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Brigham: Media Day Questions
With organizations holding their media days in just under three weeks, it’s time for fans and journalists all over the world to start preparing their big questions for the first official NBA interviews of the new season. Every team has had their drama, their unconcluded issues, and their improvements. Every team’s fans have questions they want answered about these things. So, one team at a time, here are the big questions we all want answered on Media Day. Atlanta Hawks 1. Acie Law – What makes you believe that you are the long-term solution for this team at point guard?
2. Joe Johnson – Going into this season, what factors would give you the opinion that Atlanta could be participating in the playoffs this year instead of the lottery? Boston Celtics 1. Kevin Garnett – How important is it for the Celtics to win a championship immediately? Do you really believe this team can gel that quickly?
2. Paul Pierce – Obviously you’re happy with the additions of KG and Ray Allen, but do you feel this team is deep enough to overcome any potential injuries?
Charlotte Bobcats 1. Jason Richardson – Obviously it hurt your feelings to have been traded from Golden State, but now that you’re familiar with your new organization, what are your early observations of the Bobcats?
2. Emeka Okafor – How much longer before this team is no longer viewed as the little brother, the expansion team?
Chicago Bulls 1. Ben Wallace – Many have criticized your output last season, with your age and desire both being the culprits most often called into question. Did you feel less productive last year, and will we see the Big Ben when know and love again in 2007-2008?
2. Luol Deng/Ben Gordon – What does it mean if the two of you aren’t extended before the start of the season? Do you see free agency potentially leading you away from Chicago next season? Cleveland Cavaliers 1. LeBron James – With all the big moves and trades other teams in the Eastern Conference made this offseason, do you think your team still has enough to get back to the Finals this season?
2. Aleksander Pavlovic/Anderson Varejao – What surprised you most about the drug-out free agency period for you? Did you ever think a deal wouldn’t be done in time for camp? Dallas Mavericks 1. Dirk Nowitzki – Obviously last season’s historic first-round loss to the Warriors was crushing, and it seems people are more critical of this team than ever. Are any of those criticisms valid? What did that loss teach you as a player and as a team?
2. Jason Terry – Year after year this team is widely considered one of the league’s best. So when you guys keep falling short trade rumors kick up, and this summer some of them included you. Was there ever a concern that you might not be back in Big D this year? Denver Nuggets 1. Carmelo Anthony – How do you expect your leadership experience with Team USA to translate to your leadership of the Denver Nuggets?
2. Allen Iverson – A year later, are you still grateful to be a Nugget? Do you still feel that Denver is a better situation for you than Philadelphia? Are your dreams for a ring a real possibility with this team? Detroit Pistons 1. Chauncey Billups – Cleveland may think that they’ve jumped you as the princes of the Eastern Conference, but I’m sure you disagree. What do you guys have up your sleeves this year that will prove them wrong?
2. Rasheed Wallace – Without Chris Webber, what will this team’s solution be at the center position? Do you expect to play any five this year, or can Nazr Mohammed carry the load on his own?
Golden State Warriors 1. Baron Davis – Good teams build on momentum from the previous year, and you guys might have more than any other team in the league. That said, what is the minimum acceptable conclusion for the Golden State Warriors this season? Getting to the second round again? Just making the playoffs for a second straight year? Winning a title?
2. Monta Ellis/Marco Belinelli – You are expected to help fill some very big shoes now that J-Rich is gone. Is there any added pressure for you to perform this season knowing that his departure was made easier because the team knew they had your talent waiting in the wings?
Houston Rockets 1. Steve Francis – I’m sure it’s great to be back in Houston, but does this team have too many talented point guards for you to get the minutes you undoubtedly feel you deserve?
2. Yao Ming – With such a lack of depth in the frontcourt for you guys last year, what does the addition of Luis Scola do for making your job easier? Is he really as good as they say?
Indiana Pacers 1. Jermaine O’Neal – Well, after a summer of speculation you’re still a Pacer; Are you okay with that, and do you think the new coach will be enough to get your team back to the playoffs this year?
2. Jamaal Tinsley – You’ve received a lot of criticism the last couple of years about your injuries and work ethic. Have these criticisms been at all fair, and what improvements have you made to show you’re still capable of being the floor general this team really needs? Los Angeles Clippers 1. Corey Maggette – It’s probably time right now to go ahead and assume that the trade rumors will pick right back up this season and continue through the trading deadline this winter. Are you happy here now? Is this the place you want to finish out the season?
2. Sam Cassell – Obviously losing Elton Brand was devastating to this team’s success in the early parts of the season. The continued rehabilitation of Shaun Livingston also negatively affects the depth at point guard behind yourself. How does this team tread water long enough to get these guys back and make a run at the postseason despite the adversity?
Los Angeles Lakers 1. Kobe Bryant – This question has nothing to do with trade demands, just a hypothetical shot-in-the-dark query I bring up only for speculation: If you were the GM of the Los Angeles Lakers, what players would go after to put around Kobe Bryant to make him happy?
2. Derek Fisher – The Utah Jazz did you such an honorable service by releasing you for the sake of your daughter’s health. How difficult will it be to compete against and organization that did you so much right? On that note, how is your daughter?
Memphis Grizzlies 1. Pau Gasol – Last season the situation here looked pretty rough, but now—despite missing out on Kevin Durant and Greg Oden—the future of the Grizzlies looks pretty bright with guys like Mike Conley, Juan Carlos Navarro, and Darko Milicic in the fold along with a new coach and GM. How much happier are you right now than you were at least season’s trading deadline?
2. Mike Conley – How concerned are you about the amount of minutes you’ll get at point guard playing alongside Damon Stoudamire, Kyle Lowry, and Juan Carlos Navarro? Do you think you’ll see any time at the two?
Miami Heat
1. Shaquille O’Neal – One of the biggest offseason goals for the Miami Heat was to pick up some depth at point guard. Do you think Smush Parker and Penny Hardaway will be enough to fill that void properly?
2. Dwayne Wade – Injuries absolutely killed this team in its title defense year, so how concerned are you about that being a problem again this season?
Got any more questions for your team? Send them to me and I’ll post them with Part 2 later this week! See more at www.hoopsworld.com
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