When I first started writing blogs on Foxsports it seemed like there was at least 2 new blogs every time I looked, but now there is only 1 new blog about every 5 times I come on.  Whenever I go on a computer I look to see if there is new blogs or new comments on my blogs.  I don't know if it is because the NBA season is over, or people are just on the computer less during the summer.  It could be because everyone is not having any ideas for a blog like me.  Usually when I can't think of a blog to write I just write one with trade ideas, but I have already written enough of those and I have used all my good ideas.  There hasn't been any big trades to blog about either and when one person writes about a trade there is no point in writing one that says the same thing.  I'm not into baseball at all and I don't really watch football or know anything about it so I don't read those blogs.  I like football, but I'm not a fan.  After every Olympic basketball game there is always one or two blogs that talk about the game, but that doesn't interest me as much as a blog with trade ideas or one where a blogger is giving their opinion on something in the NBA.  I wasn't blogging on Foxsports last season when Kobe Bryant demanded to be traded, but I bet there was probably a lot of blogs with trade ideas or bloggers hating on him.  This offseason there is no superstar demanding a trade or even being widely shopped around the league.  The Pistons said they want to change their team, but I haven't heard of them getting close to a blockbuster deal.  All the big free agents are gone too so there is no rumors about where they will sign.  I hope that once the season rolls around that there will be more blogs being written.

Since the Lakers, Nuggets, Pistons, and Mavericks all want and need to change their roster in some way, I used ESPN trade machine to come up with a trade which would be one of the biggest in NBA history if it happened.

LAKERS TRADE: Lamar Odom, Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar, Vladimir Radmanovic, 1st round draft pick, cash

LAKERS RECEIVE: Carmelo Anthony, Antonio McDyess, Eddie Jones

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NUGGETS TRADE: Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson, Kenyon Martin, Nene Hilario, two 1st round draft picks, two 2nd round draft picks, (rights to Xue Yuyang, Axel Hervelle, and Sani Becirovic)

NUGGETS RECEIVE: Rasheed Wallace, Lamar Odom, Chauncey Billups, Josh Howard, Luke Walton, cash

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PISTONS TRADE: Rasheed Wallace, Chauncey Billups, Rodney Stuckey, Jason Maxiell, Antonio McDyess, cash, (rights to Trent Plaisted)

PISTONS RECEIVE: Allen Iverson, Kenyon Martin, Jerry Stackhouse, 1st round draft pick, Jordan Farmar, 2nd round pick

*Allen Iverson's 20 million dollar contract is expiring, so if it doesn't work out they can sign someone else and if it does work then they can sign him for less.

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MAVERICKS TRADE: Josh Howard, Jerry Stackhouse, Eddie Jones

MAVERICKS RECIEVE: Rodney Stuckey, Jason Maxiell, Nene Hilario, Vladimir Radmanovic, two 1st round draft picks, 2nd round pick, cash, (rights to Xue Yuyang, Trent Plaisted, Axel Hervelle, and Sani Becirovic)

*Even though Mark Cuban doesn't want to admit it, the Mavericks aren't in very good shape to contend so this trade would get them a LOT of young talent for the future.

The new starting lineups would be:

Lakers-

PG: Derek Fisher

SG: Kobe Bryant

SF: Carmelo Anthony

PF: Pau Gasol

C: Andrew Bynum

Nuggets-

PG: Chauncey Billups

SG: J.R. Smith

SF: Josh Howard

PF: Lamar Odom

C: Rasheed Wallace

Pistons-

PG: Allen Iverson

SG: Rip Hamilton

SF: Tayshaun Prince

PF: Kenyon Martin

C: Theo Ratliff/ Kwame Brown

Mavericks-

PG: Jason Kidd

SG: Jason Terry

SF: Gerald Green/ Free Agent

PF: Dirk Nowitzki

C: Erick Dampier/ DeSagana Diop

The Lakers and Nuggets would accept this trade in a second.  Since the Pistons really want to change they would probably accept it after a day or two.  The Mavericks would be the biggest question, but if Mark Cuban realizes that this team won't get past the first round then he would probably accept it.

In Part 1 of "How To Make Champions" I will give my ideas for trades and signings for some of the better playoff teams and champion contenders that could propel them to win the Championship.  According to ESPN Trade Machine these trades work salary-wise and would probably be accepted by the GM's who want to win more.

