Bleacher Report - Articles by Gem Jefferson

Pivotal NBA Free Agents

Gem Jefferson — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:09:00 -0400

There may not be a lot of major names in this year's free agent pool, but there are a few guys that can make a big impact for a team on the verge.

Rasheed Wallace

The cream of the Unrestricted Free Agent crop. No real introduction or explanation needed here. Former NBA Champion, one of the best offensive big men in the league, a solid post defender—Wallace is perfect for a team a player or two away from a championship push. And with Detroit seemingly heading in a new direction, Wallace should be willing to play elsewhere.

Also, as an aging veteran, Wallace maybe willing to take less to get one more ring. I believe the ideal place for Wallace is Cleveland, but Boston could continue to build it's video game roster by adding yet another All-Star to the squad. Fantastic Four? I think so (at least if Rajon Rondo sticks around).

Ben Gordon

One of the best scorers in the league. A little undersized and will probably demand a little more money than his upside can back up. It's reported that Detroit will offer $11.5 million a year. If so, he should take it; it's undoubtedly the best deal he'll get.

If he's willing to take less I wouldn't mind seeing him as a San Antonio Spur, especially if Manu Ginobli remains the sixth man. Spurs have the contracts to move around if they have to.

Shawn Marion

If he's still the Matrix, he's definitely part three. On a strange decline, he needs to sign to a team that likes to run. And because he decided to hold out in a contract year, he'll be making considerably less than he made in his previous contract. But he can still help.

Wouldn't life be grand if he could just quietly go back to Phoenix and pretend the fallout never happned? Grant Hill and Stromile Swift are off the books, why not?

If he would take a one-year deal to prove himself, I would ship him to New Jersey. Yi Jianlian is not the answer they were looking for and Marion would give them a very crafty backcourt with Vince Carter and Devin Harris.

Marion can still play the four against given teams and when they want to go small and insert Bobby Simmons into the lineup. Brook Lopez, Marion, Harris, Carter, and Josh Boone if he continues to grow, will be a potent starting lineup—granted Marion returns to form.

Anthony Johnson

Huh? What? Yeah. AJ is a stud.

With the clutter at point guard in Orlando, the Magic may not want to match an offer if it's large enough to keep the backup. If anyone noticed during this year's playoffs, the Magic offense ran more efficiently with Johnson at the point than with Alston. In fact, I can almost guarantee the NBA Finals would've been much more competitive had Jameer Nelson not taken AJ's spot.

He's bigger, a better defender, and is better in the lane than Orlando's two guards, just older. He seems like San Antonio's kind of guy but they probably couldn't offer enough money that Orlando wouldn't be able to match.

But the team that NEEDS AJ would be the Hornets. They needed a backup PG all season long and if they can make the numbers work, they can steal AJ from Orlando; at least in a sign-and-trade.

Carlos Boozer

I don't like him. He's going to make more than he should. He's a good player, plays hard, gets numbers, but is not what you need from a PF on the defensive end.

I put him here because his numbers warrant it, but whoever signs him will be the same or worse than they were the year before and won't have the money to change their problems because they signed him to a contract no one will want.

Nicer guy than Zach Randolph, but about the same player. Similar stats, similar impact. Hopefully, Utah let's him go and Millsap gets the nod.

If we've learned anything from Carl Landry and Chuck Hayes' efforts in the playoffs, it's that the small PF's are back. Smile, Charles Barkley, smile. DeJuan Blair, you can smile, too.

Morris Almond

Never had a chance to shine, but the man can shoot. With the acquisition of Kyle Korver (great deal) he was made expendable.

He won't demand much from the market and will earn his way into an eight-man rotation somewhere. Depending on how the Magic feel about the JJ Redick project, Almond would make a good backup to Courtney Lee and his size at 6'6" will be a great addition in Cleveland. King James loves to kick it out after all.

Denver would like him too if they don't re-sign Dahntay Jones or replace him in the draft.

Mike Bibby

Hard to gague. He's a big name, but had a rough season; definitely not the dynamic PG he once was. Atlanta should resign him for about $8-10 a year for 2 to 3 years. I'm not sure that another team has the finances to take a chance on him.

Zaza Pachulia

Anderson Varejeo with better footwork. He can do somethings here and there, and would make any team happy. Spurs could use him; he's a profound upgrade over Fabricio Oberto (his first name is fun to say—Fabricio...). Spurs LOVE the foreign players, and Duncan would appreciate the help up front, I'm sure.

Either San Antonio or he stays in the ATL. Spurs for the ring, Hawks for the money. Look for a sleeper to woo Pachulia to their team, probably not a winner though.

Jamal Crawford

Golden State Warriors head coach, Don Nelson, already politely asked Crawford to look for another team. Playing time will be tight and young guys are getting better.

Wow. At least Nelly had the class to let him know, and with that he should take his Early Termination option and test the market, unless he traded on draft day.

He's such a bonafide scorer but where does his game fit? A wee-bit undersized for the two-guard, a little too much of a scorer for the point, he needs to be surrounded by mature veterans that will compliment his game. He loves to take big shots and score from anywhere—with proper veteran support, his game can go places.

I like...(drum roll please)... Dallas and Denver. Why? Jason Kidd and Chauncey Billups—especially Billups. Billups was a similar player coming into the league—not really sure if he was a one or two—very talented, can shoot it from anywhere, and needed to be surrounded by good players to grow into his own.

If Crawford can pair up with a veteran PG (Phoenix with Nash as well), he can really play his game and learn how to play the point. Crawford is a nice passer—doesn't exercise it much—but certainly has the vision and talent to facilitate an offense if need be.

Sleeper:
Shaun Livingston

Someone will give him a chance, hopefully a veteran team. He has all the talent in the world and full recvery permitting, should make a decent addition to a team until he blossoms into a star.

6'7" PGs are incredibly hard to find (Penny Hardaway, Magic Johnson...), and his skillset warrants a chance, especially because he can't demand much money or a very long-term deal until he proves himself.

I like Cleveland to pick him up for $1 million a year or a mid-level exception. He would add some height and length to a very small backcourt.

Miami could use him too—Mario Chalmers is the only sure bet in town. Many teams have solid PGs, but a good backup job shouldn't be impossible for him to find.

Cleveland Cavaliers Need Rasheed Wallace & Shaun Livingston

Gem Jefferson — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:08:00 -0400

The NBA rumor mill is swirling with Cleveland Cavalier headlines. The Cavs are apparently pursuing All-Star Centers, Shaquille O'Neal and Yao Ming—which is great, but unnecessary.

For starters, the Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets would have to be insane to take Sasha Pavlovic and Wally Szczerbiak in exchange for their Centers—but stranger trades have happened.

