Since we have spent the last year or so wading through the murky waters of free agency, don’t you think it’s about time we started drawing some conclusions?

But before we come to any real conclusions, a little role play. Imagine yourself as Cavaliers general manager Chris Grant. In just your second week on the job you are faced with the prospect of having to trade away the best player in franchise history in a do or die sign and trade, or watch the two time and defending league MVP simply leave town as an unrestricted free agent. Of course, there is also the possibility of resigning him, but I think the chances of that are very small.

Glad I’m not that guy.

Conclusion #1: The only one that really matters.

For reasons that should become clearer and clearer, LeBron James is about to become a member of the Chicago Bulls. Chicago is the one team that truly has all of the pieces in place to contend for a championship, except a superstar player to lead them. Chicago also has the opportunity to sign another free agent to a maximum contract alongside LeBron. This means that the Bulls could add Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, A’mare Stoudemire, Carlos Boozer, Joe Johnson, David Lee, or any other high profile free agent in addition to King James. Although Wade seems likely to resign with Miami, and Joe Johnson does not deserve a max contract, a team that includes LeBron James, Derrick Rose, and Chris Bosh becomes an instant championship contender.

Even if Chicago failed to sign another superstar player and had to settle for a second tier free agent, they still have an extremely talented roster. Derrick Rose is arguably the top point guard in the Eastern Conference, and he’s not even 22 years old. Rose and LeBron could be playing together for the next decade, both in the prime of their careers. Credit the Cavaliers for puling out all the stops to surround James with talent, but they never found him a point guard of Rose’s caliber.

This team will need a knock down shooter if it expects to contend for a championship though, and it seems likely that Kirk Heinrich is on his way to Washington. This is where the Bulls will need to land a quality free agent. Ray Allen is a free agent, talk about a superb starting backcourt, Derrick Rose and Ray Allen would make a terrific combination. The Allen scenario may seem a little pie in the sky, but it illustrates the point that the Bulls will need to surround LeBron with at least one talented shooter if they expect to contend for a title.

The Bulls also have a young, talented front court. Joakim Noah, though he would be hated even more by Cleveland fans if he and LeBron won a title in Chicago, is blossoming into quite the talent. Averaging 11.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game in the 2009-10 season, Noah seems like an obvious upgrade over Anderson Varejao, although their styles are very similar. Noah really set himself apart from Varejao during the Bulls first round loss to the Cavaliers when he averaged 15.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, and a healthy 3.0 blocks per game. Love him or hate him, Noah showed exactly what kind of player he can be during that playoff series. Despite his foolish banter with Cleveland fans, Noah’s play really speaks for itself.

Taj Gibson and Luol Deng are both talented young forwards. It does seem likely though that if LeBron were to arrive, Deng would either be traded or forced to come of the bench. If Deng stays, he makes for an excellent backup, easily becoming one of the top bench players in the league. However, Deng averages 18.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game and it seems unlikely that he would willingly accept a role as a reserve after spending his entire career as a starter. Taj Gibson, entering his second season after spending much of his first as the Bulls starting power forward, is perhaps the weakest link in this chain. Gibson averaged 9.0 points and nearly 8 rebounds per game a season ago, and as he matures, those figures seem likely to increase. Where his production peaks in uncertain, as he will probably never be a great scorer in the NBA. The point here though is that Noah and Gibson, like Rose, are entering the prime of their playing careers. They may seem raw and unfinished now, but they are only going to become better basketball players.

Continuing to forge new links in the Bulls’ chain, first year head coach Tom Thibodeau takes over for the unloved Vinny Del Negro, who was fired in May. Thibodeau was the architect of the vaunted Celtics defenses of the past three years that put the clamps on teams led by Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, Dwight Howard, and LeBron James. Sure, Wade torched the Celtics this year, but for what it’s worth, Boston dismantled the Heat. Also, Thibodeau designed the defenses that slowed LeBron James during the 2008 Eastern Conference Finals and 2010 Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Thibodeau is the kind of coach that LeBron James could thrive under. First, Thibodeau is as passionate about the game as any coach in the league and while he may have seemed overwhelmed during his introductory press conference, his passion was evident. Coaches whom Thibodeau served under praise his ability as a teacher and a communicator; something that Vinny Del Negro may have lacked. He is the kind of coach that can take Derrick Rose to the next level with his skills as a teacher.

Given the defensive prowess of James, the utter tenacity of Noah, and the scheming of one of the league’s best defensive minds, the Bulls have a chance to possess on of the league’s top scoring defenses. Obviously the team remains an unknown quantity offensively as Thibodeau will always be known as a defensive guru. However, Thibodeau’s former boss Doc Rivers said that his offensive ability is underrated and praised his knowledge of the X’s and O’s. Sure, he probably lacks the offensive mind to master the painted area like Hubie Brown, nor is it likely that he can somehow scheme this team into the Phoenix Suns. But for LeBron James, this is sure to be an upgrade over the unoriginal scheme employed by Mike Brown.

