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TSN Basketball Analyst

Archive

1. TRISTAN THOMPSON (Cavs): Dangerous game being played here by the Canadian power forward’s agent Rich Paul. He obviously knows what the market will bear for his client long term. He rolled the dice with a similar strategy last September with Eric Bledsoe and the Suns and his client benefited. He has obviously gotten indications/smoke signals from other teams about how they value Thompson and he's willing to play hardball with the Cavs. It was a curious decision for Thompson not to accept a qualifying offer and go to unrestricted free agency next summer. I guess there is a plan in play here that will reveal itself in the days, weeks and months to come. It will be a very interesting scenario to observe.

2. LANCE STEPHENSON & JOSH SMITH (Clippers): This will be a chemistry experiment worth watching. Head coach Doc Rivers knows that he absolutely has to improve his bench and is rolling the dice that these two guys will put the team first in their approach. I've always felt that both are a bit needy offensively and love having the ball in their hands, sometimes at the detriment of their team. Sacrifice will be vital here as they try to find a role on a team filled with talented guys. Not saying it won't work, but it will take Rivers doing his usual great job getting through to these guys. Having terrific veteran Paul Pierce to help convince these guys that winning boosts everyone should help.

3. NIK STAUSKAS (76ers): I know it's only a few weeks that he'll be out with a tibia injury, but I feel for the guy. It is so important for him to carve out his new role with a new team after a difficult rookie season. Training camp and preseason games usually set the tone for how you begin to fit in the pecking order. Injury causes you to have to catch up to a moving train. His shot making and keen sense of team play are his strengths. When Stauskas comes back he's got to make those shots and finds ways to make others better. If he does, he'll begin to get consistent playing time.

4. DAMIAN LILLARD (Blazers): I'm not sure if there is a guy in the NBA that has more on his shoulders than this guy. The Portland point guard has to keep his team afloat. There is a lot of heavy lifting ahead for a guy that has lost teammates LaMarcus Aldridge, Wes Matthews, Robin Lopez and Nicholas Batum. The franchise made a major investment in him, so folks in the Pacific Northwest will have to be very patient as the team re-invents itself. It’s a very tough spot for head coach Terry Stotts and his staff to be in after back-to-back 50-plus win seasons in which they did a terrific job with the team. There are challenging times ahead in Portland.

5. MICHAEL KIDD-GILCHRIST (Hornets): The Charlotte forward is out six months, a major blow to the Hornets.  He's a wonderful competitor and was improving yearly for them. He’s a very tough guy whose compete level is really impressive. His absence puts more pressure on Nicholas Batum - in a contract year - to be a difference maker on the wing for Steve Clifford's squad. It’s an injury this team with a small margin for error couldn't afford.