The FIBA world championship starts in mere days, and while team USA comes into the tournament as a perennial favorite, it’s far from a sure thing USA can win this tournament.

There’s a huge monkey on team USA’s back considering they haven’t won it since 1994, back when the likes of Reggie Miller, Dominique Wilkins, and Joe Dumars led the team to the top. This is a huge deal considering this is considered the premier competition for international basketball. Maybe in America the Olympics are considered to be more important than the FIBA worlds, but that’s not how it is viewed around the world.

Team USA also comes into this tournament with a roster full of players that aren’t exactly the cream of the crop that this country has to produce.

None of the members of the redeem team are coming back for this tournament, and many of the players who were part of the 22 man roster withdrew, whether it was Amar’e Stoudemire with contract insurance issues, or Brook Lopez who struggled to recover from mono.  To be honest if the coaches had their desired roster, we wouldn’t many of these names.

While this squad is built much differently from the 2008 redeem team, this is a very talented squad capable of winning it all, and by no means are these players scrubs. This is a very young team five players on the team are 21, and only two are 30 or over. This is a roster composed of young NBA talent, a roster that includes names like Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, and Kevin Love.

It used to be that USA winning an international competition was a foregone conclusion; none of the opposing teams could compete with USA. However now many other countries can not only compete with USA, but they are capable of upsetting team USA in a game that counts.

Countries such as Spain, and Greece will enter the tournament with a chip on their shoulder, they think they are the team to beat. Spain features a roster that includes phenom Ricky Rubio and big man Marc Gasol. Spain gave USA’s redeem team trouble in the Olympic gold medal game, they are the kind of team that could give USA trouble because they can shoot the ball which is crucial in international play, and they have a true center in Marc Gasol.

Greece on the other hand was a team that USA routed in an exhibition by a score of 87-59 but don’t take that at face value. Greece was missing its two big men, 6’11” Yannis Bouroussis, and 6’10’ Sofoklis Schortsanitis, both can play center and both can give USA trouble on the boards.

For this USA team to win it all, Kevin Durant is going to have to be the unquestioned leader. Durant’s role on this team won’t be the same as his role on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

For the Thunder Durant was asked to carry the scoring load, he’s not going to have to do that while playing for team USA, but he will have to be more of playmaker, and he’s going to have to be a better defender.

Let’s make it clear the offense will run through Durant, Durant will have the ball in his hands for much of the time, and he’s going to take the last shot, nine times out of ten. There is no way USA could win it all if Durant doesn’t show up, he’s by far the most important player on this team.

What makes this team unique from other teams and previous USA teams is that this team is extremely guard oriented. Mike Kryzewski named five guards to the roster; all five bring a unique skill set. I expect that Derrick Rose is going to start at point guard for the team; Rose brings the combination of speed and athleticism.

The scouting report says that Rose can’t shoot, but in international play the three point line is shorter, and it’s well within Rose’s range. Rose is the best penetrator on the team, he can frequently get to the line, and his ball handling is among the best in the NBA. I expect Rose to start at point guard because of his big game experience and the fact that he has the ability to be a playmaker, but score and be aggressive when called upon.

Then there is Chauncey Billups, the oldest player on the team, who will assume the role Jason Kidd did for the 2008 redeem team. Billups won’t be playing point guard like he has been while playing in the NBA, but he’ll likely start at shooting guard.

Coach K will be counting on Billups to provide veteran leadership, and be a three point threat given that he’ll be playing alongside Derrick Rose who isn’t as sharp of a shooter, and in international play you must always have a long range shooter in the backcourt.

The team will be relying in guards Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook and Eric Gordon to provide some scoring punch off the bench. Curry could take over and run the point if called upon, and Gordon will likely be used as a spark off the bench.

Westbrook plays a similar style to Derrick Rose, which may mean he doesn’t see as much playing time because he’s not a shooter, but he’ll assume a defensive role off the bench. Westbrook can play both guard positions, and he’s an exceptional defender who can guard dynamic shooting guards, remember he guarded Kobe Bryant in the playoffs.

Team USA will be playing small during the tournament which is why a team like Spain could give them some trouble, originally they had planned to have Amar’e Stoudemire and Brook Lopez starting in the frontcourt, but due to a series of injuries, USA had a limited selection when it came to the front court.

It looks like Lamar Odom will be starting at center, and Andre Iguodala will be the starting power forward, both are by far the team’s two most versatile players.

Odom can play positions three through five, and run the point for stretches; Coach K covets a player of his skill and versatility. At 30, he’s the only player on the team who has any major international experience.

Odom’s role on the champion Lakers was sixth man because he was playing in a stacked front court that included Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. On this team Odom will be asked to have role similar to Pau Gasol’s role on the Lakers, he’s going to have to be the Lamar Odom before Pau Gasol came to LA.

Odom is certainly up for the challenge, this is a guy who has averaged at least 9 rebounds six times in his career. There is certainly a huge disparity between the Lamar Odom who plays on the Lakers and team USA’s Lamar Odom, but we knew Coach K was going to have to get creative because of the shortage of big men.

Andre Iguodala is palyer who doesn’t get as much recognition as he should because he’s played on some bad Sixers teams, but Iguodala is the team’s best defender, and a true physical specimen. At 6’6” Iguodala is going to be playing out of position, and he’s going to be asked to defend players at least three inches taller than him.

Iguodala has great speed and athleticism, he can get to the free throw line, but his long range shooting is questionable. Nevertheless Iguodala’s main role on this team is going to be a defensive stopper; most of the wing scoring is going to come from Kevin Durant anyways.

Meanwhile the team has some frontcourt depth on the bench with Tyson Chandler and Kevin Love. Chandler is the team’s lone seven footer; he’s going to see a good amount of playing time if the opposing team has a center that can score inside. Chandler’s free throw shooting is a concern, but he’s seven feet tall, and the team’s only true center.

Love is currently outside the rotation but I think he’s going to have a big impact; Love has the type of game that fits the FIBA style of play. He can play inside and outside, and he the three point line is within his shooting range, Love will be used as a stretch four off the bench.

The bottom line is this team is far from a shoe in to get gold in this tournament, and the competition is going to be tough. However this team is filled with young talent and Coach K is going to get creative.

With a roster built on young guards, a few veterans, and a new face of American basketball, team USA has its best shot in years to win it all for the first time since 1994.

After the biggest summer in NBA history, the landscape of the league has severely changed, for better or worse, the powers of the league have shifted.

What a difference a year can make

Last season I wrote this same article, the Miami Heat ranked sixth out of seven teams on the slideshow, after the acquisitions of Lebron James and Chris Bosh, the Heat are early favorites to make it out of the east, and potentially dethrone the Los Angeles Lakers for the NBA title.

Many of my predictions last year didn’t go as planned, for instance the Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers were two teams I expected to make the playoffs, turns out they were owners to the first and second overall picks in this year’s draft.

On the other hand, I had the Milwaukee Bucks finishing dead last in the eastern conference, however led by point guard Brandon Jennings, the made the playoffs and took the Atlanta Hawks to seven games.

Some of my predictions did go right, for instance I knew the Atlanta Hawks were going to among the east’s top four, as I had them ranked as the best middle of the road team in the east.

This article won’t feature teams like the Heat, Magic or Celtics, but it will feature teams who are just a tier below in the eastern conference. These are just predictions, but one thing I know for sure, this season will be nothing like the previous season.

5. Charlotte Bobcats

Last season the Bobcats earned their first ever playoff berth playing in the city of Charlotte, however they were no match for the Orlando Magic, losing four out of four games. The Bobcats managed to win 44 games in the regular season and a huge reason for that was their defense.

Charlotte led the league in defensive efficiency last season, and if they hope to make the postseason they will have to keep up their defensive intensity.

The Bobcats aren’t flashy, they get it done with defensive, led by a scrappy group of players such as Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace, the Bobcats are going to try and get it done with defense again.

They lost their starting point guard Raymond Felton, which is a huge loss, because Felton was a playmaking point guard who had some ability to shoot the ball and score. 2008 first rounder DJ Augustin is going to try to fill the void at the point guard position.

Augustin disappointed last season as he only averaged 6 points and 2 assists, compared to his rookie year when he averaged 11 points and 3 assists. The team has a lot of stock in Augustin considering he was picked 9^th in the 2008 draft ahead of players like Brook Lopez, Anthony Randolph, and Javale McGee, and the team didn’t see retaining Raymond Felton as a priority.

The Bobcats roster looks weaker and the eastern conference has gotten significantly stronger, but if the team can repeat their defensive performance from last season, and they can get some good point guard play, this team should be good for another 40 plus win season and their second straight playoff berth.

4. Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks were one of the better stories of the previous NBA season, considering I had them pegged to finish dead last in the east, they surpassed expectations, and they owe it all to rookie point guard Brandon Jennings, center Andrew Bogut, and head Coach Scott Skiles. The Bucks finished the season 46-6, earning their first playoff berth in four years.

The Bucks success starts from the top, GM John Hammond, made two decisions that didn’t seem popular at the time but proved to be good moves. Hammond drafted Brandon Jennings 10^th overall in the 2009 draft, there were many questions surrounding Jennings after a questionable stint in Italy. Jennings was viewed as a risk-reward guy but he payed off big time and ran the point for a playoff team as a rookie. Jennings looks to be the cornerstone for this Bucks franchise for years to come.

Hammond then acquired veteran John Salmons at the trade deadline, many league execs thought the Bulls had got the better end of this deal because Salmons’ contract was off the Bulls hands, and Salmons was not having a good year, averaging 12 points, and shooting 42 percent in 51 games with the Bulls.

