Tag: Shawn Marion (Page 4 of 5)

      Expiring contracts…who’s got ’em?

      January 22, 2009 /

      The NBA trade deadline is less than a month away, so it’s a good time to talk expiring contracts. These are players that are in the final year of their deals, which makes them trade fodder for teams looking to cut salary this summer. I’ll list each player by contract size, whether or not he can still play, and discuss the possibility that they’ll be traded by the trade deadline. I’ll also dig into the strategy that their current teams should and/or could be utilizing when considering a trade.

      All salary data is from HoopsHype, and I’ll assume – given the bad economy – that the cap will stay at about $59 million next season. (In fact, it might even be lowered.)

      Allen Iverson, Pistons
      Salary: $21.9 million
      Detroit is 20-15 since trading for AI, and considering the franchises successful run over the past few season, that’s disappointing. But the Pistons didn’t make this trade to acquire AI, they made the trade to rid themselves of Chauncey Billups’ contract, which runs through 2011. Was this wise? Probably not, at least in the short term. Billups is one of the top point guards in the league and is doing great things with his new team. But since the Pistons like what Rodney Stuckey can do (and justifiably so), Billups became expendable. GM Joe Dumars made the deal to give the team the financial flexibility to retool the roster over the next two summers, and with Iverson and Rasheed Wallace coming off the books, the Pistons will have about $26 million to spend this summer. They could opt to sign Carlos Boozer, but would likely have to pony up big bucks to do so. He would probably start at $14 million, so that would leave $12 million to re-sign the 34 year-old Wallace or another center. The team could conceivably sign Boozer, then wait a year, let Rip Hamilton’s contract expire, and then sign Chris Bosh or Amare Stoudemire in the summer of 2010, giving the team a core of Stuckey, Boozer, Tayshaun Prince and either Bosh or Stoudemire to build around. Not bad. Considering the main reason the Pistons traded for AI was to cut salary, the chances of them trading him (and taking on salary in return) aren’t good. (Though a Marion-for-Iverson swap might help both teams in the short term.)
      Chances of being traded: Low

      Jason Kidd, Mavs
      Salary: $21.3 million
      Ah the Mavs. Every time I see Kidd’s name I think of Devin Harris and the 22 points and six assists he’s averaging this season for the Nets. That was a horrible trade (even at the time) and the Mavs aren’t any better now than they were a season ago. Unless they buck the odds and make a run to the Finals, that trade will go down as one of the worst of recent memory. (Don’t forget that the Mavs threw in two first round picks as well.) Anyway, it seems unlikely that anyone would want Kidd’s giant salary at this point. He’s still an above average starting point guard, but that’s about it. He could help a team make a playoff run – Miami jumps to mind – but his value is limited after this season. A Marion/Kidd trade is unlikely because that would leave the Mavs without a dependable point guard for their own postseason run. My guess is that Dallas stands pat, the Mavs are ushered out of the first round of the playoffs, and he signs elsewhere next season (or maybe re-signs with the Mavs for much, much less).
      Chances of being traded: Low

      Stephon Marbury, Knicks
      Salary: $20.8 million
      What’s there to write about Starbury that hasn’t already been written? The Knicks don’t want him, but no one else does either, so the parties need to come to a buyout agreement to end the stalemate. If that happens, it looks like the Celtics are willing to roll the dice and give him an opportunity to resurrect his career. The Heat need a point guard and would seem like another possibility, but that’s pure conjecture.
      Chances of being traded: Slim

      Shawn Marion, Heat
      Salary: $17.2 million
      Of all the guys on this list, the Matrix has the most trade buzz surrounding him. His production is down and he just doesn’t seem like a good fit in Miami. The Heat need a center and a point guard, and are reportedly considering a deal that would send Marion to Toronto for Jermaine O’Neal. The Heat might opt to take on O’Neal’s contract (which runs through the 2010 season) because they no longer see Boozer as a good fit, since he plays the same position as Michael Beasley. The ultimate goal is to sign Chris Bosh or Amare Stoudemire in the summer of 2010, and acquiring O’Neal would give them an inside presence for the next two seasons, assuming he can stay healthy. Marion is a valuable trade commodity because he still has some good basketball in him and has the type of complementary game that fits well with others.
      Chances of being traded: High

      Mike Bibby, Hawks
      Salary: $15.2 million
      Bibby is staying put. The Hawks are in the thick of the playoff race in the East and Bibby’s resurgence is a big reason why. He could be playing well because he’s in a contract year, but he also has had a season to get comfortable in Atlanta. Either way, the Hawks aren’t going to move him before the deadline unless they’re offered a deal they can’t refuse.
      Chances of being traded: Slim

