Posts
A wise man once said, "There's never a better time than now to starting thinking about the future."
Okay, a wise man never said that. It's just something that I wrote down, but it's still true and it certainly applies to the world of professional sports, and especially the NBA.
Through free agency and the NBA Draft, teams are able to transition from being below-average in their conference to being a legitimate playoff contender overnight. That only happens, though, when teams take advantage of the talent available during the offseason, in free agency and in the draft.
This upcoming offseason will be no different, as it will be filled with free-agent veterans and a wealth of young talent available in both free agency and in the draft.
It will be exciting to see what story lines develop this offseason, and while there will undoubtedly be ones that pop up out of nowhere, there are a few that are certainly going to find their way into the headlines.
Let's start with the soap opera known as "The D12 Saga."
Dwight Howard's Future in Orlando
While Dwight Howard shocked the world by deciding to not opt-out of his contract with the Magic at the end of the season, that doesn't necessarily mean that he will be playing for the Magic next season.
Howard could easily decide that he doesn't like his situation in Orlando and ask for a trade, much like he did at the beginning of this current season. The only person that knows exactly what Dwight Howard is going to want next year is himself, and even that's a stretch, as he seems to change his mind on a consistent basis.
If the Magic front office isn't able to bring in the kind of talent that D12 wants, there's a high likelihood that we could see the Dwight Howard saga continue well into the 2012-13 season, and that will certainly be something for NBA fans to keep their eyes on.
Prediction—Dwight Howard won't be wearing a Magic jersey to start next season, and that's mainly because the Magic front office is inept at bringing in real talent that would make Howard want to stay.
Danny Ainge Dismantling Boston's Big Three
The Boston Celtics will have a completely different look next season. The Celtics only have six players on contract for next year, and none of those players are named Kevin Garnett or Ray Allen.
Two of the Celtics most valuable players, Garnett and Allen, are in the final year contracts, and Danny Ainge would be insane to bring both of those players back if they're looking to make near the same money they did this year—$21.2 million and $10 million, respectively.
If Garnett and Allen are willing to take significant pay cuts to stay in Boston, Ainge should jump on that possibility, but in all reality, both players will be looking to take their talents to high-paying teams that are ready to win an NBA Title.
Prediction—Celtics will let both Garnett and Allen go, which will give them an entirely different look as a team heading into the 2012-13 season. If Garnett and Allen do indeed leave Boston, it will be interesting to see where they land. Allen to Miami, and Garnett to OKC, maybe?
Steve Nash and Deron Williams Taking Their Talents Elsewhere
Nash made it absolutely clear that if the Suns aren't willing to add talent around him, then he is ready to take his talents to a team with more championship potential. Even more so than Nash, Nets' point guard Deron Williams is ready to test the waters of free agency and see which team is the best fit for his All-Star talents.
Both Nash and Williams are smart to take their talents away from Phoenix and New Jersey, as both of those teams are going nowhere fast. For Nash and Williams, their best bet is to sign with teams that are championship-ready, in hopes that they can each win their first NBA title.
Teams like the Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Lakers will be interesting in signing Williams or Nash. One thing is for sure, and that is that it will be exciting to watch and see where both Williams and Nash are playing next season.
Prediction—Deron Williams will be playing with D12 in Orlando, and Steve Nash will be playing beside Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles.
Drama and Trouble in South Beach with the Heatles
This prediction is based off my belief that the Heat won't win the 2012 NBA Title. I'm a Heat fan, but I realize that if the Heat don't enter the playoffs with home-court advantage throughout, they will have a difficult time winning the title, much like they did last year.
It's championship or bust in Miami, and when LeBron and company are sent home from the 2012 playoffs without a ring, South Beach is going to be flipped upside down. Fans will be calling for the Heat to trade one of the Big Three, and the pressure will be placed on Pat Riley to make drastic changes to both the coaching staff and the roster.
As a Heat fan, it won't be enjoyable to watch the Heat fall apart, but it will certainly be entertaining to see how the players and the front office handle their inability to bring NBA championships to South Beach.
Prediction—Head coach Erik Spoelstra will be fired, and Chris Bosh (among other players) will be placed on the trade block by Pat Riley.
The 2012 offseason will be interesting and exciting to say the least. Weigh in with your predicted story lines of the upcoming off-season in the comment section below.
No comments:
Post a Comment