DraftExpress Team Needs Section

The lottery is in the books, the playoffs are winding down, and the draft is quickly becoming the main topic on the minds of fans and NBA personnel everywhere. Considering how well this part of the site went last year, especially when you look back at the final results, DraftExpress is again going to extend an offer to the most knowledgeable fans for every NBA team to write what THEY think their team needs and give them a chance to make their voices heard.

This year we are going to do things a bit differently, though. There were 50,000 different people who visited the site yesterday alone. Instead of scrambling to find qualified people to write about every single team, we are going to take advantage of the incredible traffic we've been receiving and let the reports come to us once again.

As opposed to last year, though, you enter the Team Needs report on your own, we will approve it, and then the entire world can read it, analyze it, argue about it, and then write their own if they disagree. Post it on your favorite message board (maybe ours?), or do with it what you please. All Team Needs Reports will be automatically linked in the appropriate team’s clubhouse (for example the Toronto Raptors), which will become accessible either through the mock draft or the Team Clubhouse Section.

All you need to do to participate is register an account on DraftExpress. It’s free and confidential; you do not even need to share your real last name if you choose not to. Once you have registered, either click on the “My Scouting” link on the sidebar on the left (under “features”), or click on the following link. Find your favorite team, keeping in mind that the list is sorted by mascots (for example: scroll down to W for Warriors, M for Mavericks). Then give your article a catchy name that will stand out from the crowd, and copy and paste your article from your word processor. Hit submit, and you are done. Again, for quality control purposes, and to allow you to save and edit your masterpiece, you must be registered on the main site to be able to contribute.
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If you think you are qualified, and would like your personal favorite team to read what YOU think they should do, then this is for you. We will post the template of what we are looking for and how the section should be written (although feel free to be creative), along with examples from last year, and then eagerly await and see what comes out of this.

Whether your team has one pick, two picks, three picks, or no picks, something will be needed on every team. Every team can have as many Team Needs articles as they have fans, as long as they are informative and well-written. We will evaluate every article that is written, and IF the DIRECTIONS are followed, immediately approve it, with your name on it should you please. Feel free to add a link to your own (sports related) website or blog and we’ll add HTML code to make it a hyperlink.

Over the next week two weeks or so we’ll analyze the cream of the crop from each of the 30 NBA teams and pick the best article from each team to post on the front page (like a regular article), sorted by division. It will then be placed in our official Team Needs section. If you want credit for the article beyond whatever screen name you chose when registering, don't forget to add that in the beginning of the article.

Here is the template along with questions you should be asking yourself should you decide to participate. The article should be between 500 words minimum and 1,500 words at max. You should type up the article in a word processor (such as Microsoft Word) and eliminate as many spelling and grammar errors as possible. Due to sheer amount of articles that will be sent, message board style entries with no regard whatsoever for the English language will be rejected immediately. Do us a favor, save us all time, and read over your submission before you post it.

Team Name: Your Team's Name

Draft Picks: What picks does your team have in both the 1st and 2nd rounds as of right now?

For Example:

Golden State Warriors

- Draft Picks - #9, #38

Depth Chart: The best place to get this info quickly is Hoopshype.com’s Depth Charts. Since you might know your team a little better, make sure everything is accurate position wise. Indicate who the free agents are with an asterisk.

For Example: (Los Angeles Clippers: 2006)

PG: Sam Cassell*/ Shaun Livingston/ Daniel Ewing
SG: Cuttino Mobley/ Quinton Ross
SF: Vladamir Radmonovic*/ Corey Maggette/ Walter McCarty*/ Yaroslav Korolev
PF: Elton Brand/ James Singleton/ Vin Baker*
C: Chris Kaman/ Zeljko Rebraca/ Boniface N’Dong*

*Indicates Potential Free Agent

To determine who might be a free agent this summer, Hoopshype’s team salaries section is the most accurate and up to date.

Background:

A short summary of how your team's season went this year, and how they ended up in the position they are in right now. Don't go overboard here, something short and to the point will certainly do.

For Example: (Houston Rockets: 2005)

The Rockets' season started with much anticipation over the combination of Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. The team stumbled out to a 6-11 start however due to a lack of quickness and intensity necessitating changes to the roster. Bob Sura came off the injured list to give a boost at point guard. Tyronn Lue was exchanged for Jon Barry and Jim Jackson and Bostjan Nachbar were sent to New Orleans for David Wesley. Later, Mike James was acquired, adding more quickness and scoring punch, while Maurice Taylor was dumped for salary cap reasons. Overall, the changes made the team quicker and better defensively, while offensively the changes resulted in a team that makes good decisions and hits their open shots, complimenting T-Mac and Yao.

