1. This is how I see the West finishing: Phoenix, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, Sacramento, Nuggets, Lakers, Grizzlies. (Give or take the Nuggets)
2. I would Miami would finish in between Sacramento and Houston.
3. The East looks like this: Miami, Detroit, Boston, Chicago, Indiana, Washington, Cleveland, Philadelphia. If Kobe's Lakers were competing in the East this season, I think they would finish probably just below Washington.
4. If the Shaq trade was Shaq for Baron Davis, PJ Brown, and Jamal Magliore, would Shaq have accepted the trade?
I don't think he would have.
4a. If so, where would the Hornets have finished in the Western Conference?
The Hornets without their three best players but with Shaq, I would say they still finish near the bottom three in the West.
5. Scenario: Shaq gets traded to the Hornets in the trade from #4, Kobe signs with the Clippers. Hornets win 20 games and end near the bottom of the West, but Shaq averages 30 points a game, 12 rebounds, 2.5 blocks. Clippers make the playoffs as a 6 or 7 seed, Kobe averages 26 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists. Can you compare the two seasons?
I don't think you can compare these seasons, because they are completely different scenarios. For what Shaq would have with him on the Hornets, 20 wins would be very impressive, but the Clippers getting a 6 seed in the playoffs would also be very impressive.
5a. In comparing the seasons, was Shaq a failure for putting up good numbers and helping the Hornets to win more games then they are likely to this season? Was Kobe a success for putting the Clippers over the edge and finally getting them into the playoffs, despite having his numbers slightly down?
I don't think Shaq was a failure because he was playing on a team of shit and still managed to win 20 games and put up good numbers. Kobe had a successful year because he put up good numbers and put the Clippers over the edge.
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