Tank You Very Much: Potential Sixers Trades

It was common knowledge that this was going to be a massive rebuilding season for Philadelphia, starting with the trade of Jrue Holiday, that would set them up for a shot at a top 3 pick in a loaded 2014 draft. After a 3-0 start, it has been suggested that they might need to trade their 3 vets, Spencer Hawes, Thaddeus Young, and Evan Turner in an attempt to lock up a top pick. They are probably bad enough without doing that, but Michael Carter-Williams, Nerlens Noel, and picks are the only un-tradeable things in Philadelphia, so if they can acquire assets or young pieces for these three useful veterans, they should do it....

Spencer Hawes to the Los Angeles Clippers for Reggie Bullock

The Clippers will have to include a number of small contracts to make this deal work, but the crux of the deal is Hawes for Bullock. The Clippers have championship aspirations, but a big problem with depth at the center position. There are also questions about whether DeAndre Jordan can play in cruch time due to his abysmal foul shooting and limited offensive game. Hawes won't be an upgrade defensively, but he is a much better offensive player and basically a wash as a rebounder. Hawes is a very good midrange shooter, who at least so far this season is 6-12 through three games this season, while also being a very good passer. As a backup center and floor spacer who can close out games for the Clippers, Hawes would be perfect. As a bonus he is an expiring contract that won't lock them up long term. As an added bonus Byron Mullens wouldn never have to play an important minute for them ever again. For the Sixers the goal is to get worse this season and acquire long-term talent or assets, both of which they would accomplish with this trade. Bullock, the 25th overall pick in the 2013 draft won't have a role on the team the Clippers year, not with Jared Dudley and J.J. Redick on the roster, but has some nice potential as a three-and-D wing, which would fit well next to Carter-Williams, Noel, and whoever they get in the draft (Wiggins, Randle, Parker) with that skill-set. The Clippers also have their 2014 first round pick to include in the deal. Another possibility would be a three team trade that sent Dudley to another team (say, the Pelicans) with a youn asset or two heading to Philly (say, Austin Rivers). In this case the Clippers get Hawes and Bullock steps into Dudley's minutes. 

Thaddeus Young to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Kendrick Perkins

While it is starting to become clear that he Thunder are going to stubbornly hold on to Kendrick Perkins, they could still try to deal him to a tanking team. With Steven Adams playing well so far, plus the ability to play Nick Collison and Serge Ibaka at center, and Hasheem Thabeet able to fill in at least an average level, the Thunder won't be hurt at center by losing Perkins, but would get a huge upgrade on offense and another scorer to balance out their offense even more. Young is a layup machine who can also more than hold his own defensively at both forward spots. He can play alongside Durant at the 4 or in place of him at the 3 and be a sixth man or a starter, a more effective version of what they hoped Jeff Green would be. The Sixers would be getting $8 million off the books a year earlier (Perkins has 2 years remaining, Young 3) and a strong locker room presence, but little on court value, which would suit them fine as they tank. The Thunder can also sweeten the deal with the like of Perry Jones, Andre Roberson, Grant Jerrett's rights, or the rights to German big man Tibor Pleiss or Spainish guard Alex Abrines. The Thunder will have to see what they can do with their current lineup, but acquiring Young at the expense of only Perkins would be a huge boost for them. 

  

Evan Turner to the San Antonio Spurs for Matt Bonner, Nando de Colo, and the rights to Davis Bertans
This is a very un-Spurs-like move, but it is fun to speculate about, and could actually be a need, as well as a piece for their future. Whether the Spurs are in the market for a wing will depend on if Marco Belinelli pans out or not, so far, so good but he a track record of inconsistency. Turner is the superior talent who is finally playing up to his draft status, and does a number things that the Spurs would like: he competes defensively, is a high IQ player, a good passer and rebounder. Most importantly however, Turner can hit corner threes (38% last season) and make plays, which will help ease the burden on Manu Ginobili. Despite his rep as a shooter, Belinelli was actually terrible from the corners last season (27%), and pales in comparison to Turner in the playmaking department (21.0 assist ratio to Belinelli's 16.2). This is a very unlikely scenario, but if the Spurs think Turner could help them return to the title game, or be a part of their post-Big 3 rebuild, then dealing for him is something they would have to explore. Bonner and de Colo could be replaced with a number of different contracts, but since they are both expiring contracts, they work the best in the deal. The prize for the Sixers is Bertans, a sharp-shooting 20-year old Latvian forward who was drafted in the second round of the 2012 draft. The Spurs also have a number of other prospects (Livio Jean-Charles, Ryan Richards) and picks they could use in a deal.

