Loyalty No Longer in the Vocab of Professional Athletes

On one of the most exciting days of the high school and college basketball seasons, the Illinois Fighting Illini received a bit of upsetting, yet all too familiar, news. Today is the fall signing day and former Illinois commit Quentin Snider decided to go back on his commitment to Illinois and instead resign with his hometown Louisville Cardinals. Most believe that former Louisville commit JaQuan Lyle's choice to decommit is what swayed Snider back to the blue grass state. Regardless of what caused the choice, it will not justify Snider's lack of loyalty to his original word. The entire situation is something that brings back painful memories, dating back to 2007.

Frazier welcomed Gordon in understandable fashion

Who could forget Eric Gordon just a few years ago? A highly-touted recruit who had committed to Illinois only to suddenly end up at Indiana with the cheating and dishonest coach that was Kelvin Sampson? The number two recruit of the 2007 class was all set to attend and play for Illinois before choosing to back out and attend Indiana University. Gordon became a spineless enemy in the eyes of Illinois fans and was greeted as such when he took the floor at the Assembly Hall that same season. It began with Chester Frazier's shoulder bump during starting lineups and was followed by a resounding "boo" every time Gordon touched the ball. Gordon's choice to decommit from Illinois left a feeling of discouragement in the hearts of Fighting Illini fans and Snider's recent antics have once again brought those same feelings to the surface.

The point is this, there is no such thing as loyalty in sports. We have always been told that sports is a business. But has it always been that way? Take a look at the NBA, for example. Kobe Bryant, though going through a few seasons when he demanded a trade, is about the only player in his generation who will retire in the same jersey he wore in his first game as a rookie. Other players have chosen to team up to form "Big Threes" or have just been passed around the league via trades. Guys like Ray Allen don't have any sense of loyalty. I can understand wanting another championship, obviously that's the ultimate goal. But Allen took the easy and cowardly way out and joined the very team that was keeping the Boston Celtics from achieving that goal. His decision to take less money and join the Miami Heat is one that is still unforgiven and one that will be remembered for quite some time, no matter how often his game winner in the 2013 Finals is replayed. Never in a million years did you see John Stockton and Karl Malone try to recruit a third guy when they lost to Michael Jordan and the Bulls. Reggie Miller never left Indiana after all those classic battles with the Knicks that never resulted in a Championship. That is why players like those guys will forever be respected. They didn't follow Ray Allen's motto of "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em". I respect Ray Allen's game, always have and always will because he's one of the best shooters to ever touch a basketball. But his character? Not even worth talking about.

Allen's choice to leave didn't sit well with NBA fans

Another example is Dwight Howard, who lacks loyalty as much as anyone. He showed no loyalty to former coach Stan Van Gundy as well as the Magic organization. And I'm sure if you ask any fan of the Los Angeles Lakers they would say he's about as cowardly as they come. Howard couldn't, or wouldn't, live up to the standards of the Lakers organization as well as Kobe Bryant and decided to bolt for Houston in order to get out of the shadow of Bryant. It doesn't take a whole lot to pinpoint Howard as someone who could use a lesson in loyalty and how to handle yourself professionally.

It's not just a problem in basketball though. Think of Pete Carroll and all the trouble he caused the school of USC. He put that school under serious duress with the NCAA and rather than accept the consequences and take it like a man, he decided to take a coaching job in the NFL where the NCAA couldn't touch him. Obviously nobody wants to get busted and serve the necessary punishment. But if you're going to put student-athletes and an entire school in trouble and strip future players of the chance to play in a bowl game then you owe it to everyone to suffer the consequences. But as so many other coaches have done when they get a school in trouble, Carroll left and didn't have to face the NCAA.

Loyalty is something that is hard to come by nowadays. Players move around the league and the majority fail to care about their coaches or front offices. It has all become about the player and the player alone. Their contracts have seemed to replace the competitive aspect of sports and players just don't seem to care. I understand sports is a business and that winning is what it eventually comes down to. But there comes a point in time when you have to stand by your word or take the punishment you're given. Athletes and coaches who back out on their schools or teams are hard, if not impossible, to respect.

