2026 NBA Offseason Grades (Central Division)

CHICAGO BULLS: B+

You have to give it to the Bulls that, at least they're trying, and we have to presume that the additions of Powell, Claxton and Caleb Wilson will make this team better.  It's possible that they may even be entertaining, as the roster looks really fast on paper and have some good athletes.

The goal, I would presume, is to at least make the playoffs.  And even though the conference has gotten deeper, like if they can't even do that, then maybe it's time to start striving for a young A-lister to bring in.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: B-

More than any team this offseason, I would say the Cavs took one step forward, two steps backwards.  And somehow, saying that doesn't feel surprising.

The addition of Watson is cool, I guess, maybe.  But now, Cleveland has gone from being one of the deepest rosters to having more, perhaps even too much, talent concentrated at the top.

And the bigger concern is still compatibility.  I was saying before that these starters need a 3 like Josh Hart.  And since then, Dillon Brooks also came to mind (i.e. if he didn't chuck as much).  But Peyton Watson?  He's a shooter and a board crasher.  The more the merrier, I guess.  But the goal should have been the type of glue man who could mitigate Harden's overdribbling, and Spider being forced to the 2, even though he'd probably be better at the 1.  Oh sh*t - the word Ben Simmons almost came out my mouth.

I think the Cavs are the only team who have three long, skinny dudes starting.  I don't know if they're officially the tallest frontline.  But either way, that's a sound piece of wembyproofing.

But again, the problem is, damn.  I don't even wanna talk about Cleveland anymore.  Ultimately, someone on the bench must have an amazing season

DETROIT PISTONS: C

Taking for granted that Duren is going to stick around (at least another year), the Pistons offseason hasn't been that bad because, to reiterate, Collins isn't a slouch.

I also wish Harris had stuck around, at least for another season.  So all those years as a pariah and then finally, this postseason, you redeem yourself.  I think it would have been better if he stayed on the team where the redemption took place.

The bigger pain, though, is the departure of Isaiah Stewart, who felt a true Piston.  The braintrust did a pretty good job of keeping the core together, up until now.  Remember that just two seasons ago, they had one of the worst records - in history.  In a span of just a year, that same core was then able to earn the number one seed.  I'm not quite sure why you would want to devalue an accomplishment like that.

Also, let's be frank.  Detroit's record was a lot better last season than in 2024-25.  But in 2024-25, they were more intimidating.  And who did they most notably lose after that season?

When you talk about a secondary scorer to play alongside Cade, Malik Beasley isn't the type to come to mind.  But maybe the moral of the story is that the Pistons don't even need another A-lister.  Detroit isn't tall, but they have one of the best frontlines.  The lingering issue though is lack of intimidating wings.

Silver and co., you know what I'm saying?  Cut your boy some slack.  If he's eventually found guilty or whatever, he's going to need the dough to payoff penalties anyway.

INDIANA PACERS: D

As it currently stands, I'm angrier with this braintrust than any other.  No, they didn't gut the roster last season.  But at the same time, they should have done everything possible to keep it intact (i.e. retaining Turner and/or Mathurin).

First, they would've won more games.  And what exactly was the purpose of (intentionally) losing last season?  All you were able to get is a second rounder.  And there's no way the team would have been that bad if Myles had stayed around. Suck, maybe, but not bottom of the barrel.

If Haliburton is able to come back and reclaims his "Steph of the East" magic, okay.  If not, then yeah, you know what I mean?  Let the other dudes learn to survive without him, and no, not in that getting-run-off-the-court-every-other-night type of way.  The 2024-25 Pacers were the greatest Cinderella story of the last 20 years, despite not winning it all. So even if the star player goes down, why would the braintrust want to reaccustom them to losing?

MILWAUKEE BUCKS: D

This D feels a little low, but then again yeah, if you lose Giannis, you know?  And it ain't even about what they could've got in return.  Even if they did bring back another superstar, he wouldn't have been homegrown and someone who already led the city to a championship, nor is any player actually more dominant.  This one was going to hurt no matter what, and the Bucks were able to come out of it respectfully.

And I'm kinda excited for their future, almost to the point of maybe even watching them again, sometimes.  Herro is set to enjoy an undisputed alpha level of freedom and may be the only white American player to lead a team.  Also, we now get a chance to see if Kel'el is truly a starter.

Fun Fact: Kyle Kuzma is still on this team, lol.

Also, Myles Turner is lingering around.  Please, find a way to get dude back to Indy and fast track the rebuild.

CONCLUSION

This division is unique, in that it's supposed to have two contenders, as well as possibly a third, if Haliburton returns in form.  But it damn sure doesn't feel that way, as if the Central is truly formidable.  The Cavs aren't afraid to take big swings, but they swing so hard that they miss the ball.  The Pistons are still bickering with who is considered to be their second-best player, besides losing who was arguably their emotional leader.  And the Pacers were so bad last season that now it feels like they're re-starting from scratch.  But there's no way that all three of them can disappoint, right?

Continued Indecisionism, and other Musings

BEAL CHOOSES A HOME

Rather, this subtitle should be something like 'Beal Stays Home', as he opted to remain with the Clippers.  And that brings me to something I want to say about this organization.  In 30+ years of following the NBA, I can't remember LAC ever being contenders.  During the Lob City era, maybe I was out of touch or something, but I just never saw them like that.  Must watch, yes.  But contenders, not really, even though now looking back, they really did have a formidable, balanced roster.

But one thing you have to respect is, when have you ever heard of the Clippers tanking?  Even if Kawhi leaves, the way their roster is constructed, it's obvious that they intend to compete and are not undergoing a rebuild.  Indeed, I can't recall LAC ever intentionally going through a rebuild either.

It doesn't look like the Clippers will be as deep as they were last season.  But in a roundabout way that may be good thing, as now expectations will be even lower.

That said, Beal, if healthy, isn't a slouch.  What's rather been established these past couple of seasons is that he isn't a superstar either.  And that's a good thing, because again, it isn't ideal to have unrealistic expectations.  If LAC overachieves, I mean no one can see the future.  But if not, don't try to fit a square peg into a round hole type shit.

Also, I must say once again - the Raptors will likely be contenders with Kawhi, which you gotta respect, but the Clippers would be better served retaining his services also.  Will Leonard sticking around, even if healthy, suddenly make them contenders?  No, not likely.  But even though this braintrust may not have a loser mentality, it's also obvious - after the failed, multi-year superteam experiment - that they've taken their foot off the gas a bit.  But I mean, yeah.  That's how good Kawhi is.  And even more than the Raptors, I'd love to see him go back to the Spurs.

THE KUMINGA SAGA DRAGS ON

I saw some headline on the Kuminga saga today but didn't even bother to read the article.  His situation doesn't have that same type of intensity as the Lebron indecision drama.  Also, it doesn't appear so much that Jonathan is undecided as it is him feeling undervalued or whatever.  But what I'm imagining is something like the Cavs underpaying the Beard and using the extra dough to pick up Kuminga on a respectable contract.

That said, earlier today I was watching some clips of that amazing first game he had upon being traded to the Hawks last season (who did Golden State get in return anyway?).  But by the time all was said and done, i.e. ATL getting their asses trounced in the playoffs, like Kuminga wasn't even part of the rotation.  Meanwhile, he was like the biggest dude on the roster, and they obviously needed some size against NYK.  But again, he was relegated to the end of the bench or in any event was akin to a nonfactor.

So I mean yeah, it's understandable why teams, all thing considered, aren't in a rush to pay him the $20mil or whatever he's demanding.  But that said, it's kinda similar to the Beal situation.  Sometimes, you can only truly tell how much potential a player has by placing him in diverse situations.  And what's been established is that Steve Kerr and co. did a good job developing Kuminga into a multi-faceted player.  Dude seemingly came into the league raw, albeith athletic AF, but now he can dribble, shoot and all that sh*t.  However, that doesn't mean you actually want him playing point or being ball dominant, which makes a team like Cleveland most ideal.

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH DEROZAN?

In terms of consistency, predictability and accomplishments, I would argue that DeRozan is preferable to both Beal and Kuminga.  So it feels kinda odd that certain teams, like the Heat for instance, don't appear to be making more of an effort to acquire him.  I would imagine that virtually any team in the league could use a 'midrange assassin'.  What about the Pistons?  It all just feels kinda weird, like DeMar has fallen out of grace, though it's hard to imagine why.  Maybe appearing in too many rap videos and shit like that?

And speaking of Detroit, might as well make peace with Duren already.  Whether or not he's worthy of a max, I mean how many guys on max contracts can really and truly will their teams to (postseason) wins to begin with?  And the more important question - who TF wants to play for the Pistons anyway?

Let's say Jalen doesn't sign an extension and leaves next offseason.  Whether he proves to be a true superstar or not, who are they gonna get to replace him?  What free agent of his caliber would sign with Detroit and furthermore for the non-max money they're asking him to take?  Maybe this braintrust knows something I don't.

