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LeBron Free Agency: Other than Cleveland?
2010-07-07

In the second round of this year’s NBA Playoffs, many teams suddenly became fans of the Boston Celtics. They realized that a Celtics victory over the Cavaliers would open the doors to the greatest prize in the history of NBA free agency: LeBron James. The understanding was that if a revamped Cleveland team couldn’t even advance to the Conference Finals, James might be more receptive to leaving his hometown team. Based on Boston’s victory and James’ apparent openness to these overtures, there is a chance James may give Cleveland sports fans their latest doomsday.

As of now, the current non-Cleveland leader of the pack in the James sweepstakes appears to be the Chicago Bulls. Out of all the teams with the cap space to add James, Chicago has the most championship-ready pieces. In contrast to Cleveland, their talent is young and primed to enter their most productive years. The Bulls’ best player is undoubtedly point guard Derrick Rose, who will be entering his third year and has quickly turned into one of the game’s greatest playmakers. They also have a do-it-all center in Joakim Noah, who adds pivotal components with his unselfishness and rebounding ability and is the perfect unassuming role player to complement James. The same is true for Taj Gibson, who made a big impact in his rookie season but doesn’t have the ego to demand shots in a James-led squad. Luol Deng is a very talented and versatile player as well but might be deemed expendable if James were to sign with the team.

In addition to their playing personnel, the Bulls have other assets. Their new coach, Tom Thibodeau, is a defensive mastermind who has a proven pedigree, helping to construct the elite Boston Celtics teams of the past three years. Also, the Bulls have enough cap space to add another maximum contract player in this free agent bonanza. James is not the only prized commodity out there and the further addition of a player like Chris Bosh would make Chicago even more enticing. All these factors make it clear that out of all James’ potential suitors, Chicago is the most ready to win a championship.

This is in contrast to the New Jersey Nets, who are trying to make a splash under their new multibillionaire Russian owner Mikhail Prokhorov. The Nets are coming off the worst record in the NBA and although Prokhorov is trying to change the losing culture, their team is still very young. Devin Harris is a good player but not nearly of Rose’s caliber. Brook Lopez shows signs of great potential but is still developing at the NBA level. Fielding a title-contending team would take significantly longer in New Jersey and hurts their chances of getting James, who wants to win right away.

The New York Knicks are a wildcard of sorts in this sweepstakes. Up until this year, any talk about James leaving Cleveland seemed to be focused on the Knicks. Are you ready to get into the NBA betting action? Head over to www.sportsbook.com the home of NBA betting action.

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NBA Free Agency: Dwyane Wade
2010-07-07

As free agency is upon us, the most settled superstar appears to be Dwyane Wade. By all accounts, he is satisfied in Miami and is looking to cement his legacy there. Unlike some of the other stars on the market, he has already won a title with his current team. Nevertheless, he is perhaps just as important as any individual involved in free agency. With the impending free-for-all, he is looking to leverage his superstar status and team’s success to help Miami acquire players who can return them to the glory of their 2006 NBA title. The possibilities abound and anything can happen in this most unpredictable of periods.

Perhaps the juiciest scenario is that Wade would corral the other two top free agents. It has been confirmed that Wade met with Chris Bosh and LeBron James in Miami about potentially joining forces. This would create a preponderance of talent the likes of which is hard to fathom or find comparison. In Wade’s favor is the fact that these three have already demonstrated that they can play together and not let their egos get in the way. As teammates on the 2008 American Olympic team, Wade willingly came off the bench and the team won the gold medal. Also, James and Bosh both come from comparatively small markets and Miami is the type of glitzy market where their marketing opportunities and brands could grow. However, external sources have some concerns that the three could coexist throughout the duration of an entire NBA season. Wade and James have similar styles that are predicated on penetration and getting to the basket. Considering Wade willed his team to a championship before and has been with Miami for the duration of his career, the other two may be concerned that he’ll be the one getting the ball in clutch situations.

However, the Heat has perhaps the one coach who could help diffuse this situation: Pat Riley. Although Riley is currently in the team’s front office, it’s believed that he’d return to the bench for a chance to coach James and Bosh. Riley’s coached multiple championship teams in the past and has had to deal with outsized personalities before: most recently with Wade and Shaquille O’Neal in 2006, which was a great year for NBA betting on the Heat.