      Rasheed Wallace, Pistons
      Salary: $13.7 million
      Wallace is 34 and his game seems to be fading. His PER (14.54) indicates that he’s just an average starting center at this point of his career. Still, he could be useful to another team for a playoff run, though he’s just as useful to the Pistons, so it is unlikely that they’ll move him.
      Chances of being traded: Low

      Wally Szczerbiak, Cavs
      Salary: $13.0 million
      Wally is becoming one of those players that are more famous for their contracts than they are for their ability. Sure, he’ll make a few shots and post the occasional nice game, but his PER (11.35) proves that he is a shell of the player he once was. The Cavs seem reluctant to fix something that’s not broken, but maybe the 17-point lambasting they took at the hands of the Lakers will convince them that they should continue to try to make the team better. Since he’s clearly on the decline, whatever team that’s interested in trading for Szczerbiak would want to do one thing – cut salary. That means whomever the Cavs would be getting in return would probably be a bit overpaid and in a long term contract. This could affect the Cavs’ ability to potentially sign a player like Chris Bosh or Amare Stoudemire in the summer of 2010. Cleveland is in a tough position, however. They (probably) need to make a run to the Finals in the next two seasons to keep LeBron, but they don’t want to do anything drastic that would limit their options in 2010 when they could potentially pair their superstar with the likes of Bosh or Stoudemire. Ideally, the Cavs would move Wally to add a good player who has a contract that expires in 2010 or earlier. That’s going to be tough to do since there won’t be much incentive for the trade partner to strike a deal.
      Chances of being traded: Moderate

      Raef LaFrentz, Blazers
      Salary: $12.7 million
      Portland needs a point guard and they could use LaFrentz’s expiring salary to acquire one. But their trade partner would need to be a non-playoff team looking to cut salary, and there aren’t too many of those out there. The Blazers might be content to let LaFrentz’s salary expire and put themselves in position to make a splash this summer or next.
      Chances of being traded: Low

      Steve Nash, Suns
      Salary: $12.3 million
      The Suns are a playoff team and Nash is still a key cog in that machine. He is not going anywhere this season, but the team holds his option for another year, so if the Suns flame out in the playoffs again, it might be time to blow this thing up.
      Chances of being traded: Slim

      Carlos Boozer, Jazz
      Salary: $11.6 million
      Boozer has a player option for another year, but he has already stated that he plans to opt out after the season. He has missed much of this season with injury, and just had arthroscopic surgery on his knee. He hopes to be back by the All-Star break, which is right before the trade deadline. Utah wants him back, but there’s a reasonable possibility that he’ll sign elsewhere. Miami no longer seems to think he’s a good fit (since they view Michael Beasley as a power forward), so Boozer’s biggest suitor has probably been crossed off the list. The Jazz are in a tough spot because they think they can re-sign him – and they may be able to. But that means they probably won’t get too involved in any trade discussions. With the Heat (likely) bowing out, the chances that the Jazz can re-sign him have increased, which means they are likely to wait until the end of the season to deal with him. At 27, he’s right in the middle of his prime and is one of those players that are likely to command a max contract, but with his injury history, he probably isn’t worth one. The Jazz may have to pony up max dollars out of fear that he’ll sign elsewhere.
      Chances of being traded: Slim

      Lamar Odom, Lakers
      Salary: $11.4 million
      The Lakers seem content to stand pat as this current rotation has resulted in one of the league’s best records. But Odom is coming off the bench and is having the worst statistical season of his career. Since he can’t shoot, they can’t play Odom alongside Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, so one of the three have to sit in crunch time. Lately, it’s been Odom getting those minutes (and Bynum on the bench), so the team clearly trusts him down the stretch. If they elect not to trade him and they don’t ultimately win a title, then they would have missed an opportunity to add someone like Ron Artest (last season) or Shawn Marion (this season?), who may have put them over the hump. In that event, Odom would be likely to sign elsewhere because the Lakers aren’t going to pay a reserve what he’ll be asking.
      Chances of being traded: Low

      Andre Miller, Sixers
      Salary: $10.0 million
      When Philly got off to a slow start, there was some talk that the Sixers might move Miller since he’s in the last year of his contract. But since Brand went down with an injury, the team is 9-7 and during a recent seven-game win streak, Miller averaged 17.0 points, 6.7 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game. The addition of Brand hasn’t gone as smoothly as hoped, but the Sixers are currently in the playoff hunt and the franchise will want to see how this group finishes the season. Good point guards are hard to find, so there’s no real reason to move Miller at this point.
      Chances of being traded: Low

      Ron Artest, Rockets
      Salary: $8.4 million
      Artest isn’t going anywhere. The Rockets are in the thick of the playoff hunt and they’ll need his toughness in the postseason.
      Chances of being traded: Slim

      Other players with expiring contracts: Rasho Nesterovic (Pacers, $8.4 million); Malik Rose (Knicks, $7.6 million); Drew Gooden (Bulls, $7.1 million); Marquis Daniels (Pacers, $6.9 million); Chris Wilcox (Thunder, $6.8 million); Bobby Jackson (Kings, $6.1 million); Stromile Swift (Nets, $6.2 million); Desmond Mason (Thunder, $5.3 million); Joe Smith (Thunder, $4.8 million); Anthony Parker (Raptors, $4.6 million); Damon Jones (Bucks, $4.5 million)

      NBA, Rumors & Gossip

      Marion trade rumors heating up

      January 21, 2009 /

      No pun intended. Seriously. That title just happened organically.

