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What do the Cavaliers do Next?
2010-07-26

Nobody in Cleveland thought it could possibly come to this. Not after seven years as a Cavalier and a lifetime spent in Ohio. Not after he revealed prior to free agency that the Cavaliers had an edge in landing him. Surely not after all the heartbreaking moments and figures in Cleveland sports history that require no explanation: The Drive, The Fumble, The Shot, Jose Mesa, Art Modell. Nobody expected LeBron James to leave Cleveland in the most heartbreaking, callous way imaginable. Instead, a city and franchise is left in disarray as it tries to make sense of it all. There is no doubt that it will be a difficult rebuilding job.

It’s no understatement to say that the Cleveland Cavaliers were totally constructed around LeBron James, on and off the court. Everything went through him and he was the fulcrum of everything they accomplished. This season, the two-time MVP led the team in points, assists, blocks, and steals, and was a close second in rebounds. Furthermore, every acquisition was made with the intent of appeasing James. Instead of building a roster around young talent and draft picks, they focused on more experienced players with higher price tags because they knew that they had to win championships with James.

Assessing a plan of action going forward for the Cavaliers is difficult. It’s pretty hard to replace 29.7 points, 8.6 assists, and 7.3 rebounds per game. Fortunately for the Cavaliers, they have money to spend from what would have gone to James’ contract. Even then, there are some difficulties. Cleveland isn’t one of the more attractive places for a free agent. Not only is it a small market, the winters are brutal, and the economic region is depressed. The conundrum can be looked at as such: if Chris Bosh didn’t want to go there and play with James, who would want to go there without him?

A new wrinkle to the attractiveness (or lack thereof) of Cleveland is owner Dan Gilbert. Upon James’ dismissal, he wrote a public letter to the fans excoriating James and slandering his character. It leaves many questions about the way in which Gilbert operates the franchise and whether any superstar would want to place himself under that type of risk if things didn’t go well.

Another unfortunate consequence of the timing of James’ decision is that it seems to have come too late for Cleveland to pursue any big name free agents. The Cavaliers couldn’t reach out to anybody because James forced their hand and they had to leave the money available for him in case he decided to return. The domino effect of James’ decision has already depleted many of the role player free agents as well and there just isn’t an abundance of talent left on the market. Perhaps the biggest decision for Cleveland to make in free agency is whether or not to keep Shaquille O’Neal, who can still occasionally produce but slows the game down significantly and is an injury risk. And NBA betting have had their fill of Shaq.

That’s not to say the Cavaliers are without assets though, perhaps the greatest of which is Byron Scott, who might not have signed with the team had he known James would leave. Scott has a proven pedigree as a player and coach, especially with the New Orleans Hornets.

As far as player personnel, Mo Williams is a very valuable cog. He blossomed as a point guard last year, occasionally making clutch plays down the stretch and showing great shooting ability. Antawn Jamison was brought in for James and was thought to be a short-term player. However, he is still under contract and the Cavs are hoping he still has mileage left at 34 years of age. Both these players averaged 15.8 points a game last year and it will be interesting to see how well they play without James and if either one is capable of becoming the leader the team needs.

The Cavs best young player is likely JJ Hickson, who showed signs of potential greatness last year. His development was likely stunted by the franchise’s choice to do everything to win then, which meant leaning on veteran players. Now that championships are out of the question, perhaps Hickson will be given more of a chance to show what he can do in an increased role. Other teams around the league certainly think highly of him, as is indicated by the Phoenix Suns’ refusal to trade Amare Stoudemire at last season’s trade deadline when Cleveland declined to include Hickson.

The Cavaliers would be wise to take a long-term approach and follow a model like that of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have gone from one of the worst teams in the NBA to a playoff squad that many think will eventually challenge for a title. To do that, the Cavs need to acquire younger players to surround Hickson with, as well as build through the draft.

As far as the Cavs prospects for the 2010-2011 season, it’s difficult to see them making the playoffs. However, the Eastern Conference has been very top-heavy in recent years with a big fall-off after the first four or five teams. Considering this, their best-case scenario is challenging for a playoff spot and perhaps getting in as the seven or eight seed, where they just might play the Miami Heat and a certain former player.

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NBA Free Agency 2010
2010-07-07

The NBA free agency frenzy has officially begun, promising to alter the course of the NBA for the next decade. After much analysis, here are some predictions about where this year’s top players will end up.

LeBron James- Whatever James decides, it will ultimately cause a huge ripple effect. He has saved his last two free agent visits for what are likely his top two candidates: Cleveland and Chicago. It’ll be a very tough decision but in the end, I see another heartbreak for Cleveland’s sports fans as James signs with the Bulls. They simply give him a better opportunity to win championships. It also doesn’t hurt that he’d be able to play in the same place as his idol, Michael Jordan.

