We seen Boston grab two O’Neals, we seen Chicago go and get Carlos Boozer to play next to Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, we even seen Miami go from Dwyane Wade to Wade, James and Bosh and grab the world’s attention but don’t sleep on the Orlando Magic.

The Magic went out and added 2 nice role players in Quentin ( I love that name) Richardson and Chris Duhon. I believe both players were overused the past couple seasons and could fit into that role as a player coming off the bench to get 10 to 20 minutes per game. Also, the Magic still have Jameer Nelson and top 10 player Dwight Howard who’s working with the legendary Hakeem Olajuwon on those post moves but the wildcard? Vince Carter. Vince is in a contract season (18 million dollar team option) and could go one of two ways. Orlando could hope to see the 2000-2001 Vince Carter ( 27ppg, 5rpg, 4apg) since he’s working for a contract OR they could simply look to move him. I proposed a deal involving Orlando and Detroit that I think would help them reach there goal of a title.

Overall, I expect the Orlando Magic to be a solid team who should could contend and could make it to the NBA Finals next season. What do you expect?

Thanks to Yardbarker for the photo

The NBA has some historic teams since it’s inception in 1946. I wondered, what if we could have some of these teams matchup? So I got help with whatifsports and there simulations and picked what is considered the best 2 teams in the history of the NBA. The 95-96 Chicago Bulls won 72 games and dominated the playoffs en route to a 4th NBA title. The 00-01 Lakers, led by the duo of Shaq and Kobe, were looking to cement the legacy with a repeat. Saying they dominated could be considered a understatement, going 15-1 in the playoffs and finals combined and another championship to thier name. Let’s look at both teams’ rotation.

1995-1996 Chicago Bulls

The legendary Bulls of 1995 had Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen in there prime.  Toni Kukoc was ahead of his time. A 6-10 shooter off the bench for Chicago. Steve Kerr was a long shooter, Ron Harper was a defensive point guard and between Luc Longley, Bill Wennington and Dennis Rodman, the Bulls were solid down low. The Bulls also had solid players on the end of the bench like John Salley, James Edwards and Randy Brown to take some cheap time.

2000-2001 Los Angeles Lakers

Many people would tell you: This is the greatest Lakers team in the three peat in the 2000’s. Shaquille O’ Neal (28.7 ppg and 12.7 rpg) and Kobe Bryant (28.5 ppg, 5.9rpg and 5.0apg) were on point as a dominant duo. Add to that: two clutch performers in Robert Horry and Derek Fisher. The Lakers bench was loaded as well. Horace Grant, Rick Fox,  Brian Shaw and Ron Harper filled out the rotation.

My prediction: The Lakers win in 6. I feel Kobe could play well enough against Jordan. Shaq is the difference. The Lakers should be able to take the ball in the paint and handle the Bulls’ frontcourt. Here’s the simulation game by game with a little game info. The home team is the team listed first.

Game 1: Bulls 126, Lakers 117

Gametrack: Micheal Jordan had 51 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists. Kobe Bryant attacked back with 40 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists. The key was Chicago’s bench and big men. Shaq had a good game (26p, 18r, 5a and 4blk) but the bench came up empty almost  ( Horry- 7 points, Madsen-2 points, George-6 points). The Bulls got 6 points from Bill Wennington, 7 points from Dickey Simpson and Scottie Pippen also had 16 ponts, 12 rebounds and 8 assists.

Game 2: Bulls 91, Lakers 111

Gametrack: The Lakers return with a 20 point beatdown. Shaq gets 34 points and 20 rebounds while Kobe chips in with 24 points and 4 rebounds. Derek Fisher also scores 10 points, dishes out 7 assists and 4 rebounds. Micheal Jordan leads the Bulls in scoring with 34 points and 7 assists. The Bulls big men did not farewell against O’Neal. Luc Longley had 5 fouls in 24 minutes of action and Wennington had 2 in 12 minutes.

Game 3:  Lakers 113, Bulls 100

Gametrack: Michael Jordan had 24 points, Scottie Pippen had 16 points, Dennis Rodman chip in with 10 points and 12 rebounds, Luc Longley rebounds from a terrible game 2 with 12 points, Randy Brown with 10 points and Toni Kukoc gives the Bulls 13 points yet it wasn’t enough. The Lakers took a 2-1 lead behind Kobe Bryant’s 27 points and 7 assists. O’Neal had a solid game on offense ( 18 points) and defense (11 rebounds and 6 blocks). Big shot Rob gave the Lakers 18 points. Isiah Rider sighting. 10 points in 9 minutes.

Game 4:  Lakers 123, Bulls 118

Gametrack: In double OT, the Lakers squeeze by. O’Neal had a monster game: 46 points, 20 rebounds, 5 assists and 6 blocks. Kobe Bryant wasn’t a slouch either with 30 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Rick Fox also game up big with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Micheal Jordan (29p, 9r and 6a) and Scottie Pippen (31p, 5r and 8a) carried the Bulls but it wasn’t enough.

Game 5: Bulls 111, Lakers 104

Gametrack: The Bulls hold off elimination for a game. Micheal Jordan had 29 points and 7 rebounds. Scottie Pippen with a near triple double ( 24p, 13r and 9a) along with Ron Harper with 15 points, 4 rebounds 3 assists. Bryant had 26 points and 10 rebounds while O’Neal had a subpar game with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks.

Game 6: Lakers 112, Bulls 115

Gametrack: The Bulls push for a game 7 with a 3 point victory. Jordan dominates with 29 points and 5 rebounds. Scottie Pippen again come through with another near triple double ( 21p, 7r and 10a). Dennis Rodman ( who’s had moster rebounding performances came through again with 17 rebounds ( 8 offensive). Unlike game 6, Shaq has a great game: 34 points, 14 rebounds and 5 blocks. Kobe continues his solid pace with a triple double 28 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds.

Game 7: Bulls 98, Lakers 97

Gametrack: In Game 7, the Bulls eek out a win with (oddly) a game winning  jumper from Dennis Rodman. Rodman had 11 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists. Micheal Jordan had 27 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Scottie Pippen had 27 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. O’Neal had another great game with 36 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 blocks. The key to Chicago’s win was Jordan’s lockdown defense on Bryant. Bryant went 6/16 shooting, 12 points and 5 assists.

