Many of us can be a little superstitious when it comes to certain things, and NBA players (they're human?!) do as well. Here are the 10 weirdest superstitions current and former NBA players have had. If there are any others you know of please comment below.
10. Kevin Garnett eats a PB &J before every game
Ben
Gordon once brought a PB & J to the Bobcats locker room and Tyrus
Thomas gave him flack for it, but I bet Thomas wouldn't even try making
fun of KG. Garnett even got the whole Celtics team into his ritual while
he was a player there and it seems like it did wonders for them in his
inaugural 2008 year.
9. Mike Bibby and his nail clippers
Mike Bibby used to bite and chew his nails when he would go to the bench as a Sacramento King, and he would never stop the habit. That is until someone from the Kings' staff (I'm guessing a person with above average intellect) handed Bibby a nail clipper because it was kind of nasty watching Bibby just biting away. Bibby has now clipped his nails hygienically ever since.
8. Brian Shaw never clipped his nails on game days
After Bibby, we now have Shaw doing the opposite. The new Nuggets coach admitted to never clipping his nails on game days during his career, because his fingertips would feel "weird". Not a really crazy superstition but its one that he expressly lived by nonetheless.
7. Caron Butler used to drink a 2 liter bottle of Mountain Dew before and during games.
Butler literally used to drink half his 2 liter bottle before a game, and he would drink the rest at halftime. Considering that that's very unhealthy (and it could make your penis smaller), the Washington Wizards banned him from doing this while he was on the team. I would too if my player was doing the Dew.
6. Jerry West would drive the same streets every time to the Forum
Jerry West used to drive to the Forum on game days and he would take the exact same streets each time no matter what. It's very interesting to hear that even West, who we now know as a very calm, normal man was very superstitious in his heyday.
5. Darrell Armstrong drank a coffee with 7 packets of sugar before each game
Armstrong isn't in the league any more, but I'm sure he could've stayed a bit longer with that kind of persistence with coffee. He also ate two pieces of candy at halftime of each game. I feel like he should've kept this ritual before the infamous 1996 dunk contest where he simply laid it up.
4. Ray Allen has a crazy routine
Ray Allen, before each
game, takes a 90-minute nap at 11:30 in the
morning, has chicken and white rice for lunch at 2:30, shaves his head
and steps on to the court at precisely 4:30, and then practices shooting
for three hours. EVERY GAME DAY. That's actual OCD, I really hope Ray
Allen sees a doctor about the issue. Or maybe not, I mean he's perfectly
fine being a 2-time champion and record holder of most 3 point field
goals over a career, I guess.
3. Rajon Rondo takes 5 hot showers on game day
Rajon
Rondo takes the last shower exactly 45 minutes before tipoff, and he must have some really dry skin. How is it possible to take
that many showers in one day, let alone hot ones. I think the most I've ever topped out at
is 4. Apparently he takes that many showers, because he does his best thinking in the water (Alright Merman Rondo). I honestly want to know how long each shower is because that could be up to an hour per day of just simply showering.
2. Jason Terry wears the shorts of the opponent before he goes to sleep.
Jason
Terry is an absolute freak for doing this. He has so many connections
around the league that he gets the opposing teams' shorts before each
game (if they have updated logos on their shorts) and he wears the
shorts the night before he plays them. He also played with Mike Bibby at
Arizona so I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree in the
college sense as well.
1. Michael Jordan wore his UNC shorts under his Bulls shorts during gamesThe
famous reason we all wear long shorts now is because of MJ. He would
wear his lucky North Carolina shorts under his Bulls shorts, so he would
always need longer shorts to cover them up. Hence people started
following Jordan's "fashion statement" and we all wear long shorts now. I
would personally like to thank MJ for such a huge advancement for society.
Before the new CBA, teams were handing out ridiculous
contracts like grocery store coupons. There are so many horrible contracts in
the NBA it’s unbearable. Every team has
at least one overpaid player that makes you think, “If only that team didn’t
have him, they could go out and sign the guy they really need.” Let’s take a look at some of the worst
contracts today. All contracts are based
on the time that they actually signed their respective contracts.
10. Gerald Wallace,
Boston Celtics, (4 year, 40$)
This just didn’t make sense.
It made just as little of sense as trading their first round pick to
Portland, which turned out to be Damian Lillard. Someone else they could have taken: Harrison
Barnes. Ouch… The Nets, who were digging really deep into
their pockets to pay the rest of their starting five, went out and signed
Gerald Wallace for 4 years. His defense has deteriorated and he’s a shell of
himself offensively. Then again, it’s
not exactly easy to play offense with Williams, Lopez, and Johnson surrounding
you. It only took one year for the Nets
to ship him to Boston, along with Humphries, so that they could try building
another super team to contend in the East.
