2015 NBA Free Agency Preview

LaMarcus Aldridge

LaMarcus Aldridge
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Aldridge has been under appreciated for years. While he is not an elite player, he is just a notch below and can be a key player on a championship team. He has spent his whole career with Portland, but that is set to change as it appears he is on his way out. He has meetings set up with the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs, and Toronto Raptors. Aldridge would be a good fit on all of these teams. Heading into July, the Spurs are the favorite due to Aldridge's appreciation of the system and the team. The one problem with the Spurs signing Aldridge is that they will have to make moves to open up cap space. One team that has not be given much attention but would be a very good fit is Toronto. Toronto's power forwards last season were Tyler Hansbourgh, Amir Johnson, and Patrick Patterson. All are good role players, but not typical starters. Aldridge could slide right into that starting role and help the Raptors become a legit contender in the East. With that being said, the odds are against the Raptors.

Paul Millsap

The Atlanta Hawks had one of the biggest free agent steals in recent memory when then signed Millsap to a two year, $19 million deal in 2013. Now, two years later, Millsap is again a free agent. Millsap can fit in with almost any team. As a stretch four, he can score the basketball from close, midrange, and three point land. He is also an above average rebounder. Millsap is likely to stay in the ATL, but it will be interesting to see if any team will be able to prowl him away. And if a team does, it would a great deal. 

Greg Monroe

Greg Monroe
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Monroe is a very good big man who is only 25 years old. He will not resign with the Detroit Pistons. Ever since the Pistons drafted Andre Drummond, Monroe has been forced to play more power forward and less center, his natural position. Monroe and Drummond would have been a good duo 25 years ago, but now the game has gotten smaller and the two clog too much space. It is better for the Pistons to let Monroe walk and stick with Drummond. Monroe will get a big deal from a team that misses out on one of the big time big men. It would also not be surprising if he replaced LaMarcus Aldridge in Portland. The problem with signing Monroe is it is going to cost a team a lot of money.

Jimmy Butler

The Chicago Bulls have reportedly offered Butler, the 2015 NBA All-Star, a max offer of five years, $90 million. That may be one of the smartest moves of this offseason. Butler is a fantastic player and key  for the Bulls. While the contract may seem large, it will not seem too bad when the cap increases over the next two seasons. By 2017, the deal will seem like a bargain.

Dwayne Wade

Wade has spent his whole career with the Miami Heat. And even though he opted out of his contract, it is still likely that he resigns with the Heat. Wade is asking for a three year, $16 million per year deal, which is way too much for him at 33. I think the Heat are the only team that would even come close to that offer. The Lakers have interest in Wade, but they would not overpay Wade and lose the opportunity to sign a young big man. Odds are in the Heat's favor with Wade.

Monta Ellis

Monta Ellis
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Ellis is an unrestricted free agent after opting out of his contract. He spent the last two seasons with the Dallas Mavericks. The Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Sacremento Kings are reportedly after the 29 year-old shooting guard. Of those four teams, the Kings would be the most interesting and most likely fit. Ellis is a high volume shooter who can be a ball stopper and shoots poorly from behind the arc. He seems like the type of player the Kings would overpay to sign. Ellis is going to get a large deal somewhere, but it is likely that it will be with a team that is not a good fit for him. 

The Five Most Interesting Players in Basketball Right Now

Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook
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Is there anyone more fascinating in sports right now than Russell Westbrook? With Kevin Durant missing extended time this season, Westbrook has stepped up this year, especially recently. The 2015 All-Star Game MVP has average a triple-double over the last five games with 30.6 points per game, 11.8 assists per game, and 10.6 rebounds per game. In the last two games alone, he has taken 70 shots and 30 free throws. He has not been a one-man wrecking crew (Serge Ibaka has averaged 17.2 points and 9.0 boards and Enes Kanter has averaged 15.8 points and 9.0 rebounds over the last five games), but he has been playing on a whole another level. While that has not translated to wins, OKC lost the last two games where Westbrook had over 30 shots, it has made Westbrook mesmerizing to watch.

Any of the Top Players on Kentucky

Devin Booker. Willie Cauley-Stein. Aaron Harrison. Andrew Harrison. Dakari Johnson. Marcus Lee. Trey Lyles. Karl-Anthony Towns. Tyler Ulis. Take your pick of any of these nine players as the most interesting on the team and, therefore, one of the most interesting in all of men's college basketball. If I were to pick one, I may pick Trey Lyles because he was the number two power forward in the Class of 2014 recruiting class, yet he is the starting small forward on the Wildcats and is playing the position at an exceptionally high level. Or Willie Cauley-Stein, the junior, who has come into his own on the offensive end of the court. Or Karl-Anthony Towns, the elite freshman who is dominant when he plays, evident by his per 40 minutes and per 100 possession stats. Or Devin Booker, who is a really good player who can score the basketball. Even players who are not currently on Kentucky but were previouslyare some of the most fascinating (a.k.a. Kyle Wiltjer of Gonzaga, the former Kentucky player and National Champion, who transferred after winning the 2012-13 SEC Sixth Man of the Year and is now one of the best players in the country).