For basketball geeks the summer can be almost as exciting as the regular season. This particular summer generated more buzz than usual due to the amount of free agents and the amount of teams with large amounts of cap space with which to make changes.

While the Miami Heat can boast about snagging the top three available free agents, we shouldn’t forget they also got themselves another from the top-15 in Mike Miller, and another from the top-30 in Udonis Haslem.

It would be hard to think that anybody could ever top the summer Miami has had. What are the chances that a team not only has the available cap space with which to sign three top free agents but that they could also convince the three to take less than the max so the team could add two more quality players?

However there’s a downside to the Heat having committed all of their cap space to five players.

That’s because what we saw this summer could be the first of an annual summer tradition of Pat Riley being forced to restock his supporting cast with nothing to offer but minimum-salaried contracts, trendy night clubs, Cuban food, the absence of a state income tax, and good weather.

As I write this the Heat have 15 players under contract for next season. However, only LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Joel Anthony, Dexter Pittman, Mike Miller, and Udonis Haslem have contracts that extend beyond the upcoming season.

Rich people problems, right? But this is where things get sticky. The rest of the Heat roster is comprised of players with either non-guaranteed deals, one-year veteran minimum deals, or one-year veteran minimum deals with player options for an additional minimum contract for the following season.

Don’t believe me?

• Zydrunas Ilgauskas (1-year deal + player option for 2nd year)
• Jamaal Magloire (1-year deal)
• Juwan Howard (1-year deal)
• James Jones (1-year deal + player option for 2nd year)
• Eddie House (1-year deal + player option for 2nd year)
• Carlos Arroyo (1-year deal)
• Shavlik Randolph (non-guaranteed deal)
• Kenny Hasbrouck (non-guaranteed deal)
• Patrick Beverley (non-guaranteed deal)
• Mario Chalmers (final year of rookie contract)

That’s not the greatest bench in the history of sports but it certainly isn’t the worst either. If you believe the Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman, the Heat actually have too much talent.

But with the league’s current collective bargaining agreement set to expire at the conclusion of this coming season, there’s a chance that this might be the last summer that the Heat can add anyone of substance to their roster.

Two items that the owners have been rumored to try to do away with in the next CBA are the soft cap and the mid-level exception—a provision which allows teams over the salary cap to spend the league’s average salary on one or more players.

Since the Heat were under the salary cap they didn’t have an MLE with which to work with this summer. Instead they got their three superstars to sacrifice a little bit of money so that they could give Miller a five-year deal worth $30 million and Haslem a five-year deal worth $20 million.

I can understand why Miller was willing to turn down more lucrative offers for a chance to win a ring in Miami. He spent the past three seasons playing for a Memphis Grizzlies team that went 22-60, a Minnesota Timberwolves team that went 24-58, and a Washington Wizards team that went 26-56.

But I’m a little curious about what Haslem was thinking. I know that Haslem is from Miami and he didn’t want to leave home. I get that the Heat are the only NBA team he’s ever played a meaningful game for. But he turned down full mid-level offers from both the Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks—costing himself about $14 million over the length of the five-year deal.

Haslem turned 30 in June so in all likelihood this is the last multi-year contract he’ll sign. He’s made a little bit more than $30 million through his first seven seasons in the league. I don’t disagree that Haslem should be lauded for being loyal to the franchise that rescued him when he was playing in France. I am in no way doubting the way the Heat has treated Haslem. Heck, just two months ago the team threw a surprise birthday party for him.

What I’m questioning is how loyal he expects the Heat to be from this moment forward. That’s because there isn’t a player on the Heat roster more dispensable or likely to get traded when you take salary and production into account than Haslem.

What happens if the next CBA does away with the MLE? Even if the owners get rid of the MLE, I doubt they get rid of the provision in the current CBA which maintains that the total salaries of players being traded between teams over the cap must be within 115% of each other plus $100,000.

What if the following three things happen?: 1) This Heat team as currently constructed produces less-than-expected results 2) The next CBA does away with the MLE 3) Teams are still required to match up salaries in order to make trades.

Let’s say the Heat finish with a 55-27 record but lose to the Celtics or Magic in the conference semis. How can they expect to get better without cap space or the MLE?

There are three ways teams can acquire players—through the draft, free agency, and via trade. We can pretty much rule out the draft since almost every pick the Heat has over the next 3-5 seasons was either traded away in sign-and-trade deals for James and Bosh or will probably be a late first or second-round pick.

Sure the Heat will still be able to lure free agents with minimum contract offers but it they can’t count on it every summer. Can they really expect to fill out a quality bench every year for the next five or six years with a combination of ring-chasing veterans who get bought out in March, second-round picks, and undrafted free agents?

There are at least 10 players on the Heat’s current roster who can choose to become free agents next summer. What if the season is deemed a failure and there are stories about locker room dissension or questions about whether Erik Spoelstra—who has yet to win a playoff series as a head coach—has what it takes to lead this team to a title.

If that’s the case I can’t imagine they can duplicate the success they had in attracting free agents these last two months. And that would leaves trades as the most logical means by which the Heat can expect to improve.

Forget about LeBron and Wade since neither of them are going anywhere. And Bosh only gets traded if the Heat are a complete disaster (and even that doesn’t happen until 2013 at the earliest).

With three players making near max dollars and eight or nine players getting minimum contracts, Haslem and Miller are the only players on the roster with contracts that can easily be traded. At least that was the case until Miami gave Joel Anthony a five-year, $18 million contract.

Suddenly, Anthony’s deal makes a lot more sense. Consider that he’ll be making $3.3 million next season while Arroyo, Magloire, Howard, and Chalmers will be making $3.4 million combined.

Since the Heat had Anthony’s Bird Rights they were able to go over the salary cap to sign him. It seems as if Riley knew he needed a greater-than-minimum salary for a possible future trade. Otherwise, with nine or 10 players making less than $2 million, the only way Riley could have traded for anyone of substance was by exchanging four or five minimum players for one. That’s an unlikely scenario considering Riley would have to find three or four players to replace those he traded away with nothing but minimum contracts to offer.

