The BDT Podcast (June 28)

The star of the 2012 NBA Draft?

Jon gets his computer fixed (sorta) just in time to talk NBA draft with Laney.


MP3 File

NBA Mock Draft

Stern getting booed at the podium...easily one of the most entertaining moments in sports.

The NBA Draft is Thursday night, which means…

MOCK DRAFT TIME!!!

Look, I won’t lie; doing NBA mock drafts is probably my favorite thing in the entire world. It’s a time for speculation, guessing, and rejecting conventional wisdom…you know, the things I excel at. The best part is that come Thursday night, we’ll all be wrong and nobody will have to feel bad about themselves. Well, except for the Charlotte Bobcats who are going to draft the fourth or fifth best player with the second pick. Other than that…

Before we start, let me give you a fair warning. This mock draft will NOT look like other mock drafts. If you want to read a cookie cutter mock draft based on Chad Ford’s mock draft, then you should probably just go and actually read Chad Ford’s mock draft. Instead, as with any Boris Diaw Time mock draft, I will be picking based on what I would do if I were the owner/GM of the team as opposed to what I think will happen in the actual draft. Again, this is not in any way a predictive mock draft. Also, if I say ‘mock draft’ one more time, I’m going to punch myself in the face.

Let’s move on to the … (sound of me punching myself in the face).

The NBA Offseason Tip Sheet: Pacific Division

No one in their right mind would suggest THIS GUY as an ideal move, right?

Now that the Finals are over and the actual games are done, the focus has shifted from the practice facility to the combine, from game planning to cap management. From now until next fall, the game is a radically different one, one where mere competency seems to be a rare luxury and one where panic and stupidity typically rule the day.

Yes, it’s the NBA offseason, the time of the year where fat players like Big Baby Davis get even fatter contracts! Why do they get these contracts? Perhaps the Magic also own a struggling chain of local buffets…we may never know. (If that is the case, then I expect them to throw BIIIIIIIIG money at Boris Diaw)

It’s no secret that the offseason is not always the NBA’s finest hour. Draft picks are constantly wasted, max contracts handed out to secondary players, and role players courted like superstars. It really is a mess. A big, giant, tragic mess. And even with a new CBA in place last fall, the league’s top executives STILL couldn’t stop making idiotic moves!

Since common sense is such a struggle for these people, I thought I’d take the time and offer a helping hand this offseason. Each team needs to make a move or decision of some kind, whether it be big or small, and I’m going to give each and every team one such move they should make.  As we move through the Western Conference, we now look at the Southwest Division. In case you missed them, here are the previous tip sheets:

Atlantic Division

Central Division

Southeast Division

Northwest Division

Southwest Division 

 

The NBA Offseason Tip Sheet: Southwest Division

There's no good reason why this blog isn't called "It's Dragic Time!"

Now that the Finals are over and the actual games are done, the focus has shifted from the practice facility to the combine, from game planning to cap management. From now until next fall, the game is a radically different one, one where mere competency seems to be a rare luxury and one where panic and stupidity typically rule the day.

Yes, it’s the NBA offseason, the time of the year where fat players like Big Baby Davis get even fatter contracts! Why do they get these contracts? Perhaps the Magic also own a struggling chain of local buffets…we may never know. (If that is the case, then I expect them to throw BIIIIIIIIG money at Boris Diaw)

It’s no secret that the offseason is not always the NBA’s finest hour. Draft picks are constantly wasted, max contracts handed out to secondary players, and role players courted like superstars. It really is a mess. A big, giant, tragic mess. And even with a new CBA in place last fall, the league’s top executives STILL couldn’t stop making idiotic moves!

Since common sense is such a struggle for these people, I thought I’d take the time and offer a helping hand this offseason. Each team needs to make a move or decision of some kind, whether it be big or small, and I’m going to give each and every team one such move they should make.  As we move through the Western Conference, we now look at the Southwest Division. In case you missed them, here are the previous tip sheets:

Atlantic Division

Central Division

Southeast Division

Northwest Division

The NBA Offseason Tip Sheet: Northwest Division

Because we all need a little more JaVale in our lives...

Now that the Finals are over and the actual games are done, the focus has shifted from the practice facility to the combine, from game planning to cap management. From now until next fall, the game is a radically different one, one where mere competency seems to be a rare luxury and one where panic and stupidity typically rule the day.