The two players the Cavaliers need are on the Free Agent market—Rasheed Wallace and Shaun Livingston.

Two of the biggest weaknesses on the Cleveland roster were size in the backcourt (especially defensively) and muscle in the post.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas is not a defensive force in the middle, Ben Wallace has lot more than a step. Anderson Varajeo is a nice PF off the bench, but not a dependable player for 30 minutes a game.

Enter Rasheed Wallace.

Once a premier big man in the NBA, he's the defensive force the Cavaliers have been missing and will add a new dimension to the offense as well. Few big men in the league can play with their back to the basket and from behind the arc, while still playing like a big man on the defensive end—exactly what LeBron James needs.

He will also bring championship experience and leadership with him as well.

Now for the backcourt: Mo Williams, Delonte West, Daniel Gibson shared both Guard spots for a majority of the 2008-09 season and playoffs.

Offensively, that's fine. They can shoot, Williams can create his own scoring, and LeBron runs the offensive 70 percent of the time anyway.

Defensively it's a greater liability because none of them are above 6'3" and they cannot defend any of the elite guards and swingmen in the league.

Now Shaun Livingston is by no means a defensive juggernaut, but he can at least take up some space on the defensive end. He may be more effective in zone defense, but that's better than what they have now.

The addition of Livingston will put Mo Williams at the two on the offense and let LeBron move without the ball more often, giving coaches more headaches in preparation.

The best part of signing Livingston and Wallace would be the price.

Livingston hasn't played since that nasty injury some years back and would probably sign for the veteran minimum—around $1 million or so.

Wallace won't demand All-Star money and probably won't require more than a two-year deal, maybe around $7-9 million a year.

If the Cavaliers need cap room, they can acquire Wallace in a sign and trade in which he would be able to demand more money.

If the Cavs are serious about winning a ring, they absolutely must acquire Rasheed, and I believe once the trade hype settles, they will do just that.

Livingston is a bonus, and the upside is more than worth a $1 million investment for a year—if he pans out the results can be amazing, if not, try another guard next year.

Prospective Roster:

Starters:
C—Ilgauskus
PF—R. Wallace
SF—James
SG—M. Williams
PG—Livingston

Bench:
PF—Varejeo
PF—J.J. Hixon
PG—Gibson
SG—Pavlovic
PF—B. Wallace
PF—Darnell Jackson
...and some other guys that won't play.

Wow, a bench full a PF's. No wonder they have backcourt absences. Maybe they can solve that with some draft day trades as well—a Courtney Lee-like pick wouldn't hurt this team at all.

Musings of an Angry Black Man: The Real Reason Manny Is Suspended and More

Gem Jefferson — Fri, 29 May 2009 17:57:04 -0400

I'm not actually angry; I saw a Tyler Perry commercial and I ran with it.

Let's Go!

Mike Brown

You ever get the feeling that Mike Brown doesn't really "coach" LeBron James?

How many times have you seen him reprimand James for jacking up those ridiculous threes?

Let Anderson Varejao take one of those shots though, see what happens!

Brown is a witness, too, apparently. Man up and coach the King, dammit.

Orlando Magic

Uh oh.

That's deep, I know. We better clean up in Orlando tomorrow.

Shaq was right about Syracuse Lacrosse, but will he be right about Stan Van Gundy? I hope not, but the Big Nostradamus never lies.

Jemele Hill

Been following her on Twitter for a while and I've come to realize..."she's black like me" and doesn't care who knows.

Love it.

Tom Brady

Glad he's the QB dominating my TV as opposed to that other guy whose name I won't mention... look how Favre we've come (Crap! I mentioned him).

Joe Mauer

Show me the test results!!

Kidding...kinda.

Manny Ramirez

No one has seemed to figure it out besides me.

Did anyone bother to Google (product placement; waiting for my G2 in the mail) what female fertility drugs REALLY do for males?

He's trying to enhance his performance, just not on the field. That sounds like a "personal medical issue" to me.

Why doesn't he just say that? Would you?!

Imagine the headlines:

"One of the greatest hitters of all time...his wife begs to differ"

"Just not swinging it like he used to..."

"A swing and a Mrs...."

The media's ruthless. I'd rather be a supposed 'roid user than an impotent/inefficient lover any day...take THAT to the bank.

Chauncey Billups

He did the one thing Allen Iverson couldn't do: make Carmelo Anthony the second most important person on the team.

Anthony is the best scorer on the team, yes, but Billups makes the system go, and we're privileged to watch the Bad Boy Pistons...errr...Nuggets in action.

I'm rooting for Kobe, but quietly proud of Billups and would LOVE to see him win another Finals MVP in another uniform.

Denver should be toasting Joe Dumars for trading his only "untouchable" player (at least he should've been). I'm sure Denver would've taken Rip Hamilton too.

Michael Vick

Yeah he'll play again. Won't be for long, but he'll play.

He's faster than 4/5 of your team and stronger than your QB. And now with the wildcat becoming trendy (will be gone in two seasons due to old school thinking), Vick, Pat White, and Tim Tebow will be on 3 of SC's Top 10 (not often, but they'll be there).

Thank you for joining me in the first edition of the Musings. Want to add to it? Don't like what you read? Voice it.

Exercising the freedom of Preach!

Orlando Magic Fans Are Excited, But Are We Believers?

Gem Jefferson — Thu, 28 May 2009 20:17:49 -0400

Even with the Orlando Magic up in the series 3-1, I still can’t bring myself, as an avid Magic fan, to be against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Part of it is because the Cavaliers have yet to play their best basketball, but the more pertinent reason is that it just feels so surreal to have the Orlando Magic so close to the NBA finals.

I, like many Orlando Magic fans my age or older, have probably stayed loyal since the days of Penny Hardaway and Shaquille O’ Neal. I loved watching Lil’ Penny commercials and Shaq destroy backboards in every city, but the joy ride was a quick one.

After being swept by the Houston Rockets in the 1995 NBA Finals it was difficult to stay positive about the future of the Magic. Shortly thereafter, it was near impossible.

Shaquille O’ Neal, in perhaps one of the most pivotal free agent moves in NBA History, signed with Los Angeles Lakers, leaving Hardaway and the boys to fend for themselves.

Penny became injury-ridden and his career spiraled downward, and, for a while, hope was non-existent.

Then came our saviors—Grant Hill and one of my favorite players of all-time, Tracy McGrady. After signing these two stars, we were Finals-bound once again.

McGrady became a star for the ages, earning every dollar of his contract, and Hill was everything he was in Detroit; then the injury bug struck again.

Hill went down first and went down hard with injuries that almost destroyed his career. Hill never hit full stride for an entire season for Orlando, but would put on brilliant stretches for 10-20 games at a time.

