LeBron Turns the Page, Embarks on his Championship Chapter

If only we had known then what we know now.  Last summer we all watched with baited breath as Dwyane Wade made sneaky visits to the Bulls, LeBron James was wined and dined by the Knicks, and Chris Bosh was rumored to land anywhere from Houston to Los Angeles.  But after seeing the emotion and hearing the words of Wade, James, and Bosh after this latest series, it seems there was never any doubt where the three would end up.
 

The Boston Celtics had a mental stranglehold on Miami for most of this season; fear was literally struck into the hearts of the Miami’s big three by Boston, especially James.  The Celtics were tougher, stronger, smarter, more experienced; they were the better team.  Last year with Cleveland, James actually gave up in the conference semis against the Celtics.  He may as well have played the series with a white flag hanging out his pocket.
 

We did it.

In this year’s series, which the Heat just claimed in five close games, you could see the relief in Miami every time they won.  After Game Four, in which the Heat took a commanding 3-1 series lead, James and Wade found each other immediately and collapsed into each other with a massive and prolonged embrace.  It seemed to say, “We did it.  We won a pivotal game in their house, and we did it in the clutch.”
 

When the Heat polished off the aging Celtics Wednesday night, the emotion was even more apparent.  As the buzzer sounded and the scoreboard read 97-87 in Miami’s favor, James fell to the court overcome with relief, joy, and the sense that his career had finally turned a corner.  The first words of his on-court interview thanked the Celtics for teaching him what it takes to win in the NBA, for molding him into the competitor he has become.
 

LeBron also mentioned in his postgame comments that he loved his time in Cleveland, but that it showed him he could not beat a team like Boston by his self—an unintentionally arrogant statement, for which James is notorious, that contains the truth we as writers seek but simultaneously condemn.
 

With the Celtics vanquished for this year, and perhaps done for good as a championship contender—next year Pierce will be 34, Garnett 35, and Allen 36—James has to feel that his path to championship glory is finally traversable.  The Lakers’ early exit on the other side of the bracket has to be uplifting as well.  Sure, the talented Bulls, Mavericks, Grizzlies, and Thunder remain as possible foes in these playoffs, but none will have the mental edge or championship mettle to intimidate the boys from South Beach.
 

So now, as much as some of us might despise the thought, we may be looking at a sustained run of dominance from the much hated Heat.  As the odds-on favorite to win the title this year, and with James at the tender age of 26, Bosh at 27, and Wade at 29, Miami should have at least a 5-year window to pile up titles.  There’s been a changing of the guard in the Association, and while plenty of teams may retool and build superstar trios of their own, there is no possible duo as potent as James and Wade.
 

Turning the Corner

For years we’ve seen James as a brilliant singular talent, an entertainer, and a regular season force.  At the same time we’ve prophesized that he was destined to fall short in the playoffs, that he didn’t possess the Jordan, Kobe, or Bird DNA.  With the way things look now though, we may have to completely shift the paradigm on James.  He has a chance now to win his first title and to win multiple rings after that.

LeBron shook the non-clutch label and beat the one team that was clearly a mental road block for him over his career.  Now we may see what James is capable of when he plays without fear and without anything to prove, when he focuses solely on basketball.  It could be positively awe-inspiring.

James has won two MVP awards and put up mind boggling numbers since he stepped on the NBA hardwood, but haters have always been able to comfort themselves with his playoff failures.  That may no longer be the case as the Heat seemed poised to take the mantle as kings of the NBA.  With championship failure or success, legacy is the first thing to be discussed.  At age 26, James may be writing a new chapter in the book of his career, and if he wins rings like I think he now can, the title of that chapter could be, “The Best There Ever Was.”
 

--from Adam 

(first image from nydailynews.com, second from usatoday.com)

NBA Fantasy Draft Ranking

With the All Star Game not too far in our rearview mirrors, I wanted to take a look at the franchise players in the NBA, to rank the players that you would want to build a team around with the central goal of winning championships.

