- NESW SPORTS has video of Bill Simmons’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel.

- Over on BLEACHER REPORT, “Jersey Al Bracco” rips into Mike McCarthy for giving the beat reports the same old platitudes after the Packers’ embarrassing loss to the then 0-7 Bucs last week.

- THE BIG LEAD discusses statistical guru Nate Silver’s plan to try to predict the winner of the World Cup.

- SPORTSbyBROOKS has video of a WGN reporter dunking and talking trash to a little kid. The kid starts crying. Nice.

- FANHOUSE explains how those refs at the LSU/Alabama game could not see that Patrick Peterson’s feet were indeed inbounds. The televisions that they use to review plays are not in HD. Seriously.

It looks like the ball is still in Miller’s hand when the red light goes. Good call.

John Hollinger writes in his latest PER Diem (Insider subscription required) that LeBron’s best bet for long term success may not be in Cleveland…or New York…or New Jersey/Brooklyn…

And it’s especially worth noting that if the Cavs are back in the 45-50 win range this season, King James might be a much more portable commodity this coming summer. If he’s looking at a Cleveland lineup with one majestically talented player and several spare parts, one would think the comparison to such arrangements in New York or New Jersey wouldn’t be dramatically different.

But those aren’t close to being the most palatable changes of uniform available. For instance, it bears mentioning that joining the Chicago squad LeBron’s team lost to Thursday night would be dramatically different. With a young star point guard, quality big men and lots of secondary help, the Bulls — who could get as much as $20 million under the cap if John Salmons opts out of his contract, conveniently opening a spot in the lineup for LeBron at the same time — would offer a more clear opportunity for long-term success.

Let me throw out an even crazier proposition — Minnesota. The Wolves will have the cap space to make a run at LeBron, depending on a few variables — or at the very least can get there fairly easily if they know there’s a chance for a player of this caliber. (Declining an option on Ryan Gomes, for instance, is done much more easily if it allows you to replace him with the best player in the league.)

Minnesota is generally thought of as one of the NBA’s least-desirable relocation options, but let’s consider it from a winning perspective. Who would you rather play with for the next five years: Al Jefferson or Anderson Varejao? Kevin Love or Ilgauskas? Ricky Rubio or Mo Williams? Jonny Flynn or West? Ramon Sessions or Daniel Gibson? Next year’s fourth pick or next year’s 24th? It’s obvious, isn’t it?

Don’t get me wrong — the T-Wolves would be a good fit for LeBron, but he’d be a pretty good fit anywhere. I just don’t see him taking his show from one cold, small-market Midwestern city to another cold, small-market Midwestern city. If he doesn’t stay in Cleveland, then there seem to be three real options:

1. Brooklyn Nets
With Devin Harris and Brook Lopez locked up for the next few years, the Nets have two All-Star caliber players already on the roster at two of the toughest positions to fill — point guard and center. Is the penetrating Harris the perfect fit alongside LeBron? Not necessarily, but if the Nets can find a sharpshooting off guard (Courtney Lee?) and face up power forward (a la Rashard Lewis), the Nets would really be in business. Plus, the move to Brooklyn would take away the stigma of playing in New Jersey.

2. Chicago Bulls
It would break the city of Cleveland’s heart if LeBron fled to the Windy City. New York or Brooklyn? Cleveland fans wouldn’t like it, but they’d understand. But if LeBron heads to Chicago, home of the team that stepped on the Cavs’ throats so many times during the Jordan era, the city might explode. From a pure basketball point of view, it’s a nice fit. They already have Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, Kirk Hinrich and maybe Tyrus Thomas. Chicago is also a threat to pry Dwyane Wade out of Miami.

3. New York Knicks
This is more about MSG and the spotlight than who the Knicks have on the roster. Playing in Mike D’Antoni’s system would be nice, and if the Knicks can unload either Eddy Curry or Jared Jeffries, they’d have enough cap space to sign another free agent to max deal. This might be a case of the Knicks having to coax Chris Bosh out of Toronto or Amare Stoudemire out of Phoenix before being able to convince LeBron to sign on the dotted line.

We’re only a couple of weeks into the season and the talk is already starting. The Cavs have plenty of time to morph into a 60-win team, but right now they don’t look it. And the longer they struggle, the louder the drum beat is going to sound.

The Cleveland faithful might think that LeBron was fouled on his last drive, but after taking a couple of looks at it, I think it was a clean play. The defender is entitled to his space, and he’s allowed to jump in the air as long as he doesn’t jump forward. This is called the “principle of verticality,” which means that a defensive player is entitled to his vertical cylinder. Joakim Noah’s defense on the play wasn’t a perfect example of this (as his body was drifting toward the basket a bit), but it was a good defensive play. LeBron was in a tough spot and obviously jumped into Noah looking for the call and the refs didn’t bail him out.

