HoopsHype.com NBA Blogs - Jerald Hoover

New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, Memphis and Minneapolis. All of them have one thing in common as of today: they are all in last place in their respectives divisions. The T-Wolves are the only team that should be expected to be in that neighborhood, with their former longtime franchise icon Kevin Garnett getting traded to the Boston Celtics during the summer for Al Jefferson and others. Jefferson is a good, nice young player but he’s obviously no Garnett.

Un-Bullish in Chi-town

The Chicago Bulls rewarded coach Scott Skiles with a gift-wrapped pink slip. It was apparent that the chemistry was horrendous, that the Bulls as a team virtually stopped playing for him. Who will take the reigns as a permanent head coach now is anybody’s guess. The assistant coaches have no head coaching experience, although Boylan will probably man the post for this year.

The Bulls, led by Luol Deng and Ben Gordon, were expected to contend for a championship, much less just win the Central Division title. What else has happened with them? Well, the Kobe Bryant trade rumors involving everybody from Ben Wallace, Kurt Hinrich and Gordon didn’t help. Nor did the contract extension talk breakdown do much for team morale. The fact that Wallace is a mere shell of his old intimating self is another reason for the struggle. The part that’s heartbreaking is that the Bulls knew they had to overpay to pry Wallace from the Detroit Pistons, but their thinking was that he would be good and strong for at least three of the four years in his contract. As it’s turning out, he’s a bust at the tune of 14 million per year from the first year on.

I think John Paxson may have dropped the ball on the past couple of drafts. No way should he have traded LaMarcus Aldridge for Tyrus Thomas. And to compound that, why would he draft Florida’s Joakim Noah, who is a slightly version (but not better than) of Thomas, when he could have drafted Spencer Hawes. He may not be ready just yet but in two years he’ll be a much better player than Noah, who is really not much more than an energy player and not a highly skilled one.

With Skiles gone, another coach will more than likely inherit the same roster; the onus will be on the players to “step up”, as Gordon was quoted as saying.

Garbage in Gotham

The raucous boos have turned into deafening chants of, “fiyah Isiah”. The natives have gotten so restless that they’re even being asked to leave the arena if they become too abusive. Some fans have also been warned or asked to leave the arena for rising up signs that security thought to be inappropriate. One man has blatantly taken to having a pink 8-foot by 6-foot cardboard sign made up with lines drawn on it for folks to sign the petition to have Thomas fired immediately.

But the Knicks have been a bungled mess from the start for a myriad of reasons. First, there was the lost lawsuit involving Thomas and Anucha Brown Sanders to which he lost on behalf of the organization to the tune of $11.5 million. Zach Randolph missed four games because of the death of his beloved grandmother. Stephon Marbury and Thomas had a major falling out over the team’s performance. Some have even speculated that fists flew in the air literally and figuratively en route to Phoenix to play the Suns. Marbury left the team and went back to New York, only to fly back the following day after missing the game. Then he was voted not to play by his teammates and Thomas ignored and play Marbury anyway.

Then Marbury’s father passed away after having a heart attack while watching a Knicks game. No, it hasn’t been pretty or pleasant with this Jekyll and Hyde team. If rebounding machine David Lee could get an entire summer with former Warrior great Chris Mullin, he would be an All-star.

South Beach bandits

Injuries: Dwayne Wade had knee and shoulder surgery and has missed a great part of this season. He’s now back but is still rounding back into All-star shape. And Alonzo Mourning was recently carted off the court with a torn patella tendon that looks a career ending. This was going to be his last year anyway, but as proud as he is, this is not how he wanted to go out.

Old team: Shaquille O’Neal is a shell of his old ferocious self. Age, weight (although he’s in much better shape than in times past) and personal problems are taking its toll. Enough said there.

Lost parts: The loss of Jason Kapono to the Toronto Raptors, James Posey to the Boston Celtics and Eddie Jones to the Dallas Mavericks is taken more of a toll than Pat Riley anticipated. Either that or he fell asleep at the wheel because all of those teams are contenders of some magnitude. And although Antoine Walker fell out of favor also with Riley, he was still a skilled player. The replacement parts of Smush Parker, Ricky Davis and Daequan Cook haven’t panned out too well.

Confusion in the ranks: Every year it almost seems that Riley finds a whipping boy to spew venom towards. This year it seems to be Parker, who has been told to stay away from the team until further notice. He is however getting paid in full to do so. It must be pretty nice to earn 2 million big ones doing virtually nothing at all. As Don King would say, “only in America!”

Clippers lost in California

Well, the Clippers should get a pass being that they lost their best player in Elton Brand during the summer to a tragic knee injury. Not to mention Shaun Livingston on going rehab to his devastating knee injury that would’ve probably ended a lot of careers. But, for the sake of argument, I won’t harbor any excuses because as we know these guys are highly paid professionals and their jobs are to make sure they can step in when stars go down and what they do.