Salmons then came to the Bucks and led the team in scoring averaging just under 20 points, and shooting 46 percent. Salmons was a key cog, and provided some needed scoring out of the shooting guard position for the Bucks. The Bucks then resigned Salmons to a five year deal in July.

Bucks center Andrew Bogut may have been the most important piece to the Bucks during their run. Bogut proved he could stay healthy, and until a devastating injury the Bucks looked like they could make some noise in the playoffs. Bogut earned third team all NBA honors, averaging 16 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks.

The Bucks hope to have Bogut back at the beginning of next season, and if they can get the Jennings-Bogut-Salmons core playing the way they did for a whole season, this team is a lock for the playoffs, and don’t be surprised if you see them in a second round series.

3. Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks were embarrassed by the Orlando Magic in a second round series last year, and while the team didn’t impress in the playoffs, they didn’t make any roster changes either. The team fired head coach Mike Woodson and replaced him with former player Larry Drew.

After five straight years of improvement, the Hawks may have reached their ceiling with this current roster, but they still are good enough to compete for a top four seed, and their core remains intact.

The Hawks made Joe Johnson the biggest winner this summer when it came to money, Johnson, not LeBron James or Dwyane Wade was the highest paid player this offseason, pretty bizarre. The Hawks did overpay for Johnson, shelling out 119 million over six years, if you do the math, Johnson is going to be paid about 20 million a year at 35, that’s a pretty bad contract.

But the Hawks couldn’t afford to let Johnson go and have roughly seven million dollars in cap room to replace an all star shooting guard. They couldn’t risk returning to being a team right on the playoff bubble.

The Hawks also have Josh Smith who made a huge leap last season in becoming a much more efficient player last season, expect Smith to fill up the stat sheet, and compete with Dwight Howard for the defensive player of the year award due to his shot blocking.

Reigning sixth man of the year Jamal Crawford should be set to have another solid year coming off the bench, and Al Horford should continue to play at an all star level.

Overall this Hawks team doesn’t look any better than last season’s, but they’re still a lock for the postseason. The Hawks don’t have the flexibility to make any major roster moves, so as of now I expect them to finish in the bottom half of the east, and likely be knocked out of the first round.

2. New York Knicks

After being the laughing stock of the league for the past decade, it’s time for the New York Knicks to return to the playoffs. The Knicks weren’t considered players in the regular season, but they came into the offseason dreaming of the ultimate prize, LeBron James. The Knicks had spent the last two seasons doing do things, trying to clean the stain Isiah Thomas left on the franchise, and put all their chips in the summer of 2010.

The Knicks didn’t come out on top in the LeBron James sweepstakes, but they didn’t strike out either. The Knicks actually made some solid roster, solid enough to improve the team’s win total by 10 games.

This year’s starting five will be significantly different than last year’s, first off the Knicks added the best power forward on the market, Amar’e Stoudemire. Yes, the Stoudemire signing was a huge risk considering Stoudemire has had three major injuries, and the team has invested 100 million over five years in Stoudemire, but it was a move the team had to make.

There’s no way Donnie Walsh would give Mike D’Antoni the same pieces to work with after two years of preaching to the fans that a winning product will take the floor at MSG, a six year playoff drought, and a whole decade of bad basketball.

Walsh knew that he had to add at least one superstar caliber player to a team that won 29 games last season, and a future mortgaged in trades that set up the Knicks for the summer of 2010.

It starts with Amar’e Stoudemire, first off the Knicks added the best power forward on the market, Amar’e Stoudemire. Yes, the Stoudemire signing was a huge risk considering Stoudemire has had three major injuries, and the team has invested 100 million over five years in Stoudemire, but it was a move the team had to make. Stoudemire alone improves this team’s win total by at least ten games.

But the Knicks added some other pieces; they netted three solid pieces in the David Lee trade including a potential young superstar in Anthony Randolph, a dynamic shooting guard in Kelena Azuibuke, and a defensive big man in Ronnie Turiaf.

The Knicks also added a true point guard, one that should be capable of running D’Antoni’s offense. Raymond Felton should step in and be an upgrade over the likes of Chris Duhon, and Nate Robinson. Felton’s play should increase because he’s playing for an offensive coach in Mike D’Antoni, in contrast to his former coach Larry Brown who put a great emphasis on defense.

Overall, this Knicks team is going to be much better than the 29 win team, and while the team is no match to the Heat or Magic, they should be a playoff team and finally relevant again.

1. Chicago Bulls

I consider the Bulls a middle of the road team for now, however they are the only team on this slideshow that could sneak into the upper tier of the east that includes Miami, Orlando, and Boston.

The Bulls were one of the teams who gave up on last season at the trade deadline and shed salary in order to make room for two superstars, putting all their chips in 2010 free agency. The Bulls didn’t land LeBron James, but they did put the bat on the ball, they acquired all star power forward Carlos Boozer, and at a cheaper price then the other big men on the market.

Boozer isn’t on the same level of a Stoudemire or a Bosh, but when healthy he’s a top power forward in the league, and he’s a nightly double double. Boozer has averaged a double double over his eight year career, and he’s exactly what the Bulls need, a low post scorer, and a pick and roll partner for Derrick Rose.

Speaking of Derrick Rose, Rose hasn’t taken this summer off as he’s spent countless hours working on a three point shot, and he’s trying to make the final 12 man roster for team USA.

Rose is the complete package as a point guard, he’s the Bulls franchise changer, he’s right on the cusp of becoming of the league’s elite players, and I think this is the year where he breaks out, and emerges as one of the top 10 players in the NBA.

Last year the Bulls had an inability to score inside, and make outside shots. Carlos Boozer, and Kyle Korver who should strengthen the Bulls bench, should make the Bulls a more efficient offensive team.

The Bulls also hired a new head coach in Tom Thibodeau; Thibodeau was the former Celtics assistant. Thibodeau is known as a defensive mastermind as he was one who figured out Kobe Bryant in the 2008 NBA finals, and shut down LeBron James in the eastern conference semis. Thibodeau is relatively unproven, but he should be a better fit over Vinny Del Negro.

With all the offseason moves they made, plus a core of Rose-Noah-Deng, if healthy the Bulls should exceed 50 wins, climb into the east’s upper tier and potentially challenge the east’s elite.

The Next Tier

These are the teams that are just below the middle of the road teams, but could sneak into the playoffs. A hot start, an injury, or a break out player, who knows, any of these teams could find themselves in the playoffs; look at the Milwaukee Bucks last season.

Washington Wizards

John Wall alone should make this team relevant again; Wall is the kind of player that can turn a team’s fortunes upside down. Pair him with Gilbert Arenas in the backcourt, and the Wizards could find themselves competing for a playoff spot.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers added Evan Turner who could be a superstar, they expect point guard Jrue Holiday to make a huge leap after he showed great promise last season, and new head coach Doug Collins always gets more than expected out of his teams, especially in the first year.

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers have missed the playoffs for the last five years; over that span they haven’t made any bold moves. This year however they acquired two pieces in the draft who are big risks but could have a huge payoff, Paul George who has a great upside, and Lance Stephenson the guard out of New York City who has some Tyreke Evans in his game and could be an early contributor.

Detroit Pistons

This is a stretch but if they have everyone healthy they could field a relevant team capable of making the playoffs. Rodney Stuckey is going to have to prove that he can be a starting point guard, Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva are going to have to live up to their contracts, and Joe Dumars is going to have to make some bold moves regarding the team’s uncertain future.

Scottie Pippen was inducted to the basketball hall of fame alongside others such as Karl Malone, the 1992 dream team, and Dennis Johnson. Pippen was a central piece to the Bulls six titles, and at his prime Pippen was among the best forwards in the game.

Pippen was the true sidekick. In fact today not only is the media trying to find the next Jordan, but the media is trying to find his Pippen.A sidekick in the NBA is no longer referred to as a sidekick, but as a Pippen.

Scottie Pippen was a great player a great sidekick, but there are many misconceptions and myths about Pippen, ones that make us think Pippen was an all time great. Here’s the truth to the sidekick to greatest of all time.

Truth: Scottie Pippen was the best wing defender of his era

Pippen was the ultimate defender, physically he had the gifts to do be a great defender, he had great size, and might have had the longest arms in the league, however Pippen was also tough, and he had a defenders mentality. Pippen was beyond your solid 6-8 defender, he could guard point guards, wings, and even bigs. Almost no wing player in the NBA today can guard small quick point guards the way Pippen did.

Pippen averaged two steals for his career, including two straight seasons where he was just short of averaging three steals.  Pippen was named to the all defensive team 12 times in his 17 year career, including eight first team selections, almost unheard of.

Measuring by today’s standards, Kobe Bryant has only made first team all defense eight times, Bruce Bowen has done it five times, and neither Tayshaun Prince nor Shane Battier have ever done it. That alone should speak volumes about Pippen’s outstanding defense.

On every one of the Bulls championship teams, Pippen guarded the opposing team’s best player, he shut down most. Pippen is credited for guarding Magic Johnson during the 1991 finals, and while he didn’t shut down Magic, Magic was limited due to Pippen’s defense. Pippen’s defense was key reason in the Bulls success, it allowed Jordan to exert his energy on the offensive end, and ultimately play more minutes.

Could the Bulls have won six without a defensive stopper like Pippen, maybe not. No other player in that era could replicate the defensive efforts of Scottie Pippen.

