CP3 and LeBron: Mirror Images?

Its no secret that Chris Paul and LeBron James are close friends, its just a fact.  They partnered up in the off season to help lead the USA to gold and they also support one anothers charities every year.  According to CP3 they are like "brothers" and one can certainly see how that bond has grown over the years of competing with and against one another. 

What people do not speak of often is how their careers are intertwined together.  Everyone knows how LeBrons exodus out of Cleveland went and CP3 publicly demanded a trade and was eventually dealt to the Los Angeles Clippers.  Those exits, while different, all lead up to this season as mirror images of one another in terms of pressure to win, and win now. 

Flashback to the off season of 2009 when the Cavs traded for Shaquille O'neal and paired him with a hungry LeBron and the Cavs roster was stacked.  Fast forward to today and the Clippers have one of the deepest and dangerous rosters in the league.  Here's a reminder.. CP3, Griffin, D. Jordan, Jamaal Crawford (via free agency), Grant Hill (via free agency), Eric Bledsoe, Chauncey Billups, Matt Barnes (via free agency), Lamar Odom (sign/trade), Caron Butler, Ronnie Turiaf (via free agency)

With a who's-who roster CP3 now will have the burden of winning in a contract year..just like LeBron had.  The problem is it did not work out for the Cavs and I have to say it might not work out for the Clippers.  Paul is playing with a full deck of cards, by far the deepest team he has ever been on (on paper) and the pressure he will face this season will be more internal than ever before.  The organization has locked up Griffin and would like to have Paul in tow as well, but he will become an un-restricted free agent next summer.  If the Clippers struggle and do not at least make it to the Western Finals (that means beating out one of these guys Lakers, Thunder, Spurs, Grizz) then I could see CP3 bolting for another contender. 

Like LeBron in 09 Paul is the best player on his team and outside of Griffin is surrounded by good (seasoned/old) role players.  Paul (like LeBron) publicized his desire to play with "friends" Carmelo and Amare in New York and I would not rule out a trade or exodus in the off season.  I don't see this working out well for the Clippers and it could be the end of CP3 in LA..at least in a Clippers uniform.  *Hint Hint*

Peace,

Agent34

NBA Offseason Grades Vol. 1

Has your favorite NBA team upgraded or downgraded during Free Agency?

I will be breaking down all 30 NBA teams and ranking them on how well they improved or did not improve thus far in the off season.

1.) Lakers: 

HOW?

The Lake show picked up the most dominant center in the game; acquired the best passer in the game, and kept Pau Gasol while only giving up a disgruntled immature center!  I would say that classifies you to have the #1 spot for team improvement. 

THE GOOD!

Dwight Howard should excel in Steve Nashs version of a pick and roll, and Kobe will save his legs for the postseason by not over dribbling.  Pau will get the ball in his sweet spots, and Artest will be soooo happy to still be around he will show flashes from time to time of his former self.

THE BAD!

Andrew Bynum was coming into his own!  Sure he had his moments (ok he had a lot last season) but he never tried to get his coach fired.  ---->(Dwight)  Team chemistry will be their largest hurdle as D-12 is hurt and Kobe has never played with a PG like Nash.

2.) Heat:

HOW?

They only successfully recruited the best 3 point shooter of all time in disgruntled star Ray Allen.  Most of the roster is still in tact from last seasons championship run, and LeBron is well still LeBron!

THE GOOD!

The Heat have their same team in tow and will feature a lethal threat off the bench in Allen.  Rashard Lewis is a great pickup as well, if he can regain his touch.  Overall, it will be their championship experience that proves to be their greatest strength.

THE BAD!

Will D-Wade continue to defer to LeBron?  Is Bosh satisfied with his role?  Is Allen going to get any shots?  I really struggle to find any flaws with this team. 

3.) OKC

HOW?
By keeping their roster whole and getting to the NBA Finals and gaining valuable experience.

THE GOOD!
They signed Ibaka to $10 million less than what he could have commanded as a (R)FA next season.  That's a power move and what that shows the loyalty they posses in OKC.

