Word on the street is that the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, and the New Jersey Nets are all making moves so that they can seek to sign Lebron James and others once they go on the market on or after the 2010 season. Names like Dwayne Wade, Dirk, McGrady, Lebron, Michael Redd, Chris Bosh, and Amare Stoudemire will all be possibly available in 2010 to be signed for the right price. The only problem is their teams know that too and will likely make roster moves to ensure that they retain their valuable commodities. New York, who got off to a solid start this year, has just traded its 2 best players and 2 leading scorers away in hopes of getting under the cap. Detroit traded Chauncey for A.I. because A.I.'s contract will come off the books after this year and we all know New Jersey with Jay-Z want Lebron James to come to Brooklyn if that move is ever made. And I say to all of them be very careful. Back in the summer of the year 2000, Tim Duncan, Grant Hill, and a then lesser known Tracy McGrady went on the free agent market. Teams, especially, the Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic, did all they could to shed salary in hopes of landing Tim Duncan. Tim Duncan took his tours and was courted by each of these teams with big money to spend and do you know where Tim Duncan ended up? Back in San Antonio. Grant Hill signed and then traded from Detroit to Orlando (for Ben Wallace) thinking that Duncan would end up there. Chicago eventually got played by Tracy McGrady and every other free agent and ended up with nothing. Orlando signed a then little known McGrady and Grant Hill whose ankle has never been the same. Two of the four teams involved prospered and neither of those was Orlando or Chicago. San Antonio won championships, Detroit with Ben Wallace eventually won a championship, Chicago won ping pong balls, and Orlando won first round exits. The point is, getting rid of all or any players that can help you win in exchange for salary space to go after an unknown is foolish. Its fools gold to basically choose to lose for 2 years in hopes that you will luck out and stumble upon the winning lottery ticket. I am not suggesting that Jamal Crawford or Zach Randolph were going to bring championships. But I also never advocate purging your roster for the unknown.
Now for some crow
Was that me who said that the Bulls should have taken B-Easy over Derrick Rose? Well, what the heck do I know? Derrick Rose has been ridiculous. I must say that I never imagined that he would be this dynamic this early on in the game. The only thing I did get right in my assessment of Mr. Rose was that he was a scoring PG....what I got wrong was how good he is at putting the ball in the basket. He gets wherever he wants whenever he wants. Chicago...you made a great choice!
Isn't it time for us to admit....
....that Lebron James is the best player in the NBA? I know it is envogue to continually say Kobe Bryant is but I just don't know how you can watch the things this guy does and still say that Bean, as great as he is, is the better player. It used to be that you could say the defense separates them but the Lebron I watch has started to block shots and play great defense.
I will acknowledge that the Bulls seem to have made the right choice in Derrick Rose, but I am stunned at how new coach Eric Spoelstra continues to inconsistently use Michael Beasley. If any one has watched the Heat play a few times this year you will notice how he sits the rookie for long stretches sometimes with no rhyme or reason. The report is that he wants Beasley to be a better defensive player before he can get consistent minutes but was he drafted because he was Bruce Bowen or was he drafted because he was a 26 and 12 player at Kansas State? Does misunderstand what I am saying. He needs to be a better defender. I get that. But how does playing 12 minutes then 16 minutes in back to back games allow him to become that? I just never understood how GM's draft players and then expect them to be something other than what made them great. Reggie Bush was never going to be Emmitt Smith just like Michael Beasley will never be some great defensive player. Put him out there and let him ball.
I am going to the lakers
Am I the only one that thinks Lebron is good, but not the savior?
I love my Cavs and I need the rest of the league to find their own star. Gee wiz!
I'm totally with you on the Lebron thing. If Cleveland has a good enough team around him to contend, then he's staying. He can't get a bigger salary anywhere else, and he's already the biggest star in the league right now. He stands nothing to gain from going to NY unless they have a better group of teammates for him to play with in 2010. You can say pretty much the same thing about D-Wade. Now Chris Bosh may be up for moving, but he really isn't a game changer in my book.
With the game on the line I want the bean taking the shots, and all the free throws. Even with one hand lopped off he's taking ALL the free throws. That said it's slightly early to crown anyone anything.
interesting comments 4 sure. ...