NBA Free Agency Guide (prior to 2010 - 2011 NBA Season)

[Habib]

Just some updates. Some important trades had gone down since the blockbuster LeBron, CB4 & D-Wade one.

Matt Barnes & Theo Ratliff to LA Lakers.
Quentin Richardson & Chris Duhon to Orlando Magic.
Jermaine O'Neal to Boston Celtics.
Kyle Korver & Ronnie Brewer to Chicago Bulls.

[Drew]

I really, REALLY like the Matt Barnes and Ratliff pickups. They both can provide solid support for the guys could use the rest in the regular season (Kobe, Artest, and Bynum) Barnes also plays some tough D...and to get him for 2 years/3.6mil....thats a damn steal. You just paid a very solid backup 1.8 mil a year when slightly/moderately better Joe Johnson and Rudy Gay are getting 20 mil a year? Surely no one is saying Gay or Johnson are 10 times better than Barnes, which is what the salary ratio is.

I really like all the moves that most teams have made. A few terrible GMs out there like David Khan in MIN screwed their teams...but a lot of teams will be much better, and that's not even including how they may have improved through the draft.

As much as I still hate what LBJ did, I can say I'm incredibly excited for this upcoming season, if for nothing else just to observe the way so many teams will be drastically different. The landscape has sure changed. Luckily I think the Lakers still have the best team and the best chance to win it all :)

[Habib]

The Lakers are pretty much a slam dunk to represent the West in the NBA Finals. In the East, I just cannot look past this Miami Heat team now. On paper at least it looks like those two teams should square off in the NBA Finals. This is too salivating for me right now, I wish I could just fast forward to next June already. Every season just seems to get crazier and crazier.

And for the Orlando Magic, I kinda feel for them. They have one of the highest payrolls in the NBA and they seem to do something good every summer, however, for the past 2 years I just cannot see them winning the championship. They will make a deep playoff run again but I do not see them getting to the NBA Finals.

[Drew]

The only way I see them really competing is if Dwight Howard develops offensively and just becomes an unstoppable force. There's no one in the league (particularly in the east) with the physical tools to guard him if he learns how to play within himself and his abilities.

Also, for the first time, in last years playoffs, I saw him drop his smile for a bit and really take the game seriously. If he ever actually puts it all together, I don't think anyone on the Heat stand a chance against him. That's their only chance in my opinion. I think the Celtics are too old, the Cavs suck now, the Magic need him to play out of his mind both offensively and defensively, and the Bulls are still one piece short. Heat look posed to take it to the finals...but I still don't think they have all the tools to matchup against the Lakers.

Where do you think CP3 is gonna go/ is the best fit for him?

[Habib]

I think the Celtics are too old...

I still would definitely not count out the Celtics. :D

Thanks for bringing up CP3. Been reading a lot of stuff about the guy. Hmm, he personally wants to go to NY, LA or Orlando apparently. However, I think the best fit for him if he really wants to be traded is a team that needs a scoring point guard. The Dallas Mavericks would be a superb fit for him in my opinion.

[-84]

The only way I see them really competing is if Dwight Howard develops offensively and just becomes an unstoppable force. There's no one in the league (particularly in the east) with the physical tools to guard him if he learns how to play within himself and his abilities.

Also, for the first time, in last years playoffs, I saw him drop his smile for a bit and really take the game seriously. If he ever actually puts it all together, I don't think anyone on the Heat stand a chance against him. That's their only chance in my opinion. I think the Celtics are too old, the Cavs suck now, the Magic need him to play out of his mind both offensively and defensively, and the Bulls are still one piece short. Heat look posed to take it to the finals...but I still don't think they have all the tools to matchup against the Lakers.

Where do you think CP3 is gonna go/ is the best fit for him?

I think Howard needs to talk to Kareem and borrow his hook and work on his midrange game. Or get a small fadaway. Hes gonna need a move where he doesn't use alot of energy since hes needed on defensive end.