Nina Davis

Nina Davis
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The best player on the one of the best teams in women's college basketball, Nina Davis is an intimidating threat in the post. The Baylor sophomore is averaging 20.6 points per game and 8.7 rebounds per game. Baylor was 26-1 heading into this week. However, they lost to Oklahoma 68-64 on Wednesday and to Iowa State 76-71 today. Both are good teams, but they are not on Baylor's level. Davis had 20 points and 11 rebounds against the Sooners and  16 and 5 against the Cyclones. While she played well in these games, she needs to keep up the good work. The Bears have one more game against Texas Tech before the conference tournament. They are going to need big games out of Davis to be successful in the conference tournament before going to the NCAA Tournament. If they lose against Texas Tech and/or in the conference tournament, the Bears may be in for an upset early in the NCAA Tournament.

Reggie Jackson

Jackson, the former disgruntled Thunder backup, is now running point in Detroit. Even with a 23-36 record, the Pistons are only one game out of the eighth seed in the east and have the talent with big men Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond, and Jackson to be a tough eight seed. For them to reach the playoffs, Jackson has to play like the player he believes he is. In his four games for Detroit, he has 16.0 points per game, 6.5 assists per game, and 5.3 rebounds per game in 32.3 minutes of action. However, his PER is 12.3, he shot a dismal 5-24 against the Knicks on Friday, and then shot 4-12 on Saturday and played less minutes than backup Spencer Dinwiddie. While Jackson wants to be the man, he has to take a backseat to Drummond and Monroe and work with them. He can be main guard, but he has to allow Drummond and Monroe to be "the guys" on the team. If he can do this, the Pistons should be the eight seed. But it is easier said than done with Jackson, making this a fascinating storyline for the rest of year.

Jahlil Okafor

Jahlil Okafor
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Okafor is one of the two best players in college basketball with Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky. What makes Okafor a more interesting player is that he is a freshman, the projected number one pick in the NBA Draft, and his amazing skill set. If you watched Duke's game vs. Virginia on Wednesday, you saw the greatness of Okafor. He scored 30 points on 13-18 shooting (albeit 4-9 from the charity stripe) and nine rebounds. He dominated and manhandled the Hokies in the post. Okafor was absolutely unstoppable. While he was not as great against Syracuse today, he still managed to score 14 points and grab 13 boards. Okafor did shoot only 1-7 from the free throw line, which seems to be his only liability. Okafor is going to make a name for himself as the calendar turns to March

The Problems with the Cavs and Other NBA Notes

Kevin Love
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After losing six straight games (the first five without LeBron James), the Cleveland Cavaliers have rattled off seven consecutive wins behind Kyrie Irving and James. James has averaged over 30 points and Irving has averaged over 24 during the stretch. Both dropped over 30 last night against Detroit. While that seems like a great thing, there is something looming underneath those two players point totals. Kevin Love dropped only seven points while taking less than half of the shots of the two leading scores (Love had 11 shot attempts, eight of those from behind the arc, while James had 24 and Irving had 23). 

Stats via basketball-reference.com

During this same seven game stretch, Love is averaging 14.5 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game. Kevin Love is becoming the new Chris Bosh. Love's current numbers and Bosh's numbers from his first season in Miami are extremely similar and both have had tough times fitting in around James and a high-profile guard. There is one big difference between Love and 2010-11 Bosh. Love can leave Cleveland at the end of the season and the Cavs can get no one in return. Bosh was locked up until 2014 and was only leaving if he was traded. 

If I was Kevin Love, I would, at this point, leave Cleveland at the end of the season. He is not getting the touches he deserves and is slowly becoming the fourth option behind J.R. Smith. Love is the second best player on the team behind James (He is better than Irving) but is being treated like he is a bench warmer. In the last game of the six game losing streak against the Suns, Love was benched at the end of the game, while James Jones, Mike Miller, Smith, and Tristan Thompson all at some point played over him. After the game, Cavs Head Coach David Blatt was highly criticized for benching him and the rumors of Love leaving were at a peak. All of those rumors have gone away for the time being because of the win streak, but that does not mean they are gone for good. 

Kevin Love
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One of the big reasons that Love is having trouble in Cleveland is that he is not a player who creates his own shot. As a big man, he needs to be fed the ball in the post or be the screen setter in a pick-and-roll/pick-and-pop. He has never been a man who can take his defender off the dribble consistently  Because of this, he does not get the ball as often as he should. And if he does not get the ball in a scoring situation, he will not try to create his own shot by taking his defender off the dribble. Love has to pass the ball. On the flip side with Irving, James, and even Smith, these players can receive the ball anywhere on the court and just go one-on-one with the defender. Love cannot go one-on-one with a defender outside of the post and or mid-range area. To add on to that, all three of those players are players who run a lot of isolation plays and take their defenders one-on-one. This hinders Love's offense ability because he cannot get opportunities when the ball stays in only a select few hands. 

Kevin Love is better than Chris Bosh. Love can be a guy who drops 25 and pulls down 12 rebounds every night. He is not going to get that in Cleveland. He is not being treated and used right with the Cavs and if there is not a change for the better, there will be a change at power forward next season.