      Anyway, the Heat are considering an offer that would send Shawn Marion to the Raptors for Jermaine O’Neal, or so says the Miami Herald.

      The Heat considers center its No. 1 need and O’Neal as the best center available but remains concerned about his sore right knee (which has sidelined him 11 games this season) and the $23 million he’s due in 2009-10, the last year of his contract. It’s 50-50 whether Miami will accept Toronto’s offer of O’Neal for Marion and Marcus Banks, the official said. The O’Neal camp is optimistic it will happen.

      Taking on O’Neal’s contract for the 2009-10 season is a bit of a departure for the Heat, who were thought to have been interested in signing Carlos Boozer this summer.

      The Heat is receptive to trading Marion for a productive player whose contract runs through 2009-10 because: 1) Carlos Boozer, the top impending free agent, is no longer viewed as the ideal fit here, with Udonis Haslem and Michael Beasley at power forward. 2) Even if Miami kept Marion and didn’t re-sign him, it would have less than $10 million in cap space this summer, not enough for Boozer anyway.

      The plan remains big cap space in 2010, with Miami expected to pursue Chris Bosh or Amare Stoudamire to pair with Dwyane Wade, who can also be a free agent that summer.

      Aside from the injury, O’Neal’s PER (16.27) indicates that he can still play. The question is the knee. If he’s almost back then this looks like a pretty good move for the Heat because it gives them a short-term option at center while still freeing up plenty of cap space in the summer of 2010 to re-sign Wade and pursue another big like Bosh or Stoudemire.

      It’s interesting that Boozer is no longer considered a fit because he plays the same position as Beasley. I thought Beasley would end up as a small forward in the NBA, but the Heat view him as a power forward because he has a tough time defending opposing small forwards. This will be something for Bosh or Stoudemire to consider, whether or not they want to play center for the Heat.

      On the flip side, Marion would give the Raptors an athletic forward. Right now, Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon and Jason Kapono are splitting the wing duties, so Marion would serve as an upgrade. He can also play power forward. Interestingly, the Raptors are #18 in the league in total pace, so they are not pushing the ball as much as people might think. The addition of Marion would likely change that.

      Assuming O’Neal’s knee is ready and he can help the Heat, this looks like one of those trades that is good for both teams.

      The article mentions a few other teams that are interested in Marion. It’s a good read.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Rumors & Gossip

      Andrea Bargnani is starting to “get it”

      January 16, 2009 /

      Remember Andrea Bargnani? He was the 20 year-old Italian that the Raptors picked #1 overall in the 2006 NBA Draft. During his first two seasons, he struggled with his shot — 43% in 2006 and 39% in 2007 — and didn’t rebound very well for a seven-footer (< 4 boards a game). Some even started to throw around labels like "disappointment" or even "bust." But even with those shooting struggles, Bargnani managed to score double-figures in each of his first two seasons, so the potential was clearly there. After a pretty strong start to the 2008-09 season -- 14.7 ppg in the first seven games -- Bargnani had his ups and downs coming off the Raptor bench. It wasn't until Jermaine O'Neal's injury that he really started to flourish. Since O'Neal has been out of the lineup (Dec. 29), Bargnani has averaged 22.3 points and 7.1 rebounds, while shooting 55% from the field and an amazing 58% from long range. O'Neal may return as early as tonight and it's unclear what kind of effect this will have on Bargnani and/or his minutes. Bargnani's emergence has started some rumors about the possibility of trading O'Neal, who hasn't been a great fit in Toronto. His contract runs for another season at the tune of $23 million (wow!) but expires before the infamous summer of 2010. One idea would be for the Raptors to swap O'Neal for Shawn Marion, who could play small forward alongside Bargnani and Chris Bosh, but the Heat would probably prefer to let Marion's deal expire and use the cap space this summer or next on a free agent like Carlos Boozer (or even Bosh). O'Neal just hasn't been able to stay healthy over the last few seasons and I'm sure his giant contract has more than a few owners wary of trading for him.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, NBA Draft, Rumors & Gossip

      Is the NBA ’09 free agent class better than ’10?

      January 9, 2009 /

      When I saw the headline — “’09 free agents may be better than ’10 class” — I was ready to jump all over David Aldridge for saying that any free agent class could be better than the one that will likely feature LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire. But as I read the full article, he made some sense. I still don’t agree with him, but I see his point.

