My blog so far has been all about the NBA, but I promise, that will change. It just happens that there's nothing else exciting to blog about in the sports world right now. Anyway, with the season wrapped up, here are some final thoughts.
Cavs fans - Stop whining about officiating. Stop whining about how the league rigged things for the Spurs to win. You have absolutely no case. Everybody knew going in that you were going to lose, and you did. The only team that has a legitimate beef with the league is Phoenix, who got #### by a stupid rule. Just be happy you got to the finals and that you get to watch Lebron every night for the next 3 years.
Barring injury, the Spurs will be the prohibitive favorite again next year. It doesn't look like Phoenix is going to make a big move to improve since they're looking to cut costs, and the Mavericks are looking for all the world like a broken team in need of a change. The Spurs? They've got their big 3 locked up for 3 more years, and the only significant players they may lose this year are Oberto and Finley if they opt out of their deals (Finley won't, Oberto probably will). Parker and Ginobili continue to get better, Duncan is always brilliant, and they've got a few young players who have a lot of potential (James White, Jackie Butler).
I love the idea of this trade.
Z. Randolph to Chicago
#9 pick, sign&trade P.J. Brown, Chris Duhon to Portland.
Everybody wins here. Randolph immediately makes the Bulls the East favorite, as they add a legit 20-10 guy without giving up any of their talented young core. Ben Wallace is the perfect complement for Randolph becasue he covers his weaknesses, and the Bulls would have an actual low-post scoring threat. They'd be a legit title contender. Portland moves Randolph's huge contract and character problems, gets a pick they can use on a small forward to fill that hole (I love Thornton here) or Conley if he's still there. Brown is a good veteran mentor for Oden & Aldridge and Duhon is a solid backup at the point.
I love the way Portland has built through the draft, they're my team to watch over the offseason. If they made that trade, their young core could look like this.
PG - J. Jack SG - B. Roy SF - A. Thornton PF - L. Aldridge C - Oden Bench - M. Webster, C. Duhon, F. Jones, S. Rodriguez
That's a frighteningly good young core of players, especially on the defensive end. Jack is one of the league's better defenders at PG, Roy is no slouch, Thornton is the second coming of Shawn Marion, and Aldridge and Oden are both exceptional shot blockers. Not only that, but the LaFrentz deal comes off the books before any of those starters are up for resigning, and the Miles deal one year later. They could potentially have the cap room to keep this together for years. So keep an eye on Portland.
I know it's been said a lot already, but it's time for Detroit to rebuild. They're not going to win any more titles with that crew, and at best they're probably the 3rd best team in the conference next year. Don't prolong it Joe D., the early you start rebuilding, the faster you'll be cometitive again.
A team I like to surprise people next year is Milwaukee. They got hit hard with injuries last year, but there's a lot of talent on that team, certainly enough to contend in the East.
I know it won't happen, but how awesome would it be if Seattle resigned Lewis and just built the team as a run and gun, high-scoring offense revolving around Allen, Lewis, and Durant. I would love to see that team play, they'd be absolutely unguardable.
If Cleveland can't find a shooter this offseason to play with Lebron, it will be an absolute travesty.
If K.C. Jones is in the Hall of Fame, Robert Horry has to get in.
I think Duncan and Lebron battle it out as the frontrunners for the MVP trophy next year.
Only one thing you wrote I disagree with, the mavs are no where near a broken team! I agree that they need to shake up the current roster and get rid of either J-terry or Dampier for a tougher veteran star player but there has not been a season in dirk's career that he has not come back stronger and improved on his game. The warriors were a horrible match-up for dallas, they had no shot at winning that series, I hate to admit it.
The playoffs were one of matchups this year.... The only teams that could beat dallas were g-sate and pheonix. Th only team that could pheonix was san antonio and the only team that could beat the sours was dallas! I agree that the suns were the victims of that stupid rule but they didnt have much of a chance either way against the spurs, if they add somebody else and get better bench production, hopefully they can take it all the way next year, nash only has a couple more seasons at this level left in him.
Don't get me wrong, I like Dallas and I'm a big Dirk fan, but after two straight playoff breakdowns, I can't see them getting past San Antonio again in the postseason without an overhaul of their roster.
I actually think the Suns had the upper hand in the series until that Horry hip check. They tied the series up on a big-time momentum changing 4th quarter and were heading back to Phoenix for the pivotal game 5. They certainly weren't assured victory, but if I'd had to bet on one of them at that point, it would've been the Suns. I'd love to think that Phoenix will make a big move in the offseason (I'm a big fan of the Bill Simmons KG for Amare deal), but it looks like they're mainly looking to cut salaries.
I agree that the Spurs are next year's frontrunners barring injury, and that Dumars needs to start making moves again.
