Possible Kyrie Irving landing spots

Hi!

This has been a long time coming. Last post was 2014? Wow that long!

You might have heard of the ongoing debacle regarding Kyrie Irving's trade demand from the Cavaliers. It seems the LeBron James rumors are true and nobody wants to get stuck on Cleveland nowadays. Carmelo reportedly doesn't want the Cavs as well as per report.

I tried my hand being a GM for a while with the ESPN Trade Machine and being a Bulls fan I loved this scenario.

In this scenario, Bulls get Irving while staying true for their rebuild effort. Bulls get a cornerstone to go along with budding star Zach LaVine in a faster pace that Hoiberg would love to play. It'll be a quick rebuild if this happens as Kyrie has some interest in the Bulls before the usual suspects GarPax fumbled it. It also establishes Kyrie as the focal point of the team like he wished.

Cleveland gets Banana Boat Avenger Wade in return and gets a PG in return.

For all their troubles Phoenix adds veterans that has been part of their recent success. While strengthening their defense while continuing to develop their young core. I think its a win-win for all teams.

As for the teams Kyrie asked to be traded to.

New York Knicks

This is rather a straight up trade. Carmelo for Kyrie but because of salary discrepancy Cavs need to include Shumpert in this scenario.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Kyrie gets his wish to play along Jimmy, and gets coached by a national assistant coach in Thibs. But for this to work, and with the recent additions the Timberwolves made they have to give up talent as well but in this scenario it worth the trouble having another all-star to add to your roster. Cleveland get Andrew Wiggins the first pick they gave away to accommodate James comeback. And they get Gorgui Dieng another project but with high ceiling.

San Antonio Spurs

This is as straight up as it can be. LaMarcus Aldridge ends his Spurs stint unceremoniously. But they get a PG that can replace Tony Parker long term. At age 25 it suits well playing with Kawhi and that makes the Spurs competitive for another decade. Cavs get talent, but LaMarcus has been underwhelming as a Spur. Ditching Kyrie does not improve the Cavs proposition as well to compete with the highly talented Warriors.

As you can see the only trade scenario where the Cavs does improve is when he is traded to the Bulls. Kyrie is a Black Mamba in the making he just need to work on his defense more. But he still has room to improve and could be a catch for any team that could have him.

So what do you think of this piece? Do you agree or disagree? Hit the comments below and let me know what you think.

Winners rise, Losers fall (NBA Finals Game 7)

Heat are champions!

But not without a gallant stand from the Spurs who traded leads with the eventual champion Heat.

"They pushed us to the limit"

James would eventually admit after the game. He knew, and it made this championship even sweeter, coming off with a monster performance from him (a masterful punctuation mark to the transformation he had to do in order to win the series) where he scored 37 giant points, coming off baskets when they needed him to produce. It took all this effort from him to score their first back to back titles. The Spurs wouldn't give it to him that easily he had to earn everything and last night was a validation of a star. A kind of passing of torch, Them Spurs beating James and company 6 years ago and here right now on the same stage James has taken what he rightfully earned.
 

In defeat, Tim Duncan and the Spurs command respect. Nobody can ever question their desire to win it, only they fell short. The Spurs battled the whole game even cutting the lead to just two on a Kawhi Leonard 3-pointer.

The Spurs fell short, as Tim Duncan missed 2 shots that was his staple shots and Manu Ginobili making errors in the end game.

''For me, Game 7 is always going to haunt me,'' Duncan said.

 The Spurs have nothing to be shamed about, but as they lose comes a summer of reflections, what could have been, what could have been done, to come that close only to fall short. Nothing breaks a players heart much more a competitor's heart more than that. As the Heat savor their victory cigars, Tim Duncan walks down the tunnel head low, for the first time he lost a NBA Finals and it could be his last. The memory will haunt him he says, never has been those words so true.