THE CELTICS CONFIRMED WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING (AND IMPLYING?) ALL ALONG

Reading in between the lines of the statement the Celtics just released, they indirectly verified what I've been saying all along, that they actually prefer Tatum over Brown.  Again, I don't know what's actually going on behind the scenes, but I'd be compelled to believe that colorism is a factor.  That is to say that it's really hard to make sense of this decision from a purely basketball standpoint.

You have two supermax players who together are going to consume 70% of the payroll, and meanwhile, there's 13 other dudes to pay.  Okay, one of them has to go.  So which one do you get rid of?  Do you trade the one that previously won Finals MVP, unexpectedly was in the regular season MVP race just last season, has proven he can perform without the other and is also sturdier?  Or do you choose the one who, as formidable as he may be, is coming off a major injury and has never proven the ability to perform alone, so to speak.

So if it isn't colorism, then the organization must genuinely like Jayson better as a person, or maybe they even flatout dislike Jaylen, because otherwise, again, it's hard to make logical sense out of their argument.  And that said, no, I don't believe Tatum can lead this team, even with its revamped roster, to overachieve the way Brown did.  And if his health fails again, this decisiion is gonna get ugly real quick.

Lebron to Golden State, For Parity's Sake

First off, let me begin by stating that I am an Adam Silver fan and for the most part support all of this “parity” shit he’s pushing, even while a number of other pundits are vehemently complaining.

TAX APRONS

Concerning all of this “tax apron” shit, first of all, the way I remember it, NBA teams have always been more or less empowered to spend as much as they like - that is to say, within their respective budgets.  So it’s not like that’s actually changed now, but more like the more dough you spend, the higher the “tax” penalty.

So now, finally, you see that organizations across the board are truly shook.  But still, this isn’t a perfect system, and indeed, no worldly system is.

For instance, let’s say someone like Elon Musk were to buy an NBA team.  Would he be as reluctant as James Dolan to venture into the ‘dreaded second apron’.  Would he be reluctant to spend at all?  The richer you are, the more you can buy.  That’s not the NBA; that’s financial reality.

And in terms of promoting equality across the league, let’s be frank.  There are some teams out there, money or no, that have a much harder time attracting stars than others.  That’s something I’ll get into a bit later, when talking about Lebron and Detroit.

Well now, the better teams won’t be able to pay everyone who may want to play for them.  So since “the NBA is a business”, more players will be compelled to go to the less popular teams that can actually afford their worth(?).

That said, I think it does sorta suck that now, players are being more or less forced to take pay cuts.  We had a few years there where C-listers were commonly making $10+mil/year.  But now, those days appear to be over (i.e. the Dort situation).

ANTI-TANKING

While teams are being forced to penny pinch, they’re concurrently being disincentivized from intentionally losing which, unlike other professional sports(?), is actually a thing in the NBA.  So now, everyone is being pushed into the middle, so to speak.

You can no longer rationalize stacking a team to your heart’s content.  And let’s be honest - do superteams statistically work anyway?  More have failed than succeeded, and even the ones that have won sometimes still have to rely on the NBA powers-that-be(?).

And at the same time, you can no longer rationalize intentionally losing either -  at least not with the goal of landing the highest draft pick possible.  Or more simply put, what Silver and co. have done is made the league more competitive.

The way I foresee it, we fans will no longer be treated to scab games, i.e. teams fielding a bunch of D-listers while stars are resting or whatever, because popularity = sales, winning = popularity and losing ≠ high draft picks like it used to.  So there’s really no reason to stash a favorite on the injury list, unless maybe he’s truly hurt.

EXPANSION IN MIND

And when arguing against Silver, one thing pundits always seem to forget is that soon, the NBA will be expanding to 32 teams.  I personally believe that’s the primary reason why the powers-that-be are now taking “parity” more seriously, because the league already has an issue when it comes to disseminating talent, and it’ll only get worse if you add a couple of more squads to the mix with things remaining as they were.

So what am I now predicting?  That the NBA will continue to trend towards youth, as apparently there’s a plethora of talented youngsters popping up in the past couple of years.  However, in terms of these youth movements, it’s like a team will be really competitive for maybe like five years and then fall off.  Part of the reason will be organizations not having as much money to throw around anymore, so once stars age and start getting injured, it’ll affect them more adversely than ever (i.e. Jalen Williams).

NO SYMPATHY FOR OKC

No, I don’t feel sorry for the Thunder.  I’m a strong advocate of stacking teams, in terms of having as many above-average players on your roster as possible, not in terms of blowing out the competition but because now, in the NBA’s “tender age”, dudes are getting injured more than ever.  So better to have as much roster insurance as possible.

But at same time, look at OKC in the playoffs.  Like the old saying goes, ‘there’s only one ball to go around’.  Yet you have a team of like 10+ players who deserve extended court time.  And despite their depth, the Thunder still failed to repeat regardless.

Since acquiring what’s-his-name from Philly, OKC had more dudes than they could field anyway, even with a couple of injuries.  Players want to win, but I would venture to say even moreso, they want to actually play.  So yeah, spread the wealth a bit.

EFFECTIVE BRAINTRUSTING NO LONGER AN OPTION

So what Silver has done is made it such that having a quality braintrust is now perhaps more important than ever.  Luck is very much a factor, as injuries can derail even the best laid plans.  But now, payroll departments have to work overtime to make sure every penny spent is put to good use, and GMs have to think harder about compatibility, i.e. maximizing role players instead of over-relying on superstars.

LEBRON TO THE PISTONS?

That said, the Knicks are heading into next season as a superteam.  They may not be in the traditional big 3 sense (unless Anunoby is now considered a superstar).  But they are in terms of having two perennial allstars, buttressed by two or three players who may be allstars if they were on lesser teams.  And by that definition, there are also arguably other supersteams out there, such as the Spurs, the aforementioned Thunder and even the Cavs, as they currently stand without Lebron.

And speaking of Lebron, as readers of this blog know, I’ve been most strongly advocating the idea of him going to the Pistons, even though they aren’t on his shortlist or even apparently on his long list.  Obviously, it’s not someplace James wants to go, and who know if they want him either.  But I made that assertion based solely on fit, i.e. of all eight teams who at least made the semifinals last postseason, they’re the ones who most need Lebron and vice versa, in terms of actually winning a championship.

And on that note, let me ask this.  When was the last time an A-list, coveted NBAer voluntarily went to the Pistons?  I’m sitting here racking my brain, spanning over the last 30-40 years and literally can’t think of anyone.

I have no idea why this is so, since they aren’t like a small market team.  Detroit is one of America’s premiere cities, and unlike most franchises, I mean yeah, the Pistons have their eras of sucking (i.e. the 2010s), but unlike most at least they have a couple of (modern) championships under their belt.

So now, they’re going to be forced to overpay Jalen Duren.  That’s right, I said it - overpay.  Dude is a stud, like you can just look at him and see that.  But he reminds me of one those types who's like really tall and athletic but doesn’t know how to actually play basketball.

Duren is a star based solely on physicality, so to speak.  And I mean it’s all good; I’m not hating.  Dennis Rodman, arguably my favorite player of all time, also falls into that category, even more than Jalen.

But Duren doesn’t strike me as the kind of C that can lead a team to a championship.  But that said, there’s a number of max players out there, regardless of position, who can’t lead a team to a championship.

GOLDEN STATE OF MIND

But now, the reason I’m writing this post is in support of Lebron going to the Warriors instead.  Do I think Lebron + Steph, buttressed by the Dubs’ current roster, can win a championship?  Hell no, unless maybe Butler comes back at reinvigorated, 1000% strength and furthermore is able to stay on the court.

But with that in mind, for parity’s sake, it looks like these guys are really going to suck.  So at the heart of my argument is this.  Even if Golden State doesn’t win games, at least with Lebron - unlike the past couple of seasons - they’ll be must watch.  So if you can’t achieve parity in competitiveness, at least try to do so in viewership.

Another reason Lebron + Golden State may be a match made in heaven is because neither appreciates youth.  I knew the day would come when the Dubs would regret not taking the likes of Poole and Kuminga more seriously, making more of an effort to incorporate youthful standouts instead of writing them off, and that day was already last season.  So as they currently stand, things definitely aren’t looking pretty heading into 2027.

CONCLUSION

I’ve slept on the Warriors in the past only to later eat my words.  But things reach a point where even if you’re unable to accept reality, you at least have to respect it.

Steph is still must watch, when it’s the postseason and he’s actually playable.  But otherwise, nobody really gives AF about the Dubs anymore, and you know, we fans want a reason to care.  That issue would be instantly rectified with the acquisition of Lebron.

But obviously, you know, the King wants to win besides just pleasing fans.  In terms of actually winning, based on his shortlist, I also recently argued that the Sixers would be the best choice.  They wouldn’t be a better fit than the Pistons, but again, there’s no indication he wants to go to Detroit.  And it seems that LBJ may have recently dropped a hint that he is likewise leaning towards Philly.

