As the beginning of the 2008-2009 NBA season nears, it is time to preview every team’s season.  While a few teams have their eyes on the ultimate prize, an NBA championship, others look to build upon their success from last year, qualify for the playoffs, or simply win more games.  We’ll start by taking a look at the Atlantic Division, where the Celtics seem poised to dominate while the other four teams look likely to battle for one of the lower playoff seeds in the Eastern Conference.

1. Boston Celtics: With Kevin Garnett back from a season-ending knee injury and the addition of Rasheed Wallace to bolster their frontline depth, the Celtics motto for the year is simply championship or bust.  With their Big Three of Pierce, Garnett and Allen leading the way the Celtics should easily clinch the division and will have one of the Eastern Conference’s top three seeds.

The development of Rajon Rondo is critical to this team’s success.  As their superstar trio continues to age and the games they have play take a toll on their body, it will be up to Rondo to be more than simply a facilitator.  Rondo must build upon the success he had in the playoffs last year and be able to carry the load at times offensively for this team.

Rajon Rondo must maintain his playoff performance for an entire season in order for the Celtics to win another championship.

Boston will also need bigger contributions from their bench particularly Glen ” Big Baby” Davis and offseason addition, Marquis Daniels.  Davis, much like Rondo, must carry his impressive playoff form into this season to provide the depth they need in the frontcourt and help minimize the amount of time that Garnett spends on the floor.  His ability hit jumpers will also be key in helping floor spacing and opening up the middle of the floor.  Daniels will be expected to provide more scoring punch off the bench to spell both Pierce and Allen and along with Davis will be key to the Celtics’ playoff success.

Rasheed Wallace brings a valuable addition to the Celtics.  Though his game is clearly in decline now at age 34, Wallace has a versatile offensive game, with the ability to stretch the floor and also score effectively out of the post.  He is also an extremely good defender, both on the perimeter, but more notably in the post.  While he cannot carry a team offensively anymore, which was apparent in Detroit last season, he can certainly chip in valuable contributions either off the bench or in tandem with Garnett in the starting lineup.

With an aging,veteran core, this season may be the best chance the Celtics have of reclaiming the title.  Head coach Doc Rivers’ ability to manage his veterans minutes in the regular season, development of his younger players like Davis, Rondo and Kendrick Perkins, all while being able to work Wallace and Daniels into the rotation successfully will determine the Celtics’ playoff success.

2. Philadelphia 76ers: This team continues to have a number of talented players, without truly being able to address any of the problems that plague them.  Last year’s team looked doomed to failure after their acquisition of Elton Brand.  They couldn’t operate in the halfcourt effectively with Brand, with their lack of shooters to provide any kind of floor spacing and while the rest of the team could run the floor, Brand languished behind, being more suited to a slower game.

It looked a poor fit and a decision that was questioned by many.  Without Brand, the team performed much better and in the playoffs extended the eventual Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic to six games before bowing out. This led to people questioning what they should do in the offseason.  The Sixers responded by attempting to solve their shooting problems, but signing long-gunner Jason Kapono, a career 45.4% shooter from 3-point range.

While this certainly provides some relief, the loss of point guard Andre Miller is another setback.  The plan is to start Louis Williams at the spot early in the season.  Williams is a great scoring guard off the bench, but his ability to run the point and get the ball to Brand and Iguodala and generating scoring opportunities for the team remains a huge question mark.

Elton Brand's low-post game is a poor fit with the rest of the 76ers roster which is better suited to an up and down game.

Iguodala remains the same player putting up an impressive 18-5-5 last year.  Unfortunately his game seems like a poor-fit alongside a low-post player like Brand.  Iguodala needs the ball in his hands to be effective and lacks the ability to move off the ball for easy layups, while his inability to shoot the ball from anywhere outside of the paint means that teams can afford to leave him and double Brand in the post.

Both Thaddeus Young and Mareese Speights seem destined to be coming off the bench in relief for Brand and Dalembert though their talents seem a better fit with the rest of the Sixers’ roster.  Their development will continue to be hindered in a situation where they are not being utilized to their maximum potential.  Rookie Jrue Holiday has all the tools to develop into a top-flight NBA point guard, but he may take a year or two to develop into the caliber of player the Sixers are hoping for.

While the Sixers should once again clinch a playoff berth, their long-term success looks to be stunted by the team’s composition.  They now face the decision of either changing the team to fit around Brand, which looks unlikely considering the rest of the team’s talents, or looking for a trade partner to take on his contract.  Players with the ability of Brand can certainly be attractive to teams looking to contend immediately, but the Sixers must acquire pieces in return that will fit into an up-tempo running game, address their shooting woes and can elevate the team to the upper echelon of title contention.

3. Toronto Raptors: This team spent a lot of money in the offseason which should lead them to the playoffs this year, but may not be of great benefit in the long-run.

Turkoglu signed a contract with the Raptors in the offseason for 5 years, $53 million.  The questions is whether Hedo was worth the long-term incestment the Raptors put into him.  He will blend in seamlessly into the Raptors free-flowing offense and he provides matchup problems with his size and ability to pass and score off of pick and roll situations.  Hedo and Chrish Bosh’s potential in that area of the game remains limitless as both players can score inside and have the touch to hit jumpers.

Andrea Bargnani's continued development will be necessary for the Raptors to become an elite team.

Bosh will continue his excellence and should average a double-double again this year.  His areas for improvement must be his interior defense and it is imperative that Bosh become a better passer with more offensive options surrounding him this season.  Jose Calderon will once again run the point this year and if he continues the production he has put up over the course of the past two season, he will remain among the league’s best.

The Raptors helped out Calderon in the offseason, by signing Jarret Jack to back him up.  Jack will give Calderon much needed relief and his steady play gives them a valuable option off the bench and he is an underrated player in end-of-game situations with his propensity for making big shots.  Marco Belinelli was a steal for the Raptors and his otherworldy outside shooting ability will certainly make him a valuable cog in the rotation.

The biggest question mark for the team and player that could elevate them to an elite status is Andrea Bargnani.  He showed signs last year of becoming a legitimate scorer.  Bargnani averaged 19.4 points and 1.6 blocks over his last 20 games of the season.  If he can continue that play and also become nastier rebounder, paired with Bosh they could develop into one of the NBA’s most feared frontcourts.