Truth: Pippen was a product of Jordan, Phil Jackson, and Chicago

By no means would Scottie Pippen have been the same player had Jerry Krause never made the draft day trade that sent Scottie Pippen from Seattle to Chicago. Pippen entered the league on what would be the best NBA team ever, playing alongside the best NBA player ever, for the best NBA coach ever.

Pippen could never have been a number one guy on a title team; after Jordan’s first retirement Pippen lead the Bulls to a 55 win season, Pippen was finally the lead dog, but never good enough to take his team to the promise land.

In the 93-95 season Pippen became the 2^nd player to ever lead his team in points, rebounds, and assists, however the team won 55 games, and was eventually knocked out by the New York Knicks in the eastern conference semis. The next season Jordan returned and played in 17 games, the team won 47 games, and lost again in the eastern conference semis, this time to the Orlando Magic.

During the two years Jordan was retired, the Bulls missed Jordan, but more so Pippen missed Jordan, and while Pippen got his stats, and he was the top dog, he realized that it was better when he had Jordan and the team was winning. Pippen realized he wasn’t made to be the alpha dog, but to be a sidekick.

Pippen was also a product of his coach Phil Jackson; Jackson’s triangle offense utilized Pippen’s ability to shoot, score, and be a playmaker. Pippen didn’t become the player we know today until Phil Jackson transformed him from a guy who averaged 12 points a game in two seasons, to the greatest sidekick of all time.

Pippen was also a product of playing in one of America’s biggest markets in Chicago. Had Jerry Krause never made the trade for Pippen, Pippen would’ve been stuck on a mediocre Supersonics team playing alongside the likes of Xavier McDaniel, and Dale Ellis.

Pippen wouldn’t have gotten the attention or treatment from the media had he been playing in a small market. Had Pippen played his whole career in a small market, we would not have thought of him as an all time great.

I’ll pose this question to you who was a better individual player, Scottie Pippen or Alex English. English had a better career scoring average 21.5 compared to Pippin’s 16, but almost all of today’s NBA fans have never heard of English, and Pippen is widely recognized.

The fact is English spent his career playing in smaller cities like Milwaukee and Denver. Had English played in a bigger market, and Scottie played alone in a small market, we would think of English as a top 50 player, the same goes for a player like George Gervin who in my opinion is also better than Pippen.

Myth: Pippen deserved to be on the 1992 dream team

By the time the dream team was announced Scottie Pippen had played in one season all star caliber season, which was the 91-92 season in which he averaged 21-7-7, Pippen was growing as a player and entering his prime. On the other hand Isiah Thomas was just coming off leading the Detroit Pistons to back to back titles, Thomas was considered the best point guard in the NBA, and was adding to his hall of fame resume.

Isiah Thomas deserved to be on the team, and no explanation other than conspiracy, and retaliation for Isiah Thomas being part of the “Freezing out” Jordan in the 1985 all star game. Supposedly Jordan said he wouldn’t play if Zeke was named to the dream team, and Pippen labeled Isiah a cheap shot artist, bottom line is Isiah deserved it more than Pippen.

Dominique Williams deserved it more than Pippen too, at the time Wilkins was a more established player, and a much better scorer than Pippen would ever be. Pippen did not belong on the 1992 dream team; there were a few others who deserved it more.

Myth: Pippen is a top 50 player of all time

The NBA released it’s top 50 team back in 1996, had the team been released today, Pippen wouldn’t have been on the list, even back then Pippen shouldn’t have made it. Back then Pippen still hadn’t even won his last two titles.

I could think of a few players who deserved to be on the list over Scottie Pippen. Bob McAdoo was the first big man who could put the ball on the floor, and play on the perimeter. McAdoo led the league in scoring three times, including once in his second season. McAdoo was a former league MVP, unlike Pippen.

Joe Dumars is another player more deserving than Pippen. Dumars was a key cog on the bad boy Pistons, Dumars was a beast on defense, he was a great shooter, and he could carry the team when called upon. Dumars was one of the games clutch players, winning the 1989 NBA finals MVP trophy, something Pippen had never done.

Reggie Miller is one of the NBA’s all time clutch performers, Miller came into the league the same year Pippen did, but fails to get the same recognition. Is it because Miller played in Indiana? Is it because he never won a title?

Nonetheless Miller as an individual player had the ability to put a team on his back in the clutch and get it done, unlike Pippen. Miller is one of the top NBA players of all time when it comes to the clutch.

I believe Miller and Pippen are basically on the same level when it comes to all time status, Miller could put a team on his back in the clutch but never won a title, Pippen was the second banana who was a selfless sidekick which allowed him to win six titles, it’s basically a wash, but Pippen gets much more recognition than Reggie Miller.

The fact is Pippen benefited greatly from playing alongside the greatest player of all time, under the greatest coach of all time in one of the world’s biggest markets. I’m sure Pippen would’ve been multiple time all star had he played in a smaller market on an average team, but certainly not a top 50 player or a hall of famer.

Myth: Pippen was a clutch player

I struggle to find where this notion that Scottie Pippen was clutch player comes from; does it come from the media? Does it come from the fans?  Regardless Pippen was never a clutch player, not even remotely clutch.

I haven’t even mentioned the number 1.8, but here it goes. 1994, it was the eastern conference semis, Bulls vs. Knicks, game tied at 102, and with 1.8 seconds the Bulls were going to inbound the ball for what would be the game winning shot. Bulls coach Phil Jackson drew up a play in which Scottie Pippen would inbound and Toni Kukoc would take the final shot. Pippen was furious that he would be inbounding and not taking the shot himself, after he had groomed himself to be the team’s best player.

Pippen had been trying to be Jordan all year, however instead of inbounding; Pippen threw the towel, sat out the play in which Kukoc hit a fall away 23 footer. Pippen had basically quit with the game up for grabs.

That’s not the only example, Pippen’s first year in Portland, the Blazers up 15 points with 10 minutes left against the Lakers, game 7, it’s win or go home, and Portland has all but secured. The Lakers went on a 15-0 run and eventually won 89-84 to pull off what is the greatest comeback in NBA history, and the worst choke in NBA history.

Pippen had a terrible game as he fouled out with 25 seconds left, and shot 3 for 10 from the field, finishing with 12 points, 10 rebounds Pippen was brought into Portland to bring veteran leadership, experience, and a closer.

Everyone was waiting for Pippen to take over the game, to be a closer and seal the deal for Portland, however Pippen came up very small, scoring 9 of his 12 in the first quarter, and going 1 for 7 from the field for the rest of the game.

Instead of taking over the game, Pippen watched Rasheed Wallace, Steve Smith, and Brian Grant shoot the Blazers out of the game, he did nothing, he just stood by, and was barely noticeable. The Blazers needed a few baskets to seal the deal, and Pippen was nowhere to be found.

Every time the Bulls had the chance at the winning shot, they would rather have Jordan taking the shot with five guys on him, than a wide open Pippen, Jordan got the shot no matter how he was guarded, Pippen wasn’t the guy who puts the team on his back and finds a way to win in the worst of circumstances.

Pippen was asked to be Jordan when Jordan left the game, he was asked to be a veteran leader when he joined the Blazers, the pressure was simply too much to handle.

Myth: Pippen was one of the greatest players of his era

By greatest of his era, I mean one of the five or six best to play the game at that time, the problem is that the basketball hall of fame has low standards and lets in more players than deserved. I believe hall of fame should be only for the five or six greatest players per era, with a few exceptions, not letting in every player who was simply great or really good.

While Pippen was a great player, he certainly wasn’t in the top five or six players to play in the early to mid 90s. Pippen prime lasted from the 90-91 season to the 96-97 season, in that span Pippen averaged 20 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.9 assists, those are impressive numbers but not top five or six during his era.

Unfortunately for Scottie Pippen the era he played in was one of the NBA’s greatest, he’s definitely not one of the greatest of that era by my standards.

To list a few that were certainly better than Pippen, Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, David Robinson, and Hakeem Olajuwon, not to mention Michael Jordan. Those six are considered to be among the top 25 players to ever play the game.

Then there’s the second tier of hall of famers, one that includes John Stockton, Reggie Miller, and Pippen. Stockton was inducted to the hall of fame last year, and is the all time leader in assists, and steals, undoubtedly a hall of famer. I believe Reggie Miller should go in on the first ballot, just like Pippen did.

Pippen was a top 10 player of his era, but not in that upper tier of five or six guys, therefore not one of greatest players of his era, but a great player who played in one of basketballs best times.

The bottom line

Scottie Pippen was a great player, he had a great career, but the bottom line is Scottie Pippen wouldn’t be celebrated the way he is today had he not played with Michael Jordan. Pippen came to the league in a perfect situation, had he been asked to carry a team on his back his whole career, Pippen would be ring-less. We saw it when Jordan left basketball, Pippen was asked to carry the team, and he knew he couldn’t do it.

I’m not saying Pippen isn’t a hall of famer, but he wasn’t a top 50 player, he wasn’t one of the greatest of his era, he wasn’t a clutch player, he was a product of the great Michael Jordan. Pippen was the ultimate sidekick to the greatest of all time, and there’s no sham

Multiple reports confirm that Tracy McGrady is a member of the Detroit Pistons; the deal is worth 1.35 million. McGrady had played with the Rockets and Knicks last season for just 30 games, in which he averaged eight points, and three assists. After coming off a serious knee injury, subpar stats were expected for McGrady.

McGrady looked like he was going to sign with the Chicago Bulls, he even said that the Bulls team with him and Boozer could be one of the east’s powers, however talks with Chicago fizzled opening the door for division rival Detroit Pistons.