Riley would also need to figure out how to surround the big three with role players. In an attempt to create enough salary cap room for three maximum free agents, the Heat have jettisoned all but two of their players, a dicey proposition. Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley are good players but if everything went right and James and Bosh joined Wade in Miami, they’d still have a roster to fill without significant money.

Also, there is the very distinct possibility that one or both of these players won’t want to sign with Miami. James seems to be driving all the decisions in this year’s free agency and there will be a domino effect no matter what he decides. Some believe that James and Bosh are a package deal so if James decides to go to a team like Chicago, Bosh may follow him. In that case, Miami would have to look at the next tier of players.

Fortunately for Wade and the Heat, that next tier is laced with all-star caliber talent. A possibility that seems to be gaining steam is that Miami would pursue Amar’e Stoudemire if neither James nor Bosh work out. Stoudemire is a perennial all-star at center, and he would create a dymanic inside-outside duo with Wade. If this were to happen, the Heat would need to decide if they’d pursue another high-end free agent like Carlos Boozer or Joe Johnson, or try to use the rest of their cap room to build around Wade and Stoudemire. Considering that players like Boozer or Johnson may not actually be worth the max contracts they’ll likely command, the latter option seems more prudent.

It’s really difficult to decipher how this will all turn out. In the end, it seems that everything will likely be predicated on James; right now, his three most likely destinations appear to be Cleveland, Chicago, and Miami, with a seemingly different frontrunner every day. No matter what, Heat fans can be thankful that Wade will likely stay and continue to be a franchise cornerstone for years to come.

Are you getting ready for the upcoming NBA season? Head over to www.sportsbook.com the home of NBA betting.

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NBA Draft Wrap 2010
2010-07-06

Games are never won on paper, but immediately after last night’s draft there appear to be some definite winners and losers. Despite all the prognostications, drafting is one of the most inexact sciences in sports, especially as different players mature at different rates. Potential is one of the greatest, and riskiest, factors considered by NBA teams. With that, here are the preliminary impressions of last night’s draft.

Winners

Detroit Pistons- The Pistons were extremely lucky to have Greg Monroe fall to them with the seventh pick of the draft. He was expected to go higher and fits Detroit’s low-post need; expect to see Monroe contribute from the beginning. Drafting Terrico White with the 36th pick is another flat-out steal; White may have been the best athlete in the draft. Although guard is not a huge need for the Pistons, his development could make the aging Richard Hamilton expendable.

Los Angeles Clippers- The Clippers filled their two biggest needs: small forward and backup point guard. Al-Farouq Aminu has star potential and should be an integral part of LA’s young nucleus at small forward. With Baron Davis not getting any younger, it was very savvy for the Clippers to acquire Eric Bledsoe. Bledsoe was overshadowed by John Wall at Kentucky last year and may turn out to be one of the draft’s better sleepers. Learning from Davis will season him even more. As if this draft couldn’t get any better, the Clippers landed Willie Warren, once considered a top 10 talent, with the 54th overall pick. If Warren is able to undergo an attitude adjustment, he could be a big contributor at the NBA level.

Oklahoma City Thunder- The NBA’s team of the future entered the draft knowing it needed to fortify the post. They did exactly that, trading to get Cole Aldrich. Aldrich is a physical presence capable of playing both post positions and may finally be the one to close OKC’s revolving door at center. GM Sam Presti also shrewdly dealt Eric Bledsoe for a future first round pick from the Clippers. Bledsoe is a good player but the Clippers are unlikely to get out of the lottery in the near future, virtually assuring OKC of a high pick.

Losers

Golden State Warriors- Drafting Ekpe Udoh sixth overall was a reach, to say the least. The Warriors were seduced by Udoh’s athleticism and workouts and ignored the fact that, even at 23 years old, he is still very raw. Some point to Udoh’s two pedestrian seasons at Michigan and wonder if his one successful year at Baylor was a byproduct of their system. Even more befuddling is the fact that Golden State has two other players in Brandan Wright and Anthony Randolph who are essentially the same: athletic small forwards who need seasoning. This was a misdirected pick and the Warriors should have targeted Greg Monroe.

