NBA Draft Recap: Winners and Losers

The 2011 NBA draft was one filled with great surprises, multiple trades, happy moms and disappointed fans. Now that the dust has cleared, let's take a look at who came out on top in the draft, and who needs to catch up in the free agency.

WINNERS

Detroit Pistons


No way Brandon Knight should have fallen this far. Selecting 8th overall, the Pistons didn't have to think twice about who to select. Knight was projected to go as highly as third in most mock drafts, yet somehow he landed in Detroit's feeble hands. The Pistons also picked up a polished, fundamental player in Kyle Signler, and had a nice selection in the second round with Vernon Macklin, a fierce rebounder out of Florida.

Charlotte Bobcats

After watching him in the Big East tournament, I thought the kid would be a top ten pick. After watching him in the NCAA Tournament, I figured he'd be the top pick in the draft. How any team could see Kemba Walker's performances in big games and still pass up on him is beyond me. His dazzling scoring ability is unstoppable and his ball handling and quickness are hazardous to all opposing defenses. The Bobcats got a steal in Walker at the 9 spot, and when you add in Tennessee's Tobias Harris in the mix, you've got two players that are going to make an impact on day one.

Boston Celtics

Everyone knows it. Boston is aging. The Celtics are aware of it, and in turn picked up two solid young players who have large amounts of potential to energize Boston off the bench and eventually start for the Celts. Oh, and they already have good chemistry, being that they both went to Purdue. JaJuan Johnson is a lean, skillful forward with shot blocking ability, and E'Twaun Moore is a smart, sharp guard who can score effectively and handle the ball well. Doc Rivers has a good group of guys to work with heading into next season.

Angel Morris

The proudest woman on the planet last night was Angel Morris, whose two sons were drafted back-to-back in the first round of the draft. The only problem she has now is deciding whose games to attend, because this is the first time Markieff and Marcus will be on different teams in their entire lives.

LOSERS

Phoenix Suns

It just doesn't get any better for Phoenix. Not only did they miss out on sharpshooter Jimmer Fredette, but they made absolutely no strides of progress in finding a replacement for aging point guard Steve Nash. Aaron Brooks is not going to cut it. There's no doubt Markieff Morris is a solid player and a good selection, but the Suns could have made efforts to sneak up higher in the draft and possibly steal Jimmer Fredette or even Brandon Knight. Looks like it could be another average year out in Phoenix next season.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers had four picks. Good, right? Not if they're all in the second round. Yep, Los Angeles missed out on all of the first rounders, and even with four picks in the second round, I don't see any of those players making a difference in L.A. in the near future. It probably won't be too big of a problem right now -- but with Phil Jackson out, Kobe getting older, and Derek Fisher nearing eligibility to collect social security, the could be the beginning of the end for Los Angeles...

Brandon Knight

Poor fellow. Not only did the point guard out of Kentucky slide to the 8th spot in the draft, the joke of a franchise Detroit Pistons snatched him up, consequently ending all of Knight's hopes of becoming an All-Star. Now, instead of having a chance to develop into a strong player, Brandon Knight will mosey around in the booming economic city of Detroit and count the days until his contract expires. All he can do is hope that management in the Motor City improves, or he'll be driving a Ford right over to the Free Agency.

And that's all for this year's draft. Congrats to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who took big steps forward in drafting Kyrie Irving with the first pick and Tristan Thompson out of Texas just three picks later. This wasn't the strongest draft ever, but I do think that we will see some of these guys have tremendous impacts in their rookie seasons.

Oh, and I'm calling it. Derrick Williams 2011-2012 Rookie of the Year.

Thanks for reading.

The Smarter Team

It's pretty obvious that the Miami Heat consisted of the most talented basketball players in the NBA. But time and time again the Dallas Mavericks proved that the game of basketball is won by smart players who know their role and play it well. Miami may have had the upper hand in athleticism and talent, but Dallas had intangibles which Miami could not contain.

All great teams have a great point guard. Jason Kidd was the prototypical floor general which Dallas needed to run an effective, fluent offense. How many times did you count where Jason Kidd passed up a decent shot to give a teammate an excellent shot? Several. There were instances where Kidd would catch a pass from a teammate, and before the ball was in his hands for even half a second, he had already delivered a dime to a different teammate. That's what 17 years of experience does for a team. Smart passes, unselfish play, and using your discretion wisely to make the right play. While many people see a washed up player in a 38 year old guard, I see leadership and poise in the clutch.