It’s no secret that the biggest question marks facing the Heat right now are at point guard, center, and with their bench. Based on low expectations and very little money to offer, Riley did an incredible job. But a closer examination reveals a supporting cast that’s mostly comprised of one-dimensional players like Anthony and House and others whose best days are clearly behind them like Howard, Jones, Ilgauskas, and Magloire.

I joked on twitter that the Heat telling people they had All-Star centers Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Jamaal Magloire, and Juwan Howard was akin to me telling people, “I went to Harvard,” and then adding, “for lunch.”

Mario Chalmers has had his moments through his first two seasons but suddenly he’s like one of those rich kids on MTV who gets a Bentley on his 16th birthday. And Arroyo? It was only two seasons ago when Arroyo couldn’t get a contract stateside and had to go to Israel to get a job.

Ilgauskas just turned 35-years-old and is coming off a season in which he logged the fewest minutes and points per game of his 12-year career. By comparison, Howard is 37-years-old and coming off a season in which he averaged 22 minutes per game—almost as many minutes as he averaged in the previous three seasons combined.

So while Anthony’s contract can be used to acquire a player the likes of Jeff Foster, the only way the Heat can acquire a top-tier, second-tier, or even third-tier point guard or center without the mid-level exception is by moving Miller or Haslem.

Miller’s made close to $60 million in his career so nobody can blame him for taking a pay cut for the chance to finally play with a contender. But if Haslem gets traded after sacrificing $14 million then he will have made one of the costliest blunders in free agency history and there’s a much greater chance of Haslem being traded than Miller.

It’s much easier to find a 6-8 power forward on the waiver wire or in the D-League who can who average 6 points and 7 rebounds than a shooter like Miller who has made 46.4% of the shots he’s taken in his career—40% on 3-pointers (including an eye-popping 48% last season).

There’s one other big issue involving the Heat and trades that needs to be mentioned. Teams aren’t exactly lining up to make trades that make contenders better. There isn’t a GM chomping at the bit to trade for Mario Chalmers and the right to pay Joel Anthony for four years.

Since the Lakers acquired Pau Gasol in February of 2008, they’ve made only one trade that wasn’t just the selling of draft picks or an attempt to reduce their luxury tax bill.

That was when they traded Vladimir Radmanovic for Adam Morrison and Shannon Brown—a move the Bobcats made to save money by getting out of the final year and a half of Morrison’s contract.

The Celtics haven’t been any more active. Since they acquired Kevin Garnett on July 31, 2007, they’ve made three trades. Two were moves that were made to create roster space when they sent Sam Cassell and Patrick O’Bryant and cash in separate deals for conditional picks. The third was the trade that sent Eddie House, Bill Walker, J.R. Giddens, and a conditional second-round pick to the Knicks for Nate Robinson and Marcus Landry.

You can make  the case that the only reason the Knicks traded Robinson to Boston was because he asked the Knicks for a trade. Since the Knicks weren’t going to re-sign the impending free agent they did him a favor by sending him to a playoff team so he could showcase himself on a larger stage.

I understand that championship contenders don’t really have to make trades. However, it was no secret the Lakers were trying to move Sasha Vujacic at the deadline last year and teams weren’t exactly begging to help the defending champs out.

So while Winderman likes to speculate as to what it would take for the Heat to acquire every player rumored to be on the trading block, he must remember that it takes two to tango.

For the Heat to pull off a trade they must provide something that  another team actually wants in return. And since they don’t have a future draft pick worth acquiring, they need to entice teams with either a somewhat sizable expiring contract or with talent—two things the Heat either don’t have (the sizable expiring contract) or aren’t quite in a hurry to trade (talent).

There is one other school of thought. If the NBA’s next CBA does away with the luxury tax and the NBA institutes a hard cap then there are a few different scenarios that could either help or hurt the Heat.

Last month, Sam Amick of Fanhouse wondered what would happen to the Heat if the owners insisted on a hard cap.

He writes:

With the league’s collective bargaining agreement set to expire after next season, the owners are poised to go the way of the NHL and insist on a hard salary cap in the next deal that could be in the neighborhood of $45 million. If they are successful in that attempt — likely after a lockout like the one endured by the NHL in 2004-05 — the Heat and a number of other teams could be forced to release key players if their salaries surpassed the cap.

No doubt that’s a scary scenario for any large market or contending team. According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles, “The Lakers have approximately $95.7 million committed in roster salary next season.”

On the flip side, a hard cap could also work to the Heat’s advantage. If every team is at or near the cap limit and all are offering the same amount of money to the same free agents, the Heat can always tout the absence of a state income tax in Florida as well as a chance to win a championship as a deciding factor.

Any way you slice it, all eyes will be on the Miami Heat next season. Rarely have The Basketball Gods been poked and prodded like they have been by Pat Riley and his triumvirate of stars. I can’t imagine many will be watching the Heat without a rooting interest.

If Heat fans could best describe this offseason as crazy then just wait until next summer. A looming work stoppage and another premature playoff exit for LeBron—especially one with controversy—could make this summer look tame by comparison.

Andrew Ungvari is a co-lead blogger for SirCharlesInCharge. Follow him on twitter.

Before I break some news, I have 2 things to say. Thanks to Yardbarker for all the photos. I missed thanking them in recent posts and I apologize. Thanks for providing SCIC for all the photos we use.

Also, thank you to Basketball-Reference.com During the NBA top 50 for 2010-2011, all the stats I used were from that site. Follow them on twitter here and go check out the site for ALL the history and numbers for the NBA, NCAA and ABA.

NOW, Here’s the news!

1. Podcast- The podcast has been on somewhat of a hiatus. Since it’s summer, the guys and I have been on break and a couple of us have made the transition to college and such. The podcast should be coming back next week friday at the worst in 2 weeks. We probably will continue the season previews and it will all end with our overall preview show and we will begin to cover some NCAA games during the season as well.