Bulls GM John Paxson said that McGrady had a good workout, and that he may have turned the corner physically but he didn’t fit with the team. The Bulls are looking to push the ball and play up temp with point guard Derrick Rose, McGrady doesn’t have the legs or conditioning that will allow him to play heavy minutes in an up tempo system. The team filled their large hole at shooting guard by adding Kyle Korver, and signing veteran Keith Bogans instead.

The seven time all star and two time scoring champ looked like a shell of his old self last season, McGrady couldn’t handle heavy minutes, he struggled to shoot the ball shooting 38 percent from the field, and 25 percent from behind the arc. McGrady didn’t show signs of any explosiveness, and never showed that he could return to his old form.

Entering his 13^th season at 31, McGrady looks past his prime, and washed up. The Pistons aren’t getting the seven time all star, their getting an over the hill veteran worth the veterans minimum. McGrady isn’t going to carry a weak Pistons team, if he plays the way he did last season, the Pistons are still the same 27 win team from last season.

That being said, this is a low risk signing, and it’s certainly a risk worth taking considering the Pistons only paid 1.35 million. Maybe McGrady will draw some fan interest, but that’s unlikely. However basketball wise it might not be a bad move, if McGrady proves to be healthy.

The Pistons have a log jam at the wing positions with Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince. McGrady reportedly agreed that he’d play behind both Hamilton and Prince, but the team has been trying to move both since last summer. Hamilton is going to be tough to move considering he only played in 46 games, he’s 32 years old, and he still has 25 million guaranteed for the next two seasons, a partially guaranteed third season, probably too much for a 32 year old.

Prince is much more likely to be moved, he only has one year remaining on his contract, plus he’s two years younger than Hamilton. Prince is coming off a season in which he averaged 13 points, 5 rebounds, and three assists, but only played in 49 games. My best bet is that Prince will be moved because of his value as an expiring contract.

Let’s say the Pistons do clear their log jam at the wing positions, will McGrady come off the bench or play at small forward. Rip Hamilton showed no interest in playing small forward when Allen Iverson was in Detroit, so he’s likely staying at shooting guard.

The big question would be where does Rodney Stuckey play, will he play at point guard or shooting guard. Stuckey looks to be a shooting guard in a point guard’s body. The Pistons don’t have any other player capable of running the point other than Will Bynum, so it looks Stuckey will probably play point guard this season.

Then the Pistons have the Ben Gordon situation, Gordon was the team’s big free agent acquisition last summer, however he played awful last season, averaging 13 points per game, in 62 games. Gordon is recovering from offseason ankle surgery and the team hopes to have him back by training camp. Gordon will probably log heavy minutes off the bench if he’s healthy, but who will get more playing time, it’d have to be Gordon because he’s the team’s big investment with 4 years, 44 million remaining on his current contract.

McGrady is going to have a lot of competition for minutes, even if he does come off the bench, but the Pistons see it as a low risk signing. Basketball wise his impact might be minimal but it’s a risk worth taking for the Detroit Pistons considering they are in a rebuilding stage, they need to draw some fan interest, their future doesn’t look too bright, plus they only paid the veterans minimum.

As for McGrady’s career, this may be his last chance to prove that he can stay healthy for the course of a full NBA season, even if it means coming off the bench.

While the English Premier League season kicking off in less than a week, we know American star Landon Donovan won’t be playing in England this year, but across the Atlantic for his hometown Galaxy. Donovan had spent three months with Everton in the EPL last season, this year however a transfer to the premier league looks highly unlikely.

MLS commissioner Don Garber has put a hefty price on Donovan in order to keep Donovan in the states. Garber realizes that Donovan is the face of American soccer, the most recognizable American soccer player, and the best player the country has ever produced, he feels the league needs Donovan in order to succeed, but does Donovan need MLS?

I understand that Garber wants to keep the best American player in America, but how does keeping Donovan in the MLS validate US soccer around the world? Which is the ultimate goal, isn’t it? Wouldn’t it be better if America had its best player playing overseas against better competition, proving that the US can produce world class soccer players?

Garber said “MLS needs soccer heroes, and we have a great American soccer hero playing for us in LA, holding the torch for the sport in our country, and that’s very important. I don’t believe that it’s something we can do without.” However Garber is disregarding the fact that Donovan may have outgrown MLS and it may be time to let Donovan play overseas against stronger competition for the long term.

By keeping Donovan in the MLS, not only is Garber hurting Landon Donovan’s development, but the credibility of US soccer. Considering Donovan is coming off his best season overseas, why keep him in MLS where he won’t develop or continue to show the rest of the world that he can play on the world stage.

At Everton Donovan was terrific, with Donovan Everton went 7-4-2, including wins over Chelsea and Manchester United. In the world cup finals, Donovan had three goals in four games, including an extra time goal against Algeria that allowed the US team to move on past the group stage. His time at Everton and in the world cup finals validated his status as a world class player.

At 28, Donovan is at the prime of his career, and his experience overseas has been limited. After appearances with Bayern Leverkusen and Bayern Munich, where Donovan got limited playing time, and three months at Everton, it’s time for Donovan to at least have the chance to play overseas for the long term, considering he’s at the prime of his career now.

After the world cup, Donovan drew great interest from the premier league. Teams like Everton and Manchester City, took a serious look at Donovan, however they were scared off by the price tag.

Everton manger David Moyes would he’d love to have Donovan back, but Everton doesn’t have the finances to overpay for Donovan. Moyes said “Don’t you think I’ve asked my chairman to make it happen? We’d love to have Landon but he looks too expensive for us and we just don’t have it … The price the MLS want for him is very big and it’s an additional problem because of his age (28).”

MLS has put this hefty price on Donovan that has made it impossible for Donovan to play overseas. Garber claims it’s Galaxy and Donovan’s decision by saying “I am pleased that he renegotiated his deal for several more years and I hope that he will stay here for the rest of his career … (but) it’s not my decision, it’s Landon’s decision and L.A. Galaxy’s decision.” But by putting this hefty transfer fee on Donovan, Garber has done the exact opposite and gained full control of Donovan’s future.
Donovan did sign a contract that would allow him to be a member of the Galaxy through 2013, but having Donovan continue to perform at a high level overseas not only allows Donovan to grow as a player, but it adds needed credibility to US soccer, and MLS.

Garber is selfishly keeping Donovan in MLS, but in reality it’s in everyone’s best interest if Donovan is playing at the highest level.

If Donovan continues to succeed overseas, MLS gains credibility as a potential hotbed for talent. More of the top teams in the world will want to continue to schedule exhibition games against MLS teams, more European players will want to come play in America, and most importantly more scouts will come to America and recruit, therefore improving the reputations of US soccer and MLS.

Right now MLS is light years behind the top leagues in the world. MLS did take a step forward when many of the top teams in the world scheduled exhibition games against MLS teams. However the results showed that MLS is still ways away from competing with Europe’s elite. These exhibition games proved that MLS is making progress, but the gap remains huge. MLS is four or five years away from significantly improving and by then Donovan may be past his prime.

MLS commissioner Don Garber and the LA Galaxy need to lower the steep price for Donovan, and set him free. It’s the best option for Donovan, US soccer, and maybe even MLS in the long term.

Isiah Thomas is back working for the team that fired him two years ago, it was announced that the Knicks would bring back Isiah Thomas, however this time it would be in a much more limited role as a consultant.  Thomas’ top priority will still be coaching and recruiting the FIU Panthers.

Many blame the Knicks failures this decade on Isiah Thomas, and rightful so. Thomas made some bad decisions that severely hurt the Knicks long term future, in fact the Knicks still haven’t fully cleaned up the stain Isiah left on the franchise.

Thomas is the reason Donnie Walsh put the 2010 free agency plan in place. Thomas is the reason the Knicks had been cap strung before Donnie Walsh took over. Thomas is also the reason the Knicks forfeited this draft’s first round pick to the Utah Jazz.

Bottom line is when you associate Isiah Thomas and the Knicks, only bad memories come to mind, however I’m going to prove why bringing back Isiah isn’t necessarily a bad move.

First off, Isiah Thomas is only being hired as consultant; this isn’t even a full time job, as Thomas is still the head coach at Florida International University. Some may think this is just a ploy to get Thomas back on the GM’s chair if Donnie Walsh were to step down due to health reasons.

However I assure you that even if Walsh were to step down, the Knicks already have a few candidates in mind. Allen Houston has been the rumored front runner to land the job, and former Denver Nuggets VP of basketball operations Mark Warkenstein has emerged as strong candidate. Thomas is still under contract to coach FIU and if he were to accept a GM job he wouldn’t be honoring his commitment to FIU. Donnie Walsh is currently in charge and even if he were to step down, Thomas would not be considered as an option.

Isiah Thomas will be involved with the Knicks in a limited role, one that certainly wouldn’t hurt the Knicks. Thomas will be involved in assisting senior management and recruiting.

This is a good hire for the Knicks, Isiah Thomas has always had an eye for talent as he is one of the best talent evaluators in the NBA. Thomas made draft picks that seemed questionable at the time, but proved to be good decisions.

Thomas’ first ever selection was Damon Stoudemire, with the 7^th overall pick. Stoudemire won rookie of the year. Thomas also found a gem in Tracy McGrady at the ninth overall pick, and he was the one who drafted Marcus Camby.

Even with the Knicks Thomas was a solid drafter selecting David Lee who was recent all star selection, Nate Robinson, and Trevor Ariza. Thomas was one of the first in the Knicks organization to start scouting Danillo Gallinari who is currently the Knicks best young player.