J.J. Barea is the prime example of an effective role player. Most people have never heard of the guy before the Finals, but the 6 foot speed demon lit up the Miami defense with excellent slashing skills and nice dishes to open players all series long.

Shawn Marion quietly averaged almost 14 points and 6 rebounds throughout the Finals, and was the key factor in the Mavericks' Game 2 upset in Miami, scoring 20 points and pulling down 8 boards. If the Mavericks didn't have Marion's outstanding efforts in Game 2, they probably would have ended up on the wrong end of the scoreboard, and buried in an 0-2 hole.

Who could forget about the big Tyson Chandler, who was rejected by Oklahoma City because of physical health concerns, nearly averaging a double-double in the series? And what about Jason Terry, who picked up the slack when Dirk struggled in Game 6, dropping 27 points on the defenseless Heat? While Miami's stars gave it their best efforts, the Big 3 just could not come up with an answer for the multiple weapons Dallas threw at them.

Props to Pat Riley, however, for doing his best to create a strong supporting cast for James, Wade, and Bosh. Adding Mike Bibby and Mike Miller were good ideas and helped Miami in doses, but the lack of a strong presence at center and still a void at the starting point guard position, the Heat could not secure a championship in the end. Miami's GM needs to look into adding experience and better role players, just like Dallas, if they want what Dallas finally has.

The Heat Won...wait, what?

The same issue Miami's had all season came back to haunt them tonight. The Heat gave up a huge 15 point lead with just over six minutes left to play, looking disoriented offensively and letting up on the defensive end.

Miami can't really blame Dirk. He didn't explode for 36 points like their own Dwyane Wade. No, Nowitzki had an average game at best, with 24 points, 11 rebounds and an ugly five turnovers. He was able to convert on the go-ahead layup with just three seconds left, but other than that, he wasn't necessarily an unstoppable force in tonight's game.

Why did Dallas win? They were poised. Most teams look at a scoreboard down 15 points with 6 minutes left and think about what's being served on the plane ride home. The Mavericks play hard every game, and they are certainly not going to give up in the NBA Finals, no matter how much they are down.

The Heat got complacent. My select basketball coach always told me to always pretend the score is 0-0. That way, you aren't too cocky, but you're also not discouraged. You're playing your hardest when the game is tied. But Miami was acting like it was up three or four hundred, and once Dallas began its comeback, the Heat began panicking.

To Dwyane Wade, Mike Bibby, Joel Anthony and Mario Chalmers: You guys deserved a win. Those four players left it all on the floor, while the rest of the Heat finished the game with a lackadaisical attitude.

Chris Bosh should have been riding the bench. He is the reason Miami struggled in the first half, shooting at an awful percentage and taking irrational shots from out of his range. Bosh was also the guy that got burned by slow, 7 foot Dirk Nowitzki in the closing seconds of the game. Sorry Chris, but you get an F- for today's performance.

The Mavericks should be throwing a party right now. They can close the series without having to go back to Miami once for the rest of the Finals. It's not going to be easy, but the light is gleaming at the end of the tunnel.

NBA Finals: Game 1 Analysis

Defense wins championships.

It's an adage long embraced by coaches and players in all sports. Football, basketball, soccer - you can't go far without a strong, fine-tuned defense. In this particular series, it's the ONLY way to win. With the offensive firepower that both teams have to offer, the only way to outscore a LeBron James or Dirk Nowitzki is to not let them score at all.

Of course, if you stop LeBron, you still have to worry about Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Which is precisely why Miami is unstoppable when all three play well (see box score of last night).

Although the Big 3 had solid performances, the Mavericks did a pretty good job on the rest of the Heat. Out of Miami's starters, James, Wade and Bosh were the only ones who scored the entire game. Bibby went 0-4 and Joel Anthony was 0-1 with 3 rebounds and a turnover.

The real problem for Dallas was its efficiency on the offensive end. J.J. Barea penetrated the lane well, but was either blocked or just unable to finish in the paint. Jason Terry had a great first half, and apparently decided to take the second half off. Peja Stojakovic was brought on to the team for his sharpshooting abilities, but he went 0-3 from beyond the arc against that swarming Miami defense. Dirk played his game, but he is going to need some help from his teammates if Dallas doesn't want a repeat of the 2006 Finals.