2. Season Previews- SCIC will begin it’s season previews next week going division by division. Next Friday will have two division so be on the lookout for that. Along that, who knows? Maybe some fantasy advice? Maybe some team predictions, player predictions? Be on the lookout

3. All-Timers- Ever wondered who’d win in team matchups? Who’s better the 2004 Pistons or 1990 Pistons? 2001 Lakers or 1996 Bulls? Well, with the help of some people, we will do some breakdowns. Every week, we might get one or two done. We will also take ideas if you want, send them in.

The email to send in ideas, feedback and anything else, send them to- Sircharlesincharge@gmail.com

KontrolFreek™ (www.kontrolfreek.com), makers of the blockbuster FPS Freek™ and Speed Freek™ attachments for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 controllers, announced today that their recently announced TD Freek, is now available for purchase here:

http://www.kontrolfreek.com/Game-Controller-Accessories/KontrolFreek-TD-Freek.asp

The TD Freek gives football gamers improved comfort and maneuverability in titles like Madden NFL 11 and NCAA football by extending the joystick and providing more leverage and control. It also features a premium grip that resembles the external skin of a football. The result is greater precision and a higher winning percentage.

Casual and competitive football players alike will be thrilled with the results after spending just a little time using the TD Freek. The attachment provides significant benefits on both sides of the game.

Offense: Avoid being tackled, get the yards and make the play with a higher degree of control. From the moment the ball is snapped, the player will feel the difference in their gaming performance using the TD Freek. Rushing, receiving, and scrambling in the pocket all become easier and more fluid.

Defense: Stop the offense in its tracks with more precise control and tackling. Football is a game of inches, and the better leverage afforded by the TD Freek will help the player push the offense back one yard at a time by tracking down ball carriers quickly and making better tackles.

KontrolFreek makes high-quality video game console controller accessories that give players at all levels the competitive edge.  Using the latest in ergonomic science, engineering, and materials, the company’s Xbox 360 and PlayStation accessories are acclaimed by both critics and consumers alike.

Today, team USA decided to cut Rajon Rondo (or he says he wants time off) which now makes the roster complete.  Here’s the current roster in position

PG: Chauncey Billups, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook

SG: Stephen Curry, Eric Gordon

SF: Kevin Durant, Andre Iguadala, Danny Granger, Rudy Gay

PF: Kevin Love, Lamar Odom

C: Tyson Chandler

I think the roster is solid. I believe the idea of Durant, Love, Odom and Chandler as the 4 big men is shaky at best but all 4 should be able to do well with FIBA rules. Billups should be able to hold it down in the clutch as the point guard but I would not be surprised if  Rose gets some late game time because he did well in his first audition against Spain. I expect Andre Iguodala to be a combo wing who could get time at both 2 and 3 positions.  If I had to pick a starting lineup, it would be: Billups-Iguadala-Durant-Odom-Chandler.

Overall, I expect Team USA to win the gold. I believe Spain, Brazil and Argentina could provide USA with a tough matchup, they could even defeat USA. I expect the experience of Billups and Odom to be the key factor.

This has been the greatest off-season in NBA history. That’s because when it’s all said and done, it will be remembered as the shortest. You could count the number of days when there wasn’t anything NBA-related worth talking about on one hand. Free agency news, coaching hires, Team USA, endorsement deals, the draft, Summer Pro League, trade rumors, etc. There were plenty of obvious winners this summer. Joe Johnson, Wesley Matthews, Drew Gooden, and Travis Outlaw come first to mind. Nobody should be surprised those guys were winners but the extent to which they won has to come as a bit of a surprise. There were some other big winners this off-season that went under the radar. Some you probably didn’t think about. And it’s because of them that I present my first annual Unexpected Winners of the NBA Off-Season:

Jim Gray – Broadcaster/Independent Contractor For Hire

Has there ever been an announcer who has been involved in more memorable-yet-awkward moments in sports than Jim Gray? When Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfield’s ear it was Gray who interviewed Iron Mike post-fight. When Pete Rose was finally allowed back on a Major League Baseball field, it was Gray who was there to ruin the evening by asking Charlie Hustle to come clean about whether or not he bet on baseball. That led to an even more awkward exchange with Gray and Chad Curtis during the 1999 World Series when Curtis snubbed Gray after hitting a game-winning home run.

Gray was also the reporter who helped fan the flames of the Shaq/Kobe feud by trying to service Kobe the way Ahmad Rashad serviced Michael Jordan in the 90s.

Just when we thought we’d seen the last of Gray as a relevant announcer he managed to become relevant again by being a major part of three different stories in three different major sports this summer.

First it was Gray who was hired to “interview” LeBron James during “The Decision”.

Gray popped up again just a couple of weeks ago in Canton, Ohio. This time he was being thanked by Floyd Little during Little’s induction speech for the work he’d done lobbying to get his childhood hero into the Hall of Fame (Gray grew up in Denver).

Most recently, there was Gray, while working for The Golf Channel, stirring it up with US Ryder Cup captain, Cory Pavin. Gray reported that Pavin had told him that he would be adding Tiger Woods to the US team. When Pavin denied it, Gray reportedly called him a liar and told Pavin he was “going down.”

Welcome back, Jim! I guess it’s better to be despised than irrelevant. Or even worse, forgotten.

Kevin O’Connor – General Manager, Utah Jazz

The best GMs in sports are usually the guys that even die-hard fans would have a hard time picking out of a police lineup. This was a summer filled with question marks for O’Connor and his small-market Jazz.

Three of the Jazz’s top six players were free agents this summer, including the team’s top scorer and rebounder, Carlos Boozer, their best three-point shooter, Kyle Korver, and undrafted rookie, Wesley Matthews.

O’Connor allowed all three guys to leave via free agency and replaced them with what could be better pieces and at a lower cost for next season.

First he used the 9th pick in the draft to select Butler’s Gordon Hayward to replace Korver — a pick he acquired from the Knicks back in 2004.

Next he acquired Al Jefferson from the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kosta Koufos and two future first-round picks. A small price to pay for someone who averaged 23 points and 11 rebounds per game just two seasons ago.

Two days later he reacquired Raja Bell by signing the free agent swingman before he was scheduled to have dinner with Kobe Bryant. And he might not be done making moves. He still has Andrei Kirilenko’s giant expiring $17.8 million contract that he can use to play with.

