This offseason is unique for several reasons. Firstly, because this is when the preparations for next year's big moves begins. With the upcoming stardom of the 2010 free agency, it can be easy to overlook the wonders of 2009. Although, we shouldn't even get to the hype yet because only a few years ago we saw an interesting trade go through...
The Spurs have traded for Richard Jefferson? Really?! The guy has only been in Milwaukee for a year and the Bucks already whisked him away. He was averaging a steady 19.6 points this season and was shooting a career best 39.7% from behind the arc, according to NBA.com. What's more amusing, though, is not the Richard Jefferson point-of-view on this, but instead the Spurs' perspective. San Antonio recently saw their past successes basically get shot out the window with their silent but disappointing performance this year. Even without Manu Ginobli, they were no longer contenders as they had been for the better part of a decade. It was the Tony and Tim Show with three pointers here and there from Matt Bonner and occasional performances outside of the dynamic duo. Maybe the Spurs read my post about the formation and demoralization of dynasties. Maybe they read the posts of other sportswriters; maybe the media was finally getting through to management.
Or maybe the Texans just woke up and realized they were not going to have a chance at pursuing titles unless they upgrade the quality of their roster. My primary criticism of this deal is that the Spurs may have just given up too much. They lost a hard-nosed defensive presence in Bruce Bowen, a bulky but somewhat effective forward in Oberto (not kidding), and a veteran presence in Kurt Thomas. I think those three role players may account for much more than Richard Jefferson. But there's no anger on the Spurs' players. Tony Parker has called RJ "a great wing" and a team with Manu Ginobli, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and now Richard Jefferson would a devastating match-up for most opponents.
Local free agency here in Los Angeles has also been well-documented recently. The Lakers must make up a decision on whether to resign Odom, Ariza, and Brown. Odom was on the books for $14 mil and a pay cut is imminent no matter where he goes, but he did play especially well in his contract year (surprise, surprise). Despite his anger at the beginning of the year, he has proven to be an exceptional x-factor and was very helpful in the absence of Bynum. Many teams will be watching Ariza after his growth this season. Throughout his pro career, he really hadn't made a reputation for himself other than being renown for his athleticism. This year he proved he can defend the quickest forward on the opposing team in addition to driving and shooting. As for Brown, the young man really made a name for himself by scoring and dishing out assists the second he came off the bench. Instead of his focusing on his lack of minutes he made the most of what he got and impressed everybody watching in the process. Teams will be eyeing this guard and will probably sign him as a back-up, although I believe the Lakers will resign him.
We have also heard talk of Hedo Turkoglu's departure from Orlando after he turned down a contract extension. I'm not sure where Hedo will go or what system he'd best fit in just because he is such a unique player. Nevertheless, while I was watching ESPN, it may have been Around the Horn, the only respectable part of that franchise, I heard of a possibly move to Detroit and that sounds about right. The Pistons are missing that extra piece to tone down Iverson's firepower and allow the Motor City's talents to mesh. This will all surely leave a major void to fill for Orlando.
There is also another departure, and not of a player's but rather an entire team . We have heard talk for a few months now that the New Jersey Nets are relocating themselves to Brooklyn. Now, the Nets owner has been graciously awarded a delay on his arena payments and can kick back and relax. A professional sports team in Brooklyn will definitely have an immense cultural impact. For years to come, rappers will be rhyming about this new team in their hood. The league would be allocating athletic representation to a city who desperately needs it. For decades, Brooklyn has only been known as a poor city full of African-Americans and the celebrities who emerge from the area have all prided themselves on their rags-to-riches journey. What better way to show the NBA cares than to designate a team to such a deserving region?
And of course, the big thing on everyone's mind right now is the NBA Draft. For some teams, draft day will turn out to be a historic moment that turned around their franchise. For others, it may result in a bust and a horrible decision may cost them, literally cost them, for the next few years. And for some, like the Lakers, this draft shouldn't matter that much at the moment. But as usual, this year we have foreign (Ricky Rubio) and domestic (the Clippers and other disastrous teams) hype. Will Brandon Jennings break into the association with a bang? Will Stephen Curry make an immediate impact? Will Ricky Rubio be the next Darko Milicic? Who is Milenko Tepic? (I found his name under the 57th pick for Suns on NBADraft.net's mock draft. He's from Serbia =)
What I'm concerned about in this draft is the resurgence of the league's currently "bad" teams. I always use the Clippers in video games but for some reason they can never get themselves together during the season. When you have Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, Sam Cassel, and Cuttino Mobley you have to keep going after a ring. Lottery picks haven't really uplifted this team either. It even angers me to list all the people the Clippers could have picked when they chose to go a different way. Hopefully, Blake Griffin will be able to contribute right away. As for the Grizzlies, my apologies to all Memphis fans. After the Pau Gasol "donation", you all were disgraced and in return, Ricky Rubio, the latest foreign sensation seems like he can help. I'm particularly interested in is the performance of Stephen Curry. Two years ago, he had Lebron rooting for him and he was truly the talk of the town. This year we didn't hear as much about him, but he's still feared. NBADraft.net has him going to Sactown, where hopefully he can turn things around.
Also, make sure to keep an eye on ballers from around the world making their way to the NBA, the world's most coveted pro basketball league. There's a lot of hype currently surrounding Brandon Jennings, but I believe he will take the initiative to acclimate to NBA play this summer and be ready to woo the world during the season. I am very excited to report that this year's draft features the possible styles of this year's draft may include Israel, Spain, Ukraine, Serbia, France, Sweden. My only worry is that these boys will not represent their countries well, which we have seen from international players quite often in the past. However, most of these prospects are projected to be selected in the second round in mock drafts - which isn't a good sign for their position in the actual draft. Rest assured, though, there are plenty of other talented, home-grown prospects to fill the void.
Don't expect too much drama outside of the draft during this offseason, and if some trades do go down it's ultimately to prepare for next year's extravaganza. Many teams are looking to go younger and free up cap space and don't be surprised if this doesn't turn out to be a blockbuster summer, because general managers are eagerly awaiting to evaluate their team in season play. I'm expecting several trades to happen throughout the course of the year after we realize how much potential each individual has. Until then, we await draft day.
