dukeswh
Bench
Even with training camp still over a month away, it's never too early to drop an updated Dime NBA Hit List.
1.Spurs
The best team in the League continues a flawless off-season. They signed Nick Van Exel as a backup to Tony Parker and as announced Thursday, San Antonio has won the Michael Finley free agent race. What can you say? How about "dynasty"?
2.Suns
Like the Heat, this is a team that has also significantly changed from last season. While they'll still run the floor, they added some lumber in the paint with Kurt Thomas and Brian Grant — both solid additions. Losing Joe Johnson hurts, as does not landing Michael Finley. But they'll still give the Spurs a serious run.
3.Pacers
We love the Pacers. Love them. Tough and scrappy, the Pacers fear no one. With a full lineup that boasts Sarunas Jasikevicius and an NBA-ready Danny Granger, barring some unforeseen catastrophe, they'll rep the East in the Finals.
4.Pistons
If it ain't broke don't fix it. Somebody should've told the Miami …
5.Heat
People will freak when they see that we have the Heat this low. They roll out strong with Flash and Shaq, but we're concerned about the team's chemistry with the all the new additions. Adding Michael Finley would help tremendously…
6.Mavericks
They're a team in transition, but still good enough to best the majority of the League. But as Dirk continues to improve, his longtime sidekicks are dropping like flies.
7.Cavaliers
The only Eastern Conference team to get after it more than the Bucks this summer has been the Cavs. They re-signed Z, and added Larry Hughes and Donyell Marshall — both signings designed to fill specific needs. Did we mention that they also have a cat named LeBron? Ridiculous.
8.Rockets
We like the Derek Anderson signing, if only for the competition it will create in camp. And, as always, the question headed into camp: Has Yao Ming improved his strength and conditioning in the off-season?
9.Nuggets
George Karl and Kiki went hard after Michael Finley, but to no avail. It looked like Spree was going to sign last week, which would help. But even if they do nab Spree, they're still a dead-eye sharpshooter away from being real contenders.
10Grizzlies
The Bobby Jackson/Damon Stoudamire pickups were solid. The Logo wins again.
11Kings
How nice of a fit is Shareef in Sac-Town? If he is solid and relatively healthy all season, the Kings could make some noise. We seriously question their toughness though. They've lost Bobby Jackson, Maurice Evans and look like they will probably lose Darius Songaila to the Bulls.
12.Timberwolves
KG was upset about losing Sam Cassell, but deep down he knows his team will be better in the long run. Not that that puts any pressure on you now,does it Marko?
13.Nets
The Nets are losing their momentum. They looked like they were making power moves just a few weeks ago when they were adding Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Aaron McKie. But after ‘Reef and Tractor Traylor both failed their physicals, they need to fill roster spots. What else is out there?
14.Bulls
They need to re-sign Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry. They don't have a choice. Bu the latest reports have the team and the Chandler camp a grim $12 million apart in their negotiations. If they lose one or both of those guys, the Bulls will drop on this list.
15.Warriors
Thoughts of catching late-night three-fests with Baron and J-Rich on the League Pass is getting us fired up for the season … Run and gun fellas.
16.Supersonics
Re-signing Damien Wilkens was a solid move, although losing out on free agent Dale Davis probably hurts Seattle. Dale has some miles on him, but the Sonics, even though they were able to re-sign Vitaly Potapenko, are short up front. Who's still available? A good place to start would be re-signing Vlad Radmonovic and Reggie Evans.
17.Bucks
Milwaukee's still riding the feel-good wave that started right after their Bogut/Simmons acquisitions. Bucks fans, keep your fingers crossed that T.J. Ford can be himself on the court.
18.Lakers
Don't sleep on the importance of the Lakers signing Aaron McKie. If he has anything left in the tank, he will play a major role in the team's success this season. He has size, he can defend, can drain standstill jumpers and can handle the ball. Kobe needs all the help he can get…
19.Celtics
It looks as if GP is almost 100% not coming back. Why? Because they now have a roster's worth of guys who can play the point. Marcus Banks, Delonte West, Orien Greene, Will Bynum and now, Dan Dickau. Point guard by committee? Sounds like a bad idea …
20.76ers
Philly's projected starting five — A.I., C-Webb, Sam Dalembert, Andre Iguodala and Kyle Korver — is as nice as any in the League. And we like Steven Hunter coming off the bench too. Other than that though, we're having trouble finding anyone left on their roster who can really play.
