The NBA has set their salary cap for 2009-2010 season. Teams are already signing guys to new contracts. We have seen plenty of trades as well. Some teams are gearing up for a championship run. Other teams are falling from playoff contender to lottery bound. Yes, I am talking to you Houston. Some players haven't had their phone ring yet, AI. Others had plenty of offers. All in all it's been a pretty exciting week. The NBA off season has kicked off and I have to break some of the moves down.
The first big moves were made by the same team. The Detroit Pistons started off with a bang signing Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. Ben and Charlie both received 5 year deals. The Pistons decided to move on from the Billups crew and turn in a new direction. I like the move to add Villanueva. He's a solid power forward. Ironically, Villanueva is a lot like the big man that left this off season, Rasheed Wallace. He is coming off a career high year in points and rebounds. I have to question the move for Ben Gordon. I realize they needed a scorer and Allen Iverson was not going to be coming back. Ben is a guy who has been much better coming off the bench. The Pistons are paying Ben starter money. The deal is 5 years for 55 million dollars. You don't pay a 6th man that kind of money. So what do you do with Rip Hamilton? I would say trade him away and I am sure there will be takers. I can't see them sitting on both guys. You can not have Ben and Rip on the court at the same time. I for see another deal coming before the season starts to get rid of Rip.
The Lakers seem to be getting praise as the big winners so far. As hard as it is for me to say, I have to agree with most of the critics. Lakers signed their best player, Kobe, to a new 3 year deal. They get Phil Jackson back for another year. The champs should be happy with just those 2 things. Instead, they went out and signed Ron Artest as well. Ron adds another 15 point scorer. He is also an excellent defender and works hard. Ron seems to have turned a new leaf. He was a great addition to the Rockets last year. When he has a good coach, which he does now, Ron is on his best behavior. Who can match up to Kobe, Artest, Bynum, and Gasol? I can't see anyone right now.
The Houston Rockets are the team that must figure out what to do now. They lost Artest to the defending champions. They lost Yao due to another major injury. No one knows when or if Tracy McGrady will come back. The Rockets have a lot of questions heading into next season. They signed Trevor Ariza. I think that is a nice signing, but he isn't a primary scorer. As my brother, who lives in Houston, told me, "We were one game away from the Western Conference Finals. Now we are lottery bound." Hard to argue bro. A trade is on the way. If they don't make a move, my brother will be correct.
One man I thought the Rockets would try and trade for is Chris Bosh. Well now that Toronto has added Hedo Turkoglu, they may not want to part with Bosh. Turk is one of very few players who got a big contract this offseason. Hedo played extremely well in the playoffs, which is why he got the fat deal from Toronto. I understand taking the big contract and the money and heading to Canada. Hedo pulled a Boozer and decided in the last minute to go to Toronto instead of Portland. I guess Hedo didn't want to sniff the playoffs for a while. Could have been a huge move for him to sign with the Blazers. Toronto also locked up Bargnani. If they can keep Bosh next year and add a backup point guard, they have a shot to make a run to the playoffs.
Another player not wanting to win anything in his career is Jason Kidd. Calm down Mav fans. Jason Kidd should have left to a contender. To my knowledge, Dallas is not a contender. Dallas is a nice team that will make the playoffs again. But they will not match up to the Lakers. Kidd didn't even flirt with the Cavs. No, he decided to flirt with the one of the worst franchises in the NBA, the Knicks. I have heard the reports that Dallas and Toronto is gearing up for a sign and trade. The trade would bring Shawn Marion to the Mavs. I am sure Mavs fans love that move. Of course they do, because they have no idea how to build a championship team. They have Josh Howard, who is a lot like Marion, only he doesn't play defense. Josh has an expiring contract which means Dallas will not trade him away. I guess you don't need any help in the front court. Erick Dampier, Dirk Nowitzki, and Ryan Hollins can hold the fort down. Brandon Bass should be the next priority on Mark Cubans list. I almost forgot they added Gortat from the Magic. Hes a nice addition. As a Spur's fan, hard to swallow my pride and say that Dallas is doing things that are good. I like adding Gortat. Hes a solid player and should start of Dumpier.
The Boston Celtics should also have a big man on the top of their list. The C's need to resign "Big Baby" Glen Davis. Instead, they signed a guy way past his prime in Rasheed Wallace. The move is being blown out of proportion on the media circuit. Rasheed is a nice player and will get a long great with PP, KG, and Allen. He adds depth and also age. I had heard reports of Boston thinking about trading Rondo. Great idea. Trade away one of the most prominent young point guards in the game and keep, no, add age to an already old team. KG promised a title in 2010 and 2011. Coincidentally that's when half the team is eligible for an AARP card.
Ok, so I am a Spurs homer and left them as my last team to talk about, sue me. The Spurs are heading in the opposite direction than the Celtics. They are trying to get younger. They already achieved that right before the draft acquiring Richard Jefferson and drafting Dejuan Blair. Now they signed a kid from Spain named Marcus Haislip. Haislip was drafted 13th back in 2002 by the Bucks. He has spent his time overseas since then. He brings athleticism at the power forward spot. The Spurs added more depth to the power forward spot in Antonio McDysee. McDysee decided to go back to the Pistons last year after being traded to the Nuggets and then bought out. Now he comes to the Spurs to try and keep the title window opened. Even though McDysee isn't a spring chicken, at 34 he still has a good year or two of production. The deal is set for 2 years worth around 12 million. The Spurs are doing all they can to keep up with the Lakers. If all goes well, they should get back into the Western Conference Finals.
Before I finish up, I have to talk about a few players who have not gotten signed yet.
A man I think teams should have on their radar is David Lee. Lee is a double double machine. I can't see the Knicks letting him go, but they are the Knicks. I do not understand how teams have not made him a focal point. He averaged 16 points and 11 boards for the Knicks. He would be a great player for a team like the Hornets. New Orleans has not done anything yet this off season. If I were a gm of any NBA, Lee would be a guy I would want to add to my team for the next 3 to 5 years.
Another Knick out on the market is Nate Robinson. Nate is a solid back up point guard. The Knicks, because of Isiah Thomas, can not afford to keep both Lee and Nate. I don't know if he is a starter for any team. He can be an explosive scorer. He has potential. If you can sign him to around 3 or 4 million, I say that is a good deal. The Philly 76ers make sense if they can get him and resign Andre Miller.
Paul Milsap is another guy teams should be targeting. He would have been resigned already but since Boozer opted to keep the last year of his contract, the Jazz may not have the cash to keep him. Paul stepped in nicely when Boozer was out with his 15th injury. Milsap is only 24 years old. He has progressively gotten better each year. He averaged a career high in minutes, points, and rebounds this past season. Was it a fluke? I don't think so. What the hell are the Thunder thinking not sending cash his way?
I was planning on talking about Grant Hill as well. It seems Hill is looking at the Knicks. I will never understand why guys who are in the twilight of their career, not looking to go to a contender. Championships are the most important thing in every players' career. If you have one, you were a winner. If you didn't, you are a loser or so it seems that way. Grant do yourself a favor and sign with the Cavs, Celtics, Lakers, or Spurs. Hell even the Magic make sense. But not the Knicks.
The NBA off season has kicked off. As I am writing this I am reading more trade rumors. We are just getting started. I think it will be a fun off season, even without marque names out there unless you count AI. Do you? I didn't think so. Thanks for reading.
J Call
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