It’s about time O’Connor got recognized as one of the league’s best GMs. If you don’t believe me, just take a look at the 2nd round picks O’Connor has made since he began making personnel decisions for the Jazz.

Tom Izzo – Head Coach, Michigan State Spartans/Brian Shaw – Asst. Coach, Los Angeles Lakers

No disrespect to new Cavs head coach, Byron Scott, but you have to give credit to Michigan State’s Tom Izzo and Lakers assistant coach, Brian Shaw. Both men were interviewed and believed to be the next head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers and both backed out of the running.

Turns out these two probably saw the writing on the wall when LeBron wouldn’t take their respective phone calls.

In the past three weeks, Izzo has done enough recruiting to fill out Spartan rosters for the next two seasons and Shaw will probably have his choice at coaching either the Lakers or his hometown Golden St. Warriors next season.

Meanwhile, Scott is left picking up the pieces in Cleveland with just Ramon Sessions, Ryan Hollins, and a couple of rookies to replace James with.

Stephen A. Smith – Journalist and Talk-Show Host, Philadelphia Sports Daily and Fox Sports Radio

If you thought Jim Gray saved his career this summer then what could you say about Stephen A. Smith? Up until this summer, Smith was considered a blowhard and a clown who just pretended he knew what he was talking about by using eye-rolls and yelling to make himself  sound credible.

But it was Smith who tweeted and told Dan Patrick on June 28 that LeBron and Chris Bosh were both headed to Miami to team up with Dwyane Wade.

Smith has since made the rounds on various talk show to gloat and say “I told you so.” He’s even had the chance to guest co-host on The View.

Smith’s scoop has definitely bought him some shine and credibility. That is, until the next time he says something ridiculous or reports something erroneously.

Shaquille O’Neal, Boston Celtics/Tracy McGrady, Detroit Pistons

I know what you’re thinking. How could two guys who’ve taken $20 million pay cuts be considered winners this off-season? That’s easy. It’s because they found homes for next season. I’m sure they both would have preferred to get larger contracts but they’ve both made enough money that they’re great-great-great-great-great grandchildren might not have to ever get jobs.

The truth is that they should both be considered winners because neither Shaq nor T-Mac had to suffer the embarrassment of having to retire due to league-wide rejection.

O’Neal got a two-year deal from the Celtics that will give him the chance to compete for a fifth championship and allow him to ride off into the sunset on his own terms while McGrady, who is younger than Kobe Bryant, will get an opportunity to prove that he can stay healthy and still be an effective player.

Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder

Durant signed a five-year, $85 million extension with the Thunder this summer. But that’s not why he’s on this list. At least not the only reason. Durant made this list for a number of reasons.

For starters, he was the anti-LeBron. He didn’t need a one-hour special to announce his decision to sign his extension. He used Twitter to announce it and then thanked God, and his family for the support they gave him to put him in the position to sign the extension and succeed in life.

Second, he became the face of USA Basketball as it prepares for the World Basketball Championships in Istanbul later this month.

Third, Durant has been brought into the discussion of who the three best players in the NBA are. Two well-respected analysts, TNT’s Kenny Smith and Steve Kerr, both stated that Durant is neck-and-neck with Dwyane Wade for the title of the league’s third-best player behind Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

At 21 years old, the future couldn’t be brighter for Durant and his brand—one that now brings to mind keywords like teamwork, leadership, humility, faith, and pride.

Brian Cook, Los Angeles Clippers/Shaun Livingston, Charlotte Bobcats

These two guys made the list together because they both managed to prolong careers that were once considered dead.

But there’s a big difference between them.

Livingston deserves recognition for battling back from a career-threatening knee injury to get himself a two-year, $7 million deal with the Bobcats. I don’t even want to link to the play in which Livingston injured himself for fear that I might see it again.

Livingston finished last season with the Wizards and became expendable when they won the Draft Lottery and the chance to select John Wall with the first overall pick. But his stint with the Wizards, including three games in which he scored 18 points and two others in which he scored 21 and 25 points, was enough to convince Michael Jordan and the Bobcats that he was worth giving a shot to.

Cook was released by the Houston Rockets at the trade deadline last season. For some reason the Clippers not only offered him a contract for more than the minimum but they gave him a two-year, $2.3 million deal—despite averaging 1.4 points per game last season and 2.5 ppg the season before.

The good news is that Cook has joined a long list of one-time Lakers who became Clippers long after it was apparent their best days were behind them—a list that includes Smush Parker, Sean Rooks, Norm Nixon, Jamaal Wilkes, David Rivers, Mike Smrek, Antonio Harvey, Mario Bennett, Derek Strong, and Glen Rice.

Jordan Bratman – Music Executive

I know what you’re thinking. What the hell is Christina Aguilera’s husband doing on an NBA-related list? It’s simple.

The Lakers were down 3-2 heading back to Los Angeles for Game 6 of their series with the Celtics. The Boston crowd was pumped for Game 5 thanks to an incredible rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner, performed by The Boston Pops.

The Lakers needed someone who could give the Staples Center the same type of  juice. So they brought in Aguilera. The result was a Game 6 victory and a forced Game 7. So the Lakers brought her back for Game 7 and the result was another victory and title number 16—one short of the Celtics’ 17.

So why does Bratman make the list?

Bratman came up on courtside seats to the NBA Finals by virtue of being married to the woman who sang the anthem and, in all likelihood, will probably find himself sitting in the front row of many more games to come. Since Aguilera’s is a spotless 2-0 in the NBA Finals she’ll probably be invited back until they lose she performs at. If you don’t believe me just ask Jeffrey Osborne. The “On The Wings of Love” guy has been singing the anthem at important Lakers playoff games for close to 30 years now.

Twitter

How could you leave Twitter off the list of the summer’s biggest winners? The moment the clock hit midnight on July 1, Twitter became the go-to spot for basketball lovers and writers to get the latest on free agency news, player movement, and coaching changes. As mentioned above, Twitter was used by Stephen A. Smith before July 1 to break free agency news and was also the forum with which Kevin Durant chose to announce he had reached an agreement with the Thunder on a contract extension.