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• Next week the NBA brings hope as the draft approaches, For Cleveland it'll be huge, another piece to build on and hopefully one that can get them back to play-off contention, one that will surely take LeBron's notice when the free agency of 2014 nears.
• The Clippers and the Celtics have yet to reach an agreement, the first of what could be a promising off-season we better watch this one as it unfolds or fold itself out of discussion.
• Jerry Sloan is back as Jazz Consultant! That's great news for me having been a fan of Coach Sloan's work, he's finally home.
• There are still plenty more coaching vacancies to fill this should keep NBA addicts occupied as we enter the off season, the free agency could also be a good one to watch out for.

There are plenty more of good reads to come, keep on reading 'til next time.

DeAndre Jordan to The Celtics should have been a no brainer!

I don't think it was worth it if the Celtics still asked for Bledsoe.

But when they dropped their asking price for 2 draft picks? Give me a break! It's a no brainer even if DeAndre Jordan has some upside (as he always have, reportedly, when they resigned him and kept him from Golden State's grasp way back 2011, although no development has shown 2 years after) and Kevin is slowly declining a one-is-to-one trade is already a win for LA's other team. Not to mention the right for a champion coach. I mean 2 draft picks isn't that pricy especially when you think that they would probably pick 20th overall or maybe later for that 2 drafts.

Garnett's value is not only when he's physically playing, but he will be a big presence in the locker room. He can pick up the slack when the guys are dozing off and relaxing. He will prepare the team mentally maybe even physically. Something he's done in Boston. And what about Doc Rivers? Doc is Doc and he's well regarded as a great coach.

Clippers still have a chance to do this right. One advice to them? Don't be stupid.

Extra: Scene from the NBA Finals

• As Dan Devine of Yahoo! Sports reports Heat fans dashed out of the exits even before the final score was settled. It's a very ill sight, but then again I guessed it's apt knowing these fans probably were nowhere to be found before 2010. The very example of fair weather fans. I'm glad they weren't allowed back after Ray Allen hit the game tying shot and the Heat eventually won.
• LeBron got another triple double but it would have been for naught because he had 2 late TO's. Thank heavens for Ray Allen.
• Bosh finally had 2 game changing plays in one game!
• There'll be another game 7 the first one we're having since 2010, David Stern must be all smiles.

Hey see you again on Thursday! Hit feedback for comments. :D

Manu is the true MVP of the Spurs!

There I said it so sue me.

It seems to me to have been true since 2005, Everytime Ginobili have a break out game the Spurs follows. It seems that their energy and passion flow through him. In this series (in fact the whole play-offs) Ginobili seem to have lost himself on the play. Averaging just 7.5 points on the series, questions lingered "Are you done?"

Even Ginobili himself seem to doubt himself when he declares he's open to retiring once the Finals is finished.

 ''Everything is a day-by-day basis, Once the season finishes and I see how I feel, I can't imagine me not playing at least one more year here, but time will tell. We'll see. Sometimes I do think about retirement, But then I say, 'No, no. I love what I do. I'm very lucky to be in a franchise like this. So I really can't picture myself being retired already."

''There's a small chance. It's not that I'm really considering, but I can never say 'no' for sure, because I sometimes consider it.''

In Game 5, Manu recaptured his game of old. Shooting 8-14 and finishing with 24 points and 10 assists Manu was Manu again. On the game's opening possession, he stepped back for a foot-on-the-line 23-foot jump shot. You knew he was on attack mode, maybe because of a sense of urgency that made him play this way, or maybe to quiet some doubters or maybe something to prove for himself that no I'm not yet done, maybe the move to the staring line-up helped. Whatever it is one thing is for certain The Spurs go where Manu leads them.

Extra: So much about LeBron James declaring "enough is enough". James did produce the numbers, but again the actual play doesn't speak for itself. Shooting 8-22 in the field, I don't think that is enough to win a basketball game. I don't like when players go declaring something and not backing it up (James already has his shares of boo boo declarations like the not one, not two crap). With their backs behind the wall, James needs to show his character as he said he wants to leave the game known as the greatest. This is the stage where you'll be judged LeBron and so far you are not getting any leverage.

The Big Three comes up big at last!

Finals Game 4.

