Update 4:05PM/ 06/07 – Follow-up thoughts on the Cavs, Bosh…
There’s literally nothing to discuss right now. The news came out yesterday that Lebron James would not make his decision before Wednesday due to his NIKE basketball camp being in Cleveland. That makes sense. I don’t think Bosh or Wade will decide before then either. All we’re waiting for right now, from my interpretation, is for Chicago (or even Miami) to find a way to trade Luol Deng for something palatable to Toronto so the two sides can put together a S&T. If they can’t find a way, I think Bosh probably resigns to joining the Rockets.
The ordeal is another example of a theme I’ve been discussing at length lately. The average fan, when discussing someone like Deng, considers him a plus asset, but in reality, the Bulls can’t find any way to unload him for anything of worth.
There was a report that the Knicks were meeting again with Lebron for the purpose of explaining where they stood with Amare. In my opinion, the fact that the mere presence of Stoudemire could make James even consider the Knicks just proves how badly Danny Ferry dropped the ball at the trade deadline. As you should recall, the Suns had agreed to trade Stat to the Cavs but the latter party backed out, refusing to part with young forward JJ Hickson. Yes, JJ Hickson. Undoubtedly a very nice young player but not someone whom you should let stand in the way of increasing your chances at keeping Lebron.
One of the great mysteries of the last few years, since his resignation, is why Danny Ferry hasn’t been absolutely murdered in the press for his management of that team. The popular opinion seems to be that he did his best and was just a victim of unfortunate circumstances. This sentiment ignores his flagrant handling of the past two trade deadlines, making decisions which should (hopefully, for basketball’s sake) lead to Lebron’s exit to greener pastures.
I tried to give Ferry the benefit of the doubt, conceding that perhaps there were other considerations at play. He didn’t trade Wally Sczerbiak’s contract last February in what was quite possibly the most baffling decision of 2009. Given the lack of outcry, I thought, it must have been due to ownership not wanting to more greatly exceed the tax. I learned later that Ferry held onto Wally because he didn’t want to tamper with team chemistry. I’m sorry, but unless you’re undefeated and are the defending champs, you don’t just pass on the chance to add talent, especially when your chances of keeping the MVP ride on team success. This league is too competitive to stand pat. It would be one thing to pass up a lateral swap for chemistry concerns (say, Josh Howard at full health for Butler). But not dealing Wally Z? Absurd.
Then of course we are back to the decision on Stoudemire. I learned they preferred Jamison in part due to his ability to match up with Magic forward Rashard Lewis. There’s myopia and then there’s Danny Ferry. If obtaining Stat would have even marginally improved the Cavs’ chances at keeping Lebron, there’s really no defense for that decision. Fitting that by choosing the lesser player, Cleveland didn’t even get the chance to face the Magic and test its theory. Stat would have made the difference against the Celtics in a series where Jamison masqueraded as some combination of Richard Petruska and Stromile Swift.
After typing this through, I’m even more baffled by the lack of outcry. I must be overlooking something because I don’t see how Ferry hasn’t been absolutely crucified in the press for his decisions. Honestly, from where I sit, given the stakes, I can’t even think of a worse done job of managing than Ferry’s tenure with Cleveland. Enough on this for now. I didn’t plan for this to devolve into a monologue on Danny Ferry but it’s a topic in which I greatly take interest. You know how there’s always something that’s so obviously absurd to you and you just can’t figure out why no one else notices it or cares? That’s the Danny Ferry thing for me. Everyone else wonders how Justin Bieber has managed to embed himself within our cultural conscience – I lay awake at night wondering how the hell Danny Ferry has gotten a free pass. Again, enough on this, as you don’t care.
The imagery used in describing Jay-Z’s sit-down with Lebron post-Nets presentation conjures remembrance of my favorite hoops film of all-time, Above the Rim. In the flick, Tupac cajoles a young high-school phenom, through various presents, into joining his squad for the city-tournament. I trust that Jay-Z’s manner of persuasion wasn’t quite nearly as menacing as the late-great.
I can’t think of anything else to discuss so I’ll end this for now. And again I greatly apologize as I had not planned for this to deteriorate into a rant on Danny Ferry of all people.