Though the signing of Turkoglu and Jack helps them going into the season, questions remain around if Bosh will remain in Toronto and even if he does, will Turkoglu be able to sustain his play as he ages into his early-to-mid thirties.

4. New York Knicks: Does my love for the Knicks cloud my ability to judge them?  Yes, but in all honesty I believe this team has players with enormous potential that is getting overlooked by analysts and writers who would prefer to continue to use the team as a punchline.

In the Knicks' uptempo system, Danilo Gallinari's unique talents could be maximized to great effect.

First and foremost is Danilo Gallinari who coach Mike D’Antoni claimed was the best shooter he had ever seen.  While this is certainly an exaggeration, Gallinari has a high skill-level that translates well to the running game the Knicks will be playing.  He is a 6′10 forward who can handle the ball, shoot and has shown an increasing ability to pass the ball.  He must continue to get into game shape and get his legs underneath him.  Once that happens Gallinari could easily put up 18-20 points a game this year.  The key to his success lies in allowing the game to come to him, rather than forcing shots or deferring to teammates when he should shoot.

Wilson Chandler also provides another hope for the team and could provide an excellent complement to Gallinari.  Chandler must first realize that while it is important for him to improve his outside shooting, that his greatest strength offensively is his ability to drive strong to the hoop.  Chandler will be able to draw fouls and get to the line, where he is a good shooter.  This will eventually force teams to lay off of him, giving him better looks from the outside, rather than the contested and forced shots he is taking right now.

While Chris Duhon is certainly not the long-term solution at point guard, he provides steady play and leadership.  The key is for D’Antoni to also provide time for Nate Robinson and rookie Toney Douglas at the guard positions.  Robinson and Douglas would be a good tandem off the bench, with Douglas’ ability to play the point on offense and defend effectively against bigger shooting guards on defense.  This will allow Nate to play off the ball, where he thrives offensively and also minimizes the defensive liability he is by matching him up against point guards.

David Lee has shown an ability to hit the occasional jumper now which he must continue to make more consistent, but his knack for rebounding and increased effort on the defensive end makes him a key part of the team’s frontcourt rotation.

Al Harrington can score in a number of ways, but must learn to do so in the context of the offense, rather than holding the ball and ruining the offensive flow that the Knicks’ system is predicated upon.  His renewed focus on the defensive side of the ball and role as a leader on the team make him one of the most important pieces to any success the Knicks hope to have.

Both Jared Jeffries and Darko Milicic have the same role.  They are athletic big men, that are in the game primarily for their defense.  Milicic’s knack for blocking shots combined with his size, strength and ability to run the floor ensure he will see plenty of time on the floor while Jeffries’ defensive rotations will be helpful in getting the team to be respectful on the defensive side of the ball.  Both players must be able to hit outside shots in order for the Knicks’ offense to operate at full efficiency this season.

This team has a lot of question marks, but their increased effort on the defensive side of the ball should lead to more wins and I full expect this team to contend for a playoff seed in the 6-8 area all season long.

5. New Jersey Nets: The Nets have a number of talented young players on the roster, but their success will be limited this season as progress should be based not on their record, but on the development of their youth.

Brook Lopez' emergance as the premiere young center in the NBA brightens New Jersey's long-term outlook.

Devin Harris is one of the league’s best young point guards and he has flourished following his move to New Jersey with head coach Lawrence Frank running the offense through him.  His blistering speed is impossible to defend and when he gets into the lane it creates defensive nightmares for the opposing team.  While Harris leaves much to desire in terms of his playmaking ability for others around him, he has become a top-5 NBA point guard capable of carrying his team on any given night.

Brook Lopez has had a great impact since he was drafted and his rapid development into the league best young center gives the Nets an extremely valuable commodity.  With the lack of quality big men, Lopez’ rugged post game and imposing defense is an anchor for this team to build on for years to come.

Trading Vine Carter and Ryan Andersen, netted the Nets a potential long-term shooting guard in Courtney Lee.  In his rookie season for Magic, Lee was routinely assigned to defend the opposition’s best perimeter player which he did to great success.  As the season continued, Lee began to demonstrate an ability to score from the outside and also slashing to the hoop.  If he continues improving, the Nets may have found a perfect backcourt mate to pair with Harris for years to come.

Second-year guard, Chris Douglas-Roberts has shown flashes of becoming a consistent contributor so far in training camp in preseason.  Douglas-Roberts may be able to develop into a good scoring option off the bench for this team as the season progresses.  Rookie Terrence Williams has a world of potential, but must continue to work on his game.  He needs to develop a better handle and a more consistent outside shot.  If he can maintain his focus Williams can become a two-way player who could be a nightmare on defense for opposing teams’ perimeter players.

This team certainly is not built to win now, but Lawrence Frank has made a habit of turning his club into overachievers.  While the loss of Carter hurts it should be offset by the further development of their young players as the season progresses.  The Nets will end up on the short end of the scoreboard more than not in 09-10, but they will be competitive and look to have a bright future.

I was in the car today listening to Michael Kay and Don La Greca on 1050 ESPN Radio in NY when they began discussing the Knicks’ plan of pursuing Lebron James in the summer of 2010.  Both commentators stated that the Knicks putting all their chips on the table, and going all in for the Lebron Summer of 2010 sweepstakes was a flawed plan and that Knicks fans were the one suffering the consequences last year and will be this year as well.

Lebron isn't the only option available to the Knicks next summer.

Now I agree with both on a few of the statements they made.  I agree that Lebron is more likely to stay in Cleveland than to come to New York.  I also agree that the Knicks have mortgaged their immediate future in order to be a player in free agency during the summer of 2010.

That is the extent to any of the claims they made that I agree with.  Let’s take a look at the fallacies behind their arguments.

1.  Lebron will make more money in Cleveland than by coming to New York because the Cavaliers can offer a bigger contract.

This is true only on the surface.  Cleveland has the advantage of being able to offer Lebron a sixth year on a contract, while the Knicks can only offer him a max contract over five years.  Comparing the max contracts both teams could offer over the initial five years, Lebron would make a grand total of 4.14 million less if he came to the Knicks.  When you’re making over $40 million a year including $28 million a year in endorsements I doubt that giving up a little less than $1 million a year over five years will matter much.

They also both went on to claim that since Lebron is already one of the most prominent athletes in the world, moving to New York would gain him little monetarily or in terms of recognition.

