Last Post: Farewell to All

This is my last post as the writer for The Courtside Report. I have been contacted to become the NBA analyst for Cleveland's Hope. I encourage all of you to check it out and now turn to Cleveland's Hope for all of your NBA news!

Free Agency Update: June 29

This is the last installment in my five part series of weekly free agency updates. The other four can be read by clicking on the links below:

Free Agency Update: June 1

Free Agency Update: June 8

Free Agency Update: June 15

Free Agency Update: June 22


With only two days left until July 1, rumors have been circulating at an even wilder pace than previously throughout the month. Here is the latest news pertaining to the key free agents.

Even though LeBron James and Chris Bosh heading to Chicago were almost a "sure thing" according to Sports Illustrated, the latest news from Steven A. Smith is that LeBron will play for Miami next year along with Bosh. Would this duo combined with Dwyane Wade be the success story that everyone expects it to be? Originally, I thought that this would be the best option for each player involved. However, now I'm not so sure. Wade, James, and Bosh are all used to being the leaders on the team. That could certainly create some drama on the Heat, which would obviously still be Dwyane Wade's team. Miami will never embrace James or Bosh in the way that they have embraced Wade simply because he was there first. Even though a "big three" formula worked for Boston (Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett), I do not seeing it working in Miami - at all. Although I do think it would be interesting to watch the drama unfold in Miami once a losing streak of three games happened. My guess is that Chris Bosh would not have a problem giving up his leadership role, but LeBron is so self-oriented that it would eat at him not to be "the man" on the team. No more chalk throwing LBJ...it's Wade's team.

Speaking of LeBron, all of the teams are clamoring to get him. Congratulations. You've signed LeBron, now what? Instant championship right? Nope, sorry Clippers fans. You still wouldn't win. You see, LeBron needs people around him. He can't have just anyone though. He needs a second superstar on the team. He needs a Bosh, Stoudemire, or Boozer on the team. He can't win by himself. Just ask the Cleveland rafters with all of the banners that he's hung with his time on the Cavaliers. LeBron had a great team around him this past year and couldn't shoulder the load in crunch time. Another superstar would attract some attention on the offensive end of the floor, and it would make James more effective.

I would also like to applaud the intelligence and team-awareness of Toronto Raptors' general manager Bryan Colangelo. He stated that Bosh is "likely to leave". Your wit and prediction is unmatched by any other human being following the NBA my friend. Of course Chris Bosh is leaving. Everyone knows this and has known this for quite some time now. I suppose you will also announce that the Raptors will not win a championship next year? Now you're getting a little bold, don't you think?

The New York Knicks will have serious discussions with Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudemire on Thursday and Friday. These two players would be perfect together! (I originally predicted them to be on the same team in my June 1 Free Agency Update.) Keep an eye out for the two of them to make noise in New York next year.

That leaves Carlos Boozer. Where will he sign in the midst of all this mess? Chicago will be his team next year if the rest of the players go to the teams mentioned above. I wouldn't be surprised if Tracy McGrady or Ray Allen would join him either if they are offered enough money to be lured to the Windy City.

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Three Winners and Losers of NBA Draft

The NBA Draft is over. So from now until July 1, there will be a calming lull around the NBA. So, let's look back at the draft and pick out the three winners and three losers of Thursday night.

Winners

The Washington Wizards had a great night for obvious reasons. They drafted John Wall, and now he is officially on the team. They also traded with the Chicago Bulls to obtain Kirk Hinrich. So now, Gilbert Arenas will most likely be shopped to see if any team around the league is interested in him. Although Washington could also opt to add Hinrich off the bench, just so that there is always some offense on the floor in the backcourt. The Wizards also added Trevor Booker and Kevin Seraphin, two big men who should mature nicely and provide some much needed toughness down low.

The Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat are the last two winners of draft night, and they're here for the same reason. They successfully cleared cap space to thwart New York's plan. Before the draft, New York was the only team in the NBA who could attempt to lure LeBron James by offering him and a running mate of his choosing a maximum contract. Now, both Miami and Chicago can do the same. Plus, Miami can re-sign Dwyane Wade, and then offer two contracts.

Losers

The New York Knicks are the biggest loser for the reason highlighted above concerning Miami and Chicago.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are a close second though. Why? They didn't have a pick in the draft, and instead watched teams clear cap room and become even more of an attraction for LeBron to leave.

The New Jersey Nets are my third loser of the draft. Derrick Favors may be a great player in the future, but he doesn't attract any free agents to New Jersey. Evan Turner would have been perfect if he could have fallen to third for the Nets.

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Trade Talk

The Milwaukee Bucks were involved in another trade on Wednesday, this time with the New Jersey Nets. The Bucks received Chris Douglas-Roberts, and they only had to give up a 2012 second round pick. What are the Nets thinking? Well, they're trying their hardest to be broke so that they can spend, spend, spend when July 1 comes around. For the Bucks, this is a great deal! Douglas-Roberts is young and talented, a good scorer, and has a ton of room to grow. The Nets are expecting to be able to land at least one key free agent (although they will likely pay way too much money for him), and even Douglas-Roberts' $850,000 contract was too much to keep on the books. Overall, the Bucks got the better of this trade currently. Douglas-Roberts is easily better than any second round pick in the future. However, if the Nets land LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki, or Chris Bosh, I would change my stance on this move. So basically, I'm not ever changing my stance. Hopefully the Nets will enjoy their mediocrity with an overpaid Joe Johnson or Ray Allen if they can even obtain one of them.