New York Knicks- The Knicks spent both their second round picks on players—Andy Rautins and Landry Fields—who some didn’t even expected to be drafted. They could both be serviceable NBA role players, but the Knicks’ thinking is confusing because the players are so similar. These picks were obviously made with the intent of surrounding LeBron James with shooters but if he signs elsewhere, this thinking looks even more misguided.

Could Go Either Way

Sacramento Kings- On the surface, one would think the Kings had a tremendous draft. Some thought DeMarcus Cousins had the talent to go number one overall and corralling him at five was fortuitous. The same goes for Hassan Whiteside, who slipped to 33 after once being regarded as a lottery pick. However, drafting both of them together may pose some problems. Both saw their stock drop due to questionable attitudes and they play the same position, creating a potential logjam at center along with Samuel Dalembert, who will command minutes in a contract year. There is no doubting the talent but the Kings will need to have a coach capable of developing chemistry and fostering maturity in these players, especially when minutes may be scarce.

Indiana Pacers- GM Larry Bird eschewed his tradition of taking proven college players by making some risky picks. Paul George has tremendous upside but can be turnover prone and lack motivation. Perhaps the biggest question is how he’ll play with superstar Danny Granger, who has a very similar style. Magnum Rolle brings length and athleticism and Lance Stephenson has tremendous upside and was a great value pick in the second round. However, Stephenson’s attitude is widely questioned and if he doesn’t mature, he could harm team chemistry.

When NBA betting get to www.sportsbook.com the home of NBA betting.

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Possible ROY in the NBA 2010-2011 Season
2010-06-25

Although the NBA Draft is less than two weeks away, teams are still finalizing their research and determining the best fit for their franchise. Undoubtedly, many will struggle in deciding whether it’s best to pursue a player who is NBA ready and able to contribute right away or another player who has tremendous potential but will need seasoning. If a team’s goal is to draft a player capable of winning Rookie of The Year, here are some players they should consider, and all NBA betting will be keeping a close watch on:
Favorites:
• John Wall- Wall is one of the most breathtaking players to enter the draft in years. Although he only spent one year in college, he displayed the skills that have GMs and coaches salivating over him. He has adequate size for a point guard at 6’ 4” and amazing speed. He excels at finishing in transition and or using his adept passing skills to find the open man. He also utilizes an explosive first step in the half court game to get to the rim. All of these qualities translate well to the NBA, where the game is played at a much faster pace. It also must be noted that Wall is accustomed to playing with talented teammates and won’t be intimidated by his NBA surroundings.

• Evan Turner- Turner’s brilliance often gets lost in Wall’s shadow but he may be an equally viable ROY candidate. He has fewer weaknesses than Wall and does virtually everything well. His ability to play both guard positions makes his team’s system less of an issue. He should be able to contribute wherever he is asked.

Contenders

• Wesley Johnson- Johnson has a complete offensive repertoire that should give him the opportunity to put up big stats from the get-go. Long and athletic, he is able to penetrate but has also drastically improved his outside shooting. Skilled in an up-tempo, transition game, Johnson’s chances at the Rookie of the Year Award would be greatly enhanced if drafted by a team like Golden State.

• DeMarcus Cousins- Cousins is likely the draft’s biggest wild-card and whichever team selects him will be getting a high-risk, high-reward player, both in the short term and in the long term. Cousins is a very enigmatic individual whose brilliance on the court is often sullied by his negative attitude. Cousins got into multiple rifts with his coach last year and there are questions about his coachability. He has often battled weight and stamina issues that prevented him from playing more minutes on Kentucky and making an even bigger impact. All the negativities aside, Cousins is an excellent center prospect with all the offensive tools to dominate if he applies himself.

• Luke Babbitt- Babbitt is a player whose stock has soared during the combines and workouts. He has a great inside-outside offensive game and can score in a myriad of ways. His left-handed jumpshot is silky smooth and reminds many of Chris Mullin and he is not afraid of throwing his lanky body into the post and scoring there too. Although a defensive liability, Babbitt is capable of putting up offensive numbers impressive enough to capture ROY, and NBA betting knows a young scorer like this can turn the tides in a close game.

