ESPN NBA Trade Machine: WAS - NO

Trade includes 2012 Washington Wizards Unprotected 1st Round Pick.

Washington Wizards
The Wizards have two workable pieces right now John Wall and JaVale McGee.  The whole team is made up of players that have a collective basketball IQ lower than than the number of capital letters in JaVale McGee.  If the Wizards want to stop being the laughing stock, and start being legitimate, then it is time to pair a real player with Wall.  A backcourt of Wall and Gordon is potentially the best in the league.  Wall needs help growing up, but he is playing around people who are only hurting that process.

The other issue is that the Wizards will have the 1st or 2nd overall pick and the choice right now is between two long players who both have some problems with basketball IQ.  Do that need another one?

New Orleans Hornets
The Hornets were not able to extend Eric Gordon.  He isn't going to be staying.  They should try to swing the best they can for him.  Without him playing, the Hornets should look for their pick in the draft to get even better.  The Hornets could very well end up with 3 lottery picks.  Wouldn't everyone be excited about the 2012-2013 New Orleans Hornets with Jarret Jack, Jeremy Lamb, Trevor Ariza, Jared Sullinger, and Andre Drummond?   And imagine if that Minnesota pick strikes gold?  They could have a Perry Jones, Sullinger, Anthony Davis front court.  I don't think they would have trouble selling that team.

ESPN NBA Trade Machine: HOU - LAC - LAL

Houston Rockets

Houston gets the player that they have always wanted.  Houston has been chasing a star for some time now.  Pau can team up on the front line with Samuel Dalembert for a pair of 7 footers.  The Rockets have a lot of depth, but if they want to be playoff contenders they need to continue to look for ways to upgrade the starting lineup.  Luis Scola's defense has reached new lows, but he is still a solid asset on offense.  He also would fit in much better with the Lakers.

Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers have a log jam at the point guard position.  They have Chris Paul, Mo Williams, Chauncey Billups, and Eric Bledsoe.  That is deeper than they need to be.  The place that they are really weak?  The front line.  The front line has absolutely no depth, and Jordan Hill's ability to play both the 4 and 5 will take a lot of pressure of DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffen.  Since the Machine doesn't let you show picks, it seems like the Clippers would be happy to take one of the Morris twins.  Morris is so buried on the Rockets' roster he has had some D-League time.

Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers have big holes in the roster all around their Big Three.  Finding a legitmate point guard and a three point shooter could change this team.  They can play a power forward in Scola that is better suited for the Mike Brown's offense than Gasol.  They also getting the expiring Thabeet deal and potentially some defensive help on the front line.

3...2...1 Takeoff, Rockets Win 6 Straight

The first thing I noticed from Macklin's predictable selection of McGee/Wall about 3 rounds too early was the dunk by McGee.  Granted the dunk made it to YouTube, but what I noticed first was the scoreboard.  Wall and McGee can throw up highlight dunks all day and win 10 games this season.  However, the Rockets were the ones winning that game.  They were the ones that went on to win.

The Rockets have cranked out 6 straight wins with a team that is highly balanced with a surprise rookie starter and the resurgence of the highly efficient Samuel Dalembert.  (If you are one of the three people who actually read this blog, please ignore my Dalembert rant earlier this year.)  The good news for the Rockets are who has helped to hold this team up.

Kyle Lowry is currently 17th in the NBA in John Hollinger's PER stat for Player Efficiency.  He continues to lead the team with scoring, passing, and even rebounding.  As mentioned before, Samuel Dalembert has also contributed on the offensive end with a PER of 21.82, making him the 24th most efficient player in the NBA.  In case you are wondering who is right behind him?  Blake Griffen and Marc Gasol.  Pau Gasol is currently 50th.   Currently only 4 teams have 2 players in the top 25 of PER.  The best team in the west, OKC, actually has three.

The Rockets are also getting a big contribution from Chandler Parsons.  Parsons a 2nd round pick out of Florida has contributed in a similar way as Lowry.  He seems to touch every aspect of the stat sheet.  While he doesn't throw up huge numbers its his knowledge of the game that seems to be the most exciting part about the young player.  It doesn't hurt that he throws up the occasional highlight dunk.

Ultimately, the Rockets could start being a difficult team to handle if they can get the performance they are used to from both Scola and Martin.  Martin has been coming on lately and has a lot to do with the Rockets winning these past 6 games.  Scola on the other hand can't seem to piece it all together this year.  With a logjam at power forward for Houston and little defensive support from Scola, it might be time for the Rockets to consider moving Scola.  There are a number of teams that would be interested in adding a stretch 4 to the roster.  I think the Rockets could get a late 1st round pick for the addition.

If the Rockets can keep getting good support off the bench (not terribly surprising considering their stockpile of deep talent) and added improvement by Kevin Martin and Scola, it wouldn't be terribly surprising to see this team take as high as the 5th playoff spot.

BELIEVE IT AGAIN!!!

John Wall, baby. John Wall.

NBA JAM draft pick 11: Wall/McGee, Wizkids

Not so fast, Thornton. Not quite the start of the only-one-good-player portion of the draft. After all, this is NBA JAM, not the real NBA -- there are only two players, and it's highlights that count more than anything. There's no more obvious pick here than the blazing fast Jimmy Wall and the freakish leaper Javale McGee.

Although they didn't win, the only proof we need was there for the taking in the Wizkid's game against the Rockets yesterday. Wall dropped a career-high 38, and McGee did this:



and together? child, please.