Editors Note: I know the summer is not over, but all the important moves have been made and anything after Odom resigning isn’t front page news…Well other than Boozer being traded…which still isn’t that big of deal….
Professional basketball fans across the nation were able to enjoy a pretty active Off-season for their beloved NBA. Certain franchises felt the need to improve, while others decided to pursue mediocrity for various reasons.
So, here are some things that I took from the summer that was…..
The Lakers are favored to Repeat
Until the news of Lamar Odom resigning hit the mainstream (even though BSO reported it EXCLUSIVELY), a repeat was in doubt. Yes they signed Ron Artest, but Odom has a unique skill set that separates the Lakers from the rest of the pack in the West. Artest adds a toughness that the Lakers lacked last season. Yeah the Celtics added Rasheed, but Lakers vs. Celtics should be the highest rated games this season. Nike may have to find a Celtic to do a puppet for since……
The Cavaliers dont want to win!
Ok. They added Shaq. What does that mean for the Cavs? More TV time, more antics…but not more wins. The Cavs needed another scorer. Yes, Shaq is a better center than a lot of guys in the league, but their weaknesses were revealed in High Definition during the beatdown they received from the Magic. Lebron needs a running mate. Mo Williams was a great addition, but if Lebron has an off night, who fills the void?
As for a prediction? The Cavaliers won’t be Shaq’s last team, and Lebron starts looking for real estate elsewhere by mid-season…..and speaking of NY….
I, nor do the Management Execs of the New York Knicks know what the franchise is doing!!!
Self Explanatory…The legacy of the Knicks has been tarnished by the lack of direction…
I mean really, which way is up for this storied franchise?…They aren’t the only ones.
Houston, we have a problem
No Yao.Artest dipped.T-Mac…is T-Mac.Ariza is in town…so will the Rockets take off this season? Not sure. All signs have lead to T-Mac being traded, but who knows. The Rockets don’t look like they will enter the stratosphere anytime soon…Speaking of Outer Space….
What galaxy is Starbury in?…
All jokes aside, things aren’t well with Stephon Marbury. His outbursts and cries for attention have the whole sports world buzzing. A lot of the journalists that I follow on Twitter have made different statements regarding Starbury. Shaq even questioned it. So please, if you know him, get him help. Seriously. But you can only help those who help themselves…Just like the….
Orlando Magic
The Magic made great strides in wanting to get back to the Conference Finals. Going into the season, I rank them tied for first with the Celtics. Why a tie? Did you forget who their Coach is? Exactly. Vince Carter no longer has any excuses to be mediocre, and should fill the 2 spot nicely. Even with Hedo gone, the Magic still create match-up problems for the a lot of teams. Dwight Howard is the new Shaquille O’neal in regards to off-court personality, but will it transfer into on the court dominance? I think so.Things are looking pretty good in central Florida. South Florida? Thats a different story…
D.Wade is a Free Agent…Mentally
Lamar Odom resigning with LA brought joy to Laker Fans, but brought grief to D. Wade. The Heat haven’t made significant moves at this point, and D. Wade is getting tired of it. He even did some recruiting of his own of Odom to help the franchise. I’m pretty sure Gabrielle Union has gotten use to Wade venting about his unhappiness. The league may have stopped him from wearing a band-aid over his eye, but I’m pretty sure he has a few over his heart. This may be pretty obvious, but im sure Wade and his agent are looking to make moves of their own right now. Wade will be out of Miami by All-star break…If they dont get Carlos Boozer. If they get Boozer? He still is out of South Beach. Adios!!! Which leads me to other people leaving or going…or whatever….
Ricky Rubio does not want to play in the NBA
He is making it more difficult than it has to be. Yes there is red tape involved, but if you wanted to be here, it would’ve been done. I think he is scared of the league to be honest. Yeah he can pass, but what did that get Jason Williams? Rubio has been on draft boards the last couple of years a lottery pick, but I just don’t believe the hype. Minnesota is silly for drafting him and Flynn.
So there. That’s some of what I learned this summer. If anything else happens, stay tuned to BSO for our thoughts.
Peace.