But on the bright side, center Chris Kaman has bounced back very nicely after last year’s dreadful season, when he inked a long term 50-plus million dollar contract. And if Brand does make it back this season and is close to at least 80 percent, the Sacramento Kings will switch places with the Clippers for last place in the Pacific.

Where’s Elvis when you need him?

They fired coach Mike Fratello a few seasons ago because he couldn’t advance in the playoffs. But they haven’t been to the postseason dance since then. Jerry West retired and their new coach, the much coveted Marc Iavaroni, isn’t fairing much better than last year’s coach and current director of player personnel Tony Barone Sr. What this team needs is more toughness and stability at the point. Rookie Michael Conley Jr., clearly isn’t ready to assume the reins and Kyle Lowry has been injury prone. That leaves the once mighty Damon Stoudamire to run the show. They have talent in Rudy Gay, Pau Gasol and sharpshooter Mike Miller. Also there is Darko Milicic and Juan Carlos Navarro. Perhaps if they were in the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division they would be at the top of the heap.

Twin city frost bite

This team is probably going to be a mess for a number of years. The ghost of Garnett will hover over the Twin Cities for as long as Kevin McHale is handling the steering wheel. (At press time) this team is a frigid 3-21 with more damage sure to come as they embark on a trip that includes the likes of the New Orleans Hornets, Portland Trail Blazers, Seattle Sonics, Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers. They will be crashing the lottery once again but even if they were to get the first pick and it turns out to be Michael Beasley out of the University of Kansas, is he any better then the ever-improving Jefferson. The collection of talent is promising, led by rookie Corey Brewer, Ryan Gomes and Randy Foye (who always seems to find his way to the injury list), but years away from maturity – especially in the Western Conference. If they couldn’t do it with Garnett playing his heart out, they sure won’t be able to do it with these guys running up and down the court any time soon.

So much has been said and bandied about the Boston Celtics’ Big Three, the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers and of course the playoff-tested Detroit Pistons.

But nobody of note really gave the Orlando Magic much of a chance with regard to Eastern Conference dominance. Most of the preseason polls had the Magic finishing behind the Miami Heat. A funny thing has happened, however. Since the Magic’s coaching fiasco over the summer, when Billy Donovan signed on to coach only to have a change of heart, they have been scoring points in buckets.

They hired a great coach in Stan Van Gundy, who was unceremoniously dumped in favor of Pat Riley in Miami. Thy have a solid team. They have a great center in Dwight Howard. They have a decent point guard in the up-and-coming Jameer Nelson and they have superb perimeter play in free agent pickup Rashard Lewis, who at 6-10 can score points in bunches and is a matchup nightmare.

Role players such as Keyon Dooling, Hedo Turkoglu, Keith Bogans and the newly acquired Brian Cook round out a firm cast of characters. What may be missing for this bunch is a Kurt Thomas or C-Webb type of big man to help take the pressure off of Howard during the playoffs. Cook, Lewis and Turkoglu are all 6-10, but their damage is usually done on the outer limits.

Both the Magic and Celtics have an explosive offense and underrated defense. The younger legs go to the Magic; but the grizzled experience which includes multiple All-star and Playoff appearances go to the Celtics. The Magic have the overall team size; but the Celtics have overall better shot blocking and intimidation in Garnett and still developing center Kendrick Perkins. At press time the Celtics are 12-2, while the Magic are 13-3.

With the East being so parity-ridden, can the Magic really break through and earn a trip to the Finals? It would be a first since the early days of Shaq and Penny Hardaway. There is precedent for not so great teams from the East making it to the NBA Finals. The 1999 Latrel Sprewell and Allan Houston-led Knicks for one come to mind. Same with last season’s Cavs.

Although the results ended it a slaughter by the San Antonio Spurs… How many other teams for those seasons can say that they made it that far? You got it… None!

After a short while no longer will the Atlantic Division be looked upon as the JV League. That short while may just end up being this year. For instance, four 20-point scorers from the West have migrated to the East: Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Rashard Lewis and Zach Randolph. The first three went via the trade route and Lewis as a free agent to the Orlando Magic. Consequently, no one in their right basketball mind should even suggest that the Northwest Division featuring the likes of the Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets and the lottery bound Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle Sonics are better overall than any of the divisions in the Eastern Conference. Here’s a crystal ball on the upcoming season.

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division:

The Atlantic Division will no longer be the Little Sister’s of the Poor and Brokenhearted anymore; that’s for sure. Barring injuries to any of the newly acquired gunslingers and high octane scores, the AD should be fun for a while, not to mention very competitive.