Take this for what it is, mere conjecture. For the next seven days, all we can do as fans is speculate. It does seem difficult to argue though with the appeal that the Chicago Bulls could have to LeBron James. James teams up with Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and the top available coach this offseason. Not to mention the fact that the Bulls have the opportunity to offer another max contract to a one of this year’s best free agents, in addition to the max contract they can offer James. If that doesn’t appeal to the King, nothing will.

One final caveat: too much is being made about LeBron playing in the shadow of Michael Jordan. LeBron is not Michael Jordan; he is a different player with a different style. In my opinion, Jordan will always be the best player to ever play the game. LeBron plays in a new era and is destined to leave his own, unique legacy, regardless of weather he retires in Cleveland, Chicago, or elsewhere. I for one do not think that playing in the so called house that Michael built phases a player like LeBron. One could argue that Kobe Bryant has played his entire career in the house that Magic built, or the house that Jerry West built, or Wilt Chamberlin, or Elgin Baylor, or even Kareem. None of this seems to phase Kobe as he is simply another Godfather in the elite Laker lineage. This could be LeBron in Chicago; first it was Jordan, now James.

Conclusion #2:

If LeBron James ends up playing for the Knicks next year then I will end up looking like a complete idiot.

and here...we...go

Two of the best teams in the league matchup tonight as Amare Stoudemire and Steve Nash take on LeBron James, Mo Williams, and the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

1st Half: 

Mo en fuego. cool. 

Retro Jerseys, alright. 

LeBron James just did the classic “Warriors come out to play” scene. Coby Karl is still a scrub. 

Shaq: good move off a great pass from LeBron. 

The Champ is very interested in the Hickson/Stoudemire matchup. 

Lucky bounce out from a Steve Nash floater. 

Grant Hill has crazy bug eyes.

Alley oop from LeBron James to JJ. Hickson.Anderson Varejao has a man’s rebound.

What a dime piece! Zydrunas Ilgauskus’ wife has us more impressed than his franchise game record.

Seeing Danny Ferry reminds us of the time he almost ran over the Custodian on a bicycle.

This is what happens when the Suns play a team that employs defense.

LeBron steals the ball from Amare and nails a almost halfcourt shot at the buzzer! wow. just. wow.

The Champ and The Franchise chest bump. 14-36 Cavs.

He didn’t get it off in time, I still couldn’t make that shot.

Z is lighting up the Q!

Delonte misses a layup, Varejao puts it in, thank God.

Daniel Gibson has the best haircut i’ve ever seen.

Shaq: bank shot and the and-one.

Steve Nash makes a three, you figure he has to take those.

The Suns just look kind of dead.

“Take on Me” by a-ha is playing at the Q.

what happened to this guy. he was funny.

50-24 Cavs lead. The Suns can’t play defense or make shots.

The Champ finds it hard to believe that Robin Lopez has more playing time than –LEBRON WITH THE CHASEDOWN!

Steve Nash with the long three pointer. He has twelve.

JJ Hickson dunk, followed by a foul, good acting by Grant Hill.

LeBron exploits the poor defense of the Suns. and again.

10 seconds left, and the Suns can’t do anything.

The Cavs allow just 29 points to the Suns in the first half. 57-29 Cavs.

2nd Half:

Jason Richardson is cold tonight 0-9. wow.

Amare looks like an old man, a mix of Greg Oden and James Worthy.

Bon Jovi’s playing over the loudspeakers now.

Varejao blocks Amare! ooh, good block.

Austin Carr advertises for Buffalo Wild Wings’ “Boneless Thursdays” for a second The Champ thought he said “Homeless Thursdays”

Anthony Parker hits a timely three, he has 10 points.

Z dunks, the crowd loves him tonight.

Austin Carr talks about controlling emotions, The Scott should learn a thing or two about that.

The Q keeps rocking with J. Geils Band’s “Centerfold”

LeBron looks somewhat defeated as his shot was blocked, he responds with a thundering alley oop from Mo.

Delonte drains a shot at the buzzer to end the third quarter.

We don’t understand how furniture rental places can afford to not check a customer’s credit.

The IQ of the room has significantly dropped wit the addition of non-basketball fans.

Z has now passed Austin Carr for third place on the Cavaliers franchise points scored list.

Steve Kerr's career or this guy's?

G.I. Joe Rise of Cobra, we’ll pass.

Mo Williams sticks a three to reach 100 points, “Chalupas!” exclaims The Franchise.

“Baba O’Reilly” is now rocking the Q.

Delonte almost got that rebound against Amare.

Dwyane Wade embarrasses Cleveland’s Anderson Varejao in last night’s game: to view (which I highly recommend) click “Read rest of this entry”

Dwyane Wade and LeBron James both look to prove something tonight.

“TNT has the best games” – The Franchise

The Champ and The Franchise are the only two guys watching the game so far tonight, should be a good time.

***on a side note*** The Champ and The Franchise hate the firing of Byron Scott. hate.

Charles Barkely is our favorite commentator by far.

The Franchise wants Hickson in the lineup, he is.

The Champ wants to see Delonte, he remains to be seen.