As for Boston, they’re in the rebuilding process whether Danny Ainge
says they are or not. A lot of Boston
fans don’t love this move because they have to live with Wallace for three
years, but if they want to be bad then this is what they needed to do. The upcoming draft is the best in years, so
taking Wallace’s remaining $30 million makes some sense. Here’s a bright side for Wallace: There won’t
be the “win this year or else” pressure he had in Brooklyn now that he’s on a
rebuilding team. I think he’ll play more
efficiently than he did in Brooklyn, but nothing special. If he can just play some defense and not
shoot 40% from the field like he did this year, it won’t be so bad for the
Celtics.
9. Danny Granger, Indiana Pacers (5
year, 60$)
Anything can happen with Granger at this point. He can either turn out to be a blessing in
disguise for the Pacers, or almost worthless like this last season. He only played in five games this year and
was completely irrelevant for all of them.
When they first signed him, the Pacers believed they found their star of
the future. He actually was a really
good player when they first inked him.
He put up 25 points and 5 rebounds a game before he signed, and still
put up 24 and 5 the following year. But
his low field goal percentage and slowly decreasing stats became glaring as the
years went on. Before he got injured, he
was averaging 18 points a game, 5 rebounds, but shooting a low 41% from the
field. The year before he was shooting
42% while putting up 20 a game. Unless
you’re Allen Iverson, the best player on the team can’t be shooting that low
for so many seasons. At this point I’m
not sure what will happen to Danny Granger.
Some think he’ll come back and have a very good year. The only time he’s played 82 games was his
second year in the league, so that’s not a good sign. Regardless, he’ll be taking a backseat to
Paul George and possibly Roy Hibbert (if he can still average 17 ppg like he
did in the playoffs). That is unless
he’s traded, which is a real possibility.
Rumors floated around that an Eric Bledsoe / Danny Granger swap was
being discussed. The Pacers would’ve definitely
been my Finals pick if that trade went through.
8. Nene Hilario, Washington Wizards (5
year, 65$)
At one point he had the highest field goal percentage in the
league (61.5% in 2010 – 2011) while putting up 14.5 points and 7.6 rebounds (he
also shot 71% from the line). He was a
difference maker for the Nuggets and a very valuable player for their
team. However, when Washington was
finally fed up with the Javale Mcgee experiment he was involved in a trade that
sent Nene to Washington. In my opinion,
this was a huge win for the Nuggets and for a few reasons. They first got out of almost all the $65
million they owed him by trading him at the deadline. In return they got a young, athletic, but
boneheaded (emphasis on boneheaded) center.
His only real offense is getting the finishing passes on pick and rolls
from Andre Miller and dunks, but his enormous wingspan and athleticism make him
valuable. I’m surprised George Karl
didn’t feature him more in such an “up and down the floor” offense as opposed
to using Nene. For the playing time
Mcgee got, he’s a little overpaid. But
I’d rather pay him than Nene at this point in their careers. I have more faith in the young and improving
Mcgee rather than the aging Nene. His
field goal percentage dropped to 48% and he was constantly out injured. He won’t even be featured much with the newly
signed John Wall, up and coming Bradley Beal, and their new small forward Otto
Porter. He’ll be taking a backseat for
$13 million a year. He’s being paid like
the second best player on a good team, except the Wizards haven’t proven
anything. If he can at least play solid
defense and shoot a high percentage from the field, he won’t be doing
Washington an injustice for the next several years.
7. Andrew Bogut, Golden State Warriors (5
year, 60$)
Bogut is somewhat of a different situation than the rest of
the players on this list. His $13
million was ridiculous last year and his $14 million is even worse this
year. He’s always out injured so not
only are the Warriors overpaying him but they only got 32 games out of him (44
including playoffs). Once in a while we
see some sparks of his offensive game, but that’s once in a very long
while. However, Golden State needs
him. Trading away Monta Ellis to the
Bucks was the right thing to do. They
got rid of the often ball hogging Ellis for the low post defender they
needed. This also allowed Steph Curry to
control the ball more as well as Klay Thompson becoming the starting shooting
guard. Instead of Ellis jacking up a
ridiculous amount of shots, they now have the perfect floor spacer to
compliment Steph Curry. Although Bogut
is highly overpaid, he is a great fit for their team. Yes he only puts up 6 points a game but with
the Splash Bros., David Lee, the emerging Harrison Barnes, and the newly
acquired Andre Iguodala surrounding him, his last job is to score. His shot blocking and defense are what Golden
State relies on, and they won’t be getting very far in the playoffs without
him. Bogut may only have 1 year left,
but it was still a “Bo-gus” trade (see what I did there?).
