It’s official though, LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade have started a new phase of the NBA. It seems that superstars would now rather play together than be the man themselves on their own team. Although, the James-Bosh-Wade deal was a great thing showing that money is not the most important thing to every player, I’m not sure if this new superstar grouping trend is good for the NBA. Smaller market teams might struggle to find talent. But, thankfully the league has players like Kevin Durant, who resigned with the Oklahoma City Thunder (they have a solid team over there – sorry Seattle).

Chris Paul hasn’t just demanded a trade, he has a list of the three destinations that he prefers to end up in. He wants to either join Kobe in LA, join Amare in NY, or join Dwight in ORL. Of these teams, it is hard to see a deal coming up that is favorable to everyone.

First, the Lakers don’t really need Chris Paul. The Lakers system is built on the post and Kobe. Possibly trading Bynum in the package wouldn’t make the most sense for the Lakers.

Second, the Knicks don’t have much talent to offer the Hornets. They would have to include Gallinari, but they don’t have draft picks to offer in the deal. But if the Hornets want to free cap space, Curry’s expiring contract might be enticing.

Lastly, the Magic could offer Nelson and picks. This would be the best package for the Hornets in terms of talent. Also, it would help the Magic. Nelson has been great for them, but he and Paul are basically equal shooters and Paul is the better passer, not to mention bowler.

Do you think Paul will get his trade wish?

Jonathan Velez (@Jonvelez on twitter) contributed to this post
Photo Credit: blog.veryfinebooks.com

James’ decision to leave Cleveland is enormous news, and not just because he is leaving his home town. He showed the ultimate sacrifice. For all those people that call James selfish- he gave up money for a chance at a championship ring. Never in professional sports have I seen three players actually mean its about winning and not money. All three players are taking less money than they could have gotten in order to play together and win multiple championships. James is giving up his legacy for a ring, instead of being “the man,” he is willing to be a team in order to bring home the hardware. It’s truly impressive.

Now the trick is actually winning the championships. The Miami Heat have 5 4 players on their roster (they just traded Michael Beasley to Minnesota for a future draft pick), and three 2nd round draft picks they may or may not sign. That leaves a hole of eight players with a very thin budget remaining. I do think that some players may be willing to take a little less money to play with the trio of James-Wade-Bosh, but Pat Riley is going to have to make some smart choices.

There is also the question if there is enough stats to go around. All three players, by taking less money to play together, have to accept the fact that they will all not be the same players that they were last season. Obviously, they are all saying the right things now, but we will have to see how it plays out. In my opinion, I think they will be able to play together. You don’t take less money just to be selfish on the court. They are committed to this.

This is a similar situation to the Boston Celtics of the 2007-08 season, when Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett joined Paul Pierce. The difference is that Garnett was a dominant post-player, Allen a dominant shooter and Pierce a dominant play-maker. The Heat have two dominant play-makers (Wade and James) and a scoring forward. The Heat’s big three is not as diversified, but the Heat now have two of the top five players in the league. Is that enough?

Cleveland fans, as you can imagine, are not happy at all. Cavs fans were filmed burning James jerseys in the street. I have to say this is pathetic and Cavs fans should be ashamed of themselves. LeBron was the league MVP in the past two seasons and the Cavs have had the best record in the NBA for the past two seasons. I understand that he failed to deliver the ring, but when the talent level is better in the playoffs, you need another piece. James was the Cavs, and that is why they are mad- they are looking at an inevitable 25 win drop next season.

Cavs fans should blame the management. The Cavs management has been pretty pathetic in attempting to surround James with some talent. I think the Cavs owner, Dan Gilbert, is hoping to avoid being blamed, as evident by the open letter he wrote to all Cleveland fans, and it was not pretty. Here is a part of it:

“I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE”

You can take it to the bank.

If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our “motivation” to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.

Honestly, this letter is an embarrassment. LeBron James gave seven great years to the Cavaliers. Losing a free agent is part of the game, get used to it. And he better find some players if he wants to back-up his guarantee.

Odds that Cavs win title before James: 250 to 1. Take that to the bank.

