies, the pass for the surviving spouse terminates when he or she remarries.
AC Transit: The system provides free travel to current and retired employees, and their spouses, partners and dependents. AC Transit board members get the free passes while in office, but not after they leave.
Golden Gate Transit: Current employees and retirees (vested with retiree health benefits) get free travel on district buses and ferries. Their spouses, partners and dependents do not get the free travel. Current board members get travel passes for travel while conducting district business. Their spouses and dependents do not.
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority: The system provides free VTA transit travel passes to current employees and retirees and their spouses, domestic partners and dependents, within certain age limits. Board members do not get the free travel passes.
SamTrans: Current and retired employees and their partners and dependents are eligible for the free passes. Board members get the passes while they are in office, but their family members do not.
San Francisco MUNI: Front-line workers such as bus drivers and trolley operators still get the free travel passes, as do their partners and dependents. Last year, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency phased out the free passes for other workers. Retirees do not get the free travel. MUNI board members get free travel while in office but not afterward.
County Connection: The Central Contra Costa system offers free bus travel to current employees and their spouses, domestic partners and dependents. County Connection does not offer free travel passes to retirees or board members.
BART's free-riders
Who holds the free BART passes? Here's a rundown:
6,416: BART dependents (family members)
3,250: BART employees
2,857: Police officers from departments within the four BART counties
2,120: BART retirees
702: BART contractors
13: Current, former directors
6: Summer youths
Total: 15,364


text:
Leicester Chronicle, Thursday 30th April 1898, p2
Mischievous Lads
Herbert Walker (12), Albert James (10), and Thomas Hamp (13), schoolboys, of Montague-road, were jointly summoned for damaging the roofing, slates, and chimney of a workshop belonging to William Watts Clarkson, at Clarendon Park, doing 10s. damage on the 18th inst. All boys denied the charge. A son of the tenant of the property spoke to observing the lads on the roof. They were pulling slates off, and removing bricks from the chimney. Witness told them to come down, but they commenced swearing at him. The agent for Mr. Clarkson said damage was constantly being done to this property by boys, and the present summons was taken out as a deterrent. The boys said they went on the roof to collect their tipcat. The Mayor, addressing the parents of the boys, said they regarded the present case as a serious one. It was within the personal knowledge of the Bench that damage was continually being done in all parts of the borough by lads and young men, who seemed to regard property as open to destruction. Having regard, however, to the good character borne by the defendants, they would be discharged on the parents paying the damage and the costs of the prosecution.
I wouldn't call that behaviour mischievous exactly! What naughty boys. By 1901, only one of them – Thomas Henry Hamp – was still living at Montague Road (number 89). Albert Arthur James and his enormous family of mother, father, 5 sisters and 4 brothers had moved to 9 Cecilia Road – a two bedroomed house! And Herbert Walker was no longer in Clarendon Park. Maybe it was the shame of having been in court that made the family move away? Anyway, overcrowding is a recognised cause of delinquency and there was certainly plenty of that in Clarendon Park in the 19th century. Let us hope that the boys made good in the end. Certainly Thomas Hamp was in work as a shoe heel fitter in 1901 and a trimmer's labourer in 1911, so there is every chance.
As to the victim of the crime, in 1901 William Watts Clarkson was – at least by his own description a 'gentleman' living at Upper Tichborne Street (Highfields) with wife Harriet. Having retired by 1891, he was previously a brick manufacturer employing 74 men, so he wasn't quite-quite, of course. As to the premises that were mentioned in the newspaper article – well, in 1881 Clarkson appeared in Kelly's Directory of Leicestershire and Rutland (a sort of Yellow Pages for the time) under Brick Manufacturers. The entry reads "Clarkson, William Watts & Co. Grey Friars, Leicester. Works, Knighton Junction. See advertisement." Unfortunately I am using an online version of the directory and it does not contain the advertisements section – gah! But luckily White's 1877 Directory comes up trumps, and here it is on page 12:
So his works were at Clarendon Park. Perhaps this was where those mischievous boys were removing bricks and swearing? Or maybe it was one of the many smaller workshops in the area (many still standing). Mr Clarkson seems to have owned quite a bit of property, and much of it was attacked by vandals and thieves. In May 1886 James Duke was sentenced to 6 months hard labour for stealing two water cisterns from empty houses in Knighton, the property of Mr Clarkson. The idiot had simply cut the cisterns from the wall, leaving the pipes overflowing and considerably damaging the houses in the process. The cisterns weren't worth anything much and James Duke had a well paid job as a plumber, so goodness knows what he was thinking. Astonishingly, on his death in Middlesex in 1914, William Watts Clarkson was worth just £5. Maybe the cost of having his properties pulled apart by small boys and lunatic plumbers was just too much. Regards, Elizabeth.


text:
I love these flared pants so much that I bought myself two extra pairs after Modcloth sent me the first. They're under $100 and they are so comfortable and yet polished. I plan on wearing them to death this winter!
The top is by cool interior designer-cum-fashion designer Kelly Wearstler, who hand-paints her own prints.


