LAS VEGAS – Is Andrew Wiggins worth giving up? That is the question we are left with as Summer League comes to a close and the Minnesota Timberwolves continue their efforts to trade Kevin Love — but only if there is a bushel of goodies coming back. On draft night, Wiggins, the super-athletic wing from the University of Kansas, was poised to be Kyrie Irving’s running mate and part of a core that had endless potential moving forward. A lot has changed
With LeBron James out of the picture as a free agent, the biggest focus for the remainder of the summer will be on Kevin Love’s situation with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Love has made it clear that he wants out of town, and Flip Saunders has been entertaining offers – most notably from the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors. Both teams, however, have put up a posture during discussions by refusing to add a highly-attractive piece to seal the deal. The Timberwolves
LeBron James can play the rest of his career on the equivalent of one-year contracts. It has exposed a loophole of sorts in the CBA while making him the most powerful man in the NBA. Nobody saw this coming, but when James signed a two-year deal with Cleveland and had an opt-out included after Year One, the entire power structure of the NBA changed. If the Cavs don’t keep him happy, he’ll leave — that is the implication that goes along
A little more than a week ago, even as Chris Sheridan assured me LeBron James was going back to Cleveland, I dismissed his assurances and wrote a column saying the exact opposite. How could James leave a situation with a guaranteed berth in the Eastern Conference Finals – at worst? How could he play for an owner who called him a coward and a traitor? How could he play for a coach who had never coached in the NBA and who he had
Yes, there are still free agents out there and teams still have slots to fill. But most of the big names are gone, and most of the contenders are done reloading, retooling or rebuilding for the 2014-15 season. With that in mind, here is another edition of the Three-Man Weave, looking specifically at the balance of power in the Eastern Conference and how it has shifted. 1. Which team is the favorite in the Eastern Conference? [Read more…]
As NBA free agency dominated the weekend with several big headlines — see LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh — and a avalanche of new signings, teams are now getting down to the nitty gritty of available players and are even looking at which players they can clear off the roster. That brings us to the curious case of Carlos Boozer and the Chicago Bulls. [Read more…]
LeBron James decision to move back home, rejoining the Cleveland Cavaliers, is less than a week old. And, yet, it is old news. At the time of James’ decision, there was ample speculation that Ray Allen would surely put off retirement to play in King James’ court, and he may yet decide to play, though there has been no decision as of yet. However, former Heat teammate Mike Miller, who—against James’ wishes—was annexed prior to last season via the amnesty provision as
Carlos Boozer was amnestied today by the Chicago Bulls, allowing them to clear the cap space to bring in their newest additions, Nikola Mirotic and Pau Gasol. They were in the mix for Carmelo Anthony, but the New York Knicks were able to pay him $50 million more than the Bulls could offer, which is a lot of scratch. No matter, the Bulls have emerged as a favorite to be the best team in the Eastern Conference, especially if the Pacers do