NBA 2k19: The New Millennium(For Whom the Bell Tolls)

It's time once again to adjust the rosters and see what storylines we will have going into the 2008-2009 season, and we begin with a very sad farewell...(Henry's Note- I felt like the post for trades last year was too long, so I mostly reserved it to all the big trades this year)





- The Philadelphia 76ers trade SG Allen Iverson(85 OVR), C Rex Murray(81 OVR) and 2010 1st round pick to the Sacramento Kings for C Jimmie Owens(88 OVR) and SG Willis Hammonds(82 OVR)- 

It's a sad, sad day in Philly, as AI departs from the team that drafted him to leave for Sacramento, where he will join up with reigning MVP Chris Paul. The 76ers knew this day was coming with Lou Williams(85 OVR) entering his contract year, and get back Owens, who provides the presence in the paint they've lacked for so long. Philly also gets Hammonds, who has 88 Potential, but has to give up a 1st round pick for next year which is top five protected.


- The Cleveland Cavaliers trade Lamar Odom(88 OVR) and PG Darrel Fordham(81 OVR) to the Dallas Mavericks for PG Steve Nash(88 OVR), SF Hugh Burke(78 OVR) and 2010 1st round pick- 

The Mavericks continue to sell off assets as they enter a rebuild, now trading away the leader of their offense in Nash, who is 34 years old and starting to decline. Cleveland will attempt to win now, and get rid of Odom, who didn't have much a place in their team anyway, and Fordham, who didn't play at all last year and has 88 Potential. The Cavaliers will also receive the 1st round pick Dallas got from the Lakers last year, since Nash is so much older.


- The Los Angeles Clippers trade PG Keyon Dooling(85 OVR), SG Quentin Richardson(83 OVR) and C Robin Lopez(75 OVR) to the Houston Rockets for PG Steve Francis(84 OVR), C Stanley Rider(82 OVR) and SG Randolph Hickman(66 OVR)-

With Devin Harris now signed on long term, the Clippers get rid of Dooling and Richardson, who wasn't needed, to get veteran depth in Francis and a quality back-up center in Rider. For Houston, it's the end of an era as Francis departs for greener pastures and they now enter a full rebuild.


- The Houston Rockets trade SF Richard Jefferson(88 OVR) and SG Jim Manning(71 OVR) to the Sacramento Kings for SF Hedo Turkoglu(82 OVR), SG Brent Aldridge(68 OVR) and 2010 1st round pick-

Houston continues to sell off pieces, now sending Jefferson to the Kings, where he will provide much needed perimeter defense. The Rockets get back Turkoglu, Aldridge who does have 85 Potential and the 1st round pick the Kings got earlier in the AI trade.


- The Dallas Mavericks trade PF Orlando Barbosa(82 OVR) to the Sacramento Kings for PF Phil Calloway(78 OVR) and 2009 1st round pick- 

The Kings continue to stack talent, now getting a nice upgrade at power forward. Dallas sells off another piece of their team, and gets a 1st round pick, completely unprotected, back.


- The Toronto Raptors trade SF Morris Peterson(82 OVR) and SG Tyronn Gatson(79 OVR) to the Seattle SuperSonics for SG Terrell Buford(84 OVR) and 2010 1st round pick- 

Toronto finally gets a true starting shooting guard in Buford, who was expendable after Seattle signed Brett Moran. Toronto also gets a 1st round pick, which is top ten protected.


- The Golden State Warriors trade PG Jermaine Ramsey(86 OVR), C Kenneth Levingston(82 OVR), 2009 and 2010 1st round picks to the Portland Trail Blazers for C Marc Gasol(83 OVR) and PG Cliff Hobbs(82 OVR)- 

The Warriors go aggressive in their pursuit of a great big man, and find one who could be in young Marc Gasol, who will now play his brother Pau every year in the same division. Golden State gave up a lot, including two unprotected 1st round picks, but they believe in Marc's ability and are hoping to form a big three with him, Kyle Lowry and Carmelo Anthony.

NBA 2k19: The New Millennium(South Beach)

Last time on The New Millennium, the Indiana Pacers were crowned NBA Champions for the second time in three years, winning the 2008 NBA Finals after sweeping the Los Angeles Clippers. Now, the offseason is upon us and changes are coming.





Player Retirements

Biding farewell to the NBA this year were the likes of Doug Christie, Sam Cassell, Allan Houston, Eddie Jones, Glenn Robinson, Kerry Kittles, Antoine Walker, Brent Barry, Bruce Bowen and Damon Stoudamire. No players were inducted into the Hall of Fame.


Draft Lottery

Despite only having the fourth best odds, the Miami Heat got extremely lucky, nabbing the first overall pick. The Pistons will pick second, the Suns third and the Jazz and Nuggets round out the top five.


2008 NBA Draft

1. PG Derrick Rose, Miami Heat
2. PG Russell Westbrook, Detroit Pistons
3. C Brook Lopez, Phoenix Suns
4. PG Goran Dragic, Utah Jazz
5. PF Kevin Love, Denver Nuggets
6. PG Sam Adkins, Milwaukee Bucks(generated player)
7. C DeAndre Jordan, New Orleans Pelicans
8. PF Michael Beasley, Houston Rockets
9. SG Eric Gordon, Boston Celtics
10. SG Dane Grimes, Seattle SuperSonics(generated player)
11. PG D.J. Augustin, Golden State Warriors
12. C JaVale McGee, Atlanta Hawks
13. SG Harvey Carpenter, Washington Wizards(generated player)
14. SF Danilo Gallinari, Cleveland Cavaliers
15. PG George Hill, Minnesota Timberwolves
16. PG Jerryd Bayless, San Antonio Spurs
22. SF Brandon Rush, Toronto Raptors
24. PF Serge Ibaka, Orlando Magic
27. C Marreese Speights, Golden State Warriors
29. SF Nicolas Batum, Chicago Bulls
34. C Robin Lopez, Los Angeles Clippers
35. SG Courtney Lee, Vancouver Grizzlies
36. PF Darrell Arthur, Los Angeles Lakers
38. PF Luc Mbah a Moute, Detroit Pistons
41. C Omer Asik, Seattle SuperSonics
42. PG Mario Chalmers, Seattle SuperSonics
45. C Alexis Ajinca, Seattle SuperSonics
48. PF Ryan Anderson, Milwaukee Bucks
56. C Kosta Koufos, New Orleans Pelicans