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Ready to Take Off: Anthony Davis

In the Pelicans Saturday night win over the Charlotte Bobcats, Anthony Davis scored 25 points (9/13 FG, 7/8 FT), with 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 6 steals and 6 blocks. This remarkable performance is becoming par-for-the-course for Davis who is averaging 23.7 points, 13.3 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 2.7 steals on the young season. It's not just that the 2012 number 1 overall pick is putting up big numbers, he looks like his game has grown considerably since last season. We all know about the terrific hands, length, and athleticism that give Davis the ability to block shots and throw down outrageous alley-oops, but now the skill is starting to catch up to the elite physical ability. Part of his big improvement offensively has been his jumper, he hit 4-of-5 outside the paint from against Charlotte, and is shooting 50% from there this season. His stroke in general is improved, as demonstrated by his terrific 95% shooting from the free throw line so far this season. If his jumper continues to fall, it will open up his offense even more, allowing him to use his explosive first step to take slower bigs off the dribble from the high post. This quickness, along with more aggressiveness, strength, and seeking of contact this year, also allows Davis to draw more fouls, nearly doubling his total from 3.5 last year to 6.7 this. There is no reason that he shouldn't average 8+ free throws a game in time. Add to that his improved shooting, plus buckets of put-backs and of course alley-oops and you have a recipe for a very efficient and reliable offensive game. Defensively, we know Davis can block shots and has very active hands, but his ability to guard on the perimeter and switch, as well as guard in ISO situations are also becoming elite skills. That is why I think Davis fits better at power forward than center, because he causes so much havoc all over the floor when he plays there, but is limited when he plays center, not to mention the wear and tear having to check bigger players. What is even more amazing is that Davis is only 20 years old and has a ton of room for growth in both physically and in his abilities, despite being playing at an All-NBA caliber right now. If this level of growth continues, Davis could be a top 5-10 player in this league. The Pelicans have playoff asspirations and the talent to get there, but they need to be careful that ball-dominant players like Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans, and Eric Gordon don't neglect Davis, because he is their best player.

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What's Up With The Nuggets?

Last season, the Nuggets won 57 games, grabbed the number three seed in the playoffs, and averaged 106.1 points a game, tops in the league* as well as having the 11th most efficient defense in the NBA. So far this season, they are 0-2, including losing on Friday for the first time at home in twenty-four games. Denver is scoring only 93 points a game (23rd in efficiency) while giving up 101.5 (20th in efficiency). Obviously this is a tiny sample-size that is hard to learn much from, but it bears out what is pretty clear on the court, this team is a mess right now and nothing like what it was last season. This isn't surprising considering all the changes they went through in the off-season, from the top of the organization on down. After GM Masai Ujiri left for Toronto, the Nuggets fired George Karl and hired Brian Shaw, a first time head coach who helped the turnaround in Indiana. They also allowed Andre Igoudala to leave in Free Agency, traded Kosta Koufos for Darrell Arthur, and signed Randy Foye, Nate Robinson, and J.J. Hickson. So far they have really looked like they are struggling to make the pieces fit together on both ends of the floor. Shaw, a discipline and defense oriented coach, has been given a number of undisciplined players who struggle on defense. JaVale McGee, who signed a four-year, $44 million deal last summer, was supposed to be a franchise player for them this year, but he logged only 10 and 13 minutes in Denver's first two games. Kenneth Faried, who became a star for them last season and started 80 games, was moved to the bench and had his role decreased. Andre Miller, who Karl came to rely on heavily, has also seen his minutes drop. These were all big parts of last year's team, relegated to minor roles so far. It is hard not to point to their defense as a reason for the decreased roles. But if Shaw doesn't want to play them, he is left with limited options and no real dynamic talent except Ty Lawson, until Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari return from injury. The other issue is that Faried and Miller have two years left on their deals, while McGee has three and Miller, who is 37 and hasn't had a ton of playoff success potentially wanting to bolt for a better team and more minutes, and he does have a reputation as being a little bit of a trouble-maker in the past. Shaw could turn this all around and the team could look completely different in a couple weeks, but the possibility of a pretty big mess is laying in the weeds right now. All is not lost in Denver however, Chandler should be back soon and Gallinari could be back as soon as soon as January, but the issue remains that the Nuggets have a lot of pieces at high prices that their new coach doesn't seem thrilled with. If they continue to struggle, there could be some trades coming.

