Warriors Land Iguodala: Iggy Iggy Iggy, Can't You See?

Andre Iguodala has signed with the Golden State Warriors. The deal inks Iguodala to $48 million over the next four seasons and sends Richard Jefferson and Andris Biedrins (both equipped with expiring contracts) as well as Brandon Rush and a future first-round pick to the Utah Jazz. The Warriors also waived the rights to veterans Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry, clearing cap space.

Iggy jumps on a Golden State ship that emerged on the horizon of relevancy to the Western Conference last season. Guards Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry showed how far two elite perimeter shooters can carry a team. While Iguodala doesn't have same shooting prowess as his teammates, he isn't a slouch from the perimeter, either. His biggest impact will come while playing defense, though. Iguodala is lengthy and agile, making him capable of locking down opposing scorers playing both on and off the ball.

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. (Rodney Widner)

Warriors coach Mark Jackson faces a dilemma (Editor's note: one most coaches would love - Alex). Iguodala and Harrison Barnes are both swingman and neither possesses size or skills of a power forward. It's absurd to think either would take minutes away from Thompson at shooting guard, thus sparking the question: how do the two co-exist? It's uncertain, but Jackson playing Barnes at the 4 in small-ball line-ups during the post2season proves he isn't a coach afraid of being a little unorthodox.

Iggy's defensive tenacity and knack for finding ways to include himself in the nightly highlight reel will make the Golden State Warriors just that much more exciting to watch this season.

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Friday Roundtable: Most Important Rookie, 2014-15

Which rookie will have the biggest impact on their team next year? (sikids.com)

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among a group of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: Which member of the NBA's incoming rookie class will have the biggest impact in 2013-14?

Alex:
Not Shabazz Muhammad. Is that too general? Fine. It's coming from left field, but my pick is Jeff Withey, the No. 39 overall selection. The Portland Trail Blazers' center position is far from settled with last season's 80-game starter J.J. Hickson on the free agent market and sophomore Meyers Leonard still a work in progress. No way will Withey be the starter, but he could certainly be making an argument for himself by the All-Star break. Leonard had a strong first year and is on course to be better in 2014-15, but Withey is a fantastic paint protector with the length and positioning to block any short-range shots by opponents. He did as much in two years at Kansas, including a breakout redshirt junior season in which he played a major role in the Jayhawks' march to the NCAA Championship game. Portland's shaky history with big men makes this a leery choice, as does the fact that Withey will play significantly fewer minutes than most rookies, but his intangibles -- inherent footwork and ideal size for shot-blocking -- are things that can make quickly associate a player's name with a team's culture and reputation. It happened in 2012-13 with Larry Sanders in Milwaukee despite questions about his consistency and ability entering the season, not to mention the Bucks' anomalous frontcourt situation. Given even a glimpse at an opportunity, Withey could quickly establish himself as one of the NBA's premier defensive big men, and with Damian Lillard feeding him in the post, he could cause enough commotion on the offensive side of things to warrant a look at a bigger role.

Kyle:
For those of you who say you called Damian Lillard as NBA Rookie of the Year, you're a bunch of bold-faced liars. But that's what wep0-oooooooooo love about the NBA. Picking which rookie will have the best season does not necessarily mean picking the player who will have the best career. We're looking at who can come in and have an immediate impact on their team and the league, and I think Otto Porter has a good chance of doing this.

Porter is not the most athletic rookie or the rookie with the most potential. Yet Porter has good size as a small forward, at 6'8", and while he isn't the best shooter in the class, he knows how to score. He may not stand out in one particular area of his game, but he is a strong all-around player and can make an impact in many aspects of the game. Washington also has John Wall as the face of the team, removing pressure from Porter and giving him a talented point guard to play alongside. Being only 20 years old, Porter has time to develop further, but seeing as most of the players came into the draft as freshmen or sophomores, his age shouldn't be much of a factor and Porter is regarded as an intelligent player anyway. If he can continue to improve his 3-point shooting and rebounding, he should have a solid rookie campaign.


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Could we see Brooklyn's Finest in the Finals?

Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news just prior to last Thursday's NBA Draft.  There's a push for Eastern Conference power in Brooklyn.

The Nets and Boston Celtics had bigger ideas on draft night. Agreed upon in principal; Jason Terry, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce will join the Nets in exchange for Brooklyn's 2014, '16 and '18 first-round selections, Kris Humphries, Gerald Wallace, MarShon Brooks and Kris Joseph, along with the signing and trading of Keith Bogons. The current largest off-season blockbuster displays the Nets' desire to win now and accommodates the Celtics' process of rebuilding. Teams are able to make the deal official on July 10. 

Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are making a final championship push. (Don Ryan)

Mikhail Prokhorov is willing to pay for what it takes to win. The starting five of Derron Williams, Joe Johnson, Pierce, Garnett and Brook Lopez will cost the Nets close to $80 million. Brooklyn's total roster payroll is projected around $180 million, including $80 million in luxury taxes. No team in NBA history has accumulated similar totals.

Deron Williams must make Brooklyn's new show work. Getty Images)

If only the NBA Network program, 'The Association," could bring a closer look at the Nets again following the team's debut season playing in Brooklyn. Garnett, Pierce and Terry are NBA Champions and bring pedigree to a team that signed Joe Johson to a superstar contract last season. Johnson is known and criticized for being soft-spoken and having a passive attitude on the court despite coming through clutch at the buzzer multiple times. Garnett doesn't tolerate anything that isn't 100 percent effort from his teammates, just ask former Celtic Glen Davis. Pierce is a leader that is not afraid of big moments and takes some scoring responsibility off of Johnson and Williams. Terry, the Jet, flew low to the ground last season and may be running low on gas. Rookie head coach Jason Kidd is responsible for handling the minutes, personalities and emotions of a roster filled with former rivals and peers. Kidd could quickly become a scapegoat if the team doesn't find immediate success. Former coach Avery Johnson was fired after a 14-14 Nets start last season. 

New Nets head coach Jason Kidd. (Craig Ruttle)

The Nets now share a reputation similar to another team playing in New York, the Yankees. Neither team regards luxury tax when spending the necessary amount it takes to win. Every game will shine under the brightest media spotlight, as there's a lot pressure to win. It's the type of situation that sparks talk of championships and dynasties after victories and talks of trade and changes after defeats.

Expecting a championship is highly optimistic and wishful thinking. The Heat, Pacers, Bulls and crosstown rival Knicks are all talented enough to compete with Brooklyn in a postseason series. Garnett and Pierce starting a final pursuit for another championship, now as members of the Nets, coached by a former opponent in Kidd, makes for a story the league has never seen. The aging roster certainly remains talented, but has to compete with younger knees and fresher legs. The ability to stay healthy and a lack of depth are reasons for concern.  

It's still the beginning chapters of the franchise and success will undoubtedly arrive at Barclay's Center, but these are the final pages for some of the game's all-time legends. Anything beyond an opening round series victory should be considered overachieving for the Brooklyn Nets this season.

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The Rise Of Canadian Players In The NBA

Steve Nash has been the face of NBA players from Canada, but a new crop of young talent is coming to leave
their mark on the NBA. (usatoday.com)

The British Invasion sparked rock and roll in the United States in the 1960s. And while the game of basketball has already been sparked in the U.S., we're witnessing the Canadian Invasion on the NBA.

Canada's basketball poster boy Steve Nash has already been in the league 16 years, and others like Rick Fox and Jamaal Magloire have made Canada proud as recognizable talents with long professional careers. But now we're not just seeing the quantity of players coming into the NBA from the neighbor to the north increasing, but the quality has the potential to be superb.

Coming into the 2012-13 season, the NBA had eight Canadian players on rosters: Nash, Joel Anthony, Samuel Dalembert, Corey Joseph, Kris Joseph, Andrew Nicholson, Robert Sacre and Tristan Thompson. While not all of these players were born in Canada (Nash was born in South Africa, for instance) they proudly represent the country in which they grew up. In fact, only 19 players as of this year born in Canada have ever played in the NBA or ABA.