Nobody in NBA history has ever came out winning a series after being down 3-1 in a series. That is surely a big void that Miami wanted to avoid, and it showed in their play. LeBron, Dwyane and Bosh were on attack mode all night long.

What surprises me is the Spurs resolve to counter these three early on, especially before the half. Miami by then was already threatening to blow the game wide open San Antonio tied it before half (Bosh failed to beat the clock when he launched to what could have been an impressive dunk that could potentially have given them the lead).

The Heat defense produced 7 blocks and forced 19 Spurs turnovers. That while being bolstered by the renewed energy from their leaders prompting the ever quotable Gregg Popovich to say: "When those guys are playing like that, you better be playing a perfect game". Those 19 turnovers produced 23 transition points.

Wade performance came in as a surprise though, hobbled by knee injury the whole post season Wade was Wade of old. The MVP candidate an that kind of energized LeBron as well after a lethargic 3 games, James explodes for 33 points.

Stopping one is already a pain in the ass, how about a three headed monster?

I think Wade is the X-Factor in this series, if he continues to play this well? They might just pull this off. LeBron can score all he wants but if he gets no other help it will be for nut. The Spurs defense will just collapse on him. I think it's on Wade's shoulders fall to give LeBron the help, because Bosh is Bosh.

Now, it's a 3-game series, Let's now see who's the better of both teams the next game. I don't think anybody has an upperhand right now as both teams have been able to quiet the tide. These 3 games might be the most exciting games of these series, stay tuned.

The Jury is out on LeBron

When LeBron James joined the Miami Heat he declared they'd win multiple titles (the much quoted not one, not two crap). Heat are hell bent on making the finals every year (with all the talent they have) but the question rings, do they have what it takes to be champions?

Entering the Spurs series, James swaggered himself telling the press he is about "50% better" than when he first met the Spurs in 2007. In three games, LeBron has yet to show me that he did indeed improve a lot in six years. His numbers are telling 18, 17 and 15. These numbers are underwhelming, in fact it's shrinking. In Game 3 it is noticeable that James didn't have the confidence to make a shot anymore. Had the Spurs didn't softened it's defense on the third quarter James wouldn't even reach double figure scoring.

For all the talent he has it's disappointing to see James dip this far. Skip Bayless even tweeted: LeBron is great in garbage time. Ouch!

There are calls for James to take over the games, much like what Michael Jordan did in his heyday. James is averaging a disappointing 16.7 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists at 38% shooting. Clearly this is not enough.

He said it himself on an interview he needs to be better than Michael Jordan if he wants to be called great, with this showing, add the lousy showing he had in 2007 and 2011 that vision seems too far out for him. He needs to do something with his play. Michael Jordan's playground is the Finals.

For a guy who claims to be king his claim to throne is already slipping away. The Jury is out LeBron.

Don't rub it in

In what could be a preview of the next Eastern Conference finals, the Bulls fell short. Derrick Rose fell short. Inexplicably shooting well from the Freethrow line the reigning MVP choked on 2 shots that could have gotten Chicago the lead and put some pressure on the Heat to counter. Instead the ball bounced out of the rim two times.

Funnier still LeBron did the same trick on the next incident. Trying to finish off the Bulls James stepped off the 15 ft. line and bricked.

“I couldn’t believe he missed both,” Wade said of Rose. “I couldn’t believe LeBron missed both, either. Averaged itself out, I guess.”

After LeBron's 2nd miss there was a scramble. Confusion rushed in when an inadvertent whistle was heard. Officials of the game ruled it jump ball. James—who talked Bosh out of taking the tap himself—outleaped Taj Gibson, gave the ball up to Mario Chalmers, who was fouled and eventually got a free throw in for a two-point lead. Bulls finally had possession.

9.9 seconds left, an eternity in basketball, Bulls had a great idea of putting the ball in Rose's hand, Derrick cut the defense and a crucial moment decided to shoot the ball against 2 defenders and it bricked. The shot was a floater that Rose has been making throughout the game. It was a bad break.

“This is so surreal right now knowing that I had a chance to win the game,” an emotional Rose said at his locker afterward. “And this time it didn’t work out.”