text:
Friday, February 6, 2009
Requiem for a Russ
It's probably been three or four years coming, but Russ Adams and the Blue Jays finally parted ways yesterday to make way for marginal bullpen arm T.J. Beam.
(With the departure of A.J., and J.P. Arencibia still a year away, the Jays needed to shore up their strategic supply of initials.)
Adams was J.P. Ricciardi's first pick as Jays GM, and their fates seem destined to be forever intertwined. The selection is still held up as emblematic of all that is wrong with the embattled GM's tenure with the team, and we're reasonably sure that Adams' name will continue to be dropped into to post game JaysTalk rants up to and immediately following J.P.'s almost inevitable dismissal.
We've heard for years about how the Jays passed on Scott Kazmir and Matt Cain and Cole Hammels in order to pick Adams. Realistically, none of those players (all high school pitchers) were going to sign with the Jays, especially if the team adhered to the recommended slot bonusses.
(We're assuming that there were slot recommendations in 2002, but someone feel free to call BS on us if we're wrong on that.)
In his only full season with the Jays, Adams played a somewhat underwhelming 139 games in 2005, posting eight homers, 63 RsBI, 11 steals and a .707 OPS. In retrospect, it's funny to look at those numbers and comapre them to Marco Scutaro's 2008 (7 HRs, 60 RsBI, 8 SBs and a .697 OPS). Isn't it funny how some of the same pundits in the Toronto sports media who hold up Adams as a sign that everything is amiss in Blue Jayland were hailing Scutaro as the team's MVP last season?
A quick glance at the position players picked behind Adams in that draft shows that there weren't a ton of great bats to be had. Nick Swisher, James Loney, Jeff Francoeur came later in the first round, Joey Votto came a the start of the second, and Brian McCann went deep in the third, but most of those players would have had (say it with us) signability issues.
We'll confess to being a bit sad to hear of Adams' departure. It kinda makes us feel as though time's slipped away on us.
Roto-Hoedown Update
Thanks to everyone who wrote in to beg, plead and grovel their way into the 2009 Roto-Hoedown. We're down to a single spot left, and we unfortunately can't expand on the 15-team format.
If you are still interested in playing in the big boys' roto league, then it's not too late to email us (taoofstieb at gmail dot com) and knock our stirrups off. We're going to hold off on filling that last spot until later in the weekend, when someone who really deserves the spot steps up and claims it.
(We probably have enough people to set up a second league as well, so there's always that.)
For those of you who emailed yesterday and haven't heard back from us, we'd recommend writing back and laying it on a little thicker with the grovelling. A hint: we like when people use full sentences with correct spelling. It appeals to our sensibilities. As do pictures of your sisters or signifcant others in bikinis.
20 comments:
- Lloyd the Barber said...
I too will muss Riss. So much so that I wrote a similar post that went up 9 minutes after yours. I didn't think about the Scutaro thing, thankfully. I need to sleep at night.
- February 6, 2009 at 3:32 PM
- eyebleaf said...
Wow, that shit about Adams and Scoot is completely fucked up. Wow.
Good luck, Russel. And Godspeed.
- February 6, 2009 at 3:35 PM
- Chris said...
It's all about expectations...
When your utility-infielder-turned-starter-because-Eckstein-sucks hits like that then it's a nice bonus. But when your 1st-round pick-shortstop-of-the-future puts up those numbers, it's a little different.
And let's not forget Adams' defense. Actually, strike that. Do everything you can to forget his defense.
/does a tequila shot
//smokes a bowl
///shoots heroin
////Still remembers all those missed throws. Crap!
- February 6, 2009 at 3:50 PM
- Johnny G said...
I would of applied, but I am in 2 and possibly 3 leagues already that are quite in depth with minor leaguers, contracts and cap issues.
However, That being said I am now officially offering up my services as a cheerleader to someone in the league. Highest bidder gets it. Bids can be made in Jays Tickets, Jays Bobbleheads and Rogers Cable Credit.
Thank you.
- February 6, 2009 at 3:51 PM
- The Ack said...
I hope Aaron Hill doesn't suffer from post traumatic stress disorder as a result of this.
I fully expect to fail miserably in the Tao's roto hoe-down. I've never done a 5X5 league, the annual league I'm in is a points based head to head.
PS. pre-emptive excuses fucking rule.
- February 6, 2009 at 3:56 PM
Just how bad was Adams at short? I didn't see him play that year, but can he still play middle infield in the majors? If he can't play there, then his value is pretty small.
However, there's no way that he'd be tolerated as a Scrappy Super Sub as a #1 pick. They are almost always "where did this guy come from"?
- February 6, 2009 at 3:58 PM
- Tao of Stieb said...
Not to scare you Ack, but it is a 6x6 league.
Boogedy boogedy!
- February 6, 2009 at 3:59 PM
- The Ack said...
FYI, I just shat in my pants. Too much information?
- February 6, 2009 at 4:02 PM
- Tao of Stieb said...