*They were 5th in offensive efficiency.

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He's back!

The buzz after last night's Bulls-Knicks game was all about Derrick Rose. Playing in his first game at home in over a year, Rose struggled for much of the night, but hit the game winner in dramatic fashion. However, there was another return last night, the return to form of Tyson Chandler. After winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2011-2012, Chandler battled through a debilitating bulging disk injury, missed 16 games, lost weight and wasn't nearly the defensive force he had been in previous years. New York was actually better on defense with Chandler off the court last season (.513 eFG on to .502 off) while in his DPOY season, he and the team were much better on that end (.480 on, .493 off). However, in the Knicks opening night game against the Bucks, and even more so against the Bulls, Chandler looked back to elite defensive form, almost always in the right spot, making life particularly tough for Rose who had to contend with his long arms and massive frame all night. Chandler blocked four shots, but hasn't put up the huge block numbers you expect from a top defensive center, never averaging more than 1.8 blocks a game. Instead, Chandler protects the rim with size and elite positioning. Another benefit of this is it keeps his fouls down while allowing him to draw more offensive fouls on opponents. Also, so far this season he has looked like his old self defending pick-and-rolls, which is crucial in today's NBA that uses that as its bread and butter. At least so far, the Knicks offense doesn't look as potent as last years, which means they may have to lean more on a their defense, to which Chandler is crucial. Chandler is almost a lock to miss some games with injury, he's played 80 games exactly once in twelve seasons and has averaged 63 games the last five.* What matters is that he is healthy enough to play at a high level when he does plays and can play at that level in the playoffs. The Knicks, who have floundered in the playoffs the last two seasons, are resting their hopes on it.

Some more thoughts on Bulls-Knicks:

While he isn't as crucial of a player as Chandler, Taj Gibson also looked like he was back in top form after battling a knee injury and missing 17 games last year. Gibson frequently closes out games for the Bulls because he is an elite defender at the power forward position. A healthy Gibson means a lot to the Chicago bench and crunch-time lineups. 

Rose really struggled from the field, but he was getting where he wanted for the most part, he just needs to get everything back in rhythm as he regains his elite finishing ability. It will also help when he starts drawing more fouls, the referees were letting quite a bit of contact go uncalled for some reason. If Rose looks this way in game 40, I might worry. In game 2, he is in good shape.

I liked the posting up of Jimmy Butler the Bulls were doing, at 6-7, 220 he has a distinct size advantage over most two guards. Chicago should get some easy buckets this way, whether though Butler in the post or action off of it.

It was nice to see Andrei Bargnani his some shots, if he can regain his stroke (but mostly his confidence) it should help the Knicks offense, his defense and rebounding are still a worry but that is another reason why Chandler is so important to New York.

*Not including the lockout-shortened season in which he played all 62 games.

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Hot and Slow Starts

Because it is the beginning of the season, every little thing will be blown out of proportion by fans and unfortunately some media members as well. It isn't wise to take to much out of the beginning of the season, but it's also a bad idea to completely disregard everything you see...

Three teams that are expected to compete for a title got off to slow starts in their first game, with the Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, and Los Angeles Clippers all lost their opening games. However, there isn't any reason for these teams to panic, as each one is incorporating new elements into their rotations. The Nets have five new rotation players while the Bulls and Clippers have three a piece, plus Brooklyn and L.A. have new coaches. Chicago struggled during the second quarter in which they were out scored by the Heat by 19, in large part because Jimmy Butler and Luol Deng got in foul trouble and new Bulls Mike Dunleavy and Tony Snell weren't quite on point with their rotations, particularly to the corners. Also Derrick Rose was clearly a little rusty, neither of these issues should last. The Nets on the other hand were tentative offensively, still figuring out how to play together together on that end. The absence of key reserve Andrei Kirilenko didn't help either. For the Clippers, there are signs that are a little more concerning but not dire, they were killed on the boards, including 18 offensive rebounds, and looked lackadaisical at times on both ends. Also, they were beaten by a Lakers team that was lost to Golden State by 31 the next night. However, I would be very surprised if they don't make a move for a big before the playoffs (Emeka Okafor when healthy?) and Doc Rivers should be able to instill some discipline in his young team. Bottom line is these are all very good teams and I see no reason why they shouldn't end up in the top 4 seeds in their respective conferences.

