Ten Things: The 2012 NBA Season So Far (Part 2)

Sorry for the delay. here it is part 2, enjoy.

5. March 1st: If you're wondering why there haven't been any big trades so far this season don't expect too many to happen, but if any are to occur, expect the madness to begin on this date. Why? It all starts of course with Dwight Howard. It still remains uncertain if Otis Smith will even trade Howard as the Magic sit 4th in the East, but if he does decide to, he won't make a move until after the all-star game. March 1st is a significant date because that is the date where the two teams I think with the best pieces to acquire him have key players that become eligible to be traded for him, Joakim Noah and Tyson Chandler.¹ The Lakers of course have Bynum, but not much else, while the Bulls with Noah can also offer Carlos Boozer or Luol Deng,²  Omer Asik, CJ Watson, and two or three future first round picks for Dwight, Hedo's terrible contract, and Chris Duhon. Of course the deal doesn't seem as enticing since Joakim Noah has been playing his worst basketball since his sophomore season. Coincidence? I think not, he doesn't want to go to Orlando so he's shitting on this season, decreasing his value until the deadline passes, but if the Bulls can convince the Magic that Noah will be fine and they can pull it off they have to. Forget the whole Adidas issue, Derrick Rose and Dwight Howard would be the scariest combo in the league since Kobe and Shaq. I don't think the Bulls package is actually enough but it's one of the best out there, and finding a third team to get involved wouldn't be too difficult.  


Then there is Tyson Chandler, but not just Tyson Chandler, Carmelo Anthony as well.³ I know it's crazy cause there is no way the Knicks will actually trade Melo after they gutted their entire roster for him last year and I think Melo will be fine with the new team, but it's not as crazy when you actually think about it. The beauty of the March 1st date is that it will give the Knicks two weeks to see how Melo fits playing on a team led by Jeremy Lin.⁴ If Melo continues to be a black hole and plays kryptonite to Landry Fields⁵ and the chemistry of the team, don't they have  to entertain trading for Howard? I understand that Chandler has been just as important as Lin in this winning streak, but Dwight does everything Chandler does, better, and he's only 26. Come on, no center is even close in terms of talent to Dwight Howard. A center like Dwight only comes every 10 years. Which makes this trade pretty logical for both teams. The Knicks would give up Carmelo, Tyson Chandler, throw in Toney Douglas, and maybe a draft pick and some players that don't matter to match salaries and the Knicks will get Dwight, Turkoglu, and Duhon. The Magic may have an angry Carmelo, but his contract is long-term so they are in control of him and they'll have Chandler to play center, which makes them a pretty good team in the East, and the Knicks will be led by Lin and still have Landry and Iman, Novakane and Billy Walker, and the best 4-5 combo in the game aka Lob City Far East??⁶ Doesn't that make them the biggest threat to the Heat?? This isn't happening but why shouldn't it be considered. Anyways if Howard does get moved it will create...

4. The Domino Effect: This is where it gets really fun because  depending on where Dwight goes, it will affect where all the other big players that are on the trade block go as well. Starting with Deron Williams. Ok, I 100% believe there is no way the Nets are getting Dwight in a trade. They just don't have the pieces so unless the Magic are willing to let Dwight walk away for nothing, which I don't think they can, the Nets are eliminated from the competition, and they will have no choice but to trade D-Will. The problem is that most teams already have a serviceable point guard and Williams will have to be traded to a place he wants or the team that acquires him without his consent will risk losing him in the offseason. So that slims his possible destinations to only two teams realistically.

First is the Dallas Mavericks. According to Bill Simmons, he is already 100% positive that D-Will will sign with his hometown Mavs in the offseason. Well if Howard is traded to any team besides the other team I will mention, then the Nets would have to strongly consider this deal. It wipes Kidd off the books when the year is over, Marion could be bought out, and they'll definitely receive draft picks, and have Beaubois for the future. It's not what the Nets had planned moving to Brooklyn next year but they'll have a lottery pick and a ton of cap to sign two max guys or a group of really good players⁷ to rebuild. It's not the best trade but it has to be considered if they lose out on Dwight and are forced to trade Williams.