1. CELTICS: The glory days in Bean Town may return with the newest addition of the Big Three with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen joining the likes of Paul Pierce to formulate what should constitute a very potent offensive attack. The bench or lack thereof may be a cause for concern however.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: The Big Three; Three the Hard Way; Three Times the Charm or 3 Mass or whatever you want to call them.

Sleeper to Watch: Glen “Big Baby” Davis

2. RAPTORS: The Raptors came from oblivion to surprise the NBA with a first place finish in the Atlantic and did Canada proud as well. Well, the Division is quite tougher now and the Raptors aren’t a surprise anymore. Barring an injury, they should still be a first round and out playoff team.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Carlos Delfino and Jason Kapono

Sleeper to Watch: Andrea Bargnani

3. NETS: New Jersey’s version of the Big Three is Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson. Kidd is getting older but he seems to still be getting better. The Nets want to cut down his minutes but how can they when the backups seem to always either go down with injurys or they’re just not good backups to start with. A healthy return to form in Nenad Kristic will make matter run rather smoothly also.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Jamaal Magloire/Darrell Armstrong

Sleeper to Watch: Antoine Wright

4. KNICKS: Trouble or drama always seems to find its way to MSG (Madison Square Garden), the place where the Knicks play their home games. I could be the coach, the players or even the owners. But, there’s no denying this years’ version with the addition of Zach Randolph and his 23 points per game and 10 plus rebounds per game. Will he be able to stay out of trouble is a big question.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Zach Randolph

Sleeper to Watch: Rookie Wilson Chandler

5. SIXERS: The boys from Philly have the least talented team in the Division but they have arguably the second best point guard in the Division in last year’s trade acquisition Andre Miller, who runs the show impeccably. Some say that the Sixers became more of a team once Allen Iverson left. Burning question though is: Can their big guy Samuel Dalembert stay healthy for a long period of time? That is a cause of concern.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Shavlik Randolph

Sleeper to Watch: Louis Williams

Central Division:

The Central Division has had a representative in the NBA Finals three times in the last five years. Will the Chicago Bulls make it back to the land of glory this year for the first time since His Airness retired?

1. PISTONS: The regular season has been pretty sweet for the Boys from Motown. It’s the winning of the whole enchilada that has been the problem; and this despite numerous visits to the playoffs and Conference Final appearances. Will the infusion of young talent make the difference?

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: A trimmed down and healthy Rasheed Wallace

Sleeper to Watch: Rookie Rodney Stuckey

2. BULLS: The Bulls, despite not having a true low post presence, appear to be onto something special. And that is with or without Kobe Bryant to whom the Bulls are a preferred team to be traded to.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Joakim Noah/Joe Smith

Sleeper to Watch: Tyrus Thomas

3. BUCKS: This Milwaukee team resembled a MASH unit last season. Few teams in the NBA had as many injuries to key personnel as the Bucks. With everyone back and with a new coach in Larry Krystkowiak given a full training camp, this team will surprise a lot of people.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Rookie Yi Jianlian/Desmond Mason

Sleeper to Watch: Andrew Bogut

4. CAVALIERS: The James Gang made it to the NBA Finals in an upset over the Pistons. But, with the unsigned core players in Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic from last years squad, depth and chemistry may be a major cause for concern.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Larry Hughes if he’s healthy

Sleeper to Watch: Daniel Gibson

5. PACERS: This franchise seems to always have some sort of turmoil with its players (off the court). There is talent however; it’s just a matter of who stays and who goes. Will Jermaine O’Neal force a trade or if he stays, will he remain healthy for a better part of the season?

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Mike Dunleavy Jr./Troy Murphy

Sleeper to Watch: Ike Diogu

Southeast Division:

The Southeast Division high-flyers and scores aplenty; but it also seems to have the teams with the worst cases of the injury bug to their prime time players too. Are they healthy enough to be forces again remains to be seen.

1. MAGIC: Jeff’s brother Stan Van Gundy took the Orlando job just after University of Florida coach Billy Donovan accepted and then passed on it. That may turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the team where Mickey Mouse lives. Why? Because historically no matter how successful a coach in college was it didn’t translate to the same in the NBA.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Rashard Lewis

Sleeper to Watch: JJ Redick

2. WIZARDS: One mustn’t forget that for the first half of the season the Wiz was the dominant team in the East. So much so that Coach Eddie Jordan was awarded as the head coach for last season’s All-Star game in Vegas. But, after that the team turned into another version of a MASH unit. The question now: Are their stars fully recovered from their season ending injuries?