Photo Credit: Al Bello/Getty Images

1. Does he want money? The answer is clearly yes. Where can he get the most money? Winner Cleveland
2. Does he love his hometown? The answer again is clearly yes. He’s held his MVP ceremonies with his family and friends in Cleveland. He started a marketing business, LRMR, with this high school buddies. He built a mansion in Akron. Need I say more? Winner Cleveland
3. Does he want to win a championship? He clearly does, because that is the last thing he needs to prove. Which NBA team, that has the money for him, has the best chance to win next season? Winner Miami
4. Does he want to play in the world’s biggest stage? Once again, clearly yes. This is evident by the one-hour press conference he is getting just to announce his team. Winner New York
5. Does he want to be the next Jordan? No, he wants to be LeBron James. This is evident by him changing his number next season and asking the league to retire Jordan’s number. Although it was a very cool marketing strategy, Chicago daring LeBron to play for them is not appealing to what James wants. Loser Chicago

Tallying it up, its 2 for Cleveland, 1 for Miami, 1 for New York and -1 for Chicago. But this is not a simple tally for James, remember back to those dreaded Calculus days? This is a weighted score and only James knows what the weights are.

I will say this though, this Free Agency hasn’t been what the King had expected. Teams didn’t wait for him to commit, his NBA pals didn’t wait for him to commit, the only one waiting seems to be Cleveland. The Cavaliers haven’t made a meaningful addition to their roster and they had no draft picks, their future truly rests with James.

Where do you think LeBron James will sign? Comment Below!

Photo Credit: Rauch/AP/AP via NYDailyNews.com

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• LeBron James Announcement: 10 Shocking Possibilities (bleacherreport.com)
• Chicago Booze’d Up: Does Boozer Help Lure LeBron To Chicago? (bleacherreport.com)

The Wade and Bosh signing significantly alters the playing field for LeBron James. The Heat are now the closest team to Championship ready that are seriously interested in James. The problem is they would need to move Michael Beasley’s $4.9 million contract to max out on all three players. When Heat president, Pat Riley, told Heat fans this summer, “we want to build a dynasty.” He wasn’t kidding.

Does this guarantee James in Miami? I still don’t think so. Although it is definitely enticing because I don’t see any team beating a combo of Wade-Bosh-James for the championship next season. I still feel James will be ending up in Cleveland, but I haven’t felt less certain about it than I do now. The Cavs havn’t made any significant moves this off-season, with the exception of signing Byron Scott as the head coach.

After James’ announcement tomorrow, the best remaining free agent would be Carlos Boozer. Boozer has not been getting the attention he deserves this summer because of the other big names, but the 29 year old forward averaged 19.5PPG, 11.2RPG, 56.2FGP last season which basically mirrors the 26 year old Bosh’s numbers (24PPG, 10.8RPG, 51.8FGP). I haven’t heard any rumors of the Cavs seeking Boozer, but a James-Boozer combo would be a strong threat for a championship.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

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• Chron.com: Chris Bosh reportedly joining Dwyane Wade in Miami (chron.com)
• You: Ian Thomsen: Bosh set to join Wade in Miami (sportsillustrated.cnn.com)
• NBA Free Agency 2010: What if the Miami Heat Don’t Land LeBron James? (bleacherreport.com)

Is Amar’e enough to land LeBron on the NBA’s biggest stage? My gut instinct is no. The Knicks are definitely much improved with this signing, but there are still huge holes – mainly, who else do they have? The Knicks have practically no-one still under contract for next year. If LeBron wants to win a championship next season, his best choice would be the Bulls. Despite that, I’m still saying LeBron will be a Cav next season.

If no-one comes to New York with Amar’e, will he regret it? Not according to him:

“Totally comfortable, totally confident that my leadership qualities will uplift all of us to do something great this upcoming season,” Stoudemire said. “So again, the Knicks are back.”

What Amar’e does bring to the Knicks is scoring ability from down-low. When he played for Coach Mike D’Antoni in Phoenix, he averaged 20+ PPG each season. His one weakness is defense, he is not known as a great defender or rebounder, so he is not the answer to Dwight Howard in the East. If the Knicks are able to re-sign David Lee, Amar’e and Lee could be a great front-court combination for several years.

The Knicks are moving in the right direction, but does this signing in itself bring them to the playoffs next season?

Photo Credit: Sipkin/News via NYDailyNews.com

Related articles:

• New York State Of Mind: Amar’e Stoudemire and New York Knicks Agree On Max Deal (bleacherreport.com)
• AP Source: Stoudemire in Meetings With Knicks (nytimes.com)
• Amare Stoudemire, New York Knicks reach agreement in principle (sports.espn.go.com)

The NBA Draft has past and this year’s class is absolutely filled with underclassman. I completely agree with Dickie V’s statement above. The reason there will be probably seven or less players that will make an impact this year is because of their inexperience. To be honest, the NBA Age Limit policy is getting out of hand and it is also hurting not only hurting college basketball, but the NBA as well. But hey, if you want to give a player $23 million dollars a year before they even practice yet, be my guest. It’s your franchise, not mine, that is going to suffer in the long run.