In fact, Hill—in seven seasons with the Magic—only played 30 games twice, and the hefty contract he was signed to made it hard for Orlando to recover from.

McGrady on the other hand, only played less than 75 games once, and led the Magic to the playoffs three of the four years he played in Orlando.

Unfortunately, McGrady was never able to advance to the second round of the playoffs in a Magic uniform, despite once having a 3-1 lead over the Detroit Pistons in the first year of the seven-game, first round format.

Both Hill and McGrady are wearing different jerseys today, and the Orlando Magic are led by a new core, eerily similar to the one that made the Magic of old great.

The face of the franchise, 2004 1st Overall pick, Dwight Howard mans the middle as “Superman 2,” following in the shoes of none other than Shaquille O’ Neal. Acquired in the same draft at No. 20, the Magic were able to steal Jameer Nelson, the field general stepping into Penny's Role.

Alongside them are the additions of three-point specialist, Rashard Lewis (more athletic and game-changing Dennis Scott) and the 6’10” point forward, Hedo Turkoglu (Nick Anderson with height and point guard tools).

Mikael Pietrus, JJ Redick, Anthony Johnson, and Rafer “Skip to My Lou” Alston, were all recently added to a very dangerous and lately, frighteningly effective, Orlando Magic squad.

This team is up 3-1 and every Magic fan and LeBron hater is chomping at the bit, but I think we’re all a little nervous as we are approaching a place we haven’t been in 15 years. Every time we get close, something goes wrong or someone gets injured or leaves and the team regresses.

I think Orlando fans as a collective whole are excited but weary. It’s been a roller coaster ride and we’re at the peak once again. We need to close this one out tonight if we’re going to stay at the top.

If we close out tonight, is the team ready to face the Los Angeles Lakers or Denver Nuggets? That’s a bridge we’d all be glad to cross.

Kobe-LeBron Debate: LeBron is King

Gem Jefferson — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:19:14 -0400

Prior to this season, I wholeheartedly believed that Kobe Bryant was a better basketball player than LeBron James.

What a difference a year makes.

After incredible seasons for the Black Mamba and King James, it would be hard to argue against the King's reign over the NBA—even if it doesn't result in an NBA Championship.

This year LeBron James averaged 28.4 points, 7.2 assists, 7.6 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks a game.

Something must be said for James' all-around game. James affects the game in every facet better than any player in the league today.

He accounts for 42.8 points a game (at least—assists multiplied by 2 points, but a lot of those assists are on threes) and leads the team in every statistical category but the new Cleveland Cavalier statistic—"chase downs"—is perhaps the greatest proof of this.

For those who aren't familiar, "chase downs" consist of a player chasing down an opposing player on a fast break and blocking what seemed to be an easy two points.

I think everyone's favorite chase down play is the block on Jason Richardson's 360-dunk attempt—wow.

But that commitment to defense is what put LeBron over the top once and for all. Kobe may have had lower averages in each category, but there isn't a doubt in anyone's mind that Kobe can average 50 points a game if he so chose. What separated Kobe from LeBron in years past, was Kobe's ability and desire to guard the opponent's best player.

Now LeBron is more than capable of doing the same; so much so that he was second in voting for NBA Defensive Player of the Year behind Dwight Howard. An award that both players certainly deserved—Dwyane Wade as well.

James, who could always go point-for-point with Bryant, can now go possession-for- possession with him, and with his 6'8" 245 pound frame, perhaps surpass him.

The only piece to the puzzle that is missing for LeBron James is the killer instinct.

There isn't a more cold-blooded finisher in the league than Kobe Bryant and Bryant's clutch ability is only matched by the one man their oft compared to—Michael Jordan.

James did hit a game-winning shot in Game Two against the Orlando Magic, but the exuberant celebration at the end was the most telling.

LeBron was excited to make that shot. The city of Cleveland and the better part of the United States were excited he made that shot too.

James was surprised he made it—Kobe expects to make it.

Kobe wants the ball in his hands in crunch time every time, in fact he demands it. LeBron accepts the ball because he is the best player on the team and if not him, who else?

When James' attitude becomes more Kobe like, not only would he have surpassed Bryant, but every player in NBA History—including my all-time favorite Oscar Robertson.

Only time will tell if that is even in James' nature. If James has it in him, tonight would be a good time to find it.

Despite giving the nod to LeBron, Kobe is still the player I want on my team—at least in the final two minutes.

Why Kobe Bryant Is Judged Unfairly by NBA Fans

Gem Jefferson — Thu, 28 May 2009 16:07:12 -0400

How many times have you heard: “Kobe hasn’t won a championship without, Shaq”? How many times have you said it?

Quite frankly, I think that claim is ridiculously unfair. Yes, Kobe Bryant has not won one without Shaquille O’ Neal, but this same logic can be used with a lot of NBA Champions.

How many titles did Larry Bird win without Kevin McHale and Robert Parrish?

How many did Magic Johnson win without Kareem Abdul-Jabbar?

How many did Michael Jordan win without Scottie Pippen?

My point is that a team needs at least two All-Star caliber players to win an NBA Championship.

Yes, Shaq won one without Kobe Bryant, but he had Dwyane Wade. Actually, Wade had Shaq, but that’s neither here nor there.

Tim Duncan didn’t win four championships by himself. He had David Robinson, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobli. Hakeem Olajuwon needed Clyde Drexler.

And teams that made it to the finals with one All-Star player crumbled upon arrival to the NBA Finals.

Most recently, look at LeBron James’ first trip to the finals. He, through the grace of God or someone similar, led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the 2007 NBA Finals and was destroyed by a trio of All-Star-level players.

Remember the 2001 Philadelphia 76ers? Allen Iverson led the Sixers to the finals (he had Dikembe Mutombo, I know, but, come on), and after Game One...It wasn’t pretty.

Basketball is and will always be a TEAM sport as the 2004 Detroit Pistons so kindly displayed, and one All-Star player does not a team make. Along with having a “star,” there must be a second viable offensive option.

While it may not be true every year, for most NBA Championship teams, the second-leading scorer on the team averages at LEAST 15.0 PPG.

Last year’s Boston Celtics’ second an third leading scorers were above the line, the 2007 San Antonio Spurs had second and third were as well (to the Cavaliers none), 2006 Miami Heat had one (Shaq), you get the point.

So before the excuse—which I’ve already heard a million times over—that "Kobe now has Pau Gasol" leaves your lips in the next debate, realize that Gasol is providing the same support the Pippen did for Jordan, that Ginobli and Parker did for Duncan, and Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, Ben Wallace (not on the score sheet, but I couldn’t break up the starting five), and Richard Hamilton did for Chauncy Billups.

