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Will 2009 upstage 2010?

Because so much happened this off-season, I’m forced to write 2 articles analyzing all that was the summer of 2009. In case you missed Part 1, you can check it out here. And, because free agency “technically” started at midnight, I’ll change the format up from chronological order, to whatever order I jotted it down on the post-it next to my laptop. So, without further ado:

 

Dallas resigns Jason Kidd to a 3-year deal; Kobe Bryant declines termination of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers; Atlanta re-signs Mike Bibby to a 3-year deal. All 3 of these moves seem like no-brainers, but, in reality, there was a lot more intrigue than meets the eye. With Kobe winning his 4^th ring (and finally winning one without Shaq), there was a lot of temptation for him to go elsewhere and start anew, especially with the threat of Trevor Ariza, Lamar Odom, and Phil Jackson leaving. Kidd, meanwhile, was courted heavily by the New York Knicks (who were looking for a point guard for LeBron now that Stephen Curry was stolen from them), but decided to stay with the Mavs. Something tells me that Mark Cuban and company let Jason in on what future transactions would occur…say it with me: “more on this later”.

 

But, my personal favorite is the Hawks keeping Bibby. With a resigning of Pachulia and enough cap space to keep Joe Johnson in 2010, Atlanta is a young team with just enough talent to shake things up in the East. Now, they’re nowhere near the level of Cleveland, Boston, or Orlando, but, considering they took the Celtics to 7 games last year, and made it to the 2^nd round this year, the level of progression and their ceiling is something everyone should look out for. Along with Washington, Atlanta will be one of the teams to beat come 2012.

 

Allen Iverson tells the Grizzlies he’d like to play in Memphis; Dwayne Wade lobbies for Miami to sign Iverson to the Heat. Oh how has the mighty fallen. AI used to be the best point guard in the NBA, if not the best player. Now, The Answer is struggling to find work in the league. As an aging player, Iverson saw dwindling playing time in Detroit, and must resort to signing with the Grizz. What most are calling a desperation signing (i.e. Memphis is the only team that would have him as a starter), some are calling a cry for help. Following basketball in the late 90s/early 2000s, I absolutely loved watching AI play. As someone who gave it his all every single game, throwing his body around like there was no next season, it disheartens me to see his career end in fledging fashion. I previously wrote about Adonal Foyle falling from grace, but, that pales in comparison to where Iverson has come and gone.

 

But, there is some hope for Iverson in Miami. Very similar to Alonzo Mourning playing his final days as a role player for the Heat, AI could just as easily be a mentor for D-Wade, providing minutes off the bench giving South Beach a very nasty 1-2 combo running the ball. This may also be a key contract tool that Miami can use to keep their club from being dismantled next year. If upper management does what Flash says, gives him whatever help he asks for, the loyalty for Wade to resign next year increases. Plus, if the Heat can show the rest of the NBA how it can take care of an ego like Iverson’s and show off how well it treats its superstars, how great of a marketing tool are they increasing for potential free agents go head down south? Whether it’s a 1-year or multi-year deal, it only makes sense for Miami to at least entertain the idea of having The Answer play along A1A. It just depends on whether or not he can take a secondary role and not be the player he once was.

 

Rasheed Wallace agrees to terms with the Boston Celtics. This one hurt the Magic. Considering the new direction the Pistons are taking, Wallace’s services were no longer needed in Detroit. This left him a plethora of suitors which included San Antonio (grumble), Boston, and, your Orlando Magic. With Turk no longer in the picture (I’ll get to that later), I got excited about a starting lineup of Jameer, Vince, Rashard, Rasheed, and Dwight. And considering that the Magic wouldn’t break the bank with Wallace, it left the ability to keep bench role players like Gortat, or even do a little more spending in the free agent market. But, alas, Boston’s Big 3 turned on the charm and swayed Rasheed to sign with the Celtics. Yet again we see one of the top tier teams get better with talent (come on, KG, Pierce, Allen, Rondo, and now Wallace?), separating the haves from the have-nots. Rumors are even circulating that veteran forward Grant Hill will join in on the fun, giving Boston yet another All-Star in its rotation. (Side Note: there are also rumors circulating that the New York Knicks are interested in signing Grant Hill…a possible “veteran leadership” role if they try nabbing LeBron? Or just a way to sell tickets and fill roster space until the bonanza of 2010?)