1st Quarter:

Easy bucket for Shaq over Beasely and Jermaine O’Neal.

LeBron misses a shot as the score is 7-4, Shaq scores again.

ah! no Delonte. Craig Sager reports. Can’t meet “base level of accountability”

nice move J.J. Hickson.

D. Wade too easy, Cavs 13 Miami 8.

Michael Jordan-Pat Riley. we bow to greatness.

Two quick offensive fouls, Cavs 15 Heat 12.

LeBron burns Jermaine O’Neal, passes to Shaq, misses but is fouled by Quentin Richardson.

LeBron heads to the line. Q-Rich was really shaken up by Shaq, he’s got an ice pack.

Dwayne Wade POSTERIZES Anderson Varejao!!!!!!!!!! wow, LeBron was fouled though.

The Franchise wants more toughness from the Cavs, Varejao and D-Wade are getting into it now.

We didn’t know that Varejao could speak English.

Varejao is still in pain, from the poster dunk.

Jamario Moon takes the Alley-Oop from James and dunks it.

LeBron: driving layup and draws the foul.

TOMAHAWK DUNK by LeBron James, this is pure entertainment folks.

Dwayne Wade: 3 pointer in LeBron’s face.

4 seconds in the quarter.

AAAH! LeBron drives and scores at the buzzer.

ridiculous.

D-Wade was electric in the first quarter.

2nd Quarter:

Jamario Moon and Carlos Arroyo trade buckets.

Carlos Arroyo? really.

Daniel Gibson nice rebound.

Cavs are not taking good shots with LeBron off the court.

Heat are looking tough – The Franchise.

Daequan Cook has been really cold in his minutes.

Mo Williams, two quick three pointers, increase the lead by 6.

Lenny Kravitz is here, so is Warren Sapp, Joey Porter and Penny Hardaway, and SCOTTIE PIPPEN! ah!

Cleveland 50 Miami 47.

Reggie Miller respects Michael Jordan. a lot.

Akron Beacon Journal quote: represent.

Beasley long jumper.

Bad foul by JJ Hickson. LeBron is here to teach him the way.

Dunk by LeBron James, and another good layup for LeBron.

59 Cleveland 54 Miami.

End of the 1st Half.

Miami down by five, 62-57 Cleveland. LeBron’s got 19, D-Wade’s got 16.

Jamario Moon has actually been playing great defense on his old teammate D-Wade

3rd Quarter:

Mario Chalmers burns Mo Williams for the layup.

Chalmers to Beasley alley-oop.

Just as the Franchise claims “LeBron is going to have to take over”  LeBron hits a three.

Hickson outside jumper?! cool.

84-76 Cleveland. Mo Williams and JJ Hickson are stepping it up.

Chalmers hits a three to put it within five.

JJ Hickson, alley-oop!

Weak shot by Daniel Gibson, weak shot.

LeBron James can sure drive to the lane and score.

end of the third quarter Cavs up 92-84.

Beasley has actually been playing good tonight.

4th Quarter:

Cavs up by 10 now, 94-84.

JJ Hickson has 18 points, yeah.

Heat are on a dry spell, Cavs are taking advantage, up by 11.

The Cavs cannot leave Haslem open, he hits a jumper.

Mo Williams makes his own shot.

Jamario Moon is playing his best game so far as well, as he records a super block as he hits it off Beasley to get the ball back.

LeBron wanted the high screen, couldnt get it, results in a turnover.

D-Wade brings the defecit to eight, timeout on the floor.

The Mike Singeltary commercial for Motorola phone is on!

we love this guy

Cavs have 100 points now. LeBron hits his second free throw too.

Cleveland ball?! good effort from JJ Hickson nonetheless.

Interesting Jump Ball.

D-Wade again, time for LeBron to step up.

Wade misses, Cleveland regains possession 4:15 left.

103-96 Cleveland, cavs turnover the ball.

Foul called on Mario Chalmers.

Wade burns Parker, shoots over Z. Parker needs to play better D.

LeBron James for 3! he’s into it.

106-99 Cavs are up.

LeBron drives to the lane draws the foul from Jermaine O’Neal.

LeBron drives to the lane (again) and draws another foul.

Mike Brown is getting into it Josh McDaniels style.

Cavs up 109-99, oh wait Beasley puts up a three.

the Cavs are back, we were previously directed to the Lakers/Suns game, a good game but nevertheless, we want the Cavs.

Cle 111 Mia 104

JJ Hickson: big surpise.

The game is over. CLEVELAND 111 MIAMI 104.

So the day has come, the Cavaliers and the Magic meet again. Both teams look different, Cleveland with Shaq, Orlando with Dwight Howard.

So now its gametime: The Champ the Franchise and a few other guys are around lets informally nickname them “Canada” “Varejao” and “CTHD” (Croucher Tiger Hidden Dragon).

1st Quarter:

8:08 Shaq wins the tip, Hickson is starting at the 4. Mo strokes the 18 foot J.

LeBron is unstoppable.

First matchup between Shaq/Howard, foul. Second ends in a missed field goal.