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Healthy Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler

Sleeper to Watch: Rookie Nick Young

3. HEAT: The Miami guys are getting older and more brittle before our very eyes. Shaq is said to be in terrific shape while Dwayne Wade is still on the injured list. The Heat had made a significant move to improve the roster until recently. Let’s just see if that move doesn’t backfire.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Ricky Davis

Sleeper to Watch: Udonis Haslem

4. HAWKS: These young flying birds from Atlanta are tired of missing the playoff party. The team is vastly improved and its athletism is off the charts overall; but will that be enough to push the team over the hump and thus save head coach Mike Woodson’s job?

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Al Horford/A.C. Law

Sleeper to Watch: Josh Smith, who was not extended a contract and Marvin Williams, who more than likely came out a year or two too soon out of the University of North Carolina.

5. BOBCATS: The team that Michael Jordan bought into and built has been decimated by injuries. Stud center Emeka Okafor hasn’t played an injury free season yet and the Bobcats just lost Adam Morrison and Sean May to season ending leg injuries.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Jason Richardson

Sleeper to Watch: Matt Carroll

Eastern Conference Winner: Detroit Pistons

Western Conference

Watch out Western Conference you’ve already lost four 20 point scorers (in Kevin Garnett, Zach Randolph, Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis) and another scorer deluxe in Jason Richardson who was traded on draft night from the Golden State Warriors to the Charlotte Bobcats. And word on the street is that the Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago Bulls are in heavy discussion with the Bulls on a Kobe trade. Well if that indeed does happen at worst at least the All-Star games will be a lot more interesting.

Southwest Division:

This Division pound for pound is undoubtedly the strongest in the entire League. From top to bottom, from side to side and even from edge-wise to the middle. However you want to slice it, the SD can have all of its teams vying for playoff spots. The top three a locks but the bottom two isn’t any walk in the park either.

1. SPURS: Last years’ NBA Champs are still intact and primed for another run at it. They may start off to a slow start but when it’s all said and done, the Spurs will win the Division and get ready for another dog fight. Then it will be business as usual.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Ime Udoka

Sleeper to Watch: Darius Washington (who learned the hard way that he should have stayed at the University of Memphis a little while longer to hone his skills)

2. MAVERICKS: No one knows for sure and that includes the Mavs themselves how they’re going to react after last season first round flame out to the Golden State Warriors. Will the end of last season make them hungrier or leave them shell shocked?

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Eddie Jones

Sleeper to Watch: Maurice Ager

3. ROCKETS: This team is rather confusing. They always seem to make the playoffs but they never get out of the first round despite their immense talent in two franchise players: Yao Ming and Tracey McGrady. To make matters even all the more head scratch worthy is the drafting of a point guard, (Oregon’s Aaron Brooks) the trading of another point guard (Mike James from the T-wolves) and the signing of yet another point guard (bring back Steve Francis). This is after they already had: Rafer Alston, Luther Head and John Lucas III.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Luis Scola

Sleeper to Watch: Bonzi Wells (who gets reacquainted with new head coach Rick Adelman)

4. HORNETS: The team is finally resettled back into New Orleans after the devastating affects of Hurricane Katrina. But, the team had lost of love from the city and folk from Oklahoma. Only time will tell if that indeed was the right move to make.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Peja Stojakovic (who played in only 13 games last year), Morris Peterson

Sleeper to Watch: Hilton Armstrong

5. GRIZZLIES: The Kids from Graceland country have a new coach (Marc Iavaroni) a new GM (Chris Wallace from the front office of the Boston Celtics) and a new system. Will that turn into a new attitude and a lot more wins?

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Mike Conley Jr.

Sleeper to Watch: Tarence Kinsey

Northwest Division:

This Division gives the Eastern Conference confidence in the worst way. The only thing that will be of any interest is the first place race between the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets. The other three teams are bottom feeders. Portland won the Lottery with the pick of the litter in Greg Oden only to have lost him for the season with a knee injury. The Sonics boost Kevin Durant, but he being only 19 years old and still with a frail body isn’t expected to lead them to the promise land just yet. And the T-wolves will be just plain bad with the trading of KG to the Celts for a bunch of kids.

1. NUGGETS: With a full year of Allen Iverson and the steady stardom of Carmelo Anthony, the sky is the limit for this bunch. The Nuggets may in fact have the deepest front court in the league.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Kenyon Martin (who is said to be fully recovered from his micro-fracture surgery and has regained the bounce in his step he once had)

Sleeper to Watch: Yakhouba Diawara

2. JAZZ: Jerry Sloan the returns for his 19th season at the helm of the Jazz. It certainly seems that his system does work. His bread and butter style (the pick and roll) has made both Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer the second coming of John Stockton and Karl Malone.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Ronnie Brewer

Sleeper to Watch: Paul Millsap

3. TRAIL BLAZERS: Portland must be thinking, ‘is this going to be Sam Bowie all over again?’ Well a skeptic would think so (and rightfully so) given Oden’s recent medical history. But, on the flip side once he does get healthy and he’s able to stay that way, watch out. Last season’s Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy is the goods and LaMarcus Aldridge doesn’t seem to be too far behind. There is a future in The Great Northwest.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Channing Frye