THE BAD!
By locking up Ibaka, that all but dooms their chances of retaining Harden after this year.  That is why you heard his name being shopped on draft night for Bradley Beal.  Also, is it just me or do you think Russell Westbrook will be worse in late games this time around?

4.) Nets

HOW?
The addition of Joe Johnson and the re-signing of Deron Williams

THE GOOD!
They are a playoff team as constructed right now, and I still see them as a viable player before the trade deadline.  This team wants to win now, and had they gotten Dwight Howard they would be at #1.

THE BAD!
Is a starting lineup of D-Will, Joey, Wallace, K-Humphries, Lopez really scaring anyone?  The answer is NO!  The East is still bad so they will probably make the playoffs. 

5.) Knicks

HOW?
They did not succumb to the pressure of signing Lin and picked up Felton and Kidd in the process. 

THE GOOD!
Melo looked great in the Olympics and Chandler was sharp.  STAT has been working out with Hakeem in Houston and is healthy for the first time in years. 

THE BAD!
How soon will Shumpert be back?  No backup center?  This team has holes, but also plenty of firepower.  They will make the post season, but can they beat the Heat?

-Peace
Agent34

From Overrated to Underrated!

I remember when Kevin Love was 1st drafted into the league and all of the scouts marveled about his outlet pass.

Outlet Pass??

That has to be the only time in history that someone would be scouted based on their outlet pass. Now, to be fair Love was a phenomenal rebounder in college pulling down over 10rpg, but his stock was not that high.

Both of these factors led me to believe that he was overrated and would not have a role in the NBA. During his first 2 years in Minnesota Love did most of his damage in the paint and under the rim. Last year Love came into the league 10 pounds lighter and armed with a new weapon..his 3pt shot. Quickly, his scoring avg increased and surprisingly so did his rebounding totals, which led to his first all star selection. At the time I thought that Lamarcus Aldridge was more deserving of the nod, seeing how their numbers were similar and the Blazers were playoff bound.

This year Love has been amazing leading the Wolves out of the Western Conference dungeon and into playoff contention. He earned his second All-Star selection while increasing his scoring average to 26 a game while shooting 38% from the 3 point line. He hit a game winner against the Los Angeles Clippers while outplaying another young superstar in Blake Griffin.

Kevin Love has now become the new Larry Bird. No really, he has. He's of similar height as Larry and shoots the ball just as effective...well almost. Lets be honest, outside of Dirk there are no other white players that dominate the NBA, and Love also lacks the athletic ability the same way Larry Legend did but still finds ways to dominate. Last week Love scored 51 pts and pulled down 14 rbs only to follow that incredible performance up with 30pts and 21rbs.

I was so caught up in the Kevin Love hype (and Ricky Rubio) I chose to play with the Timberwolves in an NBA2K12 tournament. Virtually Kevin Love is underrated and in some ways he still is in real life. His rating is a modest 86 and it can be very difficult to score with him due to his lack of size and athleticism as a power forward. However, once I started using him as a pure scorer and not just a back to the basket power forward I started to score with ease using him.

It seems that Kevin is now starting to get the "Love" he deserves as a player on both the NBA hardwood and the virtual world.

I now too have Love for Love.

Peace,

Agent34

2011-2012 NBA Season Power Rankings (X-Mas Edition)

1.) eat are back and with 1 season under their belt they look like the team to beat in the NBA. Can LeBron post up? Will Wade close out the 4th quarters? It's their season to win it.

2.) MVP D-Rose now has a legit 2 guard in Rip Hamilton. The defense will still be solid but will that be enough to get them out of the East?
3.)Is it disrespectful to have the defending champs at #3? When you think about how Marc Cuban let some of his prize asserts in Chandler, and Barrea walk they have holes. Picking up LO from the Lakers for "free" could be a steal.
4.) I love the potentially unlimited ceiling of Kevin Durant but not the unpredictability of Russell Westbrook. If they can come up with a winning recipe, then their fresh young legs could pay off in the playoffs.
5.) The acquisition of Tyson Chandler to anchor the defense and clean the glass is just what this team needed. Hopefully D'Antoni can resurrect Baron Davis of old and bring some continuity to his "shoot first offense."