I haven't heard Cavs fans complain about officiating in the finals, but if they are, they're being dumb. The league would much rather see Lebron win than the Spurs win.
Z Randolph is a constant 20-10 guy but they don't call him the blackhole for nothing.
Assuming Lebron doesn't sleepwalk through the regular season again this year, he oughta be there for MVP discussions along with Duncan, DWade, Nash, and Kobe.
Granted, Randolph isn't exactly generous with the ball, but the Bulls desperately need someone who can score with their back to the basket, and Randolph is the only reliable post scorer they could get without parting with any of their young core guys. If the Bulls trotted out a starting lineup of Hinrich, Gordon, Deng, Randolph, and Wallace, with Khryapa, Thomas, Griffin, and whoever else they can pick up coming off the bench do you see anyone in the east even getting close to them? For that matter, are there many teams in the west that could match that? The talk is that the Bulls are trying to move up in the draft to get Yi. My question is, why give up extra to move up when you could use that same pick to grab Randolph and make yourself a contender immediately.
first of all dumars is not gonna break up the core 4 .. billups will re sign det can match any other offer joe d is gonna give him the same deal as ben and make him the highest paid player in franchise history and un like bens dumb afro #### he's gonna take it ..plus they have draft picks and the mle next year and amir johnson no way dets " done " or need to rebuild . everybody said the same thing last year and look what happend the # 1 seed in the east and hca without big bad ben .. all det needs to do is get rid of nezars contract .. get rid of webber or bench him draft a back up pg ( acie law ) and back up sf .. play maxieele more they will be fine it's ppl who don't follow det and the press who are panacking not joe d or det
second portland would not go for that trade in a million years .. they would want either deng or gordan for z - bo
The Pistons don't have enough young guys to replentish with and Billups, Sheed, and Webber aren't getting any younger. Not only that, but did you see that team as they were imploding at the end of the Cleveland series? Nobody looked like they liked each other, and everybody looked like they hated Flip Saunders. At the same time, the other contenders in the East (Chicago, Cleveland, Toronto) are full of young players who are getting better. Teams make this mistake all the team, and they hold on to teams that might make the playoffs, but have no hope of winning a ring or even a conference title. Instead of slipping into mediocrity, trade the aging guys while they're still assets and build around a core of Maxiell, Rip and Tayshaun.
I disagree. Portland is desperate to rid their clubhouse of bad character guys, and they would love to get rid of Randolph with his large contract and questionable character. It would free them up to develop their young post guys and would completely clear up their Jailblazer past. In return, they get a dependable backup and veteran mentor for their posts, a good backup point, cap relief cause Duhon comes off in a year and Brown wouldn't have a contract that escalates like Randolph's, and a draft pick that would be either Conley (if he fall to them) or one of the elite SF prospects, which would fill a huge hole. Anyway, they don't need Gordon (Roy and Webster are already there at the 2) and there's no way the Bulls let go of Deng. Both teams benefit, and Portland will be hard-pressed to find anything better in return for Randolph.
the bulls series drained det it took their legs for the cavs series plus the cavs just out played det it had nothin to do with team chemistrey that was just another smoke screen made up by the press .. billups has always been a flip supporter why do you think they just resigned him .. only one you could say he dont get along with this year was sheed .. joe d has allready said his main responsablity was re signing billups .. bottom line is he's not break up the core 4 .. period i gurantee it ..
and portland maybe be willing to give up z - bo but there not gonna do it for garbage .. chicagos garbage like p.j. brown and duhon or a draft pick not for a 20 and 10 guy i dont see it happening they could get alot more
He very well might keep the core 4 together. However, they're not going to win another championship and I would be surprised if they even get back to the finals again. I loved this Detroit team over the last few years. Loved the way they played together and played great defense. However, there are turning point moments for a team, and that Cavs series was it. If you're ok with just getting to the playoffs for the next few years, then this team is fine. However, don't be expecting another ring anytime soon.
You're missing the point with that trade. Brown is there for cap relief, not because he's some spectacular player. The draft pick is the big prize that you're getting. #9 in the deepest draft in recent memory is a great incentive. You're telling me Portland wouldn't give up Randolph if Conley was still there at #9? Even if they miss Conley, there are 5 great SF prospects in this draft (4 if Green drops out), and they desperately need a SF. Randolph only averaged 20 pts because he got a ton of shot attempts, the guy only shot 46% from the field, which is pretty low for a post guy. He's also a terrible defender and doesn't pass well out of double teams. The Bulls need that low post presence, but in Portland he's just in the way of the developing young guys. If Portland wouldn't go for that deal, you could always sub Tyrus Thomas in for Duhon, though I'm not sure Chicago would go for that.
I think you're overrating Randolph's trade value. His 20-10 is very different from say J. O'Neal's 20-10 or Duncan's 20-10. He's a solid player, but not a star.