Sleeper to Watch: Rookie Taurean Green

4. SONICS: Talk about a great consolation prize! Yikes! Some would even go on to say that the Sonics got the better of the two picks although they picked second. Well, only time will tell but it will be great to see these two young giants going at it for the next ten or so years. The only draw back is they play out West where the games start at 10 or 10:30 EST.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Rookie Kevin Durant/Kurt Thomas

Sleeper to Watch: Rookie Jeff Green

5. TIMBERWOLVES: If only GM Kevin McHale’s Boston glory days as a player would translate into a real GM that made great moves like he made in the paint, the citizens of Minnesota would have more to cheer about. KG was finally traded and now the pressure will really be on McHale to make sure he makes the future worth looking forward to.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Al Jefferson/Rookie Corey Brewer (and half of the squad that came in the KG trade)

Sleeper to Watch: Sebastian Telfair

Pacific Division:

The Pac Division used to be the darling of the NBA back in the day. Now, it’s just another division that features a couple of playoff capable teams. Will Kobe be a part of it at the end of the season? All signs point to that not being the case so the talent level will really sink down further.

1. SUNS: Last years bitter lose to the Spurs should leave a bad taste in Phoenix’s mouth. Especially when you consider the fact that they had the home court advantage going in. But, with Amare Stoudamire and Boris Diaw getting suspended for Game Five for leaving the bench area during an altercation and thus losing in six games, they should be healthier and hungrier from start to finish.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Grant Hill

Sleeper to Watch: DJ Strawberry

2. WARRIORS: This team is extremely explosive. Their high octane offense rivals that of the Suns. With a healthy and happy Baron Davis, the sky is the limit. The big question will be if Stephen Jackson, who became a team captain, can live up to the responsibility on and off the court.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Rookie Marco Belinelli

Sleeper to Watch: Rookie Brandan Wright

3. CLIPPERS: In the battle of the Staples Center where both the Lakers and Clippers play, the Clips are becoming the favorites. And with the Lakers becoming the New York Knicks west with all of the controversy in recent years from the star player in Kobe (the situation in Denver a couple of years ago) to the owner being cited for drunken driving recently, the Clippers can become a real staple in Staples if they play their hand right. But, with the Corey Maggette and head coach Mike Dunleavy Sr. marriage on the rocks, you still never know. The loss of Elton Brand could be minimized with stellar play from their big guys.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Rookie Al Thornton

Sleeper to Watch: Dan Dickau

4. LAKERS: Who knows what’s going to happen in LaLa Land from one day to the next. There is still talent there but is it ‘going to the NBA Finals’ talent? No! And that is with Kobe still on the roster. However, a healthy Lamar Odom and an emerging Andrew Bynum would certainly make a lot of other teams bigger and better.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Derek Fisher

Sleeper to Watch: Jordan Farmar

5. KINGS: There’s a next sheriff in town and his name is Reggie Theus. Yes, that Reggie Theus. The Kings have talent but it’s troublesome to some degree. Ron Artest is in the process of fighting a seven game suspension handed to him for his domestic dispute with his wife and Mike Bibby, who is always the subject of trade rumors, is lost for six to eight weeks following thumb surgery.

Key Newcomer/Difference Maker: Mikki Moore

Sleeper to Watch: Rookie Spencer Hawes

Western Conference Winner and NBA Finals champion: Phoenix Suns

Michael Jordan is undoubtedly the best player to ever lace ‘em up. Or if you want to count a Bill Russell or a Wilt Chamberlain for that distinct honor, then you have to at least say MJ was the very best player under 6-foot-9 inches.

That being said of his Airness as a player hasn’t necessarily translated to championships in the front office. Jordan tried his hand at being a GM/player with the Washington Wizards. That didn’t work too well. However, Jordan did help Detroit win a championship. His trade of Richard Hamilton for Jerry Stackhouse gave Joe Dumars and the Pistons just what they eventually needed to get over the hump in building a championship caliber team without a superstar.

That fiasco ended rather abruptly and angrily as Wizard owner Abe Pollin offered Jordan 10 million dollars to basically go away; only to have Jordan reportedly refuse in anger.

After a failed attempt to become part owner of the Milwaukee Bucks (owner Senator Herb Kohl is said to have reneged at the last minute), Jordan is now a minority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. For Jordan it’s a homecoming. Although he was born in Brooklyn, New York, Jordan was raised in North Carolina, where he attended high school and college. There he led the Tar Heels to a dramatic NCAA title in 1982 as a freshman.