In a deal that really makes sense for one team in particular, the Miami Heat traded the 18th pick in tonight's draft and Daequan Cook to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the 32nd pick in tonight's draft. The Thunder wanted a shooter that could create space on the floor, and the Heat wanted to clear contracts in order to be able to spend more in free agency. Also, the Heat will not have any guaranteed money owed to the 18th pick because of this trade. This was purely a financial move for Miami and a good one at that.

The Portland Trailblazers are reportedly shopping Rudy Fernandez. After falling out of favor in Portland, Fernandez has been requesting a trade for some time now. The Toronto Raptors, Houston Rockets, and Chicago Bulls have expressed the most interest. The Raptors offered the 13th pick in tonight's draft as a part of a package deal, and Chicago offered the 17th pick as part of their package. No deal has been accepted so far.

The Los Angeles Lakers have entered the mix of suitors for the New Orleans Hornets' Chris Paul. Andrew Bynum, Sasha Vujacic, and Lamar Odom would move to New Orleans, and Chris Paul and Emeka Okafor would join the Lakers. That would be a formidable starting lineup in Paul, Bryant, Artest, Gasol, and Okafor. Clear way for another banner. While we're on the topic of the Lakers, Gilbert Arenas has also been rumored to being traded to the champions this offseason. This deal would most likely involve Jordan Farmar or Luke Walton.

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Maggette Traded to Bucks

Corey Maggette was dealt on Wednesday by the Golden State Warriors to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks also received a second round draft pick in Thursday's draft, and the Warriors got Charlie Bell and Dan Gadzuric in return.

Maggette will be expected to make an instant impact on the offensive end of the floor because of the fact that John Salmons might not re-sign with the Bucks in free agency. Maggette averaged 19.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game last year, and he will make an excellent running mate to Brandon Jennings and Andrew Bogut next year. The Bucks will be back into the playoffs, and will advance past the first round this year as long as their big three can stay healthy and consistent throughout the post season.

On the other hand, this trade is the first of several that will likely take place this summer for Golden State. The Warriors are attempting to start from square one and build the team around Stephen Curry. With the sixth pick in the draft on Thursday, Golden State will probably take a center. Greg Monroe is the most likely candidate, but don't be surprised if they pick up DeMarcus Cousins if he manages to slip that far down.

Overall, this trade this great for Milwaukee. With all of the free agent talk going on, there is one overlying pattern: most of the teams that can sign max money free agents (New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Miami) are in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee had to make a move now in order to stay relevant in the conference, and Golden State is looking down the road for a shot 3-5 seasons from now by rebuilding through the draft.

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Chris Paul On The Move?

Chris Paul was involved in trade rumors about two weeks ago with the Cleveland Cavaliers being a possible destination. Paul and LeBron James are good friends, and many teams believe that if they land Paul, James will be soon to follow. Apparently, this was a pretty good idea because now five other teams have been in the hunt for Paul. But does Paul want to leave? Sources close to the Hornets point guard have stated that he would like to remain in New Orleans if at all possible. Paul is excited for the new management that is to take over the Hornets organization, and he is hopeful that they will spend money in order to compete in a highly competitive Western Conference. Although it is unlikely that Paul will be moved before the Draft, there are several cases that the quality of the trade offers could be enough to make New Orleans pull the trigger and accept a trade offer.

The Memphis Grizzlies have reportedly offered shooting guard O.J. Mayo as part of a package deal in order to land Paul and bring him in to command the Grizzlies offense. Mike Conley would also probably be involved in this deal because the Grizzlies would no longer have a need for him at the point guard position. However, New Orleans has declined this offer, and Memphis is unlikely to make a counter offer with better players. If Memphis really wants to land Paul, their best option would be a sign and trade with Rudy Gay, Mayo, and Conley involved.

The Portland Trailblazers have also been interested in Paul for a number of years now. Although no offer has officially been made for the all star point guard, expect an offer to surface by Wednesday night if the Blazers are seriously considering Paul as an option for next year.

The Orlando Magic, much like the Trailblazers, have expressed interest in Paul but do not have a deal in place quite yet. After an embarrassing loss in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Magic are looking to upgrade their roster at almost every position. Jameer Nelson is not untouchable, and the Magic front office believe that in order to be successful, Orlando needs a point guard who can effectively distribute the ball as well as score. Nelson is more of a scorer, and he only averaged 5.6 assists last season. Paul is known as an assist man, and he would be an excellent running mate to Dwight Howard. Howard would flourish in an offense with a point guard like Paul because more often than not, the Magic do not look down low to the post as an offensive option. Howard is the best post player in the league, and he needs to be fed the pull at a constant pace. If Orlando were to land Paul, Nelson and either Rashard Lewis or Vince Carter would likely be involved.