Thomas may have overspent when it came to free agents, but when it came to finding talent; Thomas knew what he was doing. The Knicks will call on Thomas to provide analysis and insight on young prospects from around the world.

The Knicks could use Thomas; opinion on prospects considering they completely missed in the 2009 draft after they picked Jordan Hill instead of a point guard like Brandon Jennings, Jrue Holiday, Darren Collison, or Ty Lawson. Say what you want about him, but Isiah Thomas is a draft genius.

Despite his bad run with the Knicks, Thomas is still widely respected around the league, especially by the players. Many of the players don’t look at Isiah Thomas as the guy who ran the Knicks to the ground, but as the 12 time all star, hall of famer, top 50 player of all time that played with the Detroit Pistons. Thomas was instrumental in the Knicks acquiring Amar’e Stoudemire, Donnie Walsh and James Dolan repeatedly thanked Thomas during the Amar’e Stoudemire press conference, and hinting at a possible return. The Knicks even sent Thomas to Ohio as a last ditch effort in the LeBron James recruitment process.

Expect the Knicks to use Thomas as a recruiting tool next summer when they go for Carmelo Anthony.

Thomas’ return to the Knicks was inevitable; he’s remained very close with owner James Dolan, and Donnie Walsh. Even when he was fired by the Knicks Thomas, he was still with the Knicks in an unspecified role until he was hired by FIU.

The Knicks remained so close to Thomas that they wouldn’t give Magic Johnson free tickets when Johnson wanted to visit MSG. Johnson and Thomas had fallen out after Thomas blasted Johnson in a book.

Thomas is ecstatic to be back working for the Knicks saying I’m excited to work with the Knicks again, I wish my mom was still alive to see this.”

So before Knicks fans go crazy, wondering how the hell the organization would hire Thomas, considering they’ve spent the past two and a half years cleaning up his mess, reconsider your thoughts. Isiah Thomas is only being hired as a consultant; this can only help the Knicks.

We are still in early August but it’s never too early to start talking about the NBA schedule, considering we are coming off what was the biggest offseason in NBA history. The NBA offseason was filled with change, whether it’s LeBron James in his hour special deciding to “take his talents to South Beach”, Amar’e Stoudemire landing in the big apple, or the bizarre fact that Joe Johnson got the biggest check this summer.

Yes it’s still early August but there is already great anticipation for the NBA season to start. Today the league released a partial part of the schedule, basically the three biggest days in the regular season NBA calendar, the opening night schedule, the Christmas day schedule, and the Martin Luther King Day schedule.

It came as no surprise that the Miami Heat are going to be featured heavily in the national television schedule. The Heat will appear twice on national television in the first four nights of the schedule, and then on Christmas day they will travel to LA to face the Lakers in what will be the best matchup of the season.

The schedule makers certainly didn’t disappoint, despite the fact that it looks like the Heat won’t visit the Cavs until December 2^nd. However that’s a good marketing strategy by the league in order to build up the anticipation for this matchup rather than start off the season with it considering this could be one of the most hostile environments in sports when LeBron and the Heat visit the Cavs at the Q.

Opening Night-

October 26^th -Miami Heat at Boston Celtics (7:30 p.m. eastern time)

The new blood of the east take on the reigning eastern conference champions when they visit Boston. The Heat led by their big three, take on the original but now old big three. This game could draw the highest ratings for an opening night game as nobody can wait to see how this Heat team is going to play.

I can only imagine the anticipation that will be built up for this matchup. LeBron James starts the season right where he left off last season. Many have the lasting image of LeBron walking back into the tunnel at the TD Ameritrade Garden where he quickly taking off the Cavs jersey that he will never wear again.

The Celtics are going for it all again after a game seven loss to their hated rivals the Lakers. The Celtics bring back their core and hope to school the big three on how to play real team basketball.

There is a report the Celtics are going to sign Shaquille O’Neal, if true it only adds another subplot to the series. LeBron faces his old teammate who he failed to win a title with.

Boston was the team that knocked out LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in consecutive rounds, mainly because of their defense. The Celtics could be the team able of limiting James and remain eastern conference champs. This could be a recurring matchup come playoff time.

October 26^th Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers (10:30 p.m. eastern time)

At first look many could be disappointed to see the defending champs take on a team that picked in the lottery last season, but this Houston team has Yao Ming coming back, with a different core.

First off the Lakers will get their rings, it’s going to be tough for Trevor Ariza to see the player replacing him Ron Artest get his ring, considering the Lakers chose Artest over Ariza. When these two teams met last season Artest and Ariza were physical and played nasty against each other, look for more of the same.

Yao Ming’s return alone makes this game relevant; Yao is going to be playing his game since game three of the 2009 eastern conference semi finals. It’ll be great for the league to get Yao back considering he was not only a superstar, but a global ambassador for the NBA. right now it’s a mystery how Yao will play, will he an automatic 20-10 like he used to be before the surgery, or will he be a shell of what he used to be.

Hopefully Yao can get back to playing at a high level, and with a supporting cast of players like Kevin Martin, Trevor Ariza and Aaron Brooks, the Rockets can get back to being among the league’s elite.

October 27^th Chicago Bulls at Oklahoma City (8:00 p.m. eastern time)

These teams have a lot in common, both were considered among the league’s best young teams, but it looks like it their time to take it to the next level. Both teams come into the season with extremely high expectations.

Young superstars in Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose will face off, both among the top MVP candidates. Rose looking to become the league’s premier point guard, and Durant looking to become the best player in the NBA.

The Bulls who struggled on offense last year found a running mate for Rose by acquiring Carlos Boozer. Boozer was exactly what the Bulls needed. While the Bulls planned their season around 2010 free agency, the Thunder didn’t make any significant changes and stood pat during the offseason.

The Bulls come into the season with a rookie head coach in Tom Thibodeau; Thibodeau has a lot of pressure as the Bulls look to become among the NBA’s elite. The Thunder look to get into the west’s top two behind their young core that is still maturing.  Both teams have great expectations and it should be a spectacle watching two of the game’s best young players.

October 27^th Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Clippers (10:30 p.m. eastern time)

This matchup features the number one picks of the 2007 and 2009 NBA drafts, Greg Oden coming back from another depressing injury, and Blake Griffin making his much anticipated rookie debut. I’m not ready to give up on Oden yet, and Griffin was being touted as the next Karl Malone, it’s going to be exciting

The Blazers last year were thought of the same way as the Thunder are now, but after a season of injuries they look to become among the wet’s elite, and competing with Oklahoma City as the best western team once the Lakers pass the torch. If the Blazers stay healthy they are going to be among the wet’s best.

The Clippers on the other hand are still trying to build something, after years of failure to live up to expectations, they now look to start something new with Blake Griffin as the face of the franchise, young pieces like Eric Gordon and Eric Bledsoe, and a new coach in Vinnie Del Negro.

October 28^th Washington Wizards at Orlando Magic (8:00 p.m. eastern time)

2010 first overall pick John Wall comes into the league touted as the best point guard prospect since Allen Iverson, while the Magic open their brand new Amway Center. It’s going to be exciting to see this new look Wizards team led by a young core of John Wall and Javale McGee. The Magic come in after a disappointing loss to the Celtics, where they look to return to the NBA finals.

Another subplot, two players once some of the most entertaining in the league in Gilbert Arenas and Vince Carter look to become fan favorites once again. The Orlando Magic were thought to be one of the teams interested in Gilbert Arenas, Magic GM Otis Smith has been one of Arenas’ supporters and if a trade were to happen, both of these players would likely be involved in a deal.

October 28^th Phoenix Suns at Utah Jazz (10:30 p.m. eastern time)

The Suns come into the season with a different squad, still led by Steve Nash, but no Amar’e Stoudemire. The Suns now surround Nash with Hedo Turkoglu looking to bounce back after a terrible season in Toronto, and Josh Childress making his return to the NBA. The Jazz saved their offseason after letting Boozer walk by acquiring Al Jefferson.

Both teams aren’t fielding squads as strong as last season’s counterparts but Steve Nash is going to make whoever around him better, and Jerry Sloan always manages to get the most out of his players.

October 29^th Orlando Magic at Miami Heat (8:00 p.m. eastern time)

The Magic could be the only team in the east that could beat the Heat in a seven game series because of their size.

Dwight Howard however is going to need to step up his offensive game and develop a true post game if the Magic hope to contend with the Heat. Even without a post game the Het don’t have a big who can play with Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh has stated he doesn’t want to play center.

October 29^th Los Angeles Lakers at Phoenix Suns (10:30 p.m. eastern time)

Primed for a 4^th straight return to the NBA finals, we get to see a rematch of last year’s western conference finals. The Lakers come in with an unchanged roster while the Suns added Hedo Turkoglu, Josh Childress and a player agent turned GM in Lon Babby, but the big subtraction of Amar’e Stoudemire.

Christmas Day Chicago Bulls at New York Knicks (Noon p.m. Eastern Time)

A great matchup as two teams with new looks tip off the Christmas day schedule in the Mecca Madison Square garden.

The Knicks come in the season with a new look, these aren’t the same hapless Knicks of last year. Instead the Knicks come into the season with star forward Amar’e Stoudemire considered the best player the franchise has had since Patrick Ewing.

They got a great young piece in Anthony Randolph in the David Lee trade, and they finally a have point guard capable of running the D’Antoni system in Raymond Felton.