Age of course will be a factor in this discussion.  For example, Kobe Bryant will rank lower on the list not because he isn’t still great but because his window of greatness is smaller than, say, Chris Paul’s.  Moving down the list, preference will continually be given to younger guys, so if you’re ancient, you better be damn good.  When thinking about team building, you have to make decisions like: Is twelve years of Brook Lopez going to be better for my team than three more years of Tim Duncan?  Clearly it’s inexact, but it’s meant to engender conversation, debate, and it was really a fun list to make.

Cream of the Crop: With a couple of nice pieces around just one of the top ten guys, you’re at least a playoff team.  Give them a really nice supporting cast and you bring home a ring.  These ten players are young enough to have at least 5-7 prime playing years left.

1. Kevin Durant

Plenty argue LeBron James should be in this spot.  That’s fine, but here’s how I defend Durant’s placement.  First, and this is rather minimal but still significant enough to be mentioned, Durant is four years younger than James.  The real reason I rank him higher though is because Durant is the easier player to build around.  With James, you absolutely must have the correct pieces in place.  James can’t spot up and shoot, he can’t post up, and he has to be the main facilitator on your team to be fully effective.  In essence, surrounded by a pile of crap in Cleveland, James reached his highest potential—averaging 30, 8, and 8 for an entire season—because he got to dominate the ball, make all the decisions, and shoot when he felt like it.  Now you see James in Miami where he too often gives the ball to Dwyane Wade and then just stands around like, “This is your possession. I’ll take over next time.”  James, despite having the repertoire of a Swiss army knife, is limited in his half court offensive arsenal and thus demands a certain type of roster around him.  He needs spot up shooters, no-talent rebounders (look at Anderson Varejao), and a true back to the basket post up man.  Because James can’t shoot a consistent jumper and can’t own his man on the block, his natural size and athleticism advantages only really help him in transition and dribble drive situations, which typically do not occur much against good teams in the playoffs.

On the other hand, Durant has no need to dominate the ball.  He is a scorer, plain and simple.  He is the focal point of your offensive game plan, not as a facilitator, but as the guy who makes buckets.  And the best part is, he doesn’t need the ball at all times; give it to him anywhere on the court and he’s effective.  He can catch and shoot, post up, curl off screens, use dribble isolation, and or get to the foul line whenever he feels like it as evidenced by taking the most free throw attempts in NBA history last year.  And oh yeah, he makes about 90% from the stripe, 50% from the field, and 40% from downtown.  Put anybody around Durant and you’ll still get 30 points and 7 rebounds from him in a high percentage fashion all while getting your opponent in foul trouble.  You also won’t incur all the hatred as a team, which James brings with him because of his antics and general jackassery (dancing before games, tweeting nasty things about the Cavs, hour-long ESPN specials, etc.)

Durant is the Duncan of this generation: coolly efficient, smart, focused solely on winning, and the perfect player to build around.  Durant’s game works against any team, whereas we’ve seen James shut down by a defensive-minded unit like Boston.

2. LeBron James

James is a bit like Wilt Chamberlain in that he is weighted down by insane expectations despite putting up ridiculous numbers, and I’m not sure James will ever escape that.  Even though James has been nothing short of incredible with Hall of Fame numbers and leading bad Cleveland teams to great seasons, it’s still possible that he’s falling short of the hype because by nature, hype has no limits.  People can dream up anything in the world of expectations, “Oh man, this James kid is so good.  He’s the next Jordan.  He’s gonna be better than Kobe.  He’s gonna win six rings.”  Fair or not, that’s what people thought when he came into the league, so the fact that James has zero titles after eight years in the NBA starts to weigh on him.  I think that explains his move to Miami.  He thought, “I better get a move on this championship thing or I won’t even be in the same breath as Kobe or MJ.  I might have to settle for Steve Nash territory.”  But what James didn’t understand was that going to Miami (A) wasn’t really a good fit for his skill set, (B) was only going to drive up expectations, yet at the same time diminish any accomplishments he did achieve because of his superstar teammates, and (C) make every road game tougher because everybody now hates the Heat.