So with that being said, here are the Top 7 players that will make an impact for his team.

1. John Wall (Washington Wizards) – Wall was the number one overall pick before his freshman year even started. There is no doubt that this kid has got the talent, but what I want to know is does he have the heart. The 2009/2010 Men’s Kentucky Wildcats team had 5 players go in the first round, and they did not reach the final four. This can only mean one thing that they still have a lot to learn. John Wall is going to be a star, however, it will take him a while. But, that’s not to say that the kid will make a huge impact for the Washington Wizards who right now are in a interesting position with 3 solid point guards who all want playing time.
2. Wesley Johnson (Minnesota Timberwolves) – Out of all of the top five picks, Wesley Johnson is probably the closest one to NBA ready. Plenty of college experience and athleticism, Johnson is also a terrific defender as well. He is definitely a role player, as he still needs a bit more polishing in certain areas of his game. However, he is going to make a huge impact for the Timberwolves.
3. DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings) – DeMarcus Cousins is the kid in high school that everyone hated because he was big, arrogant, and talented. Cousins’ is arguably the most gifted out of all the prospects, and also the one with the biggest attitude. This pick from Sacramento is going to be a hit or miss. If it hits, DeMarcus Cousins will be a big time player in only a couple of months. On the other hand, his work ethic and immaturity can easily land him on the all time “bust” list.
4. Avery Bradley (Boston Celtics) – Bradley is a Tony Allen type player. The only difference is that he can actually score. Tony Allen is a tremendous basketball player with incredible defensive awareness. He annoyed the hell out of Kobe during the Finals’. The only problem was that when the Celtics were on offense, Allen was nowhere to be found. This is where Avery Bradley comes in. He is not only going to lock down the opposing team’s best player, he is also going to score as well.
5. Greg Monroe (Detroit Pistons) – Detroit desperately needed a big man, and they got one. Monroe could have gone to the draft last year, however he stayed for one more year. Although he didn’t improve as much as people thought he would, there was improvement shown. Monroe will most likely start as soon as the season starts and could easily lead the team in rebounding and scoring.
6. James Anderson (San Antonio Spurs) – The Spurs are the New England Patriots of the NBA. Anderson is in a perfect system, as he is not required to carry the load. He is a 6’6 shooting guard who can shoot it from three and can score at will. There is no doubt that James Anderson will be a game changer for the Spurs.
7. Derrick Favors (New Jersey Nets) – Some say that DeMarcus Cousins is more talented than Favors. But any college basketball player who goes to the gym to work out right after they lose a tough game deserves to be in the top three. Favors had a fairly weak Georgia Tech team yet still found a way to win and execute. The Nets need all the help they can get and Favors will certainly help them. Also, he is not the only big man on their frontcourt as Brook Lopez will be right next to him posting up as well.

Photo Credit: TheSportsBank.net

Who are your impact players? Comment below

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The big news to come from the first day that NBA teams can talk with free agents came from Atlanta. The Hawks have agreed to a deal worth $119 million over 6 years for Joe Johnson to remain their centerpiece. Although he can’t sign it until July 8th, it is already going down as one of the worst deals in NBA history. Kelly Dwyer of Ball Don’t Lie, gives a great explanation of why its so bad.

Here are some of his points:

• Johnson is 29 years old, so most of this deal will be during his decline years
• Johnson’s stats tend to be inflated because of the enormous minutes he plays and the amount of time he spends with the ball in his hands. Although, I personally don’t think his numbers are as inflated as Dwyer makes them out to be. I feel that his horrific performance in the second round of the playoffs hurt his value (well not to the Hawks anyway).
• His contract could be half the salary cap of the Hawks in the upcoming years, depending on how the new collective bargaining agreement works out.

We all knew this summer was going to be the summer of big contracts in the NBA, with the best free agency class in the history of the league, but I think it is safe to say it will now exceed everyone’s imagination with teams willing to make deals like this.

Photo Credit: blogs.ajc.com

Related articles:

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• 2010 NBA free agents: Sources say Joe Johnson undecided on Atlanta Hawks offer (sports.espn.go.com)

If there was any doubt, there is none now. The Suns can hang with the Lakers, and they will show up ready to play in game six on Saturday night. But, perhaps the true question is – Will Lamar Odom show up?