Yes, it’s the NBA offseason, the time of the year where fat players like Big Baby Davis get even fatter contracts! Why do they get these contracts? Perhaps the Magic also own a struggling chain of local buffets…we may never know. (If that is the case, then I expect them to throw BIIIIIIIIG money at Boris Diaw)

It’s no secret that the offseason is not always the NBA’s finest hour. Draft picks are constantly wasted, max contracts handed out to secondary players, and role players courted like superstars. It really is a mess. A big, giant, tragic mess. And even with a new CBA in place last fall, the league’s top executives STILL couldn’t stop making idiotic moves!

Since common sense is such a struggle for these people, I thought I’d take the time and offer a helping hand this offseason. Each team needs to make a move or decision of some kind, whether it be big or small, and I’m going to give each and every team one such move they should make.  We’re on to the Western Conference, starting with the Northwest Division. In case you missed them, here are the previous tip sheets:

AtlanticDivision

CentralDivision

SoutheastDivision

Lebron James, the Mercenary King

This makes me ill...

And just like that, the best running gag in the NBA is over. Cheering against Lebron James and the Heat these past two years has been completely engrossing. Watching them struggle out of the gate, seeing Lebron constantly melt under the spotlight, hearing his bitter post-Finals press conference last year, laughing as they endured the “good job, good effort” non-taunt; it was everything a “hater” like me could have asked for. I craved their failure.

No more.

All good things must come to an end, and, as I said, this gag has definitely ended. Lebron ensured as much when he threw down a triple-double in the biggest game of his career. In some ways (very small ways), it’s almost a relief to finally get this over with, if only because we don’t have to endure many of the senseless Lebron James debates anymore. Is Lebron a winner? Can he ever win the big one? Why won’t he take the big shot? Is his legacy ruined? These are stupid questions asked by stupid media members, and I’m quite content to be done with many of them. Even a Lebron hating dope like me knows it’s a hopeless overreaction to believe Lebron couldn’t win a title simply because he lost the last one.

NBA Finals Game 4: What Really Happened

Note to Thunder: THIS ISN'T WORKING! TRY SOMETHING ELSE!

Leave it to the sports media to completely muck up and over complicate what should be a straight forward event. Anymore, that seems to be what they do best.

Earlier in the day, I wrote approximately 1000 words on Game 4. I wrote about what went wrong for OKC, and how big a disaster this series has been. Believe me, what you are reading now does not even remotely resemble what I wrote earlier. It's not that I hate what I previously wrote (that's a lie...I do), it's that the content is completely irrelevant 24 hours after the game.

For one, I sincerely doubt you need to read an additional 200 words on how bad James Harden has been. Yes, he's been horrendous. Yes, it was shocking to see his end of game hesitation, when he essentially turned into the high school benchwarmer who only plays at the end of blowouts. You know this already! Why would you need me to tell you about it again? Same goes for Scotty Brooks being a giant dope, and Kendrick Perkins being something beyond useless. Those topics have been touched on a million times already thanks to ESPN's relentless coverage.

The NBA Offseason Tip Sheet: Southeast Division

Byron "Don't call me B.J." Mullens...franchise player...

Even though the Finals are far from over, this past NBA season is done and over with for 28 teams. For those clubs, the focus has shifted from the practice facility to the combine, from game planning to cap management. From now until next fall, the game is a radically different one, one where mere competency seems to be a rare luxury and one where panic and stupidity typically rule the day.

Yes, it’s the NBA offseason, the time of the year where fat players like Big Baby Davis get even fatter contracts! Why do they get these contracts? Perhaps the Magic also own a struggling chain of local buffets…we may never know. (If that is the case, then I expect them to throw BIIIIIIIIG money at Boris Diaw)

It’s no secret that the offseason is not always the NBA’s finest hour. Draft picks are constantly wasted, max contracts handed out to secondary players, and role players courted like superstars. It really is a mess. A big, giant, tragic mess. And even with a new CBA in place last fall, the league’s top executives STILL couldn’t stop making idiotic moves!

Since common sense is such a struggle for these people, I thought I’d take the time and offer a helping hand this offseason. Each team needs to make a move or decision of some kind, whether it be big or small, and I’m going to give each and every team one such move they should make.  We're on to the Southeast Division to finish up the Eastern Conference. In case you missed them, here are the previous Tip Sheets:

Atlantic Division

Central Division

The NBA Offseason Tip Sheet: Central Division

If I ever decide to do a "Least Trade Value" rankings, Charlie V. will be my star.

Even though the Finals are far from over, this past NBA season is done and over with for 28 teams. For those clubs, the focus has shifted from the practice facility to the combine, from game planning to cap management. From now until next fall, the game is a radically different one, one where mere competency seems to be a rare luxury and one where panic and stupidity typically rule the day.