James is also a bit like Scottie Pippen or Grant Hill in that he’s a great, all-around player that can pass, handle the ball, see the floor, defend, and jump out of the gym, but he doesn’t have that go-to-move on offense or the killer instinct to say, “I’m the guy on this team.  I take the last shot and I don’t give a damn if make it or miss it because I’m the man.”  The closest we ever saw James to being the take-charge guy he needs to be was in the 2005 playoffs against the Pistons when he scored 20 some straight points and willed his team to victory, but we haven’t seen it since.  James is a great player, but it’s the mental makeup that decides championships, and I’m not sure he has it.  James cares too much about what other people think.  In part, James was actually asking, “What should I do guys?  What do you want from me?”  Michael Jordan and Bryant didn’t give a damn what anyone thought, they didn’t want to be likeable, they didn’t want friends.  They wanted rings.

Remember that Pippen led the Bulls, sans-Jordan, to a 55-win season but couldn’t beat Patrick Ewing’s Knicks in the playoffs.  That’s what a great all-around player with no killer instinct and no true scorer’s mentality will get you: a great regular season, but no results come tournament time.  The regular season is a long haul where teams forget about defense and effort all together.  But in the playoffs it’s a new story, everything must be earned.  Every defense amps it up.  That’s why a player needs the midrange game and the post game, because drives to the bucket either won’t happen or will get you decapitated.

James is also a bit like Dr. J. as a guy so athletic that he seems a generation ahead of his time.  When we see that athleticism, awe-inspiring speed, and the hops, we think he should be the best player of all time.  But maybe in James’ case, he’s just a tremendous talent that isn’t quite the best player of all time.

One other consideration is, since James’s shooting and offensive tool kit is a little unrefined, you have to wonder how he will adapt when he’s 32 and can’t run like a greyhound or jump like kangaroo anymore.  Bryant and Jordan already had the midrange game, the full tool box before they started to decline athletically, but “The King” hasn’t developed it yet.

NBA Midseason Report: The Halfees

If you've fallen victim to the lethargy that is the NBA season, perhaps you need a little pick-me-up.  To help you coast into the second half of the season with some pep in your step, enter The Halfees, where I dole out some meaningless awards and talk about whatever else enters my mind.

Best Team: San Antonio Spurs

No team has really touched the Spurs in terms of consistency this season.  The Spurs are ready to play each and every night.  A big part of their success is that none of their big three–Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginobli–is playing more than 33 minutes per game.  In fact, Duncan is playing a career low 29 minutes, keeping him fresh for the grindingly long season.  Five guys average in double figures, and nine guys score at least 7 points per game.  If they can keep up this same level of play in the second half of the year, they could have a shot at 70 wins.

Worst Team: Cleveland Cavaliers

Think they're chanting "first to worst" at Cavalier games?  They don't have much else to shout about with the King holding court in Miami.  This team has pretty much nothing left on its roster.  But you know what?  They may get the first pick in next year's draft.  Then they can draft him, almost win a title, and watch him walk to a bigger market in seven years time.  And also, don't think I forgot about you, Washington Wizards.  The runner-up for this category goes 0-19 on the road: great toughness fellas, really terrific effort.

Best Player: LeBron James

I hate it, but I think my credibility would be shot if I argued this point.  James has a very talented team rolling, and there’s no question that his skill set has broader horizons than any other player in the game.  He’s a wonderful passer, a prolific driver, a decent shooter, and the best athlete in the world.  Surrounded by Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, James has the tools to be transcendent, but it won’t matter until he wins in the playoffs.

Most Important Players: Chris Paul and Dwight Howard

Neither of these players' respective teams is anywhere but the lottery without the services of its superstar.