Chris Bosh- Bosh won’t be going back to Toronto so it will be intriguing to see if he tries to leverage a sign-and-trade in order to maximize his earning potential. Bosh’s Toronto teams never did very well so he’s going to want to go to a team that has excellent pieces in place to support him and ultimately challenge for a championship. Look for Bosh to follow James to Chicago and reap the benefits of an extremely talented nucleus already in place.

Dwyane Wade- Don’t be fooled by these meetings with other teams; Wade will be returning to Miami. After trying to pull off a coup and bring James and Bosh to Miami (which will ultimately be unsuccessful) Wade will continue to actively recruit other free agents to help Miami return to their championship ways of 2006.

Dirk Nowitzki- This is another player who, barring unforeseen circumstances, will return to his former team. Nowitzki has an outstanding relationship with owner Mark Cuban and the city of Dallas and merely opted out of his contract so he could maximize his earning potential. Nevertheless, Nowitzki is likely pleading with Cuban to make a splash in free agency and push Dallas over the top after past postseason shortcomings. They won’t be able to pull off a sign-and-trade for James, a player Cuban covets, but in a class as deep as this one there are many other possibilities.

Amare Stoudemire- Stoudemire’s choice will ultimately come down to Phoenix and Miami. Although he has enjoyed great success in Phoenix’s system, rumor has it that negotiations have stalled. It can’t help that Steve Nash in aging and this team’s championship window appears to be closing. Although not Miami’s first choice for an interior player, negotiations will heat up after James and Bosh sign in Chicago. It may take a while but Stoudemire will ultimately sign with Miami after seeing the benefits to forming an inside-outide duo with Wade in South Beach.

Joe Johnson- Johnson is another one of those players whose free agency is complicated by other elite free agents. Although an outstanding player and likely maximum contract recipient, he lags behind James at his position and is looked at as a plan B for many teams. He has already been offered a maximum contract by Atlanta and their interest in him is unequivocal. However, after years of playing on mediocre teams, the guess is he’ll ultimately opt for a change of scenery. The Knicks have already spoken with him and appear to have their sights firmly set on him if (and when) James gets away. The lure of a new venue and playing in the glitzy New York market will be too much for any other team to overcome in the Joe Johnson sweepstakes.

David Lee- Lee is one of the most underrated players in the NBA and has been a pillar of consistency for the Knicks during turbulent times. He will get many looks from other teams, likely including the New Jersey Nets, but the Knicks will ultimately view him as too valuable to let go. He’d get much more help with the addition of Johnson.

Carlos Boozer- Boozer has been a very consistent, rugged player for the Jazz but it appears that they aren’t willing to pay the contract he’ll command and are content with letting Paul Milsap take his spot at power forward. Boozer could truly end up anywhere, potentially in a sign-and-trade. Rumors are starting to grow that this will indeed be what happens, with Boozer going to Orlando and the Jazz receiving compensation. The Eastern Conference is going to be rapidly improved next year and the Magic need to keep up in the arms race. Boozer would help them achieve this and would give Dwight Howard excellent help on the interior. Are you getting ready for the upcoming NBA season? With so many players moving around NBA betting will be more exciting than ever. Head over to www.sportsbook.com the home of NBA betting.

NBA Free Agency: Dwyane Wade
2010-07-07

As free agency is upon us, the most settled superstar appears to be Dwyane Wade. By all accounts, he is satisfied in Miami and is looking to cement his legacy there. Unlike some of the other stars on the market, he has already won a title with his current team. Nevertheless, he is perhaps just as important as any individual involved in free agency. With the impending free-for-all, he is looking to leverage his superstar status and team’s success to help Miami acquire players who can return them to the glory of their 2006 NBA title. The possibilities abound and anything can happen in this most unpredictable of periods.

Perhaps the juiciest scenario is that Wade would corral the other two top free agents. It has been confirmed that Wade met with Chris Bosh and LeBron James in Miami about potentially joining forces. This would create a preponderance of talent the likes of which is hard to fathom or find comparison. In Wade’s favor is the fact that these three have already demonstrated that they can play together and not let their egos get in the way. As teammates on the 2008 American Olympic team, Wade willingly came off the bench and the team won the gold medal. Also, James and Bosh both come from comparatively small markets and Miami is the type of glitzy market where their marketing opportunities and brands could grow. However, external sources have some concerns that the three could coexist throughout the duration of an entire NBA season. Wade and James have similar styles that are predicated on penetration and getting to the basket. Considering Wade willed his team to a championship before and has been with Miami for the duration of his career, the other two may be concerned that he’ll be the one getting the ball in clutch situations.