Lebron and the (Forced) Waiting Game

I understand why Lebron is waiting things out, even more than usual.  Despite the fact that he's likely going to get paid around $10mil - i.e. more than most people earn in their entire lives - for a single season, he's 'no longer playing for the money'.

Even more than when he teamed up with D-Wade, now he wants an instant championship, as time is no longer on his side.  So instead of chopping some team's financial reserves and forcing them into a position where they can't properly flesh out the roster (i.e. what happened with the Lakers?), sit back, let the braintrusts prove their own worth and then, after the smoke has cleared, choose the team that best looks like it will win with your (aged) presence.

WHAT ABOUT THE KNICKS OR SPURS?

The media, including Rich Paul, makes it sound like the ball is all in King James's court, but idk. And the reason I say that is because, if he wanted to win a championship now-now-now, the best bet would of course be going to one of the two teams that just made the Finals.

That's the beauty of Lebron's game, in theory.  (Offensively) he can play any position, 1 through 5, at a superstar, impactual level. But the reason I say in theory is because even though he can still, to this day, dominate the post, he seems reluctant to go down there on a regular basis.  So a lot of times, you have LBJ chucking up threes like he's a little guy, despite there being actual little guys on the team (who can't play in the post like he can).  Though, in Lebron's defense, he's definitely clutch.

The Knicks just lost Mitchell Robinson, so they actually have space for another big.  That's not to say LBJ can defend Wemby or anything like that.  But now, out of all NYK's notable bench players, none of them are frontcourt - no disrespect to Drummond, who can average 10rpg in his sleep, but you know what I mean.  And that's going to be an interesting alternate look anyway, i.e. the times KAT can't play, and NYK starts Andre instead(?).

The Spurs would make even better sense.  When they lost to NYK, even before Lebron made himself available, I was saying that what they needed is another low-post presence besides Wemby (and Kornet).

Champagnie is an amazing shooter but, for a 4, appears as if they can't really do shit in the post.  Players like Castle and Harper make more noise downlow than Julian does.

San Antonio went out and got Harris, which is a sound move, i.e. potentially starting him alongside Julian.  You know, the two of them together makes sense rather than having one or the other, as Tobias also, given his size, is a shooter who's more or less a nonfactor downlow.

Lebron would be perfect because he shoots just as good as Champagnie(?) or Harris but furthermore can dominate in the post, while Victor is out on the perimeter.  His presence would free Wemby up to truly play like a guard sometimes, without having to worry about the consequences of not being in a position to get a rebound (i.e. that last-second play against the Knicks in Game 4),

But the way I see the situation, it reminds me of a saying one of my mentors used to have - "familiarity breeds contempt".  From the outside looking in, we all love Lebron.  But the people who actually know him, i.e. his colleagues, maybe all of them don't feel the same.  In other words, I find it interesting that the Spurs especially never seemed to entertain the idea of bringing the King in.

DETROIT PISTONS

The one team I've been pushing for Lebron to join, even before the offseason began, has been the Pistons.  At this point in his career, he's exactly what Detroit needs - "a secondary scorer" as the media puts it, i.e. someone who can put up points at will, but playing defense is a bonus.  It sucks that they got rid of Isaiah Stewart, but the Pistons, with Ausar Thompson may still have the defensive weapons to mitigate elder Lebron's deficiencies.

That's also presuming that Duren actually comes back.  Of late, the media has been bemoaning the idea that restricted free agents are powerless in negotiations, but I don't know.  Any contract where you can get paid tens of millions of dollars whether you're able to take the court or not sounds like a definite win on the part of the employee.  That's like being a don't-give-AF CEO of a big corporation.

But this appears to be another case where both sides aren't particularly interested.  Lebron didn't put Detroit on his list of preferred destinations, nor have they expressed an interest in having him.

And that's the interesting thing about those teams he did list.  Going to the Sixers (now with Brown) or the Heat (now with Giannis) may result in an instant championship, but neither is really guaranteed.  Philly may have depth issues (in light of the less-than-ideal health of Embiid), and Miami lacks shooting.

The teams that could more visibly slot LBJ in and instantly win - the Spurs, Knicks and Pistons, interestingly aren't even on his list (and vice versa).  Dude is feening but apparently ain't feening like that.  And the reason I didn't mention the Cavs, to reiterate, is because even though having the King buttressing Allen + Mobley would be ideal, I'm still having a hard time envisioning him and the Beard(?) playing together.

TORONTO RAPTORS

Toronto is a team which, even though they lost in the First Round, it was apparent that Cleveland wasn't necessarily better squad, and the Raptors are only one player away from being contenders.  Ideally that player would be a big, someone who could potentially play the 5 instead of Barnes, now that the NBA is embracing tallness again.

Quality, traditional-like bigs, as I foresaw years ago, are now in high demand but short supply.  So the next best thing, if you want a 4 who can play elite defense (keeping Scottie at the 5), would be to bring in Kawhi.  We were almost there, and shoutout to Steve Ballmer, who's always one step ahead in the game. Like you see how he tried to get Leonard out of there quick.

And after Kawhi, the next best available option may be Lebron.  He may not be an elite defender anymore.  But the thing about the King, besides being a giant, is that he also has a presence.

There's not many players, including some superstars, you can say that about.  LBJ may fall asleep, like a grandpa on his rocking chair, sometimes.  But when he's really vested, he always makes an impact.  James just getting a steal or dunking these days makes the crowd go crazy, even if he's away.  And all of that said, imagine if the Raptors somehow managed to get him and Kawhi(?).  Yet another reason for the King to sit back and wait.

HONORABLE MENTION: GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

I haven't really been pushing the idea of James going to Golden State, but I'm not hating either.  If that's where he really wants to go, to finally compete in the NBA besides Curry, then the implication would be that even when they lose, you know, he won't really be vexed, since that's something they both want to do (and both have already won numerous championships).  And the only reason I remembered the Dubs is because just yesterday, Steph made some comment about wanting Lebron to come over.

The King would really have to want to be there also because, even though their roster doesn't suck, like dudes are old AF.  And this isn't even about the league trending young or anything like that.  It's about, oh shit, Butler and Porzingis?  The way Golden State's roster is designed, if they lose Jimmy again, that would be more or less akin to the Sixers losing Embiid.

It's really sad when you think about, how with some players, you can't really enjoy watching them for fear injury.  Players like Draymond, Butler and even Porzingis would help mitigate Lebron's defensive deficiencies.  But besides Green, long-term injury is more or less inevitable.

So on nights when, say, neither Jimmy or Kristaps can play, or the latter is playing but a nonfactor due to his plethora of ailments, how would this team look?  Imagine Lebron + Steph + Draymond, sans Jimmy (not to mention they recently lost Looney and Post), against a team like OKC or SA?  Like I don't even wanna see no shit like that, and they better re-sign Payton Jr.

The best way for a superstar to age is like Kareem, surrounded by younger stars, on a team that can win without always demanding too much out of him.  Lebron has been an allstar forever and probably will be this coming season also.  But still, at this point you don't want to force the onus on him.

CONCLUSION

King James is one of the few players in the NBA who could literally help any team on the court, due to his variety of styles.  And what he now lacks in defense, he makes up for in offense and ticket sales.

But that doesn't mean every team actually wants him.  It ain't like dude is some humble G-Leaguer trying to make it big.  He's the best player ever.

So yeah, it's understandable, since he's dealing with a shortlist instead of picking one specific squad and since he's willing to play for relatively nothing, that Lebron waits to see what his preferred destinations can put together without him.  None, as it currently stands, are definitively champions.  And none, as it currently stands, would have all of their shortcomings solved simply by bringing in the King.

Lebron in the Mix

It’s pretty amazing that Lebron “Rushmore” James is still demanding this much attention as a free agent.

I’ve been advocating the idea of him going to the Pistons.  Yes, there are a lot of teams out there that could use LBJ.  When I made that suggestion for instance, that was before the Sixers acquired Brown.

Still, I can totally see Lebron helping Detroit win a championship, because more than anything last postseason they needed another superstar scorer.  More than on any other true ‘contender’ in this conversation, King James’s defensive deficiencies would have been mitigated in the Motor City, you know, before they lost Stewart

That’s why it’s kinda hard for me to envision him on the Nuggets or Timberwolves.  If this was prime, still-interested-in-playing-defense Lebron, him + Jokic would definitely win a championship.  And I guess with Watson around and moving James to the 3, it might work.  But then, what’s going to happen to Cam Johnson?  And you have to presume that Christian Braun isn’t particularly exuberant about sticking around.  You helped dudes win a championship, but now they’re more interested in signing a former rival.

With the T-Wolves, taking nothing away from Gobert + McDaniels, but the defensive burden, as a starting 4, would be too much.  Remember that the Spurs and Thunder are still out there.  You wouldn’t want, for instance, “the Highlander” being stuck in a situation where he has to defend Wemby during a history-defining possession.