Kyrie Irving and LeBron James
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The Love Dilemma is not the only problem with the Cavs. The "Big Three" are playing too many minutes. Coming into the season, Blatt said that James would be playing less minutes this season. While he is averaging the lowest minutes per game of his career, James is still averaging just over 37 minutes a contest which is third in the league. Just ahead of him at second in the Association is Irving. For James, he needs to be rested more often so he will not wear down in the playoffs. LeBron is 30 now and he needs to manage his minutes. Irving may be only 22, but his minutes need to be managed better as well. At his current rate, he is going to worn down by the playoffs. Irving has a injury-history and has never played in the playoffs before. He needs his minutes to be managed so he will not crash and burn by the first round of the playoffs. Blatt needs to pace Irving. Also, by sitting James and Irving, the Cavs can play their younger players so they can get experience. Shawn Marion and Mike Miller cannot play forever. There is talent on the Cavs bench that they could exploit when James and Irving are on the bench.

There are problems with the Cavs and there will continue to be problems with the Cavs. Changes need to happen if Cleveland wants to be real contenders because if Love is not happy and James and Irving are playing forty minutes every night, the chances of them winning the title are slim to none.

Other Notes

Brandon Jennings
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Brandon Jennings tore his ACL on January 24. This a major loss for the Detroit Pistons, who are currently two and a half games out of the eighth spot in the East. With Jennings and big men Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe, the Pistons had a great trio of players that were beginning to click. If Jennings was not injured, I would not be surprised if the Detroit made the playoffs and were a tough team to beat. Now, the Pistons are going to have a tough time making the playoffs with the current roster assembled.

Andrew Wiggins is having a fantastic January. He is playing great basketball and making a bad Timberwolves team watchable. Yet, the T-Wolves are still 7-37 and are on their way to possibly gaining the number one pick in the upcoming draft. If they end up getting the number one pick and they draft Duke star Jahlil Okafor, Minnesota will have a nucleus to base their team around for the next ten years.

The Golden State Warriors are the best team in the NBA because they not only have stars, but great role players. Everyone knows about Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green, but Marresse Spreights is third on the team in scoring, Andre Iguadola is still going strong, and Shawn Livingston and Leandro Barbosa are playing really well as back-ups to the Splash Bros. The Warriors have the makings of a powerhouse. 

After a bad rookie season where he was oft-injured and could not gain much playing time, Phoenix Suns center Alex Len is having a good season. While the numbers are not much, under seven points and seven bounds a game, he still leads the team in rebounds and blocks. Len is not going to be a star anytime soon, but he is going to be a major contributor to these playoff contending Suns.

LeBron James's Returns To Cleveland; More NBA Free Agency Notes

LeBron James during his first stint in Cleveland
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LeBron James is heading back to Cleveland. 

Let that sink in.

After four seasons of winning basketball in Miami, four seasons of losing basketball in Cleveland, and four years of hatred in Cleveland, the best basketball player in the world is going home.

And I totally get it. When you read his announcement letter, he makes his reasons for going very clear. LeBron missed Cleveland and feels a responsibility to win and be there for Northeast Ohio. "My relationship with Northern Ohio is bigger than basketball." The part of the letter that most interests me is when he says, "Miami, for me, has almost been like college for other guys." That makes a lot of sense looking back at his time in Miami. LeBron had always lived in Northeast Ohio area and when he left he had to face adversity and live in a new environment. Remember, LeBron never went to college. This was probably as close to college as he will ever get and he needed to have an experience like that to reach the level he is on.

This is the best move for LeBron. He has a much brighter future in Cleveland. In Miami, the team was getting too old for LeBron to be confident that he can win not just a title in three years, but in this upcoming year. In Cleveland, he can be the leader, the unequivocal leader to this young team 

LeBron James and Kevin Love
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The questions around Cleveland are not done. Kevin Love is on the trade market and would Cleveland pull the trigger? The initial offer for Love is rumored to be Anthony Bennett, Dion Waiters, and a future first-round pick. However, this year's number one pick Andrew Wiggins is expected to be the key piece in the deal. This may be a bigger decision than signing LeBron. I would give up Wiggins for Love without a doubt. But, I am not as high as Wiggins as others and I believe Kevin Love is one of the top players in the league. Love is a double-double machine that can shoot a fantastic three-ball. I think a trio of LeBron, Irving, and Love would be a better "Big 3" then the LeBron, Wade, Bosh trio in their prime year. However, if I could get Love and keep Wiggins, I would. 

The next question is who does LeBron convince to join him in Cleveland. Ray Allen and Mike Miller have been rumored to join LeBron in Cleveland and both would be great choices. Not only are both experienced veterans that are great shooters, they will be great in the locker room. If Kevin Martin comes with Love to Cleveland he would be a great pick-up. Anthony Morrow would be a good fit as a sharpshooter. I think they will need another three and possibly a stretch four. 

Kyrie Irving and LeBron James
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This may be LeBron's toughest season coming up. He will be taking a team with pretty much no playoff experience and will try to bring them to the promise land. However, I think that they can do definitely win the Eastern Conference championship and they have a legitimate chance to win the NBA Title. The projected starting line-up of Irving, Wiggins, LeBron, Tristen Thompson, and Anderson Varejeo is very good starting lineup. Irving is a superstar. Wiggins has a high celling, Thompson is a good, young power forward. Varejeo is also a good player,is the only remaining player from LeBron's last season in Cleveland, and are friends. If they get Love, then they have a perfect complement to LeBron. David Blatt, the rookie head coach of the Cavs, will not be an issue. He has been a great head coach in Europe and will be able to quickly adjust. It is now LeBron's time to shine as the leader of his hometown team and bring them title. 