Coming to New York would certainly boost Lebron’s profile internationally to a level it is not at right now considering that his jersey sales in China rank No. 7.  Lebron himself has stated he wants to become the first billionaire and certainly stands a better chance of accomplishing this is in New York with its large market and the exposure both nationally and internationally that it provides.

2.  Lebron has a championship contender in Cleveland, something that the Knicks are far from being.

Once again on the surface there is nothing wrong with this statement.  Last year the Cavaliers won 66 games and contended for an NBA Finals berth, while the Knicks went 32-50 and missed the playoffs for a fifth straight season.

Lebron's supporting cast in Cleveland is negligibly better than the Knicks' current roster.

Then again last year according to Basketball Prospectus Lebron was worth close to 27 wins to his team. Doing some simple math, that would mean that without Lebron James, the Cavaliers would have won 39 games last year.  Even if you question the validity of advanced statistics, use some common sense and think to yourself how good Lebron’s supporting cast really is.  It is slightly better than the Knicks’ roster, though they also lack some of the talented youth the Knicks have on their roster.

The Knicks are also in much better position to add talent immediately looking at their overall cap situation.  It is true that with the salary cap slated to come down again next year the Knicks will most likely not be able to add another max contract player to their roster next summer.  What many fail to realize is come around the summer of 2011 the Knicks will again have significant cap room with Eddy Curry and Jared Jeffries both having their contracts expire after the 2010-2011 season.

The Knicks can even use both those expiring contracts to acquire another player to put next to Lebron before the trade deadline if they want.  Simply put long term the Knicks cap situation looks better than the Cavaliers cap situation in the long-term.

3.  If the Knicks fail to land Lebron, the entire plan for rebuilding will be a failure.

To expand on this, Kay even went on to claim that if the Knicks landed Miami superstar Dwayne Wade, it would have been a failed strategy.  Even if I tried to ignore the stupidity of that statement Kay then decided to say that point guards can not lead a team to a championship.

Knicks fans would be more than happy if Dwayne Wade came to New York instead of Lebron.

Two things.  Dwayne Wade is a shooting guard and last time I checked he did lead the Miami Heat to a championship in the 2006 NBA Finals where he was named Finals MVP.

Wade is on record saying that he can’t see himself in New York, but if he did come I doubt any Knicks fan would be devastated with that result.

Even if Lebron does not come, the Knicks would still have the cap space to sign say perhaps a combination of Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudemire, two player who have played and thrived under Mike D’Antoni in Phoenix.  With those two players, the expected development of the Knicks’ young players and the ability to sign another big free agent in the summer of 2011, the Knicks’ future would look very promising.

Even if the Knicks fail to sign a significant free agent next summer they will be in a much better situation than they were under the reign of former GM’s Isiah Thomas and Scott Layden.  While I do believe there are some things current GM Donnie Walsh could have done better in his time in New York, overall he has delivered on his promise to get the Knicks under the cap sooner rather than later.

Perhaps this is why they say you can’t rebuild in New York.  The most significant part of the Knicks’ rebuilding plan is not to sign Lebron James, but that they even have the ability too after a decade of poor cap management.  Both Kay and La Greca fail to grasp several keys to the Knicks’ entire plan.

I hate to pile on both, because I generally enjoy their commentary, but when it comes to understanding the Knicks’ plans and what they have to entice Lebron neither Kay or La Greca come close.

When the 2008-2009 NBA season came to a close the Phoenix Suns failed to gain a playoff berth for the first time since Steve Nash came to Phoenix before the 2004-2005 NBA season.  The addition of Shaq at the previous season’s trade deadline proved to be a failure as the Suns offense stagnated in Terry Porter’s halfcourt, grind it out system.

When Porter was fired and replaced by Alvin Gentry midway through the season, the Suns reinstated their running game and again became one of the league’s best offenses, though continuing to be an ineffective defensive squad.

Steve Nash and Grant Hill are both past their primes and can't push the Suns to a championship level.

Heading into the offseason, the Suns needed to find a new identity.  Nash is 35, Shaq, 37 and Grant Hill, 36.  They promptly traded Shaq to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Ben Wallace, who they waived, Sasha Pavlovic, who they will buy out soon, cash and a 2010 second round pick.

With Shaq gone, the Suns turned their attention to both Grant Hill and Steve Nash.  With Hill being an unrestricted free agent and getting an offer from New York, Phoenix decided to extend a two-year, $6 million offer, which Hill accepted.  The Suns followed this move shortly thereafter by giving Steve Nash’s a two-year, $22 million extension.

For fans looking for any hope of a return to glory in the near neither of these moves delivered.  Nash is still an effective point guard, capable of setting up teammates for a number of easy shots with his pinpoint passing, not to mention his ability to score, but at 35 it is clear he is now slowing down.  He was never a good defensive player to begin with, but over the last 2 seasons it has gotten even worse, with Nash incapable of stopping nearly any opposing point.

Hill put up solid numbers last year, but has not been a true difference maker since prior to the multiple surgeries he’s underwent on his knees.  To make matters worse, the Suns only other addition this offseason has been former first round pick, Channing Frye who’s only skill, perimeter shooting, will be useful in playing with Nash, but once again will not give the Suns a serious boost to make them any kind of contender in the West.

Additionally, Amare Stoudemire has been hinting at leaving from Phoenix after his failed attempt this offseason to get a contract extension.  GM Steve Kerr has stated they want to see how Amare holds up after undergoing serious surgery on the retina in his right eye last season.

Amare Stoudemire may be looking to get a new contract elsewhere after negotiations with Phoenix for an extensions proved futile.

Looking to the future, the only player who they can hope to develop into a star would be this year’s first-round pick, Earl Clark.  Both Leandrinho Barbosa and Jason Richardson at this point in their careers are know quantities as prolific scorers, that provide little else.  Even if the Suns were to keep Stoudemire, with the Lakers and Spurs on top in the West and a number of teams that figure to make big moves in the upcoming seasons in Portland and Oklahoma City, it figures to be awhile before the Suns rise again as a power.

This is disappointing, because going into this offseason, the Suns were poised to free up cap space in the summer of 2010 and armed with an expiring contract in Steve Nash that could have fetched them some youth or expiring contracts and draft picks at the deadline.  Now the Suns merely look like a team doomed to be too competitive to lose enough to be at the top of the lottery, but not good enough to make the playoffs.