21.Wizards
The loss of Larry Hughes stings. How bad? We won't know until we see how badly their D suffers without Hughes in the mix. Caron Butler is a nice pickup and will bring some perimeter toughness and a little O as well.
22.Trail Blazers
The Blazers get love from us because their youth movement is officially on. Bassy, Jarret Jack, Travis Outlaw and Martell Webster will make for one of the most exciting mixes of young players in the L.
23.Magic
We see Dwight Howard making an Amare-like jump sooner rather than later. When that happens, he will own the East.
24.Jazz
The word is that Carlos Boozer has been working out like a madman this off-season and that his body fat is down to where Karl Malone's used to be in his prime. While Boozer is a big part of their success, guys like AK and Matt Harpring need to stay healthy for the Jazz to have at chance at really competing. It's been easier said than done for both of them…
25.Knicks
The Knicks used "The Allan Houston Clause" to cut … JYD?
26.Clippers
We dig Sam Cassell, we really do. And we understand that him having one year left on his contract was attractive to the Clippers. But for a team whose future is Shaun Livingston, we're not sure this is the best move they could have made. Will Sam be cool with sitting behind Shaun? He's already said he doesn't plan on coming off the bench…
27.Raptors
The more time we spend around Charlie Villanueva, the more we like him. We just hope he's ready for the scrutiny he's about to face in the T-Dot.
28.Bobcats
Keep an eye on the point guard battle that will go down in Bobcats training camp. Raymond Felton looked nice in summer league, averaging 13 points and a little more than five dimes per game in the Reebok Rocky Mountain Revue. While he certainly looks to be the future in Charlotte, the team did re-sign veteran Brevin Knight. Knight is no slouch — the dude finished second in the League in assists with nine a game last year — and he won't give up his spot easily.
29.Hawks
They finally got their man in Joe Johnson. Now that it's all done, here's the big question: Is he worth it? Show and prove, J.J. Show and prove.
30.Hornets
We caught up with Chris Paul over the summer and he's fired up and ready to attack the new season. Unfortunately, that won't mean many more wins for New Orleans.
1.Spurs
The best team in the League continues a flawless off-season. They signed Nick Van Exel as a backup to Tony Parker and as announced Thursday, San Antonio has won the Michael Finley free agent race. What can you say? How about "dynasty"?
2.Suns
Like the Heat, this is a team that has also significantly changed from last season. While they'll still run the floor, they added some lumber in the paint with Kurt Thomas and Brian Grant — both solid additions. Losing Joe Johnson hurts, as does not landing Michael Finley. But they'll still give the Spurs a serious run.
3.Pacers
We love the Pacers. Love them. Tough and scrappy, the Pacers fear no one. With a full lineup that boasts Sarunas Jasikevicius and an NBA-ready Danny Granger, barring some unforeseen catastrophe, they'll rep the East in the Finals.
4.Pistons
If it ain't broke don't fix it. Somebody should've told the Miami …
5.Heat
People will freak when they see that we have the Heat this low. They roll out strong with Flash and Shaq, but we're concerned about the team's chemistry with the all the new additions. Adding Michael Finley would help tremendously…
6.Mavericks
They're a team in transition, but still good enough to best the majority of the League. But as Dirk continues to improve, his longtime sidekicks are dropping like flies.
7.Cavaliers
The only Eastern Conference team to get after it more than the Bucks this summer has been the Cavs. They re-signed Z, and added Larry Hughes and Donyell Marshall — both signings designed to fill specific needs. Did we mention that they also have a cat named LeBron? Ridiculous.
8.Rockets
We like the Derek Anderson signing, if only for the competition it will create in camp. And, as always, the question headed into camp: Has Yao Ming improved his strength and conditioning in the off-season?
9.Nuggets
George Karl and Kiki went hard after Michael Finley, but to no avail. It looked like Spree was going to sign last week, which would help. But even if they do nab Spree, they're still a dead-eye sharpshooter away from being real contenders.
10Grizzlies
The Bobby Jackson/Damon Stoudamire pickups were solid. The Logo wins again.