 

This is somewhat of a confusing signing. Rasheed is a natural power forward with a hot hand to shoot the 3. But his ego is one of a starter, and not a bench role player. Now, we’ve seen players in the past take lesser roles in a quest for a ring (which, again, doesn’t make sense considering he already has one), but I don’t see Wallace taking a back seat with Boston. That would require moving KG to center, a position that he’s not as comfortable playing. Of course, as a champion, this team will make the necessary adjustments (and seeing how the other bigs this year were Brian Scalabrine, Big Baby Davis, and Kendrick Perkins this was a decent signing). It hurts to not see Rasheed in a Magic uniform, but, it’s not the worst off-season decision we’ve seen so far.

 

The Lakers sign forward Ron Artest while the Rockets sign forward Trevor Ariza. In a de-facto trade, Los Angeles and Houston each sign a key forward that will have tremendous impacts on both teams. For the Rockets, it gives them an energetic and athletic scorer to provide options for a team with 2 unreliable superstars (McGrady and Yao). Coupled with a solid Aaron Brooks and a scrappy Shane Battier, I’m excited to see where this Houston team is headed.

 

For the Lakers, they just got a much needed upgrade. Character issues aside (which won’t be a problem with Phil Jackson at the helm…after all, he corralled Dennis Rodman into a champion), the City of Angels improved their defensive game (something that was exposed in both the Rockets and Nuggets series in this year’s playoffs) while adding veteran leadership when Kobe’s not on the floor. While they do give up some offensive ability, they have Bryant, Gasol, and possibly Odom to fill that gap left behind by Ariza’s departure. While not robbing another team of their talent, Los Angeles did increase their already powerful team while not having to give up much. Congratulations NBA, you’ve just segregated half of your market by only making 8 teams great while the other 22 have 0% chance of contending.

 

For the first time in nearly a decade, the NBA decides to lower the Salary Cap and Luxury tax for the 2009-2010 season, with projections that it will lower again for the 2010-2011 season. This should be a worrisome not only for every NBA team, but for every NBA fan. This has far reaching implications that none of us have yet to think about. First off, whatever spending spree we were looking forward to during the summer of 2010 is significantly hindered. Although the super-duper stars like LeBron, D-Wade, and Jermaine O’Neal will get their money, the 2^nd tier guys like Joe Johnson, Mike Miller, and Kenyon Martin will not get the contract they properly deserve. And with teams now having to stick to a smaller cap AND smaller luxury cap space, don’t be surprised if free agents on losing franchises (i.e. Chris Bosh) agree to horrid contracts just to play with the superstars and possibly chase a ring.

 

Now, some might argue that this will bring out the parity in the league, allowing the lesser franchises with money to nap the top tier talent. However, with the economy the way it is, and with players not guaranteed money knowing that teams will be hesitant during contract negotiations, what motivation does a superstar have to sign max money with a disastrous team. Yes, the Clippers and Bobcats will have the money, but with no one else on the team to support you, and with no guarantee that you’re getting the money you deserve, wouldn’t you rather take a couple million less and play for a contender with another superstar? In any other situation, a shrinking cap wouldn’t be a problem. However, with over a dozen key talents becoming available next summer, this equates to a perfect storm of trouble for the league. And, unless you’re a fan of Orlando, Cleveland, Boston, New York, New Jersey, Dallas, Denver, or L.A., you’re screwed if you want to see your team compete. Yes, the summer of 2010 will be exciting to see which player goes where, but it will also be disastrous to 75% of the league who’ll end up shelling out max contracts to consolation prizes.