Update: Interesting thoughts in the comments right now regarding Morey and his place. The best case for him right now would be for James to return to Cleveland, and the Knicks and Heat to both be shut out with Bosh coming here. It would just be so incredibly splendid for the Rockets to creep up and snatch Bosh through a natural/logical course of events (ie: no one turns down $30 million) while not even being given a chance for months other than by Marc Stein. I can just imagine it right now, hell, I’m dreaming up how I’ll construct the article after we sign him. It will be glorious and teeming with condescension. Yes, much condescension.
Moving on, Adande wrote a great piece yesterday about Lebron where he kind of goes about destroying some of the sentiment in circulation about him leaving and what that does to his legacy. Do check it out at TrueHoop. He explains how flawed this comparison to Jordan and other greats is with regard to their staying with one team explaining the impact of modern free agency rules. It brings to focus the public’s infatuation with ideals like LOYALTY, NOBILITY, NOTHING COMES ABOVE WINNING and the oversight of actual practical business and pecuniary considerations. God I have to be the grumpiest sportswriter on the blogosphere right now.
I want to clarify what I said earlier about Chris Bosh because I think it may have confused some. I think he’s worth every penny, we need him, and I don’t think he’s taking too long at all. I was merely saying that his shtick has grown stale. The whole “hmmmm….feels like someone is missing…..read between the lines and try to decipher this allusion to Lebron James because you have nothing better to do than split hairs over my every word!” As someone who has passed the 7th grade, indirectly being a part of the targeted audience for that stuff is insulting. But nevertheless, Bosh is terrific and would ensure relevance for this team next year, if at full health.
Update: Lot’s going on right now. Prokhorov declares Bosh and Wade will go to the Heat. ESPN reports that Bosh and Bron would like to play together with Bron’s preference being Cleveland. Toronto has apparently announced it would accept a deal with the Cavs; Bosh by all reports does not like Cleveland.
What to make of all of this? The Prokhorov proclamation was crafted BS as you hopefully deduced. On the fence on the other stuff. That James still reserves a warm space in his heart for Cleveland can only come as good news here as his staying with the Cavs would put us right back in the game. On the other hand, you have to fear the chances of Bosh being persuaded – in this scenario, he gets his money and Lebron. (Of course, there’s that small part about having to live in Cleveland for the prime years of your adult life…)
This has been nerve-wracking but one can only imagine the roller-coaster of emotions in Cleveland, New York, and Miami. The Rockets, with nothing at all to lose, are essentially playing with house money (the fact that we’re even in this thing is ridiculous and a testament to the utter ridiculousness of this front office.) For the Bulls, the sun will still shine. But the former three? Imagine the tide in Miami, going from dreams of a Bosh-James-Wade union to a very realistic possibility of having none of them in just 48 hours.
It’s clear Bosh’s preference is as sidekick. The reports of him allegedly wanting to be “the man” never made much sense as I explained earlier – no one really thinks like that. Now it comes down to dollars and cents. We’re basically hoping, praying, that he resigns to Houston in one of the most fortuitous “oh well, might as well…” turn of events in Rockets history.
I’m done making predictions and with the scattered, conflicting reports, exhausted trying to even scrounge sense from it at all.
Update: Funny how the Cavs seemed dead in the water just days ago and now seem to have re-emerged as perhaps even the frontrunner for Lebron. It would make for one of the most miraculous recoveries in sports medicine history.
One factor being overlooked is the possibility of Lebron only wanting to be tied down for 3 years. If that’s the case, you can’t see Bosh agreeing to sign with Cleveland for 6. (Unlike James, Bosh won’t risk a 3 year deal.)
CBS reported that the Raptors were not interested in a TPE, news which should come as huge relief to Rockets fans.
There are also the various reports of Bosh’s disinterest in playing the ’5′ spot, a role he would need to fill for most of the suitors. From every angle, spanning from asset requirements for Toronto, to max money, to a dominant center ready as a teammate, the Rockets are the most logical fit for Chris Bosh. Unfortunately, from the reports we’ve heard, he’s the only one not persuaded of that reality.