The Knicks have high expectations; they are looking to win a playoff series for the first time since 2000. The Knicks are looking to erase an era of bad basketball and get back to winning.

The Bulls also missed out on LeBron James but landed Carlos Boozer. Both teams are expected to significantly increase from last year’s win totals. Expect a very high final score; Derrick Rose could have a monster game in the Garden.

Christmas Day Boston Celtics at Orlando Magic (2:30 p.m. eastern time)

A rematch of the eastern conference finals, the Magic are ready to out that series behind them. We could potentially see another rematch of the supermen as the Celtics are close to signing Shaquille O’Neal, and a Howard O’Neal rivalry is about as good as it gets when it comes to NBA centers.

The Celtics showed that they are going for it all again by adding Jermaine O’Neal, Shaquille O’Neal, and resigning Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce. The Magic virtually stood pat this offseason but still have the roster capable of winning it all, it all however hinges in the play of Dwight Howard.

Christmas Day Miami Heat at Los Angeles Lakers (5:00 p.m. eastern time)

The most anticipated matchup of the season, we all knew this was going to happen as soon as LeBron James announced he was joining the Heat, Kobe vs. LeBron on Christmas day for the second straight year, who will come out on top?

This looks to be everybody’s pick for the NBA finals and rightfully so. The defending champs have Kobe Bryant with a now repaired finger, and the same core of the title team. The Heat made the big offseason splash, but there are still question marks.

Do the Heat have the size to matchup with the Lakers big men, because the way it looks Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol are going to have their way with the Heats bigs. Plus we still don’t know how LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are going to share the ball, even by Christmas day we might not have it figured out, but this is the league’s premier matchup.

Christmas Day Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder (8:00 p.m. eastern time)

Another matchup of two of the league’s premier players as Kevin Durant will take on Carmelo Anthony. Anthony and Durant are the two most gifted offensive players in the league. many would give the slight edge to Durant, but Anthony has the edge when it comes to winning, Anthony has never missed the playoffs.

The Nuggets were a team that made the western conference finals two years ago, last season they were bounced in the fort round to a lesser Utah Jazz team. Much of last season’s frustration can be due George Karl’s absence, as Karl suffered cancer. The Nuggets will get Karl back on the bench, and if they can stay healthy they can get back to challenging the Lakers for the west.

The Thunder are the league’s new favorite team, Kevin Durant is probably everybody’s new favorite player, especially after he announced his extension on twitter while LeBron announced his decision on a one hour television special.

The Thunder stood pat in the offseason, but that doesn’t mean they’re not going to get better. The team has players like James Harden and Serge Ibaka who will get increased roles, and the team added a defensive center in Cole Aldrich who is ready for serious playing time, and could be the piece the Thunder need to start being a true west contender.

Christmas Day Portland Trail Blazers at Golden State Warriors (10:30 p.m. eastern time)

The Warriors aren’t a team many NBA fans are familiar with; most people think that they’re just some perennial loser team. However I have news for you, this team has a very bright future, one that includes Stephen Curry, David Lee, and most importantly a future that includes new ownership coming in.

Much of the team’s failures were due to owner Chris Cohan, who was arguably the worst owner in sports. Under Cohan, every time a promising young player came through the system, he was either traded or left in free agency due to the team not wanting to pay money. Even if the new owner ship isn’t exactly George Steinbrenner, they won’t be half as bad as Cohan and hopefully make the Warriors relevant once again.

Portland on the other hand is a team looking to get back to being the team that was once considered the best young team in the NBA, that all depends on how healthy they are. Last season was a disaster, and if they can get Brandon Roy for a full season, and get their core healthy I fully expect them to finish among the west’s top four.

MLK Day Chicago Bulls at Memphis Grizzlies (1:00 p.m. eastern time)

The Grizzlies stacked with young talent host the ready to contend Chicago Bulls. The Grizzlies led by guard OJ Mayo, are hoping to make the playoffs this season after coming close last season. The Grizzlies don’t necessarily have a true superstar but they have a nice young nucleus of OJ mayo, Rudy Gay, and Marc Gasol. Those three alone should keep them in the hunt.

If the Grizzlies hop to make the playoffs they must figure out their point guard situation is OJ Mayo going to play point, are they going to stick with Michael Conley because he did show some promise last season. They’re going to have to figure that out.

The Bulls are the team that’s expected to make the jump from playoff team to playoff contender. They added Carlos Boozer, and Derrick Rose looks like he might have a breakout season.

I would pay attention to the matchup at the power forward position where two 20-10 players in Zach Randolph and Carlos Boozer will go head to head.

MLK Day Orlando Magic at Boston Celtics (8:00 p.m. eastern time)

The Magic face off against the team that knocked them out last year, and this year they feel they can beat the Celtics like they did two years ago. If they plan to Dwight Howard must develop a post game or a jump shot, some go to move he can go to when guarded in the paint. During the eastern conference finals the Celtics had Howard figured out, they backed off him, and when he got the ball in the paint, they made it extremely uncomfortable for Howard.

The Magic will also have to get better play from Vince Carter; Carter was one of the biggest disappointments last season. Carter was expected to give the Magic a one on one scorer, however he struggled to shoot the ball, rarely got to the free throw line, and was very unreliable. I don’t think Carter is the answer for the Magic, but if he’s not traded, he’s going to have to play better.

The Celtics are looking to defend their eastern conference title, many thought they would break up the big three after this season, however GM Danny Ainge resigned Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, added Jermaine O’Neal and Shaq, making it clear they are going for it all gain.

Right now the Celtics might have the upper hand on the Magic, they are a better defensive team, they know how to limit Dwight Howard, and with the potential addition of Shaq, they will have another body that they can put on Dwight Howard.

MLK Day Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers (10:30 p.m. eastern time)

A rematch of the first round of the playoffs, where the Thunder were a Pau Gasol layup away from taking the champion Lakers to seven games. The Thunder could be the Lakers biggest threat this year, considering they are going to mature this year after their first ever playoff berth since moving to Oklahoma City.

The Lakers primed for another repeat again, have the best roster assembled in the NBA, led by Kobe Bryant who entering his 15^th season is showing no signs of decline and looks to lead his Lakers to another title. Bryant will be surrounded by the same supporting cast.

What separates the Lakers from any other team in the league is their size. The Lakers have three big men; a team like the Thunder who aren’t deep at the center and power forward positions is going to struggle when they go up against the Lakers bigs.

The Thunder are the future of the league, this is the team that’s ready to take over the western conference once the Lakers start to decline. This is still a very young team, they are going to mature, get better, and eventually contend for a title.

In my last article I stated that the Oklahoma City Thunder were hands down the NBA’s best young and upcoming team. There’s no reason they’re not, they have Kevin Durant who could the new face of the league, they have a great young supporting cast around Durant, a coach in Scott Brooks, and despite their young age they reached the NBA playoffs for the first time since making the move to Oklahoma City.

However does that make the Thunder title contenders now? Are the Thunder ready to take it the next level, rise to the top of the west, and dethrone the champion Lakers, and the trio in Miami? That’s the question.

The Thunder ended their season by losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in a six game series. In fact the Thunder were one point away from staying alive and maybe even dethroning the Los Angeles Lakers, and even though they were knocked out in the first round, they ended their season on a positive note.

The Thunder have come a long way since first coming to Oklahoma City, previously the Seattle Sonics (the Sonics went 20-62 in their final season). The Thunder’s inaugural season was one of frustration as the team had a 23-59 record. After two seasons of failing to reach 25 wins, the 09-10 Thunder were the NBA’s team turnaround as they went 50-32 more than doubling the previous year’s win total. The Thunder moved on to their first playoff berth where they almost shocked the champion Lakers.

Other than the team’s turnaround there were many other bright spots, Kevin Durant became the unquestioned team leader, and he became the youngest player to ever lead the league in scoring, Russell Westbrook proved to his skeptics that he can play point guard at an elite level, and most importantly the Thunder established themselves as one of the best defensive teams in the league.

To win in the NBA, especially in the playoffs when the game slows down and every possession starts to count, a team must be a good defensive team. The Thunder ranked 8^th in the league in defensive efficiency, and 11^th in points allowed. I expect the Thunder to climb up in both categories because young players tend to struggle defensively and get better as their careers progress.

Last season the Thunder surprised many, this year will be exact opposite. The Thunder will come into the season with high expectations, unlike last season where the season was looked at as a positive success despite a first round exit. However that comes with the territory of being an elite NBA team.

The roster to contend is certainly their as Thunder have their core in place. They have a superstar in Durant, a true number two option in Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green a great complementary player, and James Harden who has the potential to be a great NBA player. The Thunder also added a big man in Cole Aldrich, the only piece the Thunder have been lacking is a center who can defend and rebound, it looks like they may have their man in the middle in Cole Aldrich.

The Thunder also have the coaching and front office that will enable them to contend. Head coach Scott Brooks is a defensive coach who has brought a new attitude, and a defensive mindset. General manager Sam Presti the architect of the team, is considered one of the best basketball minds in the league. Whether it’s the big moves like drafting Durant Westbrook, and Green, or the small moves like trading for Eric Maynor or the rights to Cole Aldrich, Presti has consistently made moves that have improved the roster.

The Thunder have the roster, coaching, and front office to contend with the Lakers and the Heat, however they don’t have the experience. The Lakers are back to back champions, led by Kobe Bryant, and their supporting cast of Gasol, Bynum, and Odom makes their roster the east in the league. The Heat have infamous trio led by an NBA finals MVP in Dwayne Wade, and all stars LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

Is the Thunder’s roster on par with the Lakers and Heat, from top to bottom I don’t think so, however maybe Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook get even better, and James Harden can be the 20 point scorer he was at Arizona State, the Thunder have themselves a roster that could at certainly take the Lakers and Heat to seven games.

