1.  If you were a GM and the NBA was redrafting, who would your top 3 picks be in order?

If you’re a GM and don’t take Lebron first, you would be assassinated by the owner of your team you’re GMing.  Beyond the fact that James would make tons of money in TV/Tickets/Merchandise sales, James is having one of the best single seasons of any NBA player ever.  At only 25, James is averaging 28-7-7 with a 47% FG percentage.  He may possibly be the first NBA player ever to win player of the month EVERY MONTH in a season.

The debate is more interesting for the 2^nd pick.  I’m not taking a player under 30 (sorry Kobe), I want someone that’s level-headed but gets pissed when needed (sorry Dwight Howard).  I also want a SF or SG because they can create offense and win games more easily than any other position with the way the NBA is right now (sorry Chris Paul).  I also want to avoid anyone that has had serious injuries and/or is at serious risk for injuries (Sorry Dwayne Wade).  I’m going with Carmelo Anthony as my 2^nd pick.  He’s one of the best players at getting to the basket (even better than Wade and Lebron) a solid rebounder and he’s only 25.

Kevin Durant is my 3^rd pick, barely behind Melo.  Despite his better numbers and younger age, I can’t take Durant ahead of Melo until I see how Durant does in the playoffs.  I think Durant has a much higher ceiling than Melo, but you’re rolling the dice until you know how Durant handles the gritty battle of a NBA playoff series

2.  What player would you want to take the last shot with the game on the line?

I’m looking to the 08 Olympics to choose this answer, which goes to Kobe Bryant.  When team USA needed a go to guy, Kobe was the man.  Kobe has been in that situation numerous times, and team USA deferred to him because of it.  I have no idea which guy i’m taking if its 4-5 years down the road when Kobe is past his prime, but I don’t see who else you could take besides Kobe.

3.  Which player do you believe makes other players on his team better more than any other player?

In addition to being the focal point of the offense, Lebron’s passing instincts put him head and shoulders above all of the other NBA superstars.  James is as good of a passer as most starting PG’s in the NBA.  You can’t tell me the 09-10 Cavs supporting cast win more than 40 games without Lebron.

I think many people feel a PG such as Chris Paul is the choice, but I would disagree.  Paul is all about making his teammates better because of his passing, but Paul is much more limited in his offensive game compared to Lebron.  James not only can pass like a PG, but his offensive game forces defenses to double team him, which allows Lebron’s teammates to get more open looks.

4.  In 2013, who do you anticipate being the best player in the league?

Lebron James has to be the front runner for  best player in the league four years from now.  The biggest roadblock for Lebron James is “Lebron James.”  Does he have the desire to win NBA championships? The sports betting record for this team has been phenomenal due to him.  Will he be focused on becoming a global icon? An NBA champion? statistical records?  I honestly think that Lebron wants to win rings.  2-3 years ago, I thought the hype was put on Lebron too soon.  He would take nights off against mediocre teams and do “just enough” to win games.  Lebron wasn’t improving his weaknesses and I thought he would be content with just being a talented freak.  Now, he plays his heart out every night and is working hard on improving every aspect of his game.  In the right situation, Lebron should be on top of the NBA four years from now.

5.  In 2018, who do you anticipate being the best player in the league?

This should be a two headed race between Lebron and Kevin Durant.  Durant is a better offensive player than Lebron was at 21, at least as good of a rebounder despite weighing about 20-30 pounds less, and could potentially play on a better team than Lebron if OKC can keep their core players together.

Durant also has potential to become an awesome defender.  I’d compare Durant’s ceiling as a defender to a Josh Smith, if he dedicated more of his game to that end.  In eight years, Durant will be in his prime while Lebron will be somewhat past it.   If Durant stayed with OKC, I think he will drastically improve his defensive prowess because of OKC’s emphasis on defense and a Josh Smith comparison is realistic. To answer the question, I have to give the edge to Durant over Lebron.

6.  Who is the most underrated player in the league?

Tim Duncan would have been my easy choice for the past 5 years, but age has caught up to him and I can’t say he’s that underrated anymore.  I’m going to have to go with Steve Nash.  Everyone keeps saying Nash is past his prime, yet he still leads the NBA in assists and proves he has value in the NBA.  Nash is having one of his best seasons of his career, (17.6 PPG, 11.2 AST, 52% FG).  I don’t necessarily think Nash is the best PG in the NBA, but I don’t think people even put Nash in the discussion and he should be up there with Paul, Williams, Rose, Rondo, etc.

7.  Who gets the least production out of his immense talent?

Despite being physically gifted, on a contract year and a possible playoff contender, Rudy Gay is still not playing inspired basketball.  On offense, Gay settles for long jumpers and three pointers, but he is a terrible shooter (30% 3-point this year). Once Gay gets the ball, he turns on his tunnel vision and won’t look to pass the ball.

At 6’9” with a long wingspan and quick hands, Gay gets decent steal/block numbers, but you have to watch him to really see how bad a defender he is.   Gay doesn’t care to do things like fight through screens or play help defense and it shows on the court.  Gay has all the physical tools to become a perennial all-star, but he refuses to develop his game to that level.

8.  If you had all sorts of cap space and Lebron wasn’t available, who would you try to sign this offseason?

If I couldn’t get Lebron, the only other guys that I am paying max conracts for are Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade.  A max contract player should be talented enough to lead a team to a championship.  The other guys that want superstar money, (Stoudemire, Joe Johnson), don’t have what it takes to lead a team.

If I can’t get Bosh or Wade at max deals, I’m targeting young guys that are restricted free agents on teams potentially over the cap because there are less bidders and the team with the rights to the player probably won’t match your offer.  Of these guys, I’m going for players like Tyrus Thomas, Josh Childress, or Randy Foye.  None of these guys should get more than the mid-level exception and the teams with the players shouldn’t match my offer.

The final guy I want is David Lee.  He is arguably the best rebounder in the NBA and would be a perfect sidekick at a decent price (10 mil a year maybe if I’m lucky?)  Lee is worth up to 12-13 mil a year in my opinion, but Lee could be a bargain since the FA market is full of good players.