      Here’s a look at the possible free agents in ’09:

      Those with asterisks either have options for ’09 or can terminate existing contracts for ’09, and many are expected to do one or the other, for one reason or another:

      Kobe Bryant*, Carlos Boozer, Shawn Marion, Ron Artest, Lamar Odom, Hedo Turkoglu*, Mehmet Okur*, Andre Miller, Mike Bibby, Jason Kidd, Allen Iverson, Rasheed Wallace, Kyle Korver*, Anderson Varejao*, Drew Gooden, Stephon Marbury, Grant Hill, Brandon Bass, Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak, Zaza Pachulia and Anthony Parker. Jermaine O’Neal could join the group if he walks away from $23 million next season. (Don’t hold your breath. There’s no asterisk by Boozer because he’s already said he’s opting out next summer.)

      Aldridge has four major arguments:

      1. 2010 is fool’s gold.

      It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that unless seismic changes take place, James is either going to stay in Cleveland in 2010 or go to New York. Maybe Los Angeles. Wade will almost certainly choose between Miami, New York, L.A. and Chicago. Bosh will choose between the preceding cities and, perhaps, Detroit. And that’s it.

      Without the Big Three on the market for most NBA cities, the ’10 class loses a good bit of its luster. That’s going to leave a lot of teams with max money to spend on mostly not-max players.

      2. Given the recession, owners will not want to spend.

      Only seven or eight teams are going to be over the luxury tax threshold this season. That number isn’t going up any time soon. Fewer teams contributing luxury taxes to their fellow competitors will further erode many teams’ bottom lines.

      “People have spent (in recent years) not to be a tax payer,” says a CEO of a major market team. “Indiana really can’t afford to spend up to the tax based on their local economy. But they do, because everyone else is doing it … now, I think you’re going to see teams having to make a lot of tough decisions on spending.”

      3. Since fewer teams have cap space this summer, ’09 will have more opportunity.

      The point is, there will be far fewer ’09 suitors than ’10 teams. And while Bryant is equally not likely to leave L.A. for smaller-revenue teams this summer, those teams are nonetheless in a buyer’s market similar to that of Major League Baseball. There will be solid, veteran players available who may well have to settle for cents on the dollar instead of bigger paydays. A wise team will likely get a whole lot more bang for its reduced buck in ’09.

      Says one extremely high-ranking team executive: “This is going to be a nuclear winter for free agents. I would not want to be one this summer. So, if the point is that this summer will be great because there will be bargains galore, you are on the money.”

      4. ’10 is loaded with wings, while ’09 has better point guards and bigs.

      The ’10 group is lousy with wings — big wings, small wings, fast wings, shooting wings. But so is the whole NBA. The worst teams in the league — Oklahoma City, Washington, Minnesota, Memphis — all have perfectly fine wing players. It’s the point guards and centers that most of them lack, and so does the 2010 class.

      Point guards available in two years: Nash. He’s it. And he’ll be 35 on opening night, 2010.

      Point guards available next year: Kidd (who, granted, will be 36 on opening night, 2009), Miller and Bibby.

      Quality bigs under 35 in two years: Bosh, Nowitzki and Chandler.

      Quality bigs under 35 next summer: Boozer, Okur, Varejao, Wallace. Not-great-but good ones include Dallas’ Bass, Chicago’s Gooden and Atlanta’s Pachulia.

      I don’t disagree with any of his individual points, but I don’t believe that they combine to make the ’09 class better than the ’10 class. To say that one class is better than another is to say that the collection of talent in one is greater than the other. That’s simply not the case here. It doesn’t matter if only a few cities have a shot at LeBron, D-Wade, Bosh and Amare — those four players hold more value than the entire ’09 class. (All right, maybe they don’t, but you get my point.) Just because the Grizzlies won’t have a shot at LeBron, it doesn’t make the ’09 class better. It might make it better for the Grizzlies, or for any other team with cap space in ’09 and no shot at LeBron, but it doesn’t make ’09 a better class on the whole.

      And just because there may more bargains in ’09 than ’10 doesn’t make the former better, it just means that there may be better value available.

      Aldridge’s points are all valid, it’s just his conclusion that I don’t agree with. When comparing two free agent classes, the one with more talent is the one that’s better. The other class may have a few traits that will make it appealing to certain teams, but that only makes it better to those individual teams.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA

      2008 Year-End Sports Review: What We Think Might Happen

      December 27, 2008 /

      It’s time to look ahead to 2009 and play a little Nostradamus.