There are a couple of other things to take from this game:

1. Mo Williams’ ineffectiveness
He was 4-13 from the field (including 1-7 from long range). He did have six assists, but Mo is a scorer and he needs to be more efficient than this.

2. The Bulls’ balance
Chicago had seven players score at least seven points, and Luol Deng led the Bulls with 15. Derrick Rose didn’t shoot the ball well, but still scored 14 points and dropped 11 dimes.

The Cavs drop to 3-3 with the loss, while the Bulls are 3-2.

This year, we’re doing a division-by-division preview with quick-hitting analysis for every team in the league. If a franchise is a legitimate championship contender, I’ll focus on what stars have to line up for a title run. If a team is a playoff “also-ran,” I’ll identify the weaknesses that have to be shored up via trade, free agency or draft over the next couple of seasons to make it a contender. If a team is likely to miss the playoffs, I’ll take a look at the salary cap, and provide a blueprint for how the team should proceed in the near future to get back in the postseason. At the end of each divisional preview, I’ll provide some (random) thoughts for the fantasy hoopsters out there.

For each division, I’ll pick the order of finish. You’ll also see the team’s league-wide preseason rank in parenthesis. Be sure to check back on Saturday for the preview of the Atlantic Division.

Cleveland Cavaliers (2)
By now, everyone knows that LeBron James is set to become a free agent next summer. Feeling the proverbial heat, the Cavs swung a trade for Shaquille O’Neal hoping that he’ll be able to put the team over the top. It would be tough for LeBron to justify bolting Cleveland if the franchise is coming off of a championship, so the Cavs are “all in.” In addition to acquiring Shaq, they signed Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon and re-upped with Anderson Varejao. It might take some time for this roster to gel, but there’s no doubt that the Cavs have enough talent to go the distance. While making the transition from a declining Zydrunas Ilgauskas to a declining Shaq has its advantages, it’s going to be tough for LeBron to find driving lanes with Shaq and Varejao clogging the lane. Neither can shoot the ball effectively outside of 10 feet, so their defenders will be better able to get to the paint to help on LeBron. Look for the Cavs to run a lot of pick-and-rolls with LeBron and Shaq, which will force Shaq’s defender away from the basket. This should help, but there still is the matter of Varejao’s man defending the basket. It’s crucial that the Cavs get good shooting from Parker, Mo Williams, Delonte West and Daniel Gibson. Those players have to make the defense pay when it sags to help on LeBron. From a salary cap perspective, the Cavs realized that it wouldn’t do any good to have cap space if the payroll number keeps falling, and the Varejao signing ate up whatever space they would have otherwise had. In the unlikely event that Shaq turns out to be a complete disaster, they could always move him before the trade deadline in a last-ditch attempt to retool before the playoffs. For obvious reasons, of all the teams in the league, the Cavs may have the most riding on the 2009-10 season.

Chicago Bulls (11)
The young Bulls gave the KG-less Celtics a great run in last year’s playoffs, and with Derrick Rose looking like the real deal, Chicago is a franchise on the rise. They let Ben Gordon walk this summer, but the return of Luol Deng and the emergence of John Salmons should offset the loss of Gordon’s scoring. The Bulls will likely start Rose and Salmons in the backcourt, with Deng and the up-and-coming Tyrus Thomas framing Joakim Noah on the front line. This gives the team an experienced bench that includes Kirk Hinrich, Brad Miller and Jannero Pargo alongside rookies Taj Gibson and James Johnson. The Bulls are still missing a strong post presence and are probably too inexperienced to upset a healthy Cavs, Celtics or Magic squad in a seven-game playoff series, but Chicago looks like they’ll battle with the Hawks for that #4 seed in the postseason. Financially, the Bulls are expected to have about $13 million in cap space heading into next summer, so they are a real threat to coax Dwyane Wade back to his hometown. D-Wade would look real nice in a backcourt with Rose.

Detroit Pistons (18)
GM Joe Dumars changed the course of the franchise when he traded Chauncey Billups to the Nuggets for Allen Iverson. For a time, it looked like he was going to save the resulting cap space for next summer and make a run at one of the big-name free agents that will be available. Instead, he elected to spend it this summer, giving Ben Gordon a big deal (five years, $58 million) and investing heavily in Charlie Villanueva (five years, $38 million). The problem with these two players is that each has a reputation for being defensive liabilities. Dumars has proven that a team without a superstar can win a title, but those Pistons had a few players on the rise (Billups, Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince, who could all defend) alongside a talented vet (Rasheed Wallace) and a defensive stud (Ben Wallace). Then there’s the issue of Hamilton, who still has four years left on his deal. This means that two of the team’s three-highest players play the same position. That doesn’t usually work. Finally, there’s Rodney Stuckey, whose reputation has exceeded his on-court performance thus far. His presence prompted the Billups-for-AI swap and he needs to raise his game if the Pistons are to be anything more than a postseason also-ran in 2010.