Of course Kobe Bryant needs help. He’s human.

What Should've Happened at WrestleMania XXV

Gem Jefferson — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 19:18:23 -0400

Disappointed is an understatement. To make a big deal out of the 25th anniversary and then put forth what millions fans watched was almost atrocious.

From the match we didn’t see to the WWE title match, I will talk about what should have happened differently.

The Colons vs. Miz and Morrison

The only thing that needed to change was this needed to be aired and could have been right in the middle of the fight card.

The right team won.

Are Miz and Morrison better? Yes—which is exactly why they lost.

Expect Miz and Morrison to part ways soon as Morrison and Shawn Michaels need to have a confrontation in the future. Now that’s a match I’d love to see that at the next Wrestlemania.

Money in the Bank

Time is everything and this—like most of the matches on the card—did not have the time it needed to truly steal the show.

Good spots, but wrong winner.

Anyone else could’ve won the match (except Finlay) and a good storyline could have come of it.

CM Punk is such a limbo character and with the current champions, it could be months before he cashes in. He’s not in the league of John Cena or Triple H, and to beat them clean—or dirty—should not happen.

My favorite outcome would have been to have Christian win the match and cash in if Edge retained, starting a feud between the two men who would put on some of the most amazing matches we’ve ever seen.

MVP, Shelton, or even Kane could’ve been winners as well.

The only positive is that we may just get an MVP vs. Shelton match at Backlash.

Miss Wrestlemania

Instead of 25 “women”, it should’ve been 4-8 women who have earned over the past few years.

Beth Phoenix, Melina, Michelle McCool, Maryse, Mickie James, Gail Kim, Natalya, and Victoria would be battling it out for the Miss Wrestlemania title (though a title like that should never be handed out in a match).

Trish Stratus, Chyna, or Sable should have the title anyway, but that’s a moot point.

Chris Jericho vs. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka

After seeing Steamboat in the ring, this should have been a one-on-one bout from the jump. Their promo was the most personal and Steamboat can still go. My goodness.

Snuka not so much.

The match was fine, but the Mickey Rourke segment was not. It was poorly sold and Rourke looked like a young Terry Funk. Should have been more of a play on “The Wrestler” than a poor man’s boxing match.

JBL vs. Rey Mysterio

What? Twenty-one seconds?

I may not be a JBL fan, but the man has done good work under the JBL moniker. If he was going to retire or quit, he deserved to do it on better grounds than some spoof match.

Rey winning was the right move.

I liked the ideas that were swirling around with JBL buying the Money in the Bank from the winner and cashing it in, then retiring a Champion. JBL makes his history, and we have a title story starting on Raw—why not?

Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy

Time. Time. Time.

They needed time.

Beautiful spots and the right winner. If Jeff would’ve won, Matt would be left in obscurity. Since Matt won, he has momentum leaving Wrestlemania and Jeff Hardy is still Jeff Hardy—he became an even bigger face after losing the way he did.

P.S. That Twist of Fate was wonderful.

Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker

Yes.

That’s it.

They were amazing and for a moment, I ACTUALLY thought Shawn Michaels would pull off the impossible. That’s the sign of a good match—even when you know the outcome, you’re still praying for the opposite.

As much as I would love for Michaels to have won, 16-1 would’ve made the Undertaker obsolete. Supposedly, there are plans for Ted DiBiase (yeah, they like him THAT much) to end the streak in five years (five years?!), but I hope Undertaker won’t be defending "The Streak" that long.

John Cena vs. Big Show vs. Edge

The 100-Cena march—awesome (in a good humor kind of way, not the "oh my god" way). I’m not a Cena fan either.

The match wasn’t bad—a bit short, ended a bit abruptly—but not bad; another victim of time.

My only regret is that there’s no clear direction on whether or not Edge is finally through with Vickie, but I can still dream.

Triple H vs. Randy Orton

I love clean Championship matches. I do. Just not this one.

RKO and Pedigree in the first two minutes was creative, I suppose.

I thought Orton worked the match very well, but I suppose after losing the last four Wrestlemanias, HHH was due, but why last night.

Sadly, no one interrupted.

No McMahon’s, no Legacy… What a disappointment.

I know storylines don’t normally progress or evolve at PPV’s, but where do they go from here?

What I imagine taking place now is the McMahon heel turn to happen on Monday, after Triple H is officially drafted to Raw.

While I love the "Orton and Legacy against the world, but still somehow a heel angle", if a McMahon does go heel, so be it—as long as it results in Orton becoming the champion. After all, he's the only wrestler not named John Cena who could legitimately beat HHH and it be accepted.

Outside of Undertaker and HBK, this did not feel like Wrestlemania. Had this been No Way Out or Backlash, the card would have been fine and I probably wouldn’t feel as negatively as I do about the fiasco.

But it was Wrestlemania; it was the grandest stage of them all and the WWE sorely disappointed. But the Draft should more than make up for this—or so I hope.

Randy Orton, CM Punk, and ECW to Lead WWE In 2009

Gem Jefferson — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:12:05 -0500

Here are some things that I would love to see (and quite frankly, need to happen) in 2009.

Randy Orton Wins the Rumble, Becomes Champion at Wrestlemania

He is the top heel and top dog of the WWE as of today. There is almost no other way to go about this. If he doesn't win the Rumble, then who? If he doesn't defeat John Cena at Wrestlemania for the title, then who? An RKO out of the F-U would be perfect.

Orton is an amazing superstar and is the new face of the new WWE.

His title reign should last at least until Summer Slam due to the sheer dominance of the Legacy.

Legacy to Become the Next Great Stable

It's too good to let pass without first dominating the WWE. Legacy has Evolution-like swagger and potential. Along with Orton becoming champion at Wrestlemania, Wrestlemania should be the introduction to "The Age of Legacy."

Orton champion, Ted DiBiase as the Intercontinental Champion, and some combination of Cody Rhodes, Manu, and Sim Snuka as Raw's Tag Team Champions. It's been a good while (too long in my opinion), since a true stable with DeGeneration X-esque lasting power has been formed, and this should be it. Raw in 2009 will belong to legacy.

Give ECW a 2-Hour Time Slot, Please!

You can't have a real wrestling program in an hour. It's impossible; it's unfair.

Let ECW Be ECW, PLEASE!

Extreme Rules Match? On Extreme Championship Wrestling? Why isn't it understood that the ECW championship is always defended under extreme rules? And who decided Matt Hardy was extreme enough to be its champion?