6.) The Lake show failed to pull off another Gasol like heist in Chris Paul and have yet to add any key players to this aging team. I will never bet against Kobe but things are looking rocky in LaLa land.

7.) Quietly the Celtics are still in the mix with the Big 4. After shopping Rondo and coming up empty, they shipped Big Baby for Brandon Bass and signed Micheal Pietrus. Solid pick-ups but that may not be enough.

8.) Everyone thinks the Spurs are old, but through 50 games last year they only lost 8 times. Something to consider with a reduced 66 game season. A grueling schedule of loaded back to backs could test their health though.

9.) Dwight Howard is the only reason this team is ranked in the top 10. Once he leaves they will drop along with their record. #justsaying

10.) Do you believe in "Lob City?" CP3 will have this team in contention every night, and they should make the playoffs easily. Holes in their bench (no legit SG) will hurt their chances to go deep in the postseason.

11.)Rudy Gay is back and this team is loaded. Please remind me again why I don't have them ranked in the top 5. Oh, because Z-Bo and Gasol just broke the bank and are technically no longer hungry. Coach Hollins should get this team back into the playoffs.

12.) Loads of talent on this team and some of that talent wont be available until March (J.R Smith/W. Chandler in China). Coach George Carl will have this offense primed and new comer Rudy Fernandez should flourish in the Mile High.

13.) My affinity for the Hawks is about to run out. They let Jamal Crawford walk and still don't have a big man to compliment Horford and Josh Smith. They will still make the playoffs and bow out in the 1st round. *Sigh*

14.) If we were ranking off of potential the Blazers would be in the top 10. But we aren't. Oden is still not active and Roy is retired. This team had so much promise 3 yrs ago.

15.) David West (if his knee holds) will be a perfect compliment to Danny Granger. I like them to make some noise in the East.

16.) 76ers are a rebuilding team that doesn't know it. Elton Brand is almost done and they may have missed out on shipping A.I2 as his value may have diminished. This team should hover around .500
17.) I almost forgot about the Jazz..which should justify their ranking. I'm not expecting much from them this season.

18.) The Bucks had a nice pick up this off season in Stephen Jackson. If Bogus and Jennings return to form, they could be the Grizzles of the East from last year.

19.)Houston will start the post Yao Ming error with a roster full of complimentary players, notably Kevin Martin and Luis Scola whom they failed to trade in the CP3 deal. Kevin McHale will have his hands full.

20.)Why wont Steve Nash demand a trade? I know its not his style but he has got to get out of there..and fast.

21.) Name another team that got beat by 25 points in the preseason? I am excited to see Jimmy Wall play an entire healthy season. Expect some trades before the deadline.

22.) The Hornets are building for the future post CP3. I don't think this year will be the start of anything magical.

23.) Ricky Rubio makes his long awaited debut this year and the fans should love him.
Throw in J.J. Barrea and Derrick Williams along with Kevin Love and this team should be exciting.

24.) Stephen Curry should have a breakout year and that's about it for this team.

25.)Jimmer Time! This team will be interesting. Which Demarcus Cousins will show up? How healthy is Tyreke Evans?

26.) Toronto still has a team?

27.) Is Joey D is trying to get fired? Locking up Prince for $27 mill over 4 years! Brandon Knight was a steal in the draft but there is a log jam at SF and PG.

28.)The Nets cant wait to move to Brooklyn, but if they don't land a big time free agent then Williams could wind up across town with the Knicks.

29.)Drake-"Don't Michael Jordan still have his hoop earring in?" Me- "Yes but he doesn't have a team that can win 40 games this year. Good luck Kemba.

30.) Shout out to Dan Gilbert for landing his team at the bottom of the barrell. Teams will be gunning for you guys all year after your latest literary rant.

Peace,

Agent34

MJ Needs CP3!

Ever wonder how it would feel to be called the Greatest Of All-Time?

Fast forward 2 years later and the Greatest to ever play in shorts is proving to be lackluster in a suit.

Meet Michael Jordan.

The Bobcats CEO is having it tough as of late with his hometown franchise.