LEBRON A SIXER?

That’s one of the reasons why, out of the teams he suggested, the Sixers may make the most sense, because he’ll not only be in the East but playing alongside Jaylen Brown.  It remains to be concluded, but Brown may be one of those Kawhi types who can elevate an entire team’s defense.  Lebron + Embiid being tasked with defending the box isn’t ideal and may not happen consistently anyway given Joel’s health.  But I think inspiration + talent can carry this squad through.  The Sixers haven’t won anything of late but still are one of the most respected franchises in the league.

It isn’t only about if James can still play at a high level.  It’s about, at his age and with his résumé, what would inspire him to play defense every time he’s on the court?

Son is in his 40s.  He can just forget shit for a couple seconds like ‘oh shit Lebron, dude just ran right by you’.  So you don’t want to put him on a team where he might get bored halfway through the season.

You wouldn’t want to put him on a squad, like the two aforementioned, where there’s a possibility that they could still be mediocre.  You know what I’m saying?  He’s going to take a below-average contract.  So you don’t want December rolling around and dude is like ‘man, I’m not getting paid anyway, so fuck it’.

SHOUTOUT TO DAVION MITCHELL

I also like the Heat, and this is something I would really like to point out in this post.  Notice when Lebron, via Rich Paul, was giving a shoutout to Miami’s roster, the first player he mentioned wasn’t Bam or Giannis but Davion Mitchell.  That, my friend, is inspiration.

Also, even more than the Pistons were last season, we have to now presume that Miami is a defensive juggernaut in the post.  Andrew Wiggins is another above-average defensive player I think.   The way dudes’ G core got gutted these past couple of seasons isn’t ideal.  But defensively, remember that Bam and Giannis can also play the perimeter.

A NAKED FACE

The reason I don’t think a reunion with the Cavs would work comes down to two words - the Beard.  There’s no reason to have both Lebron and Harden on the same squad, because both are (divas and) best on the ball.  It also kinda puzzles me sometimes how the Beard is still demanding near-max money, while Westbrook and CP3 can’t even get a contract.  I’m thinking maybe it’s because of his passing ability(?).

On paper, Lebron (and Bronny) back in Cleveland would work, but they would have to shave the Beard.  And I don’t even mean forcing him to play the 2 or come off the bench or anything like that.  I mean not even like having dude on the roster, because it’ll just be a distraction.

Lebron could help mitigate the fact that even though Cleveland has twin towers, they’re not necessarily a team that’s known for its ability to dominate the post offensively.  Allen is a defensive player, and Mobley plays more like a 3.  And you know, I’m tired of Evan bashing already.  Maybe that’s what he actually needs - unc.

It’s kinda strange how the Cavs have never just entrusted Spider with the point.  But that being said, having Lebron by his side makes more sense than Harden, even if they did make (and got embarrassed in) the Conference Finals.

OLD BUT SPRY

One of the reasons GM Lebron hasn’t been as successful in recent years is due to embracing these sorta nostalgic, dream team movements instead of thinking more logically.  He and D-Wade won Olympic gold in 2012, immediately became NBA teammates and proceeded to win a couple of championships (or something like that).  Well, they were both in their prime then.

Lebron and Carmelo have won a number of golds together, but by the time they teamed up stateside, both were in like twilight years type shit, besides having another relative agemate, Russell Westbrook, around.  That didn’t work at all.

Lebron recently won a highly-competitive gold medal alongside Curry.  Despite being surrounded by a bunch of younger players, it took Rushmore’s heroics - besides Steph’s magic - to emerge victorious.  So the first thing we as NBA fans were thinking is like ‘wow, what if they played on same the team?’  And yeah, I believe Lebron thinks like that also, like he doesn’t have common sense sometimes.  But the moment has passed.

The Warriors are the quintessential example of why you can’t embrace the geriatric movement in the modern NBA.  Or let me say that if they’re insisting on staying old, then they shoulda just kept Klay around (instead of doing him dirty).

Jimmy Butler isn’t the problem per se but more like the scapegoat.  Some of these dudes, when they get hurt like that, you sometimes kinda wonder like why don’t you just retire already?  You know, you’re a sportsman, and you have to think about how your ridiculously-large contract is going to affect the team if you can’t play.

Meanwhile, you’re a journeyman type shit.  You know what I’m saying?  Once it becomes like every time you’re watching a dude play you’re afraid he’s gonna get hurt, like Paul George or some shit, then maybe it’s just time to retire or at least take a pay cut.   Having Lebron in town isn’t such a bad idea if Butler were replaced by a younger star.  And as for Kristaps, don’t even get me started.

CONCLUSION

Nothing is written in stone, and Philly has taken some (non-Brown related) losses this offseason, losing Grimes and Oubre.  But out of every squad on Rich Paul’s list, they seem the most logical as they currently stand, if LBJ wants to win an instant championship.  They’re still not a perfect match though, and that shows how much James's expectations may be unrealistic, at least in a single season.  You don’t want to put him in a situation where your team’s fate is up to his defense - unless he’s really, really inspired - night after night.

2026 Elimination Ruminations: Lakers, Timberwolves, Pistons

LOS ANGELES LAKERS (4-6)

LAL put up a gutsy effort, especially in Game 6, but I'm glad this series didn't drag on any longer than it had to.  And the funny thing is, out of every team in the NBA, it can said that they're facing the biggest dilemma heading into the offseason.

It's easy to say ignore Lebron and use that money to acquire another star or a couple of quality players.  That makes sense on the surface and is the approach I advocated coming into this season.

You can more or less take for granted that, if the Lakers do make the postseason, Luka "the Hamstring" Doncic will miss at least some games.  So part ways with Lebron and fortify the roster, with at least a couple of players just to be on the safe side, who can not only score but also play defense.  I mean, you can go for a single superstar with that money, but health across the board is pretty fragile these days.

But the reason this is a dilemma, and why doing so would be sorta a slap to the face of Lebron, is because he, more than anyone else on the roster (taking nothing away from Reaves or Hachimura), held the team down this postseason.  And say for instance, you replace LBJ with Giannis.  Would that really make a difference, championship-wise, given this roster?

I've been saying for years that Lebron needs to retire, but after this postseason, I kinda sorta feel differently.  Just the fact he's all old and shit makes anything he does more exciting.

But if LBJ intends to really chase another championship, he needs to go to a better team than LAL, which is funny thing to say, that they sorta need Lebron more than he needs them.  But what's obvious, considering that he's now been reduced solely to a scorer and facilitator, is ideally James should be running a second unit rather than starting.  And when I think of a team that's a contender that unquestionably needs an offensive specialist while simultaneously mitigating that player's defensive deficiencies, I think the Pistons most fit the bill, so long as they don't lose the likes of Duran and Thompson.

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (6-6)

Yes, I do think it was insulting - to his teammates, the coaching staff and Minnesota's braintrust at large - that Edwards went and started congratulating the Spurs, in front of the entire world, with almost a quarter left in Game 6, even though the contest - embarrassingly for the Wolves - was already decided by that point.  That's how it is sometimes when you have a teammate who knows or feels he's better than everyone else.  But it isn't a good look, and Anthony needs to watch out, because likability matters.  And it isn't like he hasn't let his team down in the playoffs before, nor was his most recent outing particularly jordanesque.  The way I interpreted that move was like he was advertising himself to the Spurs, but it ain't like they need him.

The further funny thing is that, the Timberwolves would probably be better off without Edwards and rather using his salary to score a couple of additional above-average players, the likes of Naz Reid or Jaden McDaniels.  Remember that they were able to finish off the Nuggets without Ant.

But I mean, I'm not trying to put it all on Edwards neither, because Randle and more surprisingly Gobert totally disappeared in Game 6.  Even the little guys on San Antonio's roster were basically dunking at will.

Randle and Gobert, given their size, are the two Minny players you would think would be most responsible for trying to defend Wemby.  Maybe Rudy was just tired by Game 6.  Every year, you hear people questioning his qualifications.  And every year, even though his team inevitably fails, he proves naysayers wrong, to an extent.  Like he isn't someone you can just up and replace, especially now that scorers are starting to attack the interior again.

But as for Julius, man.  I've been an advocate of his years for years, feeling that the Knicks devalued him for instance.  But he didn't really do his standing well with this outing.  He's one of those types of players, in my opinion, who's really big but fails to use his size to his advantage. 

DETROIT PISTONS (7-7)

The Pistons aren't what you would call a superteam.  Yet they secured the number one seed over squads like the Knicks and took the Cavs, who have a superior roster, to seven games.  This iteration reminds me of that 2004 Detroit squad who won a championship, in that they weren't the most talented either, though they obviously had some type of magic that these current guys have yet to claim.

It's obvious that these guys need more scoring, but in the form of who and at what cost?  Maybe they shoulda kept Ivey around?  Who did they trade him for anyway?  Oh, a couple of dudes that they didn't even play.