More NBA Free Agency Notes

The most interesting division in the NBA is now the Central Division. Cleveland is now the most interesting team in the league. Chicago and Indiana are the biggest threats to the LeBron in the East. Detroit is an interesting team headlined by one of the most dymaic big men in the league in Andre Drummond. And Milwaukee has Jabari Parker, the best player in  the most recent draft.

Chris Bosh and Dwight Howard
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With LeBron out of Miami, it is widely believed that Chris Bosh is going to go to Houston. Bosh is still a great player and would be a great fit in Houston's core with James Harden and Dwight Howard. He would not have to guard the interior and would be given the opportunity to shoot a lot of jump shots. If they can also retain Chandler Parsons, they would have a tremendous amount of talent. That would be a very interesting and a top three team in the West. It would not surprise me if they would be considered the favorite in the West heading into next season. 

It is now reported that Carmelo Anthony has narrowed his choices to New York and Chicago. The Bulls would be the best choice to win championships and I have believed that since the beginning of free agency. The Knicks would give him a larger and longer contract then the Bulls would give him. 

I think Dwayne Wade goes back to Miami. Unlike LeBron and Bosh, he has stayed with one team, the Heat, for his whole career and he definitely feels close with Pat Riley and Mickey Arison. I also do not believe that there are many teams aggressively going after Wade. The only team that I think may be able to bring him out of Miami would be Chicago, just because Chicago is his hometown and he would not have to be a part of another rebuilding process.

How crazy would it be if in the 2015 NBA Playoffs, LeBron faces Miami and Wade in the first round, Carmelo led Chicago in the Eastern Conference Finals, and Houston with Bosh in the NBA Finals. That may be the most interesting playoffs ever.

NBA Draft 2014 Preview

Mock Draft

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1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Andrew Wiggins, G, Kansas
2. Miwaukee Bucks: Jabari Parker, F, Duke
3. Philadelphia 76ers: Dante Exum, G, Austrailia
4. Orlando Magic: Marcus Smart, G, Oklahoma State
5. Utah Jazz: Noah Vonleh, F, Indiana
6. Boston Celtics: Joel Embiid, C, Kansas
7. Los Angeles Lakers: Julius Randle, F, Kentucky
8. Sacramento Kings: Aaron Gordon, F, Arizona
9. Charlotte Hornets: Doug McDermott, F, Creighton
10. Philadelphia 76ers: Dario Saric, F, Croatia
11. Denver Nuggets: Nik Stauskas, G, Michigan
12. Orlando Magic: James Young, F, Kentucky
13. Minnesota Timberwolves: Gary Harris, G, Michigan State
14. Phoenix Suns: Adreian Payne, F, Michigan State
15. Atlanta Hawks: Rodney Hood, F, Duke
16. Chicago Bulls: PJ Hairston, G, Texas Legends
17. Boston Celtics: Tyler Ennis, G, Syracuse
18. Phoenix Suns: Elfrid Payton, G, Louisiana-Lafayette 
19. Chicago Bulls: TJ Warren, F, NC State
20. Toronto Raptors: Clint Capela, F, Switzerland
21. Oklahoma City Thunder: CJ Wilcox, G, Washington
22. Memphis Grizzlies: Cleanthony Early, F, Wichita State
23. Utah Jazz: Zach LeVine, G, UCLA
24. Charlotte Hornets: Jarnell Stokes, F, Tennessee
25. Houston Rockets: Kyle Anderson, F, UCLA
26. Miami Heat: Shabazz Napier, G, UCONN
27. Phoenix Suns: Jusef Nurkic, C, Bosnia and Herzegovina
28. Los Angeles Clippers: Jordan Clarkson, G, Missouri 
29. Oklahoma City Thunder: Glenn Robinson III, F, Michigan
30. San Antonio Spurs: KJ McDaniels, G, Clemson

Rants and Raves

Jabari Parker
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• Jabari Parker is the best player in this draft and I would pick him number one. However, I think Wiggins goes at one because he may be able to garner more interest in a trade and would be a better fit. 
• The next best players are Marcus Smart and Julius Randle.
• Parker's teammate at Duke, Rodney Hood, could be one of the better players in this draft. His ability to shoot and score can make him a threat from the wing for any team.
• I am selling Andrew Wiggins stock. He proved very little this year at Kansas and his shooting percentages are way too low for someone who is going to play the wing. Even though he has elite athletism, I would stay away from Wiggins.
• I have questions about Noah Vonleh. He did not do a lot at Indiana and that lack of playing time makes me wonder if he is ready to play at this level.
• While Dante Exem and Dario Saric are getting most of the headlines involving international players, Clint Capela has great potential. He is 6'10-6'11 with a wingspan of 7'4.5" and incredible leaping ability. If he can improve his offensive game, Capela could become an outstanding power forward. 
• There are some fantastic shooters in this draft in Gary Harris, Rodney Hood, Nik Staustaks, James Young, among others. 
• Aaron Gordan is a talented player. Even if he never develops a good mid-range jumper, he can be an important member of a winning team.
• Kyle Anderson is a very unique player. His ability to be a point forward and a stretch 4 will be very intriguing for teams from as early as pick 11 to as late as pick 30. 
• Sim Bhuller out of New Mexico State is an interesting player. He does not have much potential, but at 7'5", 360 pounds, he is worth at least being picked up as an undrafted free agent.
• Walter Tavares is a 7'3 center from Cap e Verde playing for Gran Canaria. He would be a great 2nd round for a pick willing to let him improve in Europe for a couple more years and then come across the Atlantic.
• Aaron Craft is worthy of a second round pick due to his defensive tenacity. 

