Tag: 2010 NBA free agents (Page 43 of 54)

      Seven burning questions heading into the NBA Playoffs

      April 8, 2010 /

      There is always a lot riding on the playoffs, but this year there is even more drama surrounding the NBA postseason. Here are seven big questions that will be answered over the next few months.

      1. Will the Cavs win the title?
      2. Will that keep LeBron in town?
      These two questions are joined at the hip. There are some who believe that a Cavs title ensures that LeBron will re-sign, while others believe that if he brings a title to Cleveland, it gives him an out. The general consensus seems to be that if the Cavs fail to make the Finals again, it will increase the chances that LeBron signs elsewhere this summer. There’s no denying that LeBron seems to be a loyal guy, but will that loyalty outweigh the prospect of playing with Chris Bosh in New York, or join a talented Bulls team in Chicago? Only he knows. But I have a hard time seeing LeBron returning to Cleveland if the Cavs don’t make the Finals again.

      3. Can the Lakers get it together?
      The Lakers haven’t exactly instilled their fans with a sense of confidence heading into the postseason. They lost three straight games in early March, then rattled off seven straight wins, and have since lost four of their last six. Andrew Bynum still isn’t playing and Ron Artest isn’t exactly fitting into the Lakers’ triangle offense. Chemistry has never been this team’s strength — they are by far the most talented team in the West, which is why they won the title last year. But can that talent offset this team’s disjointedness? Unfortunately for the Lakers, they aren’t going to draw a cupcake in the first round; the Spurs, Blazers and Thunder are all capable of giving the Lakers all they can handle.

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      NBA, NBA Finals

      Toronto writer says Bosh is dogging it

      April 1, 2010 /

      Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star thinks Chris Bosh may be saving himself for this summer’s free agency period.

      This spoke to a larger and troubling trend. Bosh is averaging 6.2 free-throw attempts per game in March, this when he was getting to the line more than 10 times a game in October. There are enthusiasts of teen abstinence with less aversion to body contact. One can’t help but conclude that the impending free agent is saving himself for (another) marriage.

      “They’re crowding the lane a lot more,” Bosh said, explaining himself. But anyone who watches can tell you the defences haven’t changed, Bosh’s approach has.

      Perhaps he is opting for jump shots to limit his risk of injury with a $130 million (all figures U.S.) payday looming in July. But don’t the Raptors, desperate to make the playoffs, deserve honest effort for the $15.8 million they are paying him this season? Perhaps he doesn’t want to continue to expose the startling lack of explosiveness he’s been showing in his rare sorties to the goal, what with the health of his brace-sheathed knees.

      Wow, tell us how you really feel, Dave.

      Here’s a look at Bosh’s production by month:

      Continue reading »

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Rumors & Gossip

      Bosh (kind of) discusses summer plans

      March 29, 2010 /

      Chris Bosh answered questions from the South Florida Sun Sentinel about the chances that he lands in Miami this this summer.

      He knows Wade “a little bit, not a lot,” he said. So scratch the friendship angle.

      “It’s nice here, but there are a lot of nice places,” he said. So scratch the South Florida angle.

      “Winning,” Bosh said when asked what his decision will hinge on. “I’m fortunate enough to have enough money. After seven years in the league, I want to play on a contender.”

      The Miami Herald has more about how well Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh know each other.

      “I know Dwyane a little bit, not a lot,” Bosh said. “We haven’t spent that much time outside of USA Basketball. People always are going to look for some kind of connection. That’s understandable. People are going to try to make things up. There is always going to be speculation. So I’ll let everybody write their stories and keep going about my business.”

      Bosh also said that he expected it to take a while for the big names to make up their minds.

      `I think it’s going to drag out for a while,” Bosh said before Sunday’s game against the Heat. “There are so many possibilities and scenarios, with guys staying with their own teams and trying to get other guys [to sign].

      “You have to look at combinations and possibilities of what could happen. So I don’t expect it to be over too quickly.”

      First off, this sure sounds like a guy who’s leaving town, doesn’t it?

      There’s still a feeling that Toronto could swing a sign-and-trade for Bosh, so that he can sign for an extra season and more money, but that would require enough in the way of assets to get Toronto to bite. Why would Bosh bother to agree to such a scenario when it would only fleece his new team of their draft picks and/or young players? That would hurt his new team’s championship chances, correct?

      The only scenario I can see at the moment is the Lakers. If Bosh wants to play in L.A. with Kobe, the Lakers could send Andrew Bynum to Toronto in return. However, Bynum’s long history of injury is only getting longer.

      I still stand by my prediction that Bosh is going to walk and the Raptors will get nothing in return.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, News, Rumors & Gossip

      Bucks to benefit even more from Salmons trade

      March 29, 2010 /

      Admittedly, I wasn’t a big believer in Milwaukee’s decision to trade for John Salmons, but after his terrific play has ignited the Bucks’ recent run — 16-4 since the trade, with Salmons leading the teams in scoring 10 times — it doesn’t bother me that the Bulls will have enough cap space this summer to sign a max free agent. Salmons’ positive impact already outweighs whatever might happen this summer.

      I’ve been keeping an eye on the aforementioned Bulls, because as a throw-in to the Salmons trade, the Bucks have the right to swap picks if Chicago picks outside of the top 10. The Bulls have won two straight, and are now sitting at 35-38, just a half game back of the Raptors for the #8 spot in the East. More importantly for the Bucks, Chicago is sitting in the #12 spot in terms of the draft, and outside of the Hornets (34-40), no one is going to slip past them.

      What does this mean? Well, barring a complete meltdown by the Bulls, the Bucks will be able to swap picks, meaning that they’ll move up from their current position (#18) into the #11-#15 range. Per the mock draft at DraftExpress, that’s the difference between Baylor’s Ekpe Udoh and Marshall’s Hassan Whiteside.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, NBA Draft, News, Rumors & Gossip

      LeBron, Wade and Bosh all under the same umbrella

      March 24, 2010 /

      The 2010 NBA free agency period promises to be one of the most exciting in history as several of the league’s best players — LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire and Joe Johnson, to name a few — could change zip codes. It looks like the “Big Three” (LeBron, Wade and Bosh) may be able to share information as the decisions are being made. All three will be represented by Creative Artists Agency.

      Henry Thomas, the Chicago-based agent for Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, joined forces with Leon Rose, the agent for LeBron James, at Creative Artists Agency.

      In a move that the parties involved have attempted to portray as unrelated, William Wesley — the ubiquitous “World Wide Wes” — will be joining the coaches’ division at CAA. Wesley, one of the most connected and influential men in basketball due to his ties to James, Kentucky coach John Calipari and essentially every tentacle of the game, will go from being unofficially powerful to officially powerful in the next 2-3 months, according to a source familiar with his plans.

      What does all of this mean? Simply put, the top three NBA free agents are all under the same representation umbrella — an advantage that will allow them to freely share information about what will be a dizzying, unpredictable free-agent signing period.

      Another interesting note from the article is that Toronto did offer Chris Bosh and extension, but he declined.

      Some have suggested that all three could land in New York, if they were willing to take a cut in guaranteed salary and think big, in terms of championships and endorsements. The chances of three players in their prime leaving approximately $25 million to $30 million on the table isn’t likely, but it’s possible, especially since all three are in essentially the same camp. I’d like to think that LeBron, Wade and Bosh could be that pragmatic — because, on the whole, NYC would be the best long-term situation in terms of overall money and legacy — but I’m still skeptical.

      However, the fact that the three superstars are good friends and, at this point, still mostly ring-less, makes the whole idea intriguing. It can only help that all three are represented by the same agency.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, News, Rumors & Gossip

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