These numbers are about to change. The skill level should too.

Outside of Nash, there are some recognizable names on the lists above, but most of them are role players. There's nothing wrong with that. Anthony and Dalembert have made nice careers for themselves. Rick Fox had a great career with the Lakers. The others are in the first two years of their careers and lot can change for guys like Thompson and Kris Joseph. But some of the guys entering the league this year and those coming up the college ranks carry hype that not many other Canadians have experienced.

Two more Canadians were taken in the 2013 NBA Draft, Anthony Bennett and Kelly Olynyk, and fellow Canadian Myck Kabongo went undrafted but still will likely wind up with a team this fall. And it's not like these guys are predicted to be average NBA roster-fillers (well, the ruling is still out on Kabongo). Both were drafted in the top half of the first round, with Bennett selected No. 1 overall. Bennett will play alongside fellow Canadian Tristan Thompson in Cleveland and Olynyk will get an opportunity to prove himself early for the rebuilding Boston Celtics. Both are athletic, versatile big men who can shoot and epitomize the evolving role of post players in the game.

Next season could be just as prosperous for the country, especially if Andrew Wiggins leaves from Kansas after one year as expected and Gonzaga guard Kevin Pangos leaves after his junior season. Wiggins will likely be the No. 1 pick next year, and possibly the most talented Canadian player to play in the NBA if the hype is correct. Some teams may even look to tank in order to draft him.

Nash may have to make room as the poster boy of Canadian basketball, but I doubt he will mind. The talent pool in Canada is growing and the success of this group of players should only spark more interest in the country to pick up a basketball and chase the dream of playing in the NBA. They will now have more role models to be inspired by.

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Why Every Team Lost the 2013 NBA Draft

Good luck finding success with your respective idiotic franchises. (footbasket.com)

"Down" was the popular word to describe this year's draft class, and rightly so, though most spectators grabbed that tag and refused to acknowledge the depth of talent in the rising rookie class. But because this is the Internet and everything is bad at all times, take a couple moments to dislike every pick by every team in the 2013 NBA Draft. (Don't forget your own favorite! Bash those stupid general managers!)

Atlanta Hawks
General Manager Danny Ferry got Joe Johnson's contract off the books last summer, but his follow-up trick included doing his best David Kahn impression by drafting three point guards and a guy with the last name "Ennis." Did he learn nothing about NBA nicknames from Utah's great Enes Kanter experiment?

Boston Celtics
The Celtics' lone pick in the draft, Brazilian center Lucas Nogueira, didn't even go to college and missed out on important keg stand experience. Pundits doubt he'll be able to learn the necessary balance before the rookie symposium, thus dooming him to a professional career full of taunts such as, "Great dunk. I remember my first beer," followed by knowing winks. It's good that Boston wasn't in need of a center, though, because that allowed Danny Ainge to trade Nogueira to Atlanta.

Brooklyn Nets
"A big white guy from Duke? I gotta have it!" - Mikhail Prokhorov, believing Jay-Z was still invested in the franchise.

Charlotte Bobcats
Michael Jordan runs this team and selected Cody Zeller at No. 4 overall with Bobcats' only pick in the draft. Too easy. Make up your own joke.

Chicago Bulls
Nothing says "gritty defense" like picking a skinny guy with cornrows and an Erik with a "k."

Cleveland Cavaliers
Four picks in a deep draft and the Cavs managed to avoid drafting their point guard of the future. Dumb.

Dallas Mavericks
Mark Cuban was angling for a cameo in the next Hobbit movie by adding Kelly Olynyk to the roster as a power forward/giant elf tweener, but traded the Canadian after deciding an appearance on Shark Tank was more lucrative.

Denver Nuggets
Rudy Gobert is no Rudy Fernandez. Traded!

Detroit Pistons
Failed to capitalize on the marketing potential of Detroit's massive college basketball standing when they didn't draft Ray McCallum, Jr.