2013 Western Conference Playoff Preview

The definition of must-see TV is quite simple. The answer lies with the Western Conference first-round playoff series and all four have the makings of being great. From top to bottom there are intriguing match ups and, while there may two favorites, it does appear that this could be the Wild West with an upset thrown in at some point. Oklahoma City and San Antonio finished neck in neck in the regular season and the Denver Nuggets weren't far behind. History was made in LA, but it wasn't from the Lakers. The Clippers were the ones making all the positive headlines and secured the fourth seed, which means they have an extremely difficult match up with Memphis. As for the aforementioned Lakers, they are sitting in the seventh spot with out Kobe Bryant, but don't blow them off. Steve Nash, Dwight Howard and Metta World Peace still make a good squad. The young Warriors and Rockets teams are fresh to the playoff scene with these current rosters, but should give a good series. It's going to be a fun end to the season in the West so let's take a look at the first round.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 8. Houston Rockets
The intriguing story line in this series is the Thunder going up against their old mate James Harden. It's not likely that the Rockets win this series, but they may steal a game or two depending on how Harden plays. The Rockets have no trouble scoring the basketball (2nd in the league), but the problem lies with the defense. Houston allows a 102.5 points per game which is 28th in the league. That won't win them the series against two of the most dynamite scorers in the league in Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant and the league's third best offense. In three games this season Harden averaged 29 points against OKC, but the surrounding cast of Jeremy Lin, Chandler Parsons and Omer Asik must be a force all series long. If not, the Thunder will march right over Houston in dominating fashion. OKC lost in the Finals last year and it's well-recorded that teams must take their lumps before being crowned kings. The Thunder have been working towards that elusive title for a couple of years and this season looks like it might be the year. Prediction: Oklahoma City in 5

How They Stack Up
                  Points                          Rebounds                            Assists                              Points Allowed
OKC          105.7                              43.6                                   21.4                                      96.5
Houston      106.0                              43.4                                   23.2                                    102.5

2. San Antonio Spurs vs. 7. Los Angeles Lakers
Wouldn't it be exciting if Kobe was healthy?? Obviously it would be a totally different series and the Lakers would have a solid chance of advancing. They still have a shot, but it will be difficult without their heart and soul. Let us not forget though that Steve Nash is a two-time MVP, Dwight Howard carried a team to the Finals and a host of Lakers are champions. Still, this is the San Antonio Spurs we're talking about. Health is the key to both teams this series. Nash is expected to play in Game 1 and the Spurs expect to have everyone ready to go. If healthy there is no way a Gregg Popovich-led Spurs team loses in the first round. Tony Parker has had health concerns, but he will carry San Antonio. Tim Duncan will also be key as he will match up with Dwight Howard. If he gets Howard into foul trouble then LA has no chance. Dwight must be at his best for LA throughout the postseason as does Pau Gasol. No Kobe means it's everyone else's time to shine. Prediction: San Antonio in 6
 How They Stack Up
                  Points                          Rebounds                            Assists                              Points Allowed
San Antonio 103.0                              41.3                                 25.1                                      96.6
Los Angeles 102.2                              44.8                                 22.2                                    101.0

3. Denver Nuggets vs. 6. Golden State Warriors
Pay attention to this series because there are plenty of young stars that will be a joy to watch. The point guard match up of Ty Lawson and Steph Curry is the focal point of the series and the two have very contrasting styles of play. Lawson is a cat-quick floor general who can attack the rim at will while Curry is the premier deep threat in the NBA. Curry broke the record for three pointers made in a single season and he and the Warriors will be a tough game at home in Oracle Arena. The Nuggets will miss Danilo Gallinari due to injury, but Wilson Chandler is more than capable of taking on the extra burden. The inside game belongs to the Nuggets, but the backcourt match up is nearly even. This is a series that could go six or seven games, but at the end of the day the Nuggets are the better team. Prediction: Denver in 6
How They Stack Up
                  Points                          Rebounds                            Assists                              Points Allowed
Denver          106.1                            45.0                                   24.4                                    101.1
Golden State 101.2                            45.0                                   22.5                                    100.3