 

Detroit agrees to terms with guard Ben Gordon and forward Charlie Villanueva; Cleveland agrees to a 6-year deal with forward Anderson Varejao. To the later part first, this is yet another blow to the Magic. With the addition of Shaq, many thought the focus of the Cavs was to just clear up cap space for LeBron, pairing him up with another superstar talent. But, with a reported 6-year, $45 million deal on the table, Cleveland looks to keep a great hustle player on its roster, possibly giving King James a piece of comfort in the paint for years to come. The reason I say this is a blow to Orlando is 1) the Magic could’ve used his scrappiness and knack for hustle rebounds and allowed Rashard Lewis to play his more natural position of the 3. And 2) if you watched the Cleveland/Orlando series in the playoffs (which, as a reminder, the Magic convincingly won), there were many a play where Anderson outplayed anyone wearing blue and frustrated those in the Magic Kingdom beyond belief. Yet again, we see a top tier team getting better. And yes, I realize that this news came down after I had written and posted my last article stating how he‘d be a free agent and how Orlando should sign him, so, all the “cough resigned cough” e-mails can stop. Thank you.

 

Now, for the Pistons, I’m quite intrigued with these signings. Although they let both Wallace and Iverson go to free agency, they picked up a great shooter in Gordon, and above average power forward with Villanueva. In what seems to be an extreme makeover in Detroit, the addition of these 2 players is nothing but a positive for the Bad Boys. Gordon (who single handedly led Chicago to an almost upset over Boston in one of the best playoff series the NBA has seen) is a scoring machine, giving Rip Hamilton a little less pressure on offense, and allowing Tayshaun Prince to roam around the floor, setting up open shots. Meanwhile, I like the presence of Uncle Fester, err, Villanueva in the paint. Although not a superstar, he is solid in grabbing rebounds, and for the price, a fairly good deal.

 

San Antonio agrees to terms with forward Antonio McDyess. What did I tell you about the Spurs and stealing talent? Texas will not be a good place for any NBA team to visit…

 

Denver agrees to keep forward Chris “Birdman” Anderson. The only real reason I mention this is 1) to have an article referencing the Birdman and 2) I would’ve loved to see Orlando go after him and bring his game to the City Beautiful. Mostly because I have yet to really talk about the Birdman in any of my articles.

As of 2am EST on July 9^th, these players are still listed as Free Agents: Marquis Daniels, Lamar Odom, David Lee, Desmond Mason, Andre Miller, Bobby Jackson, Rashad McCants, Drew Gooden, Joey Graham, Paul Millsap, and Juan Dixon. Why do I bring those names up? Because each of the players listed above are players I would LOVE to see in a Magic uniform. With Turk and Gortat likely out of the picture (I SWEAR I’ll get to that soon), Orlando does have some money to play with this year for free agency. Why not go after any one of these players? Ok, so, obviously the Magic doesn’t need 4 shooting guards, or yet another point guard controversy, but, realistically, Lee, Gooden, Millsap, or Mason would be welcomed additions without breaking the bank. (I’d love to throw Odom in the mix, but, seeing as Lamar and L.A. are far from a deal means that Orlando would never be able to offer him the money he wants). Just some food for thought, Otis Smith.

 

This just in! This just in! Sources say a 3-team deal involving Portland, Utah, and Chicago is in the works that would send Carlos Boozer to the Bulls, Kirk Hinrich to the Blazers, and Tyrus Thomas to Utah. This one unimpresses me for 2 of the 3 teams. For the Bulls, although you do improve tremendously under the paint with an All Star in Boozer, you do that at the sacrifice of having lost your best scorer on the team due to free agency. It seems just like a temporary fix to a problem Chicago doesn’t want to deal with. They’ll still make the playoffs, and they’ll still compete. But, until they get their go-to scorer, adding Boozer will just add to a scenario of a great player on a mediocre team (and I’m pretty sure everyone in Orlando can tell you about that…cough, Tracy McGrady, cough). For the Jazz, the only reason I see in giving up Boozer is to have enough cap space to resign Paul Millsap (grumble grumble). But really, you’re adding a softer, not as finesse player in Thomas. It’s an ok move I guess. You save cap space and keep a solid big man on your team, while adding an above average one at the same time. But, I don’t know if giving up a great (and I mean great) player like Carlos Boozer is really worth that.