As for Miami, there isn't really much room for improvement on the defensive end. 84 points allowed, holding the Mavs to 37% shooting - the Heat did their job defensively. The only thing I would suggest is more contribution from the rest of Miami's roster. Mike Bibby can't score 0 points again, and I'd like to see Erik Spoelstra give James Jones some minutes - the kid won the 3 point contest for crying out loud. Logic would have Jones in for at least 10 minutes so he can have a chance to knock down a few jumpers for the team. At the minimum, the Heat could use him when they are on a scoring drought, which they experienced for a period last night. Other than that, Miami just needs to keep up the defensive pressure and act like every game is their last.

I expect more out of Jason Terry and J.J. Barea in Game 2, but I don't think Miami will slow down on its defensive pressure. The Heat are too motivated to prove their doubters wrong. I don't think it's physically possible for LeBron, Wade, or Bosh to lower their levels of intensity. Miami should take Game 2 with no problem. Don't count out the Mavericks though, when they're hot they can be extremely tough to beat. Miami can't let Dallas heat up because when Dirk and Terry are locked in, it's a long night for any opponent.

Out With the Cold, In With the New

After the first few months of NBA basketball, I’ve learned two things. 1. The Eastern Conference is slowly becoming stronger than the Western Conference, and 2. There’s no such thing as loyalty in basketball these days. Today I’m going to talk about #1, so save your e-mails attacking me for dissing LeBron James and Carlos Boozer.

Here are a couple of things I’ve noticed as we enter the final third of the NBA season.

In the Spring, the Garden Flourishes

Amare Stoudemire himself proclaimed that the “old Garden” is back. With the addition of Carmelo Anthony, New York is a step closer to reliving its glory days in the 90’s, except now the people of the Madison Square Garden are hoping Stoudemire can do what Patrick Ewing couldn’t-win a championship. The Knicks are surely going to miss Danillo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler. I’d include Raymond Felton, but Chauncey Billups is a decent replacement despite his decrepit body. The Knicks are going to struggle with surrounding their stars with effective role players, just like the Heat did previously this season. Aside from Anthony, Stoudemire, and Billups, New York’s roster is like bringing in Justin Beiber for the Celebrity All-Star game. There’s no talent, but we all know it’s necessary. Somehow the Knicks managed to retain Landry Fields, who seems to have a bright future ahead of him. I think the Knicks will earn a decent seed in the playoffs, but I don’t see a championship in New York’s near future. If they can somehow get Chris Paul in blue and orange next summer, the Knicks will have a legit shot at success down the road.

The Heat Take No Spring Break

Whether you supported them at the beginning of the season or not, you knew-everybody knew- that the Heat were going to be a top-tier team in the East. There’s just too much talent to deny that Miami would be successful. It was only a matter of time before all of the players gelled together. Winners of 11 out of the last 12, the Heat are (cheesy alert!) “heating” up again. ESPN has reported that Miami is shopping Mike Miller, which makes me refer to the old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” Seriously Miami. Mike Miller is no LeBron, Wade, or Bosh. He is what we analysts define as a “role player.” Mike Miller shoots the basketball. Just because James Jones got lucky and won the 3 point contest doesn’t mean he is a consistent outside shooter. If you get rid of Miller, Jones is your only semi-reliable deep threat. It’s not like Miller’s play has been detrimental to the team. I understand that he’s getting old, but he’s got great size for a shooting guard at 6’8, he averages 12 rebounds per 48 minutes, and in the month of February he’s shooting 50% from beyond the arc. He’s only a role player. What more can you ask of him? Regardless, the Heat are a strong team and come April they’ll likely be rolling on all cylinders. Miami is the team to beat in the Eastern Conference, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down.

Closing statements:

I’ve never seen a player so glorified just because he can dunk. Blake Griffin, I will have respect for you when you hit a jump shot.

To Chris Paul – Just because you are counting down the days until your free agency doesn’t mean you have to play below your career averages. You are in your prime. Act like it. Everyone knows you can do a lot better than 16 points and 9 assists.

Gilbert Arenas is a joke.

Don’t count the Lakers out yet. Yes, they lost to the league’s worst team, but they don’t care. Wait until the playoffs start, then you will see the real Los Angeles team that you so dearly love or hate.

Watch out for Dallas, no one talks about them but they are quietly sitting at second place in the Western Conference standings with an impressive 41-16 record.

The 26-30 Pacers on pace to make the playoffs. What is wrong with this world?



I hope everyone is looking forward to the end of the season as much as I am. If not, at least enjoy the beautiful spring weather.