Here's what needs to happen: First, give ECW it's swagger back. Every match needs to be extreme; It's in the name. Then, let the show's angle be: "The Superstars on Raw and SmackDown! can't hang with us..." ECW stars can then go on Raw and SmackDown! and challenge their competitors to be "Extreme"; engaging in extreme rules matchups to prove themselves. It's a simple scheme that will make ECW a legitimate brand again.

Let ECW Keep its Stars, PLEASE!

Put CM Punk and John Morrison back. Let them be the faces of ECW again. I may be one of few, but I am a huge fan of John Morrison and his ability to be a brand-carrying, show-altering champion. CM Punk, before that awful handling of his title reign, was a huge face, and can be again.

ECW needs to stop being treated like a step child; stop having its biggest stars spend all their time on Raw and SmackDown! With a classic guy and now-proven WWE superstar in Punk back in the ECW fray, things will be better for the ECW program, as long as the first two ECW points happen.

Finish Pushing the Up and Coming Stars

Why isn't Mr. Kennedy a legitimate title contender/former champion already? I don't know either. There is a plethora of future champions on all three shows: Evan Bourne, Vladimir Kolzov, and Mr. Kennedy are the immediate heirs to the throne and at least one of them needs to taste gold in 2009.

As fate would have it, none of them are Raw Superstars, so the reign of Legacy is still in tact along with fresh faces in other places headlining main events as well.

WWE has a tendency to half-push some superstars and then leave the star and fans hanging, i.e. Mr. Kennedy. Hopefully that will change, and one of the listed superstars will be champion in late 2009 (Summer Slam or later).

Fans Are Tired of the Same Old Thing

Along with the new faces due in for the title, some other championship-caliber stars will do an excellent job mixing it in for 2009 title stories.

On Raw, challenging Legacy for the World Title should be: Cena (by default, not necessity), Batista (same reason), and Shawn Michaels (yeah, age and JBL, but somewhat of a tragic hero angle), but I hope those don't come to fruition. The headliners for the better part of the year should be Chris Jericho and CM Punk.

Jericho is a heel now (and I love what they did with him, but for the love of God, go with the "King of My World" theme song), but against Orton, the WWE could turn George Bush into a face. He wouldn't win the title, but the athleticism of these two men should make for an historic match at Summer Slam.

The Legacy empire should fall at the hands of CM Punk. Now, of course, Punk couldn't possibly defeat Legacy by himself, and he won't. Punk, at some point prior to Armageddon, would be brutally assaulted by the Legacy faction. The following week on Raw, Punk reveals that he is not alone as the entire ECW locker room will have his back from now on.

At Armageddon, the two face off, Punk hoists Orton on his shoulders and Legacy runs to Orton's aid, with ECW close behind. A war on the outside ensues, Orton gets hung up on the ropes and Punk hits the GTS, and wins the title in dramatic fashion.

I won't lose sleep if Batista and John Cena don't compete for the WWE title, I promise. Cena got his belt back at Wrestlemania 26 or something, but '09 is for the new blood, the new (or old) attitude of the WWE.

Brothers of Destruction Revitalize the Tag Team Division

What if the Undertaker goes back to the druids and cult-like sacrifices that made him so great not so long ago alongside Kane, who is in need of a new look and gimmick?

Really push the Brothers of Destruction (and ditch the name) as the tag team to defeat in 2009. Of course, they are too evil to simply compete for tag team titles. They'd have no interest in that. They'd only defend their titles in Casket, First Blood, and Hell Fire (whatever they were called) matches, putting up the titles in exchange for the opponents' livelihoods.

They would destroy each and every competitor on SmackDown and ECW, "sacrificing" their lives/souls at the conclusion of the match. Come Armageddon, they would challenge the Legacy (who would still have the tag titles at this point), and be the first team to possess the championships of both shows.

They could also recruit the FCW wrestlers that were originally supposed to feud them (Black Pain and two others) and form a faction that will challenge the likes of Legacy, eventually making Legacy the faces and creating a DeGeneration X vs. The Corporation war. Wow, I'm reaching.

So that's what I would love to see from the WWE in 2009. I'm not saying it can or will happen, just that I would greatly appreciate it. Fans deserve the old school things that made wrestling great (feuding stables, athelticism, dynasty-like champions fans can stand) with the fresh talent of this generation.

WWE fans, here's to 2009 and the Road to Wrestlemania.

Real Talk: Brawl at the Palace 2, Rodger Goodell and Brett Favre

Gem Jefferson — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 04:33:43 -0400

Brawl at the Palace 2

Call me strange, but I liked it for all parties involved.

WNBA, we're talking about you. I admit, no one wants to be in the news for a fight or any negative events, but everyone wants to be in the news. This is your time to shine—make it happen.

It was also good because it involved Candace Parker, the WNBA's only hope. Parker, if she isn't already, will be the best player in WNBA history. But more importantly, she marketable—and she is because she talented and beautiful.

And not Danica Patrick, only female in our sport beautiful—she's gorgeous. And to market someone, they have to be easy on the eyes.

The same is true in male sports as well. Nike wouldn't promote Popeye Jones over Kobe Bryant or LeBron James if they averaged the same numbers.

Candace Parker being involved toughened up her image—it said she was here to stay. She's willing to play hard and defend herself and her team at all costs. It says that about everyone involved, actually. And that's a great thing.

I think the WNBA is often portrayed as some dainty, low-flying, low-intensity game with little to no excitement. We have just been informed that this is their livelihood.

They care just as much as the men do for 1/32 of the price. Maybe some naysayers will look at this and realize that those are world-class ball players on the court each night.

It's up to the WNBA to use this time in the spotlight to permanently raise its exposure. They have about two weeks to make a move; make sure Candace Parker's next game is on prime time on a channel I can find.

Brett Favre Receiving Support from Goodell

NFL Commissioner Rodger Goodell decided he was going to put his two cents into the Brett Favre v. Green Bay Packers fiasco, and while I appreciate the push to get this nonsense out the news, this is none of Goodell's business.

The Packers can do whatever the want as long as they follow NFL guidelines and they have. Favre isn't reinstated, so the Packers don't have to look for a trade.

If he is reinstated, the Packers don't have to play him, just pay him. It's within their right to do so.

I didn't see Goodell step in and tell the Bengals to trade Chad Johnson when we poor sports fans had to listen to two weeks of radio rants from Johnson about how unhappy he was.

And I definitely don't appreciate the NFL players, mainly other quarterbacks saying the Packers should let Favre start. It's easy for them to say, but NONE of them were offering their starting position.

Tony Romo nor Carson Palmer nor Ben Roethlisberger said: "Brett Favre can take my position as QB" and until they do, I do not suggest they offer Aaron Rodgers’ spot either.

Thank you, Tony Dungy for seeing the situation for what it is.