Two years ago re-signing Nash and Hill would have been prudent, but with the decline in both players’ skills and abilities, the Suns look to be stuck in the middle of the pack.  The Suns will still run and put up well over 100 points a game next year, especially with Stoudemire looking to up his value on the open market, but with Nash, the engine of their offense getting older the Suns figure to be stuck in mediocrity.

David Kahn began his term as the new GM of the Minnesota Timberwolves on the eve of the NBA Draft.  With a team consisting of one legitimate franchise player in Al Jefferson, nearly everybody else on the roster was up for trade.  Looking to rebuild through the draft, Kahn traded Randy Foye and Mike Miller to the Washington Wizards in exchange for some frontcourt depth with Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila, Oleksiy Pecherov and above all the No. 5 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.

Already holding the No. 6 pick this gave the Timberwolves two picks back-to-back with another at No. 18 and No. 28 later on in the first round coming their way.  Armed with four first round picks and a number of holes to fill Kahn entered the draft prepared to retool and reload his team with young talent.

As the first four picks in the draft came and went and in many teams’ eyes the top point guard prospect, Ricky Rubio, still on the board, nobody was surprised to see the Timberwolves pick him at No. 5.  The pick was viewed as a great selection that gave Minnesota a point guard of the future with a player many view as a prospect whose potential is immense and have led to comparisons to Pete Maravich.

With the No. 6 pick coming, many had Stephen Curry pegged here to round out a starting backcourt of the future to pair with their two studs in the frontcourt.  Personally, I thought Terrance Williams would have been a nice fit with his all-around skills, defensive capabilities, size and athleticism.  Kahn went in a puzzling direction to many by choosing to go with another point guard, this time take Jonny Flynn out of Syracuse.

Ricky Rubio may still be overseas when the upcoming NBA season kicks off

The Nuggets traded their No. 18 pick for a future first round pick to the Denver Nuggers, a good move in a weak draft class and then took shooting guard, Wayne Ellington with the No. 28 overall pick in the first round.

Since the draft Kahn has been on record as saying he believes that a backcourt of Flynn and Rubio though unconventional could work.  Unfortunately, the argument holds little weight since the Wolves have yet to figure out how they are going to be able to get Rubio to Minnesota with the buyout currently in place with his contract with his current Spanish league club, DVK Joventut.

It’s puzzling that the T’Wolves would even have selected a player without having finalized a buyout from his contract, especially after drafting him with their top selection.  They then made a move to cover themselves by drafting Flynn in the event Rubio is not able to come over this season, a scenario which is looking increasingly likely.  The situation that faces them is what they plan on doing if Rubio does come over.

They cannot possibly start Rubio and Flynn together and neither will be happy coming off the bench to back-up the other.  With the trade of Foye and Miller, two of the team’s better scoring options, the T’Wolves could field one of the worst offenses this season in the NBA.

T’Wolves fans should hope that with up to potentially three picks in the first round next year, Kahn does a better job of evaluating his team’s personnel and needs.

After winning their 16th championship this past season, the Lakers had to make several key decisions this offseason.  With Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza both being unrestricted free agents and both seeking long-term contracts, GM Mitch Kupchak made a bold move.  Feeling that Ariza was not worth the full mid-level exception for five years as he wanted, Kupchak decided to extend the mid-level exception to free agent, Ron Artest.

Artest will need to learn how to play second fiddle next Kobe Bryant for the Lakers to defend their title successfully.

Artest signed the deal and with Odom agreeing to a deal late last week, most experts and pundits viewed them as an improved team that stood as the clear championship favorites.  While the Lakers certainly are the favorites to repeat their championship run of last year, the exchange of Ariza, who signed with the Rockets, for Artest is at best a lateral move if not a downgrade.

Artest over the course of his career has a high usage rate on offense and often has demonstrated his tendency to break off plays, hold on to the ball and look for his own shot.  Looking at last year’s numbers, Ariza shot 46.o% from the field, whereas Artest shot 40.1%.

Artest did shoot significantly better than Ariza in the regular season hitting nearly 40% of his treys as compared to Ariza’s 31.1%, but come playoff time Ariza elevated his game hitting 47.6%, while Artest put up a horrific 27.7% from downtown.  Combine this with the fact that Artest shot 23-83 from three in 13 playoff games, whereas Ariza shot 40-84 in 23.  Artest at times can get caught up looking for his own shot and will force the issue even when he’s not on.

Ariza posted a lower usage rate, higher true shooting percentage and a higher effective field goal percentage for the season.  He found his niche moving without the ball, often into the corners when Kobe drove to the lane or cutting baseline to the hoop freeing himself for good scoring chances.  He also provided a couple of  late game steals for the Lakers that sealed victories over the Nuggets and Magic in the playoffs.  The Lakers also used Ariza to check the opposing team’s best wing player.

Whereas Ariza is 23 years old with a steadily improving all-around game, Artest finds himself at 29, declining athletically and becoming a less effective defensive player.  The other baggage Artest brings to L.A. with him is his history of strange behavior off the court.

Ron Artest is an absolute headcase.  He has certainly calmed down since his time in Indiana, most noted for his charge into the stands in Detroit, but there is not doubt that Artest remains a bit on the crazy side.  If you missed it, Bill Simmons of ESPN.com, in his most recent piece, discussed Artest’s tendency to walk around in his underwear on the team bus last year with the Rockets.

The Lakers may regret not signing Ariza, who was the perfect complementary player to Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol.

While this pattern of bizarre behavior is nothing new from Artest, most of the NBA talking heads have stated their belief that if Jackson could control Dennis Rodman in Chicago and get him to play effectively alongside Jordan and Pippen, then he can do the same with Artest in L.A.

The comparison between Rodman and Artest is limited strictly to bizarre behavior, but as basketball players the disparity in their styles of play is vast.  Rodman never needed or demanded the ball.  He knew his role as a rebounder and an excellent defender capable of checking the opposing team’s power forward and making effective rotations.

Artest while still a good defender is nowhere near the elite level he was at during his time in Indiana.  Artest offensively is not effective moving without the ball, something he will need to improve working alongside Kobe Bryant.  He must also stick to the triangle offense, which demands a player read and react the situation and encourages ball movement.