6. Kendrick Perkins, Oklahoma City Thunder
(5 year, 39$)
To be honest, GM Sam Presti was just really excited to get
the low post presence he needed to contend in the West. Durant and Ibaka were limiting Jeff Green, so
it only made sense to address their most glaring weakness. But why would Presti extend him for five
years at $39 million? The once known
“Dwight Howard stopper” was able to give headaches to Howard and other great
centers around the league, but in return gave his own team headaches with his
horrific offense. He could only score
points from getting wide open dunks, shots within four feet of the basket, and
the charity stripe and maybe not even that. HE ALSO NEVER SMILES! He can still grab rebounds
efficiently and his offense really isn’t needed when you have Durant and
Westbrook running the show, but he’s being paid like the third or fourth best
player on a team. There are many more
cost efficient centers that could step in and take Perkins’ role. At one point, Sam Presti was regarded as one
of the smartest general managers in the league.
But ever since he traded away James Harden, his reputation has been
damaged more than Greg Oden’s knees. The
trade was without a doubt one of the worst in NBA history since they gave up
Harden for practically nothing. If only
they had dealt Perkins and his horrible contract there could have been at least
one bright spot for Oklahoma City.
Darryl Morey would have still gone through with the trade.
5. Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando Magic (5
year, 53$)
Remember how important Hedo was to the 2009 Magic’s playoff
run? He and Rashard Lewis were Dwight’s
most valuable teammates since they were capable of spacing the floor so
well. Turkoglu is being paid like a star
but is without a doubt far from one. In
fact, Hedo has been completely insignificant (and more of a problem) this
entire year. After stints in Toronto and Phoenix, he found his way back to
Orlando, but now more expensive than the first time (originally he signed with
them for 6 years, $36.7 million. Toronto
signed him for the 5 year deal). This
last year he only played in eleven games and averaged 2.9 points, 2.4 rebounds,
and 2.1 assists. He could have played in
twenty more if he wasn’t caught juicing, but I guess he did Orlando a favor by
saving them 3 million dollars.
4. Andris Biedrins, Utah Jazz (6
year, 54$)
The final year of Andris Biedrins’ head-scratching contract
has finally arrived. It’s still baffling
and nearly impossible to understand why Golden State would offer the skinny,
offensively atrocious seven footer $54 million.
Yes, at one point he was a good rebounder, averaging 12 points and 11
rebounds in 2008 – 2009. But that’s
literally it, and he was still overpaid.
As the years went on he has progressively gotten worse. This last year he played in 53 games and
grabbed 3 rebounds and put up 0.5 points.
Wait, what? He couldn’t even put
up one point a game and he was collecting $9 million? He should have been thrown in jail for
robbing the Warriors the last several years!
Let’s not ignore his free throw shooting either. The last four years he’s averaged 16% (’09 –
’10), 32% (’10 – ’11), 11% (’11 – ’12), and 30% (’12 – ’13). Sorry if that made you queasy. I actually can’t wait to see what happens now
that he was dealt to Utah (so that the Warriors could sign Iguodala). I’m either going to be surprised with what
he’ll do with the minutes he’ll receive from the tanking Utah Jazz, or I’ll
laugh for a solid two hours as I watch him play without one post move in his
arsenal. Actually, Biedrins will be the
one laughing the most since he’ll be $9 million richer than all of us for just
being 7 feet tall.
3. Andrea Bargnani, New York Knicks (5
year, 50$)
What more can we possibly say about Andrea Bargnani and his
horrible contract? Actually, a lot! The former number one overall pick has been
nothing short of a bust since 2006.
Defense and rebounding have never been his M.O. and he’s constantly out
because of injury. Besides his 2009 –
2010 and 2010 – 2011 seasons, he’s been a huge disappointment. At 7’0 he can stretch the floor, but he
hasn’t been able to the last two seasons.
Last year he only played 35 games (started in 25) and the year before he
only played 31. He’s never shot over 47%
from the field in his career, and somehow managed to shoot 40% AS A 7’0 CENTER
(39.9% to be exact). That’s completely
inexcusable especially if you can’t defend a parked car or box out if your life
depended on it. For Masai Ujiri to
somehow deal him to the Knicks for Steve Novak, Quentin Richardson, Marcus
Camby, and three draft picks is beyond me.
I will never understand the mind of James Dolan, especially since he’s
pushing himself deeper into the luxury tax.
If you’re thinking “maybe Glen Grunwald has something up his sleeve,”
don’t kid yourself. This trade has Dolan
written all over it. The Knicks needed
defense, rebounding, and health from their big men. Instead, they got an injury prone, subpar
floor spacer (the exact opposite of what they needed) for 22 million dollars.
Sid Seixeiro from Sportsnet 360 referred to Masai Ujiri as “Messiah Ujiri,” and
it totally fits.