NBA Playoffs Preview 2014

Key to Miami Three-Peat: Chris Bosh, Miami Heat, C

While LeBron James is the best player in the league and the team is always better when Dwayne Wade is healthy, Chris Bosh is the key to Miami's success. Last year when Bosh struggled, the Heat had a very tough time against both the Indiana Pacers and the San Antonio Spurs. However, the year before when Bosh played brilliantly, the Heat won with relative ease. Bosh will always be the key to the Heat as long LeBron is still on the team.

Breakout Player in the East: Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors, G

Lowry reminds me a lot of Stephen Curry last year. A high scoring point guard who is the team's best player yet was snubbed for the All-Star Game. Lowry averaged about 18 points per game and 8 assists per game this year. If the Raptors beat the Nets, expect Lowry to make a name for himself in that series and then also star in the Eastern Conference Semis, possibly against Miami.

Breakout Player in the West: Patrick Beverley, Houston Rockets, G

Beverley is a high energy player. His motor never stops. Not only that, he fits very well into the Rockets offense. Even though he is the point guard, he does not need the ball to be successful. When it's crunch time, expect Beverley to make a play on offense or defense and as a result, become a household name.

X-Factor in the East: George Hill, Indiana Pacers, G

Hill has struggled for the Pacers this year. After a great season last year, almost all of his numbers have dipped. However, he can make up for it if he returns to the player he was last year in the playoffs. The Pacers need production from the point guard position and Hill is the only one who could bring the needed production. 

X-Factor in the West: Robin Lopez, Portland Trailblazers, C

Lopez's season has been fantastic. He averaged 11.5 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game, and 1.4 blocks per game. He also had 9.5 Win Shares (19th in the NBA), .178 Win Shares per 48 minutes (19th), 128.1 Offensive Rating (1st), 13.6% Offensive Rebound Percentage (4th), and a .606 True Shooting Percentage (8th). Those are numbers of a great player, yet Lopez is in the shadow of Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge. While Lopez will not be in the spotlight, he will play well and the Trailblazers will be better with him on the floor.

PREDICTIONS

WEST

1. San Antonio over 8. Dallas

2. Oklahoma City over 7. Memphis

3. Los Angeles over 6. Golden State

4. Houston over 5. Portland

4. Houston over 1. San Antonio

2. Oklahoma City over 3. Los Angeles

2. Oklahoma City over 4. Houston

EAST

1. Indiana over. 8. Atlanta

2. Miami over 7. Charlotte

6. Brooklyn over 3. Toronto

4. Chicago over 5. Washington

4. Chicago over. 1. Indiana

2. Miami over 6. Brooklyn

2. Miami over 4. Chicago

NBA FINALS

Miami over Oklahoma City

NBA News

Milwaukee Bucks

Larry Sanders
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After making the playoffs as an eight seed last year, the Bucks have the worst record in the league at 7-33. Last year's team and this year's team are vastly different. Four of last year's five leading scorers no longer play in Milwaukee. One of the holdovers, the Center Larry Sanders, has been a major disappointment. During the 2012-13 season, Sanders averaged 9.8 points per game, 9.5 rebounds per game, 2.8 blocks per game (lead the league), and was a leading candidate for NBA Defensive Player of the Year. This year, he has only played in 15 games, an averaged 6.7 rebounds per game and 1.8 blocks per game. However, John Henson has done well in his place. He averages 12.3 points a game, 8.3 bounds a game, and 2.2 block a game, as well as a 20.8 PER. No other player on Milwaukee is having a good season. The Bucks problem is scoring. They are last in the league in points per game with 91.4, field goal percentage with 42%, and points per shot with 1.1. While their defense is not outstanding either, the offense is atrocious and there is not much to improve it. OJ Mayo and Brandon Knight, their bester scorers, are way too inconsistent to be number one spot. I doubt they will go out and pick-up a high-profile shooter. They will be sellers if they make any moves. The good thing about being awful this year is the possibility to pick number one in the draft.

Anthony Davis

The number one pick in the 2012 Draft is having a terrific sophomore season. While his team is 8 games under .500, the Power Forward is averaging a double-double with 20.3 and 10.4, while leading the league with 3.0 blocks. His PER (26.8) is in the league's top five.
Against Golden State on the 18th of this month, Davis put together an incredible performance, albeit in a loss. He scored 31 points and had 17 rebounds  while going 11-17 from the field, and 9-12 for the charity stripe. Davis is truly developing into a All-Star Power Forward for the next ten years.

Trades involving the Nets

The Nets made two trades Monday. In a deal with Chicago, they would have sent Tornike Shengelia to the Windy City in exchange for Marquis Teague. In another deal, Tyshawn Taylor went to the Pelicans, while Brooklyn got the rights to Edin Bavcic. Bavcic was drafted by Toronto in 2006 in the second round and has never played the NBA. He is currently playing for KOAD in the Greek A1 Basketball League. While these deals were made to free up room under the salary cap, the pick up of Teague is an interesting move. Under the tutelage of Jason Kidd and Deron Williams at point guard, Teague may become a serviceable bench player. It is surprising that these moves have come during a strong stretch. 