Twitter served a similar purpose in 2009 except that the Free Agent Class of ‘09 wasn’t nearly as glamorous. Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, and Marcin Gortat aren’t exactly LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. Even though 90 percent of what we read on Twitter turned out to be nothing more than rumor and innuendo, it was still the best forum to get the 10 percent that turned out to be true.

The truth is that Twitter isn’t going anywhere. There might be a better site that one day replaces it but the concept of a networking site that provides people the opportunity to get instant information from writers is here to stay. Consider that every sportswriter wants to be the one to break a story and Twitter provides a day-and-time stamp with which to prove it.

Jews

Pardon me for being proud of the unexpected attention that my people have received this off-season but it’s hard to ignore it. After winning his second championship ring in June, Jordan Farmar earned himself a three-year, $12 million contract. The Nets are anticipating a move to Brooklyn in two years—home to approximately 500,000 Jews (out of about $5 million in the entire United States). Smart move by Farmar.

That came on the heels of Irene Pollin, the widow of late Wizards’ owner and great friend to Israel, Abe Pollin, winning the draft lottery and gave the team’s Jewish GM, Ernie Grunfeld, to chance to draft John Wall (not Jewish). Pollin has since sold the team to minority partner, Ted Leonsis (also not Jewish).

But all of that paled in comparison to Amar’e Stoudemire proclaiming that he had Jewish ancestry, even going so far as to  travel to Israel to explore his roots. Even though it turned out that Stoudemire doesn’t have any Jewish roots he did bring attention to the beauty of a country that is nothing like how it’s portrayed in the news.

And how can I forget LeBron James’ “Séance At Sea” with Rabbi Yishayahu Yosef Pinto—”The Rabbi  to the Business Stars”? According to TMZ, LeBron hired the non-English speaking Rabbi Pinto for “spiritual guidance”. Sounds to me like a bunch of BS but still more Kosher basketball news.

Honorable Mention: The Basketball Jones on TheScore.com

If you’re not checking out their site, following @JESkeets and @TasMelas on Twitter, or subscribing to their podcast on iTunes, then you’re losing.

The Jones boys deserve to be recognized for the videos they’ve put out this summer.

First they gave us this classic where Tas, as Hedo Turkoglu, finds out he’s been traded to the Phoenix Suns. That was followed by their Multiple Sources vid where they openly mocked writers who like to quote anonymous sources.

Then came their two-part masterpiece in which they dramatized scenes from Arash Markazi’s piece on LeBron’s party night in Vegas that ESPN pulled off their site (Part I and Part II).

If you haven’t seen any of the videos I suggest checking them out, especially the Turkoglu one.

Andrew Ungvari is a co-lead blogger for SirCharlesInCharge.com. Follow him on twitter.

Yesterday, if you watched the USA vs Spain game, you were in for a treat. Not only did you get another close game ( 86-85 in favor of  team USA) but you got another sneak peek of Ricky Rubio. Guess what? He did not disappoint either.  Rubio didn’t dominate the game but he kept the team in the game ( 7 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals in 21 minutes).  Mind you, he played against this loaded guard team of Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, Chauncey Billups, Derrick Rose and Eric Gordon yesterday, I believe Rubio held his own.

I think when Rubio comes to the NBA, He might be a top 10 point guard within 2 seasons of his arrival.

Here’s my thinking: Since I starting watching basketball, the only pure playmaking, pass first point guards I have seen in the NBA were John Stockton, Jason Kidd and Steve Nash. To some effect, I’ll put Jose Calderon in this group as well. Rubio has unbelievable playmaking ability. Almost in a playground style, he can float passes and find the open man with ease.  He’s somewhere between 6-4 and 6-6 as well. The one thing that has me sold on Rubio: At 18 years old, he was running a team in the Olympics, a gold medal game no doubt. With players like LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Chris Paul and other top superstars on the court, Rubio held his own.

I’ll be the first to say, Rubio has some flaws. His jumpshot is still in development. He hit a couple yesterday but  it’s still not there yet. Rubio will never be a above average defender. With the NBA in a golden era of point guards, I doubt he will be able to defend all of great guards but he has long arms and plays passing lanes well. Rubio just needs to keep in front of other point guards and I think he will be alright.

The biggest thing is who’s gonna get him? I don’t believe he’s going to play a second for David Khan and the Minnesota Timberwolves.  If Rubio goes to a more run and gun style to where he can just run the offense, surround him with a shooter and a pick and roll big man, Rubio should be able to reach his fullest potential.

Did I mention he’s only 19?

We usually love the young talent in the NBA. Teams like Portland and Oklahoma City have turned it into a fad to build using mostly young players sprinkled in with some veterans. The Houston Rockets? loaded. Chase Budinger (pictured above), Aaron Brooks, Jordan Hill among others are just some of the players who have people wondering how good is this Houston team is and how good Houston can be down the road.

The flipside, any superstar who wants a trade? People look for those “loaded” teams and say ” Maybe they can create a package for him”. The player in this post: Carmelo Anthony. Carmelo is one of the best players in the NBA. I say top 7. He’s a offensive mismatch and has shown the ability to dominate in the playoffs.

The Question: Should Houston make the move for Carmelo Anthony?

In a word: Yes. Houston should make a offer for Carmelo Anthony. The Rockets are not only loaded with talent but they have draft picks ( 2 1st round picks in 2012) and expiring contracts in Shane Battier and Jared Jeffries.

Here is the perfect deal one of our writers ( Andrew Ungvari- Follow him on Twitter ) Thought of.

Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith for Jared Jeffries, Kevin Martin, Chase Budinger Jordan Hill and Aaron Brooks

At first, I was confused by the deal but he explained some things to me.

- Kyle Lowry is signed to a deal worth 6 million over 4 seasons.

- They moved Trevor Ariza with the idea to keep Shane Battier

- Denver gets 4 pieces ( Brooks, Martin, Hill and Budinger) who could help next season

With this move, the Rockets will have a roster of

Kyle Lowry, Courtney Lee, Carmelo Anthony, Luis Scola, Yao Ming (Starters)

J.R. Smith, Shane Battier, Brad Miller, Patrick Patterson and Jermaine Taylor (reserves)

What do you think?