4. Los Angeles Clippers vs. 5. Memphis Grizzlies
The high-flying, exciting Lob City will have a difficult first round match up against the grind-it-out Grizzlies. It's two conflicting styles of play and a series that should be tightly contested. Chris Paul is no stranger to playoff basketball, but the Clippers are still somewhat strangers to the playoffs. Last season they were defeated in the first round, but this year could be a different story. LA has played well all season and knocked down milestone after milestone, but it's time to perform in the postseason too. Many left Memphis for dead when they traded Rudy Gay, but they have been just as good and the inside tandem of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph could give Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan fits. That's where this series will be won -- in the post. Mike Conley has a massive assignment on Paul, but the Griz rely on their inside game. If LA can keep that in check then they will win the series. Prediction: Los Angeles in 7
How They Stack Up
                  Points                          Rebounds                            Assists                              Points Allowed
Los Angeles 101.1                              41.6                                   23.9                                      94.6
Memphis        93.6                              42.7                                   20.9                                      89.3

The Lake Show is now a Circus

Tonight was just another miserable night if you were an NBA player dressed in purple and gold. The Los Angeles Lakers fell yet again, this time to the Chicago Bulls. And not just fell, they were embarrassed. They played awful, they looked awful, the Lakers as a whole...are just flatout awful. I will say this, I did not mind one bit that the Lakers joined forces. I supported the Lakers and Kobe even up until maybe a week or two ago. I supported the Lakers (sort of) even after they made the dumbest decision any front office could make in turning down Phil Jackson for Mike D'Antoni. Now, when I look at it, I don't respect the Lakers. Why should I?

As incredulous as this is, and I'm even shocked to say this myself, I believe the Lakers' biggest problem is Kobe Bryant. Kobe Bryant is one of, if not the most selfish player in the league. Not necessarily in his play, but in his attitude. This year has shown Kobe to be one of the worst teammates that I have heard speak this season. I don't mind constructive criticism toward teammates, I've done it myself, but to continually call out your teammates in the media and to continually place blame on others for the lack of success is beyond me. You're one of the greatest players to ever play in the NBA, the Lakers are your team. Yet you're gonna treat people like that? How do you expect guys like Pau Gasol, who it would appear that you have no respect for, to want to perform along side you? You're supposed to be a leader, and yet it looks like you're the cancer of that locker room.

Let me continue on that point. Why all of the sudden does Kobe decide to get a Twitter account? I'm not saying that he did it just for extra attention, but it could come across as looking that way. Not to mention the fact that he's going to be tweeting during NBATV's airing of his 81-point performance. How conceited does that look? Instead of watching film from past seasons, film that's only focused on you, why don't you get in the film room and try to figure out why your team is off to an embarrassing 17-24 record?

My next topic would have to be Dwight Howard. The former Defensive Player of the Year doesn't seem to be quite as big a force anymore. He's averaging two less rebounds and two less points a game as opposed to last year when the drama queen was running Orlando. That may not seem like much, but those two points could be a difference in a game and two rebounds could prevent a possible six total points for the opposing team. Those numbers can add up late in games. And speaking of late-game situations. That 50% free throw percentage is dismal. Not to mention the fact that it was reported that he turned down Steve Nash's help when the future Hall of Famer tried to give the big man advice. How stubborn can you get? One of the best free throw shooters of all time is going to offer you help and you turn it down? I'm not a math wiz, but 90% for a career (Nash) certainly seems better than 58% (Howard).