If the heat gel the lakers are in some serious trouble. I could see the Heat having Bosh on one side of the court with Lebron on the other side daring teams to double anyone. The heat need their Steve Kerr and they will be set.
I can also see the coach having the big three dominate by quarters.

I think CP3 needs to go somwhere with a dominate big man. Magic already got an allstar point guard. The problem with the magic is that they dont have a number two that take pressure off Howard. He really is Superman on that team.

[Habib]

I think Howard needs to talk to Kareem and borrow his hook and work on his midrange game. Or get a small fadaway. Hes gonna need a move where he doesn't use alot of energy since hes needed on defensive end.

You said it best man. He really needs some go to move. He has to realize that he is relying solely on his athleticism and that explosiveness will not always be there as he gets older. All he wants to do is jump and do alley-oop dunks and when a team can take that away (the Celtics series), the Magic become really bad because he is their best player.

If the heat gel the lakers are in some serious trouble. I could see the Heat having Bosh on one side of the court with Lebron on the other side daring teams to double anyone.

LoL no shit :D It is the thing I have been wondering and have been scared about. The big question I have been asking myself is if I was a coach in the NBA, who can I double team in the 4th quarter of a close game with those 3 guys being on one team? It is indeed scary.

The heat need their Steve Kerr and they will be set.

They already got Mike MIller. :p

Everything else remaining equal, barring injuries and playing up to expectations though, they should represent the East in the NBA Finals. The Lakers will probably make it back there again (I do not see anybody challenging them in the West). That would be one heck of an NBA Finals. I think the Lakers will 3 peat.

[Drew]

Glad to have you back with the Lakers on the good side, my man!


To be honest...I'm not sure against the Lakers they need to be double teamed. Artest can hold Lebron (and by hold I don't mean shut down completely, no one is going to do that...just keep his numbers managable) Kobe can hold Wade and Pau can hold Bosh.

The bigger question in my mind is who is going to guard Gasol or (if he's ever healthy) Bynum on the Heat? Bosh is great offensively, but he hasn't shown the defensive chops to lead anyone to actually think he's checking Gasol at any point.

The way I see it right now

Wade and Kobe cancel each other out.
Fish and Miller pretty much cancel each other out, if not...small advantadge Miller. +.5 for Heat
Lebron is better than Artest, but I don't think he'll absolutely dominate him. +1 for Heat
Gasol is better than Bosh, but probably won't completely shut him down either. +1 for the Lakers.
If Bynum is healthy....he'll destroy Haslem...or is it big Z now? either way...the likelihood of him being healthy lowers this. +.5 for Lakers

so they're pretty much even coming into benches....and we all know that the Heat's bench is nonexisistent and the Lakers have really improved theirs.

Blake, Brown, Barnes, Odom, Ratliff, Powell, Walton and their two rookies, both who looked good in summer league.

+2-3 for bench.

I have finally convinced myself that the Heat are going to be good no matter how much I don't want them to be...but I still think as of right now, the Lakers should be the favorites.

[Habib]

Nice analysis Drew. But...

Wade and Kobe cancel each other out.

Nooooooooooooooo! Kobe still will (for now at least) get the best of D-Wade I think. Wade is still a below average shooter.

You forgot something that is crucial though and I will ask you. How much of a factor do you think youth will play in this? Dominant players on Heat starting lineup are glaringly younger (and also in their prime) than in LA.

[Drew]

I don't think it'll play a factor at all. Kobe is savy enough to get by with a bit less athleticism, Artest can use his strength and hard work to make up for a slower step, and Gasol is still just about peaking. I don't think any of the bench guys, aside from Ratliff, are old enough to be considered on the downside of their careers. Fish is slowing down, but he was still pretty effective in pretty much every series he played. Bynum still hasn't come close to reaching his potential because of his injuries, but he's a solid 12-15 points 6-8 rebound guy for them even if he's hobbling on one knee.

While it can be argued that Wade and sidekicks may be in their primes...the team itself isn't. I think the Lakers as a unit are just about at their prime. Team > Individuals, so I think it all works in LA's favor.