First…prize off season catch Rasheed Wallace signed his new contract with the Boston Celtics today. The Globe reports a source saying it to be a three year contract at the Mid-Level Exception of $5.8 mil./yr. The final year is a player option.
But the bigger NBA world keeps spinning.
My head is also spinning over NBA trades and free agency this summer. As of yesterday, three more talented players are now on new teams.
Holy Moly. This is better than trading player cards when I was a kid.
All three headlined players signed with elite or near elite teams.
Power forward Antonio McDyess is signing with the San Antonio Spurs. Combo forward Shawn Marion is headed to the Dallas Mavericks in a three team trade. Shooting guard Anthony Parker is signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
This reminds me of playing the game Risk.
It’s all about world domination with strategically placed armies, ready to mow down weaker countries before assembling a final massive army build up against the remaining last, best opponents.
The prize: The 2009-10 NBA Championship Crown.
The strongest NBA teams are busy assembling ‘massive armies’ for this upcoming season. It is going to be a dogfight to behold. Satellite pictures reveal unusual activity at the borders.
It’s also seems as if the NBA is getting more like the USA. (Fake look of surprise.) The rich keep getting richer and it’s at the expense of the poor or middle class teams.
With Jason Kidd recently inking a three year contract to stay with the Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban said, Wait! There’s more!” (Billy Mayes smiles down.) The Mavericks are finalizing a three way deal to acquire multi-talented Shawn Marion from the Toronto Raptors.
As described here, the Mavs get Marion, and a throw in, Kris Humphries, from Toronto. The Raptors get Devean George, and Antoine Wright from Dallas. Memphis is the ‘facilitator team’ to help each team achieve the ‘financial numbers harmony’ and CBA requirements so important to drive teams to make deals like these.
The Grizzlies get Dallas Maverick Jerry Stackhouse’s low guarantee contract ( $2 mil.) and are said to be buying him out with additional money thrown in from Dallas.
The Mavs have come an agreement of 5 years, $39 million for recently much traveled Shawn Marion. Marion gets to play on a now solid playoff team with newly re-signed Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitski, Josh Howard, and Jason Terry.
The Mavs hope to re-sign Brandon Bass as well. This bodes well for the Mavericks, though they are still weak and over paying at center with Erik Dampier. Their 50 win season moves north this year.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are reported to have re-signed Anderson Verejeo to a 6 year, $50 million dollar deal. They are also reported as having done a deal with former Raptor Anthony Parker, though terms were not mentioned.
With Shaquille O’Neal brought in by trade, Verajeo kept, and Parker added, the Cavs are trying their darnedest to keep Lebron in Cleveland and win a title. Shaq and Parker bring new dimensions to the Cavs – an inside presence at both ends of the floor and a solid three point shooter, and capable defender with size who passes well for a shooting guard.
But the biggest move of the day, (other than by the Celtics) was the signing of Antonio McDyess by the San Antonio Spurs. McDyess signed for three years guaranteed at $15 million.
The Spurs are now loaded for a serious title run. They added small forward Richard Jefferson by trade with the Bucks. They got an unexpected potential steal late in the draft with second rounder DeJuan Blair. They now add McDyess to Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. That looks like the early favorite out west, if not the entire league, with the Lakers uncertain of Lamar Odom’s return right now.
McDyess was my favorite choice for the Celtics to try to sign. Solid game, great attitude, and plays hard all the time. I’m not afraid to say it…the Spurs have me worried now.
Still….who is going to score in the middle on Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace, and Kendrick Perkins?
That is a nasty core of middle defenders. Naa-sty. All three, plus Rondo and Pierce, have as street dog tough and street smart attitudes as any team in the league. The Celtics are working on getting back up players for Pierce and Rondo.
This is going to be a very interesting season.