Thanks Yardbarker for the photo. With the NBA in it’s dead period, I think it’s fair to give out offseason grades. Putting stock into the draft and offseason additions. We must also subtract points for offseason loses. Here we go, starting in video game order with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Blazers- Grade: C.

The Blazers made some confusing moves. First they fired Kevin Pritchard. Pritchard created that Portland franchise from outhouse to penthouse over the past 4 seasons. Then, they added Luke Babbitt in the draft by trading Martell Webster and Ryan Gomes to Minnesota. With thier draft picks, they made a couple puzzling moves adding Elliot Williams and Armon Johnson. Two more guards. The draft picks only made it more confusing when Portland signed former Jazz swingman Wes Matthews.

Bobcats- Grade: C-

Overall, the Bobcats did alright. However, the Bobcats lost 2 starters in Raymond Felton and Tyson Chandler. Both were reason the Bobcats were in thier 1st ever postseason. Now, they replaced Felton with a combo of Shaun Livingston and D.J. Augustine. For Tyson Chandler, they added Erick Dampier back in a trade for Chandler and already have DeSagana Diop.

Bucks: Grade: B+

People forget, the Bucks made the first move in free agency. Drew Gooden is a solid player and might have to start for Milwaukee at the power forward position. Then the Bucks added 2 wing players. Keyon Dooling should replace Luke Ridnour as the backup point guard. Chris Douglas Roberts from New Jersey should provide a scoring off the bench. The biggest addition? Corey Maggette from Golden State. Maggette ( a top 20 scorer in the NBA last season) should start next season for the Bucks at small forward. In the draft, Milwaukee added Larry Sanders, Tiny Gallon and Darrington Hobson- all should contribute in the future.

Bulls: Grade: A

With Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah already there, the Bulls already were in good shape. Add a great defensive coach in Tom Thibodeau. Then, the Bulls moved Kirk Hinrich to clear up more cap space. Since they didn’t get LeBron or Wade, the Bulls decided to build the team. Ronnie Brewer is a fantastic on ball defender, Kyle Korver is a knockdown shooter, Kieth Bogans and C.J. Watson are backup guards who can provide in a pinch. The biggest move, Carlos Boozer. Boozer should allow Rose to do many things on offense.

Cavaliers: Grade: F

Not alot of offseason moves, total flip of the front office and coaching. The Cavs only get a F because they did lose the best player in the NBA in LeBron James.

Celtics: Grade: B

I love the Avery Bradley pick. Bradley could help Boston as a backup next season. The Celtics resigned all there pieces in Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Doc Rivers. With that, the Celtics even added 2 O’Neals. Shaq and Jermaine. Then, they added Von Wafer who could provide a solid scorer off the bench.

Clippers: Grade: C

Similar to the Rockets, the Clippers added Blake Griffin from a season long injury. Also, the draft gave the Clippers Eric Bledsoe and Al-Farouq Aminu. Bledsoe is going to be a backup for Baron Davis. Aminu will be the 6th man off the bench. In free agency, the Clippers made nice moves. Ryan Gomes will start and provide solid defense for the frontline. Brian Cook is a good big man who could shoot. Randy Foye is a excellent move. He could play both guard positions and should be able to backup Eric Gordon.

Grizzlies: Grade: D

After having 4 players in my top 50, the Grizzlies I believe had a terrible offseason. Xavier Henry and Greivis Vasquez have not signed to thier rookie deals and were not in camp. Then, they added Tony Allen who might be a solid addition but looks like he’s taking Henry’s spot. What if Henry comes back? Then, I think the Grizzlies overpaid for Rudy Gay. For 13 million next season, can he be a superstar?

Hawks: Grade: C

The Hawks had the middle of the road offseason. The draft gave them Jordan Crawford. Crawford is a solid player who can replace Jamal Crawford, who’s a free agent next season. Then, the Hawks resign Joe Johnson for a max contract. Many people dislike it, I think it was the best move. Other then that, the Hawks added Josh Powell who could be a backup power forward.

Heat: Grade: A

It’s not just adding LeBron, Wade and Bosh. It’s what was built around them. Mike Miller, Eddie House and James Jones are knockdown shooters while Carlos Arroyo could be a solid point guard behind Mario Chalmers. Then, they boasted the frontcourt. Adding Juwan Howard, Jamaal Magloire, Big Z to a resigned Joel Anthony and Udonis Haslem to a drafted Dexter Pittman.

Hornets: Grade: D

ALOT of questionable moves. The Hornets instead of using the 11th pick on a great player, they moved down, added 2 1st rounders and picked up Craig Brackins and Quincey Pondexter. Both were small forwards in college and maybe Pondexter could be a shooting guard. After the draft, the Hornets added Trevor Ariza last week. The issue about the trade was they gave up there best prospect in Darren Collison.

Jazz: Grade: B

First, I think Utah messed up with the Gordon Hayward pick. I believe Luke Babbitt, Paul George, Xavier Henry and Patrick Patterson were all better players. They also drafted Jeremy Evans who could make the roster. In the offseason, the Jazz STOLE Al Jefferson from the T-Wolves. Then, they resigned Raja Bell. Jefferson could be the man to replace Carlos Boozer. Bell is still a strong perimeter defender and could allow Miles to play off the bench.

Kings: Grade: C

The Kings had a monster draft. DeMarcus Cousins is a potential superstar at the center position. Hassan Whiteside could be another Theo Ratliff. His upside is remarkable. In the offseason, the Kings added Samuel Dalembert who could allow Cousins and Whiteside to develop slowly. Sacramento also added Antoine Wright, who could be a solid defender off the bench. Other then that, Sacramento added two point guards in Pooh Jeter and Donald Sloan who played well in summer league.

Knicks: Grade: A

The biggest addition has to be Amar’e Stoudemire who can provide good numbers. Then, the Knicks moved David Lee for Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf and Kelenna Azubuike. Anthony Randolph was the main piece back for New York. Many people expect him to breakout next season. After that, the Knicks added Roger Mason who could be a great shooter. Raymond Felton could be the next point guard to thrive in a D’Antoni offense.