Golden State Warriors
Acquired Nemanja Nedovic from Phoenix in hopes of turning the Serbian shooting guard into the next Anthony Davis, but were disappointed to find out Nedovic does not, in fact, have a uni-brow.

Houston Rockets
Took Isaiah Canaan the year AFTER he had a breakout role in college basketball. Great job, general manager/advanced statistics nerd Daryl Morey.

Indiana Pacers
Colton Iverson was the only player drafted from traditional powerhouse Colorado State and the Pacers traded the Rams big man to Boston. Know your history, kids.

Los Angeles Clippers
Reggie Bullock's last name sounds an awful lot like "bullet." The Clippers overplayed there hand here and revealed their planned name change before even announcing their interest. Next stop: Gilbert Arenas, hand gesture coach.

Los Angeles Lakers
They've had luck with large, bearded white men in the past, so why not take a flyer on an oft-injured, Euro-style forward like Ryan Kelly?

Memphis Grizzlies
If their picks pan out, the Grizzlies will have successfully addressed depth concerns at the shooting guard and small forward positions, but traded away a foreign guy named "Joffrey" during Game of Thrones' highest point of popularity yet. Pop culture fail.

Miami Heat
A franchise that faces constant criticism anyway, the Heat received the Hawks' "Ennis" problem after having no picks of its own during the draft. WAY TO MORTGAGE YOUR FUTURE, DUMMIES!

Milwaukee Bucks
They're either bringing Brandon Jennings back or handing the franchise's keys to an unathletic white guy who choked during his only game on a big stage in college. #NateWolters #Welp

Minnesota Timberwolves
Traded two of their picks and basically all they got was Shabazz Muhammad, he of the great 0.7 assists per game stat. He's also not a numerologist.

New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans
They come out looking pretty good on paper (except for the new name, obviously), but excluded themselves from the ranks of the NBA's en vogue by not adding a player with a knee injury.

New York Knicks
Couldn't convince Jason Kidd to stay so instead they drafted someone who was born during Kidd's freshman year at UCLA. Way to let an all-time great walk away, James Dolan.

Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder could have been the only team running a (lame) vintage comic book promotion based around a player named Archie, until Goodwin got flipped to Phoenix. As always, Suns win.

Orlando Magic
Orlando obviously didn't draft based upon the proper measurements since there were players available with much more nickname upside than George A. Romero Osby and Victor Von Olidoompo.

Philadelphia 76ers
Thanks to fine print in the NBA rule book, they weren't allowed to draft Greg Oden after agreeing to acquire Nerlens Noel from New Orleans. Oden-Noel-Andrew Bynum is the front court the NBA deserves, but not the one it needs right now (bylaw 11.09.4 via David Stern Hates Fun Clause).

Phoenix Suns
Shut up about Phoenix's mess of a professional basketball organization. I like Michael Beasley, okay?

Portland Trail Blazers
Whoa, look in the mirror before you walk out the door, historically-great-for-centers Portland. Your contempt for Jeff Withey is showing.

Sacramento Kings
In a deep draft, the Kings found a way to select one of the weakest point guards available AND a player whose enters the NBA with questions about his assertiveness. Bravo.

San Antonio Spurs
This franchise is one more European player away from being relocated to Marseilles.

Toronto Raptors
The 2013 NBA Draft will henceforth be referred to only as the "Raptors Rudy Gay Consolation Draft."

Utah Jazz
Is Jackie Moon GM-ing this team? Is he also the starting power forward? No one knows with all the f***ing trading you did, Utah. Seriously.

Washington Wizards
The Wiz duped Milwaukee into taking Nate Wolters, but must still rely on John Wall's knee/weight/tattoos to lead them. 

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The Best Of The Rest: Those Not Selected In The NBA Draft

Marquette's Vander Blue is among those undrafted who now must impress an NBA team this summer. (nydailynews.com)

Not every dream came true at the NBA Draft on June 27. Overlooked in the surprise of the picks and the hot-potato-like game of trading players are the guys who never heard their names called. Many will still get their chance playing on summer league teams, but the thrill of hearing their name read and having a hat to put on with pride was lost.