Adams was playing a lot of left field last year in Syracuse, and was still pretty much hitting like a scrappy utility player.
We just poured a bottle of Wild Turkey on a 2005 Jays program with Adams on the cover, and turned up Boys II Men's "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday".
Then, we went to throw the bottom in the recycling, but launched it three feet high and wide. Fitting.
We're sure that many more tributes will pour in over the weekend.
- February 6, 2009 at 4:03 PM
- jw said...
If you choose to believe Moneyball, Russ was a consensus top pick. The Mets only took Kaz because Russ was off the board, and the A's had him pegged as the second they would take after Swisher. JP would have been better served grabbing Swisher instead but Adams would only have dropped a couple slots if that was the case.
- February 6, 2009 at 4:04 PM
- Tao of Stieb said...
Throw the bottle in the recycling.
I miss Adams that much already.
- February 6, 2009 at 4:04 PM
Thanks Tao, I'm a bit surprised that JP wasn't able to trade Rusty for someone else's failed #1 pick, the whole "he just needs a fresh start and then he'll start hitting" line that always gets used.
I really hope Swisher doesn't turn into Paul O'Neil II, that would really suck, cause I hated Paul O'Neil.
- February 6, 2009 at 5:23 PM
- Darren Priest said...
I wish I could find that article that listed the Jays position players in 5 years and how it was going to be amazing. Russ Adams was definitely at short. The rest are pretty much intact (Hill, Lind, Snider, Rios -- I forget the rest.)
Thanks for letting me into your pool, Tao. You either like me more than I thought (probably not) or you are overstating the demand -- which I applaud!
- February 6, 2009 at 5:56 PM
- Torgen said...
jw: You took the words right out of my mouth. Not only was Adams Beane's second pick among position players, he was the second pick even if money was no object--ahead of Khalil Greene.
- February 6, 2009 at 6:00 PM
JP did amazing in the 2002 draft, he got Bullington and Loewen!
- February 6, 2009 at 6:12 PM
- Callum said...
The difference between Russ and Marco lies in their fielding. Russ was well below league average in 2005 while Scutaro was above or well above average in 2008. Add in the fact that Scoots played 6 positions last season and you can see his added ~value~ and how they are not close to being the same player.
- February 6, 2009 at 8:16 PM
- Tao of Stieb said...
Well mash my taters.
Let's give Scoots the MVP post facto.
Scutaro is a good fielder...but then again, Adams didn't really start to get the yips until after 2005.
So there.
- February 7, 2009 at 12:13 AM
Scoot ain't that bad, better than Adams. Maybe Inglett can come on board as SS after Scoot and JOhnny Mac fly the coop.....
- February 7, 2009 at 1:21 PM
1) The Jays made a decision three years ago that Adams' bat was good enough that they should give up on his SS defence and convert him to 2B. In hindsight, the truth is his bat is only good enough at SS and they should have left him in AAA for the past three years working on his arm. His SS defence, from my recollection, was only horrible due to his throwing accuracy, the rest of the package was average-ish. And it seemed to be a head (confidence) issue too. Leaving him at SS in the minors, may have helped the situation considerably. Again - in hindsight.
2) From BA's 2006 handbook, here is our projected 2009 starting lineup:
C - Curtis Thigpen (DFA)
1b - Lyle Overbay
2b - Orlando Hudson
3b - Aaron Hill
ss - Russ Adams (DFA)
lf - Adam Lind
cf - Vernon Wells
rf - Alex Rios
dh - Shea Hillenbrand
s1 - Doc
s2 - AJ
s3 - Dustin McGowan
s4 - Gus Chacin (DFA)
s5 - Ricky Romero
cl - BJ Ryan
- February 8, 2009 at 12:21 PM
I don't think most folks held Adams' bat against him as much as the fact that he seemed to think 1B was either 5' higher and/or 15' further away from where it actually was...
- February 19, 2009 at 7:55 PM


text:
INDIANAPOLIS, April 16 (UPI) -- David West led a balanced scoring attack with 22 points Monday and the playoff-bound Indiana Pacers routed Minnesota 111-88.
West grabbed 10 rebounds for Indiana, which jumped off to a 32-7 lead in the first period and never looked backed, cruising to its fifth straight victory.
Danny Granger scored 19 points for the Pacers, who got 18 points from Paul George, and 12 points and 11 rebounds from Roy Hibbert.
Indiana strengthened its grip on homecourt advantage in the post-season with the Eastern Conference's third seed.
J.J. Barea had 14 points and nine assists for Minnesota, which stumbled to its 10th straight loss.
Derrick Williams and Michael Beasley put in 13 points each for the Timberwolves.


text:
Within the sustainability focus area, you'll examine the business case for environmental sustainability in the food industry. Learn about efforts in food production sufficiency throughout the product lifecycle—from sustainable ingredient sourcing, to product development, to waste management. You'll gain understanding of related processing and production methods and best practices in the marketing of sustainable food products.
Looking for more content related to Sustainability? FutureFood 2050, initiated by IFT, is offering a new approach. Check out more on FutureFood2050.com.
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