With the lockout nearly over, the NBA season will be starting soon.The first major dominoes of the NBA offseason fell today.
The Heat solidified their bench by adding Shane Battier. The Heat already has some tremendous defensive talent. Adding Battier to that mix is going to make them formidable. The Knicks are on the brink of signing Tyson Chandler and using their new amnesty clause ability on Chauncey Billups therefore voiding his contract with the team. Caron Butler is leaving the Mavs for the Clipppers.
The biggest domino of all is the soon to be completed trade of Chris Paul to the Lakers in a three team trade with the Rockets. New Orleans gets Odom from the Lakers Scola, Martin, and Dragic and a 1st from Houston. Houston gets Pau Gasol and some other pieces. LA receives Chris Paul and maybe other stuff. Most notably, the Lakers still retain Bynum who is expected to be the main piece in a deal to acquire Dwight Howard from the Magic. Lakers with a good point guard? Good luck other Western teams.
Big grats to the NBA owners on completely failing with their new CBA that nearly resulted in a cancelled season. What did they gain exactly? Their big markets continue to rape and pillage the small markets, which was supposed to be stopped in the new CBA. There is no hard cap to prevent teams from spending all they want and then paying luxury tax. No revenue sharing. It took all of one week for this agreement in principal to be completely burned to the ground by the big market owners. Too bad they just ratified the deal. I wonder if some of the small market owners would have tried to block it and get more favorable terms.