      Last year, we predicted that God would anoint the “Devil-free” Rays World Series Champions (ding!), that Brett Favre would play another year or two (ding! – sort of), that Isiah Thomas would be canned (ding!), and that Kobe would be playing for a new team by the trade deadline…

      Granted, that last one didn’t come true, but how were we supposed to know that the Grizzlies would trade Pau Gasol to the Lakers for an unproven rookie and a bag of peanuts? Our occasional inaccuracy isn’t going to keep us from rolling out another set of predictions – some serious and some farcical – for 2009 and beyond, including President Obama’s plan for a college football playoff, Donovan McNabb’s new home and the baseball club most likely to be 2009’s version of the Tampa Bay Rays.

      Read on, and in a year, we guarantee* you’ll be amazed.

      *This is not an actual guarantee, mind you.

      Don’t miss the other two parts of our 2008 Year-End Sports Review: “What We Learned” and “What We Already Knew.”

      Michael Vick will play for the Oakland Raiders next season.

      Once NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell allows suspended quarterback Michael Vick to re-enter the league, let’s be honest, there’s really only one team that will take a shot on the convict: the Oakland Raiders. Sure, the Raiders would have to possibly give up a draft pick because Vick will still technically be property of the Falcons, but with Matt Ryan on board, Atlanta would probably be willing to give Mikey up for a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos…snack size. With Vick on board, JaMarcus Russell could shift to tight end or full back or offensive tackle or something. Or, Vick could play wide receiver! Or running back! Think of the possibilities! The Oakland Raiders will be the most unstoppable team in the league! That is, of course, until Vick gets the itch for his old hobby. – Anthony Stalter

      The Nationals and Pirates become the official AAAA teams of their respective divisions.

      After finishing at or near the bottom of the division since the franchise’s move from Montreal, Major League Baseball executives analyze the entire Washington Nationals player system and conclude that they have no chance of fielding a competitive team in the near future. In the boldest decision of his tenure, Commissioner Bud Selig demotes the team’s Major League roster to AAAA status, a phrase long used by baseball personnel to describe players that are too good for the minors but not good enough for the majors. In an added twist, Selig designates that the team’s assets are fair game for all four remaining teams in the National League East, as a means of creating parity. In order to keep the number of teams even in each league, Selig also downgrades the Pittsburgh Pirates, losers of 94 or more games since 2005, to AAAA status as well. It will be six weeks into the regular season before an NL East team claims any of these former Pirates or Nationals. – David Medsker

      Barack Obama will have a plan in place for a college football playoff by 2016.

      He has already spoken out twice in favor of an eight-team playoff format for college football. Granted, there are more pressing concerns for the President-elect – the economy, the war in Iraq and a forward-thinking energy policy, just to name a few – but there’s no reason that Obama can’t appoint a “Playoff Czar” to get the conference presidents and the bowl organizers together to hash out a system that works for everyone. Are the bowls worried about losing money? Rotate the semifinals and the final amongst the four bowl cities. Are the conferences worried about losing money? They shouldn’t be – the ratings for an eight-team playoff would dwarf the ratings the current system is getting. And better ratings means more money. This is something that 85%-90% of the population can agree on, and that doesn’t happen often. Mark our words – President Obama will make it happen, especially if he gets a second term. – John Paulsen

      The Pittsburgh Steelers will win the Super Bowl.

      In the NFL, defense is usually reigns supreme. And considering the Pittsburgh Steelers have the best defense in football this season, we’ll hook our wagons to the Men of Steel this season and make them our prediction to hoist the Lombardi Trophy come February. Yes, we know they have issues along the offensive line and Ben Roethlisberger still holds onto the ball way too long. But if Big Ben has proven one thing this year it’s that he’s great in the clutch. And since the Pittsburgh defense is so good, oftentimes the Steeler offense doesn’t have to make plays until it matters most – late in the fourth quarter. As long as Mike Tomlin has learned from the mistakes that doomed this team in the postseason last year, we believe the Steelers will scratch, claw and fight their way to a Super Bowl title. And who will they play? The Giants? Nah – not with the way the injury (see Brandon Jacobs) and distraction (see Plaxico Burress shooting himself) bugs have bitten them at the end of the year. No, we’ll go with the hot hand and say that the Carolina Panthers and their dynamic running game will earn a trip to the Super Bowl. (Only to fall to the Steelers, obviously.) – AS

      MMA will overtake boxing as the premier spectator sport in Las Vegas.