Jordan’s inaugural draft pick for the Bobcats was small forward Adam Morrison out of Gonzaga. He rewarded Jordan with an 11.8 scoring average while playing in 78 out of a possible 82 games with 23 starts. Not too shabby for a guy that has to shoot himself with insulin while sometimes on the bench (during games, he’s playing in) because he’s diabetic. Besides, he was a rookie so there has to be a learning curve.

But will this year’s version of the Bobcats be better? Bernie Bickerstaff left the coaching sidelines to pry his trade in the front office. So Jordan hired his buddy Sam Vincent to take over the coaching reigns. The Bobcats drafted North Carolina’s 6-9 forward Brandan Wright with the eight overall pick and then subsequently traded him to the Golden State Warriors for athletic and explosive swingman Jason Richardson. That set in motion the type of team the Bobcats were looking to form. With Richardson pairing with budding star Gerald Wallace (who was wisely re-signed over the summer to a long term contract) the Cats’ could soon be clawing their way out of the Lottery.

But that would also hinge on the Bobcat bigs.

Yes, the big guys – Emeka Okafor and Sean May – that always seem to get hurt or injured throughout the course of a season. Neither one has played a full season in the NBA. In fact, May is out of this season coming up after having micro facture surgery recently and is said to be looking at a 6-to-12 month rehab stint.

The Bobcats are laden with swing guys, especially if you count sharpshooter Matt Carroll, who was also signed to a long-term contract. But for the men needed in the 6-9, 6-10 regions, the cupboard is getting barren. There was talk that they were about to sign free agent center Marc Jackson, but he elected to go overseas. Seven-foot one center Primoz Brezec and 6-9 forward Walter Herrmann won’t be scaring too many people.

Perhaps another trade could be in the offing.

The Miami Heat have been the biggest losers in this offseason, in my humble opinion. After they were virtually vanquished by the Ben Gordon-led Chicago Bulls four games to love, they did pretty much nothing in the way of revamping their already troubled and old lineup.  They severed ties with future Hall of Famer Gary Payton, but it seems like they replaced him with Anfernee Hardaway, who hasn’t played the last two seasons. Former Laker Smush Parker probably won’t be much of a difference maker either.

Had this been the Penny of 10 or so years ago then you would truly have something to work with there.  And now there’s talk that along with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Heat are also front running the charge to sign Knick Allan Houston, who retired two seasons ago due to the same type of knee injury Penny had. Houston, now 34 years old, still feels that he has some game left in him.  His shooting eye is probably still as lethal as it was, but can he still run up and down the court and cut from side to side and jump with aggression like he would need to?

And before I forget, would he and Penny be able to endure those infamous three-hour marathon practices?

That might be part of the problem also.  Some players, as they get in the late 20s and early 30s (their peak years), are more reluctant to  practice like that and have to play an 82-game schedule, not including eight pre-season games and all of the travel.  Sure, most guys in the NBA want to win (well, at least they say they do) but the bottom line for each player is … well, their bottom line.  Fact remains, each player is paid handsomely and they’d wish to do so for as long as they can.  So with that, practicing often as if it’s the fourth quarter of the seventh game of the championship series can cause some early burnout.

The Heat will undoubtedly have a ton of questions to answer before and during the season.  Not only the healing and mending of All-World, All-Star guard Dwyane Wade, but also the overall mental health of Antoine Walker and the Big Everything Shaquille O’Neal.  Walker was robbed in his Chicago home at gun point earlier in the summer.  That experience was so traumatic that Walker and his family moved from the house a week after the episode.  The assailants have been caught and booked but there can still be a lingering effect on Walker’s psyche.

And this week it has been reported in various news outlets that Shaq and his wife Shaunie are on the verge of divorce.  Will that have a negative impact on his mental and physical condition? Nets guard Jason Kidd used his marital troubles to spearhead himself to nearly an MVP season with his stellar play after his dirty laundry hit the streets.  Can Shaq do the same and at the same time find a fountain a youth in the process?

The Heat better hope there’s something positive that is triggered out of this because as the other teams in the Eastern Conference have gotten either younger or better with free agent signings or significant trades, the Heat only have Smush to show for the summer.

Will this year’s version of the New York Knicks return to the Beast of the East status? Well, if you look at them now on paper you have to consider the two behemoths on the low blocks: 6-feet-11 and 280 pounds of Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph – all 6-feet-9 and 260 pounds of him. You can couple that with Jerome James and there’s quite a lot of beef to push and shove around. Not to mention guard Stephon Marbury, who’s built like a Mack truck and the muscular and physical types Quentin Richardson, Nate Robinson and Fred Jones. You have what head coach Isiah Thomas is calling “an athletic power team”.

Of course with the new and improved rules regarding hand checking, the Knicks will not exactly resemble the Knicks of the Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley and Anthony Mason era of slug ball. But with the offensive-minded Randolph and Curry, they can make life miserable for opposing big men.

