2/20 Roster Highlights
By: 2K Insider | Friday February 20 2009
Latest News - The NBA talk this past week focused on various trade scenarios and rumors. However, perhaps the biggest news had nothing to do with a trade. It was announced on Friday that Amare Stoudemire will miss an estimated 8 weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a partially detached retina in his right eye. Recall that this is the same eye that Boris Diaw poked in training camp which forced Amare to wear goggles to start the season. The Suns are very thin up front so word is that Grant Hill will slide to power forward while Leandro Barbosa becomes the starting shooting guard. With Phoenix already on the outside looking in to the playoff picture, it seems as if they are now lottery bound. Several trades went down over the past week, but only one improves a title contender and that was Rafer Alston going to Orlando. The Magic had been lost without Jameer Nelson, so acquiring a veteran point guard who could run the team and score for himself was vital. Stan Van Gundy coached Rafer back when both were with the Miami Heat in 2003-04 and played a key role in that team's success. The Rockets received talented point guard Kyle Lowry from Memphis and Brian Cook from Orlando. I anticipate that Aaron Brooks will become the immediate starter, but the Rockets are high on Lowry and so he will get a chance to win the job. The Kings underwent a facelift by trading John Salmons, Brad Miller, Bobby Brown and Shelden Williams in separate deals, yielding them Andres Nocioni, Drew Gooden, Michael Ruffin, Rashad McCants, Calvin Booth and Will Solomon. Subsequently they waived Quincy Douby and Sam Cassell. The Knicks traded Malik Rose for Chris Wilcox after Wilcox was sent back to OKC as a result of the failed Tyson Chandler physical. Wilcox could eventually find himself as a starter depending on how D'Antoni wants to use him. Joining Wilcox in New York is Larry Hughes, fresh out of the Del Negro dog house. In turn, the Knicks shipped Tim Thomas, Jerome James and Anthony Roberson to Chicago. Hughes will provide backcourt depth and versatility which they had been lacking after Jamal Crawford was sent west. The Thunder upgraded their starting shooting guard by acquiring Thabo Sefolosha from the Bulls. He will be a nice compliment to their core of Durant, Westbrook and Green. Already missing Mike Dunleavy indefinitely, the Pacers got word that Danny Granger will miss anywhere between 1-3 weeks with a torn tendon in his foot. Granger has a history of playing through pain so he could return sooner than expected if he is cleared by doctors. Super sub, Manu Ginobili, is out 2-3 weeks with what the team is calling a "stress reaction" in his right leg. I expect the Spurs to weather the storm as they have proven they can plug guys into their system and make it work.

Biggest Movers - I chose not to have any biggest movers this week due to the limited amount of games resulting from All-Star weekend. Contrary to what a few of you have asked for, I don't think you can extrapolate much from the All-Star game, the Dunk Contest or Rookie Challenge.

and what did you do to the cavs D you made them like a steal machine even ben can steal be realistic now they just got demolished by the rockets......the Rockets

nvm about that steal some dude just got lucky

grimballer, I have David Lee as the center because he guards opposing centers and they guard him. Same with Monta and Crawford. Monta guards and is checked by point guards. I think both Artest and Battier are natural small forwards, but I think Battier is more likely to play shooting guard between the two.