Shaq draws second foul on Dwight Howard in the third matchup. Howard sits, brilliant strategy for the Cavaliers.

Mo Williams 3-3 has scored 7 of the Cavs’ ten points.

Monster dunk for LeBron James. James draws the foul and completes the 3 point play.

17-12, Cavaliers lead.

Shaq around the back to James, CTHD chokes on his cake.

Varejao comes off the bench, finishes with a monster dunk, The Franchise stands and claps.

The Champ feels that Marcin Gortat is Z without an outisde shot.

Gibson hits a three, Cavs 34 Orlando 26

The Franchise notes that this is a very high scoring quarter for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

LeBron misses a shot near the first quarter buzzer, good quarter for the Cavs, they lead by seven.

Dwight Howard spent the majority of the quarter on the bench.

2nd Quarter:

3rd foul on Howard, this is trouble.

Howard draws the second foul on Shaq.

Williams drives to the basket and nets it. 53-40 Cavaliers.

LeBron has 17 points, the Cavs are up by 15.

Weird call here. Nelson pushes on James, yet its a call on James?

Sorry guys, uncalled for interuption, Cavs up 63-51.

LeBron hits the three at the buzzer to end the half. 66-51. Mo Williams 9-9. he’s just “playing basketball.”

CTHD says the Cavaliers are penetrating the Magic “in the mouth.” ok.

LeBron is making it look easy.

3rd Quarter:

Vince Carter brings the defecit to 13.

Anthony Parker for three, and again!

The Champ has never seen the Cavs shoot this well.

Howard draws the foul on Shaq.

Jeff Van Gundy loves Dwight Howard.

Vince Carter still has it.

Everyone really likes the “Twin Draft Guard” commercials.

Do they really work? The Franchise thinks so.

Bad, bad, bad no-call on LeBron with Howard.

Brandon Bass, scrub move.

Van Gundy is right, Cleveland is doing a great job double teaming Howard.

Orlando is just missing shots, plain and simple.

oh shoot, Jamario Moon really overshoots on a dunk, oh boy.

Quarter ends Cavs up 88-68.

"no i want the ball"

4th Quarter:

The Champ forgot how bad Stan Van Gundy’s voice sounded.

MO WILLIAMS again, 92-70 wow.

just saw the ending to Nets/Sixers, wow. thats pathetic.

One guy here keeps saying that Varejao is a pansy.

5:58 left…

Reddick ends his streak of 12 3 pointers missed in a row.

LeBron James hits a crazy shot for his 34th point

game over. 102-98 Cleveland win.

Impressive win for the Cavaliers.

not impressive live blogging for the paints dudes. sorry about that.

Okay, so I watched the Cavaliers and Bulls game and had a couple thoughts, actually a lot of thoughts, not all of which is directly related to the actual play of the game. I could have just done a list of random thoughts but I thought it might be better if I explained my thoughts as to leave no confusion about exactly what I am saying.

The first of which is something that I have thought for a long time and have gotten some negative feedback on. That is that Anderson Varejao should be coming off of the bench. Not that he hasn’t played well enough to start, because he has. No, I am saying that he is much more effective coming off of the bench giving that spark off of the bench. To draw an analogy to the recently departed baseball season, he is like Jonathan Papelbon. As a starter, he was sort of effective, still able to produce, but not with the impact that he has when he comes in to close and shuts down the opponents. It is easier to expel all your energy for a limited time than try to stretch it out over the period of time that a starter deserves.

Also, on a lesser note, Joakim Noah and Anderson Varejao are the same player. They are the exact same player. They are effective mostly due to their size and energy, have little to no ability to shoot, rebound well, and draw fouls. They even have crazy hair. It is eerie every time the Bulls play the Cavaliers. This is not an original thought, but I have had the same thought since Noah came into prominence while still at Florida.

The next thing that came to mind was that Derrick Rose is very similar to LeBron in the idea that if he can consistently knock down a mid range jumper, he will be unstoppable. I also had the thought that he is one of the top 3 quickest players in the NBA with the ball in his hands. The other two are debatable; you wouldn’t be incorrect to mention Tony Parker, Chris Paul, or Rajon Rondo. However, even though he is still recovering from injury and not close to his former self that we all saw in the playoffs last year, he almost easily blew by his defender each time up the court.

Then the men at TNT began speaking about Delonte West and his legal troubles. There is a very real chance that Delonte West could miss significant time because of a jail sentence. However, thanks to the diligent reporting of one David Aldridge I now know that often these cases are settled with a plea bargain, often resulting in house arrest. This is good news, however, perhaps he will be made an example of.

Then I noticed something about Mo Williams. He has fallen in love with the move of driving towards the basket, stopping in mid air and passing behind himself with a very dangerous pass. I don’t know why he has become smitten with this move, apparently it is effective, but I feel that the rest of the league will eventually figure this out and it will become a detriment to his game.

