Two weeks ago the NBA free agent pipe line was clogged with LeBron James conjecture. One week ago, Steven A. Smith was able to breathe again; relieved he had not flushed his career down the tube. Today, the free agent channels have been flowing, nearly overflowing actually, with signings, and a clearer picture of the 2010-2011 season has taken shape. So, where do the LeBron losers stand now that LeBron and a number of potential second-tier players have fled to South Beach to win a title?
New York Knicks
It must have stung when LeBron did not even mention the Knicks when he discussed his decision-making process. For a city sure it would be ushering in a new era with a new king, it only cuts another inch of skin from New York’s basketball persona, at least until the Nyets arrive to make everything better.
The Knicks had already signed Amare Stoudemire to gigantic contract, overpaying him by a few dozen million dollars before that fateful night. Once LeBron announced his decision, Donnie Walsh shipped David Lee to Golden State for SF Kelenna Azubuike, PF Anthony Randolph, and C Ronny Turiaf. Over the course of the next week, the Knicks also signed PG Raymond Felton and C Tomfey Mozgov.
What does all this do for the Knicks next season? Well, considering they let PG Chris Duhon, SF Al Harrington, and PG Sergio Rodriguez go, as well as Lee- I have no clue.
Raymond Felton is not the proto-typical D’Antoni point guard, but this free agent class left much to be desired at that position. Felton was the best player available, otherwise the Knicks would be led Luke Ridnour.
Azubuike will likely fit in the system well enough. Turiaf will be a serviceable starting center (seriously, who else is going to start? Eddy Curry) with a decent midrange jump shot to keep him out of the lane as Felton tries to run pick and rolls with Stoudemire. Fans will certainly come to love Turiaf for his hustle, but the team should work on finding a replacement as soon as possible. Randolph is an exciting talent and Stoudemire may find himself being a mentor to an extremely athletic power forward with potential to be the same sort of player.
I hear “people” (misled fans) talk about the Knicks being a playoff team in 2010-11, but I have a hard time believing it. Unless there is something about combo Toney Douglas has grown leaps and bounds as a point, I see another trip to the lottery on the horizon.
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls had their heart broken on that faithful night in Greenwich, CT. They had traded away assets PG Kirk Hinrich and SF Hakim Warrick to clear cap space, only to have to settle for PF Carlos Boozer. Boozer does give the Bulls a low post presence, but he also gives them an undersized forward whose limitations were on display in the Lakers-Jazz series.
Chicago continued with its new plan, building Jazz East. They signed SF Kyle Korver for his shooting stroke and now have reportedly signed SG Ronnie Brewer, I am assuming, for his defense. The Brewer announcement followed the news the Orlando Magic were going to be greedy and match the offer sheet for sharp shooting G J.J. Redick.
The Bulls also added an all star from the Turkish League, Omer Asik, for size and six more fouls. Really, there are still a couple holes to fill. The Bulls need to add a veteran center and a guard with a decent shot. If they do not, then the Chicago Bulls will find themselves in the lower half of the seeding of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Or so I thought. If the reports are true and Derrick Rose is busy at the Berto Center developing a three point shot then the Bulls will have entered a new plane of existence. Rose could only drive in his rookie season. He worked on his midrange game over the summer and developed a good jumper. If this pattern carries over to the 2010-11 season, this will be a terrifying team to play. I still do not think they would come away conference champions, but they could earn a third or fourth seed.
Cleveland Cavaliers
First they lost LeBron in the biggest F-U in television history, then Zydrunas Ilgauskas leaves for the veteran minimum for two seasons to win a title in Miami. I do not think anyone in Cleveland really blames Big Z like they do LeBron. He spent 12 seasons as a Cavs player and deserves to win a ring for his pain and an ocean in which to soak his fragile feet.
There is nothing more to report in terms of player movement. This is Antawn Jamison and Mo Williams team to lead to the lottery. This emotionally drained group needs a season to veg in front of the television, watching themselves play listless basketball, and devour pints of ice cream. Give Byron Scott two seasons to turn things around here and for the management to figure out their next move. There are too many contracts here meant to support a LeBron.
Let the team find out what they have in 2010-11 and pick up a lottery pick. Poor Cleveland, your sports fans have my sympathies.
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets were often uttered as a hypothetical team in the LeBron race and even met with him in Ohio. They were never really in the race though, and everyone knew it. Thus the loss of LeBron is no loss at all.
Instead this team added PF Derrick Favors and SF Damion Jones in the 2010 NBA Draft. Favors could be the inside-outside option to compliment Brook Lopez and take the Nets out of the lottery in a couple years, but for now he is a project. Jones is going to be an energy guy diving on the floor.
These rookies join PG Jordan Farmar, SF Travis Outlaw, C Johan Petro, and SG Anthony Morrow as new additions to the New Jersey Nets roster. So the Nets will start Lopez at center, Kris Humphries at power forward until Favors can take over (in 2012-13 after the lockout), and Travis Outlaw at small forward. Devin Harris may have frustrated fans, but he did not lose his starting point guard spot. He will be joined by either Anthony Morrow or Courtney Lee at shooting guard. I’d say Morrow and Lee have a game of horse and the winner starts.
This team is headed to the lottery either way. They hit a bunch of singles, but not enough to alter the direction of this team.
Los Angeles Clippers
I was surprised to hear the Clippers name in the LeBron talks. I thought they were only mentioned because they had the finances to be a player, then they actually met with the King in Ohio. They even earned a mention in his speech, but the Clippers could never seriously consider themselves anything but garnish to include the West Coast in the insanity.
They lost PG Steve Blake, PF Drew Gooden, and SF Travis Outlaw, but signed rookies SF Al-Farouq Aminu and G Eric Bledsoe as well as free agents G Randy Foye and SF Ryan Gomes.
The Clippers added nothing to change their destiny here. Their destiny might change if Blake Griffin can make a huge impact at power forward, but otherwise they added a bench. Baron Davis and Eric Gordon will start in the backcourt and Chris Kaman, Griffin, and perhaps Gomes will start in the front court. As always, I am little confused by some of the moves (What does Bledsoe do for your team?), however I think Aminu could eventually be an athletic small forward who can start as a glue guy.
I do not think the Clippers will break into the Western Conference playoffs this season, but they will improve with the addition of an actual season from Griffin.