However, the team that can steal the entire spotlight in the trade extravaganza is the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are the one team that can acquire both Howard and D-Will at the deadline and it begins with a package of players and draft picks with Dwight and Andrew Bynum being the centerpieces.⁸ Then D-Will becomes available and it's quite simple. The Lakers can trade Pau Gasol for Williams straight up or it can also include other guys like Johan Petro that don't really matter. If these deals are executed it gives the Lakers the point guard they desperately need, Hedo!!! and Dwight Howard! It's crazy, but it's very much possible. There is no way Kupchak magic isn't happening this year especially when this current Laker team has no chance of winning a title and after Stern screwed them of CP3, the basketball gods are waiting to award them. The Lakers always get what they want. I give them better than a 50% chance of getting it done and in a season lacking in quality headlines besides Linsanity, this would be great for the league.⁹

That being sad, trades of that magnitude usually never occur midseason and basketball fans usually never get what they want.¹⁰ The more likely destination for Gasol will be Houston, Darryl Morey is obssessed with Gasol, for Kyle Lowry and Luis Scola. Some other teams to watch near the deadline will be the Boston Celtics and crazy Danny Ainge. He's unpredictable and he's made it clear if there is a chance to blow up the team, he won't hesitate. The Clippers need a starting shooting guard since my boy JR is heading to New York, and of course keep an eye on guys like Chris Kaman, Anderson Varejao, Antawn Jamison, Danny Granger, and Steve Nash.   

3. The New Era: While the Spurs have had an amazing season, and the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, and Boston Celtics have remained competitive the league is transitioning into a period of new heavyweights. It started last year with the Thunder, Heat, Bulls, and Grizzlies, and this year we can add the Clippers, with the Pacers and Sixers¹¹ coming along as well. I also love watching the T-Wolves, but they're just too young and David Khan sucks so it might take them another year or two, but they have a great team filled with a lot of potential. They just need to trade Michael Beasley and Wes Johnson for a center and Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love will take care of the rest. 

Everyone already knows about the Bulls, Heat, and Thunder. The Grizzlies I still like when Z-Bo comes back and I've already talked about the Pacers and Sixers so it's time to show some love for the team that scares me the most, Lob City. I'll be honest, I hate these guys, they're cocky as hell and they haven't accomplished anything. Blake Griffin ¹² is overrated and can't shoot a free throw to save his life and their bench sucks besides Mo Williams. They need another wing scorer badly, they only have one offense (pick-and-roll), and Vinny Del Negro should be fired immediately. Yet they remain the Thunders' biggest threat in the West and I actually love watching them play.¹³ The scary thing is they haven't even gotten close to being 1/2 the team their capable of being. The reason I like their team and their limitless potential is because of REGGIE EVANS!!! Just kidding, it's Chris Paul. He makes everyone on the team 10 times better and it doesn't matter who he plays for, if he is focused and plays with that ferocity that makes a lot of people hate him, he can take any team to the playoffs, and that includes the Bobcats. He'll continue to carry these guys as Blake continues to develop and the rest of the pieces get adjusted to their roles. The Clippers are the equivalent to John Calpari's Kentucky Wildcats. They have a ton of new talent and will only get better as the season progresses. By the time the Playoffs arrive, I'm positive they'll live up to all the hype. I don't worry about that when CP3 is running the show.     

Alright, it's about that time for some...

2. LINning Time: What hasn't already been said this past week about the guy that I can say? From the 38-point performance against the Lakers to the game-winner against Toronto he has been tremendous and the hype has not stopped. In just one week he has become a living legend and the toast of New York. He is the proud owner of 108218338217 nicknames, countless puns, and has even scored himself a date with that thirsty whore, Kim Kardashian. Wherever you go Linsanity is happening and it is here to stay for awhile. 