Here is another observation that I made: Anthony Parker is everything that the Cavaliers wanted Sasha Pavlovic to be, except I don’t think he is as good of a defender. He makes most of those open shots that LeBron creates (which I will get to later). However, when he tries to create his shot it just gets ugly. Mike Brown needs to limit his opportunities to create his own shot, let someone else control the ball and have him sit beyond the 3-point arc like a Pietrus or Rashard Lewis.

These are a lot of thoughts, but here is another: I have said this before, but the Chicago Bulls stockpile athletes like the Soviet Union stockpiled assault rifles. Taj Gibson came in and almost completely fulfilled the spot left open by Tyrus Thomas. And while on the subject of Tyrus Thomas who played the game recovering from the flu, it is really impressive. Professional athletes playing with the flu doesn’t seem so impressive until you get the flu, then you realize how difficult it is to run and jump while dealing with headaches, a fever, the chills, body aches, and all the other symptoms that come along with the flu.

**Side Note** If you had told me that the Tennessee Titans and the Cleveland Browns would have the same amount of wins this year, I would have told you to stop drinking or that the Browns are having an outstanding year.

Now lets talk about LeBron James and the possibility of him leaving Cleveland to go to Los Angeles and joining the Lakers. First of all, it is not going to happen. And if it did, I’m not sure it would work. Reggie Miller made the beautiful analogy that no Indian tribe can have two chiefs. LeBron and Kobe are two alpha dogs, and that just doesn’t work in the NBA. And in addition to that, they both need to have the ball and score for a majority of the game.

LeBron is by many accounts the best player in the game. If he believes himself to be that, which he does, he wont bring himself to go to LA where he will definitely play second fiddle to Kobe even if he is or becomes better than Kobe. It is Kobe’s team and it always will be for as long as he stays there. I really can’t envision this scenario at all. Some analysts are already drooling over the concept of LeBron joining Kobe and forming the greatest duo in the history of the NBA. Even if it happened, I’m not sure if it would work.

Sure, LeBron is perhaps the most unselfish great player in the league who doesn’t play the point. But, that doesn’t translate to him always deferring to Kobe during the game. It worked in the Olympics, sure, but Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, Chris Paul, and Carmelo Anthony also surrounded them. Everyone on that team was the best player from his respective team, so there was no jealousy. We have all seen what happens when Kobe had to coexist with a player who is as significant as he is when Shaq still played his home games in LA. I could be completely wrong because LeBron doesn’t portray himself as the typical great player in the league who wants to prove that he is solely great enough to carry a team to glory.

Lets get back to the game. Mike Brown needs to stop playing both Z and Shaq on the court at the same time. It just doesn’t work. It creates too many bad mismatches and easy opportunities for the opponent in order for it to be beneficial. The Cavs are practically fighting an uphill battle with just one of them on the floor at a time, let alone when they are both in their huffing and puffing while they slowly sprint down the court. It is not as if they provide an advantage offensively either. I don’t know the exact figures but I never think to myself that they are consistently pulling down more rebounds with that duo than with Varejao on the floor. They often fall victim to the quicker forwards who can maneuver around Z or Shaq for the rebound. They are so bad defending the pick and roll that it is almost a guaranteed bucket for the opponent each time up the floor.

During the game, the Bulls never got intimidated like you would expect a young team to get. Maybe that is a result of their playoff series with the Celtics last year or maybe it is due to Vinny Del Negro and his wisdom, I honestly don’t know. However, you never felt like the Bulls were about to wilt away during the game. Somehow they always manage to hit the clutch shot to bring it back to a close game or take the lead. This Bulls team is not afraid to play any team in any situation.

Charles Barkley said something that really struck a cord with me. He essentially said that the Cavs offense basically shackles LeBron instead of frees him to be everything offensively that he could be. He is right. The Cavs offense is LeBron takes the ball, either down the court or at the top of the key, and the rest of the team watches him operate. If he were in a Phoenix Suns style offense he could average over 35 PPG over the course of an entire season. His biggest strength is running up and down the court and jumping high over defenders for a giant finish.

If I may I would like to get back to the Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo controversy that I touched on briefly before. Chris Paul had a gross overreaction to what Rondo said, going so far as to approach the Celtics locker room after the game and was heard shouting that Rondo was going to “respect me like a man”. Maybe this comment ignited some fire deep inside of Paul. Perhaps Rondo awoke a beast that the rest of the league had hoped didn’t ever wake up. Paul is more than capable of carrying his team further than it should go. Maybe this will inspire him to lift his already immaculate play to the point that the Hornets become a viable championship contender. Or maybe, this was all much ado about nothing and the Hornets will be lucky to survive the first round.

Okay, since we are onto more general NBA topics, lets delve into the Allen Iverson fiasco that is rapidly unfolding. Iverson knew going into the situation, as we all did, that he was going to be a bench player on a below average team. Now, only a few games into the still nubile season he is already complaining that he has to come off the bench. Iverson knew this was going to be the case yet he is still complaining about it. He shouldn’t be in Memphis, he should be in Charlotte where they desperately need a scoring presence, yet he insisted on being the renegade he has always been. You only get what you give.