It was great to see the Kings still in Sacramento, with rowdy fans showing up en-masse to support their team on their way to an opening night win, thanks in large part to DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins registered 30 points (13-26 from the field, 4-7 from the line) 14 rebounds, a pair of steals and blocks, and an assist. Cousins has put up big numbers before, but he has rarely looked this good, showing off the whole repertoire on the block with hooks, drives, turnaround bank-shots, and one thunderous throwdown off his own miss. More importantly, he cut out bad jump shots, only shooting when he was wide open, and going 2-of-4 in that case. Perhaps most impressively, he played 39 minutes and still (mostly) brought effort on both ends. Cousins is supremely talented and if he can continue to play this way, Sacramento will be going in the right direction. I think it really helps having Greivis Vasquez playing alongside him. Vasquez played great and fit really well on the team, especially playing alongside Isaiah Thomas, the two combined for 33 points (on 11-18 from the field, 7-9 from the line, 4-6 from deep), and 9 assists to 4 turnovers, but most importantly they played good team basketball. Unfortunately, Marcus Thornton still had the blinders on and jacked up terrible shots, which was the norm in Sacramento in previous seasons, but really stood out against when, at least for one night, the Kings looked like a different team. Also, while he struggled offensively, I liked the way the Ben McLemore competed on the defensive end, which was an issue for him at Kansas. Once he is able to get going on offense, I would expect McLemore to move into the starting lineup with Thornton in a more logical bench role.

Michael Carter-Williams had a tremendous debut in the 76ers victory over the Heat, scoring 22 points (6-10 FG, 4-6 three point, 6-8 FT) with 7 rebounds, 12 assists, 1 turnover, and 9 steals. The boards, assists, and steals shouldn't be too big of a surprise (though nine is a lot, obviously), at 6-6 he can really see the floor and make things happen on defense. However, the offense and lack of turnovers are huge, if he can keep protecting the ball and continue to score somewhat efficiently, the future is very bright, because the rest of his game is there. 

The Detroit Pistons are going to make things very difficult for teams in the paint when they play Andre Drummond, Josh Smith, and Greg Monroe together. If they can keep a consistent offense and not foul too much, their defense could be really disruptive. 

Like the Bulls, Nets, and Clippers, the Pelicans are incorporating a lot of new pieces and while the talent and potential is evident, they need to work on their consistency and figure out how the 3 guard lineups are going to be working together. 

The Pacers, who beat New Orleans, who got big bench contributions in their first game, only mustered 10 points of the pine in this game, which will be something to monitor throughout the season, because the bench will be crucial for them in the playoffs after killing them last year. If Danny Granger returns to form, moving Lance Stephenson to the bench should help a lot.

The Thunder scored 101 points, but they only had 9 assists, including only one by Kevin Durant, who was really passing well in the pre-season. This offense is really going to struggle if they don't move the ball more. Russell Westbrook's return will help this immensely, but he is still out for a couple weeks. I would like to see Durant create a little more for his teammates, because without Westbrook they are really lacking ball movers. Note: shooting 33 free throws doesn't help assist totals, but the point still remains.

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NBA Award Predictions + All-NBA, Defense, Rookie Team

Coach of the Year: Mark Jackson, Golden State Warriors
This award generally goes to the coach of a team that has a big jump in wins, or battles injuries, both of which are a possibility for the Warriors this season. Andrew Bogut and Steph Curry could miss games, yet the addition of Andre Igoudala and some steps forward by Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes could lead to 50-plus wins (they won 47 last season). Mark Jackson did what seemed impossible a couple of years ago and turned Golden State into an above average defensive and rebounding team, and they could be even better this year. Kevin McHale, Rick Carlisle, and Frank Vogel are other possibilities, though this award is hard to predict. 

