Battle over the 6-11 Big Man

It appears that Erick Dampier will soon make a decision to either join the Houston Rockets or the Miami Heat. Dampier averaged about 6 points, 7 boards and 1 block last season - not exactly the statistics that jump out in the box score. But what Dampier would provide to either the Rockets or the Heat is far more valuable than his numbers.

Yao Ming of the Rockets will be limited to 24 minutes per game throughout the 2010-2011 regular season. Besides Ming, the team has 6-10 Jordan Hill, 6-11 Jared Jeffries and 7-0 Brad Miller, but none of these players are true centers. Even if Dampier is not a rebounding or blocking machine, his 6-11, 265 pound body will serve as a solid backup when Ming needs to rest.

Miami arguably needs Dampier even more than Houston because Miami's biggest weakness is inside. Miami can't afford a large contract so the team can't add another star player. Moreover, for the majority of each game, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will have possession of the ball. Therefore the Heat should sign a player whose effectiveness is independent of ball possession. Dampier does not demand the ball - he would complement the team by playing solid defense, grabbing offensive boards and plugging the middle.

Even though Dampier does not light up the box score, he does provide a strong defensive presence. Both the Rockets and Heat should be working hard to sign Dampier – they will both benefit from adding a 6-11 body inside.

Don't Underestimate the Little Guy

Because there has been limited NBA action since the LeBron fiasco, you are seeing headlines that would normally not make it to the front page of espn.com such as Kwame Brown joining the Bobcats. But you still might have not heard that the Milwaukee Bucks acquired Earl Boykins. On the periphery, it does not seem like this deal should make news. Boykins is the second to shortest player in NBA history at 5-5 and has played on nine teams in his 11 year NBA career. However in reality, Boykins is an asset to any team that he joins, particularly because of the intangibles that he brings: experience, hustle, and an ability to change the momentum of the game.

Boykins will likely backup second year point guard Brandon Jennings. Jennings is undoubtedly an emerging star, but he is a young player that can learn from Boykins. From 2003-2006, Boykins played with the Denver Nuggets in 15 playoff games in which he averaged nearly 13 points, 4 assists, and 1 steal, in under 28 minutes per game. While these numbers are clearly not superstar statistics, for only $1.3M, the Bucks are adding experience to a young team. Boykins is also a crowd favorite, drawing cheers and energy from the fans the moment he steps on the court. He can push the ball, has great court vision and is automatic at the free throw line. With his speed and tiny frame, he can maneuver through the defense and find the open man for an easy bucket. The 133 pound Boykins won’t make the Bucks a championship contender, but he will bring experience and strong work ethic that will push his young teammates to perform each night.

Pacers Win The Prize

The deal between the Pacers, Nets, Hornets and Rockets has one main headline: "Ariza to Hornets in four-team trade." While Ariza might be the biggest name involved, Darren Collison should be lighting up the headlines.

The Indiana Pacers just acquired a point guard that made a measly $1.3M but averaged nearly 19 points and 9 assists in the starting role while Chris Paul was hurt. After Paul was injured, Collison had his first 40+ minute game in which he dished out 18 assists. He started 37 games and is bringing exceptional  experience for a rookie point guard to the Pacers.

Collison also had a notable PER (Player Efficiency Rating) of 16.55 which ranks 16th among the 68 point guards that qualified for a rating - quite impressive for a rookie (the only rookie above him was rookie of the year Tyreke Evans). However, PER does not place enough emphasis on a player's defensive capability and it fails to account for the intangibles of the game such as leadership and hustle. Collison is a natural leader, a true point guard. Becoming an unexpected starter mid season as a rookie behind arguably the best point guard in the league is not an easy task, but Collison seemed to take it on with ease. He hustles for loose balls, plays aggressive defense (a product of a defensive minded UCLA squad), and has a high basketball IQ. Though the Hornets had to make a move in order to ease Paul's woes, it seems they may regret this decision in the future.

Barnes No Longer Laker Foe

The +/- stat is one of the few metrics in the box score that reflects the impact a player has on his team. This stat is particularly meaningful for bench players or players with limited minutes as it shows if a player helped spark or contribute to a run and effectively change the momentum of the game. Of the top 20 players in the +/- category in the 2009-2010 NBA season, Matt Barnes played the fewest minutes yet ranked ninth on the list. Similar to Bruce Bowen and Nate Robinson, Barnes can get under your skin. However, if given the opportunity, a basketball fan would welcome Barnes to his favorite team's roster.