LOS ANGELES LAKERS

The Lakers don't need to improve player-wise as much as they need to get tougher, stronger, better under pressure, better at defense, and a killer instinct.  Kobe is the only one on the team that has all of those things, but if the others players get it then they will be championship favorites.  But some trades could be done to make the Lakers a lot better.  The best one would be to trade Lamar Odom and Joe Crawford to the Kings for Ron Artest and John Salmons.  This would give the Lakers someone who would be perfect for the starting small forward position on their team.  After the trade the Lakers could sign James Posey for the full 5.8 million mid-level exception and sign Theo Ratliff or Alonzo Mourning for a backup center.  James Posey and Ron Artest can both shoot and drive on offense and are two of the best perimeter defenders in the league on defense.  Having both of them on your team along with Kobe and Ariza would give you the best SG/SF guarding group in the league.  The Lakers could also Lamar Odom and a 2nd round draft pick to the Pistons for Tayshaun Prince, a 1st round draft pick (or Arron Afflalo) and Theo Ratliff (sign and trade).  If they did this trade they could then do the same signings as they did for the other trade.  The Lakers should resign both Ronny Turiaf and Sasha Vujacic also.

BOSTON CELTICS

The Celtics won it all last year and all they need to do to get back to the Finals is to sign the players that are free agents and add a good role player power forward to take P.J. Brown's spot.  The Celtics don't need to make any trades unless they wanted to do something stupid like trading Ray Allen and a pick for Rip Hamilton???  Even though Rip is a better defender and more consistent they don't want to ruin chemistry.  They need to get a backup point guard and a backup center as well.

DETROIT PISTONS

The Pistons are the championshp contender that will probably be involved in the most trade rumors this offseason because of Joe Dumar's statements about trading his stars.  The Pistons should keep Billups or Hamilton and Prince.  They should trade Rasheed if they can get equal value for him.  They should trade Rasheed Wallace, Arron Afflalo, Amir Johnson, a 2nd round draft pick, and Antonio McDyess to the Bulls for Drew Gooden, Larry Hughes, Tyrus Thomas, and Andres Nocioni.  If they were to trade Billups they shoud trade him and some other players to the Nuggets for Allen Iverson.  If they were to trade Hamilton then they should trade him and Amir Johnson to the Cavaliers for Wally Sczerbiak (expiring contract), three 1st round draft picks, and another good, young, and cheap player.

NEW ORLEANS HORNETS

The New Orleans Hornets didn't end last season in disappointment in themselves like other teams did, because they had done far more than anyone expected and had brought basketball back to New Orleans.  Hornets don't need to improve on anything except for their bench, defense, and point guard play.  The Hornets don't need to make any major trades unless someone offers them one they can't refuse.  That is all I have to say about the Hornets.  Just kidding about needing to improve the point guard play for all those people who don't know what a joke is.

SAN ANTONIO SPURS

The Spurs aren't getting any younger and that is why their chance at another championship is getting smaller.  The Spurs should try and sign Corey Maggette if he is interested.  Since he probably isn't since the Celtics want to sign him they should just throw their name out there to James Posey who won't be returning to the Celtics if Maggette is signed.  Their big 3 is fine but they need to get younger and more energetic role players.  They could just let their free agents go and sign some younger players to make their bench.

This is my 2008 NBA Playoffs edition of power rankings.  I will only include the 4 teams that made it to the conference finals.

1. Los Angeles Lakers (12-3)

The Lakers have the best home and road record in the playoffs, which also means they have the best overall playoff record.  They have been consistent all playoffs and even blew out the defending champs by 30 in game 2 of the western conference finals and surprisingly beat them in 5 games.  Now they have the Boston Celtics in the Finals.

2. Boston Celtics (12-8)

They had the best regular season record at 66-16, but that hasn't translated into a dominating postseason.  They made the Finals but it took them 20 out of a possible 21 games to get there.  Now they have the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals.

3. Detroit Pistons (10-7)

They made it to the conference finals relatively easy, but then they just stopped playing good except for the Rodney Stuckey, Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Antonio McDyess, and Jason Maxiell.  They were eliminated in 6 games because of some underperformers in game 6. 

4. San Antonio Spurs (9-8)

The defending champs were eliminated in 5 games by the Lakers, including being blown out by 30 in game 2.  They were just too old and too tired after the 7-games series with the Hornets.  They had big leads on the Lakers in games 1 and 5, but weren't able to hold them.

This was my last version of Power Rankings for the playoffs.  My next version of power rankings and the MVP race will be the week before the preseason.