For NBA roster keepers and jersey makers, the times they are a changin'

First appeared on July 15th, 2009
in The Lebanon Reporter

In case your cable got shut off and the internet is still a passing fad to you, here’s a heads up- the NBA off season has been anything but uneventful. Normally we’re accustomed to seeing contenders standing pat as ownership is satisfied to let their rosters mature for another season in fine wine fashion. But just like the mercurial North Korean leader Kim Jung IL, this year has been ‘different’. With so many names being tossed around the time seems right to let the second guessing begin.
Though most will agree his recording a Michael Jackson tribute song was undoubtedly wrong, Ron Artest joining the Lakers is nothing but right. This becomes ‘nothing but right’ because the Purple and Gold have proven they’re the best team in basketball, so instead of simply repeating as champs (yawn), they’ve taken on the league’s heaviest albatross in an effort to prove Jackson and Kobe can win no matter what self-imposed stumbling block comes their way.
While Trevor Ariza and Hedo Turkoglu are both highly skilled in different ways, there is no doubting each has resigned himself to a meaningless future of used car lot appearances and early playoff exits. Ariza’s choice of Houston becomes all the more perplexing considering the heart of that Western Conference finalist appears to have been ripped out by Yao’s career-threatening broken size eighteen and a team MVP whose split for the bright lights of Hollywood (Artest).
Turkoglu flirted with Portland until Orlando got wind of it and, in a fit of rage typical of a jealous girlfriend, sent him packing via trade to Toronto. Much to the chagrin of Turkoglu’s agent, along with the moon, Toronto is apparently the one place every NBA player would just as soon retire before playing in.
Believe it or not, with Shaq in Cleveland there are still those who feel the Cavaliers are a championship favorite. Apparently the office Secret Santa hasn’t stuffed a company calendar in these people’s stockings recently because it is 2009 in the real world (not 1999). Shaq can still be a force but unfortunately he can’t solve all of Cleveland’s problems. He should fit in though because, just like the rest of the Cav’s roster outside of LeBron, O’Neal can’t face the basket and create his own shot.
Of course some moves have made total sense. San Antonio got much stronger by adding the one thing they needed most; youth. In drafting DeJuan Blair and trading for Richard Jefferson the Spurs got younger and quicker and, toss in some added playoff experience in Antonio McDyess, suddenly they have the recipe for a Western Conference Finals appearance.
The Celtics signing of Rasheed Wallace is especially sexy because anytime Wallace gets a whiff of a deep playoff run, his mouth and short fuse take a much welcomed backseat to his unparalleled talent. Although their window of opportunity isn’t exactly propped wide open, look for Boston to charge deep into the playoffs next season provided they have their health and Rondo at the wheel.
While the Pacers won’t contend, the move for defensive specialist Dahntay Jones is attractive nonetheless. As everyone is busy one-upping each other with glamorous signings, Larry and Co. are quietly building a solid foundation of character guys and proven winners. In drafting Tyler Hansbrough and signing Jones, the blue and gold have added two hard nosed players who are accustomed to winning (see North Carolina and Duke respectively).
So maybe when it comes to the 2009 NBA offseason Yogi Berra put it best, “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll wind up somewhere else.”