I feel like starving man who has just been invited to freely partake at a high-class restaurant’s buffet. Yep, it’s NBA free agency and with all the moves made, where do I start? Oh yeah, there have been some changes and a few head-scratching moves as well.
Nothing will become official until the moratorium period ends but if you are expecting to sit down and read something about simply one move, forget it. There is way too much to look at in the off season. So, as I shake my head and things rattle around and fall out, you will read about them here.
Let’s start off by looking at Dwight Howard signing on with the Houston Rockets.
The big man has really tarnished his image with his indecisiveness over the last couple of seasons. If LeBron James ill-fated TV special was called “The Decision”, can we label all of Dwight’s dithering and vacillation the “Indecision”?
He is in a good spot however with the Rockets as he now has a player’s coach in Kevin McHale who also knows a thing or two about playing in the post and coaching big men. But how much of this is Howard’s wavering and how much of it is people in the media trying to get the scoop and be first. He may not have changed his mind as much as appeared. Maybe everyone’s guy, or source, that lets info out leads people in the media to cry wolf about Howard’s destination.
With Howard gone from Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant injured, with the finish line not far away for him and Steve Nash, combined with a signing of Chris Kaman and the reported amnesty of Metta World Peace, I ask, what’s the plan on the Lakers side of Staples Center?
Note to Houston’s instate rivals in Dallas, who have missed the boat now for the last two summers, cap space is great but it can’t rebound, make shots or play defense, just ask the 1999 Chicago Bulls. Hometown kid Deron Williams walked past their door last summer and now Howard as well. They broke up a championship team after their lockout-shortened 2011 title and it seems like nobody wants Mark Cuban’s money.
Good for Jose Calderon signing with Dallas and taking some of Cuban’s cash. Nice deal for Calderon. Like the Lakers, what’s the plan in Dallas?
The Spurs bring back Manu Ginobili but they missed their chance at a title this season. They were 20 seconds away and I don’t think they will get back there. They had a lot of things fall into place for them this season. If Gregg Popovich thought Ginobili drove him crazy, wait til he puts him on the floor with Marco “I rarely shoot when I’m balanced” Belinelli.
By the way, go and watch the last part of Game 6 of the NBA Finals, slow the video as players are substituted out of the game heading towards the Spurs bench and look at Tracy McGrady. His face and reaction said, “this is in the bag and I’m getting a ring”.
Around the Association: There is no loyalty in sports. It’s a business. Doc Rivers is now coaching the Los Angeles Clippers. That’s not a shot at Rivers, but it speaks to the Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge deciding to tank, er rebuild, and Rivers saying, “This is not really what I signed up for.”
And oh yes, a guy who is all over the Celtic record book, Paul Pierce, has been traded to division rival Brooklyn. Ainge tried to trade Pierce to New Jersey last year at the trade deadline for a lottery pick and Memhet Okur’s expiring contract but it fell apart. No loyalty folks, either way. How much can the Nets get out of Pierce and Kevin Garnett? Owner Mikhail Prokorov wants to win yesterday. Good luck to Jason Kidd as head coach in Brooklyn.
Golden State cleared the deck to try and get Howard, no luck but with Andre Iguodala in the fold, they could have a small but athletic group on the floor. The Warriors did lose Jarrett Jack to Cleveland, that’s going to hurt as Jack played well for them.
Congrats to Mike Malone who has become the new head coach in Sacramento. Great move in hiring his dad Brendan as an assistant. He’s the former Raptors head man and a great basketball mind. Also, good luck to new assistant coach and former Raptor assistant Micah Nori as he heads to Sacramento to join Malone’s staff as well. Wait a minute! Lionel Hollins and George Karl don’t have jobs though?
The Andrew Bynum Saga has owners pointing to him and saying to the NBPA “This is why we need to limit guaranteed contracts.” Wonder where Bynum lands? On paper, I sort of like what’s happening in Cleveland.
And Another Thing: Good move for the Chicago Bulls to grab Mike Dunleavy Jr. He will fit right in and look out for the Bulls with a healthy Derrick Rose.
So teams are tanking in the east, Boston trades their vets and loses its coach, and was Brad Stevens really the first choice to replace Rivers? I have my doubts when it is reinforced emphatically that he indeed was.
Philadelphia drafts and develops Jrue Holiday into an all-star, then trades him to acquire an injured guy in the draft. Send the army and all the tanks to the City of Brotherly Love.
Five playoff teams in the Eastern Conference next year barring injury – Miami, Brooklyn, New York, Chicago, and Indiana – and not in that order. Throw a blanket over the rest of them, and like couples in bed, someone will hog the covers.
Congrats to Anthony Bennett first Canadian selected first overall. Speaking of the draft, after watching the FIBA World Under 19 Men’s Basketball Championships, the 2014 draft is going to be something to watch. The USA won the gold without two of its best players in Julius Randle and Jabari Parker.
Wonder how Andrea Bargnani will do in New York without expectations as high being a support player?