This post was a bit jumbled, but that is pretty much what ran through my head as I watched the Cavaliers and Bulls battle one another.

For the fans of the Cavaliers this is it. LeBron’s seventh year in the Association might prove to be his most crucial. The LeBron/Michael Jordan comparisons will certainly continue, for Jordan did not win a championship until his seventh year. However, LeBron’s seventh year is a little more important considering James’ willingness to test the waters of free agency in the upcoming offseason, heralded as the most exciting offseason in the history of the NBA.

However, LeBron is not alone in his journey: his supporting cast rivals the best in the league.

Guards:

Mo Williams certainly has to repeat his success in 2010 and bring it with him to the postseason.

Mo Williams – did anyone really expect Mo Williams to become an All-Star caliber point guard when he arrived in Cleveland? For all means and purposes, the acquisition of Mo Williams from the Bucks was a steal. Trading Damon Jones and Joe Smith (who would later return to the Cavaliers), Williams arrived to a team who had previously gone 45-37 despite losing a very close matchup with the Boston Celtics in the second round of the playoffs. Williams, brought in to provide another scoring option to assist James. In the famous series against the Detroit Pistons in the 2006-2007 playoffs, the rookie point guard out of Texas seemed to be the answer: a young Daniel “Boobie” Gibson. Although not as impressive as LeBron’s Game Five in the series where he scored the team’s final 25 points in double overtime, Gibson scored a career high 31 points in the series clincher that sent the Cavaliers to their lone NBA Finals appearance. But in recent times Gibson has looked uncomfortable, in his ball handling skills and in his shooting abilities. Regardless, Gibson remains a backup who could be a potent threat off the bench if his abilities somehow return to him.

Trouble? The Champ thinks so.

Anthony Parker is more of a safe bet.

The two position on the Cavs’ depth chart is clearly its weakest. The leading candidate for the starting position, the man who started the majority of the games last year, Delonte West is a complete mess. I’m sure everyone knows of his habits of bipolarity and depression states, and his infamous recent exploits with the law when he was charged with possession of firearms after being pulled over on his motorcycle, his shotgun stored in a guitar case. Now, the Delonte West saga continues as his wife has filed a report of domestic violence all in the last few days. While Delonte West possesses great talent, things are getting worse. The Cavaliers must exercise immense caution, for they are at a too crucial point in team history to let West be a distraction. My hope is for “Brother Red” to fully recover, earn back his position into the starting lineup. However, Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry, in a smart offseason move acquired veteran guard Anthony Parker  from the Toronto Raptors. Parker, a one time stud in Europe played well for the Raptors, who are welcoming newcomers Hedo Turkoglu amd USC stud DeMar DeRosen. Parker, not necessarily known for his defense, but rather for his shooting (in Toronto fans dubbed the area behind the 3 point line “Parkerville”) looks to bring a legitimate three-point threat, and will most definetly get looks resulting from double teams opposing defenses scheme to use on LeBron and Shaq. Rookie second round pick Danny Green, considered a steal in the second round, also will get some playing time and has plenty of experience on a higher level of competition, playing all four years at the defending national champion UNC. My hope is for Parker and West to work together to form a dual sided sword at the two position, Parker to contribute consistant offense and West to contribute All-Star caliber defense in clutch situations, because lets face it, neither of these guys are likely to take the last shot in a close game. (See 2009 Eastern Conference Finals Game 2.)

Despite James' 49 point performance in Game 1 of the ECF and his miracle shot in Game 2 (see above), the Cavs could only escape Cleveland with a 1-1 record.

Forwards:

Behind LeBron James the Cavs have viable options at the forward positions. Veteran defensive presense Ben Wallace was traded almost immediately after the seasons end, due to his deterioration in ablilities, while Brazilian Anderson Varejao was given a hefty six year extension. I believe that Varejao’s style of play suits his role quite well. A player who brings immense energy into the game and is a superior defender. Last season, Varejao improved offensively, with a little help from a man with tremendous basketball IQ, LeBron James. This season, Varejao could be an important option sandwiched between LeBron and Shaq. The Cavaliers also signed another player in this offseason to be a versatile option, Jamario Moon. I have always admired Moon’s play from his days in Toronto and more recently Miami. I give huge credit to Danny Ferry for seizing the oppurtunity to claim Moon, knowing Miami wanted to keep him but were saving cap space to sign a player like Carlos Boozer or Lamar Odum. Moon’s role on the Cavs is very simple, to sit the bench and fill in when needed playing the 2, the 3, and even the stretch 4.

Filling other spots on the Cavs bench are two sophomores: JJ Hickson and Darnell Jackson. Hickson, the team’s first round pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, looks the most promising. The Cavs drafted Hickson out of NC State knowing that he was a raw talent and needed to refine his skill base in order to be more effective. Hickson’s rookie year was suprisingly successful where he became a reliable bench option and had his fair share of monster dunks and blocks. Jackson, or “D-Block” as dubbed by fans, saw plenty of action, even getting a start with injuries to Ben Wallace and Anderson Varejao. Hopefully the experience gained by seeing effective minutes last season will prepare these two for a bigger role in 2009-2010. Unquestionably though, JJ Hickson must improve, those who are close to the team say that Hickson is becoming a star in his own right and spent a lot of time in the offseason with LeBron James. If so, Hickson provides a very solid force off the bench.