During tonight's game it just looked silly. The Lakers had some plays that were literally laughable. I can remember a play in the first half where Kobe made a jump pass to Howard and Howard fell to the floor trying to receive the pass. Zach Wadley said it best when he said the Lakers "looked like the Bad News Bears". This team should not be playing like this. There is literally no excuse. I'm not rooting against this team at all, I would be ecstatic if they succeeded, but with the personalities and the failure to have any sense of urgency on defense, there's not a real reason to respect the Lakers right now. And as sad as this is to say, Kobe doesn't look like he's going to be giving any advice or leadership any time soon. Let the man worry about himself and work his way toward that scoring record and he'll be just fine. At this rate, it would take a miracle for the Lakers to earn even the eight seed in the West.

Playoffs Still in Sight for Lakers

If the Los Angeles Lakers were to miss the playoffs this season it would go down as perhaps the biggest failure in recent sports history. Sitting at 15-20 and 11th place in the Western Conference, the Lakers have battled multiple coaching changes, injuries to their star big men and a media circus all year long and have become the top story on every sports network for all the wrong reasons. Relatively speaking, it's still quite early in the year, but LA must kick it in gear now or the offseason will begin early for the purple and gold.

Missing the playoffs in any year is viewed as a crime for the prestigious Lakers, but to miss the playoffs this year after acquiring Dwight Howard and Steve Nash to go along with Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Metta World Peace would be down right disastrous. As superpowers become a more common thing in American sports, America has changed the view on what is failure for a team loaded with superstars.

On a smaller scale, take the Miami Marlins for example. The franchise went through an entire rebirthing operation by building a new ballpark, changing their name and colors, hiring a new manager and signing some of the top talent available. Yet they turned in one of the worst seasons in the MLB and became a laughing stock by the third month of the season. On a larger scale, but in the same city, look at the Miami Heat. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh teamed up with the goal in mind to win multiple championships, but failed to win it all in their first year. They still won the Eastern Conference and still had a fantastic season, but they became an example of what will happen to teams that add multiple superstars and come up short of the ultimate prize. The Heat were blasted for an entire summer for not winning the Finals and considered a failure despite achieving enormous success.

Can you imagine what the media and fans will do to the Lakers if they don't even make the playoffs? LA trots out five all-stars in their starting lineup, but has looked so discombobulated on some nights that you wonder if there are any all-stars on the floor. However, if the Lakers are to make the postseason then they must focus on the future and change the things needed to win ball games.

That means getting everybody healthy first and foremost. LA has never had their full lineup in uniform and that's why they have struggled at times. At the point guard position Nash missed seven weeks with a leg injury and reliable backup Steve Blake has missed all but the first five games with an abdominal injury. Inside, Howard has never looked quite the same since his back surgery and now has a torn labrum that will sideline him. Gasol is out with a concussion and Jordan Hill has been day-to-day with a hip injury.

Those injuries are a recipe for disaster and it has been one in the city of angels. Getting healthy must be the key priority for the Lakers and once healthy they can focus on the X's and O's. It's silly to think that this is a team that can't win with Mike D'Antoni on the sidelines. While I believe it was down right dumb to not hire Phil Jackson, it's not as though D'Antoni can't win. With the talent on the roster, it shouldn't matter who is the coach. The guys on that team are good enough to win no matter who is coaching them.

While a 15-20 record is a terrible start for the Lakers, it definitely is fixable. They have never played with a full lineup and have gone through multiple coaching changes. If they can get everyone healthy and settle into D'Antoni's system then there will be playoff basketball for the Lakers. There's far too much talent on that roster for them to be sitting at home come playoff time. I would say it's time to panic, but not to the point where changes must be made.

Perhaps I'm stubborn, but I'm not counting the Lakers out of the playoffs nor will I count them out of another title run. I haven't mentioned it yet, but any team with Kobe Bryant on the roster is a team I will refuse to count out. 15-20 doesn't look threatening, but get this team healthy and the West may be the Lakers'.