And the notion of both not being able to operate in the low blocks is pure unadulterated hogwash. I mean… Didn’t the Bird era Boston Celtics feature Kevin McHale and Robert Parish in the low docks? Didn’t the Magic Johnson era feature James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? Magic too would post up a pint-sized guard on several possessions during a game. And in the Isiah era Pistons, before Mark Aguirre came on scene, there was Adrian Dantley and James Edwards.

So in the end, the Knicks can never have enough weapons of destruction in the paint. During the playoffs (and yes, I’m thinking playoffs for the Knicks next season), there’s not as much of the Phoenix style up-and-down-the-court stuff as you would get in the regular season. Each and every possession makes or breaks your season.

Now that the East has brought over three of the West 20-point scorers in Randolph, Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, the Knicks will have to upgrade their perimeter defense if they are going to be taken seriously. Could Ron Artest be the next reclamation project that Isiah takes on?

If all the Knicks had to give up was a combo of Jared Jeffries and Nate Robinson, then they may have to think about that one. But then again, after Robinson’s stellar performance in the Vegas Summer League, the Knicks may not be willing to do that after all. Sure, Robinson can be a little immature and in some cases a head case but there’s no denying his basketball skills.

And we can’t forget that Jeffries is just a role player. He’s not asked to do any scoring (the Knicks have more than their share of scorers), but defending and rebounding and keeping things even-keeled. He suffered a wrist injury and missed the first 20-something games and then got suspended another 4 games because of his part in the brawl with the Denver Nuggets, and was never really in tuned.

David Lee is off limits.

So the Artest deal may be a dead issue for a while. Besides they’re very high on first-round pick Wilson Chandler and second-rounder Demetris Nichols. Both players, along with sophomore Renaldo Balkman, really showed their stuff in the Vegas League.

Nichols sports NBA shooting range and has shown an ability to put the ball on the floor some, while Chandler is an all-around talent who can shoot, dribble, pass, defend, rebound and jump. So it’s almost a certainty that other moves or buyouts are in the offing because they have 17 bonafide NBA players on the roster.

Go West, young men! That should be the motto for the NBA’s newest stars in Portland center Greg Oden and Seattle Sonic forward Kevin Durant. I cannot blame the Blazers for picking Oden first. After all, he is a bundle to work with at seven feet and 250-some odd pounds of fury. But I believe in some ways it’s easier to find seven-footers that can at the very least rebound and block a few shots. Shucks, the Chicago Bulls in their heyday had a three-headed monster at the pivot in Bill Cartwright, Bill Wennington and Will Purdue. It was almost as if what one couldn’t or wouldn’t do the other two would.

But just like Magic Johnson at 6-feet-9 was a freak of nature at point guard and Larry Bird was out of this world with the same size, the things that the 6-9 Durant can do at aren’t common. No, I’m not anointing Durant the next Bird or Magic. But let’s face it, folks… This guy has got something special with him.

Durant isn’t just talented at his size. He’s gifted. And gifted with a construction worker’s work ethic, which will make him all the more dangerous once he learns the nuances of the pro game. But with the way athletes train nowadays, I don’t suspect the physical part will be that hard for him. And so what he couldn’t bench press 185 pounds? It’s not like Seattle is looking for a bodybuilder.

Now a few of the Sonic moves are leaving me just a tad baffled, so you have wonder if there are other moves coming down the pike. For one, they are well overloaded at the small forward and point guard spot and barren at the two guard. If you pencil Durant in at the small forward spot and Chris Wilcox or Nick Collison at the power forward position, perhaps Robert Swift in the pivot and Earl Watson or Luke Ridnour at the point… Who plays the two guard? With Ray Allen dealt in the draft day trade with the Boston Celtics that brought back small guard Delonte West and forward Wally Szczerbiak, there is a gaping hole there. Rookie forward Jeff Green is a forward and Damien Wilkins is a swing player, but his shot isn’t nearly as deadly as Allen’s to keep defenses honest.

So it will be interesting to see just what Seattle is up to.

The Detroit Pistons were supposed to play in June again this year. They were the ones predicted to come out of the junior varsity Eastern Conference. And to most everyone’s knowledge they would have given the San Antonio Spurs a much better run than the Cleveland Cavaliers. But a funny thing happened along the way. The funny thing was LeBron James, who did a Dwyane Wade (of last year’s NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks) and took them out in six games to send them home to golf and to fish.

One might say it was overconfidence, which could be true because it seemed as if the Pistons were playing at half speed while the Cavs were in constant overdrive. But that may also be in part because of the younger and fresher legs on the Cleveland squad. Or the Pistons, unlike in times past, just simply lost their killer instinct. Let’s not forget the 3-0 lead they had on the upstart Chicago Bulls. That series should have been over in four games, but it went to six. For all of the weapons that the Bulls had, they just didn’t have a Wade or a James to take over the game.