As far as a trade goes, the obvious solution for a team would to offer a conditional pick.

Tell the Packers, I'll start with a fifth-pick for his rights. If he plays at least 12 games, we'll give you a fourth-round pick. If he plays in the playoffs, we'll give you a third.

If he plays in the Conference Championship, we'll give you a second-rounder. Heck, if we make it to the Super Bowl, we'll give you a first-round pick.

That's fair, right. He wouldn't be the first player to be traded for a conditional pick, and when you're trading for a one year guy, that's the best way to do it.

Now, there's no guarantee that the Packers would accept that deal since there's no guarantee they would trade him at all, but in the interest of fairness, that's the best I could do.

Summer in Sports

The summer is hard for me. I'm a basketball and football fan, basketball with a slight edge. And I don't enjoy baseball or golf.

But that's all that's left for sports fans this time of year: home runs, web gems, and Tiger Woods highlights (and not even those this summer, nice try Greg Norman).

I would watch WNBA, but I never know when they're on, same thing for Arena Football. I try to keep up with Wrestling but that doesn't really count.

This year, we get the Olympics, but that's not until August, and when that starts getting exciting, I'll already be playing Franchise Mode in Madden.

I can't really blame anyone for this slow season, but you would figure with the warmest, sunniest season of them all, we'd get more sports to compensate for Football's and Basketball's absence than Beach Volleyball (which I appreciate and respect).

All I have is the Summer League and Training Camp. I miss the days when the And 1 mixtapes were big. I could use a new one right about now.

NBA: James Posey Solidifies Inconsistent New Orleans Hornets' Bench

Gem Jefferson — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:23:32 -0400

The New Orleans Hornets make a splash in the free agent market agreeing on a four-year, 25 million deal with former Boston Celtics' forward James Posey.

Posey won his second NBA Championship with the Celtics last season, and the Hornets hope he can bring that same magic to New Orleans.

Posey averaged 7.4 points and 4.4 rebounds in the regular season and 6.7 points and 3.6 rebounds during the playoffs last season, but his contributions could not be measured in the box score.

The 6-foot-8 small forward contributed with stellar on-ball defense and clutch three-pointers, a role backup point guard Jannero Pargo assumed against the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Semi-Finals.

The acquisition sures up an often inconsistent bench, adding more experience, shooting, and defense to an otherwise young squad.

Bonzi Wells and Jannero Pargo were key contributors that are currently free agents. The Hornets are expected to keep Pargo, but with Posey now on-board and a breakout season for Julian Wright, Wells becomes an expendable piece.

But even with Posey teaming up with the MVP runner-up, Chris Paul, and All-Star forward, David West, the Hornets may still be too undersized to take the West from a healthy Los Angeles Lakers or San Antonio Spurs squad.

However, the 31-year-old veteran undoubtedly makes the Hornets a better team. The young players are a year wiser and a year stronger, and with Chris Paul running the show, anything is possible.

Real Talk: Josh Hamilton Has Arrived

Gem Jefferson — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 06:51:26 -0400

It has been said before, and it will be said many times over: If this was a Hollywood script, no one would believe it.

Already leading the league in RBI with 95 (eight shy of the first-half record), triple-crown hopeful Josh Hamilton's miraculous season reached astounding new heights last night as he crushed 13 home runs in a row on his way to a 28-homer first round in the Home Run Derby last night at Yankee Stadium.

If this is "The Dream", don't pinch me.

After recovering from an addiction to crack cocaine and re-entering the league after being removed for three years, Hamilton has become a hero and a household name for baseball fans around the country.

Fans erupted after just his second home run and 50,000 echoed Hamilton's name in harmony for the next 26 as he made the Derby a real show—taking water from Manny Ramirez's son, singing baseballs with the famous Sharpie, and getting cleaned off and coached by teammate and fellow All-Star, Milton Bradley.

And not to mention, giving his 71-year-old high school coach, Claybon Counsil, a pretty good work out.

He displayed a power that is almost unreal, posting three of the top-eight longest homers in Derby history—one of those hits nearly left the stadium.

But more important than the 28 first-round home runs, or the fact that he did not win the Derby, is his making the best of a second chance.

Josh Hamilton, upon sight, is not the typical guy that Major League Baseball would normally promote.

His body is covered in tattoos—a far cry from the choir boys that are the faces from the MLB. He used drugs in an era where drugs have destroyed the image of one-time first ballad Hall-of-Famers like: Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds.

And he rose above it.

I have fallen in love with Josh Hamilton's story and was pulling for him to get those six home runs that he needed, but in a week, I will not remember who won this Derby.

I will remember that a star was born last night. I will remember that everyone deserves a second chance. I will remember that dreams do come true.

Real Talk: Enough of Brett Favre

Gem Jefferson — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:10:32 -0400

Welcome ladies and gentleman to the first edition of Real Talk with yours truly, Gem Jefferson.

Our first topic will be the Green Bay vs. Brett Favre.

Over the last two weeks, Brett Favre has dominated the ESPN headlines with his desire to play football again and the Packers' reluctance to take him back.

It must be noted that at the conclusion of the 2007-08 season, Packer coach Mike McCarthy and the rest of the Green Bay front office were adamant about bringing Favre back. After all, he did take them to the NFC Championship Game and had one of his most productive years as a professional football player.

But he chose to retire. He did not take the entire off-season to dance around questions, finally returning in August some time. He retired.

And the Packers moved on.

Aaron Rodgers has been laying in wait for long enough and deserves his chance in the limelight. "Experts" say that the Packers will have a better chance with Favre to win, but how will we know if he never gets the chance to play?

And the Packers owe Favre nothing. They did their part. They chased him around until the retirement, and they dealt with the retirement dance for the two years prior.

No one player is bigger than a team. The Packers know that and Favre needs to recognize that too. He doesn't feel wanted? He was wanted. He said no. Too bad.

He should accept his position as Rodgers back up and support him through the turmoil he's putting the young quarterback through. Rodgers has his own problems trying to will Favre's shoes and having former Louisville standout, Brian Brohm, in the background waiting for an opportunity of his own.

I love and respect Favre; don't get me wrong. But enough is enough. Leave. Go. Retire. Relax. Go to Disney Land.

But don't come back. Please.

EDIT: I do, however, feel that if Favre wishes to play, the Packers should trade or release him. He's a man and a professional and can choose to do as he pleases, just not in a Packers uniform. Yes, it would create quite the stir in Green Bay, but the current situation is doing the same thing.

Favre would be better off not coming back, but if he wants to, the Packers should let him go.

Like Nelly said on 1st and 10: at least they could get something in return for him; anything they get would be more than what they had then they started.