      Traditional Las Vegas gamblers have always treated mixed martial arts (MMA) as a fad that will eventually go away. But if you talk to members of the hotel management community, they will tell you that MMA could supplant boxing as the biggest sports draw in the city. The demographic difference between the two sports is distinct. Boxing has an older, more established clientele that have disposable incomes, while the MMA fans are younger and more frugal. Boxing fans will stay at a major hotel and boost their gaming revenue by as much as 50 percent on the weekend of a major fight. Hotels expect that fans of MMA will see their incomes rise as the sport becomes more and more popular. That has Vegas seeing green. – Thomas Conroy

      Derek Jeter will play every position for Team USA in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

      Hot on the heels of interrupting the Winter Meetings with the news that 34-year-old Derek Jeter would be the starting shortstop for Team USA in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, Major League Baseball has announced that Jeter will in fact field every position for Team USA, including pitcher and catcher. “We are very excited about having Jeter, one of the international ambassadors of baseball and a brand unto himself, as the sole face of Team USA for the WBC,” said MLB Commissioner Bud Selig. “Everybody loves Jeter, so why force him to share the spotlight with other players that suburban mothers have never heard of? Hell, the marketing strategy writes itself!” Jeter, for one, is excited about the prospect. “I was watching this documentary from the mid ‘40s about a team that threw their best player, and only their best player, against a group of monsters, guys built like gorillas,” Jeter said. “And that one guy beat these gorillas with an unbelievable catch at the top of the Empire State Building! Can you believe that? It’s true, just watch TV some Saturday morning and you’ll see it. They play it all the time.” In unrelated news, Jimmy Rollins is looking to obtain dual citizenship with the United States and Canada. – DM

      LeBron will win MVP, but Kobe will get his ring (w/o Shaq).

      It’s tough to rule out the Celtics, but we wonder if the Big Three will have the same drive now that they have their title. The return of Andrew Bynum and surprisingly sorry competition in the West (at least early) make the Lakers the odds on favorite for another Finals appearance. Fewer minutes means lower numbers for Kobe, so the MVP is LeBron’s for the taking if the Cavs can top 50 wins. If they keep up their current pace, they shouldn’t have a problem, and LeBron will get his trophy at the age of 24, tying six other players as the second youngest ever to win the award. (Wes Unseld won it when he was 23.) – JP

      Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb are done in Philly.

      After missing the playoffs for the third straight year, the Philadelphia Eagles decide to part ways with head coach Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb following the 2008 NFL season. McNabb is traded to Tampa Bay, while Reid surprisingly becomes the next head coach at Eastern Michigan University. At his opening press conference, Reid notes that, “EMU is where I’ve always wanted to be.” Unfortunately, Reid doesn’t realize that Eastern doesn’t have a quality quarterback, but still refuses to run the ball. EMU goes winless on the year and Reid is let go after just one season…and replaced by Romeo Crennel who notes that, “EMU is where I’ve always wanted to be.” – AS

      Some major network will wise up and make Gus Johnson their #1 guy.

      We love to watch games that Gus is calling. He has terrific timing, knows when to shut up, and actually seems excited about what’s happening in the game. He’s at his best during March Madness; the frenetic pace of the tournament is a great fit with his enthusiastic style. Gus is currently working for the Big Ten Network, but he needs a bigger stage. CBS should leave Jim Nantz on the golf course and hire Gus as their lead play-by-play guy. Don’t know who he is? Check out the video below and be sure to listen at the 0:35 mark for our favorite Gusism, a simple laugh after a big play – HA…HA! — JP

      The San Francisco Giants will be the next Tampa Bay Rays.

      The media is always looking for the next team to come out of nowhere and make an improbable World Series run. Look no further, Mr. Media Mogul, because we’ve got the answer in the San Francisco Giants. True, the Giants’ offense is easily among the worst in baseball, which certainly doesn’t compare to the 2008 Rays, but they have the makings of one of the best young starting rotations in the league. Led by 2007 NL Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain (24) and Jonathan Sanchez (25) round out a fantastic trio at the top of San Fran’s rotation. The Giants will add another arm (Randy Johnson?) in the offseason and if Barry Zito could ever remove his head from his ass, this club would have one of the best starting five in the NL. They also have one of the best young closers in the game in Brian Wilson. All the G-Men need is two or three power hitters, two or three players that can hit for average and a true leadoff hitter. Seriously, that’s it. – AS

      Tyler Hansbrough will win POY honors and a NCAA title.

      We usually expect the Tar Heels to tear it up during the regular season and then find a way to screw it up in the tourney, but this year feels a little different. As long as Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson can stay healthy, North Carolina should stay focused and cruise to a #1 seed. While they’ll no doubt have a scare or two along the way, the Tar Heels should be cutting the nets down in early April. They’re deep, talented and experienced, and that combination goes a long way come tournament time. Oh, and Hansbrough will win his second consecutive Naismith POY award. – JP

      Tiger will rejoin the tour and dominate.