Most Improved Player: Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls

The last five players to win this award all won it in their third or fourth season, and all but Danny Granger had a big jump in minutes as well. Using that criteria, there are several candidates such as a pair of Jazz players in Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors, as well as Suns guard Eric Bledsoe. Kanter has a chance to step into Al Jefferson's role and put up big numbers, while Favors could lead the league in rebounding, and Bledsoe is a stat-sheet stuffer and highlight factory. Still, I think Butler is the choice. Not only will he get a boast in minutes, up from 26 into the 30s, but he should provide an overall game of offense and defense. Perhaps most importantly he will be a key player on a very good team with national exposure.

Sixth Man of the Year: Andrei Kirilenko, Brooklyn Nets

This award frequently goes to high scoring guards, but I think Andrei Kirilenko will break that trend this season because of just how crucial he will be to Brooklyn during the regular season. As the Nets try to spare Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett for the playoffs, Kirilenko will play a ton of minutes at both spots and fill up the box score while also being the teams wing stopper. Reggie Jackson, Jamal Crawford, Lance Stephenson, Harrison Barnes, and Manu Ginobili will be the primary scorers off the bench for good teams and in the running for this award.

Rookie of the Year: Victor Oladipo, Orlando Magic

This is a wide open race for Rookie of the Year as there are no sure-fire performers in big roles this season. Victor Oladipo is the favorite because of his ability to make so many impact plays and put up points, rebounds, assists, steals, and even blocks. He is far from a lock though because he isn't a starter and any number of other rookies could be in the running for this award, it is just a matter of who is able to take ahold of a role and run with it.

Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard, Houston Rockets

The winner of this award is almost always a big man and a key part of a top defense, which is why despite his potential merit I am not sure Dwight Howard will win this award, the Rockets defense just won't be good enough for voters to consider him. That said, when healthy he is the best defensive player in the league and should win this award every year. The usual suspects of Marc Gasol, Tyson Chandler, Tony Allen, LeBron James, Joakim Noah, and Roy Hibbert are also potential condidares for the award.

Most Valuable Player: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder

LeBron will likely be most deserving of this, but voter fatigue is a real thing and Durant is getting better every season. He has become a much improved playmaker, and should have a boost in scoring average as well with Russell Westbrook out to start the season. Derrick Rose is another possibility, as is James Harden and Chris Paul, but most likely this will come down to Durant vs. LeBron.

First Team All-NBA

G: Chris Paul, Clippers

G: James Harden, Rockets

F: LeBron James, Heat

F: Kevin Durant, Thunder

C: Dwight Howard, Rockets

Second Team All-NBA

G: Derrick Rose, Bulls

G: Tony Parker, Spurs

F: Carmelo Anthony, Knicks

F: Kevin Love, Timberwolves

C: Marc Gasol, Grizzlies 

Third Team All-NBA

G: Kyrie Irving, Cavaliers

G: Dwyane Wade, Heat

F: Paul George, Pacers

F: Anthony Davis, Pelicans

C: Al Horford, Hawks

First Team All-Rookie
G: Victor Oladipo, Magic
G: Ben McLemore, Kings
G: Michael Carter-Williams, Sixers
F: Anthony Bennett, Cleveland
C: Cody Zeller, Bobcats

Second Team All-Rookie
G: Dennis Schroder, Atlanta
G: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Pistons
F: Otto Porter, Wizards
F: Kelly Olynyk, Celtics
C: Steven Adams, Thunder

First Team All-Defense
G: Mike Conely Jr, Grizzlies
G: Tony Allen, Grizzlies
F: LeBron James, Heat
F: Tim Duncan, Spurs
C: Dwight Howard, Rockets

Second Team All-Defense
G: Chris Paul, Clippers
G: Eric Bledsoe, Suns
F: Paul George, Pacers
F: Kawhi Leonard, Spurs
C: Joakim Noah, Bulls

2013-2014 NCAA Basketball Pre-Season All-American Teams

All-American First Team

G: Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State, So.

Reigning Big 12 Player of the Year and Second Team All-American last season, Smart affects the game beyond the box score. His defense and leadership are lauded by coaches, while his ability to make winning plays as well as stuff the stat-sheet should endear him to voters once again.

G: Russ Smith, Louisville, Sr.