Barnes does not mind hacking the offensive player in order to send a message that scoring against him will be a challenge. He has been known to make some dirty plays such as throwing elbows or faking an inbounds pass into Kobe Bryant's face. Barnes even got into a public tiff on Twitter with Lamar Odom after the Lakers lost in Orlando this year. Despite the hatred that Barnes stirred among Laker fans and players, they are now happy to have Barnes on the team. Case in point: Barnes pulled some stunts in the past, but because he brings defensive energy and has a positive impact on his team even while playing limited minutes, he has been quickly welcomed by the Laker community. Adding Barnes alongside Artest and Bryant could put the Lakers in a position to have the best defensive backcourt in the league.

Either Love or Hate Nate

When you imagine a player celebrating on the court, you might think of Michael Jordan after crossing over Bryon Russell and hitting the game winner, or Derek Fisher after his miracle .4 shot. Each of these plays sealed a victory in an intense playoff matchup so the reaction was expected. But what about a player that sits on the bench for most of the game and then makes one good play and starts celebrating?

In the 2010 NBA Finals, Celtics backup point guard Nate Robinson did just that. He averaged 10 minutes per game and the second that he forced a turnover or delivered a solid assist, he began pounding his chest and flexing his muscles. An NBA fan of any team other than the Celtics would have cringed - why is this little guy celebrating when he has hardly done anything? But as a Celtics fan, you have to love Nate. The 5-9 point guard can step on the floor and immediately provide a spark off of the bench, particularly at a time when the offense is stagnant. Even when he is not on the floor, he is active on the sidelines, cheering his teammates on. A player that can single handedly shift momentum back to his team is a valuable player, albeit one incredibly frustrating to watch if he is on the opposing team.

Series Kick-Off: Bruce Bowen's "Dirty Play"

Since the NBA off-season has slowed down a bit, I decided to kick-off a series of posts and hopefully a discussion about players that you despise unless they are on your team. These are players that somehow irritate you when you watch them play, but the minute you hear that your favorite team might acquire them, you become excited. This series starts off with Bruce Bowen.

Someone unfamiliar with Bowen might ask: how could a guy that averaged about 6 points, 1 assist, 3 boards and 1 steal per game throughout his career get under your skin? A player like this should be forgettable – simply a role player. But Bruce Bowen, part of the NBA All-Defensive Team for eight straight seasons, was far more than that – he brought the intangibles to the game and his impact can not be measured solely by his statistics.

Bowen knew what he could get away with on the defensive end without drawing the attention of the officials. He inconspicuously tugged on jerseys, fought through screens and successfully reduced the productivity of the player he was defending. Bowen was often referred to as a “dirty player” but it never changed his style of play. He was able to both physically and mentally break down the player he was defending. Because he was generally wearing down the best offensive player on the opposing team– the player that you were rooting for, you ended up hating Bowen with a passion. When one refers to the championship years of the Spurs, it is unlikely that Bowen’s name would come up, but in fact Bowen’s grit and tactical defense was critical to the Spurs success. Bowen was a defensive pest, a pest that you would have gladly welcomed on your team.

Requirements for Players Filling the Heat Roster: Low Salary and No Ego

Who will Pat Riley sign to complement his new trio of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh? He needs to add at least 5 players in order to have the minimum 13 players required for a complete roster. The Heat still need a starting center as well as some shooters that can knock down open jumpers as they will be left wide open when James, Wade or Bosh draw the double team.

One factor Riley must also consider is players with no ego – players that do not need to have the ball in their possession to play hard and players that do not need any recognition. Every interview that any Miami Heat other than James, Wade and Bosh will be granted will be something along the lines of, “How does it feel to play with this magnificent trio?” Even skilled point guard Rajon Rondo had to deal with these questions playing alongside the Celtics “Big 3.”

Here are some potential players that could fit the part for the Heat:

Big Bodies:

Udonis Haslem – He has already played with the Heat and will not need to relearn the system. Haslem does not demand the ball, but is a big body inside that can finish around the rim and would complement the slender Bosh.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas – He and LeBron play well together and he could help the team inside.

Shooters:

Mike Miller – Great shooter that can open up the floor for the trio to operate, but he may demand more money than the Heat can offer.

Roger Mason – Skilled 3-point shooter that would sign for less money than Mike Miller and can also draw defenders outside of the key.

Point Guards:

Derek Fisher – Savvy veteran that does not put up big numbers, but makes big shots. He has 5 rings with the Lakers and has contributed immensely to each championship. It will be hard for Riley to lure Fisher away from Kobe and the Lakers.

Luke Ridnour – Might be willing to take less money to play with the Heat trio. He averaged over 10 points and 4 assists per game last season and would be a good back-up point guard for the Heat.