For most of the playoffs, Tobias Harris was sporting like an allstar and seemed to be poised to finally shake the pariah, scapegoat reputation he gained in Philly.  With the Sixers, almost every year when they flunk there's a scapegoat, with Embiid being exempt, though this time they got it right sacking Morey, if he was actually responsible for signing PG13 for that much money.

That said, as it currently stands I'm pushing the idea of Lebron going to Detroit.  Remember that you heard it here first. 

2026 Elimination Ruminations: Celtics, Magic, Raptors

BOSTON CELTICS (3-4)

This was a really odd season in Boston.  The Celtics, without Tatum, were supposed to tank or at least be mediocre but instead, as happens sometimes (reference the 1993 Bulls), retained their championship pedigree even without the face of the franchise.  Then Jayson returned sooner than expected.  In hindsight, even though he regained form quickly, that was mistake number one.  The way dudes were playing, you shoulda let them finish the season out as is.  You see how they almost beat the Sixers, at full strength, in Game 7 without Tatum.

And while we're crying over spilt milk, let it also be known that I'm strong advocate of continuity.  Age factors, salaries, injuries, etc., you don't breakup a proven championship-level team prematurely, just because the star of the show is unable to play or whatever, taking for granted that your braintrust will promptly recuperate.  That's akin to quitting, besides betraying fans, and it's like the whole conclusive lesson of The Last Dance.  I'm not saying that still having Holiday, Porzingis and Horford around would have made a difference. But we'll never know, will we?

You can't tell a team that it's better to just play a season out without a star if he misses important segments and then suddenly at the last second, emerges playable.  Squads like the Sixers and Pistons also took such risks, and for them it paid off.

Embiid, hobbled he may be, emerged as the x-factor against Boston.  So I guess the ultimate lesson in all this, as has been the case for seasons (even when they did recently win a championship), is please Celtics, try to acquire a consistent, playable, above-average big.  Why they decided not to play Vucevic in Game 7, who knows?  And I'm not taking anything away from Queta, who's an overachiever.  But it's time to start taking the paint seriously again.  You can't have like rookies and shit running all roughshod over you during the playoffs.

ORLANDO MAGIC (3-4)

I'm not convinced that the Pistons are the better team.  Deeper, yes.  But what I rather believe is that if Franz Wagner remained playable, the Magic would have took it in five or six.  There really isn't much reason, based on this series, to believe otherwise.

Maxing Wagner out was a controversial decision, one of the main reasons (besides the fact he isn't a superstar) being his unpredictable health.  Health-wise, he's like a typical European in the NBA - an exceptional offensive force, but you wouldn't want to overplay (or overpay) him.

I'm also having a hard time understanding Orlando's fascination with Wendell Carter Jr.  I've been saying for year and years, even back when the Warriors were still formidable and everyone was still on this smallball shit, that the Magic needed to upgrade in the post.

Instead, they went out and acquired Bane.  I'm not going lie - that move panned out a lot better than I expected, if you consider barely making the playoffs and taking the number-one seed to seven games in the First Round an accomplishment.  Now, Orlando is just a couple of moves away for real.  They need to add a big who's actually effective and figure out a way to mitigate offensive deficiencies during those inevitable times when Franz can't play.

And ideally, they won't lose anyone in the process of rectifying those woes, as what ultimately did the Magic in against Detroit, more than anything, was lack of depth.  About midway through Game 6, dudes just ran out of steam and never fully regained it, outside of Banchero and his skinnier, less-talented yet still effective clone, Anthony Black.  Games 6 and 7, you could see Orlando came out hot (as usual).  The Pistons really couldn't do shit about it, but the Magic couldn't maintain the pace.

And by the way, whatever happened to Jonathan Isaac?  Remember that dude, a defensive specialist?  If he wasn't all banged up, the Magic would've won.

TORONTO RAPTORS (3-4)

As usual, despite their winning ways, the Cavs have failed to instill confidence in their fans.  They're one of the top 5, if not top 3, deepest teams in the NBA.  Yet they struggled to best an opponent with two of its starters missing the entire series.

Let's not forget that besides Ingram, who's a reigning All-Star, Quickley also isn't playable.  So instead, we have dudes starting who I never heard of before, like this cat Shead, proving heroes against one of the most-talented rosters in the league.  This series had sort of that Minnesota vs. Denver quality to it.

Right before Game 7, I stumbled across a video arguing that the Beard is 'the worst-performing superstar in NBA history'.  Until watching that clip, I didn't really know it was that bad.  In Game 7, if you look at the box score, he didn't really fare well at all, as the only reason he got near 20 pts was due to freethrows.

I know this isn't supposed to be about Cleveland, but in hindsight, that Harden trade looks sorta like one step forward, two steps backwards.  I won't go as far as to say that Mitchell is better at the point.  Harden is a lot better at getting his teammates involved.  But like his cohort, Donovan needs, indeed deserves the ball in his hand.  And that's the dilemma - having two deserving, ball dominant points (similar to when Garland was around) - on top of James' tendency to fizzle out.

That said, out of all the teams eliminated in the First Round, I would say that Toronto is the one that least needs a major roster change (outside of maybe acquiring a Giannis or something like that).  Their team is set, but damn those injuries, especially when it comes to the likes of Ingram. 

The Dilemma of the Unneeded Superstar

I know I talk a lot of shit, but I understand that in reality being an NBA GM type can't be easy - if for no other reason than having to deal with actual human beings are opposed to everything being theoretical or in your head.

For example, it's one thing if I say 'hey, maybe the Pistons are better at this point without Cade Cunningham'.  But it'll be a whole 'nother ballgame for Detroit's braintrust to actually bench him accordingly.  And I can see both the positives and negatives of letting Cade ball.  You can rationalize this decision by arguing that the Pistons will inevitably need him at some point in the playoffs.  But on the downside, the way the team was hot, maybe they would have done better by waiting for that moment rather than instantly forcing him back into the spotlight.

WHAT MAKES A SUPERSTAR?

There's this old saying that in the NBA, a superstar is "a player who makes his teammates better".  I don't know if I necessarily believe that 100%, but let's apply that argument to Cade.

Please forgive me if I don't feel like googling for exact statistics, but in summation, the Pistons started off the season really hot, to the point of Cunningham being in the MVP conversation and the team securing the number1 seed.  Despite playing alongside a fellow allstar in Jalen "Woolridge" Duren, Cade is undoubtedly the face of the franchise.

Then, I think about a month ago, he suffered a "collapsed lung".  Now I don't know exactly what a "collapsed lung" is, but shit sounds life threatening by default.  But lo and behold, not only is he back for the postseason but even the team's very first game.

Now this is why, by that above definition, Cunningham would definitely be a superstar.  The Pistons, under his leaderships, had gotten to the point where they actually playing better without him.  So between October and March, when Cade was healthy, he did in fact make his teammates better, because if you go back like a season or two ago, when dude was hurt niggas was garbage.

And this isn't as much of an anomaly as some people may think.  When Jordan retired the first time, the Bulls would have made it all the way back to the NBA Finals, without him, if not for that bullsh*t call on Hubert Davis.  It was Pippen and them playing in the shadow under Jordan those previous years which got them to that level of greatness.

There was also a time, earlier this season, when the Thunder were virtually unbeatable without Jalen Williams.  Yeah, you really did make your teammates better, mate - so much better that now they can score without you.

SHOUTOUT PAOLO

Readers of this blog can attest to the fact that I've been very critical of Banchero's style of play, like he's DeMar DeRozan, despite being the size of a baby ram.  But now you see your boy finally crashing the paint and reaping the benefits thereof.  He's like a latino Lebron or some shit, like get in his way if you want.

In fact, the league as a whole is starting to re-realize how important the post is, you know, as the easiest place to score from on the entire court.  Lebron also recently had his 'wait a minute' moment, with the Rockets paying the price.  So these teams that are built to defend solely from the perimeter, they're going to have some big problems into the foreseeable future.

In a way, I guess you can say Shai started this trend, but I think it also has a lot to do with the decline of Steph.  Now that his magic is on and off, everyone else is starting to come back to reality.  Talk about influential.

CONCLUSION

The way the Pistons were rolling, even if Cunningham was ready to come back, there was really no need to rush it.  But if they do go on to experience an extended playoff run, I guess the sooner he's back into the mix, the better(?). 

Trying to Make Sense of the Knicks

I haven't been following this season closely in terms of observing gameplay, so maybe I shouldn't bc commenting on the Knicks like that.  But I've been a "fan" of this team for over 30 years, and a lot of the things I predicted with this current iteration of NYK is, sadly, coming true.

KAT THE SCAPEGOAT

I just recently learned that KAT won the 3-Point Contest a couple of years ago.  That's how good of a shooter he is - as a C.  But I still argue that it isn't ideal to have the tallest man on your squad more prone to shooting (long-range) jumpshots as opposed to taking it to the hole.