Darkhorses
• Derrick Favors- Although one of the two or three most physically talented players in the draft, Favors proved to be a little raw in his one year at Georgia Tech and may need to mature for a few years before his full potential is realized. Nevertheless, he’s so talented that a solid coaching staff could bring out that potential in his rookie campaign.
• Lance Stephenson- Most people seeing Stephenson’s projection as a late first or early second rounder may be surprised by this projection. However, Stephenson is a top-ten talent who has been dogged by attitude questions, which are reflected in his low projection. But as a player, he is the complete package at point guard with an NBA body and great quickness. He is the real deal on offense and when motivated, on defense as well. Although Stephenson is somewhat of a risk, if he lands with the right coach he may end up being the steal of the draft and an immediate impact player.

Knowing who the next young starts will be is key to successful NBA betting. A young player can make the difference. When placing NBA bets go to www.sportsbook.com where everybody bets.

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LeBron James Destination
2010-06-25

The LeBron Sweepstakes—Place Your Bets Now!

Maybe you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t heard, so I’ll repeat it just in case; this summer, the NBA features one of the best storylines in years. This is the Summer of LeBron. Even though such megastars as Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amar’e Stoudemire and others are free agents this summer, the big prize is LeBron James. There’s no team that wouldn’t love to get LeBron. The sad truth for 31 of those 32 teams, however, is that only one team will win the LeBron sweepstakes. LeBron hasn’t given many clues, but here are the five most likely destinations for King James this summer. And all of the NBA betting community is on the edge of their seats for this.

5. New York Knicks This has been wildly speculated for years now, as people take LeBron’s stated goal of becoming a billionaire and run with it. Let’s clear this up right now. This. Is. Not. Happening. LeBron has already become a transcendent figure in our culture, a major star in the absolutely miniscule Cleveland media market. Going to New York won’t do anything to enhance his image or his personal brand. LeBron wants to win championships—that is what he needs to approach Jordan in the basketball pantheon. Even if New York were to sign a second big name this offseason, a team with Danilo Gallinari and Chris Duhon in the starting five isn’t going anywhere, which all the keen NBA betting types know. New York doesn’t offer nearly enough upside for LeBron, and he doesn’t stand to gain anything by becoming a Knick. Don’t trust the hype. LeBron isn’t going to be a Knick any sooner than you or I.

4. New Jersey Nets Basically, this is the same situation as the Knicks, but with a few minor advantages for New Jersey. The Nets have a new owner, Russian multi-billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, who is willing to re-make the entire Nets brand around James. New Jersey is also about to make a move to a brand new stadium in Brooklyn, potentially along with a new team name, logo, attitude, and roster. If that’s not enough incentive, Nets partial-owner Jay-Z is a friend of James’, and has made it clear that he’d love to team up with the King. Still, when the Nets lost the number one pick in the NBA lottery, they missed out not only on consensus-first-pick John Wall, but LeBron James, as well. The Nets don’t have the cash to put together a championship-ready team the way other teams on this list do. Without John Wall, LeBron James won’t be going to New Jersey.

3. Los Angeles Clippers This seems like a long shot to most people, but don’t count out the Clips as a viable spot for LeBron to start his career anew. The Clippers can make a strong argument for being the best spot for LeBron James. Imagine a starting five of Baron Davis, Eric Gordon (who put up close to 17 points per game last year), James, Blake Griffin, and All-Star Chris Kaman. Add in the 8th overall draft pick (perhaps Kansas’ Xavier Henry to help spell Davis and Gordon) and, and you certainly have a more intriguing roster than anything James has seen in Cleveland. The Clippers have always been at the mercy of Donald Sterling—the Al Davis of the NBA—but entertainment mogul David Geffen has expressed interest in buying the Clippers. They don’t get the attention of the Knicks or Bulls, but don’t count out the Clips. James would love the chance to match up against Kobe four times a year.