Free Agency

Here are the players who switched teams in free agency:

SG Brett Moran(89 OVR), Seattle SuperSonics, 4 years, 125 million dollars
SG Michael Redd(86 OVR), Utah Jazz, 4 years, 84 million dollars
SF Calbert Walton(85 OVR), Charlotte Hornets, 4 years, 65 million dollars
SG J.R. Smith(85 OVR), Utah Jazz, 4 years, 69 million dollars
SF Ulf Nojowitz(85 OVR), Utah Jazz, 4 years, 64 million dollars
C Zydrunas Ilgauskas(85 OVR), New York Knicks, 4 years, 63 million dollars
SF Nick Lowry(85 OVR), Detroit Pistons, 4 years, 62 million dollars
PG Nienyuan Hu(83 OVR), Philadelphia 76ers, 3 years, 16 million dollars
PG Eddie House(83 OVR), Boston Celtics, 3 years, 26 million dollars
SF Ed Mercer(83 OVR), Boston Celtics, 3 years, 25 million dollars
PF Nick Collison(83 OVR), Indiana Pacers, 3 years, 32 million dollars
PF Josh Smith(83 OVR), Detroit Pistons, 4 years, 94 million dollars
SG Jake Potter(83 OVR), Detroit Pistons, 3 years, 37 million dollars
C Dan Buckner(82 OVR), Miami Heat, 3 years, 35 million dollars
C Brendan Haywood(82 OVR), Toronto Raptors, 3 years, 19 million dollars
PG Earl Boykins(82 OVR), New York Knicks, 3 years, 26 million dollars
PF Tim Thomas(81 OVR), Chicago Bulls, 3 years, 18 million dollars
C Emeka Okafor(81 OVR), Miami Heat, 3 years, 25 million dollars
PF Channing Frye(81 OVR), Toronto Raptors, 3 years, 26 million dollars


2009 NBA Draft Preview

If you're looking for impact talent, the top of next year's draft provides two big names in Stephen Curry and Blake Griffin. They each provide different talents, but either could be a franchise player if given the chance, and you certainly can't sleep on James Harden.

NBA 2k19: The New Millennium(Crossroads of America)

Last time on The New Millennium, the Lakers with new addition Joe Johnson were the best team in the NBA yet again, but the Bulls were once again fantastic and finished on an identical record. Who will claim the ultimate prize and win the 2008 NBA Championship?




First Round

In the West, the Lakers and Clippers have set up a battle for Los Angeles in the second round, as the Lakers only dropped one game to the Spurs while the Clippers needed 5 to take out Portland. Sacramento also needed 5 to get the upset over Vancouver, and the Warriors went down in an upset to the Timberwolves, as young Kevin Durant dropped 26 in the decisive Game 4. Out East, the Bulls swept the Celtics and the Pacers outlasted the Magic, with Dexter Collinsworth scoring 32 to win Game 5. The Hornets swept the defending champion Raptors, and the Nets were pushed all the way to 5 before eliminating the Knicks.


Second Round

In the battle for Los Angeles, the Clippers stunned their cross town rivals, winning in 5 thanks to Dwayne Wade's heroics. Meanwhile, the Kevins put on a show, and in an incredibly tight offensive showcase, took out the Kings in 7 games. In the East, the Bulls playoff struggles continued, as they failed to get past the Pacers, as Indiana's defense won them Game 7 and the series. And in yet another 7 game series, the Charlotte Hornets punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals, as Ellis Rowland dropped 32 to win Game 7 and send the Nets home.


Conference Finals

In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Hornets would take a 3-1 series lead, needing one win to advance to the NBA Finals. But in Game 5 in Charlotte, Jermaine O'Neal hit a game winning jumper to keep the Pacers season alive, and Indiana came roaring back to clinch another trip to the Finals. Out West, the Timberwolves gave the Clippers all they could handle, but LA's new kings had too much depth. In Game 7, Pau Gasol scored 26, Wade had 25 and Paul Millsap notched 20 off the bench to send the Clippers to the Finals.


NBA Finals

Game 1 in Indiana would go to overtime, where O'Neal blocked several key shots down the stretch and the Pacers won by 2. Indiana was much more dominant in Game 2, as O'Neal contributed 24 points and 11 rebounds in a big fourth quarter run to go up 2-0.

Game 3 was more of the same, as the Pacers won their sixth playoff game in a row, with O'Neal getting better and better, this time scoring 29 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, to go along with 4 blocks. Game 4 was tight throughout, with the Clippers holding a lead late. But it was then that Justin Galloway was clutch for the Pacers, forcing several key turnovers from Dwyane Wade, and the Pacers finished it off, winning by 9. For the second time in The New Millennium, the Indiana Pacers are NBA Champions!

NBA Finals MVP: Jermaine O'Neal(21.3 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 2.8 blkpg)




The Indiana Pacers continue to be the definition of clutch, winning their second championship in their fifth Finals appearance. What is to come for The New Millennium? Join me next time for the 2008 offseason.