2. Joe Johnson, Brooklyn Nets (6
year, 119$)
Since he was a four time all star at the time, Atlanta was
so desperate to keep Johnson they shelled out a monstrosity of a contract. Soon after he signed, his numbers began to
slip. He went from 21 ppg to 18 the next
two seasons, as well as his field goal percentages dropping as well. It didn’t
take long for Danny Ferry (his first week as general manager) to send him and
his remaining $90 million to the newly relocated Brooklyn Nets in exchange for
multiple expiring contracts. At times it
felt as if Joe Johnson was out of place on the Nets, but then he’d bounce right
back and prove how dominant he could be.
There were stretches where he would shoot below 40% somewhat often and
almost be hard to find in the Nets’ offense.
Here and there he’d have some really great games, but they weren’t very
often. One of them was his 24 point, 5
rebound, 5 assist game against Milwaukee when he hit the game tying three to
send it to overtime as well as the midrange dagger to win it. However, his “clutch gene” doesn’t make him
worth 69 million dollars over the next three years. How can he actually live up to his salary
when Deron Williams, Brook Lopez, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce surround him
(Andrei Kirilenko is the sixth man too)?
Last year he was regarded as the third best player on the Nets and only
put up 16 points a game with a low field goal percentage (42%). He’s 6’7 and weighs 240 pounds. LeBron James is 6’8, 250 pounds. Of course I’m not saying he should be more
playing like LeBron, but I am saying he has, is, and will continue to
underperform. He’s not getting any
better and I’d even put the ball in Garnett and Pierce’s hands more often than
his. He’s a fifth option on this roster
and he’s the sixth highest player in the league. The worst part about his contract? He makes almost $25 million in his last year,
and that’s not until 2015 – 2016. Think
about Joe Johnson now, and then imagine paying him that much in three years. That’s just horrible. But then again, the luxury tax bill Mikhail
Prokhorov will receive for the next several years will just be pocket change
for him.
1. Amare Stoudemire, New York Knicks
(5 year, 99$)
Amare is without a doubt the king of bad
contracts. But before I even talk about his salary, let’s just look at his
career so far in New York. When he first
arrived in 2010-11, he put up 25.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks a
game. He was able to stretch the floor
really well and even went on a nine game, 30+ ppg tear where he averaged 34.4
points, 10.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks. Until Carmelo Anthony arrived towards
the end of that season, he was undeniably the best player on the Knicks. The
following year was a rollercoaster in New York.
The emergence of Linsanity and the tension between Melo and D’Antoni
overshadowed the new frontcourt of Anthony, Stoudemire, and Chandler. The team was centered around Melo, forcing
Amare to take a backseat to New York’s face of the franchise. During that lockout season, Amare played 48
of the 66 games and put up 17.5 points and 7.8 rebounds. Questions concerning Carmelo and Amare’s
chemistry began to surface. But then the
2012-13 season happened. Amare was
constantly plagued by injury, only playing in 29 games without one start. His numbers dropped dramatically again,
averaging 14.2 points and 5 rebounds.
His absence from the Knicks roster was no problem for the team either,
who placed second in the East and advanced to the second round of the playoffs
for the first time since 2000. The Knicks shockingly played BETTER without
Amare on the floor. His defense was just
atrocious in those 29 games, but then again was his defense ever good? Just take a look at these two clips if you
need a quick reminder:
I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure Manu and Kristic aren’t notorious around
the league for setting screens. Now about that salary… As bad as paying
Bargnani $22 million over two years sounds, Amare’s $21.6 million next year
would make me sick if I was a Knicks fan.
Oh, and let’s not forget the last year of his contract which pays him
$23.4 million! James Dolan must have a
thing for overpaid, injury prone, defensively lackluster big men, because why
else would he deal for Andrea Bargnani!?
It’s a shame they can’t even put him to use now that Carmelo has moved
over to the 4. If they could even get
some productive, consistent minutes off the bench it wouldn’t be so bad. I actually wish he was amnestied instead of
Chauncey Billups, and not for the Knicks sake but Amare’s. No it wouldn’t have been pretty to go from
the face of the New York Knicks to being claimed by a subpar team, but it would
have been far better in the long run. He
could have still earned a hefty paycheck from wherever he ended up and would
actually be one of the focal points of that team. Hopefully next year Woodson
can put him in a role where we see glimmers of the old Amare. If only he and Melo could actually work
together, then his 44 million over the next two years wouldn’t sound that bad.