Most Improved Player: Raymond Felton

There are plenty of other ways I could go here: Kevin Love, Michael Beasley, Eric Gordon, Russell Westbrook, and so on.  Felton's progress though has surprised me the most, and he's been the most impactful.  He’s become the second best player on a good Knicks team that is jockeying for 4-6 seeds out East.  Felton has always had talent, and now in an offense-friendly system, he’s averaging 19 points per game, up from 14 on his career.  His assists are up from his career average of 7 per game to personal best 9.

Best Rookie: Blake Griffin

It’s not only his averages of 22 points and 13 rebounds that make him the best rookie and one of the best players in the League.  It’s his astounding, "My God, did you see that!?" athleticism and surprisingly developed offensive game.  He blocks shots, handles the ball, is an excellent passer, and has a deft touch around the rim.  He’s not your typical raw second-year player.  He has the full toolbox right now, and he’s going to dominate for a long time.

Best Player on a Bad Team: Kevin Love

Griffin would win this award, but since I gave him the Best Rookie title, I'm feeling the love here.  Bad pun.  Love is averaging 21 points and 16 rebounds for a woeful scrappy T'Wolves squad.  They're somewhere near 20 games under .500, but nobody's really counting anymore.  You certainly can't blame Love for his team's lack of success.

Best Analyst: Charles Barkley

How a man who was caught soliciting a prostitute no less than a year ago is comfortable indiscriminately spewing criticism at refs, players, and any and everybody else is a true mystery.  It also makes Barkley the funniest and most entertaining talking head in the sports universe.

Most Repulsive Miami Heat Moment: LeBron's "What Should I Do?" Nike ad

What should you do, LeBron?  You should shut up and let us forget what an ass you are.

Best Zen Master Moments: Phil Jackson says Kobe Bryant is screwing up the Lakers, Phil Jackson says Erik Spoelstra may get fired

Jackson accusses Bryant of breaking up the Lakers' rhythm by shooting too much, then denies it the next day.  Jackson also hints that Pat Riley may have to take over the Heat, then glosses over that in a later interview and praises Spoelstra as a great young coach.  I don't know what he's trying to do, but I gotta trust the Master.

--from Adam

I Am Gilbert, Hear Me Roar (or single-handedly ruin my organization)

Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert has just authored his legacy, and it has nothing to do with leading the Cavs to a championship.   He will forever be remembered as the guy that not only let LeBron James get away, but acted like a petulant child in the process.  Gilbert is an owner; his job is to be a calculating, unemotional guy that focuses solely on improving the business of the Cavaliers.  Re-pricing LeBron Fatheads to cost $17.41, the year America's most infamous traitor Benedict Arnold was born, was just the latest in a series of almost inconceivable and certainly stomach turning moves by Gilbert.

Miami Thrice

How many teams tricked themselves into believing LeBron James would ride into their towns on his white horse and save the day?  At least six, and every team's fans likely had a scenario configured in their heads.  "OK, if we just trade Andrew Bogut, John Salmons, Luc Richard, and our next twenty first-round picks, we can get him!"  But in reality, LeBron could choose only one destination, and as free agent, that was precisely his right.

The pre-pubescent comments made by Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert serve to show exactly how valuable LeBron was to that team, and will be to his new team, the Miami Heat.  In Gilbert's rage he attempted to put up a tenacious front, but to anyone really listening, he was actually franticly waiving the white flag.  If anyone should understand that the NBA is a business, it's an owner.  Gilbert's reaction shows how deeply tied LeBron was to Cleveland, and just how transcendent a figure he really is.

I can't say that LeBron made the right decision yet.  I think he had to leave Cleveland; that team had too many inadequate players and big salaries, and the pressure of carrying the collective angst of the entire Cleveland population is something no athlete wants.  However, I am not convinced that the new Big 3 in Miami surpasses what could have been, had LeBron decided to join the Bulls.  But refreshingly, that type of speculation is over, and now it's time to examine what this threesome will really do together.