All-Star Game Uniforms

The NBA All-Star Game Jerseys
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The 2014 NBA All-Star Game is being played at New Orleans Arena on February 16. The uniforms were released last week and they are ugly. The jerseys look nothing like a basketball uniform. It looks like a cheap t-shirt you can buy at a kiosk. The jersey looks unfinished with just a crest on the front. They need something more. The back of the uniforms looks normal and fine, there are no complaints here. And let's not forget those sleeves. Sleeves are fine when players want to wear sleeves under their uniforms, and they should make custom sleeved uniforms for those players. However, sleeves are being forced upon jerseys and they do not work. They were ugly last year, they ugly during March Madness, they were ugly on Christmas, and they will be ugly on February 16.

The NBA Draft Wheel

The Draft Lottery has been around since 1985 and has always been filled with controversy. The newest controversy involves teams tanking to get a better chance at the number one pick. Many teams have been accused of doing, especially this year. Well, a proposal submitted by an NBA team official believes he has a way to stop tanking. According to Zach Lowe of Grantland, this proposal involves killing the lottery and using a wheel to determine the draft spot of each team, for the next 30 years.

Here is how the wheel would work: Each team would be given a pick every year for thirty years. They would not be able to pick in the same spot twice for thirty years. They follow a sequence, shown in the wheel below. So if a team drafts 1st in year one, they would draft 30th, 19th, 18th, and then 7th in the next four drafts. If they draft 28th, in the next four drafts they would draft 21st, 16th, 9th, and then 4th. Every five seasons, each team would have a top six pick and every four years, each team would have a top twelve pick. If this system is used, there is no upside, being being bad and tanking.

The Wheel
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The proposal has it's fans and adversaries. It has gained some traction among officials and may be discussed by the NBA owners in 2014. However, not all officials like the idea.
I believe the idea is interesting, but is way too flawed to ever be used in any capacity.

First, how does this give teams that are awful a chance to rebuild. Many of the best teams in sports build through the draft. This system makes it very difficult to do so. After getting a top five pick, most of the time it is followed up by three non-lottery picks. It is very unusual for one player to change the franchise from a loser to perennial title contender. For example, the Thunder (then the Supersonics) drafted Kevin Durant second in 2007. However, they didn't make the playoffs until they drafted Russell Westbrook fourth in 2008 and James Harden third in 2009. That would have been impossible for the Thunder to do with the wheel in place. 

Secondly, this gives college players too much power. If the best player in college is a freshman and he does not want to go to the team picking first, he can wait until next year or two years so he gets to go where he wants to. That not only is unfair to the "undesired" team who will get cheated out of getting an opportunity to pick the best player possible, it also gives the college players to much power and leverage in their decisions.

Thirdly, this is too predetermined in an dramatic, entertainment minded sports world. One of the best things about sports is that anything can happen. There are so many of examples of the greatness of unpredictability in sports. With this system, the suspense of the draft lottery and the seasons of bad teams will go away. Nothing in sports is predetermined and that  is a good thing. If the draft becomes predetermined, it will become less interesting.

Lets hope the Ping Pong balls do not go away
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Those are just three of the big reasons why the draft wheel should not be put in place. The wheel is a truly unique and interesting, but it is not a good idea. Bad teams need a chance to get better. For many teams, it's not through free agency or trades, but they get better through the draft. This new system will make it impossible for many bad teams to get good real quick. That would create an even bigger gap between good and bad. I don't think that the NBA will approve getting rid of the lottery system and replacing it with  the wheel. There would be too much controversy and questions surrounding it. The wheel is and would not be good for the league.