Written by Rafael Hagopjanian (@RafaelHagopjani) The Southeast Division might as top heavy as its ever been with the Heat looking to win the championship while the other four look like they are going to be stuck with a 6th place or below spot. Here is a grade for every single reported transaction each of these teams have made. Atlanta Hawks
Traded PG Shane Larkin and cash to the Mavericks for C Lucas Noguiera, PF Mike Muscala, and SG Jared Cunningham, B
With Noguiera and Muscala looking more and more likely to stay overseas, it seems like this trade was more of a "future" move for the Hawks. Larkin had the ability to help right away, but GM Danny Ferry had been eyeing Noguiera and it seems like a good choice because he is only 20 pounds of muscle away from becoming a more athletic Nene-type player. Jared Cunningham after his dreadful summer league performance most likely won't affect much either, but all in all a good trade for the Hawks.
Drafted PG Dennis Schroeder 16th overall, A
Dennis Schroeder looked like a leader among boys during Summer League. He has great leadership qualities for a 19 year old, and he had many Rondo similarities just from his impressive Summer League showing, and that is great for a man his age.
Traded Raul Neto and James Ennis to the Jazz and Heat for 2015 second round picks, C+
Both of these picks looked promising but it might be better for the Hawks to simply focus on the future.
Signed PF Paul Millsap to a 2 year, $19 million deal, A-
Paul Millsap is a STEAL for the type of money he's getting from this deal and it is a very tradeable asset (which Ferry looks like he's trying to accumulate). On the other hand, the Hawks' best player, Al Horford, plays the same desired position as Millsap, power forward. This deal brings a wonderful player for the Hawks at a bargain price, but it seems unwise to upset the best player on the team and current building block.
Signed SF Demarre Carroll to a 2 year, $5 million deal,B+
Demarre, like Millsap, seems likea great player to get at such a bargain price, and it might not show in the box score, but Carroll is impactful on the floor as they come. He's a great perimeter defender and rebounder for a man his size, and Ferry worked his contractual skills again with this free agent from the Jazz.
Signed SF Kyle Korver to a 4 year, $24 million deal, C
Korver may be a great asset to have in NBA 2k13, but even though he's a great sharpshooter, he's not a player who should be commanding $6 million a year over such a long period of time when Ferry is preaching flexibility withing the Hawks organization. Its great that the Hawks retained him for shooting reasons, but it seems the price is too high to pay for a one dimensional 32 year old shooter.
Matched Bucks' offer sheet for PG Jeff Teague at 4 years, $32 million deal, A-
It's not Chris Paul, but hey I guess the Hawks'll have to take it if they didn't want Brandon Jennings. In my opinion, much better choice, but the length of the contract might be a question if Teague gets superceded by Schroeder in the coming years. The Hawks now have still retained their best point guard from last year and it seems like he will need to take a lot more responsibility of the team with Josh Smith gone.
Signed PF Elton Brand to a 1 year, $4 million deal, B
Having Elton Brand on the team will certainly help the Hawks with their undersized frontcourt, but he does not give the Hawks what they really need, a true center who can score. Otherwise a solid move, but does it make the Hawks that much better? Certainly not.
Signed PF Pero Antic to multiyear deal, C-
Although the Hawks really needed tall frontcourt help, I don't think this is what most Hawks fans wanted. Antic played on Olympiacos in the past 2 seasons and only averaged 6.2 point and 3.3 rebounds in Euroleague. International players usually don't pan out and it seems like this might be a likely story with Antic as well, but Hawks fans will have to wait and see.
Signed PF/C Gustavo Ayon to a 1 year, $1.5 million deal, B-
Gustavo Ayon gives the Hawks even more added frontcourt depth, but will he be enough to help the height disadvantage the Hawks have? Hopefully for their sake, but with the Hawks' additions this year they might be doomed for a 6th-10th East playoff spot.
Charlotte Bobcats Picked PF/C Cody Zeller 4th overall, A-
Bobcats fans may not have liked the pick at first but with his averages of 16.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, he is proven to be a solid player in the NBA ranks. Compared to the rest of the rookies in the summer league, Cody figures to be at least top 5, and it seemed like the Bobcats could finally have a formidable player in their frontcourt. What doesn't make sense after drafting Zeller is the move they made in free agency next.
Signed C Al Jefferson to a 3 year/$41 million deal, C+
Al Jefferson is a great offensive post player, there's no denying that. The real question that needs to be asked though, is where are the Bobcats going? They've been in the lottery for so long now that nobody even remembers their first and only playoff series when they got swept by the Magic. With Al coming along, they could possibly get back into the playoffs with a little luck, but they're missing out on the most hyped draft class since the 2003 draft. The only way this move will not be criticized is if Zeller and Jefferson can both play together well, and with their similar play styles, it seems like that won't end very well. Hopefully GM Rich Cho is just waiting for a team to trade for him since he has a bevy of post moves as seen here
Waived PF Tyrus Thomas, A-
Tyrus Thomas, will never live up to his billing of being the 4th overall pick, and for Bobcats fans, seeing Thomas waived was probably one of the top 5 moments in their franchise history (they haven't had much to celebrate). Hopefully waiving Tyrus Thomas will erase the memory of many Bobcats' fans over the last 5 years (it most likely won't).