The Bulls trailed the whole game, Rose played significant big minutes in the absence of his chief reliever CJ Watson. Luol didn't play also nursing his own wrist injury.

Bulls lost, tough game with bad breaks (for the Bulls side), but this soon to be rivalry will carry on for years and it will be fun watching. So Heat fans, don't rub it in you maybe be better today but the Bulls will definitely comeback.

Sources (quotes): Yahoo! sports
Picture: Available in web. No copyright infringement intended.

The Flourishing of the Rose

Derrick Rose is my MVP.

And it's not only because I'm a Bulls fan, it's because he proves it every time he plays. Three years ago with the draft at hand I wasn't especially keen on Rose for Chicago. At that time, Kirk was still the prime point guard for me because not only can he handle the ball well he defends well.

In my mind Chicago needs a good post threat to become an elite team. With the choice zeroing on two players I believed the hype that surrounded Michael Beasley (Ok, so I'm not an expert after all), a post scorer and a good mid-range shooter. For me he was Chicago's salvation. The scorer that Chicago covet since Elton Brand was (stupidly) traded for Tyson Chandler.

So to my utter disappointment (at the time) when David Stern announced Rose as the number 1 pick of the 2008 Draft. I thought the team wasted their chance on having a solid player, and to support me Rose wasn't the most solid PG on his rookie year. He was explosive yet his shooting wasn't there heck it's almost like Rondo's He wasn't the Deron Williams or Chris Paul type of PG I imagined for my favorite team to have. One thing I admired though is how he persevered and relentlessly attacked the basket. opening doors for the other Bull's to score. A will power comparable to Michael Jordan.

Rose made a believer out of me in their play-off series against Boston. Rose debuted in the play-offs with 36 points (tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's NBA record for points scored by a rookie in his playoff debut set 1970), 11 assists, and 4 rebounds as the Bulls prevailed in a 105–103 overtime win on the road. It was noticeable during that series how limited the Bulls were against the big names of the Celtics, The Allens and the Pierces, even through that Chicago stayed in their series and had the Celtics gasping in 7 games (Don't give the Garnett was injured BS because Deng was also injured and was higher value for the Bulls than the Celtics who would give the Magic a run for their money in the next series even without Garnett). Rose averaged 19.7 points on 47.5% shooting, 6.3 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game in the, although the Bulls were defeated by the Celtics in 7 games. Amazing in the sense that a rookie was able to carry that much burden especially at age 20. Wow!

After his Rookie of the Year season, Rose would improve in his stats in his 2nd year. He'd get 20.8 PPG on 48.9% shooting, 3.8 RPG, 6.0 APG although the clamor for improvement in defense and shooting was still there, it was clearer now that Rose was the team's best player, he'd also be the first Chicago all-star since Michael Jordan in 1998. In the playoffs Rose averaged 26.8 points and 7.2 assists, but the Bulls still lost in five games to the Cleveland Cavaliers.


This year he even took his game to new heights improving his defense and mid and long range shooting. To note Chicago only played full strength for only 9 games, and by that I meant the whole team playing because obviously Boozer was still recovering after missing the first 15 games and by that time Noah has already sustained his own injury that have sidelined him for 28 games now (and counting). Rose rises to the occasion by bringing a different approach to his game; Being the main threat and still distribute. It is amazing to note that despite getting 24.7 points, Derrick dishes out 8.1 dimes a night, the amount of energy you have to exert just to get those numbers to limited outlets (since either Boozer or Noah is out).

The candidates for MVP can be narrowed down to Rose and James. Kobe's Lakers are packed yet they're underachieving. Stoudamire has slowed on his candidacy due to the Knicks on and off record. Wade is playing second fiddle to James. Durant gets plenty of help from fellow all-star Russell Westbrook.

Rose may not get the same numbers as LeBron but he is MVP because he carries more baggage. And to note for comparison Miami has yet to defeat the Celtics and the Mavs, 2 teams Chicago have dispelled to many's disbelief. In in no small part thanks to Rose's play.


