As the wheeling and dealing slows down and all we can do is start looking forward with anticipation to the new season here's a little look at what I consider the most significant moves (or not) of the summer. Feel free to opine or to suggest your own top 10...
10: Boston signs Sheed
Signing Sheed provides the Cs with a legitimate 2 way threat. He'll play some tough D and is capable of providing the 10-20ppg needed to help out the Big 3. Most important of all, signing Sheed ensured that he didn't sign with the Magic or Cavs..
Things That May Come Back to Hurt You - Injured UFA Leon Powe is not made an offer by the Boston Celtics. - Injured UFA Leon Powe signs a 2 year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
9: Kurt Rambis to coach the T-Wolves
Rambis played for a winner (Riley) and has been mentored by a winner (Jackson) .
He has the credentials, pedigree and work ethic to be a very successful coach and most importantly for the young T-Wolves, he will be first and foremost, a teacher.
I liked Rambis as a player for a lot of reasons. He knew what he could do and what he could not do and he knew his job with the Showtime Lakers.
Something tells me this is going to work out well.
And here's a little history between the outgoing coach and the incoming guy...
You think your summer sucked?
Quentin Richardson started the summer in New York and was subsequently traded to Memphis and then on to the Clippers. Fortunately for him he ended up in post-McHale Minnesota so it isn't all bad!
8: Vince Carter to the Magic
This trade doesn't make the Magic any worse and might just make them a whole lot better. Which Vince will show - the perennial all star or the petulant child who no-showed his way out of TO and Jersey?
I think Vince has plenty left and adds an interesting dimension to the surprisingly good Magic.
7: Brandon Roy re-signs in Portland
Portland is a team heading in the right direction and Roy is in the driver's seat. Look for the Blazers to go deep into the play-offs this year and for Roy's name to be mentioned frequently as the catalyst for the improvement.
Why do they even report this stuff?
New Jersey Nets promote Brian Basloe to Vice President of Ticket Sales. Seriously? I never thought Brian should have made it out of peanut sales.
6: Shaq to be the Big second banana?
Shaq, Shaq Fu, the Big diesel, the Big Shaqtus, Shaq the rapper, Shaq the actor, Shaq the king of twitter..... now Shaq the supporting act.
Can Shaq and LBJ co-exist in Cleveland? Will his signing be the mistake on the lake 2? Can LBJ share the limelight with someone who takes up so much of it? Will there be video footage of the first time Shaq dunks on LBJ in practice? Will LBJ turn up to practice wearing an "I'm with Stupid" T-shirt?
I have no problem admitting that I don't think I know the answer to any of these questions, but I can't wait to find out!
5: Spurs re-tool to beat the Lakers
You want to win the West? You have to go through the Lakers - and much more on them coming up. At the end of last season Pop takes a look at is roster and thinks "We can't beat the Lakers with this team".
So what does he do?
He goes out and trades for the players he thinks will help his team to get over the Lakers in the playoffs. Richard Jefferson has a huge upside and Antonio McDyess gives them another inside threat to take a little of the load off Timmy. There's a good reason that this team is being talked about as a serious contender again this year.
Even better is they picked up Jefferson for a song - hey, maybe Kevin McHale was in on this trade???
4: Lamar Odom re-signs with the Lakers
Make no mistake; this was a massively important signing for the Lakers. Lamar has developed into a very, very useful 6th man and his versatility is vital to his team.
Well done to the Lakers (made me spit up a little puke typing that) for getting this one done.
Most action for least return
Toronto has been busy, busy, busy this summer and it won't make a jot of difference. The cRaptors could trade the CN Tower, Tim Horton and Roy Halladay and still not find anyone worthwhile who can turn this team into a contender.
3: Lakers lose Trevor Ariza, sign Ron Artest
So, who did the Lakers really sign?
This guy?
Or this one?
And quite apart from how he is going to behave himself, there are almost as many questions about Kobe and Artest coexisting as there are about Shaq and LBJ.
LA will not be a dull place this season and it really could go either way for them...
Things That Make You Go Hmmmmmm...