However, the Heat has perhaps the one coach who could help diffuse this situation: Pat Riley. Although Riley is currently in the team’s front office, it’s believed that he’d return to the bench for a chance to coach James and Bosh. Riley’s coached multiple championship teams in the past and has had to deal with outsized personalities before: most recently with Wade and Shaquille O’Neal in 2006, which was a great year for NBA betting on the Heat.

Riley would also need to figure out how to surround the big three with role players. In an attempt to create enough salary cap room for three maximum free agents, the Heat have jettisoned all but two of their players, a dicey proposition. Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley are good players but if everything went right and James and Bosh joined Wade in Miami, they’d still have a roster to fill without significant money.

Also, there is the very distinct possibility that one or both of these players won’t want to sign with Miami. James seems to be driving all the decisions in this year’s free agency and there will be a domino effect no matter what he decides. Some believe that James and Bosh are a package deal so if James decides to go to a team like Chicago, Bosh may follow him. In that case, Miami would have to look at the next tier of players.

Fortunately for Wade and the Heat, that next tier is laced with all-star caliber talent. A possibility that seems to be gaining steam is that Miami would pursue Amar’e Stoudemire if neither James nor Bosh work out. Stoudemire is a perennial all-star at center, and he would create a dymanic inside-outside duo with Wade. If this were to happen, the Heat would need to decide if they’d pursue another high-end free agent like Carlos Boozer or Joe Johnson, or try to use the rest of their cap room to build around Wade and Stoudemire. Considering that players like Boozer or Johnson may not actually be worth the max contracts they’ll likely command, the latter option seems more prudent.

It’s really difficult to decipher how this will all turn out. In the end, it seems that everything will likely be predicated on James; right now, his three most likely destinations appear to be Cleveland, Chicago, and Miami, with a seemingly different frontrunner every day. No matter what, Heat fans can be thankful that Wade will likely stay and continue to be a franchise cornerstone for years to come.

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NBA Draft Wrap 2010
2010-07-06

Games are never won on paper, but immediately after last night’s draft there appear to be some definite winners and losers. Despite all the prognostications, drafting is one of the most inexact sciences in sports, especially as different players mature at different rates. Potential is one of the greatest, and riskiest, factors considered by NBA teams. With that, here are the preliminary impressions of last night’s draft.

Winners

Detroit Pistons- The Pistons were extremely lucky to have Greg Monroe fall to them with the seventh pick of the draft. He was expected to go higher and fits Detroit’s low-post need; expect to see Monroe contribute from the beginning. Drafting Terrico White with the 36th pick is another flat-out steal; White may have been the best athlete in the draft. Although guard is not a huge need for the Pistons, his development could make the aging Richard Hamilton expendable.

Los Angeles Clippers- The Clippers filled their two biggest needs: small forward and backup point guard. Al-Farouq Aminu has star potential and should be an integral part of LA’s young nucleus at small forward. With Baron Davis not getting any younger, it was very savvy for the Clippers to acquire Eric Bledsoe. Bledsoe was overshadowed by John Wall at Kentucky last year and may turn out to be one of the draft’s better sleepers. Learning from Davis will season him even more. As if this draft couldn’t get any better, the Clippers landed Willie Warren, once considered a top 10 talent, with the 54th overall pick. If Warren is able to undergo an attitude adjustment, he could be a big contributor at the NBA level.

Oklahoma City Thunder- The NBA’s team of the future entered the draft knowing it needed to fortify the post. They did exactly that, trading to get Cole Aldrich. Aldrich is a physical presence capable of playing both post positions and may finally be the one to close OKC’s revolving door at center. GM Sam Presti also shrewdly dealt Eric Bledsoe for a future first round pick from the Clippers. Bledsoe is a good player but the Clippers are unlikely to get out of the lottery in the near future, virtually assuring OKC of a high pick.

Losers

Golden State Warriors- Drafting Ekpe Udoh sixth overall was a reach, to say the least. The Warriors were seduced by Udoh’s athleticism and workouts and ignored the fact that, even at 23 years old, he is still very raw. Some point to Udoh’s two pedestrian seasons at Michigan and wonder if his one successful year at Baylor was a byproduct of their system. Even more befuddling is the fact that Golden State has two other players in Brandan Wright and Anthony Randolph who are essentially the same: athletic small forwards who need seasoning. This was a misdirected pick and the Warriors should have targeted Greg Monroe.

New York Knicks- The Knicks spent both their second round picks on players—Andy Rautins and Landry Fields—who some didn’t even expected to be drafted. They could both be serviceable NBA role players, but the Knicks’ thinking is confusing because the players are so similar. These picks were obviously made with the intent of surrounding LeBron James with shooters but if he signs elsewhere, this thinking looks even more misguided.

