The National Basketball Association Draft was held on June 27, but that event proved to be nothing more than a backdrop for the real wheeling and dealing that was going on by the league’s A-List contenders. The arms race is on, folks.
The world champion Los Angeles Lakers have set themselves up for title runs the next several years, but the contenders will be coming hard and heavy at the Lake Show, especially in the Eastern Conference. Refusing to stand pat, the Lakers brought in Ron Artest, one of the league’s best two-way players to join an already loaded front-line. Artest will man the small-forward spot vacated by Trevor Ariza, who signed with Houston.
Shaquille O’Neal is now a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he will join superstar LeBron James for a run at the title in 2010. Okay, we all know that Shaq will never be able to defend the pick-and-roll, but he gives the Cavs a legitimate inside presence that has been lacking ever since Carlos Boozer pulled the wool over the Cavs’ management eyes and scooted to Utah.
The Cavs now have someone to match up with Orlando’s Dwight Howard, who made a meal of the Cavs’ feeble big men in the Eastern Conference semifinals. At 38, Shaq is coming off a very productive year in Phoenix, where he averaged 17 points and nearly nine rebounds a game. The Cavs would like to acquire some more size on the frontcourt and the wings with names such as Shawn Marion and Josh Childress surfacing.
Orlando surprised many by advancing to the Finals, but the Magic pooh-bahs did not rest on their laurels as they made a big deal to bring star Vince Carter to Disneyland. The Magic did not wait to lose top free agent Hedo Turkoglu, so they made a move to get one of the league’s top small forwards.
The 2008 champion Boston Celtics responded by convincing veteran power forward Rasheed Wallace to come over from the Detroit Pistons. Wallace will give the Celtics another veteran front-court player with championship experience and defensive prowess to go along with the return of Kevin Garnett to the lineup. Garnett has already guaranteed championships for the Celtics in 2010 and 2011. The Celtics are also pursuing veteran small forward Grant Hill to provide a little more depth behind All-Star Paul Pierce.
There is no doubt the East will be a beast in 2010.
The Lakers are poised to rule the West for several years to come, but they could have a little company in their old adversary, the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs pulled off a great draft-day move by acquiring Richard Jefferson from the Milwaukee Bucks. Not only did the Spurs get Jefferson’s 20 points a game, but they got younger and more explosive in the process, which is what this aging team needed so badly. With Jefferson on board, Tim Duncan’s load will be lighter as Tony Parker becomes the team’s No. 1 option and Manu Ginobili can become the league’s top sixth-man again.
The Spurs also got a steal in the draft when they got beastly power forward DeJuan Blair from Pittsburgh with the 37th pick in the draft in the second round. The Spurs and Magic are also interested in getting Boston’s Glenn “Big Baby” Davis, who emerged as a force in the playoffs in place of the injured Kevin Garnett. Big Baby is a restricted free agent.