Re-Signed PF Josh McRoberts to a 2 year/ $5.42million deal, B
Signing McRoberts to a deal adds to a an already dysfunctional frontcourt, but he is a decent player that has been on quite a couple teams.
Re-Signed SG Gerald Henderson to a 3 year/ $18 million deal, B+
Henderson has been a solid player for the Bobcats ever since he was drafted by them in 2009. He was a breakout player last year after averaging 15.5 points per game and he figures to try and stay at the same level this year. With the Bobcats making several moves to make the team better, it seems the Bobcats might be in a similar spot as the Hawks, with them looking to be in the 8th-12th spot in the East.
Miami Heat
Traded a 2015 second round pick to the Hawks for James Ennis, B+
The Heat will probably be in win now mode for a while, and Ennis seems like he could be a solid rookie sharpshooter off the bench who isn't only one-dimensional. Great pickup for the Heat at such a low cost. Rashard Lewis and James Jones exercised their team options, Grade: incomplete
These two did not do much last year, and it figures they'll do even less this year. Rashard Lewis could be a solid role player on most teams but he is not as good as the many shooters the Heat have apparently, and James Jones is just well, old. Re-Signed C Chris Andersen to a 1 year/$1.7 million, A-
BIRDMAN BIRDMAN!
Chris Andersen certainly made a huge impact when he signed on with the Heat last year, and he was signed right before the Heat's 27 game winning streak, which is saying something about how well he fit in with the Heat last year. Joel Anthony was the only true center the Heat had and God knows why the Canadian Forehead himself couldn't make a layup last year. Signing Andersen for such a low amount of money is just helping the case for the Heat to win a 3rd straight championship.
Amnestied SF Mike Miller, C-
This is the one thing GM Pat Riley might regret most if the Heat don't win it all this year. Mike Miller was the only answer the Heat had for Danny Green and his 3 point barrage during the Finals last year. After being seldomly usedduring the season, Miller stuck a knife into Spurs' fans hearts when he hit all those 3s, including the infamous one-shoe one. If the Heat and Grizzlies possibly meet up in the Finals this year (seems unlikely, but hey, who knows), it will be sweet poetry if Miller hits a dagger 3 to win a game.
Orlando Magic
Drafted SG Victor Oladipo 2nd overall, SF/PF Romero Osby 51st overall, A
Oladipo seemed the best rookie during Summer League, and I'm sure Magic fans are certainly happy to hear that. The Magic have certainly won the Dwight trade with Nikola Vucevic, Arron Afflalo, some decent future first round picks, and Victor Oladipo with them as a result of that trade. Oladipo averaged 19 points per game, 5 rebounds per game, and 3.4 assists per game as a point guard, not his natural position. For a player deemed to be a defensive stalwart, he certainly plays very well on offense as well. Hopefully for the Magic fans' sake, he translates his Summer League numbers over to the regular season. Romero Osby also had a solid showing in Summer League averaging 11 points and 4.4 rebound per game as well, so it seems GM Rob Hennigan did very well in drafting those two.
Signed PF Jason Maxiell to a 2 year/ $5 million deal, B+
Looking at the Magic roster, there really is no proven Power Forward to put alongside Vucevic, and it seems like the Magic got their man.Maxiell is an enforcer down low and his tip jams are always something to remember. Hopefully he'll be a solid addition that can help Vucevic develop his overall game.
Signed PG Ronnie Price to a 2 year/ $2.58 million deal, B
Ronnie Price seems like that guy who is oft-forgotten in the NBA ranks. You see him on the roster, and you're just thinking to yourself "When did we get this guy?" He's a solid backup point guard, though, and GM Rob Hennigan seems like he's planning something big by getting all these rookies and bargain contracts to sign with the Magic. Washington Wizards
Drafted SF Otto Porter Jr. 3rd overall, C+
I'm going to be honest here, not a big fan of Otto Porter's game and he certainly did not do much to change my mind during Summer League. He seems like he'll be a solid role player, but not anything close to warrant a 3rd overall pick. GM Ernie Grunfeld might be kicking himself for drafting Porter if he doesn't pan out.
Traded PG Nate Wolters and PF Arsalan Kazemi for SF Glen Rice Jr., B-
If Glen Rice Jr. had some offensive restrictions placed upon him during Summer League, it sure didn't look like it. Rice was jacking up shots like it was his job, and not with very great accuracy. Hopefully Rice will learn the difference between being smart with his shots and being Nick Young with his shots this season, or else his 40% shooting percentage won't cut it in the NBA. On the the other hand, it was a solid trade for the Wizards since the Wolters and Kazemi didn't do much at all in Summer League.