Not since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal were on the Lakers have two of the top three players in the league been on the same team.  The Heat now has that combination in LeBron and Dwyane Wade.  Kobe and Shaq, however, never possessed a third option like Chris Bosh, who himself is a top-15 player in this league.  This Big 3 surpasses the Celtics' Boston Three Party that won the championship in 2008.  Paul Pierce and Ray Allen were stars, not superstars.  Kevin Garnett was a top-5 player when he joined the Celtics, but is now no longer near that status.

This big three is the more talented than was Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman, or the aforementioned Celtics.  This is likely the best big three since Magic, Kareem, and Worthy all played for the Lakers.

In Miami you could argue that all members of the Big 3 are just entering their primes.  James and Wade are already the best players at their respective positions, and though Bosh is perhaps not the league's best power forward, he has that potential, especially at age 25 with plenty of room to get better.

The true danger in discussing this big three is that by mentioning them all together you forget what these men have accomplished individually.  LeBron is the best all-around player in basketball.  His team in Cleveland would have been picking high in the lottery without him, and yet with him, they had the best record in the NBA two consecutive years.  He is the best passer in basketball, the best athlete in the league, and at age 25 is still improving.  He has the ability to be the greatest player of all time.

Wade is a clutch player, with great all-around skills, tremendous athleticism, and a knack for the clutch, which may be the only thing LeBron lacks.  Wade was the best player on his Heat team that won it all in 2006, and along with Kobe, is the gold standard at his position.  He can play off the ball and does not possess quite the ego that most superstars do.  He dragged his teams to the playoffs the past few years, as did James.  Wade may have been working with even less talent than LeBron and was still able to get his team to the postseason.

Outside of Pau Gasol, Bosh is the most talented post player in the entire league.  He is an active rebounder and good defender.  He has an array of post moves, range out to eighteen feet, and great athletic ability.  He has an easy going personality.  He led an undermanned Raptors team to the very edge of playoff contention this year.

Nobody knows how this triumvirate will work together on the court, but in terms of talent, no team can best the Miami Heat.  James and Wade are two of the very best transition players in the league.  LeBron will always find the open man, Wade can score at will, and Bosh is the offensive anchor in the post.  On every possession they will have three number-one options on the floor, and teams will not be able to double all three.  Defensively, Wade's and James' athleticism and activity should really cause problems for opposing guards.

One issue is how to get these three massive personalities on the same page, consistently thinking in terms of the team.  It is likely just a matter of time before Pat Riley eats Eric Spoelstra's face and takes over this juggernaut, but I think that would only add another massive ego to the pile.  If I were a Heat fan, I would want Riley as far away from the sidelines as Roman Polanski should be from a hot tub full of young women.

A more pressing concern is who will be placed around these three, and just how is that going to work.  Although Wade, James and Bosh have all offered to take less than max deals, they won't be shopping at thrift stores anytime soon, and are likely only going to sacrifice a few million dollars each.  That will leave the Heat about four or five million dollars to play with, allowing them to sign a veteran to the mid-level exception, and then will mostly bring in players for minimum salary.

I have heard Shaq's name pop up, but he does not want to take minimum salary or be overshadowed by three other mega stars.  I have also heard Mike Miller which makes more sense to me.  He is a shooter and complementary player; he would be a fit.  Rookies Jarvis Varnardo, Dexter Pittman, and DeSean Butler will likely all make the team.  Mario Chalmers is still under contract for the Heat, and is a decent young player.  To make room on the roster for LeBron and Bosh, former second overall draft choice Michael Beasley was traded to the Timberwolves for next to nothing.

And therein lies the problem.  Wade, Bosh, James and then Miller, Chalmers,  Pittman, Butler, and Varnardo?  The Big 3 is going to have to be immaculate to win a championship with this cast.  They will not get very good players to come there and play for the league minimum no matter how likely a championship is.  Players play to get paid, and the Heat have all their cash tied up in three guys.  The question then becomes, is this threesome good enough to do it, to climb the mountain alone?  You need Sherpas to climb Mount Everest, and they better not be rookies or dudes way past their primes.