Another offseason move by Ferry was to bring in the former Celtic Leon Powe, however injured Powe will return somewhere around February and looks to bring additional depth to the team.

Pregame Introductions will Never be the same.

Centers:

In the 2009 playoffs Dwight Howard could not be stopped by the Cleveland defense. It was simply a matter of size and personel. Shortly after the NBA Finals, the Cavs made one the biggest (in terms of size) move of the offseason by bringing in an unstoppable force in Shaquille O’Neal. Now opposing defenses will have to chose how to cover the big man. Teams like the Toronto Raptors will almost certainly have to cover the big man, considering how badly he abused both Bargnani and Bosh when playing for the Suns last year. The pick-and-roll now becomes the weapon of choice for all teams trying this. However there are teams like Orlando who can match up one-on-one, Dwight Howard can hold his own, but not too many centers can, allowing decent looks for Mo Williams, Anderson Varejao, Anthony Parker, and of course, the most deadliest LeBron James. When Shaq needs a rest, lucky for the Cavs they have a two time All-Star and franchise legend patiently waiting on the bench, Zydrunas Ilgauskus. Z is capable of starting at the center position on 60 percent or more of the teams in the Association. His traditional center play will mesh well with Shaq’s trademark style of play which leaves the Cavs with not one, but two extremely capable centers.

LeBron and Z would love another trip to the Finals.

Scrubs:

Every team has its scrubs Coby Karl (son of Nuggets coach George Karl) and Jawad Williams make up the list for the Cavaliers.

Key Losses:

Season Preview:

The Cavs are certainly poised to make a run at the title, however, winning championships in this league are easier said than done. Perhaps a trade near the deadline or a key waiver signing will bring promise. But even with players like Shaquille O’Neal and Mo Williams, the Cavs hopes still rest on the shoulders of LeBron James.

The game of basketball is an international affair, and has been so for quite some time now. It was no more apparent than at the 2004 Olympics when the United States failed to bring home the gold. The foreigners have invaded the Association and added some new flavors to the basketball soup.

I personally blame the influx of foreign ballers on Toni Kukoc. Before Kukoc broke into the league on Jordan’s Bulls, a foreign player was very alien to the Association and its many fans (sans Hakeem Olajuwon). He would lie low for a few years until his Airness’ retirement after the ’93 championship. He would then take center stage, playing Robin to Scottie Pippen’s Batman. That was until the playoffs however, when Jedi Phil Jackson designed a play at the end of a game where Kukoc, not Pippen, would take the game winning shot. Instead of complying, Pippen remained seated on the bench while Kukoc subsequently took and made said shot and won the game for the Bulls. Toni would stay on the Bulls until after they won their second Three-peat, when he would leave to bounce around the league until his retirement.

He opened the floodgates to the NBA for all European/South American/Australian players who were highly skilled but softer than marshmallows. Their game is not like the rough and tough NBA that many Americans had grown used to and become complacent with. They actively look to draw the charge, act like they were just hit by a truck, and shoot from the 3-point line. They have changed the entire way that the game is now played. Dirk Nowitzki, Hedo Turkoglu, Anderson Varejao, Manu Ginobili, Pau Gasol, and Peja Stojakavic have all made their mark on the Association with varying degrees of success. They have brought a certain soccer flavor to the Association. There is a lot more flopping by all players hoping to draw the charge, and the complaints have grown exponentially since the incursion of foreigners began.

However, not all imports are as successful as these select few. GM’s are always searching for the next player who defies categories and draws interest from audiences thousands of miles away. So, with a lottery pick burning a hole in their pockets, they will use and waste it on a player that they heard was a “can’t miss” prospect who will revolutionize the game. Darko Milicic is the most infamous example, as the soon to be champion Detroit Pistons passed on Carmelo Anthony, D-Wade, and Chris Bosh for the hybrid forward. Other players have also never lived up to the hype, Andrew Bogut and Andrea Bargnani may have long and sturdy careers ahead of them, but being picked first overall implies some sort of major production.

These players shine against slightly inferior competition overseas on some raggedy video camera, the near half empty high school gymnasiums exploding into raucous applause at the sight of a slam or long 3-point shot. They have set the stage for up-and-comers like Ricky Rubio or Christian Eyenga to set the Association on fire with their foreign talents.

Best Scorer: Allen Iverson

Even with his aging body beginning to wear down, the Answer can still post 40 points in any game.

Best Scorer not named Iverson: Ben Gordon

Proving his ability against the Celtics in the playoffs, Gordon may have earned himself a large contract this off-season. He will either post 30 points in a game, or barely reach the 10-point plateau for his new team. Runner-up: Ricky Davis.

Most likely to own and operate a Blockbuster store: Ron Artest

A player known for his defensive prowess, Artest has likely found his basketball home in Houston. But, being Ron Artest, who knows what will happen. Runner-up: Joe Smith.