This past 2 games against the best point guards the league can offer Rose critics were high in praise for Rose for shutting both Chris Paul and Deron Williams to a minimum. Combined the 2 premiere PGs averaged 13 points, 9 assists, 3 rebs, 0.5 stl to Rose's 26 points, 6.5 assists, 3.5 rebs, and 1 stl. Staggering numbers to say the least against the best. And at 22, he can only get better.


Scary.

The matter of animosity over LeBron

LeBron James and Kobe Bryant careers will forever be intertwined.

What's the connection between my opening statement and the title? Let me break it down.

Kobe entered the NBA through Lower Merion High. James via Saint Vincent-Saint Mary HS. Both were highschoolers when they entered the league. Both disrespected someone older than them during a game: Once Karl Malone, recalling an incident with Kobe Bryant, was quoted after trying to set a pick for him. "The guy told me he's got it," the then 34-year-old Malone said. "Like I told Coach Karl, when younger guys tell me to get out of the way, that's a game I don't need to be in. I was ticked." James not to be outdone did it in front of the cameras when he said to his mom: "sit your (butt) down!" on mother's day.

Both wanted the spotlight out of each other. It was June 2003, Draft night, James was ready for the biggest day of his life. He was about to be made the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft by his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers on national television. But James' handshake with David Stern was upstaged that day by breaking news during the broadcast that Bryant planned to opt out of his contract with the Lakers and seek free agency after the next season. Thus effectively stealing James spotlight. Later, just this summer James will have his revenge, LeBron would put his towering shadow towards the finals. Nobody was talking about Kobe. The media have decidedly put the most interest on the upcoming free agency. James stole Kobe's crowning moment when he defeated the Celtics.

"It sort of tells me that our players have, through their hard work, captured the imagination of many, many people," Stern said drily.

Both superstars, at one point in time, decided that their teams wasn't helping them to achieve their championship goals. And this is where the line is drawn.

While Kobe was hesitant to leave LA (Barkley dared him once to renounce his no trade clause option so that he can easily be traded), James decided he could no longer be caged in a small town like Cleveland. That he's "taking his talents to south beach". All hell breaks loose.

LeBron had all the right to walk. He was tired of waiting. Michael Jordan also waited seven years to get a title, so does Wilt Chamberlain. Maybe the market was too small to attract big named free agents. Maybe he tired looking at his rival Bryant collecting rings because he already had 1-upped Kobe in the MVP department.

But come to think of it Shaq came there. Later Jamison joined Mo Williams and the motley crew that was the Cavs. They won 61 games. Just enough to be proclaimed the NBA's best team. What happened? What made James decide that Cleveland is a no-win scenario? Basing on the number of wins they have what it took to win the championship. The Bulls only had 57 win when they took the 1993 title.

The play-offs -- Michael Jordan once said -- is where boys are separated from men. Boston pounded them to the ground. Instead of taking it to himself to improve, James decided Cleveland just wasn't enough. James escaped the hardships of Cleveland to have a seemingly easier life in Miami.

James long-time basketball idol, Michael Jordan had this remark: “There’s no way, with hindsight, I would’ve ever called up Larry, called up Magic and said, ‘Hey, look, let’s get together and play on one team,’” Jordan said. “But that’s . . . things are different. I can’t say that’s a bad thing. It’s an opportunity these kids have today. In all honesty, I was trying to beat those guys.”

James seemed to rip off everything Kobe ever did in his career. He only missed this part: “I’m going to kick some ass in practice…” Bryant said. “It’s going to get through. You beat it into their heads until it gets through.” Jordan did the same to Scottie Pippen. Burning him in practice until his potential to greatness was in full view. Kevin Garnett, another consuming leader, was once spotted scolding Glen Davis to tears.

Cleveland obviously felt betrayed. And rightfully so. Real basketball fans also deep in their hearts felt betrayed too. James in our minds was so talented, so powerful to seek help elsewhere. Great players attracts great players. Cleveland became desirable because of LeBron. Cleveland and James could have had the players he wanted had he stayed. James had it all in his palms only to lose it.