Charlotte has shipped off both fan favorites Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace to various teams for cap space and lottery picks. Both trades resulted in little to nothing in return player value and his heirness has another problem on his hands...

Meet Chris Paul.

The hometown kid from nearby Winston-Salem (NC) has long thought to be a viable player in the upcoming free agent market with a pending exodus from New Orleans.

CP3 is also a Jordan athlete and has always looked up to MJ growing up as a role model.

So how can a team with enough money to make a max offer in 2012, young tradeable players (DJ Augustin, Kemba Walker. etc) and enough draft picks to sweeten any deal not be in play for 1 of the top point guards in the NBA?

As of now the entire sports world (including the Hornets) knows that Paul wants to play in New York...but the mystique of Michael Jordan has to mean something.

6 Time NBA Champion

5 Time MVP

10 Time scoring Champion

14 Time All Star

6 Time Finals MVP

=

0 Playoff wins

No superstar

1 Frustrated CEO

MJ Needs CP3

Peace,

Agent 34

Who you Got Tonight…Nobody?

Tonight usually kicks off the title question between my circle of friends…

This post was supposed to be about the start of the 2011 NBA Season.

Bulls -vs- Mavericks
OKC -vs- Lakers
Houston -vs- Utah

All of these games are cancelled for tonight and we are all forced to watch re-runs of classic games on NBATV.

The owners and players are still unable to decide on BRI; which is something that the average sports fan knows nothing about. Why should they? Basketball is a SPORT!

Although there is a business side to almost everything in life, the masses could care less about how the revenue of the league is split.

Quite frankly it’s not their business; they just want to see the game played.

The owners and the NBPA can repeat their version of Kanye West’s “Blame Game” over and over but the fans are growing weary of this insane lockout. Do they (both sides) think that due to the heightened popularity of the sport last season that fans will just forgive and forget once/if the season resumes? Have they not heard of the #occupy movement?

NBA superstars are running around the US playing in these charity games (with no defense) as a token of “appreciation” for the fans. This is only a means to stay in shape and make sure that their brands (shoes, name, etc) stay in tact during the lockout. Meanwhile, the owners are playing off of the lack of knowledge of the sports fans and publicly announcing the players’ rejection of a 50/50 split on the BRI.

Such a waste...

Fans know what they want and that’s high intensity basketball played with strategy, charisma, flare, and even a little LA Laker soap opera.

We should be discussing Kobes legacy, Durants emergence, LeBrons 1st ring, The Mavericks Championship…but sadly we can only talk about the night that was supposed to be…

Peace,

Agent34

NBA Players @ Summer Leagues

Often times when someone "Locks" you out of your place of employment there is no coming back.  You may get a nice severance package or maybe your company was mixed up in some bad business and you are left out to dry. 

Well, in the NBA world its a little different.  Although players are not allowed to work out as a team the worlds best players are staying in shape in a new way.  Summer Leagues!

That's right summer leagues, the same summer league team that you may be playing on right now.  Imagine your team picking up LeBron James for 1 game.  That would be the game where you would set the best screens ever, and rebound with the aggression that your old coach wanted you too...but please just make sure you pass the ball to LBJ. 

Several top players are convening on the hottest local basketball circles and showing off their skills to keep in shape and to ultimately give back to the community.  The players don't get paid to come out and risk injury in these games and no endorsement deals are going to come from dunking on a nobody, but the essential concept of "Community" is in full effect.  Most of the times kids get a chance to witness their favorite player perform for free and with court side seats. 

The top 2 Summer Pro-Ams in the country (Drew League-LA, Goodman League-DC) will face off on Aug 20 in DC for bragging rights. 

Below are some videos from the Drew league and the NBA players that came out to show love...

Notable Players:
LeBron James-Heat
Kevin Durant-Thunder
Nick Young-Wiz

Derrick Williams-T-Wolves

John Wall-Wiz

Brandon Jennings-Bucks

Tyreke Evans-Kings

Bobby Brown-Euro League

Demar Derozan-Raptors

Durant at Drew League



LeBron at Drew League

Brandon Jennings at Drew League

Peace,

Agent34