Texas USSSA State Championship: Player Analysis

The annual Texas USSSA State Championship is an invitation-only tournament that attracts the best teams from the city of Austin and its surrounding areas. Every great team has great players, and I traveled down to Akins High School in South Austin to catch a few of the games and check out some of the talent. With so many good teams it’s hard to select only a few of them to write about, but these are the guys that stood out most.


Cameron Blue, 6’4” Senior: This guy was one of the most underrated players on the court. He wasn’t the go-to-guy for his team, but he seemed to do great things with the ball every time he touched it. His ability to change his shot while in the air and finish despite being hacked is admirable at the least. The floor was like a trampoline for him, as he sprung into the air and pulled down rebounds over some of the bigger players, including his own teammates. The only weakness I saw was his lack of discipline on defense. Any time a player pump faked, Blue was three feet in the air swatting at nothing. It’s a minor setback that should change with good coaching. What surprised me most about Blue was the fact that he could step behind the arc and knock down a three with a defender challenging his shot. His versatility and hustle made him one of the best players in the tournament.

Deon Mitchell, 6’0” Senior: There is no hesitation when I say that Mitchell is the best playmaker I’ve seen at his age. His ability to use his peripheral vision and fire no-look passes to open players was a joy to watch. He plays hard at the offensive end and as a coach you can trust him to protect the ball in clutch situations. Penetrating the lane was a success for Mitchell over and over as the defender had to choose whether to stop him from passing or laying it up, and either way Mitchell would make the decision that placed the ball in the basket. He does have a few negatives, however. When he gets really into the game, he starts dribbling too much and turns the ball over. He runs his mouth at some of the other players and the referee caught him doing it in one of the games, and Mitchell received a technical foul. There were also a few instances where Mitchell would have an open lane to the basket on the left side and instead of finishing with his left hand he’d use his strong hand and get his shot blocked. Although he can anticipate well on defense, he’ll overestimate his speed and end up on the losing end of a gamble. His strengths do outweigh his weaknesses, and I could see him playing at a mid-major college at the next level.

Jalen Harris, 5’10” Senior: Lights out shooter. Plain and simple. He’s not even six feet but I saw him grab rim in warm-ups pretty easily, and his vertical definitely helps him avoid shot rejection when he’s driving the lane. He is so comfortable behind that three point line that it’s basically automatic every time he chunks up a trey. Despite only shooting a few times, Harris had at least 15 points in his first game because he lit up from beyond the arc. Aside from his height, Harris’s biggest weakness is shooting off the dribble. On fast breaks he needs to set up on the wing and let another guard drive and kick it out. Every time Harris pushed the ball in transition his shots were off. He was the best spot up shooter in the tournament but he needs to work on his decision making on the offensive side of the ball. He has the range to play basketball at an elite school, but he’d have a much tougher time getting the shots he wanted against taller, quicker DI players. All in all, his scoring ability should take him to Division II basketball at the least.

DeAndre Byrd, 5’10” Senior: An animal on defense, Byrd forced more turnovers than anyone else I saw in the tournament. Quick as lightening, great anticipation and the ability to pressure even a good ball handler into making a mistake are just a few of the traits Byrd has to offer. The thing that impressed me most was his ability to recover quickly after getting beat on the first step. There were some quick guards out there that would get a step on Byrd and think they have an open jumper, only to find Byrd in their face a half second later. His hustle and determination to get possession of the ball wowed me, and when he started to score repeatedly I was even more impressed. His shooting mechanics are a bit unorthodox and I wouldn’t give him the ball to shoot a game winning three pointer, but he can find ways to the basket and rebound well on the offensive glass. He definitely needs discipline; however, as once he started missing shots and his team fell behind, he threw fits and even earned himself a technical. His height and lack of shooting ability limit his future, but if anyone out there wants a lockdown defender then Byrd would be a great selection.

Quincy Boyton, 6’5” Junior: Young, so still a lot of room for him to grow. That said, Boyton was very impressive on both sides of the ball. He’s thin as a rail and quick for his size. His lean frame is perfect for shot blocking and he displayed plenty of that in the tournament. He has good anticipation on defense; he reads the guards’ eyes well when they try to make entry passes to the post. Boyton runs the floor well, getting back on defense in a hurry and running his lanes on fast breaks. He needs to bulk up if he wants to be a post player and work on his jumper if he wants to be forward. His temper needs some attending to, as he whined when a ref called something against what he saw. Certainly prone to technicals, but hopefully with age comes maturity and he’ll be poised by the end of his high school career.