The Lakers still remain the favorites to win their second consecutive championship and adding Artest could be a move that does reap benefits for them.  For that to happen Artest must buy into the triangle offense and learn to defer to both Bryant and Gasol offensively before looking for his shot.  Phil Jackson will certainly have his hands full, incorporating Artest into the Lakers’ game plans for next year.

As we all know the Cavaliers, Magic and Celtics are going to start the season off as serious title contenders in the Eastern Conference.  Are there any teams in the East that have the potential to disrupt the three main powers?

I’m not talking about a team that can sneak into the playoffs, or win a playoff series, but a team that has the potential to beat one or even two of these teams in a playoff series.  I’m not telling you that the Washington Wizards are a championship contender, but looking at their roster it’s obvious that if they can put it all togther, with their talent, they will be a force to reckoned with.

Gilbert Arenas needs to get the hibachi grill going for the Wizards to be successful this year.

The Wizards are an awful defensive team, which they compound by not putting in any effort on that end of the floor.  The team lacks an interior presence on both defense and on offense.  Their offense relies too much on hitting shots from the perimeter and they have almost an over abundance of wing scorers.  The Wizards won 19 games last year and finished last in the Eastern Conference, but in many ways this year’s team barely resembles last year’s injurry riddled squad.

When discussing health and playing together as a team, it all starts with their Big Three, specifically Gilbert Arenas.  Agent Zero’s prolonged injury-related absences has been tough for the Wizards, but word is that Gilbert’s been a gym rat this offseason and can’t wait to get back on the court.  Arenas cannot be guarded by other guards around the league because of his ability to hit jump shots even under duress and his size, strength and agility make him unstoppable when he drives to the rim.

Arenas’ main flaw is that he often fails to fulfill his primary duties as a point guard.  He doesn’t need to average double digit assists, but the Wizards must hope that Arenas has matured and will do a better job of facilitating the offense.  Arenas, now entering his ninth year in the league, must learn to get the other players on the team going in addition to looking for his own shot.  Flip Saunders will give him the freedom to run his read and react offense and if Arenas can handle those duties, the Wizards offense will be better than before.

Antawn Jamison is now 33 years old, but is coming off one of his best seasons, averaging 22.2points and 8.9 rebounds a game.  The third member of their Big Three, Caron Butler also had a solid year, but missed 15 games because of injury. Both players can get out in transition, handle the ball and have the ability to score from the perimeter and drive to the hoop.  While Jamison has the ability to play both forward spots and score inside with an advanced post game, Butler has become better at creating for teammates in Arenas’ absence the past two seasons.

If Butler and Jamison put up the same numbers as last year and Gilbert can return back to his peak hibachi form with an added ability to facilitate the offense, this team should be able to easily get in to the playoffs.  However, it’s the depth beyond these three that the Wizards now possess that make them such an intriguing and dangerous team.

The Wizards are now the most explosive team in the league.  On any given night outside of their Big Three, they have five other players that can help shoulder the offensive load.  Nick Young, Randy Foye and Mike Miller, can make their backcourt absolutely lethal.  Young has shown glimpses of his potential and with coach Flip Saunders’ decision to use him like he did Rip Hamilton in Detroit, Young can be absolutely deadly with his excellent mid-range game.

Mike Miller gives the Wizard another offensive weapon with his ability to play the point and spread the floor.

Foye and Miller came over from Minnesota in a trade for the No. 5 overall pick.  While the Wizards may be kicking themselves with Ricky Rubio dropping down to that spot, they certainly made out well.  Foye is a Gilbert-lite in many ways.  He is too big and strong for most opposing point guards and is difficult to keep out of the lane.  Foye will be explosive for the Wizards with his ability to play both backcourt positions coming off the bench.

Miller is deadly from beyond the arc and with the number of slashers that the Wizards have, he could benefit immenselyon drive and kick opportunities.  Miller also has the ability to play some point, which he did effectively in time with Memphis.

He is an excellent ball handler for wing player his size and his length and size allow him to see and make some passes most point guards struggle with.  While he can’t play their for an extended period of time due to his lack of lateral quickness, Miller could form an effective backcourt pairing with Arenas, splitting the point guard duties with him and allowing Arenas to operate as the shooting guard at times.

Andray Blatche is a 6′11power forward/center, with the ability to handle the ball and an advanced perimeter game for a big man his size.  Still only 22 years old, Blatche is still developing his game.  If he can bulk up a bit and operate a little bit more in the post, Blatche can provide match-up nightmares for opposing teams with his ability to draw the other team’s big men out to the perimeter and opening up the paint.

Javale McGee has the potential to be an absolute star in the NBA.  Like Blatche, he has shown the ability to operate from the perimeter, but McGee has far more advanced skills operating inside.  With his 7′6 wingspan he can be an extremely disruptive force defensively as well becoming an elite rebounder, which he did both of to great affect in summer league.  McGee is also extremely athletic and runs the floor very well for big man his size.

Javale McGee can be a force on the interior on both the defensive and offensive ends of the floor.

The Wizards will also be getting Brendan Haywood back to solidify their frontcourt rotation and give the Wizards some kind of defensive presence inside.  Defense will ultimately determine how far this team goes.  Washington will not struggle to put points up on the board, but they need to commit to playing defense.

The Wizards don’t need to become one of the league’s elite defensive units, but they need to at least be average, which requires little else but effort.  If Saunders can get his team to put in the effort defensively, the Wizards should be able to easily wrap-up the No. 4 seed in the East.

There are two things any NBA team needs to be successful in today’s league, the ability to create match-up problems and versatile players who can play multiple positions.  The Wizards have both of these qualities.  Imagine a lineup of Miller, Arenas, Butler, Jamison and Mcgee.  All five players have the ability to put the ball on the floor and Miller, Arenas, Butler and Jamison can spread the floor effectively to create opportunities to drive or throw or throw it down low to McGee.

They can score in the halfcourt and also in transition equally as well.  Their size and length can create nightmares on the defensive end as well if they can commit.  The Wizards are certainly a work in progress, but they simply have too much talent to overlook.  With their talent level, skill, depth and roster versatility the Wizards could be poised to compete with the Eastern Conference powerhouses come playoff time.