In old times, when you battle at sea, the victor sinks the losers ship. And thus the losers become hostages or prisoners of war. Wade have proven he is a winner. James only scratched the surface. He shouldn't have joined Wade he should have "beat those guys.” James lost his identity in the process. And we are angry for it.




Sources:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5391478
http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/columns/story?id=5951534
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1012689/index.htm#ixzz19GzfWArd

When the Heat becomes cold

Miami Heat's projection for this season is easy. Overwhelm the league and win the championship. Never seemed so easy specially if you got 1/4 of team USA on your team. That was the promise these new Heat trio promised it's fans... Championships. But as they stand now the Heat are only 2 games above .500. What happened? What went wrong?

While other writers pan James out. I will point out what's obvious. This team lacks chemistry. "Him and D-Wade don't complement each other. They're somewhat the same type of players, 'Bron and D-Wade. ... Both of those guys need the ball, and they don't shoot the ball like Ray Allen. That's why they're having trouble scoring in the halfcourt, because they can't get a rhythm, because one of them is dominating the ball. That guy might be getting off, but the other guy [isn't]. That's why when they're on the court together, they're terrible. They're rhythm players that need the ball. I'm like that. I can't stand out there and catch and shoot. I've never been a guy that sits out there waiting for the ball to come to me." says T-Mac.

Nice observation because I predicted the same when this team was first assembled.


I remember questioning how Wade and LeBron can co-exist because they basically have the same skill set. They are not consistent jump shooters like Allen and they mostly attack the basket than take the jump. Compared to Boston who basically had a diverse big three (Garnett mans the post, Allen takes the jumpers, and Pierce is their main penetrator) the Heat have two guys playing the same game and they demand the ball in their hands big time. That's one problem I foresaw 5 months ago.

I also noticed the general make-up of this team. They have no steady point guards, and their centers are not the kind of bigs that wins championships (Well if you say Jordan did it even without a credible center then obviously these players ARE NOT Michael Jordan). Point guard can be easy to answer as both Wade and LeBron are no strangers in bringing in the ball and distributing, but the center thing is a different monster all together. Championships are mostly won by great big men (Again don't raise Chicago here because Jordan is a different beast). Lakers prove it in their long history. Celts did it in their dynasty days, recently on Garnett's steady intensity. Spurs obviously banked on Tim Duncan's exploits. Philly had one thanks to Moses. You don't expect to win with Zydrunas and Juwan, known softies, manning your post. Most credible threat Udonis is done for, Chris Bosh is uber-soft and will likely rely on his jumpshots than bang bodies inside. Obviously the Heat needs more than Jamaal Magloire and Joel Anthony and I doubt Dampier fits the role perfectly.

A few days ago I was analyzing what went wrong for this team when it struck me that the Miami thrice never played with another all-star player in their prime. Bosh had Marion on his downside. James and Wade had Shaq on his downside. James had Mo but Mo isn't in the same level of a Wade, an elite all-star. Mo Williams is just an actor on the LeBron direction in Cleveland. They had Antawn but he came in too late to really blend with his new team. Miami Thrice are prized players on their respective clubs and they run the show... All of the sudden you bend the tradition and try to share the spotlight. Knowing how big the egos are that's a tough spot to cover.

As I said media is panning-out James but not with lack of reason. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports did a great job of the story: "Meticulous in his preparation, Spoelstra spoke with several past coaches, and league sources said a clear and unequivocal picture appeared on how to proceed: End the cycle of enabling with James and hold him accountable. And surprise, surprise: LeBron James has responded with a test of his own organizational strength, pushing to see how far the Heat will bend to his will. This season, James is hearing a word seldom uttered to him in Cleveland: “No.” And it keeps coming out of the coach’s mouth, keeps getting between the King and what he wants. Can I stay overnight to party in New Orleans after a preseason game? Can I play the clown in practice? Can I get out of playing point guard? No. No. No. Wait, what? No, LeBron. No. Even within a month of the season’s sideways 9-8 start, the NBA witnessed a predictable play out of the James-Maverick Carter playbook on Monday morning. They planted a story and exposed themselves again as jokers of the highest order. They care so little about anyone but themselves. Still, no one’s surprised that they’d stoop so low, so fast into this supposed historic 73-victory season and NBA Finals sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers. They want Spoelstra – and Pat Riley – to bend to them, to bow to the King the way everyone has before them." full story. Such machinations don't work out in the professional level. Larry Brown always says "Play the right Way". If this Heat wants to win they have to let people do their jobs like Spoelstra is doing. Interestingly, instead of righting this insane wrong Wade joins team LeBron: “I’m not going to say he’s ‘my guy,’ but he’s my coach,” Wade said. Well done tuning your coach out is another page for disaster.