Signed PG Eric Maynor to a 2 year/ $4.12 million deal, B+
Maynor has pretty much been forgotten after backing up Westbrook in OKC but Maynor, may breakout this year as a backup for Wall if he holds off his injuries.
Re-Signed SG/SF Martell Webster to a 4 year/ $22 million deal and SF Garrett Temple to a 1 year/ $916K deal, A-
Martell Webster is a great sharpshooter among a team that has basically none other than Bradley Beal. He's very underrated in this regard, and if John Wall's healthy for a full season Webster could even increase his 42% 3PFG from a year ago. Garrett Temple's also a solid addition, but he's also a Ronnie Price type player which means that nobody knows about him until he is seen playing for your team.
SignedJohn Wall to a 5 year/$80 million deal, A-
It seems that the Wizards have found the guy thev've been waiting for, but is he good enough to lead the Wizards into contender status in a couple of years? The status quo on this question is that he most likely he won't be able to. I admit, though that once John Wall came back last year from his injury last year, the Wizards were close to .500. If Nene also gets back to full health, watch out for the Wizards, because they are a dangerous young team who could get lucky and sneak into the playoffs.
Written by Rafael Hagopjanian (@RafaelHagopjani) If you watch basketball or even if you don't, NBA 2k13 is the game to play, and who wants to win games with just the star players? Scoring over 40 points or grabbing 20 rebounds with the players who are deemed to be "mediocre", because of their overall rating, is just awesome. These 18 players will be the players rated 70 and under that I would advise using at all times when using the teams they're on. The ratings and teams these players are on are as of the official last NBA 2k13 update on 6/25/2013
18. Beno Udrih, PG
Orlando Magic, 68 Overall, 92 Shot Close, Shot Medium 82, Beeannn! This is
honestly just an honorable mention because Beno is not that great at all in
2k13, he’s just a guy you would hate to have score against you because he’s so
bad. His nickname of Beaaan is also incredibly awesome.
17.Reggie Jackson, PG OKC Thunder, 67 Overall, 94
Speed, 97 Quickness, Reggie Jackson will most likely not be under a 70 rating
next season, but in 2k13 he’s one of the quickest guys to have and he’s a perfect
substitute to have in once Westbrook needs some rest.
16.Byron Mullens, PF Charlotte Bobcats 69 Overall,
87 Shot Medium, 87 Inside. We have a kind of unorthodox player to use in 2k13
and who are we kidding, nobody uses the Bobcats in 2k13. Surprisingly though,
Byron “Don’t call me BJ” Mullens, has a decent jumper in the game and he could
get a few rebounds for you as well.
15.Gary Neal, SG San Antonio Spurs, 67 Overall, 87
Shot 3PT, 92 Shot Close. Gary Neal is one of those guys in the game who you’re
happy to see randomly put in the game if you’re using auto substitutions. He
has one of the silkiest strokes and it adds to the onslaught of shooters the
Spurs have in the game.
14.Reggie Evans, PF Brooklyn Nets, 66 Overall, 96
Offensive Rebound, 92 Defensive Rebound Signature Skill: Scrapper. We arrive at
the first player on this list who does not have a jumper whatsoever. When
Reggie Evans is in the game he is going to try and get every rebound he
possibly can, no matter the circumstances. Chris Kaman can probably back up
that statement as well.
13.Marco Belinelli, SG Chicago Bulls, 65 Overall,
82 3PT, 84 Shot Medium, The Bulls certainly uncovered a hidden gem in Marco
when their whole backcourt went down because of injuries. Marco is inconsistent
at times, but if you learn his stroke, you’ll be thinking Mussolini was sort of
right when he thought the Italians were the best at everything.
12.Alonzo Gee, SF Cleveland Cavaliers, 70 Overall,
88 Speed, 90 Vertical Signature Skill: Finisher, Active Hands. Oh man, Alonzo
Gee is one of the few “already starting” players on this list and boy is there
good reason. He’s one of the speediest players in the game and he’s the king of
corner 3s when Kyrie finds him on the spotup. What more could you ask of a player when he’s one of the most
unknown players in the league?
11.CJ Watson, PG Brooklyn Nets, 68 Overall, 83 Shot
3PT, 79 On-Ball Defense. CJ Watson is one of those players in 2k that everyone
hates playing against because he guards your point guard well, and if there’s
an opening, your opponent is going to take the pull up 3. Now that he’s going
to be on the Pacers he’ll put to good use in 2k14 instead of backing up Deron
Williams. The video kind of explains it all.