Dwight Howard: The Biggest Baby in Sports

To date, I have hesitated to post anything on the Dwight Howard drama simply because I was tired of hearing about it. Nate had one post about the situation, but we both have grown tired of turning on Sportscenter and seeing Howard's name plastered all over the sidebar and bottom line. Yet, this has gone on too long and my frustration has reached its peak. Howard continues to demand a trade from the Orlando Magic and the situation has dominated NBA headlines for months upon months. First it was the Nets, then the Lakers, then the Rockets almost gave up their entire roster for the big man. The Hawks have been thrown out there as well, and so now what we have is a bunch of teams that are frustrated and about to give up on Howard.

We also have a man without a job in Stan Van Gundy. SVG was a solid head coach for Orlando and took them to the Finals in 2009. Still, he became the next coach in a long line to be fired so that the superstar on the team could be happy. There's one problem though, Dwight Howard still isn't happy and he doesn't want to be in Orlando.

But where does he want to be? He desired a trade to Brooklyn, but his back-and-forth indecision turned the Nets away. Brooklyn decided they had to move on and they have a formidable team with Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace and Brooke Lopez. The Lakers have always been a team mentioned, but Howard has always seemed to turn up his nose at the idea of going West. Now it seems that LA is moving on and will go with Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. The Rockets almost went all-in for Howard, but they couldn't get a package together. So now the Magic are stuck with the disgruntled big man for at least another few days/weeks/months.

I have never disliked a player as much as I dislike Dwight Howard right now. The way he has handled this situation and the way he has treated the Magic and the teams courting him is awful. He is a prima donna who can't make up his mind. How many times have we heard him say he wants to be traded, only to switch his demand a week later. Everyone is tired of it. If I was one of the teams who wanted him I would back off immediately. Why would you want this guy on your team?? Sure, he is the best center in the game today and he can dominate a game inside like few others. But how long will he be happy? He has shown a different side of himself these past several months and he is no longer the fun-loving kid from Atlanta with the electric smile.

I hate to do this to LeBron James after the phenomenal season he had, but Dwight Howard has somehow surpassed James as the superstar to handle his departure the worst. Few thought anybody could screw up a departure like LeBron did when he held the Decision, but it is Howard's Indecision that has made him the biggest villain in the league. What does it mean for his future? Currently it means more complaining and demanding. It also means he will dominate Sportscenter until America literally can't take it anymore. I honestly don't care about Dwight Howard anymore. Let me know when he signs with a team because I shut off the television when his name comes up.

As Howard continues to make a fool of himself, he will lose popularity among fans and will no doubt be booed in multiple cities across America. One city will for sure boo him and that will be Orlando. Ironic thing is: that's most likely where he will be playing.

Chicago Doesn't Need Howard's Drama

As I sit here and watch the Bench Mob take over the Miami Heat in the Madhouse on Madison, I can’t help but discard the thought that the Bulls need Dwight Howard. Let’s clear this up right now, though. I said they don’t NEED D12, not that they couldn’t USE him. There’s a difference. With that being said, I hope the Bulls don’t try to deal for the league’s best big man.

First off, one of the many reasons the Bulls should not try to sign Dwight Howard is because of who they would have to give up. Lots of combinations have floated around and nearly all of them have included either Joakim Noah or Carlos Boozer. You can’t afford to give up Joakim. I don’t care that people STILL think he’s a poor draft pick. You try and find me a big man who plays harder, is more dedicated, and brings more energy to a game than Joakim Noah and I’ll stop writing blogs. He’ll never have the stats that Dwight does, but I promise you that he will work harder and give more to the team than Dwight ever could.