 

What I really like is Portland’s involvement in this trade. After being spurned by Hedo Turkoglu (more on that later), the Blazers came away with little or nothing this free agency period. But, according to reports, it doesn’t seem as if they’re giving away much while getting a solid guard in return. Whether they use Hinrich as a backup to Roy, or as a backcourt teammate, this is nothing but a positive move for Portland. I don’t want this trade to come through for the fact that I want Carlos Boozer to stay in Salt Lake City, but, if it does go through, the clear winners in this are the Trail Blazers.

 

Dallas scheduled to offer Orlando center Marcin Gortat heavy multi-year contract. I’m torn as to how much I want Orlando to go after Gortat. On the one hand, he was the backbone of the bench, providing, not only clutch minutes in the paint, but a great energetic spark, picking up his teammates both on and off the court. Although he does need to work on his ball handling skills (we’ve seen WAY too many passes slip right through his hands this year), his rebounding prowess and knack for always being there is something the Magic would love to keep as a 2^nd option to Howard. But, at what cost? Remember, the Polish Prince is a restricted free agent this year, meaning, no matter what offer the Mavericks offer, Orlando has 7 days to match it and keep Marcin in black and blue. Magic GM Otis Smith has gone on the record saying, although he wants to keep Gortat, he won’t overpay for a backup big. And, quite frankly, I agree. As valuable as the Polish Power has been from the bench, that’s exactly what he’s relegated to, the bench. With uber-star Dwight Howard as your starter, there’s really no room for Gortat to shine, other than in a reserve role. Honestly, it would be ridiculous to spend more than $6-$7 million a year to keep him on the bench. Why not get an average big from the Summer League and use that money for a better talent starter at the 2-guard, or even a couple of bench big men to compliment the loss of both Gortat and Battie?

 

At this point, it’s unclear how much Dallas has really offered Marcin. If it’s reasonable (let’s say 3 year, $16 million), I say we retain his rights. But, considering how high his stock as risen, I’m afraid that the Great White Hope has seen his last days in O-Town.

 

Forward Hedo Turkoglu toys and eventually rejects Portland; NBA approves a 4-team trade with Dallas, Toronto, Orlando, and Memphis to send forward Shawn Marion to the Mavericks and Hedo Turkoglu to the Raptors. The reason my article was a tad delayed today in getting posted was that, as the editors were going over my column, news came in about this 4-team trade and how it would impact the Magic. Thus, I was on a temporary hold until we actually got some solidified news. This transaction, along with the Gortat one mentioned above (and along with the resigning of Jason Kidd and the sneaky signing of 3-point specialist Quinton Ross) make the Mavs a dangerous team next year. First of, let me talk about The Matrix (by the way, best nickname in the NBA by far). I have no idea what Toronto is doing. Chris Bosh has openly said he will not re-sign with the Raptors, and they trade away their only other superstar in Marion for a sack of beans. Yet, they give Hedo a crazy contract, hindering them from signing another high profile star. I love Shawn’s game and was sad to see Orlando not make a move for him, but, for Dallas, he will be a beast. His flexibility and finesse under the basket is a great compliment to his poise as a defender, waiting your move before he shuts you down is something rarely seen in the league. And although he struggled in Miami and Toronto, the Mavs high scoring, fast moving style is very similar to what he blossomed with in Phoenix just a few years ago.