Yes, it’s the NBA offseason, the time of the year where fat players like Big Baby Davis get even fatter contracts! Why do they get these contracts? Perhaps the Magic also own a struggling chain of local buffets…we may never know. (If that is the case, then I expect them to throw BIIIIIIIIG money at Boris Diaw)

It’s no secret that the offseason is not always the NBA’s finest hour. Draft picks are constantly wasted, max contracts handed out to secondary players, and role players courted like superstars. It really is a mess. A big, giant, tragic mess. And even with a new CBA in place last fall, the league’s top executives STILL couldn’t stop making idiotic moves!

Since common sense is such a struggle for these people, I thought I’d take the time and offer a helping hand this offseason. Each team needs to make a move or decision of some kind, whether it be big or small, and I’m going to give each and every team one such move they should make. We're now on the Central Division, slowly making our way through the NBA.

In case you missed it, here were my tips for the Atlantic Division.

The NBA Offseason Tip Sheet - Atlantic Division

The poster child of the NBA offseason, wearing the most ironic shirt ever.

Even though the Finals are far from over, this past NBA season is done and over with for 28 teams. For those clubs, the focus has shifted from the practice facility to the combine, from game planning to cap management. From now until next fall, the game is a radically different one, one where mere competency seems to be a rare luxury and one where panic and stupidity typically rule the day.

Yes, it’s the NBA offseason, the time of the year where fat players like Big Baby Davis get even fatter contracts! Why do they get these contracts? Perhaps the Magic also own a struggling chain of local buffets…we may never know. (If that is the case, then I expect them to throw BIIIIIIIIG money at Boris Diaw)

It’s no secret that the offseason is not always the NBA’s finest hour. Draft picks are constantly wasted, max contracts handed out to secondary players, and role players courted like superstars. It really is a mess. A big, giant, tragic mess. And even with a new CBA in place last fall, the league’s top executives STILL couldn’t stop making idiotic moves!

Since common sense is such a struggle for these people, I thought I’d take the time and offer a helping hand this offseason. Each team needs to make a move or decision of some kind, whether it be big or small, and I’m going to give each and every team one such move they should make.  We’ll start with the Atlantic Division and work our way through the league.

Good Job? Good Effort?

This SHOULD have been the defining moment of the series...

Good job. Good effort.

After the Celtics epic Game 5 victory, concluded by this epic unintentional taunt of Lebron and the Heat, I pictured myself writing something very different than what I’m about to write. I imagined it as the most deliriously joyful two hours of writing any man, woman, or child could ever hope to experience. I wrote it dozens of times in my head, each time formulating new and cruel ways to incorporate “good job, good effort” in my never ending quest to mercilessly pound Lebron into the ground.

It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. I wasn’t supposed to be writing THIS column.

What the Lottery Winners Actually Won

Congrats, Monty! What did you really win?

My first thought was to write an NBA draft lottery “Winners and Losers” piece, but before I got too far into it I realized that 1.) it’s been five full days since the draft lottery and everyone – and I do mean LITERALLY everyone – has written one, and 2.) I won’t be breaking any ground in telling you who won and who lost. Yes, the New Orleans Hornets are winners. Yes, the Charlotte Bobcats are losers (in every way possible). And yes, Anthony Davis can stop anxiously pulling out his uni-brow now that he knows he won’t be a member of those Bobcats. We all know this, and it would be a tremendous waste of your time to read another of these columns.

What wouldn’t be wasteful, and what has been largely ignored, is proper perspective. Columnists and draft experts have spent countless hours telling us who the winners and losers are, but what they haven’t told us is what a winner and a loser looks like. How disastrous, exactly, was Charlotte’s fall from #1 to #2? How monumental was New Orleans’ rise from #4 to #1? These questions can’t truly be answered until years down the road, but a historical perspective of what the draft yields can certainly give us a good idea of what to expect. To that end, I’ve slowly pieced together a spread sheet detailing every draft pick since 1985. This spreadsheet compiles totals and averages for how many years a player played, how many games he played, how many All-Star games he made, how many All-NBA teams he was selected to, how many minutes/points/rebounds/assists he averaged per game, his career Player Efficiency Rating, and how many Estimated Wins Added he brought to his team, both total and per season.

The BDT Podcast (Jun 1)

Look, it's the only guy who played hard in the Pro Bowl...

Jon and Prince perform the three most noble tasks a sports fan can possibly perform; condemning the Pro Bowl, making fun of ESPN, and trying to fix college athletics.


MP3 File