Kevin Pritchard, sealed a failed offseason for the Portland Trailblazers on Friday by signing 33 year old point guard, Andre Miller to a 3-year, $21 million contract with the third year being a team option.  Portland has needed a pass first point guard, but Miller doesn’t seem to be a great fit in the long-term for the Blazers.

Miller is a much better creator and distributor than Blake and Kevin Pelton of BasketballProspectus.com had him ranked as the second best offensive free agent.  As Pelton notes, while Miller will certainly give the Blazers more versatility with his ability to create in addition to Roy’s, his lack of shooting ability will hurt the Blazers when Roy has the ball.  Teams will be able to collapse in on the Blazers and make it more difficult for them to space the floor effectively.

The Blazers would also have been better served looking for a guard who could stick with the league’s increasing amount of speedy, young points.  The Blazers would have been well served in taking a look at C.J. Watson from the Golden State Warriors.

Watson is only 25 and is a decent defender with a knack for getting in the passing lanes, averaging 1.25 steals in only 24 minutes per game last season.  Watson is also a good shooter from distance, hitting 40 percent from downtown last year.  With his improving point guard skills, Watson would have been a nice addition that the Blazers could have gotten for a cheap price.

Andre Miller adds to the Blazers a veteran with playoff experience, but the value of this to the Blazers remains a mystery.  Portland gained experience last year in their series against the Rocket, which should only help them as they go into next year.  With such a young team, it is expected that they will be better next year as their players continue to develop.  With the addition of Miller, Portland has certainly improved, but the difference may be much less significant than they expect.

GM Kevin Pritchard of the Portland Trailblazers has received much praise for his quick turnaround of a team that 5 years back was maligned around the league.  The “Jailblazers”, as they were known then, lacked cohesion as a team, had a roster full of headcases and felons and had little to no support from their fanbase.  Since then Pritchard has turned Portland’s roster into the envy of every team looking for a way back to the top of the league.

GM Kevin Pritchard has made some puzzling moves in the offseason

Armed with owner Paul Allen’s Microsoft billions Pritchard bought and traded for 1st round picks from desperate teams.  Brandon Roy, Greg Oden, LaMarcus Aldridge, Rudy Fernandez, Jerryd Bayless, Travis Outlaw, Nicolas Batum, Martell Webster and this year’s first round pick, Victor Claver, make-up a young nucleus that won 54 games last season.  Many NBA analysts have hailed the Blazers as a franchise not just heading in the right direction, but one primed to win championships in years to come.

The Blazers, while promising and talented, were certainly not perfect and Pritchard went out with the goal this offseason to change that.  Portland has been active in trying to find a point guard that can take this team to the next level.  They attempted to trade for Jason Kidd from New Jersey two seasons ago at the trade deadline, but were trumped by an offer from Dallas.

While the point guard spot remained their biggest need entering this offseason, Pritchard made waves early in free agency by courting Hedo Turkoglu.  This affair culminated with Turkoglu agreeing in principle to a 5-year, $50 million contract only to change his mind in the eleventh hour and instead sign a 5-year, $53 million offer from Toronto.

The courtship of Turkoglu was puzzling to many because the Blazers already had Fernandez, Batum and Outlaw capable of playing the small forward position.  Adding Turkoglu would have created a logjam at a position that the Blazers did not need an upgrade at and would have stunted the development of their young players.

At the very least the signing of Turkoglu made sense in that he would give them a veteran presence, with playoff experience, coming off of a phenomenal performance in the playoffs with the Orlando Magic.  After they lost out on the Turkoglu sweepstakes, Portland in another puzzling move signed power forward Paul Millsap to a 4-year, $32 million offer sheet.  The offer was matched by the Jazz, while questions were raised about the direction the Blazers were taking.

The Blazers needed to add depth in the frontcourt at the power forward position behind Aldridge, but not at the price tag that Millsap came at.  What is even more puzzling is that Aldridge will be looking for an extension soon as he will be a restricted free agent next summer, which would have tied up serious cap space at one position for the Blazers.

Pritchard seemed to have got caught up in the big names available on the free agent market, rather than addressing the Blazers’ need at point guard.  The latest rumors have Portland engaged in talks with Andre Miller, but the 33 year-old is not a long-term answer, merely a stop gap.

The Blazers would be better served to go after Ramon Sessions, the 23 year-old point guard from Milwaukee.  Sessions would provide them with the heady, pass-first point guard they need to complement their talented roster.  Sessions can be had for less than Miller and would be a prime candidate to develop alongside the rest of the Blazers’ young nucleus.

The Blazers also have to negotiate an extension with Brandon Roy, who like Aldridge will be a restricted free agent next summer.  The Blazers and Roy’s agent have been negotiating the terms of an extension during the course of this summer.

It was expected that negotiations between Roy and the Blazers would be swift with Roy getting a max-contract extension.  Roy however didn’t seem too happy about the situation when interviewed about the topic earlier this summer on Radio KJR.

How are the negotiations going?

Sometimes things may not go the way you want one day, and you may get better news the next.  You know, my biggest thing is just staying patient, and knowing that I came in to this league and I’ve done everything I possibly could to get, I feel, a maximum contract.  So, I just kind of have to wait and hope something comes through.

Do you think an extension will be signed this summer?

Umm, it’s hard to say.  There’s days I feel good that something will get done, and then there’s days, you know, this might not happen.  For me, it’s 50/50 right now.  I would love for it to get done, because even when I was recruiting for college, I just wanted it to get done so I could start preparing for that school.  That’s kind of the position I’m in right now – I would love to just get it over with so that way we can move forward, and I can be more involved with free agents and things like that.

How much of a role are you playing in getting free agents to come to Portland?

Right now, I’m not playing much of any role (laughs).  It’s kind of hard for me to go out and recruit Hedo Turkoglu for five years when I only got one year guaranteed on my deal left.  Right now, my focus is mainly on, How can I secure my future?  At the end of the day, this is a business but that is something I would like to be more a part of, but it’s just hard because there is a conflict of interests there.  I would love for another really good player to come to Portland – I think we have a really great team – but, again, LaMarcus (Aldridge) has his contract situation that he’s waiting to get resolved.  It’s just really hard for us to go out and recruit when our situation isn’t really, I feel, even close to getting done.