10.Gordon Hayward, SG Utah Jazz, 68 Overall, Shot
3PT 80, Block 56. Hear me out on this, Gordon is certainly one of the weirdest
players in the NBA and his ratings are pretty low, but with the Jazz being a
post oriented team in the game you get a great shooter on a team with basically
no others. Hayward is the perfect player to give you some breathing room on
those Millsap/ Jefferson post moves.
9.Mike Dunleavy, SF Milwaukee Bucks, 68 Overall, 84
Shot 3PT 81 Offensive awareness Signature Skills: Spot-up shooter Mike Dunleavy
in real life has one of the smoothest strokes in the game, but that’s one of
the only things he can do, which will be a common similarity between most of
the players left in this list.
8.Matt Bonner, C San Antonio Spurs, 51 Overall Rating,
Shot 3PT 88, Shoot Off Dribble 61. Matt “The Red Mamba” Bonner is the
definition of one-dimensional. He’s one of the only centers who can shoot in
the game, and you certainly will not get many rebounds with him, but if you spot him
trailing the rest of the offense, hit him for a three pointer that will almost
be guaranteed to go in.
7.Andre Drummond, C DetroitPistons, 70 Overall, 88 Block, 95 Offensive
Rebound Signature Skills Eraser. Drummond is the most enjoyable
person to use while on defense. His ratings/signature skills speak for
themselves and he also has an 86 dunk rating. Quite honestly, I don’t think any
one would remember the Pistons were in the league if Drummond wasn’t on the
team.
6.Carlos Delfino, SF Houston Rockets, 69 Overall,
81 Shot 3PT, Steal 80 Signature Skills: Active Hands, Corner Specialist.
Delfino, otherwise known as the Argentinian Long Ball (No one has ever called
him this) is such a crucial 3 point shooter in the game when the Rockets are
used. If you put out a lineup of Harden, Delfino, and Parsons in the SG-PF
positions its basically game over because of the three point barrage that will
be coming. Enjoy that lineup while it lasts since the Delfino is now a Buck.
5.
Jamario Moon, SF Free Agents, 66 Overall, 91
Dunk, 82 On-Ball Defense. I dare anyone who is reading this article currently
to criticize me on this pick. Well for all you Association players out there,
Jamario Moon is quite simply one of the most insane dunkers in the game and you
must pick him up the first day you start your Association. I guarantee at least
three Youtube worthy dunks a game if you insert Jamario “I’m very indecisive
about which team I should play for” Moon into the starting lineup
4.Ryan Anderson, New Orleans Pelicans, 69 Overall,
86 Shot 3PT, 88 Free Throw Signature Skill: Spot-up Shooter, Hustle Points,
Corner Specialist. If you look at Ryan Anderson’s signature skills, it is
certainly obvious why Ryan Anderson seems like one of the most underrated
players in the game. If you get him anywhere outside the three point line on a
catch and shoot, you better have a poncho because your seats might get wet from
all those wetballs.
3. Anthony Morrow, SG Dallas Mavericks, 66 Overall,
84 3PT, 88 Shot Medium, Signature Skill: Spot-up Shooter, Microwave, Corner
Specialist. Anthony Morrow might have one of the purest jumpshots in the game
and Morrow is one of the easiest players to get over 20 points with in a
quarter. The Microwave skill comes into play quickly, because when you make 2
straight Anthony Morrow threes, Morrow isalready on fire.
2.Steve Novak, PF New York Knicks, 53 Overall Rating, 92 Shot 3PT, Free Throw 85,
Signature Skills: Spot Up Shooter, Corner Specialist. I bet at this point
you’re wondering who could be better than Steve Novak, the king of 2k13, and
are already skipping to see who is number 1 on the list. Well I’ll tell you one
thing. Steve Novak is said to be one of “the cheapest players to use” because of
his shooting prowess, and rightly so. You can think of many cons for using Novak,
like defensively he’s atrocious and for a power forward, he’s one of the worst
rebounders ever, but in the end you can’t just pass up making 20 three pointers
with a player like Novak that all your friends will be annoyed at for making so many shots.
1.Kyle Korver, SF Atlanta Hawks, 63 Overall, 89 Shot 3PT, 83 Hands Signature
Skills: Spot-up shooter. I may be a bit biased here, but I must say Kyle Korver
is one of the best players in 2k13, Rated below 70 or not. Korver’s release is
one of the easiest to master and he even catches long outlet passes that most
players won’t catch because his “Hands” rating is so high. If you’ve never used
the Hawks, try using them now with Korver your number #1 offensive option, I
doubt your friends would like to see them getting lit up for 12+ threes by a
single person but it will most definitely happen if you use Korver. If you want to see how big of a problem it is to stop Korver just click on this link below, you won't understand unless you've experienced a Korvering.