Predictions for the 2013-14 NBA Season

Eastern Conference

1. Miami Heat

2. Indiana Pacers

3. Brooklyn Nets

4. Chicago Bulls

5. New York Knicks

6. Detroit Pistons

7. Atlanta Hawks

8. Washington Wizards

9. Cleveland Cavaliers 

10. Toronto Raptors

11. Milwaukee Bucks

12. Boston Celtics

13. Charlotte Bobcats

14. Orlando Magic

15. Philadelphia 76ers

Western Conference

1. Las Angeles Clippers

2. San Antonio Spurs

3. Oklahoma City Thunder

4. Golden State Warriors

5. Houston Rockets

6. Memphis Girzzlies

7. Denver Nuggets

8. Minnesota Timberwolves

9. Portland Trail Blazers

10. Los Angeles Lakers 

11. New Orleans Pelicans

12. Dallas Mavericks

13. Utah Jazz

14. Sacramento Kings

15. Phoenix Suns

MVP

1. LeBron James, Miami Heat, F

2. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder, F

3. Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs, G

Rookie of the Year

1. Victor Oladpo, Orland Magic, G

2. Trey Burke, Utah Jazz, G

3. Ben McLemore, Sacramento Kings, G

Defensive Player of the Year

1. LeBron James, Miami Heat, F

2. Tony Allen, Memphis Grizzlies, G

3. Larry Sanders, Milwaukee Bucks, C

Most Improved Player

1. Jonas Valanciunas, Toronto Raptors, C

2. Eric Bledsoe, Phoenix Suns, G

3. Andre Dummond, Detroit Pistons, C

Most Disappointing Player

1. Danny Granger, Indiana Pacers, F

2. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks, F

3. Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls, G

1st Team All-NBA

G: Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers

G: Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs

F: LeBron James, Miami Heat

F: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder

C: Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies

2nd Team All-NBA

G: Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Caviliers 

G: James Harden, Houston Rockets

G: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

F: Paul George, Indiana Pacers

F: Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves

NBA Draft Lottery

1. Boston Celtics 

2. Sacramento Kings

3. Philadelphia 76ers

NBA All-Star Game

East All-Stars over West All-Stars

Eastern Conference Finals

Miami Heat over Brooklyn Nets

Western Conference Finals

Los Angeles Clippers over Golden State Warriors

NBA Finals

Miami Heat over Los Angeles Clippers

2013 NBA Draft's Top International Prospects

1. Dennis Schroeder-PG-Germany-6'2"

Dennis Schroeder
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Schroeder is the top international player for good reason. The 19-year-old has the aptitude to become a high-quality point guard. He is fast with a large wingspan and 6'7" for his height. He is strong on defense. He has the potential to be a shut-down defender. A great characteristic of Schroeder is that he can run an up-tempo or half-court offense. A question mark is his shooting. He shoots a good percentage from three, but not from inside the arc. His biggest weakness is his high turnover rate. This needs to be fixed; quickly. Schroeder also needs to improve going to his left. For his team, the New Yorker Phantoms Braunschweig in Germany's BBL, he averaged 11.9 ppg, 3.3 apg, and 0.9 spg. He shot 40.2% from the three and 43.6% from the field. A good spot for Schroeder would be 13th to the Dallas Mavericks.

2. Rudy Gobert-C-France-7'2"

Rudy Gobert has something that every team wants. That is size. He is 7'2" and a wingspan of 7'9". Gobert is good around the rim, offensively and defensively. His offense is mostly in the low post. He also works well in pick-and-rolls. On defense, he protects the rim very well. He needs to add some pounds to his frame. He is only 238 lbs. If he does not bulk up, he is going to have  difficultly playing down low. He also has no mid-range game at all. For Chelot of France's Pro A league, he averaged 8.4 ppg, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.9 bpg. He is very raw and will need to be drafted by a team willing to let him develop over time and possibly play another season in Europe. Two fits that I feel are best are the Boston Celtics with the 16th and the New York Knicks with the  24th pick.

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo-F-Greece-6'9"

Antetokounmpo is versile at 6'9", has ginormous hands, and has a 7'3" wingspan. The youngest player in this years draft, he will be 19 in December. His ball-handling and passing skills are good. He can also finish at the basket. His defense lacks fundamentals and needs a lot of work. He will also need to work on his outside game. For Filathlitikos of Greece's second rate league, Antetokounmpo averaged 9.5 ppg and 5.0 rpg. His shooting percentage from inside the arc was 62.1%, which is excellent. Antetokounmpo has a high ceiling and a has bust potential. Whoever picks him up will need to wait for him to develop in Europe for the next few years or must be confident in their developing program. I think the San Antonio Spurs at 28 will be a good fit. They will give him time to develop. 

4. Sergey Karasev-SG-Russia-6'7"

Sergey Karasev
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Karasev is a shooter and scorer. His lefty shot is very smooth. Karasev has the potential to be a great shooter in a few years. I think his shooting can improve to where he may be able to become one of the best shooters in the league. Karasev is not the most athletic player, which may be a problem on defense. He will also need to get stronger to help hide his athleticism problem. For Triumph of the PBL, he averaged 18.4 ppg and 5.3 rpg in the PBL and 16.1 ppg and a 49% shooting percentage from three. He also was on Russia's bronze-medal winning team at the Summer Olympics last year. The Minnesota Timberwolves at 26 would be a great spot for Karasev. They are desperate for a shooter and he would fill the role. 

5. Lucas Nogueira-C-Brazil-7'0"

Nogueira is a physically imposing player. He is 7'0" with a 7'6" wingspan, is very athletic, quick feet, fast reflexes, and has excellent speed for a big man. He can become an excellent shot blocker and defensive player. However, at this moment, his defense skills are very weak and lacks fundamentals. His rebounding is very good and so is his finishing. Nogueira will most likely be kept in Europe for a few years so he can develop into a complete center. The Oklahoma City Thunder with the 32nd pick or the Memphis Grizzlies ten picks later would be very good spots for Nogueira.

Could LeBron James be an NFL Quarterback?

LeBron James basketball career is at it's peak. He just won his fourth MVP in five years.  This year the vote was one vote away from being unanimous.  He made his seventh All-NBA First Team and fifth All-NBA Defensive Team. Last season he also won MVP, NBA Finals MVP, and an Olympic Gold Medal. His Miami Heat team may have lost last night, but still are in prime position to make and win the finals.

Joe Theismann in his playing days
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But not all the publicity is about his basketball skills. Hall of Fame Quarterback Joe Theismann said the LeBron James could be an NFL quarterback. He has commented on this twice in the last few days. On Saturday, he told Fox Sports Florida that: "I would love to work him out and also serve as his agent. I'll go wherever he wants this summer. He could play another four years in the NBA before seriously trying the NFL." and "There are not a lot of 38 or 39-year-old basketball players, but there are 38 and 39-year-old quarterbacks, there is still time for him." He later said that the agent comment was "tongue-in-cheek". On the NFL Network on Tuesday, he added that: "He could, I think, do anything he wanted."