By now everyone knows about his story so I'm not going to get into that. What amazes me is his ability to stay consistent every night, playing at a high level, and continuing to shine under the pressures of playing in the mecca of basketball. I've always had confidence in his ability just read this <--(click the link & scroll down to "Jeremy Lin"), but I didn't believe he could be great on a consistent basis. ¹⁴ He might not be the fastest guy on the court or the most skilled, but he's the hardest worker on the floor. His confidence is admirable because it isn't displayed with arrogance but rather competitiveness. His humbleness is genuine and it is his perseverance that will continue to carry him to success. He took all the negatives things said about him and used it as motivation to keep getting better to prove all the doubters wrong. That is what makes people love him. It isn't just because he is a feel good story and the underdog that everyone can relate to, it is also because he is a role model in the belief that if you work hard enough, you can achieve anything. When this hype first began I didn't think it would last. He didn't have a left hand, he couldn't really shoot, and he was careless with the ball. I thought at best he could be Flip Murray, but as I watch game after game, he has improved and he hasn't let his weaknesses deter him from competing. I believe he can be the next JJ Barea or as crazy as it sounds, the next Steve Nash. He can be any player he wants to be as long as he continues to give this type of effort and commitment to improving each game. Look I'm completely sold to the point that I have said Carmelo Anthony can go. Linsanity is contagious.

A week ago the New York Knicks were on life support with their season in jeopardy. Their two stars were out, and Mike D'Antoni had checked out and given up on the team. A week later the Knicks have been rejuvenated and they're now on a 7-game winning streak. There is excitement and anticipation, finally, in an NBA season filled with poor play, and all the credit for this revival goes to the legend that almost never happened, Jeremy Lin. He deserves all the accolades and nothing but the best. Keep making us proud. Keep on LINning. 

1. London 2012: Alright so the top storyline of the NBA season so far belongs to Jeremy Lin, but the top basketball story of the year belongs to Team USA and the summer Olympics. I know, it's still half a year away, but how could you not be excited? You are looking at maybe the most-talented roster ever assembled for the US and they still aren't guaranteed a gold medal. The field may be as tough as it's ever been and Spain and Argentina will definitely give them a run for their money.¹⁵ 

The field of talent for the US squad will also be at an all-time high and with a roster of only 12 guys allowed to represent the country, don't overlook the fact that when one of these 20 guys happen to match-up against each other during the season they're not looking at it as another game on the schedule. It's also a battle and audition for one of the coveted 12 spots. Earlier in the season a great example of this was when the Bulls played the Clippers. Both Chris Paul and Derrick Rose will be on the team, I don't doubt that, but the debate will be who gets to start, and those two played that game like it was game 7 of the NBA Finals going at each other back and forth. Rose finished the game with 29-16-8 leading his team to the win while Paul had 15 &14. This was only the third game in the season. Like I said before the team won't be selected until July, but Jerry Colangelo and Coach K are watching and the players know. Currently I have seven shoo-in guys and they are: Derrick Rose, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, & Dwight Howard The next five spots are still up for grabs and I believe Carmelo Anthony,¹⁶ Chris Bosh, and Kevin Love are the next three in. Then there's the final two spots and I have four guys realistically competing for it: Deron Williams, Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge, & Tyson Chandler. I would probably choose D-Will and LaMarcus Aldridge¹⁷ right now because D-Will can be insurance in case Rose gets hurt and Aldridge's skill set is just a better fit for international play. He can step out and hit threes internationally. That's just my take on who I think will be there. It's just something to keep an eye on when watching some of these games this year. 

Representing Team USA means representing the country and to some of these guys winning a gold medal is just as good, if not, better than winning an NBA championship. It also means much more than that to these players. It means becoming a global icon and following the footsteps of their predecessors. It means creating a new legacy of basketball for kids to idolize, and most importantly for this new age of basketball superstars, it's another opportunity to significantly market their names and brands around the world.     

Footnotes:
¹ Joakim Noah has a new contract so he is subject to a base year compensation (BYC) which expires March 1^st but I’ll just let Wikipedia describe BYC. Tyson Chandler recently signed with the Knicks so he cannot be traded until March 1^st. 
² Preferably Boozer  cause Taj Gibson makes him expendable, but if Deng has to go instead, then Deng’s got to go. I love Luol Deng, he’s the 2^nd most valuable player for the Bulls because of his defensive versatility, but you get Dwight Howard, it’s freaking Dwight Howard. Kyle Korver’s defensive liability will be covered with Howard protecting the paint so it’s fine.
³ For all you Bill Simmons readers out there that think I stole this trade from his column today, I promise I thought of this trade Saturday night after watching the Knicks/Wolves game. Ask Andy Weng Liu for proof! I proposed the idea to him. I promise I love Bill’s ideas but I would never steal from him and not give him credit. 

⁴ Yeah I said it, “led by Jeremy Lin” It is JEREMY LIN”S TEAM now.