The New York Knicks are also attempting to take Paul from the Hornets in order to land LeBron James. Although no offer is on the table yet, if the Knicks land Paul, LeBron and another top free agent would probably be soon to follow.

The last team expressing interest in Paul (so far) is the New Jersey Nets. They have made the best offer so far, too. The Nets have reportedly been willing to part with any player on their roster except for Brook Lopez. The offer included Devin Harris, another player to be named, and the third pick in this Thursday's draft. New Orleans declined the offer initially, but the Nets will likely make a counter offer in an attempt to bring in a free agent to run with Paul and Lopez this next season.

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Free Agency Update: June 22

I have been posting a weekly Tuesday article dealing with all of the latest news about NBA Free Agency. It will run until July 1. Check back frequently for all of the latest stories and scenarios!

Only ten more days until the greatest free agency class ever officially is able to talk to any team. Let's take a look at an updated list of the three main tiers of free agents and address any rumors that have been surfacing about the players.

Tier One

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Dirk Nowitzki

LeBron is being wooed by just about every team that can afford a max free agent. The New York Knicks have been the front runners in this category, and they have even encouraged many celebrities who live in or around the New York City area to attempt to entice LeBron to call Madison Square Garden home next year. With all of the excitement surrounding James, there certainly are high expectations for whatever team lands him. The only problem is that LeBron will not win a team a championship just by himself. He won't even get to the Conference Finals by himself. No one can in this league. Listen up New York: be prepared for a big disappointment if you cannot land another first or second tier free agent. Chicago, Miami, and New Jersey are the three teams that have the pieces in place for LBJ to take them deep into the playoffs next season.

Dwyane Wade has made it clear that he does not want to leave Miami. Instead, he will be recruiting players to come and join him on his campaign for his second ring. The best option is easily Chris Bosh who could run an effective offense when combined with Wade. Bosh is a formidable player in the post, and he can also shoot a midrange jumper at a decent percentage. Wade can shoot as well, but he is best known as a slasher to the hoop. This combination could be lethal. However, Bosh recently stated that he would like to be the main man on a team and not a sidekick. If this is the case, Miami is not the place for him. A better fit would be the Chicago Bulls because both Derek Rose and Joakim Noah would look up to Bosh as a leader.

Tier Two

Joe Johnson, Amare Stoudemire, Carlos Boozer, David Lee, Paul Pierce, Rudy Gay

Joe Johnson, much like Bosh, would also look to be the star on a team. I don't see this happening, though. Johnson is not vocal enough on the court to lead a team down the stretch. His play leads by example, but Johnson couldn't rile up a team if he had to. He will also have to be paired with either a first or second tier free agent to be effective.

Amare Stoudemire is out in Phoenix. There's no easy way to say it. The run-and-gun type of offense is dying, and Phoenix was the last drop in the IV tube to keep it alive. With Steve Kerr out as well for the Suns, Stoudemire will most likely not return because of the fact that he will not be offered max money by Phoenix. If he is, it would come as a surprise.

It's been five days now since the Celtics' collapse in Game Seven. Paul Pierce has still not hinted as to what his plans are for this offseason since he has an early termination option in his contract. Expect him to retire as a Celtic. He has seen two extremes from this organization and will ride them out until his retirement.

Tier Three

Ray Allen, Tracy McGrady, Luis Scola, Brendan Haywood

Ray Allen, much like Pierce, wants to stay in Boston. The only question is does Boston want him to stay? The consensus currently is no. Allen will undoubtedly be heavily pursued by teams this offseason, especially those who do not sign a tier one or two free agent. If Pierce stays though, look for the Celtics to bring back Allen and attempt another run at a championship. The Celtics will choose to rebuild the bench instead of the starters.

Tracy McGrady's name popped up in free agent discussions for the first time this week. He is now being linked to the Los Angeles Lakers. McGrady would come off the bench and be a role player much like Lamar Odom. Ron Artest has reached out to McGrady and has stated that McGrady would be welcome on LA next year. This would be a great fit for the Lakers. Other than Kobe Bryant, the Lakers do not have a slashing offensive player who will take it to the hoop and drive the lane. Insert McGrady and teams will not only have to worry about Bryant, but McGrady will also be a threat to attack the rim when Bryant gets a breather. If the Lakers do end up signing TMac (a member of the Lakers front office told the public to expect the deal to be done by the end of July), they will repeat as champions.

Once the dust settles and players begin to sign with teams, a domino effect will take place. Almost everyone is looking as to where LeBron will sign. Then, some of the second tier players will join him, and some will join Wade. One or two might join Bosh if he is still set on "leading a team". The biggest thing to keep an eye out for is the overspending of teams who do not land a first tier free agent. No one in the second or third tiers is worth max money, but some team (ahem, New Jersey) will panic and begin throwing money at players who don't deserve it. Just sit back and observe. The only thing for certain is that the fireworks on July 4 will be nothing compared to the fireworks that will be going off around the NBA this offseason.

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