Or maybe it was the coaching and the lack of respect it seems is coming from the players. It’s becoming common to see forward Rasheed Wallace being disrespectful to his team or to his coach at the most crucial of times. Sure, it’s great to play with venom and with fire and with a burning intensity. But when you start to cross the line and continue to be volatile and unbridled and become an object of technical fouls and game throw-outs, you have to know you’re letting your team down.

General manager and Hall-of-Famer Joe Dumars quickly hosed any and all thoughts of Flip Saunders‘ dismissal. I’m sure there were more than a few moans, groans and sighs of dismay coming from the brethren in the locker room. Former Pistons center and current Bull Ben Wallace wasn’t at all pleased with the way Saunders called and made adjustments in games. And he wasn’t the only one although last year he was the only Piston to express frustration in the way that things were done in public.

What happens now? Well, you can almost squash all of the Rasheed-going-to-the-Knicks rumors too as Dumars declared ‘Sheed was the team’s most consistent player during the postseason. So the fantasy of having the volatile one suiting up under the bright lights of the Garden in NYC, are just that – a mere fantasy. Besides… Does anyone actually think that Dumars would help his former teammate and fellow Hall-of-Famer Isiah Thomas get better at his expense. Moves like that cost bosses their jobs.

The Pistons have to get younger and sleeker up front. Although Tayshaun Prince is the real deal, they have to figure out what to do with Nazr Mohammed after signing him to a long-term deal. And most importantly, what’s going to happen with former All-Star Chris Webber? Free agent Chauncey Billups will most certainly be back as Dumars said, “We will not handle Billups the way we handled (Ben) Wallace last year.”

We’ll see. Stay tuned.

Happy Days are here again? Is that the slogan for the fans of the Great Northwest? With a stroke of genius or luck, the ping pong balls fell in favor of the Portland Trail Blazers, who won the 2007 NBA Draft Lottery with just a 5.3 percent chance overall. The tanking strategy didn’t work for Boston and Memphis as both were sacked with the fourth and fifth pick, respectively. Footage was shown of Celtic head coach Doc Rivers looking as if he had indigestion after the team’s name was called. Celtic president and GM Danny Ainge likened it to being on the losing side of the visitors’ locker room after a playoff series. Outgoing Grizzlies GM Jerry West voiced his displeasure regarding the lottery system.

In their 36 years of existence, the Blazers have drafted No. 1 overall three times. The first was the immortal center LaRue Martin in 1972. The second was the Big Redhead, Bill Walton from UCLA fame, in 1974 and in 1978 the Portland selected center Mychal Thompson out of Minnesota. Needless to say, the only center that didn’t pan out to be any type of impact player was Martin.

The Blazers are now in a position to not only pick first, but are also in line to change the overall culture of the franchise and bring back the glory days of Bill Walton and his crew of Bobby Gross and Lionel Hollins – and to a lesser degree the squad with Clyde Drexler, Buck Williams and Terry Porter. Those were teams that virtually ruled the Western Conference.

Whether the pick is Greg Oden – who most say is a lock – or wunderkind and scoring deluxe small forward Kevin Durant, they are getting quality young men to which you can build around on and off the court, along with reigning Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy and All-Rookie selection LaMarcus Aldridge. The days of the Portland Jail Blazers now appear to be over and done with – if not forever, than at least for the foreseeable future.

Oden is indeed a build-your-team-around center, a rarity in these days of small ball. Some say Durant has more talent at this point in time. And a case can be made in essence for Durant being the first pick. After all, he and not Oden was the consensus overall choice for Player of the Year in college. Some may argue that Oden played only half a season due to a broken wrist he suffered while playing high school ball in Indiana. But there’s absolutely no denying the numbers that Durant put up. He may not be a ferocious defender or rebounder like Oden, but he can certainly certain grab rebounds in a cluster. And his shooting ability reminds many of Larry Bird and/or Dirk Nowitzki. Simply put, Durant’s game is much prettier to the eyes.

But as they say, “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder”. So look for the Blazers to begin life anew with Oden. A potential lineup of Roy, Oden, Aldridge, Jarrett Jack and Martell Webster isn’t bad. Look for the Blazers to start entertaining offers for back-to-the-basket and 20-10 specialist Zach Randolph and oft-injured Darius Miles. The Blazers would want to rid themselves of any potential problem they could bring.

All in all the Blazers and the Seattle SuperSonics will have the Great Northwest all abuzz and there will be much ado about a lot. The only problem on the immediate future is that much of America will not get to see them play on a regular basis unless the NBA gets very creative in their television coverage because 10:30 pm games on the East coast will rob them of exposure.