Championship talk all boils down to this, can the Heat beat the Lakers next year?  Can they beat the Celtics or Magic?  I think if Boston is healthy and can get another quality year from Garnett, Allen, and Pierce, they could certainly beat the Heat in a playoff series given their edges in depth, chemistry, and experience.  I think the same can be said for Orlando.

Certainly the Lakers can beat this Heat team.  LA has made three straight Finals appearances and is not going to be deterred by a little star power.  Wade, James, and Bosh may be a little better than Kobe, Gasol, and Andrew Bynum, but not by much.  Kobe cancels out James or Wade, and Gasol is a better player than Bosh.  Then the Lakers have Ron Artest, Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher, and Steve Blake.  The Heat will have virtually no bench and little production outside the Big 3.  This will be a problem in the playoffs where defense gets turned up and teams that have great versatility and resourcefulness survive.

The past few years in the playoffs it is clearly important to have star power, but it is just as vital to have six or seven true quality players.  The Heat will likely have three super stars, one or two serviceable players, and the rest will essentially be scrubs.  The regular season may be a spectacle as the Heat march through the lackadaisical NBA grind, but when the playoffs hit, you need all guns firing, and you better have a lot of guns.  The Big 3 will all be heavily counted on every single game.  They have to produce all the time.  They will feel supported by each other, but say LeBron has an off night, Wade and Bosh will need to combine for seventy points to offset that.

If the Heat can somehow add three reliable veteran players that can contribute some consistent scoring, rebounding, and defense, then they will be right there competing for a title.  The problem is I don't think they have the money to bring that extra talent in, and ultimately this team will come up short until they can find a way to fill out their roster.

3 is the magic number, and this 3 will be incredibly exciting to watch.  Going to a Heat game will be like going to a Beatles concert, South Beach will be on fire, and this trio will account for some truly spectacular moments.  Still, there is not enough in Miami's cupboard to cook up a championship, not yet anyway.

--from Adam

Free to Frenzy

I remember when the Cleveland Cavaliers were bounced from the playoffs and the free agency tracker on SportsCenter began counting down the days to July 1^st.  Back then we were some 60 days from the most anticipated non-game event in the NBA’s history.  As the days on the free agency ticker have marched by, we are now just mere hours away from LeBron James hitting the open market and everyone has gotten increasingly excited.  Ric Bucher’s tie is sweating, Chris Broussard’s voice is starting to sound like Tim Kurkjian’s, and Jon Barry is, well, he’s still bald. 

Never has a player with this combination of personality, transcendent ability, and youth hit the free agent market, and the best part is that so many teams could potentially afford to pay him.   Joining LeBron is a crop of players that would form an incredible free agent class by itself.  Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson, Carlos Boozer, Dirk Nowitzki, Amare Stoudemire, Ray Allen, Rudy Gay, Paul Pierce, and David Lee represent a deep, multifaceted class that could completely shift the balance of power in the NBA.  Let’s start by ranking the free agents, and then assessing where they might go. 

The Franchise Cornerstones

1. LeBron James
2. Dwyane Wade

3. Chris Bosh

Great Second Bananas:

4. Rudy Gay
5. Dirk Nowitzki
6. Joe Johnson
7. Amare Stoudemire

Players that tip the scale toward title:

8. Carlos Boozer
9. David Lee
10. Ray Allen
11. Paul Pierce

The top three require no explaining.  Rudy Gay is not the fourth-best player on this list but goes there because he is a very good player and is only twenty-three years old as opposed to Nowitzki who is thirty-two or Johnson who is thirty.  Nowitzki is still a superstar offensive player, but has demonstrated that he needs another star to get him deep in the playoffs.  Joe Johnson is overrated in my opinion but is a very good offensive player.  Still, I think on a Championship-level team he needs to be the second or maybe third best player.  Amare is a phenomenal offensive player, but he is selfish, immature, and terrible on defense.  Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom destroyed him in the postseason, and let’s face it, if a free agency super team is assembled, they will be focused on beating the Lakers and nobody else.  Boozer is a nice post player with good moves, hands, and intelligence.  He is a second star on a good team, a third star on a title contender.  David Lee is a role player that has put up good numbers on a bad Knicks team.  He is a superb rebounder.  Ray Allen goes ahead of Pierce because he will be cheaper, always fits a needed role (shooter), and I think Pierce’s body is breaking down.  Allen will have to play reduced minutes to keep his legs fresh but is still an incredibly valuable commodity. 

Now, nobody has a crystal ball so my predictions are equal parts probable and just plain wishful thinking as an NBA junkie.

Scenario 1:

Bulls get LeBron and Bosh - This is the hot rumor right now and for good reason, it makes sense and would be great to watch.  I imagine the Bulls would want to add a shooter into this mix because Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, and LeBron are not exactly long range marksmen.  Let’s give the Bulls Bosh and James and say they make a sign-and-trade for Ray Allen by shipping out Deng.  The Celtics will be looking to get something for Allen and possibly get younger, and the Bulls need a shooter, so both sides get what they want.  Then the Bulls would start Rose, Allen, LeBron, Bosh, and Joakim Noah, bringing Taj Gibson (one of last year’s best rookies) off the bench.  I am not sure you would even need a bench with this ultra squad.  Still, I would be concerned about whose ego would get bruised and if there would be enough numbers available for each player.  Rose and LeBron both need the ball to be effective and neither are spot up shooters.  However, Bosh can spread the floor as a big and Ray Allen makes defenses stretch to 25 feet.  Then Noah could simply get rebounds, putbacks, and garbage points. 

If this happens then…

Heat get Johnson and Boozer - The Heat might have to sign-and-trade to make this work, but they have a lot of money, a wonderful location, and Pat Riley who would eat your children for another championship.  This team would boast a starting lineup of Mario Chalmers, Wade (who stays), Johnson, Boozer, and Jermaine O’Neal.  They might ship O’Neal or Michael Beasley for a more solid center.   This would represent the best cast Wade has ever played with, including the 2006 crew when he claimed the title with Shaq.  Chalmers is a rising player, Johnson can be counted on for twenty points a game, and Boozer is a lock for at least sixteen and ten.  This team is not quite the level of the Bulls’ super team, but it could definitely push that squad and gives Wade the ability to stay close with any team and then take over in the 4^th quarter. 

                               

Then Nowitzki, Stoudemire, and Pierce re-sign with their current teams realizing they have as good a chance at winning by staying, yet probably cannot compete with the above mega squads. 

The poor Knicks then are left with signing Rudy Gay, a great sign any other year for any other team, but the Knicks have been waiting for LeBron for 5 years, and they need a lot of help, more than Gay can do by himself.  He would form a solid young tandem with re-signee David Lee though.

Scenario 2:

Lebron and Boozer go to Miami - I think Bosh would object to being the third scoring option behind two mega stars, so instead Boozer comes to Miami and becomes perhaps the best third option in hoops.  I think people considering this scenario are misinterpreting how it would work.  Unlike what many pundits are saying, Wade does not have to have the ball to be effective.  He is a tremendous cutter, a great transition player, and gets a lot of steals off the ball to get into the open court.  Bringing in LeBron would put arguably two of the top-three players in the league on the same team, also adding Boozer, a top 25-30 player.  I think overall the Bulls team might be a bit better than this one, but if Wade and LeBron find a way to put their egos aside, this could be an all-time great team. 

