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| Chauncey Billups is probably seeing red, too, after being waived by the New York Knicks. (image by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) |
“Chauncey, it’s not like we’re waiving you because we don’t want you. Look at it as what it is. We traded you basically for the starting center on the NBA championship team,”’ NYK interim general manager Glen Grunwald said in an effort to appease the disgruntled Chauncey Billups.
After the JUMP:
- Knicks nix Chauncey in favor of Chandler
- D-Wight feels D-Will more than D’ Lakers
- Hamilton to rip thru Chicago
- Odom the Maverick
- West to the East
Knicks nix Chauncey in favor of Chandler
After seeing the Dallas Mavericks run away with the Larry O’Brien trophy last season, “someone like Tyson Chandler” was on top of NYK GM Glen Grunwald’s wish list. Well, he better thank his luck stars, or perhaps Santa himself, because the Knicks won’t just get “someone like Tyson.” They’re getting the real deal. Yes, the starting center of the NBA Champs will take his talents to the Big Apple, and I’m betting Melo and Amar’e are all but pumped.
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| Tyson Chandler will shore up the Knickerbocker frontline with his tenacious defense. (image by the AP) |
But wait. New York may have solved its woes at the slot, but may have opened a bigger hole at the point, what with Chauncey Billups quite irate at him being amnestied (that IS a real word!). And, honestly, can you blame the guy? He’s technically been on the roster of 7 teams in his 14-year career (Boston, Toronto, Denver, Orlando, Minnesota, Detroit, Denver again, and New York). This is an NBA Champion, a Finals MVP, and a 5-time All-Star, and he’s practically bounced around the league more than, say, Brian Scalabrine.
Disrespect much?
Here’s some unsolicited advice for you, Chauncey. Join the Heat or the Lakers. Make New York regret plugging the middle by taking from the point (they’ll reportedly get Mike Bibby, but as if he can be as good as Billups). Join the Heat and the Lakers and be a villain. Beat New York with LeBron or Kobe and the sting will be deeper. And, well, I’ll finally cheer for someone on Miami or someone aside from Gasol on LA.
D-Wight feels D-Will more than D’ Lakers
So the Lakers won’t be getting Chris Paul anytime soon, or probably anytime ever, but they can still make a play for Dwight Howard, right?
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| Dwight Howard prefers the brick-and-mortar of New Jersey over the sea and sand of Los Angeles. (image by the AP) |
Umm… yeah, sure, but I wouldn’t consider them the best bet to do so.
Especially now that one of their other “trade-ables” has left the building. More on this a few paragraphs below
The way I see it, the only way D-Wight is heading to D’ Lakers is if the Magic are dumb enough to trade him for anyone other than Pau Gasol. Anything less (read: Andrew Bynum) would be barking up the wrong tree. The uber best case scenario for LA right now will be getting Howard while miraculously still keeping Gasol and maybe landing Billups on the market. If all those things happen, then maybe the Lakers do deserve to win it all by virtue of divine intervention because, frankly speaking, that just cannot happen.
And even if Mitch Kupchak musters the manhood to put Gasol on the block, it’s not as if Howard is aching to haul his behind all the way to LA. He’d much rather play with Deron up north (and maybe Nene, too) as a Net. It’d also be more enticing for Orlando since Brook Lopez should head their way. And, this is the kicker folks, if D-Wight does hook up with D-Will, then he won’t be “just another Shaq.” He’ll break out of that template and don his cape closer to Brooklyn than Beverly Hills.
Hamilton to rip thru Chicago
Keith Bogans’s (yes, you HAVE to put the “apostrophe S” because Bogans is NOT plural – English teacher here) time on the starting five is up. Someone’s about to rip thru the windy city and help the league’s youngest MVP inch closer to the crown.
But the question is, which Rip Hamilton will show up?
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| Will the Bulls receive Rip Hamilton the Champ, or Rip Hamilton the Chump? (image by the AP) |
Will it be the guy who averaged better than 17 points from 2000-2010, or the guy who flaked his way to 14 markers per outing last season?
Will it be the lockdown defender who can stroke 18-footers while blindfolded, or the guy who bickered with his head coach in 2011?
Hamilton might just “let ‘er rip” and make the Bulls even stronger, or he might be the one to rip coach Thib’s dreams apart. Wild card right here.
Odom the Maverick
After leaving the first day of training camp early (without even suiting up), it was clear Lamar Odom was a maverick of sorts.
It appears that wasn’t enough, so he went on and got traded to the Dallas Mavericks. Now he’s a maverick in every sense of the word.
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| For the first time in quite some time, Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom are headed in different directions. (image by Elvis Takahida/AP) |
And though Dirk Nowitzki will surely miss Tyson Chandler covering for his lousy interior defense, Odom’s presence should ease that parting considerably. And if they get Vince-anity on board as well? Wow. That’s a loaded roster right there. Sure, with those two joining Shawn Marion, they practically have 3 small forwards who’ll be forced to play out of position every game, but, still, that’ll be better than not having them AND not having Tyson Chandler.
West to the East
The Boston Celtics are getting real old real fast. It also seems they’re not completely sold on keeping Rajon Rondo or Jeff Green, even if they’ll open the season with both players on the roster.
Danny Ainge’s solution to all these?
Go West. David West.
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| David West looks to the East for his championship salvation. (image by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) |
The sweet-shooting PF from the New Orleans Hornets may have torn his ACL at the worst time last season, but he should still prove to be a worthy playmate for KG up front for Boston. At 31, he also isn’t the freshest produce in the fridge, but he’ll be a more potent fourth option on offense than many other teams’ second options.
Not everything is set in stone, though, as the Pacers are wooing him as well. But with Boston’s “win now” mentality, and, honestly, better roster, I wager going east is the best choice for West.
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