Could Go Either Way

Sacramento Kings- On the surface, one would think the Kings had a tremendous draft. Some thought DeMarcus Cousins had the talent to go number one overall and corralling him at five was fortuitous. The same goes for Hassan Whiteside, who slipped to 33 after once being regarded as a lottery pick. However, drafting both of them together may pose some problems. Both saw their stock drop due to questionable attitudes and they play the same position, creating a potential logjam at center along with Samuel Dalembert, who will command minutes in a contract year. There is no doubting the talent but the Kings will need to have a coach capable of developing chemistry and fostering maturity in these players, especially when minutes may be scarce.

Indiana Pacers- GM Larry Bird eschewed his tradition of taking proven college players by making some risky picks. Paul George has tremendous upside but can be turnover prone and lack motivation. Perhaps the biggest question is how he’ll play with superstar Danny Granger, who has a very similar style. Magnum Rolle brings length and athleticism and Lance Stephenson has tremendous upside and was a great value pick in the second round. However, Stephenson’s attitude is widely questioned and if he doesn’t mature, he could harm team chemistry.

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Possible ROY in the NBA 2010-2011 Season
2010-06-25

Although the NBA Draft is less than two weeks away, teams are still finalizing their research and determining the best fit for their franchise. Undoubtedly, many will struggle in deciding whether it’s best to pursue a player who is NBA ready and able to contribute right away or another player who has tremendous potential but will need seasoning. If a team’s goal is to draft a player capable of winning Rookie of The Year, here are some players they should consider, and all NBA betting will be keeping a close watch on:
Favorites:
• John Wall- Wall is one of the most breathtaking players to enter the draft in years. Although he only spent one year in college, he displayed the skills that have GMs and coaches salivating over him. He has adequate size for a point guard at 6’ 4” and amazing speed. He excels at finishing in transition and or using his adept passing skills to find the open man. He also utilizes an explosive first step in the half court game to get to the rim. All of these qualities translate well to the NBA, where the game is played at a much faster pace. It also must be noted that Wall is accustomed to playing with talented teammates and won’t be intimidated by his NBA surroundings.

• Evan Turner- Turner’s brilliance often gets lost in Wall’s shadow but he may be an equally viable ROY candidate. He has fewer weaknesses than Wall and does virtually everything well. His ability to play both guard positions makes his team’s system less of an issue. He should be able to contribute wherever he is asked.

Contenders

• Wesley Johnson- Johnson has a complete offensive repertoire that should give him the opportunity to put up big stats from the get-go. Long and athletic, he is able to penetrate but has also drastically improved his outside shooting. Skilled in an up-tempo, transition game, Johnson’s chances at the Rookie of the Year Award would be greatly enhanced if drafted by a team like Golden State.

• DeMarcus Cousins- Cousins is likely the draft’s biggest wild-card and whichever team selects him will be getting a high-risk, high-reward player, both in the short term and in the long term. Cousins is a very enigmatic individual whose brilliance on the court is often sullied by his negative attitude. Cousins got into multiple rifts with his coach last year and there are questions about his coachability. He has often battled weight and stamina issues that prevented him from playing more minutes on Kentucky and making an even bigger impact. All the negativities aside, Cousins is an excellent center prospect with all the offensive tools to dominate if he applies himself.

• Luke Babbitt- Babbitt is a player whose stock has soared during the combines and workouts. He has a great inside-outside offensive game and can score in a myriad of ways. His left-handed jumpshot is silky smooth and reminds many of Chris Mullin and he is not afraid of throwing his lanky body into the post and scoring there too. Although a defensive liability, Babbitt is capable of putting up offensive numbers impressive enough to capture ROY, and NBA betting knows a young scorer like this can turn the tides in a close game.

Darkhorses
• Derrick Favors- Although one of the two or three most physically talented players in the draft, Favors proved to be a little raw in his one year at Georgia Tech and may need to mature for a few years before his full potential is realized. Nevertheless, he’s so talented that a solid coaching staff could bring out that potential in his rookie campaign.
• Lance Stephenson- Most people seeing Stephenson’s projection as a late first or early second rounder may be surprised by this projection. However, Stephenson is a top-ten talent who has been dogged by attitude questions, which are reflected in his low projection. But as a player, he is the complete package at point guard with an NBA body and great quickness. He is the real deal on offense and when motivated, on defense as well. Although Stephenson is somewhat of a risk, if he lands with the right coach he may end up being the steal of the draft and an immediate impact player.

Knowing who the next young starts will be is key to successful NBA betting. A young player can make the difference. When placing NBA bets go to www.sportsbook.com where everybody bets.