Around this time of the NBA calender, you read prediction about which team will win the conference anywhere you go. So let me immerse myself to this role play.
No, i am not going to hard sell you the Celtics except saying this, the chance of Boston to get there is better than 1 in 4. But there are few other teams which are rated higher than the Celtics by many experts. The Bulls, the Pistons, and may be the Cavaliers, from top of my head.
The Pistons are definitely a threat. With the core group of
Billups, Hamilton, Prince and Wallace,
Mcdyess, they have the superior match-up against the Celtics' triple-threat, either in isolation or in transition. I'm looking forward to their first match-up in regular season.
Many have rated the Bulls the top team in the east, based on their toughness and deep run in last season playoff. Somehow i feel the Celtics will have a better chance if facing them, with Pierce and
Garnett playing the low/high post game, verse the Bulls' perimeter game.
The Cavaliers are probably less a threat at this stage, as they're still trying to bring back the full team from last season. Let's give them a bit more time.
OK, the above is based on what we have already known.
What about the thing we don't know yet, such as .....
(it's in today's sport news) the possibility of Kobe Bryant be traded .....
My first reaction is, to subscribe every cable sports TV available and to start re-arranging my appointment schedule for the next few months.
Seriously, to make this trade possible, the other team must have enough assets to offer and deep pocket to take on Bryant's contract, and he will only be interested in playing for a title contender. So there are only handful of teams qualified, and i am assuming that
Lakers will cross out those teams that are competing in the same conference.
So here are my two possible
scenerios (the number in bracket is how many years remaining in contract):
<1> Trade Bryant (3 yrs) to Detroit, for Richard Hamilton (3 yrs), Jason Maxiell (1 yr), Rodney Stuckey (2 yrs) or Ronald Murray (1 yr) plus other bench players. Bryant will team up with Billups, Prince, Wallace and to become the all defence-team of the league.
This is purely from my speculation. But the possible trade will meet both teams' need. Lakers will get Hamilton and Stuckey to somewhat fill-in the vaccum, in the catagory of total point per game and in defence, and to build for the future prospect of Stuckey and Bynum. In addition, Lakers will also add Maxiell to strength their rebound and interior defence catagory, Detroit, needless to say, will get another shot to the Final, with most of their core group intact. I am, however, assuming that Bryant doesn't mind to move from LA to Detroit (i could imagine it'll be a culture shock to him). A question remains is how Detroit's offer can beat the next team (below) for the trade.
<2> Trade Bryant to Chicago, for Tyrus Thomas (1 yr), Ben Gordon (1 yr), Chris
Duhon (1 yr),
Thabo Sefolosha (1 yr),
Viktor Khryapa (1 yr) and may be another bench player. Bryant will team up with
Hinrich, Deng, Wallace and
Nocioni (or Joe Smith) as the starting five.
This will be the best possible offer available in market right now, in terms of value for return (even better if Chicago is willing to include Deng or Hinrich) and Bryant has already given his consesus to play for the Bulls. The problem with the Bulls is whether they will find good enough player to fill the void (much like what Boston have gone through).
The experts analyse that possible trade will not happen till the season ends. If, however, the above scenerio does materialise, it will still be a three-teams race to the conference final. But fighting for better seeding in playoff will likely be at top of the list for each team right from the start.
It is going to be a fantastic season to watch.