Rajon Rondo stood up in the playoffs last season and almost dragged the Celtics into the Conference Finals singlehandedly, before falling in Game 7 to the Magic. Imagine my surprise when he was being shopped around the league by the Celtics. Don and I were chatting online about this and he suggested that Rondo is a, and I quote, "total asshat" and that's why they were considering moving him. Makes you wonder how busy the offseason would be if every team started shopping their asshats don't you think????
2: Rashard Lewis Suspended for Violation of Drugs Policy
Bud Selig is the world's whipping boy on the use of drugs in sport. He hid his head in the sand for years saying there were no drugs in baseball and we all know how that has turned out.
Lewis is basically saying "Oops, silly me... I inadvertently took something I didn't know wasn't allowed, but it wasn't my fault anyway because the dog ate my homework".
Doesn't matter much, he still got a 10 game suspension and The Collective Bargaining Agreement calls for a first positive test for performance enhancing drugs (SPEDS or 'Steroids or Performance Enhancing Drugs' ) to be accompanied by a ten-game suspension and treatment in the league's SPED program.
A second failed test means a 25-game suspension, a third a year suspension, and a fourth banishment from the league.
This one rates as #2 because it is the tip of the iceberg my friends...
1: The Biggest Gain Made by any Team this Off-Season
This man is healthy and ready to go.
He makes his team mates stand taller (when he's not making them cry); he makes you earn points in the paint; he makes the team play D like it actually counts for something; he makes those around him feel the pride he has in his jersey; he adds more to his team than anyone else who signed anywhere else this off-season...
Kevin Maurice Garnett is back!
Brumbygg writes as a guest for With Malice... some would say not often enough.
Me?
Meh... he's a Boston fan!
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I think Toronto will suck, too. No defense. Turk, Bargnani and Calderon? The Sparks could score 100 on them.
+1
... written by BrdBrad,
August 16, 2009
Couldn't agree more. With a healthy KG, look for another Boston over LA finals
-1
... written by brumbygg,
August 16, 2009
Hope Q-Rich didn't unpack yet..... he's off to Miami
+0
... written by KYjelly,
August 17, 2009
This article is retarded
On Vince to magic "This trade doesn't make the Magic any worse and might just make them a whole lot better."
Magic with Vince and no Hedo is a whole lot better? Damn you are dumb
Shaq to Cavs is one spot higher than Roy signing an extension? Damn you are dumb
Raps got Hedo. It won't make a jolt of difference? Damn you are dumb
"Lakers lose Trevor Ariza, sign Ron Artest" is considered the number 3 good move? Damn you are dumb
You seriously think Rashard Lewis will test positive for steroids? Damn you are dumb
Then you end by saying KG getting healthy is the top "move" this off season? Damn, you have sh!t for brains
-2
... written by KYjelly,
August 17, 2009
ps I meant to say:
"You seriously think Rashard Lewis will test positive for steroids AGAIN and it is "the tip of the iceberg"? Damn you are dumb"
sry for the spelling mistakes I'm just pissed at how dumb this article is
+0
... written by brumbygg,
August 18, 2009
Sorry KY, I probably used too many big words for you. I'll use smaller words and type slower so as not to tax you too much.
I don't believe that Lewis will necessarily get caught again, but I do think there are a lot of other players out there who will get busted for SPEDs. That's the tip of the iceberg.
The Lakers win a championship and go out and sign a potential franchise destroyer like Ron Artest? That's a huge move - not necessarily a good one, but massive nonetheless.
Hedo ain't going to win you jack sh%t on that roster.
But hey, good to have opinions - even if they're dumb
Why would ANYONE take the opinion of someone who calls themselves "KYjelly" seriously anyway?
One only has to read the post *it* makes to realise the lack of anything cerebral occurring there.
+0
Tow terrific Conference Finals once again this coming season written by khandor,
August 22, 2009
Don,
With the re-tooled Spurs it should be a whale of a match-up vs the reigning champs ... with any two of Boston, Cleveland or Orlando providing similar fare on the other side of the post-season draw.
Nice work on your part!
+0
Alas, 'twas not me... written by with-malice,
August 23, 2009
Hey Khandor - wasn't me who wrote this, was an oft-time reader, some-time writer... all-time friend Rob who wrote it!
+0
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Nice post -- I enjoyed it.