More Free Agency Notes

On the Rockets. They're getting rid of Scola now? Basically, the Rockets are the perfect team to trade a big vet to. They've got picks, young players, cap space. They dumped their two best players: Lowry (for a first) and Scola (for nothin'). The funny thing is their dream is to basically swap teams with Orlando since the Magic are insisting on dumping a million crap-contracts on whomever wants Dwight Howard. So a Rockets- Magic deal will look something like this: Dwight, Q Richardson, Duhon, and J Richardson for Terrence Jones, Donatas Montiejunas, Chandler Parsons, Jeremy Lamb, and 2 1st round picks. The Rockets could then have basically the same team as the Magic with maybe a few more green sprouts (young guys). And were the Magic that good? Not really.

On the Knicks. At least the Sixers are building through youth. Amare is already cooked (or semi-cooked). Melo gets worse every year. Chandler is good. Shumpert is a revelation. Kidd and Camby? This team is destined for a string of out-in-the-second-round runs.

On the Nets. Like what BK just did by taking on Joe Johnson. We'll wait a year before he gets killed for signing Wallace to a $10 mil/year deal, Lopez to a virtual max contract, and taking on Joe Johnson (the biggest contract signed in the last 5 years). They will compete. But how much better will they be? They basically are adding Gerald Wallace, Mirza Teletovic, Reggie Evans, and Joe Johnson to last years team. Those are solid additions, but they're not gonna be contenders (I think). And this is their team for the foreseeable future. Still, it's top-3 in the East: Deron/JJ/Wallace/Hump (presumably)/Lopez with Teletovic/Evans/rooks on the bench. Actually, if Wallace plays up to his potential (Charlotte days) and Lopez improves, this team could be very, very good.

On the Lakers. Love the Nash signing. How many more years does he have left? At least one or two, right?

Top East teams: 1 Miami (love Ray Allen signing... I mean, I don't love it, but it does scare me);
2 Chicago (they're being written off; but they were 1 last year and I think they'll tread water well until Rose returns);
3 Brooklyn (will be much improved)
4 Indiana (better version of the Sixers imho with Hibbert/Granger/George/G. Hill, etc. Maybe this is too high for them but they looked good last year)
5 Boston (reupping and really like Terry signing...can't believe people kept saying Big 3 when Rondo was their best player)
6 New York (don't love 'em, but they'll make playoffs)
7 Sixers (almost put 'em at 6 for the heck of it... though, they could easily miss playoffs)
8 Atlanta (with Lou, Horford, and Josh Smith...they should be ok)
9 Washington (I think they put it together this year with Wall/Nene/Okafor/Beal/Ariza and a fair bench)
10 Milwaukee (Dalembert a fair add; don't think Monta/Jennings backcourt will be good on D)
11 Toronto (will be much improved with Lowry and Valanciunas, who is supposedly a stud)
12 Orlando (with or without Dwight, I don't have high hopes)
13 Cleveland (nice squad... like Irving... will be fine)
14 Detroit (Maggette and Drummond are fine adds but the team is still not great)
15 Charlotte (they will still suck)

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