Indiana Pacers (21)
The Pacers have been mired in the 35-36 win range for the last three seasons and don’t seem primed to break out of that rut this year. Danny Granger has blossomed into a star, but he doesn’t have a whole lot of help. T.J. Ford, Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy are nice complementary players, but Granger needs a sidekick or two. The Pacers’ biggest offseason acquisitions were Dahntay Jones, who is a good defender, and Tyler Hansbrough, who will probably be a better NBA player than most people think. In short, the Pacers didn’t do much this summer to improve. The good news is that the team has Granger locked up for five years in a reasonable contract and they’ll have a ton of cap space (~$27 million?) in the summer of 2011 to use to build around him. The last few playoff spots in the East are always up for grabs, and it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Pacers will stay healthy enough to post a 41-41 record and sneak into that #7 or #8 spot. But don’t hold your breath.

Milwaukee Bucks (24)
It’s hard to argue that the Bucks improved this offseason. They gave Richard Jefferson to the Spurs in a salary dump and let Charlie Villanueva and Ramon Sessions walk in restricted free agency with no compensation. GM John Hammond’s position is that the Bucks were not good enough to justify their luxury tax payroll, so tough choices had to be made so that they could gain the financial flexibility to make important acquisitions down the line. Once he drafted Brandon Jennings, the writing was on the wall for the up-and-coming Sessions, who eventually signed with the T-Woves after a long flirtation with the Knicks. He went on to sign Hakim Warrick to an affordable one-year deal that may backfire if Warrick earns a starting spot and wants a big contract next summer. If things go perfectly – Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut stay healthy, Jennings makes the All-Rookie Team, and the Bucks get good play from their bench – it’s not difficult to see the Bucks in the playoffs. But given how riddled this team has been with injuries the last few years, the postseason seems like a long shot. Redd has one more season left on his deal, so the Bucks will have considerable cap space (~$20 million) in the summer of 2011 to build around Bogut and (probably) Jennings. Until then, they’re just going to have to make do.

Fantasy Thoughts: Troy Murphy averaged a double-double last season, and should once again post good numbers even with rookie Tyler Hansbrough stealing some minutes at power forward. Murphy is one of those guys that is far better in fantasy circles than he is in real life because his game (rebounding, accurate shooting) translates well statistically…Hakim Warrick is leading the Bucks in scoring in the preseason and there are minutes available at forward if he can prove to Scott Skiles that he’s willing to play defense. I’d also expect Brandon Jennings to usurp Luke Ridnour as the starting PG. He isn’t going to shoot a high percentage, but he’ll get to the line and rack up the assists…Will Bynum has played really well in the preseason, and he’s pushing Rodney Stuckey for minutes. Don’t be surprised if he rotates in and sees 20-25 minutes per game…Tyrus Thomas is a popular breakout candidate and if he sees starter’s minutes, he should have a very nice year. Many fantasy hoopsters are predicting the fall of John Salmons, but even with Luol Deng’s return, there are still some shots that Ben Gordon left behind. I wouldn’t expect 18 ppg again, but an efficient 15-16p/4r/2a seems reasonable, making him a nice value in the 6th or 7th round in 12-team formats…If Delonte West can’t keep his head on straight, Anthony Parker is going to have every opportunity to become the Cavs’ starting shooting guard. J.J. Hickson could break out, but is still playing behind Anderson Varejao.

Dwyane Wade is in Chicago right now for the 3rd annual “Wade’s World” charity weekend. The festivities include a benefit dinner, a kick-off party, school visits, a bowling party, a youth summit and a school supply giveaway. But the event that D.Wade really wanted to promote was the Gatorade “Chicago Has Talent” show on Saturday night at the Harris Theater at Millenium Park. (For tickets or information call 312-334-7777 or visit www.harristheaterchicago.org. All proceeds go towards the Wade’s World Foundation.) Go to the foundation’s website for more information about the weekend’s festivities and events.

D.Wade took a few minutes out of his busy schedule to chat with The Scores Report about the weekend, what it was like to win an Olympic gold medal and where he might sign next summer.

TSR: D. Wade. How are you doing?

DW: I’m good, boss. I’m good.

TSR: It’s a pleasure to talk to one of the best – if not the best – basketball players on the planet.