Theismann is not the only one to comment on James' potential on the gridiron. Two-time BCS Championship winning coach and current Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer said he could have been a "first-round draft pick" and "a Hall-of-Famer".

James played football for three seasons at St. Vincent-St. Mary's High School. He played quarterback during his freshman season and wide receiver during his sophomore and junior years. In his sophomore season, he caught 42 balls for 820 yards and seven touchdowns. His junior year was much better. He had 1245 receiving yards with 16 touchdowns. Both seasons, he was selected to the All-State team. 

When looking at LeBron's potential as a quarterback, you must start with his built and his intangibles. He is incredibly strong at 6'8'' and 250 pounds. As a comparison, Carolina Panthers' quarterback Cam Newton is 6'5'' and 245 pounds. He is also very durable. In his ten pro seasons, the lowest amount of games he has played in a non-lockout shorten season was 75.  I am confident that he could hold his own physically in the NFL.

LeBron James as a football star?
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Now, we will look at some of the positives. His work ethic is tremendous. If he were to make the switch from basketball to football, I know he would study very diligently and would do all he can to make himself the best. He would become a football nerd. His mental toughness may be a question to many, but not to Joe Theismann. He said that, "He's as mentally as tough a guy you are going to find." His previous experience also will be a help.

Not everything about the possibilities are on the brighter side. We have no idea how well he could play the quarterback position. Would he be comfortable under center? How well can he consistently throw a football? Could he perfect a three-step, five-step, and seven-step drop? Can he throw on the run? These are just some of the questions that would surround LeBron if he moved to football. With enough work, the answer might be yes to these questions. However, it can takes years to answer these questions. I would believe that James doesn't have that much time. 

All in all, LeBron is not going to the NFL any time soon. Why would he leave the game he loves at his peak to play in the NFL? He has been battling comparisons to Michael Jordan all his life. Why would he pull the same move as MJ did?  If he did end up playing football, it might be one game for an Arena team or semi-pro team, and the probability of either of these is slim to none. All these words are just words. For right now, LeBron playing football  and most likely forever, will be a fantasy.

NBA Deadline Deals and No Deals

This year's NBA Trade Deadline to say the least was, quiet. There were no real big name players dealt and many of the deals had one player traded for a draft pick or a trade exception. Of the twelve trades made yesterday and two days ago, only two included more then three people. This may not have been a very exciting deadline, but some of the teams should be excited with their new pieces. Here is a look at some of the deals and no deals.

Jordan Crawford

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Celtics get: G Jordan Crawford--Grade: A-
Wizards get: G Leandro Barbosa and C Jason Collins--Grade: D

This deal is really one sided, both short term and long term. The trade is should be focused on the two guards, Collins is just a extra to make the deal work. In the short term, Jordan Crawford is healthy. Leandro Barbosa has a torn ACL. In the long term, Crawford is under contract through next season, with a qualifying offer for 2014-15. Jason Collins is not  good player. Crawford is also six years younger then them. Crawford is a shooter and will give the Celtics 18th ranked offense some points. Crawford is currently averaging 13.2 ppg and 3.7 apg.

Milwaukee gets: G JJ Redick, F Gustavo Ayon, and G Ish Smith--Grade: B+
Orlando gets: F Tobias Harris, G Doron Lamb, and G Beno Udrith--Grade: C

JJ Redick is the biggest name that was traded during this deadline. He is also the only key factor for this deal. The others are just fixtures that make the numbers line up. Redick will make an immediate impact with he Bucks. He will most likely be the sixth man. With Redick's, Brandon Jennings', and Monta Ellis' contracts all up, the Bucks now have three guards they can try to resign, instead of two.

Charlotte gets: F Josh McRoberts--Grade: C
Orlando gets: F Hakim Warrcik--Grade: C

Imagine what this is like for Josh McRoberts? McRoberts is playing for the lowly Orlando Magic. Then he finds out he is traded. He is probably excited, believing he might be moved to a playoff contender. Instead, he is going from the second worst team in the league to the worst team. This trade does not mean much, which is why the team's grades are the same.

Josh Smith
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Atlanta still have: F Josh Smith--Grade: F

Atlanta's Josh Smith was expected to be dealt at the deadline, but was not. Atlanta should have traded away it's star player. Even though he is the team's top player, it is unlikely that the Hawks will resign him in the offseason. He wants to move on. There were multiple teams (Nets, Bucks, and Celtics) that were willing to pick up Smith and his contract. These teams would also give up good talent for Smith. It may not have been equal to his value, but what is better, getting something in return for Smith or losing him and gaining nothing in free agency. It looks like the Hawks have chosen the latter, for better or for worse.

Los Angeles Clippers still have: G Eric Bledsoe--Grade: A+

Eric Bledsoe is in a tough situation in Los Angeles. He is a very good point guard, with a really high aptitude. In a few years, Bledsoe can be an electrifying passer-scorer. The only reason Bledsoe was on the market because in front of him on the death chart is Chris Paul, arguably the best point guard in the league. However, Bledsoe can develop with Paul and, if they somehow use Paul in free agency, still have Bledsoe to be the point.