The Blazers still need to re-sign Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge to extensions

Brandon Roy is a franchise player and the Blazers should be ready to pony up the money and pay him like one.  Roy has developed into one of the best scorers in the game and he has also become the leader in the Blazers’ locker room.  If the Blazers are trying to play hardball with a player of his caliber, they are not giving him the security he needs and expects.

Roy also mentions in that interview that he would love for the Blazers to acquire another great player, but with him and Aldridge waiting on extensions they cannot recruit players to Portland.  In effect through some puzzling moves this offseason Pritchard has sowed some seeds of dissatisfaction within his team.

Pritchard did an incredible job in putting this team together with young, talented players, while keeping the Blazers’ cap flexibility so they could be players in the free agent market this summer.  The Blazers are in prime position to take the next step to challenge the Lakers in the Western Conference, but Pritchard has faltered so far with the team requiring only a few final touches to become a legitimate championship contender.

Tim Donaghy was a lone rogue official working by himself, or at least that’s what the NBA and David Stern would like for you to believe.  Is anyone really buying that story?

Let’s rewind back to the 1998 NBA Finals, Game 6 in Salt Lake City.  With the Bulls down 85-86 and Karl Malone with the ball, MJ comes from Malone’s blind side and swipes the ball from him.  Jordan dribbles the ball up the court taking the ball to the wing and then takes two dribbles to his right.  With his off hand, Jordan pushes Russell off, then nails the jumper we’ve all seen a million times to win the game for the Bulls.  Game. Series. Championship.

Many have said Jordan pushed off and it should have been a foul call, but that’s the kind of play where you can understand the no-call.  The fact of the matter is Jazz fans should be more upset by two plays that took place earlier.

Looking at this video there are clearly two aggregious calls that went a long way in deciding the game.  Eisley’s three was nearly five feet out of his hand, before the shot clock buzzer’s went off and the referee had already waved it off.  The second one is almost bad with the ball clearly still in Ron Harper’s hand as the shot clock expires.

These calls however, do little to truly suggest any kind of league-wide conspiracy of favoring certain, players and teams.  Enter Tim Donaghy and open up the book for all the allegations of referee impropriety that are constantly brought up by players, fans and coaches alike, particularly during the playoffs.

Let’s start with a couple of facts:

Fact 1: Donaghy admitted to federal investigators about betting on games he officiated or passing on information to gamblers between October 2006 and April 2007.

Fact 2: Donaghy placed 134 phone calls to official Scott Foster that lasted no more than two minutes and occurred before and after games Donaghy officiated and on which he admits wagering.

Referee Scott Foster received 134 phone from Donaghy before and after games Donaghy officiated. Not suspicious right?

So the logical conclusion here is that no other officials were involved in gambling or betting on NBA games, right?  Well if you are David Stern and the NBA that’s what you would want for people to believe and with the help of their buddies over at ESPN that’s what has happened so far.

ESPN has major money tied up in NBA telecasting contracts and therefor has a vested interest in protecting the image of the league which is why it’s coverage in the wake of this information was so sparse and one-sided.

In the two articles they dedicated to the Scott Foster issue, the first is about Foster’s eagerness to tell his side of the story and how he is struggling with the knowledge of Donaghy’s admissions after knowing him for 17 years.  In the second we hear about how Foster believes that if refs could talk to the media the NBA conspiracy theories would die out.

Do these articles even qualify as pieces of investigative journalism?  You’re telling me that if you could interview Scott Foster you wouldn’t even question him about the nature of his relationship with Donaghy and why Donaghy called him immediately before and after games?

Then there’s this from RJ Bell at Pregame.com:

During the 2006-07 period under investigation, seven games refereed by Scott Foster had lopsided enough betting on one team to move the point spread by at least 2 points; those seven teams were undefeated against Vegas – meaning that the big-money gamblers won a 7 of 7 times on Foster’s games; the odds of that happening randomly are less than 1%.

Statistics alone cannot convict, but it’s certainly noteworthy that seven times in Foster’s games one team was bet extremely heavily, and all seven times that team won,” said RJ Bell of Pregame.com.

Two of those seven games stand out:

On January 19, 2007 the Kings opened as a 1.5 favorites at Boston; betting on Sacramento moved the line to -4.5. Kings won by 5, shooting 25 free throws, versus only 14 free throws for the home team Celtics. On March 20, 2007 the Nuggets opened as 2.5 point underdogs at New Jersey. Denver was bet so heavily, they closed as 1 point favorites. Denver won by 4, shooting 32 free throws versus only 22 for the home team Nets.

In prior reporting widely carried by the national media, RJ Bell of Pregame.com uncovered that big-money bettors won 15 straight lopsidedly bet games refereed by Tim Donaghy during the 2006-2007 season.

Inside the numbers of this study: Teams bet in a disproportionate fashion typically win only around 50% against the Las Vegas line. Wins and losses determined against the opening number. The time frame considered: Opening Day 2006 through March 31, 2007.

So with all that going on the FBI cleared referee Scott Foster of any wrongdoing, David Stern claimed unequivocally that Donaghy acted alone and was simply a roogue official and NBA referees are off the hook.  Can you imagine if baseball umpires were found to be gambling on games?  With this plethora of evidence suggesting that at the least that Foster was also involved, the nation’s media has gone deathly quiet on such an explosive issue.

The reality is that the NBA has knowledge of referees gambling on games and has effectively done nothing about it other than to hush it up, allowing Scott Foster to continue to officiate games.  Another reality is that NBA directs referees to officiate certain games in order to ensure the outcome that they desire

Donaghy in interviewing with government and FBI officials outlined a number of other cases of suspicious officiating.

One of the games discussed how referees were instructed by NBA officials to to extend a series.  The series was Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals between the Kings and the Lakers.  This is a game that in its immediate aftermath received much scrutiny due to horrendous calls in the fourth quarter that led to the Lakers taking an astonishing 27 free throws in that period to the Kings’ 9.

Mike Bibby was called for the foul after Kobe Bryant elbowed him in the nose during the fourth quarter's final seconds in Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals

In addition to foul calls there are a number of calls the referees did not make.  In the fourth quarter, Shaq made an inordinate amount of free throws than normal.  Of the 17 free throws he took, O’Neal made 13 of them.  What is clear looking back at the video is that on every single one, Shaq committed a lane violation by stepping over the line on each one before the ball had hit the rim (fast forward to 6:03 in the video).  Not one lane violation was called on Shaq.