And that's where the Heat finds themselves in: A disaster.


References:
http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nba/news/story?id=5862624
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Al35JePYcJn8QxtW_wuRKeO8vLYF?slug=aw-lebronspoelstra112910

Best advice to Carmelo: Stay put

It has been reported that Carmelo have shown up in their team's media day. After the circus he generated coming to this training camp, Carmelo did the wisest thing, play basketball and be mum. With trade talks taking a slight pause, he could use the silence to ponder what he wants.

Turning down the extension offer from Denver swirled numerous rumors about Anthony's unhappiness with the way things are going for his squad. It's really frustrating when you have been that close (2 more games win could have catapulted Denver to the 2009 Finals), and not being able to duplicate it the very next season when you are expected to do better things. But in the NBA it's not an isolated case. Dallas is one big example (2006 finalist, NBA top seed in 2007 only to be upset by no.8 Golden State). Yet it's also true that with the way the Lakers have put up their team they'd be in contention way beyond after Kobe Bryant retires from the game. And that is the reason why in my opinion throngs of former Western Conference superstars have bolted out of the conference and found the East enticing.

Which brings us to the present situation, Melo seemingly wanting to go Eastside, with the alibi of wanting to play close to the Manhattan area. Anthony is a Brooklyn native. Wanting the big stage that his friend LeBron James shied away, seems a valid reason for moving. Great scenario. But that's until he swings another great city into the mud... Chicago. The New York Knicks and the Chicago Bulls are known superstar makers not named LA. Those who have played in the MSG were showered with big love from New Yorkers, even if their teams were not so great (remember the Marbury era?), and what about Chicago? The city ranked as one of the highest in gate attendance even in their troubled years in 1999-2005. And from Chicago rose the universally recognized best player ever (Now what's his name? I guess you know). Both teams have the tradition of winning and creating stars. So why is he not traded there yet?

For the Knicks, their lack of tradeable pieces hurt them even draft picks are a scarcity for the club for Chicago, them not wanting to include Noah in the mix (good for them). This resulted for a search for a new trade partner. Enter New Jersey, Utah and Charlotte. New Jersey and Denver are the principal teams in the proposed trade with Utah and Charlotte as secondary trade partners. Denver gets draft picks, Andrei Kirilenko, and Derrick Favors, Charlotte gets Devin Harris and Jarvis Hayes, Utah getting Boris Diaw and Quinton Ross and New Jersey getting Carmelo and DJ Agustin.

What halted the negotiation? Carmelo. New Jersey felt (and rightfully so) that unless they get a commitment from Anthony long-term then the negotiation is a waste. True. But if I was Carmelo why would I like to be there? Because of Brook Lopez? Lopez have yet to prove he can play high level basketball with a winning NBA club. If New Jersey trades Devin Harris, Melo would be stuck with secondary level players like Farmar, Hassell, Morrow and the likes. With the East continuing to upgrade I don't think New Jersy could compete right away and might need for Chris Paul. But there is no guarantee also that Paul might wind up there, even if they relocate to Brooklyn. It's wise that Carmelo thinks the only way to win is to partner right away with another all-star something the Knicks and Bulls can offer right away.

So if I was Carmelo I'd stay put for now, wait 'til the contract is over then move on. I don't think any other team can trade for him mid-season if he doesn't commit long-term anyways. It would be disastrous.