Carroll Dawson truly molded the team to Jeff Van Gundy's personality. The Rockets ended the year hot with a 51-31 record, 5th in the Western Conference. The First Round matchup was the Dallas Mavericks however, resulting in a series that showed both the strengths and weaknesses of the Rockets. Tracy McGrady proved to the nation what Rockets fans had already realized, that he is a top 5 player while being unselfish enough to lead. Yao Ming showed dominance as well, though his action and effectiveness in the series were limited due to foul trouble and tempo. The Mavericks exploited the weaknesses of the Rockets finally in the Game Seven 40 point blow-out. The Rockets in their trades became a much older team, losing athleticism and stamina to match up against the young Mavericks. An injury to Juwan Howard showed how thin the talent on the Rockets had dwindled with the numerous trades.

Team Needs:

What positions should your team be looking to fill? Why? Can this be filled through free agency as well? Does your team have cap space? How much approximately?

For Example: (Charlotte Bobcats: 2005)

At this point in the franchise, basically every position not played by a guy named Emeka is a position that needs improvement. Specifically, the Bobcats need to find the following things, either through the draft or free agency.

1. A young point guard to groom. Brevin Knight was fantastic last season but he has his limitations. He is small, isn't a good outside shooter, and is injury prone. The ideal situation would be to draft a young point guard for a re-signed Knight to tutor next season before relinquishing the starting job.
2. A go-to scorer at shooting guard or small forward. The Bobcats tried just about everyone at shooting guard in their search to find a decent scorer to compliment Emeka Okafor and Primoz Brezec. They are still looking. The lack of a go-to scorer on the wings was a major factor in the Bobcats many blown 4th quarter leads.
3. Depth in the paint. With Okafor, Brezec and Melvin Ely the bobcats have a decent nucleus of young talent in the frontcourt. Now they just need to keep adding depth, and young projects that might eventually become an upgrade over Brezec at center.


GM’s Draft Strategy

What has your GM's draft strategy been over the past few years? What type of players does your team or GM usually like?

For Example: (Charlotte: 2005)

In his days with Seattle, Bickerstaff helped bring in players such as Nate McMillan, Gary Payton and Derrick McKey. In Denver he drafted guys like Dikembe Mutombo and Mark Macon. Last year with the Bobcats he drafted Emeka Okafor and Bernard Robinson. As you can see, Bickerstaff has always had a preference for tough, long, athletic players with high character and great defensive skills. Bickerstaff talked openly last season about needing players that can score and shoot. It's possible he might stray from his previous draft habits and look towards a pure scorer, a smaller, quicker point guard,or even a European prospect, but when the day is done I'm betting he stays true to his tendencies and drafts more of the same.

Personal Analysis

Your personal analysis on what might happen.

For Example: (Toronto Raptors: 2005)

Where to begin? This team needs an influx of talent, not just through the draft but through free-agency dollars (limited in this case) and further trades. The team lacks an identity. To too many players playing in Canada remains an un-appealing option, be it due to factual reality (poor management) or fictional stereotypes (lack of soul-food) as many players are unaware that Toronto is the third biggest media centre in North America and is the most multi-cultural city in the world. The franchise has to reach out to the fans that still come out in droves to watch a flawed product. As discussed on numerous occasions in the press and elsewhere, perhaps the best thing to do is make a serious pitch for Toronto born Jamal Magloire. Not only would this add toughness and a presence in the middle, it would give the franchise new life. Eric Williams wants out, has earned his stripes, and this request should be met perhaps by including him in a deal with New Orleans. The draft does have players that can contribute, but the current draft position of the Raptors is going to make it difficult. The best case scenario for this franchise is to somehow manage to pick Deron Williams and later on Danny Granger. Williams will likely not be there at 8 so lottery balls must fall a certain way. Second round picks should be used wisely, aka Julius Hodge.

Other considerations: Do you need a scorer? Rebounder? Passer? Defender? Athleticism? True post player? Should your team take a risk on someone that could either be a superstar or a dud? Someone with a more solid outlook? Do you want someone who can step in now and contribute? Can you wait a few years on the prospect? Does free agency affect this draft for you? Is your team's roster so stacked that they might look to draft someone and stash him away in Europe? Is your team's GM on the hotseat? Is your team highly xenophobic so no international guys? Any specific players the media in your city has been hyping up? Any good local guys? We want to know everything.

Thanks,

The Staff

Small print: By submitting an article, you agree to allow DraftExpress to use it at our discretion.