Player most likely to get a tattoo he will regret: Chris Anderson

Loved by the Nuggets fans, Birdman is an all hustle and heart player. If he chooses to leave the Mile High City, Anderson will draw interest from many teams looking for an energetic bench player. Runner-up: Stephon Marbury.

Sturdiest player: Andre Miller

He wont dazzle you with his stats or play, but Miller will give his team leadership and sturdy play at the point-guard position. Runner-up: Kwame Brown.

Player most like an Iceberg: Lamar Odom

Even though he has always been a player with loads of talent, Odom has never reached his potential. At 6’10” with catlike agility, Odom has the talent to be an All-Star forward. Runner-up: Lorenzen Wright.

Team that could fall out of contention: Utah Jazz

If, beyond all likelihood, they lose all of their unrestricted free agents, they will need to fill 7 spots. Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver, Mehmet Okur, Ronnie Price, Jarron Collins, Morris Almond, and Brevin Knight could all leave if they so choose. Runner-up: Atlanta Hawks.

Most likely to be traded during the season: Shawn Marion

A player with tremendous talent, Marion has traveled like a nomad the past two seasons. Teams in playoff contention could always use a player like Marion who can post 15 to 20 points a game and help at the defensive end. Runner-up: Wally Szczerbiak.

Best Player: Carlos Boozer

A solid player who can easily post a double-double for an entire season, Boozer’s only problem is staying healthy. He will certainly draw interest from every team with cap-space. Runner-up: Shawn Marion.

Player who will be tossed out of the most games: Rasheed Wallace

Although he is loaded with talent, his short fuse can cost his team when he is thrown out of games for arguments. Runner-up: Ron Artest.

The next Wally Szczerbiak: Wally Szczerbiak

Runner-up: Donyell Marshall.

Player who is not Benjamin Button: Jason Kidd

Kidd is aging and aging fast. He can still be a solid player, but he is certainly not getting any younger and he will cost major dollars for the team that signs him. Runner-up: Grant Hill.

Most likely to get an illegitimate triple-double: Ricky Davis

What can be said about Ricky Davis that hasn’t already been said. He can score with tremendous ability, but he doesn’t play well with others. Runner-up: Stephon Marbury.

Most likely to become a fan favorite: Nate Robinson

Krypto-Nate is a restricted free agent and will likely stay with the Knicks in order to remain in that system that he excels in. Runner-up: Anderson Varejao.

Most likely to be most improved: Marcin Gortat

Superman’s backup, Gortat is drawing much interest from around the league, including the Knicks. A 7-footer who can score, he can help out any team. Runner-up: Marvin Williams.

While a player opting out of their contract is generally not a very notable occurence, Anderson Varejao opting out of his contract in addition to rumours of Ben Wallace retiring cast an unfortunate shadow upon the Cavaliers franchise. Of course, Varejao issued a statement saying that he would prefer to stay in Cleveland and that’s to be expected and nothing may come of this except a minor raise for him as he certainly enjoyed his best season yet starting 42 games and reaching career highs in points, rebounds, and blocks. What makes this newsworthy is the timing, coming just two days after the Cavaliers’ defeat to the Magic. This, in addition to Wallace musing on retirement, shows signs of players abandoing what they may perceive to be a sinking ship. All of this pales in comparision in the upcoming speculation over the next year over whether LeBron will or won’t opt out next year and a lack of Varejao and/or Wallace may factor into his decision.

I realize that flopping in basketball has always happened, just like the Earth revolving around the sun, but something has changed. It has gotten worse, and worse, and worse. Sometimes, it is hard to distinguish between the NBA and the World Cup. I personally blame Vlade Divac for all this man-flopping that has sprung up like a weed across the basketball lawn.

Every coach complains about it, yet every team seems to participate in this softening of this man’s game. Every superstar in the game gets phantom calls while driving to the hoop. And when they don’t get the call they don’t deserve, they whine all the way down the court to refs like spoiled brats.

For instance, think about Manu Ginobili or Anderson Varejao. They will fall over if the breeze is too stiff. This is a man’s game, where players are rewarded for hustle and strength, not for their acting abilities.

Believe it or not children, but there was a time in the history of the NBA that you were risking a large elbow to the jaw if you drove into the lane. Imagine Robert Parrish staring you down in the paint, or the Bad Boys of the Detroit teams of the late 80’s, early 90’s knocking you on your tail. And when you were knocked to the floor, you got up and took your free throws like a man and didn’t complain they weren’t issued a flagrant 2.

Now the Big Aristotle and Dwight Howard are in early foul trouble nearly every game because the refs see smaller men falling down. That is physics, not a foul. A little man is not supposed to go toe-to-toe with a 7-foot monster in the painted area. If you don’t like it, don’t drive to the lane like a desperate woman at a wedding dress sale.

If the NBA wants to improve its game, start by swallowing the whistle when a player goes strong into the lane. Nothing savage or brutal, but a little bumping and bruising made the game the way it was.