Elton Brand Signing With 76ers Leaves Baron Davis Stranded

Gem Jefferson — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 08:47:20 -0400

Elton Brand reached an agreement with the Philadelphia 76ers on a five-year, $82 million deal, $7 million more than Los Angeles Clippers could offer him.

But they could not offer it to him because he publicly said that he would take less money to acquire an impact player to help the Clippers get to the playoffs.

That player was Baron Davis. Davis, like Brand, opted out of his final year of his contract and immediately agreed to a five-year, $65 million with the Clippers in hopes of playing with All-Star and close friend, Elton Brand.

Many reports are saying that Brand convinced Davis to join the Clips and that Brand agreed to stay in LA if Davis joined the team.

However, Brand chose money over his word, leaving Davis high and dry.

I personally don't mind the personal decision to take the money over loyalty, but if he indeed did lure Davis to LA, he should be ashamed of himself.

Baron Davis could have stayed in Golden State with his contract and earned $17.4 million over the next year, or found another team (probably for less money, but at least a contender).

Brand affected the life of another player with his agreement and backed-out for more money. He should have taken the Gilbert Arenas route, "what can I do with $127 million that I can't do with $111?"

Now Davis is stuck on a team that lost its two best players in the first day of free agency and the best option on the market, forward Josh Smith, doesn't quite replace either player.

Smith, at 6'9", is a small forward, but with Al Thornton already on the team, Smith will probably have to play the four spot. But in the Western Conference, the power forwards are taller, faster, and stronger than they are in the East (Tim Duncan, Amare Stoudemire, Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki).

While Davis and Smith could combine for exciting alley-oops and fast break plays, they are not the one-two punch that that would take LA to the playoffs.

Brand's decision leaves close friend, Davis, high and dry while he fills his pocket with an extra $7 million that he can now use to start his music and film career—and move closer to home.

Brand, Davis, Maggette in New Places but Don't Improve Their Situations

Gem Jefferson — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:59:53 -0400

After the clock struck midnight, three old faces landed in three new places and very little changed.

Baron Davis reached a verbal agreement with the Los Angeles Clippers, Corey Maggette is a Golden State Warrior, and Elton Brand, the top free agent this off-season, will be a Philadelphia 76er.

The Clippers, in less than 24 hours, went from a legitimate playoff contender back to the drawing board. They have a healthy amount of cap space left with the absence of Elton Brand, but great free agents to use it on.

Sure, there is Josh Smith, a long-limbed, high-flyer with no jump shot (sound familiar Clip fans? Darius Miles, maybe.). But the Clippers would be better off packing it up this offseason and making a major move via trade or next year in free agency.

The Warriors acquired Maggette—a natural small forward. Unless he makes the move to shooting guard, Maggette will be a high paid back up to Stephen Jackson. If he makes it to the starting lineup, the Warriors starting five will consist of three small forwards (Maggette, Jackson, Al Harrington), a shooting guard (Monta Ellis), and a center if Andris Biedrins starts.

The addition does not address any absence on the team unless the Warriors plan to trade one of their veterans for more complimentary pieces.

And then there were 76.

The 76ers tipped the scales out of everyone's favor by snatching Elton Brand from the Clippers' grasp. For an extra $20 million and the use of frequent flyer miles, Brand earned himself a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

While the Sixers are a more solid team now—at least on paper—they have not climbed up the ladder very much and will probably only move up a seed or two. Fourth seed would give them home court advantage, but they won't beat the Boston Celtics or Detroit Pistons in a seven-game series.

The top three free agents are now on teams where they won't make much of an impact. Davis and Maggette would have been in a better position to win if they had stayed where they were.

However, there is plenty of time left in the offseason for free agent signings and trades and each of the three teams is a piece or two away from being legitimate contenders.

Los Angeles Clippers: Yes, They Can

Gem Jefferson — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 07:02:17 -0400

Can the Los Angeles Clippers make the playoffs? Yes, they can. And yes, they will.

The Clippers have reportedly agreed to terms with point guard Baron Davis, a bona fide scorer and passer.

If Elton Brand remains a man of his word and signs with the Clippers—leaving $20 million on the table to do so—the Clippers become a perennial playoff team overnight.

With Brand and Davis, the Clippers gain one of the strongest one-two punches in the league. There may not be a more formidable guard-forward combination than these two.

The acquisition of Davis also relieves the younger players on board.

Al Thornton, who blossomed in the latter half of the season, will now be the team's third option, which will allow him to progress at his own pace as he is on course to be a star in the NBA.

The Clippers had a very solid draft as well, acquiring Eric Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, and Mike Taylor.

Eric Gordon will be an All-Star—it is just a matter of time. He's a play maker; he's a great knockdown shooter and an underrated passer who gets to learn from one of the better scoring guards in the league in Baron Davis.

DeAndre Jordan may have some undeveloped skills, but he's a freak of an athlete who can jump out of the building. He'll be playing behind the new Olympian, Chris Kaman, who will show him how to play effectively on the ground, move his feet, and be a solid defender.

Mike Taylor is a solid ball player who can do a bit of everything and will find his way into the rotation with perseverance and heart—a forgotten intangible in young players.

The Clips still have Cuttino Mobley, Brevin Knight, Tim Thomas, and a bit of maneuvering room to grab a last second contributor or two off the free agent market.

If healthy, Mobley is a solid contributor on both ends of the floor, most noticeably as a knockdown shooter. Thomas, if he finds his stroke, can shoot from anywhere beyond half court and Knight is a solid on the ball defender and excellent passer.

The Clippers will have some roster spaces if they do not re-sign their current free agents. Regardless of who they bring in, LA should be a lock for the playoffs if they can just stay healthy.

The Clippers have a legitimate shot to be more than "the other team" in Los Angeles this year.

Miami Heat Have Hope for 2008-09 Season

Gem Jefferson — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 06:36:30 -0400

I assumed in an earlier article that Michael Beasley was a lock for the No. 1 pick in this year's draft and I was wrong--thankfully.

The Miami Heat, despite Pat Riley's hesitation to select him, got the player they needed in Mr. Beasley and acquired another high-level player in Mario Chalmers.

The rookies will have a decent amount of time before they are inserted into the starting lineup, but by season's end, the starting five should be:

PG: Mario Chalmers

SG: Dwyane Wade

SF: Michael Beasley

PF: Shawn Marion

C: Who cares, but probably Mark Blount

If Wade had to the play the two guard again this season, then Chalmers was the point guard the Heat needed. Chalmers can run an offense and benefit greatly from Wade's drive and dish attack.

Chalmers is a clutch performer and gives the Heat another option with time winding down in regulation.

And of course, there's Beasley. Very little needs to be said about his ability. He's Carmelo Anthony with a mean streak.