2. Chicago Bulls For whatever reason, the media has all but decided that this is going to happen, and it’s certainly a strong possibility. Chicago provides the solid roster, major market and cap space James needs, but something smells funny here. LeBron hasn’t won a championship in his first seven years as a pro, and with all the comparisons between him and Jordan, would he really want to bring the inevitable pressure upon himself by signing with Chicago? Even if the Bulls won three titles in five years with James at the helm, the people of Chicago would never embrace him the way they did Jordan, the greatest to ever play the game. The chance to play with Derrick Rose makes Chicago a strong contender, but LeBron is a savvy enough businessman to know he needs some distance between himself and Jordan to keep the mystery going.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers Other than the small market, it’s hard to find a reason why LeBron wouldn’t want to re-sign with Cleveland. Not only is it a great PR move (keeping his loyalty with the Cavs, his hometown team), but the Cavs are clearly serious about making changes to suit their superstar. With GM Danny Ferry out and college coaching legend Tom Izzo possibly on his way in to fill Mike Brown’s recently vacated head coaching position, it’s clear that Cleveland is willing to give James the keys the car. The Cavs have been contenders every year with virtually no help around LeBron, so it’s an easy sell from a front office perspective—sign with us, and we’ll get you those last few pieces of the puzzle. With all the free agents ripe for the picking, it’s not too much of a stretch to imagine James and, say, Chris Bosh lining up to take small pay cuts to play together. It’s far from a done deal, but Cleveland has to have the upper hand in signing LeBron James this summer.
Where do you do your NBA betting? Get over to www.sportsbook.com the king of NBA betting.

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Can Mikhail Prokhorov turn the Nets around?
2010-06-25

With the exception of Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, most of the other owners in the NBA stay out of the spotlight. However, it appears that Cuban may have to share some of the attention in the years to come. The new owner of the New Jersey Nets has generated a great deal of notice in recent weeks. Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov has brought a new dynamic to the NBA. It appears that he will do whatever it takes to turn the Nets franchise around. Prokhorov inherits a team that is coming off of one of the worst seasons in the history of the NBA. In the 2009-10 campaign, the Nets were on the verge of posting a dubious feat for a good portion of the year. The 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers set a mark of futility by posting a 9-73 record. The 2009-10 Nets dropped its first 18 contests of the season, and the NBA betting community closed the door on them. As the year progressed, things didn't get much better. After 70 games, New Jersey held a record of 7-63. The Nets were on the brink of a record that no team wanted to be associated with. The club was able to post a respectable 5-7 mark in the final 12 games of the year to avoid the 76ers record. Still, a 12-70 record has left the Nets with a lot of work to do heading into the 2010-11 season.

There are some glimmers of hope heading into the upcoming year for the Nets. New Jersey has a chance to build around one of the top young centers in the league. 22-year-old Brook Lopez was the lone bright spot for the Nets last season. In just his second year in the league, he averaged 19 points and 9 rebounds per outing. In the backcourt, point guard Devin Harris (17 points, 7 assists per game last season) is a solid performer. He will be looking to stay on the floor a little more often next year. Harris has missed 18 or more games in each of the last three seasons. The upcoming draft should provide some help for the club. In a deep draft, the Nets will have 3 of the first 31 selections. New Jersey will have the third overall choice in the draft. The Nets should be able to get an impact frontcourt performer to compliment Lopez. New Jersey will also have selections at spots 27 and 31. With his deep pockets, Prokhorov could be active in this summer's free agency period. He will likely make a strong run at league MVP LeBron James. If Prokhorov is unable to land James, there are several other big names available for the Nets to pursue.

After last year's disaster, the Nets will have a new coach prowling the sidelines this season. It appears that former Mavericks head coach Avery Johnson will be the club's choice. He took Dallas to the NBA Finals back in 2006. Fans of the Nets will be able to watch the club at a new arena in Brooklyn in two years. With Prokhorov's aggressive approach, New Jersey could be a factor in the Eastern Conference quicker than expected.

Are you ready for some NBA betting? Are you betting the Nets are going to turn it around in 2010-2011? Head over to www.sportsbook.com the king of NBA betting.

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