11Kings
How nice of a fit is Shareef in Sac-Town? If he is solid and relatively healthy all season, the Kings could make some noise. We seriously question their toughness though. They've lost Bobby Jackson, Maurice Evans and look like they will probably lose Darius Songaila to the Bulls.
12.Timberwolves
KG was upset about losing Sam Cassell, but deep down he knows his team will be better in the long run. Not that that puts any pressure on you now,does it Marko?
13.Nets
The Nets are losing their momentum. They looked like they were making power moves just a few weeks ago when they were adding Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Aaron McKie. But after ‘Reef and Tractor Traylor both failed their physicals, they need to fill roster spots. What else is out there?
14.Bulls
They need to re-sign Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry. They don't have a choice. Bu the latest reports have the team and the Chandler camp a grim $12 million apart in their negotiations. If they lose one or both of those guys, the Bulls will drop on this list.
15.Warriors
Thoughts of catching late-night three-fests with Baron and J-Rich on the League Pass is getting us fired up for the season … Run and gun fellas.
16.Supersonics
Re-signing Damien Wilkens was a solid move, although losing out on free agent Dale Davis probably hurts Seattle. Dale has some miles on him, but the Sonics, even though they were able to re-sign Vitaly Potapenko, are short up front. Who's still available? A good place to start would be re-signing Vlad Radmonovic and Reggie Evans.
17.Bucks
Milwaukee's still riding the feel-good wave that started right after their Bogut/Simmons acquisitions. Bucks fans, keep your fingers crossed that T.J. Ford can be himself on the court.
18.Lakers
Don't sleep on the importance of the Lakers signing Aaron McKie. If he has anything left in the tank, he will play a major role in the team's success this season. He has size, he can defend, can drain standstill jumpers and can handle the ball. Kobe needs all the help he can get…
19.Celtics
It looks as if GP is almost 100% not coming back. Why? Because they now have a roster's worth of guys who can play the point. Marcus Banks, Delonte West, Orien Greene, Will Bynum and now, Dan Dickau. Point guard by committee? Sounds like a bad idea …
20.76ers
Philly's projected starting five — A.I., C-Webb, Sam Dalembert, Andre Iguodala and Kyle Korver — is as nice as any in the League. And we like Steven Hunter coming off the bench too. Other than that though, we're having trouble finding anyone left on their roster who can really play.
21.Wizards
The loss of Larry Hughes stings. How bad? We won't know until we see how badly their D suffers without Hughes in the mix. Caron Butler is a nice pickup and will bring some perimeter toughness and a little O as well.
22.Trail Blazers
The Blazers get love from us because their youth movement is officially on. Bassy, Jarret Jack, Travis Outlaw and Martell Webster will make for one of the most exciting mixes of young players in the L.
23.Magic
We see Dwight Howard making an Amare-like jump sooner rather than later. When that happens, he will own the East.
24.Jazz
The word is that Carlos Boozer has been working out like a madman this off-season and that his body fat is down to where Karl Malone's used to be in his prime. While Boozer is a big part of their success, guys like AK and Matt Harpring need to stay healthy for the Jazz to have at chance at really competing. It's been easier said than done for both of them…
25.Knicks
The Knicks used "The Allan Houston Clause" to cut … JYD?
26.Clippers
We dig Sam Cassell, we really do. And we understand that him having one year left on his contract was attractive to the Clippers. But for a team whose future is Shaun Livingston, we're not sure this is the best move they could have made. Will Sam be cool with sitting behind Shaun? He's already said he doesn't plan on coming off the bench…
27.Raptors
The more time we spend around Charlie Villanueva, the more we like him. We just hope he's ready for the scrutiny he's about to face in the T-Dot.
28.Bobcats
Keep an eye on the point guard battle that will go down in Bobcats training camp. Raymond Felton looked nice in summer league, averaging 13 points and a little more than five dimes per game in the Reebok Rocky Mountain Revue. While he certainly looks to be the future in Charlotte, the team did re-sign veteran Brevin Knight. Knight is no slouch — the dude finished second in the League in assists with nine a game last year — and he won't give up his spot easily.
29.Hawks
They finally got their man in Joe Johnson. Now that it's all done, here's the big question: Is he worth it? Show and prove, J.J. Show and prove.
30.Hornets
We caught up with Chris Paul over the summer and he's fired up and ready to attack the new season. Unfortunately, that won't mean many more wins for New Orleans.