I doubt that the Thunder can win the NBA championship this year; however I see them winning over 60 games, establishing themselves as the 2^nd best team in the west ahead of teams like Dallas, and Portland, and getting to the western conference finals where they will lose to the Lakers for the second straight time. Next season could be the last season where the Lakers dominate, maybe they could get too old, by then Kobe Bryant will be 33, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom will be both 31, and Phil Jackson might not be on the bench anymore.

After next season we could see a dramatic shift of the powers in the NBA, the Lakers and Celtics might no longer dominate the league, therefore setting up what could be the most exciting rivalries in sports a Oklahoma City Thunder Miami Heat rivalry.

The Lakers and Heat find themselves in the NBA’s current elite; they are ready and certainly expected to win now, five years from now either of teams could fall out title contention and are forced to retool through the draft. The teams that will be featured during this slideshow are far from the Lakers and the Heat, however five years from now it could those team that are atop the league’s elite, and the window may have closed on the league’s current powers.

Last year at around the same time I wrote the same article. Last year my five teams were the Blazers, Thunder, Bulls, Warriors, and Timberwolves in that order. If could do it again last year I would probably remove the Wolves and add a team like the Bucks or Kings. I decided not to include the Blazers or Bulls this year because I think they’ve been labeled young teams too long, it looks like both teams are ready to win.

The teams featured on this slideshow, have the core pieces in place, they are still ways way from contending for a number of reasons. The team’s core may still have much potential to be reached, the team is still a significant piece away, or the team may need some veteran leadership to surround their current young nucleus.

For example a few years ago, the Orlando Magic were built around a young core of Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson, eventually they acquire Rashard Lewis through free agency, Hedo Turkoglu and JJ Redick start to blossom as players, and the Orlando Magic rode that core to the NBA finals where they eventually lost to the LA Lakers. The Magic still have the foundation of the team in Dwight Howard, and with Howard they’ll likely stay in contention as long as Howard is wearing a Magic uniform.

Any of the teams featured on this slideshow could be the next Orlando Magic. The team has its young players in place, once the young talent fully develops, and the team adds pieces through the draft, trades, or free agency, any of the teams on this slideshow could find themselves contending or an NBA title.

5. Los Angeles Clippers

Despite a depressing injury to the man pictured above, LA’s other team is on the rise, and after two great drafts, they find themselves stacked with young talent. In 2009 the Clippers won the lottery and took Blake Griffin, and this year’s draft they picked Al Farouq Aminu at number eight, and they traded a heavily protected first round pick for a potential franchise guard in Eric Bledsoe.

The key to the Clippers is Blake Griffin, even though he suffered what may have been the most unlucky injury of all time, all signs still point that Blake Griffin is the real deal. If they redid the 2009 draft, I would bet Blake Griffin would still go in the top three, despite that freak injury. Griffin has the potential to be a top player in the NBA, and turn the Clippers franchise into a winner.

He may start slow this season because this is an injury that takes time to rehab from, but we’re not looking at another Greg Oden here. Once this guy gets going he’s going to dominate, he has the physical strength to truck his opponents, and he’s developing a perimeter game. I expect Griffin to fully recover from the injury, average around 18 points, 8 rebounds, and contend with the other rookies for the rookie of the year award which he is eligible for.

The Clippers have a huge hole at the small forward position and while Al Farouq Aminu isn’t ready to step in right away, he has great potential. At Wake Forest Aminu was a rebounding machine averaging 11 rebounds, and 15 points. The big question with Aminu is whether he’ll play small forward or power forward. Right now I think he’d be better suited for power forward because he has great rebounding ability, and his perimeter game hasn’t fully developed yet. Aminu however has the body of a small forward, and that’s the position I see him playing once he develops a solid perimeter game. Aminu is just one of the pieces that can for a nice young nucleus around Blake Griffin for the Clippers.

The other player the Clippers got this draft was Eric Bledsoe, the lighting quick guard out of Kentucky. Bledsoe was heavily recruited out of high school as a point guard, but he chose to go to Kentucky and play alongside John Wall so he could learn how to play off the ball. At Kentucky Bledsoe did average more turnovers than assists which is alarming, but he didn’t get much playing time, and he was playing out of position. Bledsoe is extremely athletic, and with 11 year veteran Baron Davis on the decline, Bledsoe could be the starting point guard of the future for the LA Clippers.

The final young piece the Clippers have is the piece that has been in place for the past two years, young shooting guard Eric Gordon. Gordon is currently at the Team USA minicamp where he has a solid chance at making the team. Gordon is one of the best long range shooters in the NBA; he shot 37 percent from behind the arc last season, and averaged 17 points per game. Gordon was one of the few bright spots for the Clippers last season, this season I could see him eclipse the 20 points per game scoring mark, especially if this Clippers team gets going and Blake Griffin comes back healthy.

The Clippers have become notorious for underachieving, call me naïve but I think this could be the year the team makes a playoff run, and starts to build a potential contender, Blake Griffin is the key.

4. Washington Wizards

The Wizards came into last season with a veteran squad led by the likes of Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, and Caron Butler. After a heavily disappointing season two of the three core guys on the roster, are playing elsewhere, and Gilbert Arenas has been heavily shopped but no one wants to take on his contract. I had to think hard about putting the Wizards on this list because even though they have great young talent, they have Gilbert Arenas and that untradeable contract that will keep holding them back.

The Wizards fortunes changed greatly on May 18^th when they struck gold in the lottery and acquired the rights to draft consensus number one pick John Wall. Wall has been called the best guard prospect to come out of college since Allen Iverson came out of Georgetown in 1996. Wall is going to be a franchise changer the minute he steps on the court for the Wizards. Wall had some turnover trouble in college, but that’s because he was trying to do too much at once, he will eventually figure it out.

There is no question this is now John Wall’s team, if the Wizards could have their way, they would trade Gilbert Arenas as for a bag of basketballs but that contract still has 4 years, about 80 million dollars remaining. A Wall Arenas backcourt could be one of the more explosive in the league, but the Wizards are going to have to figure this out because you can’t pay Gilbert this much when John Wall is now the face of the franchise.

The Wizards also have two young big men in Andray Blatche and Javale McGee. Blatche is extremely talented but he’s been an enigma his whole NBA career. Javale McGee on the other hand was one of the top performers in summer league. it looks like McGee has started to show signs of consistency on offense, he’s one of the most athletic seven footers, he can block shots, and it looks like he’s going to be John Wall’s top sidekick on this Wizards roster. McGee was a last minute invitee to the Team USA minicamp where it looks more and more likely he could make the team.  McGee will benefit greatly from playing with a point guard like John Wall, he could have breakout year next season.

The Wizards also added veteran Kirk Hinrich who could help mentor John Wall, plus he’s a solid long range shooter, and Yi Jianlian who could be a nice complementary piece. Overall I’m not sure if the Wizards are going to make the playoffs, they certainly have the capability to do so in a watered down eastern conference.

Think of this year’s Wizards as the Bulls during Derrick Rose’s rookie year, they are very similar teams, both are led by star guards, both have young big men the Bulls had Noah, the Wiz have McGee and both are middle of the road teams in the eastern conference.

3. Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies surprised many last season by recovering from a terrible start and adding 16 wins to their win total from the season before. The Grizzlies made major progress last season and some of their young players started to come into their own.

OJ Mayo has established himself as the leader, and go to guy in the clutch for this team. Mayo’s scoring average dropped about a full point from his rookie campaign however Mayo had some huge games for the Grizzlies, most notably a 40 point performance against the Denver Nuggets early in the season, and Mayo was the team’s clutch scorer, and as the season progressed it became his team. Mayo could be headed for stardom, he’ already one of the best shooters in the league, and he can easily create his own offense.

A pleasant surprise this summer was seeing OJ Mayo participate in summer league. By no law was Mayo required to go to summer league as he’s already the best player on the team, but he was trying to improve his point guard skills. That’s sends a message to the to the Mayo’s teammates when the team leader is taking part in summer league. Mayo wasn’t done though as he’s currently at the Team USA minicamp hoping to make the team. Expect to see Mayo play more point guard and do much more ball handling. I wouldn’t be shocked if Mayo were to make his first all star team.

The Grizzlies also managed to resign Rudy Gay, and while they overpaid, this team is not going to continue to make progress without Rudy Gay on the team. Gay and Mayo are one of the better scoring duos in the league, and the Grizzlies need to keep their current core together. Gay may not be a superstar in the NBA, but resigning him was crucial if the Grizzlies plan to continue to get better.

The Grizzlies would not taken the step they took last season had it not been for the play of Marc Gasol. Once thought of as a throwaway in the trade that sent his older brother to LA, Marc has proved he can be an elite center in the NBA. Coming into the season there were many concerns about Gasol’s weight, however he lost significant weight and played at an all star level for most of the season as he averaged 14 points, and 9 rebounds. Marc Gasol should continue to improve and become a top big man in the NBA.

So far he looks like a bust but Hasheem Thabeet is continuing to get better as he got more reps at summer league. Thabeet will likely start the season in the D-league and continue to develop his game.

Unsigned rookie Xavier Henry could be a difference maker for this team. Despite being a rookie Henry has a very polished and mature game. Henry is a terrific outside shooter, and he can put the ball on the floor and get to the line. The Grizzlies better take care of his situation quickly because he’s going to be an immediate contributor.