That brings us to Carlos Boozer. He has, undoubtedly, underperformed. And yes I realize that you can’t keep waiting for him to string together six or seven solid games. But the fact of the matter is, he’s a team guy, he’ll do what’s necessary to win, and be happy doing it. To be blunt, Dwight Howard is selfish and egotistical. He said he doesn’t want to go to Chicago because he doesn’t want to play second banana to Derrick Rose. Are you kidding me? You have the chance to play with a team that’s now a perennial contender and the reigning MVP and you’re not going to take it because you want the team to be yours??? Give me a break. That ticks me off more than anything. And then, to go along with that, there are rumors that Dwight Howard doesn’t want to be in the same city as Rose because they both have huge Adidas contracts. Why does it ALWAYS have to be about the money? When will the love finally trump a contract? Carlos Boozer won’t care about his money, he won’t care about having to deal with Rose’s worldwide fame, and he’ll do what needs to be done. Is he inconsistent? Absolutely. But the bottom line is, the Bulls are 35-9 and Boozer hasn’t done too much damage. Keep him.

Going off of how selfish Dwight Howard can be, brings us to the locker room atmosphere. It’s always a behind-the-scenes aspect of the NBA, but there’s no doubt it’s key. Even great teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder have struggled with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Team chemistry is everything in the NBA because coaches have to find a balance for all the egos. Tom Thibedeau has done exactly that. The Bulls have no egos, the role players understand their jobs and the scorers like Luol Deng and Derrick Rose understand theirs. The Bulls have the best team chemistry in the league and adding a self-centered guy like Dwight Howard could be cancerous.

Again, I’m not saying that Dwight Howard wouldn’t help. Obviously he would be a HUGE part of the Bulls lineup and he would provide a second scorer that the Bulls so desperately need. However, it’s not always about talent because, as the saying goes, hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. Leave Dwight to rot in his own pity in Orlando and keep the Bulls the way they are. Give them one more year to mature and just watch and see what happens. Chicago doesn’t need Dwight Howard, Dwight Howard needs Chicago.

NBA Eastern Conference Preview

There was a period of time when the Eastern Conference was an afterthought in the NBA and perhaps that period isn't over quite yet. Since the Chicago Bulls dynasty ended the East has only won three of the 13 Finals and has lost the last three. However, the conference keeps getting stronger and 2011-12 will be the second year Miami's Big 3 are together, Derrick Rose and the Bulls have playoff experience and the Knicks are hoping Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire can stay healthy the entire year. Questions are all around in the East though, as many are wondering if this is the last year we will see Deron Williams in a Nets uniform and everyone wants to know where Dwight Howard will be playing by the time the season ends. Los Angeles? New Jersey? Chicago? Dallas? The possibilities seem endless but for now it appears he will don a Magic jersey this season. Here is a quick look around the East with teams and players to watch along with predicted order of finish:



Rip Hamilton and Derrick Rose



Predicted Order of Finish

1. Miami Heat  

2. Chicago Bulls

3. Boston Celtics

4. Orlando Magic

5. New York Knicks

6. Atlanta Hawks

7. Indiana Pacers

8. Milwaukee Bucks
9. Philadelphia 76ers
10. Charlotte Bobcats
11. Washington Wizards
12. Toronto Raptors
13. Detroit Pistons
14. Cleveland Cavaliers
15. New Jersey Nets

Teams to Watch


The Big 3 in South Beach



Miami Heat: Everyone knows of the Big 3 and last year they certainly needed time to adjust to each other. Their slow start along with their inability to defeat Chicago prevented them from finishing first in the regular season. However, Miami looked unbeatable in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Bulls yet couldn't figure out how to win against Dallas in the Finals. LeBron's fourth quarter woes have been talked about over and over, but some of the blame rests on Dwyane Wade's shoulders. Going into Year Two of this experiment, Miami has to figure out whose team this is. Who gets the ball in late game situations? In the Finals Wade and James passed the ball back and forth like a hot potato, neither of them taking the big shot. Once that problem is solved, watch out. Chris Bosh should be more comfortable in his role this season and the Heat also added a defensive stopper/3-point threat in Shane Battier. He and a healthy Mike Miller will stretch opposing defenses.