Lakers: Grade: A

The defending Champions got even better. They resigned Shannon Brown and Derek Fisher for the potential 3 peat. Then, they added 3 very good players. Steve Blake is a great playmaker and shooter to be a solid player for LA. Matt Barnes provides toughness and defense that LA could use off the bench. Theo Ratliff is a good post defender who could be the 3rd or 4th big who could play 10-20 min. In the draft, Devin Ebanks and Derrick Character are two players who might not contribute next season but they should crack the rotation in the near future.

Magic: Grade: C

The Magic got steals in Daniel Orton and Stanley Robinson in the draft. Both should be developed more in the NBDL next season but Orton will see the court with Orlando. The Magic also added Chris Duhon to backup Jameer Nelson and added Quentin Richardson who should add another shooter off the bench. Jason Williams was also resigned to be the 3rd point guard.

Mavericks: Grade: B+

Dallas to me made very good moves. Ian Mahinmi is a good defender opposite of Dirk. Tyson Chandler is someone who could help Dallas against good offensive post players. In the draft, Dallas didn’t have a pick but the addition of Dominque Jones in a trade with Memphis should help them. Jones isin’t much of a point guard but should be able to score off the bench as a solid scorer as a shooting guard.

Nets: Grade: C+

The Nets struck out in the big free agent market but they did get some nice pieces. In the draft, they added Derrick Favors and Damion James, both should contribute next season. Then, New Jersey added Jordan Farmar and Anthony Morrow to lock down the backcourt. Johan Petro could be a solid post player off the bench defensively. The best move was adding Troy Murphy for next season by giving up Courtney Lee. Murphy will provide offensive and rebounding but will not be a good defensive player.

Nuggets: Grade: D+

The Nuggets didn’t make many moves this offseason. The most underrated move this offseason was adding Al Harrington who could be a solid scorer off the bench. Shelden Williams and Brian Butch are also two post players who could help them. Other then that, the Nuggets stayed in tact. With recent rumors of Carmelo being traded, this grade might go up.

Pacers: Grade: B

The Pacers added Paul George, Magnum Rolle and Lance Stephenson in the draft. George is a project who is very similar to Tracy McGrady. Lance Stephenson is a young flashy Brooklyn native who could play both guard positions. Rolle, a second round pick, surprised alot of people when he had a good summer league and might make it on the roster. The Pacers had a quiet offseason until last week when they added Darren Collison and James Posey in a 4 team deal.

Pistons: Grade: D

The Pistons didn’t do much. Not alot of offseason moves. The Pistons did however win the draft. Adding Greg Monroe at the 7th pick was a steal. Then, in the 2nd round, The Pistons added Terrico White. Monroe should start right away while White will need to wait behind Richard Hamilton and Ben Gordon.

Raptors: Grade:C

The Raptors lost Chris Bosh but oddly, made good moves after. Linas Klezia is a very good scorer and so is Leonardo Barbosa, who was acquired in the Hedo trade. They also believe they can get something out of Julian Wright, who was acquired in a trade for Marco Belinelli. In the draft, the Raptors took Ed Davis, who was compared to Chris Bosh at times at UNC

Rockets: Grade: B

First, the Rockets will be getting Yao back. That provides 20-10 automatically back into the lineup. In the draft, they add Patrick Patterson who might provide alot off the bench. In free agency, the Rockets resigned Kyle Lowry and Luis Scola. Houston also added Brad Miller as insurance for Yao and last week, added Courtney Lee in a 4 team trade.

76ers: Grade: C

The Sixers made 3 moves all offseason. Adding Evan Turner in the draft. Turner should provide alot of things similar that Andre Iguodala can provide. Before the draft, Philadelphia traded Samuel Dalembert for Andres Nocioni and Spencer Hawes. They also add Tony Battie.

Spurs: Grade: B+

Interesting. The Spurs added two solid players in the draft. Ryan Richards was a long, lanky potential 1st rounder who could be stashed for a season or two. James Anderson could be a potential starter for San Antonio. He’s a solid shooter who now could allow the Spurs to keep Manu in the 6th man role.Gary Neal was signed in summer league. Tiago Splitter is a solid player who will provide another big man inside in the post. Bringing back Richard Jefferson was another solid move.

Suns: Grade: C

The lost of Amar’e Stoudemire was huge. He was the Suns only offensive post player. The Suns then decided to spend alot of money on similar players. The addition of Hedo was solid because he is a point forward type. The Suns then decided to add Josh Childress from Greece and Hakim Warrick. These 3 players are all 6-7 to 6-9 players who aren’t big enough to play well in the post but good enough to run and score. Sounds like the same Suns offense in the early 2000’s. Well, without Amar’e

Thunder: Grade: B

Oklahoma City really didn’t make any major moves but the addition of Cole Aldrich was a great one. I think he might be able to start next season. Other then that, the Thunder had a quiet offseason and added Dequan Cook and Morris Peterson in trades/salary dumps.

Timberwolves: Grade: F

The Timberwolves continue to make very confusing moves. First, you pass up on DeMarcus Cousins for Wesley Johnson in the draft. Then, the T-Wolves added 3 more small forwards in the draft. Post draft, the T-Wolves traded Al Jefferson for a 1st round pick to Utah. The only more the T-Wolves made that was a steal was the addition of Micheal Beasley for a 2nd round pick.

Warriors: Grade: C-

The Warriors started off the offseason with the drafting of Ekpe Udoh. For many people ( including me), didn’t understand why taking Udoh over the better player and the better fit in Greg Monroe. Then, the Warriors made a sign and trade deal to acquire David Lee from New York.  Lee oddly enough, is the perfect fit for Golden State. He moves back

Wizards: Grade: C

The Wizards gave up alot of contract space in adding Kirk Hinrich. Hinrich should be able to backup #1 overall pick John Wall.  Wall should step right in and be able to do well in the NBA. Along with Wall, Gilbert Arenas comes back from a 50 game suspension. Gil will be moving off the ball and should be allowed to score more. Other then that, the Wizards kept two wing players in Josh Howard and Al Thornton.