He's not the fastest or strongest player on the court, but he has the shooting range to be a threat from anywhere, the power to be a force in the paint, and the desire to pound the offensive glass until his team scores.

Beasley was the best all-around player in the draft and the Heat solidified a solid third scoring option behind Wade and Marion. Being the third option will be great for Beasley who put up better numbers than Kevin Durant in college, but won't have to carry a franchise on his back from day one.

The Center position won't be that important. Whoever it is just can't be a liability on either side of the ball—just grab boards and defend the paint.

Mark Blount is young enough and though Haslem is a natural four, the East is not known for its centers. (Their best center, Dwight Howard, is a power forward in denial.) Haslem will be able to pound the glass and take charges at the five spot as well as spread the floor for the slashers.

With Daequan Cook, Jason Williams, and either Haslem or Blount (whoever does not start), if the Heat retain or replace Ricky Davis and Alonzo Mourning, the team will have decent reserves to back up a solid young core.

If healthy, the Heat can return to playoff form, even in an improving Eastern Conference.

Open Mic: What's a Sport?—Here's Your Answer

Gem Jefferson — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:51:30 -0400

Sports fans have asked for years: "What is a sport?" For lack of a better answer, some of us have left it up to ESPN to decide what a sport is, often giving them the benefit of the doubt that they would never show anything to us that was not a sport.

And then, they gave us poker.

So, we need a new source, and ladies and gentleman of the world, I am that source.

I define a sport as a competitive activity that requires muscle stress or tension.

Yes, it's a pretty broad definition, but it should be.

That definition includes the major sports that we all accept: basketball, football, hockey, baseball, tennis, soccer, weight lifting, rugby, lacrosse, wrestling, martial arts, track and field, mixed martial arts, boxing, swimming, gymnastics, marathon running, cycling, auto-racing (have you tried to control a car going just 80 through a turn?).

It also allows for the lesser accepted competitions such as golf, cheerleading (both girls and guys), hunting, luging, ice and figure skating, every form of disabled sports (it takes an amazing amount of strength to do what they do in a wheelchair), and those awkward Olympic sports most of don't quite understand (which group of wives tricked their husbands into cleaning for a medal?).

You also have your gym class sports like dodgeball, that game where the ball spins around the pole, kick ball, and wuffle ball.

And, more importantly, this does not include poker. I have nothing against poker, but it isn't a sport. No chess, no checkers, backgammon, scrabble, cup stacking or spelling bees here, people.

I think we're all in agreement that sports should cause you to break a sweat or burn a few calories.

I hope this simplifies the "What is a sport?" debate, if only just a little.

Gasol to LA, Shaq to Phoenix, There are More Trades on the Horizon in the NBA

Gem Jefferson — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 07:45:23 -0500

The Boston Three Party. The Lakers new Pau-er Forward. The Sun Rising in Phoenix. With all the new faces in new places everyone is satisfied now, aren’t they?

Well, not exactly. There is still a lot of work to be done before the trade deadline reaches. First order of business: make LeBron happy.

The Cleveland Cavaliers need to make a move to give LeBron a quality second option and solidify their position as a favorite for the finals. Now, if they had signed Michael Redd they would not have this problem. Instead, they ended up with injury prone Larry Hughes, who had an amazing contract year and seemed to be a great fallback option.

But hindsight is 20/20 and he is not the player that the Cavs expected when they decided to dish out $10 million a year. And they are stuck with him now that everyone else knows he is not the spark plug he was in Washington and his contract is not expiring this year.

As a matter of fact, the Cavs just signed two more bad contracts with Sasha Pavlovic and Anderson Varajeo, who may have qualified as decent trade bait if Cleveland would have shaved a couple million off of those salaries. So now, LeBron wants Jason Kidd but unfortunately cannot have him, especially since it looks like Kidd will head to the Mavericks. What would they have traded to get him? Hughes and Varajeo? I would not take that. Neither would the Nets.

Speaking of the New Jersey Nets, they want to restructure too, and rightfully so. The “Not as Big a Three as San Antonio and Boston” obviously cannot win the title so it is time to ship them off. The Dallas Mavericks' management would love to add Kidd to the roster but Devean George decided it was a bad idea. Who?

George has to be the only player to shoot 0-11 one night and become GM the next. There's a dim hope George will soften his stance and allow himself to be traded but Cuban may need to go take the Keith Van Horn route after all. Maybe Kidd won't be traded.

So let’s ship Vince Carter. Sure, it sounds great but he is not the spring chicken he once was and while he may still be able to leap tall Russians in a single bound, he does not exactly jump out of the building like he used to. He is still exciting and more flexible in age and playing ability than Kidd so he would probably get moved, but who needs a shooting guard?

The Indiana Pacers are thinking of trading Jermaine O’ Neal for Carter straight up. That’s great for the Nets. But the Pacers would leave themselves with a huge void to fill. Finding a good big man is much harder than finding a decent swingman and Jermaine is two years younger than Carter. The chances of the Pacers picking up a solid shooting guard before O’ Neal, 29, gets too old are much better than drafting a solid power forward before Carter, 31, does. And they would still need other pieces to be come a playoff contender. Forget the ring.

Now the Nets could trade Kidd or Carter for a few drafts picks and make trades to free-up cap space but they just helped the Memphis Grizzlies do that by taking Stromile Swift off of their hands so they obviously are thinking win now or win with less.

Now if the Pacers want to fill holes in a lineup, they should call the Grizzlies. There is a void at shooting guard and Mike Miller would fill it. And at the rate the Grizzlies are going, the bidding price probably is not that high.

And the Suns may not be done either. The Phoenix lineup is old. Very old. Half of its lineup could retire tomorrow if no one is watching. To be a playoff contender you need fresh legs that can go seven games from the first round to the finals.

Eric Piatkowski is not exactly fresh and unless 35 is the new 25, Nash, Shaq, and Grant Hill are going to be winded. Even Raja Bell is 31. Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw, and Amare Stoudemire are young players who will have to play a lot of minutes to make this work, but more importantly, solid minutes. Chemistry wise, Shaq and Marion may have been the stronger frontcourt duo to win right now, but what’s done is done.

Lastly, the New Orleans Hornets could use a small trade to strengthen the bench. They are a young and fast team led by one of the leagues best point guards, but a sprinkle of veteran leadership on that bench could change things dramatically for the surprising Hornets come playoff time. The current squad will have problems against the very physical Popovich-led Spurs.

With the trade deadline drawing near, expect one more jaw-dropping transaction to take the NBA by storm. The playoff picture is as open as it has ever been and every general manager is aware of it. The championship trophy is up for grabs and a team could take it with a single trade.