Odom’s stats for the first five games are shown below:

min fgm-a 3pm-a ftm-a +/- off def tot ast pf st to bs ba pts
30:33 9-15 1-2 0-0 +24 7 12 19 3 3 1 1 0 2 19
33:18 7-10 0-0 3-4 +8 3 8 11 4 3 0 2 1 2 17
34:56 4-14 0-4 2-4 -9 2 4 6 2 6 0 3 2 1 10
35:25 6-13 1-3 2-4 -12 4 6 10 3 4 1 0 0 0 15
36:51 7-11 0-1 3-4 +8 5 8 13 4 1 1 2 0 2 17


There are a few things that stand out to me:

• Positive efficiency ratings in each of the wins, and negative ratings in the losses
• 10 fouls in the the two losses, 7 in the three wins
• Averaging 5 offensive boards per game in the wins and only three in the losses
• Averaging a double-double in the wins (17.7ppg/14.3rpg), five less points and six fewer boards (12.5ppg/8.0rpg) in the losses
• 63.9% shooting in the wins compared to 37.1% in the losses

It’s crazy to think about how different he plays away from the Staples Center– or you would think from looking at this series stats. Here are Odom’s home and road splits for the entire 2009-10 season:

G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% OFF DEF RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Home 41 19 30.4 0.460 0.333 0.680 2.1 7.5 9.6 3.9 0.9 0.8 10.2
Road 41 19 32.7 0.466 0.300 0.706 2.4 7.6 10.0 2.6 0.9 0.6 11.3


Yes, his stats were almost identical home and on the road throughout the season, in fact he was slightly better on the road. This makes it even harder to believe his play during this series.

I think the Suns come ready to play tonight. I look for an early double digit lead for the Suns, with the Lakers making a comeback in the third quarter, but falling short and losing by six points. I then would not be surprised to see an overtime thriller in game seven with the Suns pulling off the upset.

So, will Odom show up tonight? Time will tell, but the Lakers will need him to play well because Kobe can only do so much. He hasn’t had a bad game all series long. He is shooting lights out, his assists are up, but the Suns are still hanging with the Lakers.

Photo Credit: NBA.com Player Profile

The Los Angeles Lakers took on the Phoenix Suns today for a chance to make it to the Finals and repeat as champs. Both teams were coming off of sweeps in the previous rounds and both were playing great basketball. In a high scoring game the Lakers were able to win by a score of 128 to 107. My original prediction of Suns in six, didn’t look too good today, but I’m sticking with it. With Lopez returning for this series, I like the Suns with the upset – especially if Nash plays like he did against the Spurs.

Venus Williams and Serena Williams are infamously known as “the Williams Sisters”. The Williams sisters have built legendary careers, which are far from finished, that has witnessed Venus Williams win five Wimbledon appearances to go along with seven slams overall and Serena Williams setting the Australian open record by winning the open five times, not to mention her total of twelve grand slam titles. Aside from having storied careers at only the ripe young ages of 29 years-old (Venus) and 28 years-old (Serena), the Williams sisters have single handedly revived Women’s tennis.

It was the two young ladies from Compton, California with their tenacity, work ethic, determination, and will to win that put tennis at the forefront of the sports world. The Williams sisters are truly trailblazers of women’s tennis. They have used tennis to spearhead their entrepreneurial spirit and spark their business savvy getting involved with fashion, entertainment, even becoming part-owners of the NFL Miami Dolphins franchise. Serena Williams recently had a fashion line with Puma and currently has a line with Nike, which appears to be worth $40 million.

Before the Williams Sisters came around, their was a young and fresh new teen with a golf club that hit the scene ready to make his impact, Tiger Woods. The impact Tiger Woods made was not only on his own sport but on sports in general. Think about it, there would be no Lebron James without Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods broke down numerous barriers that allowed for the likes of Lebron James, Sidney Crosby, and almost every other young and talented athlete to endure the financial opportunities they have.

The notion of a superstar athlete was birthed by Magic Johnson, lived its adolescent years through the eyes of Michael Jordan, and became a mature adult through the likes of Tiger Woods.

If you devour through every athlete that has come through any and every sport, it is hard to find any other athlete that has impacted their sport more than Tiger Woods has in golf and the Williams sisters in Tennis. Yes, Lebron James is one of the biggest and brightest sports stars and will one day be spoken in the same breath as possibly being “the greatest” basketball player ever. However, has he been a trailblazer creating a brand new pathway for the next generation of athletes, or is he simply stepping in the footprints of Magic Johnson and Michal Jordan? His career is in no way, shape, or form close to being over so we shall see whether the imprint he leaves on the sport and culture outshines that of Magic and Jordan.

Tiger Woods and the Williams sisters have each catapulted their sports to a new level of mainstream. They have opened doors for other athletes in their sports and other sports to receive various opportunities. They each have changed the culture of their sports in ways that were once unimaginable but are now sheer reality.

This is a guest post written by Jonathan Velez