Chicago Bulls: Last year's 62-20 record may have been a surprise to some, especially when we look at how much Derrick Rose had to do for the team to succeed. This year the Bulls could be even better due to the signing of Richard Hamilton. Although Rip is older, he is still a knockdown shooter who moves well without the ball. He will attract a defender on every play, sometimes two. That will give Rose more freedom with another scorer on the floor. So, while Rose's scoring may dip, expect his assists to be on the rise. Ronnie Brewer is another Bull whose production should increase. Brewer's mid-range jumper looked solid in two preseason games and coaches have lauded his play in the shortened training camp. Essential to Chicago's success will be a healthy Carlos Boozer. The big-name signing from a year ago will have to give the Bulls more over the course of the season.



Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony



New York Knicks: The Knickerbockers are an interesting team from the standpoint that they have two superstars but not a great supporting cast. The signing of Tyson Chandler was huge because he will run the floor and play defense, but doesn't need to score to be happy. Amare Stoudemire will handle most of the post scoring and Carmelo Anthony will complete a frontline that is one of the better ones in the league. If Stoudemire and Melo stay healthy then the Knicks can make some noise, but as we saw in the playoffs last season, when one goes down the Knicks are going no where. The backcourt is a question mark for New York. The signings of Baron Davis and Mike Bibby would have been great if this was 2002 but it's 2011 and those two are old and their stars don't shine as bright anymore.

Indiana Pacers: This is my number one team to keep an eye on. The young Pacers finished 8th in the East last season and were highly-competitive with the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs. They had a great offseason, signing David West and trading for George Hill and they have a big lineup with West, Danny Granger, Paul George, Tyler Hansbrough and Roy Hibbert. For the Pacers to become successful they need Granger to become their go-to-guy. He has to become and all-around player and be the star this team needs. Indiana has the point guards in Darren Collison and Hill to get him the ball. Inside, the Pacers depth is key and this young team may be ready to reestablish itself as a perennail playoff team like they were in the 1990's.

Players to Watch
Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls: Obviously all eyes will be on Rose after his magnificent MVP season last year. As stated above, Rose's scoring may not be as high this year, but hopefully that's because it doesn't need to be. The addition of Rip Hamilton and a healthy Carlos Boozer will mean DRose can be more of a point guard and facilitate for his teammates. Defenses will be aimed at stopping Rose, but so far not many have been successful.

Dwight Howard

Chris Bosh, Miami Heat: The forgotten man of Miami's Big 3, Chris Bosh should have a great year in South Beach. Last year was an adjustment for him as he wasn't the featured player any more and he didn't know what his role was on the team. All of that is figured out now and Bosh can go back to being the 20 and 10 guy that he is. While LeBron and DWade steal all the spotlight, it's hard to deny that Bosh's performance is the key to a Miami title run.

Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic: With so many distractions how will Dwight Howard play this season? They can say they aren't going to talk about where he will end up playing, but the reality is that it will come up everyday. Fans of other teams will try to woo Howard to their team and the media will constantly be debating whether he will wind up in LA or stay in Orlando. This could have an effect on his play, as well as his team's.

Eastern Conference Rookies to Watch
Kyrie Irving, point guard, Cleveland Cavaliers (1st pick)
Tristan Thompson, power forward, Cleveland Cavaliers (4th pick)
Kemba Walker, point guard, Charlotte Bobcats (9th pick)

The East is very top heavy with the top four teams head and shoulders above the rest. However, many teams are trying to become contenders and in a shortened season like this, depth on the roster will help a lot. Expect the Bulls and the Heat to square off for the Eastern Conference title again and don't be surprised if the Boston Celtics go through a rough stretch due to age. Their championship window is closing and this may be one of the last years they have a legitimate shot with this group of players. Please comment with your opinions! Western Conference Preview coming soon!