The Grizzlies are bringing back the same core from last season with the addition of Xavier Henry, overall I see this team making more progress and topping the 40 win mark they reached last season. Don’t be surprised if this team sneaks into the postseason.

2. Sacramento Kings

The Kings only managed to win 25 games last season, but they started off red hot, and looked like they could’ve been contending for a playoff spot early in the season. Eventually they tailed off, but they had many bright spots last season and I do think the team is going to take a big step towards being a serious threat in the west.

The Kings are stacked with young talent; it all starts with the reigning rookie of the year Tyreke Evans. Evans not only won rookie of the year, but he averaged a stat line of 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists as a rookie, a feat only accomplished by Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Oscar Robertson. Evans did so because most of plays were run for him, and he played with ball in his hands majority of the time, but nonetheless he has the potential to be a superstar in this league.

Evans will have to make some improvements on his game, especially now that DeMarcus Cousins has arrived. First of all Evans needs to be more of a distributor, he wasn’t such a willing passer last season and that resulted in many possessions where Evans tried to make something out of nothing.

Then Evans will have to learn how to play off the ball. Evans played with the ball in his hands for most of the game, he’s not a true point guard and he’s going to learn how to play off the ball if he wants to be shooting guard. Evans will also have to significantly improve his defense, for a guy who has Evan’s frame; Evans was one of the worst defenders at his position. Evans will have to give a better effort on the defensive end.

The Kings also brought in DeMarcus Cousins, the biggest risk reward player in this draft. I had Cousins labeled as the 2^nd most talented prospect in the country behind John Wall. During summer league Cousins showed why he can be a potential superstar, and why so many teams were afraid to gamble on him with a top four pick. I think Cousins will be productive in his rookie season, and he’ll be the best rookie big man.

Cousins isn’t alone in the frontcourt, he also has two young power forwards who can both play. The first is Carl Landry whom the Kings acquired in a three way trade that sent Kevin martin to Houston and Tracy McGrady to New York. Last season Landry looked like he’d be the 6^th man of the year however he was traded to the Kings and he started most of his games in Sacramento.

The other young big man would be Jason Thompson. Thompson is versatile as he can play both power forward and center. Thompson is a solid rebounder and shot blocker, and he’ll be a solid rotation player for this Kings team.

The Kings also have their young shooter in Omri Casspi, Casspi shot 37 percent from behind the arc, and averaged 10 points per game. The young Israeli was a huge piece for the team, and his role will increase as he gets better.

The Kings are following the Thunder’s model of building a team through the draft. I’m not saying they’re going to be a 47 win team next season, but they could certainly contend for a playoff spot with the addition of Cousins, and if Tyreke Evans continues to play at a high level.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

It comes as no shock that the Thunder are the best young team in the NBA. The Thunder shocked the world last season as most people said they were a year away from playoff contention, however they made the playoffs as an 8^th seed and were a Pau Gasol layup away from taking the champs to seven games.

Led by Kevin Durant and Co. the Thunder may be the most complete team in the western conference outside the Lakers. The Thunder has Kevin Durant who is going to be the odds on favorite to win the MVP and scoring titles. Durant may be the best young player in the game today, he’s freakishly athletic, he has a Reggie Miller like outside stroke, he gets to the free throw line, and he’s become a better rebounder and paint player.

Durant is the unquestioned leader of the team however he’s surrounded by a nice solid nucleus. Russell Westbrook is already among the top point guards; and Jeff green is a solid role player who is a good defender. Durant, Westbrook, and Green are all at the Team USA minicamp hoping to make the team.

James Harden came off the bench for the Thunder in his rookie season, but he’s going to have a much bigger role this season and potentially start at shooting guard. Harden has a very polished game, he’s a terrific outside shooter, and he can score.

One of the reasons the Thunder couldn’t push the Lakers further is that they didn’t have big men who could limit the Lakers bigs. The Thunder addressed that need by adding center Cole Aldrich who has the ability to be a starting center in this league. Aldrich is 6’11”, he has a nice touch around the basket, he’s a terrific rebounder and shot blocker, and he can play some defense.

The Thunder also have Serge Ibaka the young big man from the Congo. Ibaka has great athleticism, in his limited time he has shown flashes of being a great shot blocker, and a solid pick and pop threat. Moving forward Ibaka is going to be a big piece for this Thunder team.

Despite the team being young, I fully expect the Thunder to challenge the Lakers for the west. After the current Lakers dynasty is over, we could potentially have a Miami Heat Oklahoma City Thunder rivalry due to both frequently meeting in the NBA finals. Bottom line is the Thunder are young, but they may be ready to win now.

The New York Knicks have had a busy offseason as they acquired Amar’e Stoudemire for about 100 million, and they used David Lee in a sign and trade, now they could be in the market for the best name available on the market, Chris Paul.

Chris Paul recently joined LeBron James’s marketing company LRMR and could be looking leave New Orleans just like James bolted Cleveland for Miami. It is reported that Paul would like to play alongside another superstar, and follow LeBron James’s model of teaming up with other great players.

Now rarely does a player of Paul’s caliber end up on the market, especially with two more years remaining on his current deal. The Knicks are on Paul’s wish list, and some believe they may be his preferred destination. The Knicks still do posses enough cap room for a player with a max salary, since they missed out on LeBron James.

An NBA executive familiar with the Knicks president of basketball operations Donnie Walsh believes that Walsh will be willing to move any of the current players on the roster except for the newly acquired Amar’e Stoudemire. The executive said “Amar’e won’t be traded, but everyone else will be available.” The dream scenario for the Knicks after LeBron turned them down is Carmelo Anthony, and either Tony Parker or Chris Paul to pair with Amar’e Stoudemire.

New Orleans haven’t started to talk with teams about trading Paul, and they will meet with Paul next week in a last ditch effort to prove to Paul that they are committed to winning. Paul has an exit strategy to force a trade, but New Orleans haven’t formally come out and said that they plan to trade Paul in the near future.

If the Hornets were to give in to Paul’s demands, they would hope to get equal value in return. The Knicks wouldn’t be able to give equal value in return, and take on a few bad contracts. In reality nobody will give back equal value when you’re talking about one of the five best players in the league, and the best point guard in the league.

The Knicks however could put together a solid package that would net the Hornets some young talent in return, not necessarily the best package, but more importantly the Knicks unlike any other team could swallow the bad contracts the Hornets would require the Knicks to take back in a trade. The Knicks could take on the bad contracts due to their cap space, and their revenue from Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks could give up a player like Danilo Gallinari. The 21 year old Gallinari was the 6^th pick of the 2008 NBA draft, he’s the Knicks top young asset, and he has some serious potential. Last season was Gallinari’s first full season in the league, he only played in 27 games during his rookie season, but the young Italian showed why he may be the best three point shooter in the league last season as he shot 38 percent from behind the arc and averaged 15 points, and 5 rebounds. Gallinari could be a better version of the current Hornets small forward Peja Stojakovic.

The Hornets would likely demand Gallinari in a trade, the Knicks have never been willing to shop Gallinari, in fact after last season it came out that Gallinari and Wilson Chandler were the only tow untouchables on the roster, but the Knicks wouldn’t refuse trading Gallinari for Chris Paul.

The Knicks also have two more solid young pieces in small forward Wilson Chandler, and newly acquired Anthony Randolph. Chandler averaged 15 points a game last season; he’s a great defender, and he posses great versatility and athleticism.

Randolph has limitless potential and could be a potential star in this league. . Randolph was the center piece of the package the Knicks got in return for the David Lee sign and trade. Randolph averaged 11 points, six rebounds, and a block and a half. Those numbers may not be that impressive, but Randolph did it in only 22 minutes. Last season Randolph started to show some signs of consistency, but Warriors head coach Don Nelson benched Randolph for reasons that were never clear.

The Knicks would like to keep those young pieces, but in a Chris Paul trade they’ll likely have to send two of the three young players I mentioned. Gallinari will probably be one them and the second player will all depend on who the Hornets prefer. The Hornets don’t have many big men so my guess is they’d go for the more versatile Randolph who can play both forward positions and center.

Paul also has the Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers and the Dallas Mavericks on his wish list. None of those teams have the financial flexibility to take on the bad contracts the Hornets have. In a Paul trade the Hornets would have to rid themselves of contracts like the one of Emeka Okafor who still has four years 52 million remaining on his deal, or Peja Stojakovic who has one year 15 million remaining on his deal, or James Posey who still has two years, 13 million remaining on his deal.

Any team looking to land Paul would have to give up their young assets, and take on at least two of these bad contracts. The Knicks certainly have the financial flexibility and the young talent to pull off this trade.

Donnie Walsh making every player except for Amar’e Stoudemire available is definitely a smart move, telling fans the Knicks are ready to put the full court press on acquiring Chris Paul, no matter who they have to give up.

Paul would fit perfectly with the Knicks; he would complement Amar’e Stoudemire perfectly. Paul and Stoudemire could be the best point guard big man combo in the league and they could run the deadliest pick and roll in the NBA. Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni loves to play up tempo and Paul is a point guard who loves to push the ball, and has the skills to play up tempo.

My guess is if the Hornets are going to start fielding offers, the New York Knicks do make the most sense in terms of giving the Hornets back some young talent, and taking on some heavy salary. Paul could become one of the NBA’s icons in New York, and could eventually attract Carmelo Anthony to the big apple and form a trio that would rival the one in Miami for years to come.

This has been a crazy offseason in the NBA, and there may be more changes to come.