The way you mitigate such anomalies is by having the other players on the team, i.e. the wings, be above-average defenders and rebounders.  As far as starters go, the Knicks have more quality, all-around wing depth than any other squad in the league.  So even if Karl is out there hoisting up threes, the interior should be able to compensate.  You know, KAT is going to KAT.  And that's what makes the mediocrity of this team even more surprising.

THE "CURSE OF THE KNICKS"

If you're the type of sports' fan who likes to be disappointed you know, having a reason to be depressed at the office - 'I'm not feeling good today. My team has lost yet again' - then the Knicks are for you.  NYK rosters tend to fall into two categories which, in a way, are kinda one in the same.  Either they're contenders who, even if they make it to Game 7, somehow flunk in the Playoffs.  Or they have a talented, overpaid roster that just flunks in general.

Those Michael Jordan years, i.e. the early-1990s, I mean you can't blame anyone for losing to MJ.  But damn, were some of those losses painful.  And even when His Airness wasn't around, the Knicks failed to get over the hump.

There was that one asterisk season when they made it (back) to the Finals, only to have their asses handed to them by the Spurs, like when Tim Duncan was a rookie type shit, illustrating how even a much less-popular franchise can build a dynasty, while NYK can't.

Oh, and let's not forget circa the early 2012,  back when NY managed to land both Melo and Amare Stoudemire.  Theoretically, that was supposed to be best F combination in the league.  But first of all, they gave Amare like a max contract, even though by that time he was already on the perennially-injured list.  And second, remember that time he punched a fire extinguisher and in the process, extinguished any (false) hopes of the Knicks prevailing in the playoffs?  That's NYK for you.

Having too little of what you need is a curse, but on the opposite end of the spectrum, so is having too much.  Robert Kiyosaki, aka Rich Dad / Poor Dad, has this saying, when it comes to money, that he'd rather be cursed with too much than too little.  But that's not true in all cases.

You have a team like OKC who, faced with the challenge of not being a coveted free agency destination nor a franchise that's particularly favored by they powers-that-be, dug deep inside their own expertise and managed to put a potential dynasty together.  Braintrust-wise they're the envy of the league, at least for now, while a couple of their big 3 are still on their rookie contracts.

On the other side of the coin you have the Knicks, the premiere team (as compared to the Nets) in "the biggest market in the NBA", their home being the most famous arena in the United States, seemingly with all the money in the world, with every superstar free agent at least reportedly considering signing there.  Every year, credible reports emerge of the Knicks being after KD or Lebron or this season, Giannis.  After the Lakers, it's safe to presume that NYK is the most coveted player destination in the NBA.  And that's pretty amazing, considering how outstanding LAL's history is compared to the Knicks.

OVERTALENTED

But as I've been saying since the time they went out and hastily acquired KAT, this iteration of the Knicks are overtalented.  Karl's money could've rather been used to land what they really need, i.e. a versatile, defensive-minded C.  This team was not lacking in offensive firepower when they went out and got KAT.

All things considered, they'd been better off keeping Julius Randle, now that he's prover healthy.  I'm not saying that Randle is better than KAT.  But in the grand scheme of things he's just as effective, yet one of those players whose style doesn't take away from his teammates(?).

So what inspired me to write this post was reading today that, oh shit, Bridges is riding the bench during crunch minutes, if you can imagine that.  As far as two-way players go, i.e. dudes who are good on both offense and defense (unlike KAT or Brunson), Mikal is top-10 in the league.  Furthermore, as the NY Post has pointed out, the Knicks are paying him $150mil.  It's one thing when you have these star players getting paid a gazillion dollars to ride exercise bikes and shit.  But to have someone like that who's actually healthy riding the bench?  Only in NYK, dear reader.

So after this season is over and everyone is finally able to realize that what I'm saying is true, these are the questions that need to be asked.  Why did they go out and get KAT to begin with?  Why didn't they allow Bridges +Anunoby + Brunson to mesh first?  Why not let that core play out a full season without, you know, adding a superstar to mix  and then evaluate what type of additions to make?  Fuck happened to Mitchell Robinson?  TF you doing getting repeatedly blown out by the Pistons, who only have, relatively speaking, like two recognizable names on their roster?  The Pistons are supposed to be like small boys compared to the Knicks.  NYK beat Detroit in the playoffs last year yet somehow, since then, despite retaining all of their rotation players, have managed to get worse

CONCLUSION

You know how you go out and buy some really expensive shit and then later, when you're broke, start kicking yourself?  Or you know how, you know, you buy a really expensive car or outfit to get a particular girl, and she still rejects you?  That's how I see the Knicks.

Sometimes, having too much money and favor is a bad thing.  When there's limitations, you have to manage and use your brain.  But when the reins are off, you're able to do all types of dumb shit knowing that, win or lose, the money is going to keep coming in regardless.

If I Could Send One Player to Any Team (Central Division)

There's been a lot more team changing this offseason than many of us anticipated.  Most deals have already been made, but there are still quite a few quality free (and restricted) agents out there, those which, if braintrusts choose wisely, may push this or that team to the next level.  That said, not every suggestion I'm going to make here is free agent but in one case the type of player a particular organization appears to need most, even if the actual possibility of landing him is nonexistent.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (64-18) - JONATHAN KUMINGA

It's arguable that no team disappointed this past postseason moreso than the Cavs.  By the looks of things, they're going to more or less run it back again next season, and on one hand it's like why not?  But on the other hand, I'm not going to dumb out and put my faith in them yet again.

The problem with teams like Cleveland is that it's hard to identify any flaws on their roster to begin with.  People were quick to denounce the idea of having a twin towers, but that strategy worked for the Thunder.  One of the reasons it worked though is because Holmgren is more versatile than Mobley.  You also see that during the Finals, OKC didn't even start Hartenstein.

So the lesson appears to be that, during the regular season if you will, a twin towers may work.  But during the postseason, you need to accommodate or adjust.  And that's why I'm suggesting Jonathan Kuminga.  When the argument is that Allen is too slow to defend on the perimeter or doesn't have enough of an offensive repertoire, then start Kuminga instead.

The fact that no other team has offered Jonathan a contract isn't due to him being undesirable but rather, according to reports, this offseason being one in which virtually all squads are cash-strapped.  So yeah, I don't realistically expect Cleveland to go after him, unless maybe they were willing to give up Jarrett altogether in the process.

And that, once again, is the problem with being really good during the regular season but sucking in the playoffs.  You presume that some type of major change is needed yet at the same time are reluctant to initiate any.  That begs the question of which is better, to be really good but then fail when everything is on the line, or to suck altogether?  At the end of the day, are the Cavs even any better than, say, the Trailblazers?

INDIANA PACERS (50-32) - JOSH GIDDEY

This one was easy, since it appears that Haliburton will not be suiting up at all next season.  Meanwhile, Giddey is a player with a very similar style, in terms of his build and versatility.  It may even be argued that all-around stat-wise, Josh is better than Tyrese.  But if Indiana did go out and get Giddey, then you'd have to ask what role would be play once Haliburton returns, since Josh is more or less a non-factor when he isn't allowed to run point.

I'm not as pessimistic about the Pacers as a lot of people, including apparently their own braintrust, are concerning next season.  Another viable option would be going after Russell Westbrook who, in a manner of speaking, is like Haliburton and Turner rolled into one player.  I don't think Indiana's braintrust just standing pat is the best solution, especially when it comes to trying to do the best for their fanbase.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS (48-34) - RUSSELL WESTBROOK

Honestly, I'm shocked that Westbrook remains a free agent as of this writing.  But as I have noted numerous times throughout this blog, "the ScapeGOAT" has regularly suffered from misplaced(?) hate throughout the years.

Russell is the victim of what I would call the curse of greatness.  When you're naturally better than most of your colleagues, people expect you to succeed by default.  It's those types of expectations which has turned players like LBJ and KD to superteam feens.

I could easily perceive how Westbrook would at least prove more valuable to the Bucks than Dame did.  It isn't like they have much to lose in giving him a shot.  And since no one has high expectations for Milwaukee this coming season, if they do fail it's not like everyone can then turn around and blame it on Russell(?).  He may not be the best three-point shooter out there, but given his multitude of other talents, does he really have to be?

DETROIT PISTONS (44-38) - KEVIN DURANT

I know that KD isn't actually available, but there's two reasons I suggested him anyway.  First is that, as I've been saying for the longest, I would love to see more of these old superstars go to young teams.  I'm not talking about the way CP3 went to the Spurs last season but more like old superstars joining younger teams and instantly making them contenders in the process.

In the grand scheme of things, there wasn't any super-major difference between the rosters of the Rockets and Pistons entering this offseason.  They both lost in the First Round, after all.  But Houston is more reputable and also apparently better resourced, so Durant could chose them without giving a less-popular team like Detroit a second or even first thought.