⁵Carmelo Anthony’s presence hasn’t affected anyone worse than Landry Fields. Before Melo was traded to the Knicks and the offense changed completely to complement Melo’s game, Fields was a candidate for rookie of the year. When the season began, he was still out of funk, unconfident, and unsure of his role on the team. Since Melo’s been out, he’s found a new best friend in Lin, looks comfortable in the flow of the offense, and he’s back to the old Landry in D’Antoni system prior to Melo’s arrival. 

⁶ I’m Chinese so it’s not racist. Don’t be offended.
⁷ Gerald Wallace would possibly become the best unrestricted free agent if D-Will and Dwight are traded and agree on extensions with a bunch of old power forwards (Duncan, Garnett) as the other unrestricted free agents. The restricted list includes: Eric Gordon and Roy Hibbert. It's not looking good for the Nets. 
⁸ Otis Smith is the worst GM in the NBA. He will crack under pressure and settle with Bynum. I don't think he has the cojones to keep Dwight and everyone talks about how he wants to avoid the label as "the guy that traded Dwight Howard" but what about "the guy that let Howard leave for nothing?"  It doesn't really matter because it's a lose-lose situation for Smith and the Magic. Getting Bynum isn't a bad consolation prize. He's the second best center in the NBA and he's only 24. Barring any serious injury, he can still get a lot better and he already has a better offensive repertoire than Howard. 
⁹ I hate super teams, but in this era of basketball it’s intriguing and great for the game. Plus it’ll make it even sweeter when my Thunder beat the Lakers in the Conference Finals.

¹⁰ I wish LeBron would have won a title with the Cavs. I wish LeBron would have signed with the Knicks. I wish LeBron would fulfill his potential. I wish LeBron would play four quarters in June. Sometimes you can’t get everything you want…

¹¹Ok to be honest, only the Clippers have really come up, the Sixers are good only because they’re built for this type of season, but with Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner given a ton of room to still improve and Louis Williams becoming a staple sixth man in the league, the Sixers are actually only a legit big man away from being really good. As for the Pacers, next season will be the year they actually blow up. Eric Gordon will be their shooting guard and they will re-sign Roy hibbert and trade Danny Granger for I don’t know yet, but a lot of depth? They’ll be great that is all. 

¹² Look Blake is an absolute freak. His athleticism is incomparable, but he’s just too arrogant for someone that’s only good because he has great athleticism and strength that no man 6’10 250 and 22 years old has. His post moves (bullying the post then a spin) are ok, but it needs a lot of work, and I get it everyone is on his jock cause he puts people on posters, but come on Blake, humble up a bit, you’re not the best power forward in the league yet. That title belongs to Kevin Love. 

¹³ Besides the Warriors and Thunder, I don't think I've watched any other team more. BINGOOOOOO, shout out to Ralph Lawler.

¹⁴ You can’t blame the teams that passed up on him either. As a fan I was just like them. Even though I respected his game and knew he could play, I just didn’t want to give him a chance because we had two guards that were considered “better” than him. Jeremy Lin’s success has taught me once again that good old saying of “hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard” is true because what distinguishes great players from the rest is how a player takes advantage of his talent. I’m sure Toney Douglas and Iman Shumpert are more skilled and talented than Jeremy Lin, but they sure don’t work as hard and make the most out of their abilities or chances like he does. And sometimes you just can’t predict these things. It’s what makes the story great. It's what makes sports great. 

¹⁵ Argentina will have Ginobili and Scola along with Carlos Delfino, Andres Nocioni, and Fabricio Oberto. Their point guard, Pablo Prigioni is pretty good as well. Spain is loaded as well with the Gasol brothers, Ricky Rubio and Jose Calderon, Rudy Fernandez, Serge Ibaka, and Juan Carlos Navarro, the king of floaters. They’ll most likely play the US in the gold medal game. 

¹⁶ When Melo returns tonight, he better wake up and realize not only is he losing his team, but he might be losing an opportunity to play in London if he doesn’t change his selfish tendencies. However, I just can’t see coach K leaving him off the team. He was great in the last Olympics and has experience, He is also one of the most dominant power forwards in international play.

¹⁷ I know people want to see Blake on the team so he can Frederic Weis a Euro, but as of now I just think Aldridge is a better fit.