"Free Agents. Neither free nor agents." - Tony Reali
This offseason may have been the fastest when it came to snagging the stars, or whoever was available. And while there are still moves to be made, players to be dealt, and GMs to be criticized, we can step back and observe the reformation of the NBA. Despite a couple commendable acquisitions by Detroit, the league is still a Western powerhouse. But in the last few weeks, the game has changed and individualistic superstars and young guns, I mean, next season's top athletes, have hypnotized general managers from sea to shining sea.
I think it's fair to say that this summer belongs to the blooming role players; the athletes claiming to switch teams in order to pursue a title and the reserves who are trying to make their way onto SportsCenter. Despite next year's star-studded festivities, it is the free agency of 2009 that will have equal weight in determining the outcome of dynasties. Lebron James and the rest of the unrestricted gang can wait 365 more days for contract attention. Now, we wait and see how the rather expensive "free" agents of today will drive their team to victory and entice superstars to join them. Will Ron Artest keep Kobe satisfied? Will the Diesel have enough left in his tank to persuade the King to stay? These answers are just as important and will surely have an effect on where the future Hall-of-Famers are in the future.
Mo Money, Mo Problems in Motown
As many analysts have already pointed out, Chanucey Billups was the key to the Pistons' championship runs. Unfortunately for Joe Dumars, he learned that the hard way and let's just say it took its toll. He not only further decreased the legitimacy of the Eastern Conference by way of destroying his franchise, but also commenced a very forgettable era in team history. This was a team that could always be found at least in the quest for a ring and was a consistent contender. Of course, much to Dumars' regret, the team took an unfortunate slide with the Billups-Iverson trade in which he dealt away the heart and soul of his squad for the arrogance and individualism of A.I. To make matters worse, he brings in newbie coach Mike Curry and fires him at the end of the season. Way to channel out your anger.
I'm not exactly sure which side to take on this deal, but if I had to make a stance right now, I am rather critical of these signings. Rip Hamilton wasn't able to make his typical contributions coming off the bench this year and I don't see how the team is making progress by having him play the same role this season. Ben Gordon is capable of scoring forty and shouldn't go completely unnoticed as a Piston, but how are Hamilton and Gordon going to share minutes? I just don't see it going well in Detroit, economically and sports-wise.
With the addition of Villanueva, this team only gets stranger. What was once an intimidating front court led by Big Ben, Rasheed, and Tayshaun, only continues to live through the Prince. There still is the veteran presence of Antonio McDyess, but as his age he can only do so much to improve this team's chances in the postseason. The integration of youth to this team may indeed have been detrimental to this once fruitful group. With any other team, a slow injection of young blood likely increases the number of victories, but not with the Pistons. Sure, Stuckey and Maxiell have shown they can play. But now, poor Charlie carries a heavy load and while I do expect him to receive plenty of mintues, but he shouldn't be accepted by fans any more than he was in his previous stop.
Consensual Compromise?
Basically, the Los Angeles Lakers traded the youthful Trevor Ariza to Houston for tenacious Ron Artest. Fans, at least in Los Angeles, have had mixed feelings about the signing of Ron Ron, or more importantly, the departure of Ariza. Trevor had played a critical role in this season's championship run, known in large part for his timely, game-changing steals in two Western Conference Finals games. Might I add, these steals came during a series in which the Lakers had been heavily doubted and many foresaw the Nuggets advancing to the Finals. He had been the obedient player off the bench for most of the season and humbly deflected nearly every compliment he received. There was always somebody else, in his opinion, who deserved just as much credit for his own accolade. It was this modesty and dare I say it, timidness, that is gone in Los Angeles.
Nevertheless, this wasn't a bad move at all, to contradict what local Los Angeles Times sports editor, Bill Plaschke, had been preaching. After the faliure against Boston a couple of years ago, the Lake Show was dubbed as a no show in the weight room. Around the league, they were the fabled softies and were too weak to make the trek up the mountain. Artest now gives them that grueling defensive presence; he has silenced the harsh critics of years past. I won't go as far as to say that he is the proverbial "missing piece in the puzzle", because in a championship team there's never really an entire piece that's missing. But the Lakers are now, in my mind, favorites to win it all - again. Right now, they are a three-headed monster consisting of Kobe, Pau, and Artest. Overcome them, and greatness should be yours.
As far as Artest is concerned, he's in the right place. Like numerous other journeymen in the association, he too is looking for a team living in the moment and desiring the ultimate prize. Despite the small tangles with Kobe, #24 and Ron Ron have a greal deal of mutual respect for each other which means that egos shouldn't be a problem. Plus, Ron and Lamar go way back to AAU ball and have been friends for quite awhile. Hopefully for Jerry Buss and Lakers fans, this move will clinch an Odom re-signing.
From Houston's perspective, they also went the right direction. Management realized that the fountain of youth in Aaron Brooks had spurred them so far, even without Yao Ming, McGrady, and at times, Artest. And it's not just Brooks that brought success, but also the fresh legs of Von Wafer, Carl Landry, and Luis Scola who all compensate for the slow-footed starting center. It's about time that people recognized the cornerstone of this franchise and it's no longer the sleepy-eyed McGrady; it's the next generation of ballers on the Texas squad that will allow them to go after their goals. I heard the stat somewhere that on paper, Yao and T-Mac have played five years together, but the total number of games they've actually played together doesn't even total to three seasons.
For Ariza, his departure could make-or-break his future. While he was in Los Angeles, he got plenty of attention for his hustle on the defensive end, emphatic jams on offense, and as of late, a developing jumpshot. I have faith that he will only add to his athletic abilities in Houston, but I question his impact. When Lamar Odom came to Los Angeles, even though he was a very versatile player, we discovered that he wasn't exactly capable of playing with the pressure of second-fiddle. With Ariza, I see the same qualities, and at this stage in his career I honestly doubt that he is ready to serve as the second string and play forty minutes a game. Now that we're finding about the situation with Yao and T-Mac, Trevor could very well be forced to play superstar minutes and in that case, provide superstar contributions. He's leaving Los Angeles on a good note, which means his concern is to keep the momentum going.
More Banter in Beantown
The Celtics have beefed up their front court by adding Rasheed Wallace to their roster. Prior to this transaction, the Celtics were already the league leaders in technical fouls. Now, I'm wondering the Garnett-Wallace tandem will go down in record books as the most loud-mouthed front court in NBA history. It's no secret that the C's needed a center - which leads me to the critical analysis of this move. Danny Ainge should have searched for someone to play the 5 and didn't need a PF. Sure, Sheed gives you a dynamic range and is a tough assignment for the opposing defender. But this isn't about Wallace's talent.
Another point that should be recognized is the age of the starters. I know that living in the moment beats the wait-and-see game in which GMs wait a season to snag stars. In spite of that doctrine, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Rasheed Wallace are not exactly the youngest bunch. Injuries could very well slow this team down, maybe even more than they did earlier this year. We saw how much of an impact KG's absence had. Imagine if KG and Ray Allen went down during a crucial stretch. Or if Pierce and Rasheed were working a few weeks with the trainer as oppose to getting playing time. Fatigued veterans are just as helpful as inexperienced rookies.
With that said, the Celtics were still a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference last year. We also saw that Ray Allen still had phenomenal leadership qualities in the midst of clutch situations. Had KG not been hurt, the Celtics could have very well defeated Orlando and get past Cleveland to make a second consecutive appearance in the NBA Finals. Some may argue that they could've beaten the Lakers - again. Boston is still a dominant force in the league and despite their age, they still remain championship-caliber contenders.
In future posts: Turkoglu's next stop, "Matrix on the move", and more analysis of the free agency