DW: Aw, well, I appreciate that.

TSR: I saw your itinerary for this “Wade’s World” Weekend and it looks like you are about to present a check to the William Leonard Public Library. What does it mean for you to be able to give back to your hometown?

DW: It means a lot. Whether it’s a big contribution or a small contribution to be able to give back to not only my hometown and my community, but to others as well. I’ve been very blessed and I think it’s my job to continue to help others that are in dire need, like the William Leonard Public Library in Robbins.

TSR: There’s a jam-packed weekend of activities. One thing I wanted to ask you about was the Gatorade “Chicago Has Talent” show on Saturday. Can you tell me a little bit about that?

DW: Yeah, you look at the whole weekend and we’ve got many different events going on. Some of them you’re going to have fun and some of them are fundraisers, but I think the biggest thing is the one that Gatorade really got behind was the “Chicago Has Talent” because it’s showcasing our kids and giving them an opportunity in life. I think we’re going to have between 10-15 different groups of kids perform in front of a crowd of around 1,000 people, and get a chance to showcase their talent. And the top 3 will get an opportunity to do some special things, but the winner is going to go on and do some great things and get an opportunity to be seen. I think our job is to give them that chance and that hope that they can do it. So I’m looking forward to it. I can’t wait until that Saturday event. That’s probably the biggest event to me of the week of all the things we’re doing.

TSR: That’s at the Harris Theater at 7:00 PM at Millenium Park and tickets (which start at $15) are available.

DW: Yeah, that’s at the Harris Theater and it’s just after we get done with a youth summit where we have a panel full of celebrities and powerful, important people in the community, and they get to talk to kids for a couple of hours about violence and sex, and about so many different topics, and that’s actually right before the show.

TSR: And that’s at the UIC Forum at 725 W. Roosevelt Road.

DW: Yeah.

TSR: So do you mind if I ask you a couple of basketball-related questions?

DW: Sure.

TSR: Were you a Bulls fan growing up?

DW: Oh, no question. Bulls fan. Jordan fan. The whole nine.

TSR: The Bulls have positioned themselves to make a run at a big-name free agent next summer, and you have made it clear that you are keeping your options open heading into 2010. Even though the Heat are over the cap, they tried to acquire Lamar Odom, but missed out. Do you think that they’ve done enough to build a team around you or are you looking for the franchise to make a big in-season trade this year?

DW: Well, we want to continue to add pieces. I think we have some pieces now. Over this year and even next year, I think they have the opportunity to add some more pieces so we can get back to being a championship-caliber team. I’m confident in my team that they’re going to do that, but right now I’m just leaving my options option. A player needs some opportunity to have some flexibility with this decision. I just want to make sure that I’m making the right decision for the long haul for me, and I’m going to take my time doing it. I’m going to focus on the basketball side of things now, and then worry about everything else later.

on where he’ll sign next summer…

“A player needs some opportunity to have some flexibility with this decision. I just want to make sure that I’m making the right decision for the long haul for me, and I’m going take my time doing it.”

TSR: You’ve won both an NBA championship and a gold medal in the Olympics. Can you compare the two experiences?

DW: They’re both unbelievable. If I never played another basketball game, I could be satisfied about some of the things I’ve done and places I’ve been. And to win a world championship in the NBA was a dream come true. And to win a gold medal was beyond my wildest dreams. To do it the way we did it with the caliber of people on that team, and the greatness on that team, was just phenomenal. I feel blessed to be a part of both.

TSR: I grew up outside of Milwaukee, so it was cool to see you take Marquette to the Final Four. When you were a junior in college did you have a feeling that you were going to become an All-NBA talent or did you have more modest expectations?

DW: (laughs) I didn’t know. I knew I had a strong work ethic and would get the most that I could out of my talent and my ability as possible, and whatever comes out of that comes. You always dream and hope that you could be an All-Star and win championships, but you never know until you’ve been put in that position. I’ve been very blessed in my six- going on seven-year career in the NBA already.

TSR: Is there an area of your game that you’d like to improve this season?

DW: I’m the kind of player that likes to fine-tune all parts of my game. But I’m going to continue to work on my range, and on my back-to-the-basket game as I get older so I don’t have to move around as much. And to continue to become a better leader. I think that’s the biggest thing and I think it would take me and my team to another level.

TSR: All right, that’s all I have for you. Thanks for speaking with us and I wish you the best of luck with the weekend and I hope everyone gets out to the Gatorade “Chicago Has Talent” show. Good luck with everything.

DW: Thank you, boss. I appreciate it.

I just watched the first four and even when you know how things turn out, they’re still pretty exciting. He truly was the best player ever to play the game.