That said, unlike the Pacers and Bucks, it makes more sense for the Pistons not to rush out and make any major additions.  But losing both Beasley and Schroder is far from ideal.  Meanwhile, it seems they haven't made any notable additions at all this offseason except maybe Caris LeVert.

CHICAGO BULLS (39-43) - BOL BOL

Recently, there's been reports of the Bulls being interested in Kuminga or something like that, but I don't really see it.  Jonathan is good and likely to get better, but I doubt if he'll ever be even a consistent number-two option.  For the past couple of years, I've rather been advocating him going to a team like the Grizzlies.  Their roster is more on his timeline, and the onus wouldn't be on him to play like superstar night in and night out.  The Warriors, contrastingly, are a high-pressure team, where if you aren't consistently on point, it will show.

Chicago's roster sucks, so much so that if finish anywhere near .500, that would be considered an overachievement.  They have the type of squad that could literally use any good player, outside of maybe a point, since Giddey already seems to have that role locked down.

The general consensus is the best (restricted) free agent currently available is, once again, Kuminga.  But I can't advocate him going from the Dubs to a team that doesn't look like it'll make playoffs anytime soon, even in the lackluster East.  Nor could I condemn Westbrook to such a fate.

So I'm going to go with Bol Bol because first of all, Chicago obviously needs depth in the frontcourt (as they have for years now).  Secondly, it's sorta surprising, at least to me, that Bol doesn't have a contract.  For whatever reason, after a promising season a couple of years ago, his minutes have been drastically reduced.  Maybe he's not as good as I think he is.  Or maybe, he's never gotten a fair shot due to his appearance and shit like that.  His looks aren't exactly what we would call marketable from a Western civilization perspective.  But I would like to see Bol for once get major minutes, like a starter, to really prove what he could do.  And he'll likely only get that type of opportunity on a completely-garbage team(?) like the Bulls.

2025 NBA Finals Ruminations (Game 5)

SGA is MVP.  The reason I'm pointing that out is because he received the MVP treatment at the end of Game 4 - so much so that even the opposing coach had to defend the refs.  But he is MVP.  Out of all the players in the league, Shai is entitled to that treatment, so to speak.

The thing tho is that Game 4 shifted the momentum of the series.  Of course, I can't say that the Pacers would've won if Shai wasn't receiving somewhat generous calls or non-calls down the stretch.  I don't like playing what if.  But let me just say that, up until Game 5, OKC never definitively established themselves as the dominant team, as everyone, including myself, was expecting.  I wasn't expecting them to dominate Indy like they did Minny, but still, niggas was struggling.

Shai was once again magnificent in Game 5, but the man who really led the charge, who was also instrumental during crunch time in Game 4, was Jalen Williams.  SGA recently made a comment where he said he understood the value of a second fiddle when it comes to winning a championship.  Williams is like the second coming of Scottie Pippen.  And what people don't say is that there were times, even if not so often, when Pippen played better than Jordan.

As for Tyrese Haliburton, I sorta see him becoming like a Ben Simmons.  But that's not to say the series is over - far from it.  During these Finals, it's like you can feel the homecourt advantage.  Look at how Haliburton shrinks in OKC.  But in Indy, it's a different story.  And as for Pascal Siakim and even T.J. McConnell, you know, those types, dudes don't give AF.  Try to tell them they don't belong on the big stage or that the Thunder are flatout better.

SHOUTOUT TO AARON NEISMITH & CHET HOLMGREN

Also shoutout to Aaron Neismith, who once again had a ridiculous dunk, this time on Chet Holmgren.  Remember that Aaron Gordon banged it on Chet also.  The 2025 NBA Playoffs have been no joke.

I like Holmgren, because even though he's young and skinny, he's not afraid of the post or playing defense.  It's players like him who are reminding the rest of the NBA that size does matter.  And you know, he's like the Kukoc of the team, so to speak.  But wait until Williams or SGA go down, and then you'll see how valuable he is.

All things considered, that's probably the biggest advantage the Thunder have over Indy - depth.  I can't even call Myles Turner overrated, because I never really heard anyone big him up anyway, at least not in the last five years type shit.  And unless dude turns into Shaq during these last two games, I'm really interested to see how much Indy is going to offer him this summer.  Yeah, let him go to Detroit or whatever team is dumb enough to throw a shitload of money at Myles.

KEVIN DURANT IN "THE DIVA BLUES"

Speaking of Detroit, if there's one team in the NBA I'd like to see KD go to, without them giving up too much in return, it's the Pistons.  Talk about instant contenders.  And it's interesting that there doesn't seem to be any team out there, not even the lowly Spurs or the starchasing Knicks, that seem overly interested in him except, based on reports, Minnesota which, if I were them, I wouldn't give up Randle for Durant.  Giving up Randle or Reid or any of those guys would sorta defeat the purpose.  Gobert, if they can get rid of him, would make more sense, even though that would leave a big gaping hole in the middle.  And now, looking at the way OKC is dominating the paint, you remember the value of interior D.

NBA teams have been incepted and are no longer enamored by divas.  They know that KD has now been at the center of two failed superteams, the latter more disappointing than the first.  They see how trying to placate an over-the-hill Lebron has destroyed what has traditionally been the best braintrust in the NBA.  So, good luck KD.  If you haven't already, learn how to concede the point.

2025 NBA Playoffs Ruminations (May 3)

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

I don't know if it's just me, but even though he's putting up big stats, this does not appear to "Playoff Jimmy Butler".  My theory is that he's still reeling from that Amen Thompson clip but is forcing himself to play anyway, you know, he can't afford to sit down given Steve Kerr's preferred rotation.  But even when Jimmy was the hero in Game 2 or 3 or whatever, it looked more like Houston's D fell asleep rather than him dominating per se.  So with that in mind, it's hard to definitively say which of these two teams is better, though, if I were forced, I would say the Rockets, because in actuality, the Warriors have like one of the thinnest rosters in the league.  Those guys like Podziemski and Moody and yes, even The Gauntlet, they may be phenoms in their own rights, but they're not likely to lead you to a playoff victory over a team like the Rockets.  Better organizations, such as the Warriors and Heat, tend to bring out the best in even unknown players.

Speaking of the Warriors bench, well, that's something I'll kinda get into in the next section.  But it appears that Looney has been more or less de-rotated, as has Kuminga.  And those are like the two tallest guys on their team.

Speaking of which, if you would have asked two or three seasons ago, I never would have imagined that Moody would have ended up higher on the pecking order than Kuminga.  I'm hoping that the latter's days with the Warriors are finally coming to an end.  Steph Curry, "Teammate of the Year"?

WHO NEEDS BIG MEN NOW?

For awhile there, when the Dubs were at their peak and looked unbeatable, there were a number of pundits, reporters, commentators, etc. who were arguing that traditional bigmen were obsolete in the NBA.  It became sort of a fad, to the point that I was even speculating that the whole movement was fueled by racism.  You know, 'we don't big Blacks in the NBA no more, because jump-shooting Whiteboys can win championships also'.  Well guess what?  Steph Curry ain't White.

There are still a few quality smallball teams - Indiana, Boston and yes, even New York - remaining in the Playoffs, besides Golden State.  Speaking of Golden State, yes, Fred "Mini-KAT" VanVleet is killing them, but even worse, imo, is their lack of an interior presence.  This is an issue in the Dubs' roster that I've spoken about for years and years and years, even going back to their last championship.

The Dubs reupped Looney in 2022 for a modest $23mil/3years, a move they seemed to initiate more out of respect for his contribution to that championship team than his future value.  By the way, Kevin is about to become an unrestricted free agent, and it's going to be interesting to see how that plays out, especially if the Warriors fail to get past the First Round.

Meanwhile, Playoff teams that has thus visibly suffered for lack of an interior presence include the Lakers, Knicks, Warriors and arguably the Grizzlies and Magic also.

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS VS. DENVER NUGGETS

Warriors vs. Rockets is more like one team or the other tends to dominate respective games.  But Clippers vs. Nuggets is more even Steven, like these two teams, all things considered, counter each other well.

Out of all the players suiting up, I'd say ultimately the x-factor is James Harden.  Yes, the Beard.  In Game 5, he sorta slid into the shadows, to the point that was even contemplating recommending his retirement.  Then boom - Game 6, and he reminded everyone that he was once the scoring leader.

I plan to write an article soon about how to manage these older players and how more of them, logically speaking, need be to on younger teams rather than surrounded by teammates as aged as they are.  But let's just sya that if LAC intends to win Game 7, Harden is going to need to be on some shit like two games in a row.

As for Norman Powell, not only does he have a very average name, but he also looks very, very normal.  Powell looks like he nightcaps as a business executive or some shit, like his looks, at least on television, don't stand out at all.  He's like too normal to be in the NBA type shit.  And that's the kind of, let's say relativey-mundane third star you need when you have two future HOFers on the roster - not that third superstar, overkill type shit.  And it's pretty amazing how the Clippers are able to make it all work, since talent-wise their roster is lopsided (towards the frontcourt).