      The guy is able to win tournaments on one leg. He still has it and once he’s healthy, he should be able to prove why he’s the greatest golfer to ever play the game. Americans need their fellow countrymen to dominate the less popular sports such as tennis as golf. Tiger has done just that for many years and hopefully he can return and reclaim his throne for the sake of the sport’s popularity. Now, if the guy can just give a pep talk to Andy Roddick and James Blake. – Christopher Glotfelty

      Manny Ramirez will re-sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

      Free agent outfielder Manny Ramirez said at the end of the 2008 MLB season that he would essentially sell his services to the highest bidder this winter. But with the Yankees’ attention set on signing CC Sabathia and fixing their pitching woes, Manny shouldn’t expect to hear a call from the Bronx Bombers. Nor should he from the Angels, who are focused on re-signing Mark Teixeira. Manny shouldn’t expect a big push from the Mets either, not after they signed closer Francisco Rodriguez to a huge contract. So unless a sleeper candidate emerges (the Giants?), Manny’s first offer might wind up being his best. The Los Angeles Dodgers offered him $45 million for two years and Manny turned up his nose. With no other major player in the Manny sweepstakes, Ramirez will head back to the L.A. with his tail between his legs and gladly take the Dodgers’ offer. – AS

      Floyd Mayweather Jr. will fight Manny Pacquiano in 2009.

      Floyd Mayweather Jr. loves his reputation as the best pound-for-pound fighter almost as much as he loves earning copious amounts of money. Given the financial bonanza that he could reap from a proposed bout, “The Money Maker” may have met his match in Manny Pacquiano in terms of boxing ability and pay-per-view draw. The preliminary numbers indicate that the De La Hoya-Pacquiano PPV buy rate would be around 1.5 million homes – that’s worth around $80 million, people. The numbers point out that Pacquiano continues to become more popular in the United States and has broken through to the mainstream audience. He’s a southpaw with the hand speed and punching power and is capable of outboxing anyone. Critics of Mayweather Jr. have accused him of ducking opponents for years, it will be interesting to see if will risk his unbeaten record against a boxer of Pacquiano’s ability. We think (or hope) that it will happen. – TC

      Tennis will continue to do well internationally, but will remain a second-tier sport in the U.S.

      Like the MLS, Americans just don’t watch that much tennis. When Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras were on top, Americans showed their support in the ratings. Serena and Venus have certainly helped, but Americans need a top male competitor. James Blake and Andy Roddick are very good, but currently incapable of winning a Grand Slam. Also, female tennis players will continue to be the hottest athletes in the world. While this fact will help the sport on a global level, it will only amount to increased sales of Maxim here in the U.S. – CG

      The Miami Heat will make a run at Carlos Boozer this offseason.

      They need to clear some cap space, so don’t be surprised if the Heat elect not to trade Shawn Marion and let him hit the open market without compensation. Then all they have to do is find a taker for the two years remaining on Mark Blount’s contract (by pairing him with Udonis Haslem?) and the Heat will have enough room to sign Carlos Boozer in the summer, which will boost their chances of retaining Dwyane Wade in the summer of 2010. Boozer lives in Miami, and while he’s saying all the right things to the press in Salt Lake City, we’d wager that he’d like to play in South Beach with D-Wade and Michael Beasley. But really, who wouldn’t? – JP

      Bill Cowher will stay in retirement.

      After the 2008 NFL season, the Cleveland Browns decide to fire head coach Romeo Crennel and actively pursue former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher. With the opportunity to not only coach, but also be his own general manager, Cowher ponders making a return to the NFL for the entire months of January, February and March. Panicked that the draft is right around the corner, the Browns force Cowher to make a decision, and he declines the job. Thinking they have no choice, Browns’ GM Phil Savage decides to turn back to Crennel, who gladly re-accepts the position. Cleveland doesn’t win a game in 2009 and Brown fans threaten to publicly stone Cowher at the 50-yard line of Browns Stadium. – AS

      The MLS will continue to struggle.

      Top players like Landon Donovan are bailing on the MLS to play in the more competitive European leagues. MLS games continue to be broadcast on lower-profile stations such as ESPN2 and the Fox Soccer Channel. However, the league continues to be satisfied with the market they have been able to sustain, as evidenced by their confidence to debut a new franchise in 2009, the Seattle Sounders FC. If the U.S. were able to do well in the World Cup, the public would take notice and give the MLS another chance. Sadly, the level of play just isn’t that compelling when compared with European leagues such as the EPL. – CG

      Donovan McNabb will be the next quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

      After failing to carry the team into the playoffs in 2008, the Philadelphia Eagles decide to part ways with longtime starter Donovan McNabb and turn the keys of the offense over to youngster Kevin Kolb. Seeing that a quarterback is available, Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ head coach Jon Gruden craps himself while reaching for the phone. Gruden agrees to send a second round pick to Philly in exchange for McNabb, who joins Jeff Garcia, Brian Griese, Josh Johnson and Luke McCown on Tampa’s roster. Gruden, not satisfied, then signs Kurt Warner, Kyle Orton, Matt Cassel and Kyle Boller and officially declares the Buccaneers’ starting quarterback position an open competition. – AS

      The Cubs will have the greatest regular season in MLB history.