The second case mentioned by Donaghy outlines how Yao Ming was targeted after Mark Cuban complained about Yao Ming setting illegal screens in a 2005 first round series between the Mavericks and Rockets.  The Rockets were up 2-0, winning the first two games on the road and subsequently lost the series 4-3.

Jeff Van Gundy, the Rockets head coach at the time, claimed that a league official told him the referees were going to target Yao Ming.  When pushed, Van Gundy refused to give up his source, the NBA fined him $100,000 and they launched a probe to find out who the league official was to cover themselves from being complicit in knowledge of this.

There are a number of other examples of suspicious officiating including an incident in Game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semi-finals between the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat.  Bennett Salvatore gave a timeout to Latrell Sprewell of the Knicks after he came up with a rebound and the Knicks up 83-82.  Sprewell said after the game he had not called timeout and said he thought Marcus Camby had, while Chris Childs claimed he had called timeout.

That’s a lot of confusion which is compounded by the fact that Dick Bavetta talked it over with Salvatore and both concluded that somebody on the Knicks had called a timeout, though neither could pinpoint who had.  Following the game Miami Heat guard, Tim Hardaway claimed that now, “I see why they call Dick Bavetta ‘Knick’ Bavetta”.  Salvatore and Bavetta also worked Game 6 in the infamous Kings-Lakers series.

Referee Bennett Salvatore has officiated NBA games of dubious distinction like Game 5 of the 2006 NBA Finals.

Salvatore was also involved in Game 5 of the Mavericks-Heat 2006 Finals series in which Dwayne Wade received every call imaginable anytime a Mavericks defender was within a foot of him. The game is best rememeberd for a call on Dirk Nowitzki in the final seconds that gave Wade free that gave the Heat the lead in the game which they would eventually go on to win.  Replays showed that there was little to no contact at all on the play.

There are various other cases of curious officiating that can easily be found, but we have been duped into accepting that the referees have been cleared of wrongdoing and the whole matter swept under the rug.  As fans there’s little we can do other than to voice our displeasure and not by a ticket, but without any media scrutiny having been given to a matter ripe to exposed we are left with the very same referees continuing to be fixtures in the NBA.

This much is certain is the fix has been in on a number of NBA games with league approval.  Without any further independent investigation into the matter we still are left with a sick feeling that league attempts to win the ratings war are more important than giving fans what they want.  Players and teams deciding games on the floor, rather than referees deciding them with a whistle and the unquestioned support of the league.

Looking at free agency this summer and how it is playing out, it is clear the economic recession has certainly affected the way that teams are spending money.  It is becoming harder to players to cash in with teams reluctant to spend loads of money at a time when their own financial situations are shaky at best.

The most overlooked aspect of this is how teams are being put in difficult situations regarding signing free agents or re-signing their own players because of their own indescretion in overpaying and overspending for players.

Case in point, the Utah Jazz.  They desperately want to keep Paul Millsap, but need to move Carlos Boozer and his $12.7 million salary.  Ideally the Jazz could keep both players which would give them a considerable amount of offensive firepower in their frontcourt with Boozer, Millsap and Okur.

However, with Portland offering Millsap a 4-year, $32 million contract and $5.8 million signing bonus, the Jazz don’t want to lose a promising, young power forward, but are financially strapped and need to find a taker for Boozer.

The deal that really has put them in this situation however is the contract that they extended to Andrei Kirilenko in 2004.  The extension was a 6-year, $86 million offer and tied up Kirilenko until the summer of 2011.  Since the 06-07 season, Kirilenko’s play has been much less impressive and he has struggled to become a key cog in an offense that features more versatile scorers like Boozer, Okur, Deron Williams and Millsap.

The Jazz tried to trade him following the 06-07 NBA season to no avail and eventually came to an understanding welcoming Kirilenko back.  The problem here isn’t that they extended Kirilenko, but they failed to recognize that part of the reason he was a stat stuffing machine was the lack of talent on the Jazz teams Kirilenko was previously a part of.  Now the cash strapped Jazz are in a position of either losing Millsap or Boozer, something that could have been avoided if they had been more cautious in their dealings with AK47.

Another case in point is the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.  Sure they signed Ron Artest this summer for the mid-level exception, but they are in danger of losing Lamar Odom.  Most media outlets have been questioning Odom and saying he should go back to the team, rather than worry about the length and value of his contract.

What these outlets have failed to note is that Odom, a player noted for the versatility and matchup problems he creates is asking for double of what the Lakers are paying Luke Walton and Sasha Vujacic.  Vujacic is coming off a season where he shot 38.7% from the field.  In postseason he shot an absolutely horrific 26.4%, capping it off with an NBA Finals series where he failed to make a field goal or score a point.

Luke Walton this past season averaged 5.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.  In the finals, Walton averaged a paltry 3.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.  For this Vujacic will make $5.0 million this year and $5.48 million next year.  Walton will receive $4.8 million this year and $5.26 million next year.

Many coaches, including Western Conference finalist Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl, believe that Odom’s versatility is one of the keys to what makes the Lakers such a difficult matchup and helped them in their finals run.  Odom is asking for $10 million a year over 5 years, whereas the Lakers want to give him a 4-year, $36 million contract.

I can understand the Lakers being cautious about the length with Odom turning 30, but his value to the Lakers is certainly worth the $10 million they are currenly ponying up for Vujacic and Walton.  Simply put , the Lakers’ poor investment in rotation players may cost them a key cog to a championship winning squads.

With the current financial situation, championship teams are paying for missteps in free agency.  Now more than ever GM’s are being forced to be savvy not in simply putting a team together, but in their ability to guage a player’s value and sign them to a contract accordingly.  NBA GM’s are now being forced to pay for previous transgressions in spending their valuable cap space.

Certainly the Knicks have been the primary example over the past decade, but the league is littered with teams that are attempting to recover from poor personnel decisions.  The Bucks have been stuck in perpetual status a late lottery team in past years due to poor decisions, such as signing Bobby Simmons and trading for Richard Jefferson.

The Clippers have payed for expensive extensions for Chris Kaman, signing Baron Davis in free agency and failing to keep their own free agent Elton Brand.  In a cutthroat economy with teams looking to turn into winners and free agents looking to cash in on their own personal success, having a GM able to balance financial decisions with personnel choices is becoming increasingly critical.