Russ Smith averaged 18.7 points a game for the Title-winning Cardinals and plays an exciting style of basketball on both ends of the court. He pressures the ball relentlessly on defense and is a one man fast-break going the other way. With second and third leading scorers Peyton Siva and Gorgui Dieng gone, Smith should produce even more this season.

F: Jabari Parker, Duke, Fr.

While choosing Parker over Andrew Wiggins may seem ridicules to some, Parker is every bit the player Wiggins is right now, and more polished. Five years from now, give me Wiggins, but this season, particularly early I think Parker out-produces Wiggins and will be on a better team. Also, Parker will play a lot of 4, which means high rebounding numbers.

F: Doug McDermott, Creighton, Sr.

As much of a lock for the All-American team as anyone, McDermott has been on the First Team the last two season and should go down as one of the best college scorers in history. He is looking for his third straight 20 point season, and he a higher profile Big East conference to show out in.

C: Adreian Payne, Michigan, Sr.

This may seem like a bold projection for Payne, but if he improves with the same learning curve he has to this point, and gets an increase in minutes, Payne should produce at a high level. Not only has he progressed skill-wise, he has also grown in the mental aspects of the game, allowing Payne to use his considerable physical gifts.

All-American Second Team

G: Aaron Craft, Ohio State, Sr.

Like Marcus Smart, Aaron Craft affects the game beyond what the box score indicates. His stats are pedestrian, barely averaging double digit points and doing so inefficiently, however his intense defense and leadership are invaluable. He will need to take a step forward offensively this season for Ohio State.

G: Gary Harris, Michigan State, So.

After a quietly impressive Freshman season, Gary Harris passed up on the NBA to return for another season at Michigan State. Fully healthy after shoulder surgery, Harris should become one of the premier perimeter scorers in the country, getting it done on both ends of the court and filling it up from all over the floor.

F: Andrew Wiggins, Kansas, Fr.

By now, most non-Jayhawk fans are sick of hearing about how great Andrew Wiggins is, and for good reason: he is very impressive. Wiggins in a surefire top-3 draft pick and future star, as explosive a player as you will see and exciting on both offense and defense. I worry about expectations early, but by Tournament time he should be rolling. 

F: Julius Randle, Kentucky, Fr.

A monster of a man and an elite athlete, Julius Randle is also very skilled. Like Wiggins he'll be a top NBA pick and should be the next in line of Kentucky one-and-done's. He could easily take off and be First Team, but Kentucky is loaded with options that will cannibalize each other's stats.

C: Montrezl Harrell, Louisville, So.

Montrezl Harrell's stats last season are unimpressive because he played a small role behind First Round pick Gorgui Dieng. This year Harrell, fresh off of playing with Team USA and winning the U19 championship, will step into Dieng's role and minutes and should blow up with points, rebounds and defense.

All-American Third Team

G: Tyler Haws, BYU, Jr.

One of the most unheralded great players in college basketball, Tyler Haws was awesome last season, averaging 21.7 points per game with a very impressive 47%/38%/88% slash line. BYU could ride Haws to a Tournament birth which should put him in consideration for the All-American team. 

G: Nick Johnson, Arizona, Jr.

Lost in all the hype surrounding Arizona's last two big recruiting classes is that Nick Johnson was very impressive last season and will likely be their leading scorer this season. Johnson is also a very good defender and a highlight dunk waiting to happen, which should get him national exposure.

F: Glenn Robinson III, Michigan, So.

Glenn Robinson III eschewed the NBA to come back as Michigan's returning leading scorer along with Nik Stauskas. Robinson III will be the alpha-male on this Michigan team and should put up big numbers as he becomes more consistent game to game.

F: C.J. Fair, Syracuse, Sr.

Quietly one of the best players in the country last season, C.J. Fair has always been an elite athlete, a good rebounder and defender but now he's become a very good shooter who can fill it up from the outside. Syracuse usually has a balanced scoring attack, but Fair will lead the way on what should be a  very good team.

C: Isaiah Austin, Baylor, So.

This last big man spot could go to a lot of players, a couple of the Kentucky guys, Mitch McGary or Aaron Gordon could all fit here, however I think Austin takes a step forward to build on what was an already impressive Freshman year. Austin should be the focal point of Baylor's offense and a good statistical contributor across the board.