You will notice many of these players came out early, some questionably, showing the negative side to leaving school for a shot at the NBA. Everyone wants to get to the league as quickly as possible, but it doesn't work out for everyone, and another year in school can greatly benefit some of these players' games and lives.

That being said, we take a look at some of the notable names whose dream didn't come true on June 27 and will now look to get another chance this summer.

C.J. Leslie - North Carolina State
The 6'9" Wolfpack forward going undrafted was probably one of the more surprising of those left out on draft day. Leslie burst onto the national scene two years ago as he helped take NC State to the Sweet 16. Despite averaging 15.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game last season, the team's disappointing performance took the limelight off Leslie, and his thin frame at just 200 pounds could have been a factor in teams passing up on him.

Khalif Wyatt - Temple
Wyatt was a scoring machine last season for Temple, averaging 20.5 points per game and terrifying opposing defenses. The senior guard scored 30 or more points seven times last season, including back-to-back 31-point games in the NCAA Tournament. Wyatt was not exceptional at racking up assists or rebounds, and turned the ball over three times per game, but his offensive skill set should be enough for him to land on a team.

Myck Kabongo - Texas
Missing the first 23 games of last season due to suspension for NCAA violations hurt the Texas sophomore's stock, but when he did return during conference play, he made the most of it. Kabongo averaged 14.6 points, five rebounds and 5.5 assists per game, although he struggled from behind the arc (shooting just 29.6 percent) and being only 6'1" did not help him in the eyes of NBA GMs.  

Vander Blue - Marquette
When your own coach questions if you should be leaving school early for the draft, that might be a red flag. Sure, Blue greatly improved his scoring last season, and yes, next year's draft class is predicted to be much deeper, but Blue probably should have returned to Marquette for another year. Blue still struggles from 3-point range (30 percent) and averaged more turnovers (2.3) than assists (1.8), which is never a good sign.

Phil Pressey - Missouri
Pressey may have been the best passing point guard in the country last season for Missouri, not just for his 7.1 assists per game, but how he facilitated the offense. Pressey also contributed 11.9 points per game, but did so shooting less than 40 percent from the field. The Tiger point guard also had a string of bad performances in key moments at the end of games and his size (listed as 5'11.5" with shoes) left NBA teams hesitant. Still, Pressey's awareness, passing skills and ability to see the floor should allow him to land on a team this summer.

Other notable undrafted players: 
Brandon Paul - Illinois
Trevor Mbakwe - Minnesota
Adonis Thomas - Memphis
Matthew Dellavedova - St. Mary's
Seth Curry - Duke

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Updated: Clippers, Chris Paul Reach Agreement On Contract Extension

Reports are that Chris Paul will remain a Clipper, and is expected to sign a five-year extension with the team. (articles.washingtonpost.com)

Update: Since the original post below was published, Chris Paul verbally agreed to the five-year contract extension. Paul tweeted out his answer, which as you can see has already become quite popular, keeping him in LA for the long haul. Now it's just up to Paul and the Clippers to find their way deeper into the playoffs.

Original: Lob City looks to be holding onto its floor general for the long term. The Los Angeles Clippers and point guard Chris Paul are expected to come to an agreement on a five-year, $107-million contract extension. Monday is the first day Paul is able to verbally agree to the deal, although the contract cannot be physically signed until July 10.

The Clippers bringing in Doc Rivers as the head coach was thought to be an extra boost to keep Paul in LA, and it seemed to have worked. Now the Clippers have their core players locked in for several years (Blake Griffin signed a five-year extension last summer) and they believe Rivers is a coach that can take them from being a playoff team to an NBA Championship contender.

Paul averaged 16.9 points, 9.7 assists and 2.41 steals per game last season for the Clippers, who were knocked out of the first round of the playoffs in six games by Memphis, despite dominating the regular season with a 56-26 record.

Paul will also have a new scoring option to pass to in the backcourt as Los Angeles drafted 6'7" North Carolina shooting guard Reggie Bullock with the No. 25 pick in last Thursday's NBA Draft.

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