DETROIT PISTONS VS. NEW YORK KNICKS

It was too difficult for NYK to defeat DET imo - to the point that afterwards, dudes were celebrating like they just on the championship instead of the First Round.  But I can imagine there was a lot of hostility during that series, including or especially from the crowd.

You have to give it to the Pistons for at least now establishing an identity.  There was a time when I thought Cunningham was a bust.  But now, if I were building a team, he's exactly the type of PG I'd want.

Detroit has arguably the best mix of younger players + vets in the league, but none of their veterans are A list.  Also, remember that at least two of their rotation players - Isaiah Stewart and Jaden Ivey - are hurt.  If Ivey were playable, I imagine he would've gotten a lot of those minutes that instead went to Shroder.  And Stewart especially, if they had that additional depth down low, like who knows what would've happened.

The Knicks need to get their shit together.  They're one of those types of teams that look like they aren't really coached or some shit.  Putting your best players on the floor, telling them to play hard on defense and letting them do whatever they want on offense, that isn't exactly coaching I don't think.  If this roster fails to beat the Celtics, then time for Thibs to go.

THE THOMPSON BROS.

I wanted to use this opportunity to give a shoutout to the Thompson bros., who I really enjoyed watching this postseason.  I can't say I've seen either Amen or Ausar display what I would call extraordinary basketball skills.  But they're energetic, athletic and not afraid to bang, sorta like Rodman, for lack of a better analogy.  They're the type of players who would be beneficial to virtually any roster.  Forget all these dumbasses saying that everyone on the team needs to be a good three-point shooter.  If anyone on the team is prone to chuck up a three, then how are you going to strategize?  

Trade Talk 2024-25 Deadline Chaos

You'll notice that out of all the teams to make powermoves leading up to the 2024-25 NBA Season trade deadline, none of them were considered true contenders beforehand.  The squads that are already in the top tier, like the Rockets, Cavs, Celtics, Knicks and Thunder - stood pat.  That, to me, represents good governance and maybe a shift in thinking of contemporary braintrusts.  Maybe they're looking at a team like Cleveland, who didn't do shit this past offseason yet currently have the best record in the NBA, and are like, 'yeah, Jah Iteh is right - continuity is a good thing'.

There are a couple of teams, like the Bucks and Mavericks, who I believe increased their (on-court) fortunes with recent transactions.  As for the rest, I guess in their cases it was like some transaction is better than no transaction.  Better to face the storm in strange waters than continuing across the peaceful seas of mediocrity.

KYLE KUZMA VS. KHRIS MIDDLETON

Kyle Kuzma has been sorta slacking off, as far as stats go, but that may well have something to do with him having been stuck on the damnation of the NBA, the Washington Wizards.  You won't hear no more of that 'I believe in Jordan Poole' shit from me.  With the worst record in the NBA, the conclusion is that the Wizards genuinely suck.  So hopefully, Kyle will be rejuvenated now that he's back on a team with an actual chance.

It sucks that Middleton, after having a stellar career with the Bucks, landed in that sh*tstorm.  His is a cautionary tale of being grossly overpaid in the NBA.  It's like 'yo, go out and get that money' type shit.  But then, if you become ravaged by injuries while playing for a team that actually wants to win, they may want to keep you but, in the grand scheme of things, cannot rationalize it.

Like I'm sure Milwaukee would love to have, you know, like Kuzma and Middleton.  Bring Khris off the bench, even if only, at times, for inspirational reasons.  But damn, niggas want to win, and you're making a gazillion dollars.  So, you have to go in the name of bettering the team.  In other words, their decision to trade Khris for Kyle wasn't nearly as controversial as Dame for Holiday.  I feel sorry for Khris, you know, if he had any feelings attached, but I've also been advocating such a move for like three or four years, even prior to the acquisition of Lillard.

Both teams came out pretty good in this deal.  The Wizards now have more star power and someone who can occasionally get red hot, like Khris did during one of those playoff games last season.  He obviously, unless being bought out or whatever, isn't going to participate in the playoffs.  But then again, he'll likely be re-injured by then anyway.  You know what I mean?  Give your knees a rest, my nigga.

As for the Bucks, yes, I do believe the acquisition of Kuzma may once again make them contenders.  The roster still isn't exactly built around Giannis.  But unlike Dame, Kyle is more of a role player who won't demand like taking the ball from Giannis in order to win.  He may be the much needed glue guy, so to speak, between Giannis and Dame that the Bucks long for, and we may finally see that pair live up to their potential.

LUKA DONCIC VS. ANTHONY DAVIS

In the wake of the Luka Doncic trade, pundits are dicriding the Lakers in ways we haven't seen for at least a couple of years.  But there's a number of reasons, such as compatibility and injury history, that I'm still not convinced.

If LAL would have at least gotten Doncic and Gafford, you know what I'm saying?  But trading an allstar, injury-pronce C for an allstar, injury-prone PG, that doesn't really make sense.  And all things considered, I wouldn't be surprised if AD is still playing even after Luka eventually retires from the NBA.  That said, the Lakers now have even more star power, meaning that the powers-that-be will be even more inclined to favor them.

I imagine that must've been a tough decision for Dallas' braintrust, but I understand why they pulled the trigger.  Luka can get you to the Finals, but he can't win it for you.  So going a different direction, putting the focus more on bigs, like Cs are how championships were traditionally won in the NBA.

The Mavs always seem to be rich in terms of G depth.  A couple of seasons ago, I was evenlike what TF is wrong with these dudes, like they didn't have any bigs. Remember that not too long ago, the most formidable big on their roster was the fearless-yet-overmatched Dwight Powell, who I don't even think gets burn these days.  My, how things have changed.  But I don't want to get ahead of myself because, besides being younger, the Thunder are also built better, and so are arguably the Rockets and Grizzlies.  Kyrie + AD are going to have to turn back the hands of time to pull this one off, but at least it's possible.

JIMMY BUTLER VS. ANDREW WIGGINS

The Warriors apparently traded four players (including a draft pick) for Butler, but the only one of them really likely to suit up for the Heat appears to be Andrew Wiggins.  I would have rather seen Miami get Kuminga, but I'm sorta glad that Wiggins is finally gone.  He feels like someone who's only playing in the NBA because, you know, like why not, he can.

I'm excited to see Jimmy go to Golden State, but their braintrust seems to be stuck on stupid in ways reminiscent of LAL.  For instance, a couple of seasons ago, after they won their most-recent championship, it was like unanimously concluded amongst pundits that the Dubs should start focusing more on their future.  But instead, since then, they traded Jordan Poole, who was the face of their younger generation.  And there two biggest acquisitions have been Chris Paul - who was 37 at the time - and now Jimmy Butler, who's 35.

One thing I've learned in all the years writing this blog though is don't sleep on Steph.  However, I'm sorta starting to believe that he may not be able to relive the magic without Klay.  

DENNIS SCHRODER TO THE PISTONS

Dennis Schroder is also in the mix somewhere, having eventually landed with the Pistons.  If they actually keep him, and he can play the 2 instead of the 1, he may be the type of scoring SG that Detroit has needed to play alongside Cunningham.  With the Magic falling off, the Pistons are now, out of nowhere, the most imposing young team in the East.  And in the world of athletics, youth can and often does (in non-rigged situations) trump talent.

FOX VS. LAVINE VS. ETC.

Although I think the move may be a bit overrated, I don't see anything wrong with bringing De'Aaron Fox to the Spurs.  One thing Wemby never had in his early NBA career, up until now, is an allstar level scorer as a teammate.  The problem with these tall, multi-talented players though is that they often play out of position.  You know, you're the tallest dude on the court, yet you're out on the perimeter shooting threes.  That can and has worked in the NBA, but you need to flesh the roster out with the right type of players, those who can for instance outrebound whoever's defending them.

Meanwhile, didn't we already have LaVine + DeRozan in Chicago?  But the thing is that now, they have better quote/unquote supporting players around them.  I could actually envision the Kings winning, if not for the fact that there's more-rounded and arguably more-talented teams in the West.  But I also still believe that Sabonis is the best PF/C in the league.  Remember when the Sixers could have gotten him, and they went after (if I remember correctly) the Beard instead?  So, let's see what happens.

And speaking of the Bulls, like no disrespect to anyone, but who did they get in this trade anyway?  I guess they've decided to embrace the Cooper Flagg sweepstake also.

CONCLUSION

If I'm remembering correctly, last season like jackshit happened at the trade deadline.  But in 2025 there's been a couple of thrillers, including that Doncic trade, which caught everybody offguard.  And hey, divas (like Butler) may be nightmares as far as organizational chemistry goes, but they make for good drama and unexpected trades.  So, let's embrace the chaos.  Rig me a Laker game, okay.  But please Commissioner Silver and co., let everybody else get their asses bust fair and share.