Stern Stops CP3 to Lakers Deal

Still Enemies: Paul and Bryant will continue to play against each other
in the West after Stern vetoed the trade

For a little over an hour last night their was excitement among NBA fans everywhere. News broke that New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul had been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in a three team deal that also sent Lamar Odom to New Orleans and Pau Gasol to Houston. For weeks it had been rumored that LA wanted Paul and Orlando big man Dwight Howard. Along with Kobe Bryant, the trio would create a Big 3 that would dominate the West and challenge Miami for the NBA title year after year. With the deal last night, LA moved one step closer to assembling the team they and their fans have been dreaming of. Social media sites blew up and ESPN was in a frenzy...and then David Stern stepped in.

The Hornets, as of last year, are league owned yet Stern and the league never interfered with the trade negotiations. However, minutes after the deal was done, Stern put his foot down and stopped the deal. Chris Paul tweeted, "WoW" and Lamar Odom tweeted, "When a team trades u and it doesn't go down? Now what?" Paul was reportedly working with NBPA head Billy Hunter and sources say he may take legal action against the NBA. The buzz around the league is that several owners, Dan Gilbert and Mark Cuban have been named, complained to Stern about the deal. Owners in small markets do not want their teams raided for their superstars by large market franchises such as LA, New York or Chicago. New Orleans, being from a small market, would be losing their best player to Los Angeles. Since Stern technically owns the team, owners complained that he shouldn't give up the team's best player. What this sounds like is a bunch of whiny babies not getting their way.

The small market owners and Stern are not in favor of "superpowers" and that's exactly what they think is happening here with Paul being dealt. However, there are so many things wrong with Stern's decision to stop the deal it's not even funny. Owners, and some fans, are acting like the Lakers are getting Chris Paul gift wrapped to them without giving up much. That couldn't be further from the truth. If the trade ever goes through, LA is losing two of it's top three scorers, the Sixth Man of the Year, 33.2 points and 18.9 rebounds per game. Gasol and Odom have won two titles with the Lakers and been major contributors to those teams. The Hornets and Rockets weren't getting a couple of bums in the deal.

If anything, the Hornets are smart for dealing Paul now. They saw the cloud of drama that hung over Denver last year while the Nuggets tried to figure out what to do with Carmelo Anthony. Eventually Melo would be traded to New York, but Denver had to deal with the constant rumors and media scrutiny for half of the season. No organization wants that and CP3 has made it known he will be catching the first train out of New Orleans if he reaches free agency. The man simply doesn't want to be there. He is going to do the same thing Melo did and demand a trade all year long. The Hornets are wise to move him now and avoid the drama and controversy that will surely come their way. Also, the Hornets were going to get something for Chris Paul. Stern, who probably thinks he is doing the right thing, just failed miserably. What if the Hornets can't come up with a deal to trade Paul? Then he leaves in free agency and the Hornets get nothing for him. Then they can thank David Stern for that one.

Stern has not had a very good six months as the
commissioner of the NBA

What does this mean for the other teams? Today Dwight Howard has requested a trade to the Brooklyn Nets. If that happens then the fantasy of he, Paul and Kobe playing together in LA will probably never happen. For at least an hour it looked like a strong possibility but now it seems impossible. David Stern didn't accomplish anything positive by blocking the trade. He kept a disgruntled superstar in New Orleans who will basically hold the team ransom until he gets what he wants and he caused problems for LA. They now have two stars who feel unwanted and aren't sure of where they stand in the organization. Even Houston is angry with the commissioner because they needed Gasol to replace the spot left by Yao Ming's retirement.

David Stern has had one of the worst six months anyone could possibly have. He did a miserable job handling the lockout and, in my mind, came out as the loser of that situation. Now, he has angered at least three teams in his own league and has made three stars unhappy. I have no idea what he thought he would accomplish but he has put a lot of people in an awkward spot. What's he going to do now? Stop Dwight Howard from going to the Nets? Stern made one of the most foolish decisions ever. Howard will most likely be in Brooklyn by the end of the week and Paul, Odom and Gasol will be at home, avoiding training camp. The three organizations have one man to thank for that: David Stern.