Bosh to Dallas - Mark Cuban covets LeBron (BREAKING NEWS… I know.  Who doesn’t covet this man?).  But in this scenario he will be happy to piece together a sign-and-trade for Bosh, that’s the only way the Mavs will be able to afford a max salary guy.  This means that Dirk will re-sign seeking a championship opportunity.  Maybe the Mavs trade Shawn Marion, Roddy Beaubois, and Erick Dampier (expiring contract).  Then they can roll out a lineup of Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Caron Butler, Dirk, and Bosh along with the other pieces they bring in.  This team might not be able to play defense, but they wouldn’t have to against most teams.   Still, the Lakers would give this soft front line fits in a seven game series, and Kobe is still unguardable.  Despite all the big names on this squad, I still think it only puts them in the conversation for a title and not on top of it. 

Stoudemire and Johnson to Knicks - Call me “crazy,” but I think Nash wants to win a title before he hangs it up.  So I think if those two signings happen, Nash may try to force a trade perhaps to join former teammates Stoudemire and Johnson, and former coach Mike D’Antoni.  Likely the Knicks would just offer some salary cap relief for Nash but that might be exactly what the suddenly rebuilding Suns want.  Now this becomes an absolute offensive juggernaut with a starting line of Nash, Johnson, Danilo Gallinari, Stoudemire, and the re-signed Lee.  Sound like the ’07 Suns much?  This is a lineup with 4 All Stars from a year ago and an emerging talent in Gallinari, but of course defense would be an issue.

Allen to the Lakers - If Allen was willing to sign for a mid-level exception aiming for another shot at a championship, then the Lakers would have to go after him.  He would provide the one element LA is missing, a deep threat.  That would make every other player on the team better.  I envision Odom and Allen coming off the bench together but essentially being starters, logging major minutes.  Imagine the Lakers’ top-six players: Kobe Bryant, Gasol, Ron Artest, Andrew Bynum, Odom, and Allen.   This would be another mega team; I can’t wait to see how this shakes out and to watch some mega matchups. 

Rudy Gay to the Clippers - This would be a very nice signing for the Clips.  Gay gives them a nice swing player/scorer and another young player to bolster their nice foundation.  Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Rudy Gay, Blake Griffin, and Chris Kaman has the look of a playoff team. 

Pierce re-signs with Celtics

Scenario 3:

Lebron, Bosh, and Dirk to the Knicks - The Knicks have thirty-seven million dollars in cap space and Dirk has stated that he will take less money to win a championship.  If this move happened the Knicks might consider moving David Lee to unclutter the front court and add a solid point guard.  But for now we will keep Lee on the team.  The trio of LeBron, Dirk, and Bosh combines three superstars—an all court threat, a big that can post and knock down the three, and another athletic post with a KG-type versatile game.  Add long bomber Gallinari and bring Lee off the bench, you have the best frontcourt in hoops. 

Wade and Boozer to the Bulls - Wade is from the Chicago area and would love to come home to win it all.  He and Rose I think fit better than Rose and LeBron.  Boozer is looking to be an add-on depending on where other stars are headed.  I again like the sign-and-trade, Deng-for-Allen deal here.  Rose, Wade, Allen, Boozer, and Noah would be a great lineup although slightly undersized. 

Rudy Gay to the Nets - The Nets were not as bad talent wise as a seventy-loss team should be.  Add Gay to this team, and with the addition of third overall pick Derrick Favors, you have something special developing.   Favors, Gay, Devin Harris, Courtney Lee, and Brook Lopez is the type of young nucleus that could compete for a championship in 2-3 years, which would be a miraculous turnaround for this team, but don’t expect results right away. 

Joe Johnson to Clippers - This is farfetched because I doubt Johnson wants to come to this team, but the Clips have cap space and will make Joe a rich man.  He would give them another guy they can go to in the clutch and a good dose of veteran leadership.  I wonder about Baron Davis being dealt.  Eric Gordon and Blake Griffin are an exciting young duo that would benefit from the addition of a veteran All Star in Johnson. 

Pierce and Stoudemire re-sign.


--from Adam

(All images from nba.com)