Dylan Cox, 6’4” Senior: I was able to see Cox play multiple times since he goes to my old high school, and I can already see improvement in his game since last season. Playing in District 16-5A is not much of a challenge and it’ll be even harder for him to improve more next year since he’ll be playing in 4A. Hopefully, for his sake, he’ll avoid playing down on everybody else’s level next year. Today I saw Cox do some really good things-he makes smart passes, hustles on the boards and unselfishly makes the extra pass that usually leads to easy baskets for his team. His two-handed dunk on a fast break today attests to his jumping ability and when he sees a ball on the ground he’s sacrificing his body and going after it. His work ethic should cancel out the weaknesses I saw if he continues to push himself to be a better player. Another unorthodox shooter, Cox had a fair share of wide open opportunities and he only made a couple of them. He favors his right hand heavily and when playing stingy defenders like Byrd he’s going to have a great deal of trouble protecting the ball. Cox is already talking to Davidson and Princeton, two great fits for his style of play: smart and efficient.

David Hahn, 7’1” Senior: There’s no typo here. Standing seven feet, one inch off the ground, Hahn was by far the biggest disappointment of the tournament. When I saw that walking tree my eyes lit up-is this the next Tyler Hansbrough or Cole Aldrich? Absolutely not. After airballing multiple shots in warm-ups, I kept my fingers crossed that he at least had a hook shot or some post move to rely on. Nothing. His coach didn’t even start him. The next tallest player was half a foot shorter than him and yet he still failed to put the ball in the net more than twice. He didn’t seem to take it seriously, either. Every time he missed (frequently) he would just laugh and trudge his way back on defense. Unless he develops his game over the summer, I wouldn’t go anywhere near this kid.

Mark Brown, 6’3” Junior: To end on a high note, I give you Mark Brown. After seeing his flawless shooting mechanics at the free throw line I decided to focus my attention on him. The very first series Brown played that I paid close attention to went like this: Brown hits jump shot-hustles back on defense- steals the ball-passes to open man (who misses easy lay-up)-grabs the offensive rebound-lays it up. Four points, a steal, and a rebound in a matter of seconds. He hustles on defense and constantly pressures the ball handler. He was the game high scorer in both games I saw, hitting shots inside and out. He’s much too thin right now but he’ll add muscle over the next year and likely dominate even more. No team had an answer for him and if he keeps working on his game no team will. Definitely a guy to keep an eye on next year-I can see this guy going DI with ease.

This tournament attracted a great bunch of players from the Austin area. I saw a lot of impressive athletes play some very exciting games, and the list of players I mentioned have very bright futures ahead of them. If they put all their effort into it, I have no doubt we could see some of these guys on TV one day.

Moving Kingdoms: Where will LeBron rule next?

With less than a month to go before the free agent frenzy shakes up the NBA, we still have no word on where the greatest basketball player on the planet will reside come next winter. LeBron James has admitted that his home state has a slight advantage in signing him, but is Cleveland the best fit for King James? The two time MVP has stated that he will meet with other free agent stars including Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to discuss their future destinations as well. There are a lot of options for His Highness, and we’ll go ahead and break down which are the best fits for LeBron and which teams don’t meet the needs that the All Star demands.

Cleveland Cavaliers

We’ll go ahead and start with Cleveland. First of all, it’s his home state. He will always have a connection to the state of Ohio and the Cleveland fans that have supported him from the beginning. As far as talent goes, he has plenty of competent players around him, but for some reason they just can’t get back to the Finals. They traded for Shaq. They traded for Antawn Jamison. Yet the Cavaliers continue to struggle in the postseason. With the firing of head coach Mike Brown, you have to wonder if it was simply bad coaching all these years that denied the Cavs a championship. Whoever Cleveland hires as their next head coach, which WON’T be Tom Izzo, could be the determining factor on whether or not James will stay, and if a reputable coach makes his way to the Quicken Loans Arena, then we might see not only James in a Cleveland uniform but in the near future a championship ring around his finger.

So, what needs to happen for LeBron to remain a Cavalier?

1. The Cavs need to hire a prestigious coach with a history of winning in the postseason.

2. Brand new GM Chris Grant is going to have to reel in one of the big names in the offseason. Both Amare Stoudemire and Chris Bosh would make a great fit in the paint for Cleveland and Joe Johnson would be an excellent scorer to help out LeBron in putting points on the board. Grant needs to find a way to bring one of them to Cleveland or he might be losing the greatest player in the NBA.

3. Every man has his price. Give the guy an enormous raise and perhaps he’ll stick around for a while.

And like Jay-Z said….on to the next one!