 

For Orlando, I actually love how they snuck into this trade, just to benefit themselves and no one else. Had Dallas not been interested in Marion, Toronto would’ve simply just traded him elsewhere or outright just let him go. But, because they still have yet to officially sign Hedo, and they’re demanding compensation for losing the Matrix, an original 3-team trade was in the works. But, not so fast. The Magic, knowing they were going to lose Turk anyway, come along and forced themselves into the deal. All they’re getting out of it? A $7 million trade exception from Hedo’s contract. Some of you might be confused as to why this is a good thing, but, remember, Orlando was going to get nothing for Turk anyway. Why not parlay his departure into a valuable (and I mean valuable) trade exceptionand eventually play “moneyball” with your salary cap to trade for yet another key role player at a discounted price? This was a very smart move by Otis Smith. Essentially, he became the buddy who, at the last minute, agreed to drive everyone to the party in exchange for a couple of bucks to cover gas, knowing he’d end up getting more collectively than what he’s really using (great ploy if you want to make a couple of bucks, by the way. And especially if there’s going to be drinking at the party, wait to collect until the end of the night).

 

Now, I know most of you have been waiting to read my thoughts on Turk’s departure from the Magic, and what exactly I think of the situation. Well, much to people’s dismay, I say “good riddance!” Now, now, don’t be hasty. This isn’t a lambasting of Hedo, nor is it an article on why he was a horrible player. On the contrary, I absolutely loved him wearing #15 for Orlando. In fact, I wanted to shell out the money to keep him on the team. But, given recent events (showing that all he cares about is the money), I’m perfectly fine with letting him go. First off, it was reported that the Magic offered Turk roughly a 4-year, $36 million deal that he ended up rejecting. Upon hearing this, and the news that he was in talks with the Trail Blazers, Orlando pulled the trigger on the highly controversial Vince Carter trade, and with just cause. If you were going to lose a superstar at small forward, why not trade for another veteran All Star in the same position? It was then reported that Portland was to offer him a 5 year, $50 million deal (essentially $1 million more a year and with 1 extra year). On paper, this looked like a slap in the face to Orlando. For a team that just went to the championship (with Turk as a major reason), he opted to leave them for an extra $1 million a year. Although I understand that this is a business and you’re always in it to make money for you and your family, it still seemed despicable.

 

But, it did make sense from his point of view. After all, Portland was a great, young, up and coming team. With a nucleus of Brendan Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Travis Outlaw, and Rudy Fernandez, Hedo could’ve been the veteran leadership that took them far in the Western Conference. But, the dream signing for the Rose City was not to be. Rumors and speculation aside, Turk would eventually turn down Portland and instead start negotiations with the Toronto Raptors. This makes even less sense. As I’ve stated earlier, Chris Bosh has openly said he wasn’t going to resign with the team. And in order for the Raptors to have the cash to give Hedo, they had to give up a superstar in Marion (and probably key role players like Joey Graham and Carlos Delfino). So, really, the future in Toronto seems bleak. The only way this makes any sense to me is that Turk doesn’t care about winning championships, and he really only cares about money. Now, with the NBA set up the way it is, the Raptors could just as easily be contenders in a couple of years with uber-star Hedo Turkoglu as it’s main man, but, for the immediate time being, it does make a lot of people in the City Beautiful collectively scratch their heads as to why Hedo is going elsewhere.

 

The weird thing is, this 4-team trade is probably just the midpoint of what looks to be a crazy summer of 2009. With everyone looking forward to the spending spree of 2010, this year looks to usurp the attention with everything that’s gone on since Kobe and Company were awarded a ring. Quite frankly, I’m surprised. It looked as if Hedo was the only major free agent of the summer, yet, we’ve already had over a dozen league shaking signings, trades, and re-signings that reinforce the fact that, while the playoffs just got a hell of a lot better, the teams no longer in competition just distanced themselves further from relevancy. Meanwhile, the 8 teams that do compete just got even bigger and even stronger.

 

So, the only thing I have left to say after a month of craziness is “Bon Voyage, Turk.” It’s been great seeing you shine and excel here, but, it’s going to be you, and not us who will be regretting this decision.

 

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