      After acquiring Jake Peavy in a trade with San Diego and teaming him with Carlos Zambrano, Rich Harden and Ryan Dempster in the starting rotation, the Chicago Cubs amass a 130-32 record in 2009. They only lose every fifth day and run away with the number one seed in the National League playoffs. There, they meet a Washington Nationals team that backed into the playoffs after all the teams in the NL East were forced to play minor leaguers due to the worst rash of injuries ever documented in baseball history. With their amazing starting pitching staff, the Cubs are predicted to not only roll through their series against the Nationals, but also win a World Series title. But the team quickly remembers that they’re the Cubs and panic sets in. The team is so overcome by the pressure of the postseason that the Nationals sweep the Cubs in three games. The dynamic rotation of Peavy, Zambrano and Harden combine to allow over 30 runs in three games. A shell shocked Chicago fan base burns down Wrigley Field and manages to spell out, “THERE IS NO GOD” in the wreckage. – AS

      NASCAR will embrace the hybrid.

      In the not too-distant future, NASCAR will have an entire field of hybrid cars competing for the checker flag. It can’t be done for the upcoming 2009 season, but racing needs to announce a plan to implement hybrid technology into the sport. We have already seen the Ford hybrid pace car at Homestead last season, and long-time leader of NASCAR Bill France Sr. felt that the cars on the track should reflect the cars driven by their fans. Like it or not, the hybrid automobile is where we are headed as a country. NASCAR needs to get on board! – TC

      The Big 12 will once again be the most exciting conference next year.

      With Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford (maybe) and Graham Harrell (pictured) all set to return for another year, how could 2008’s most exciting conference fail to pull a repeat performance? Think of the storylines next year: Texas has revenge on its mind after the BCS snubbed them for Oklahoma in 2008; Bradford attempts to lead Oklahoma to their second straight national title appearance; Harrell teams up with dynamic wide receiver Michael Crabtree to once again harass opposing defenses for yet another season. Texas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech aren’t the only things the Big 12 will have going for itself either. Baylor showed remarkable improvements with freshman quarterback Robert Griffin under center, Nebraska is slowly starting to rebuild and Oklahoma State gave OU, Texas and Texas Tech a run for their money this year in the South Division. With so many key players returning, the Big 12 will once again play the role of power conference in 2009. – AS

      The NBA ROY will come down to Rose and Mayo, but Rudy deserves a look.

      Thus far, Derrick Rose and O.J. Mayo have made most of the rookie headlines, but Rudy Fernandez has been awfully productive despite getting a fraction of the run. You can blame Portland’s wealth of wings for the lack of minutes, but you can’t fault Rudy’s play – he has been outstanding. Alas, this is Rose’s trophy to lose, because it’s more impressive to tear up the league as a point guard in Chicago than it is as an off guard in Memphis or a sixth man in Portland. For his part, Mayo has turned all that hype and potential into massive production and it sure looks to us like he’s the real deal. – JP

      Matt Ryan will win the NFL ROY honors.

      All due respect to Chris Johnson, Matt Forte, Eddie Royal and DeSean Jackson, but Matt Ryan is going to be this year’s ROY. Check out these numbers: 90.0 QB rating (#11 in the league), 14 TD (#15), 3146 passing yards (#1) and nine INT (#8). Most importantly, Ryan has led the Falcons to a 9-5 record and has them position for a playoff push over the last two weeks of the season. What those aforementioned backs and receivers have done this season has been tremendous, but without a doubt, quarterback is the toughest position to play as a rookie. Ryan’s first year is the most impressive since Ben Roethlisberger’s rookie season in 2004. Unless he takes a dump over the last two weeks, Ryan will win the award. (Who is his biggest competition? It might just be Joe Flacco.) – JP

      Whoever signs Mats Sundin as an in-season free agent will win the Stanley Cup.

      Mats Sundin has targeted a handful of teams that he would consider signing with in hopes of winning a Stanley Cup. Sundin has made it clear that he is not returning to the ice for the money by turning down a contract offer with $20 million last summer. No, Sundin is going to join a team that he thinks has a realistic chance of winning a title. He plans to meet with his agent, J.P. Barry, after the holidays to discuss their options before signing with a team. – TC

      Georgia’s Matthew Stafford will QB the Detroit Lions next year.

      Following the 2008 college football season, Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford will declare himself eligible for the 2009 NFL Draft. There, the first pick will belong to the Detroit Lions, who finished the 2008 NFL regular season with an 0-16 record. The Lions, under new/old coach Marty Mornhinweg, make Stafford their number one selection. But once again, they forget to build an offensive line, Stafford reminds Detroit fans of Joey Harrington and the Lions fall to 0-16 for the second straight year. (By the way, if Sam Bradford declares himself eligible for the draft, then replace “Stafford” with “Bradford” throughout this entire post.) – AS

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