New York Knicks

Speaking of Jay-Z, if you haven’t heard, LeBron and the east coast rapper are quite the pair of friends. Jay-Z has always said that he would love to run the streets of New York with King James by his side, and whether that’s in Brooklyn with the New Jersey Nets or at the Madison Square Garden, Jay-Z is excited at the thought. Both have talked about getting James involved in more than just basketball-business. The hip-hop legend has been doing his best to convince LeBron that there are more opportunities for success and money outside of basketball. What attracts LeBron to the Knicks is simply the exposure. Playing in front of 20,000 crazy fans at the most historic arena in the NBA gives LeBron all the attention he craves. Kobe Bryant is the King of the West Coast-he’s the greatest player in the biggest city in the West side of the United States. LeBron could be that same figure-the face of the East Coast-the greatest player in the biggest city in the United States. But there is one thing wrong with heading to the Knicks…their talent. The Knicks haven’t won a playoff series since the year 2000 and haven’t even made the playoffs in seven years. The continued struggle of New York basketball has left fans disgruntled and disappointed. Other than the hiring of head coach Mike D’Antoni, the Knicks haven’t shown many signs of improvement. Al Harrington and David Lee are the only two players with a decent amount of talent but other than that it’s either a bunch of 21 year olds or washed up has-beens. Now, LeBron did say he was going to meet with other star free agents, and if he could convince one of them to join him in NYC, then we may see LeBron wearing blue and orange.
Along with that, here’s what else needs to happen to get LeBron to the Knicks franchise.

1. GM Donnie Walsh needs to convince LeBron that the Knicks will be a championship caliber team sooner rather than later.

2. The Knicks are going to have to pay him significantly more than what any other team is offering.

3. Jay-Z better have some business propositions lined up and ready to go at James’ arrival.

Miami Heat

It’s pretty clear that Dwyane Wade wants to stay on the beach, and that leaving Miami is a last resort. Within the next couple weeks Wade plans on contacting all of the big name free agents and recruiting them to join the Heat. Miami has a lot of potential with young rising stars like Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley, and that’s something that LeBron James notices. If Wade could get an inside presence like Carlos Boozer to commit to the Heat, we could very well see LeBron James playing alongside Dwyane Wade. Yikes.

What do the Heat need to do to get LeBron James to Miami?

1. Dwyane Wade has some talking to do. He needs to put the image of winning a championship with Miami in James’ head. The two are good friends, and I’m sure LeBron wouldn’t mind playing with his fellow Olympic champion.
2. Miami is a beautiful city. Much better weather than up north in Cleveland. This is just one of the perks that Pat Riley and company need to pound into LeBron’s head.
3. LeBron may see the Heat as young and underdeveloped, and therefore not a championship-contending team. Riley and Wade need to let him know that although they are young, they actually have talent- unlike the Knicks.

New Jersey Nets

See New York Knicks but consider the Nets are even worse. On the plus side, they did recently hire former Coach of the Year Avery Johnson to try and turn things around, so at least the Nets are moving in the right direction in the coaching staff realm. The Nets will move to a $700 million arena in Brooklyn soon, so that might attract LeBron as well.

Chicago Bulls

Alright, let me make this clear. The Chicago Bulls have a better chance of getting Michael Jordan to come back and sign with them than they do signing LeBron. It’s just not going to happen. Why? Because James does not want to be in the shadow of Jordan. The comparisons would never end. “Jordan would have made that shot.” “Jordan is a better team leader.” There is no way he could avoid it. Plus his ego is bigger than the oil spill out in the gulf.

What Chicago needs to do:

1. Convince LeBron that Michael Jordan never played for Chicago, he actually played for Cleveland. That would get LeBron up and out of Cleveland in no time.

What do I think is going to happen? If James doesn’t stay in Cleveland, I think his next option is New York. But only if he can bring another talented free agent along with him. New York has some serious moves to make, and if they can’t get LeBron to the Big Apple then they have never-ending woes ahead of them. If he chooses not to go to NYC or stay in Cleveland, I could almost guarantee that he’d take the offer from Miami. There’s just too much talent out on that coast, and he and Wade could do some serious damage together.
Well, that’s my two cents. Who knows what’s going to happen one month from now? Not even the King himself. Whether he elects to remain Cleveland or decides to move his throne elsewhere, LeBron James will instantly give whatever team he plays for a legitimate shot at the title, regardless of his peasant teammates. Let the waiting begin.