Rewind

Unfortunately last week I typed an entire piece on LeBron, as well as other NBA stories, and apparently the site was under repair, so one of the longer pieces I've ever written was exiled to cyber space-never to return again. It will live on in my mind with other great accomplishments of mine that only I witnessed, along with the summer I watched every Mike and the Mad Dog from June through the first week of September (I was 14 and single at the time shockingly), and my junior year of orchestra when I was the only who knew that I didn't play a single note the entire year. Nevertheless we march forward.

Watching the Bulls bully the Heat last night was refreshing for any Heat antagonist, after watching Wade and friends steamroll opponents for the first two rounds of the playoffs. "Little boy" as dannymac calls him Chris Bosh, turned in a decent performance offensively, but was also part of the problem for the Heat, as he lead a front court that allowed seventeen offensive rebounds to the Bulls... by the end of the third quarter! The Bulls front line are going to give the Heat headaches the entire series. It got me thinking that the Heat should have complimented Wade and LeBron differently this summer, and subsequently that made me think of the larger picture. There are a lot of teams that would like to have played the Free Agent Summer of 2010 bonanza differently looking back. Excluding Wade and LeBron, because obviously every team would take both of them if they had the chance, it's interesting to look at what the big players from last summer would do different if they had a mulligan, and working under the premise that every free agent except LeBron and Wade are available to make an offer to.

Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks for whatever reason played the Bulls well the entire season. Sometimes in basketball a team is the right matchup for you. The problem with the Hawks is that in a series where the opponent played poor, and the Hawks stole game one on the road...it was still nothing more than a ho hum six game series. That's what this Hawks ceiling is-giving a second round opponent a tough series.

The biggest problem the Hawks have is that they are stuck with this team for the next five years. Why? Because they gave their third most important player the largest contract in the history of the NBA. That's right, MR. Personality himself Joe "I even bore my parents" Johnson, has given the Hawks two options:

1. Keep the team as it is since all their money is tied up-and get bounced in the first or second round for the next five years. Or...

2. Trade their most valuable player-Josh Smith-for cap flexibility, but again, that would involve trading one of three players in the league who could ever get you a quadruple double (by my estimation the other two are Chris Paul with points, rebounds, assists, and steals-and Dwight Howard with points, rebounds, blocks, and ignored illegitimate children) on their best night.

Looking back, the Hawks would have been better off letting Joe walk away. Jamal Crawford could have started and replaced most of Joe's offense anyways. They could have spent half of the money that they spent on Johnson, and made their team into a defensive juggernaut for the next couple of years, by signing Tony Allen, and making their team impossible to score against with the weak side shot-blocking of Smith and Horford. The offense would have been enough for now, as we've seen Jeff Teague will be a good pro. The ironic thing is that the Hawks give the ball to Crawford, not Johnson at the end of all close games anyway. Letting Joe walk would have given them so much flexibility for when a more dynamic game changing player became available. Then they can finally do us all a favor and dump Starvin Marvin's carcass at Fulton County Stadium next to Ironman Haywood and that rocking lunatic Leo Mazzone.

Celtics

Lost in the nonsense and excuse-making of losing Kendrick Perkins, was the fact that the Celtics had to decide on Paul Pierce and Ray Allen's future last year. One day were going to look back on this Celtics team, and look at them like the 04 Pistons. A team that acted like they were a dynasty by their attitude and the way the media portrays them. In reality they are a really good but flawed team that won a title and came close to another. Now, it looks as though the Celtics are locked into an aging, flawed lineup for the next three years. Throw in the fact that apparently grown men stop playing as hard when someone gets traded-as happened in the Perkins trade-and honestly this roster is an aging mess. What could they have done this summer?

I say that as much back lash as it would have caused, you had to let at least one of the two in the Pierce/Allen duo walk. If it were me, I would have let Pierce and Allen go. Look I understand what a great player Pierce has been. However, if you are looking at the franchise, it's obvious that Rondo is their best, and only young talent, so the future is about building around him. The reality is that Pierce and Rondo aren't a great long term match. Both want the ball all the time. The problem is that for the first forty two minutes of a game Rondo has the ball when Pierce wants in, and that flips in the last six minutes. It's become/becoming a problem. As for Ray, I'm a HUGE fan, but you can replace a shooter-obviously not of his caliber-at a huge discount.

I would have built around Rondo, and the front line of Perkins and Garnett. The next question is what do they do with that money? I would matched Memphis' offer and signed Rudy. Basically he's a more athletic, slightly less gritty version of Pierce, and also about 25 years younger. When Garnett came off the books at the end of next season, the Celtics would have had loads of cap room (thanks to Rondo's friendly contract) to build around Rondo, Gay, and Perkins. Instead the Celtic fans will watch Rajon Rondo and the Disabled 3 get picked apart by anybody who can slash for the next two or three years. Have fun.

Chicago Bulls

As the Bulls destroyed the Heat by essentially pushing them around, something stood out to me. Carlos Boozer was the one person who didn't seem like he was that tough. He wasn't pushing anyone around, or more athletic than the Heat's front line. I was blown away by Noah's second and third attempts at rebounds. I was blown away by everything about Taj Gibson, and even that big dork from Turkey. Just not Boozer.

If the Bulls had a rewind button, they never would sign Boozer. They already have Gibson, who is emerging as one of the most electric players in the NBA. Someone who defensively can guard every position, and who has range on his jumpshot out to fifteen feet. Boozer out of the way would mean more playing time for Gibson, which as we've seen, is a very very good thing. the player you sign instead? Joe Johnson.

Ignore the fact that I just bashed him. That was me bashing him as a number one option for a great team. If you pit Rose and Johnson's shooting together, that would be the best backcourt in the NBA by a mile, which would also happen to be playing with the best defensive frontcourt. Remember, Chicago had the cap space to sign Wade and James this last summer. Signing one max free agent would still leave cap space to make moves. Having an additional play maker to compliment Rose would take the pressure off of everybody, and to me assured a dynasty in Chicago. Of all the scenarios, that one may be the most fun to think about.

Miami Heat

Quite simply, they wouldn't have signed any of the players they have except for Wade and James. the max money that they gave to Chris Bosh, as well as Mike Miller & Co. could have paid for some pretty good players, who would compliment James and Wade better. Believe it or not, I would keep Joel Anthony as the starting center, he is a beast at protecting the rim.

I would have signed the following players to support the Big 2: Luis Scola, Anthony Morrow, Ronnie Brewer. For about half of the money they paid Bosh and the rest of the little boys, they could have had these players who would have upgraded their defense, shooting, and to me at least, Scola is 85% the offensive player that Bosh is anyways. Brewer would have been able to guard opposing quick guards, and Morrow would have given James Jones a partner in one trick pony crime. Instead Miami is locked into a player that admitted he was scared in game three of f second round series. At least Scola would provide a token fat guy.

Oklahoma City Thunder

I would have made one simple move. Give Ray Allen an offer he can't resist. Just imagine the looks he would have playing with Durantula and Westbrook. Allen on OKC and Joe Johnson on the Bulls would have made the Finals epic. OKC has Sefolosha so they're good...

Knicks and Nets

Believe it or not, both teams did exactly what they had to do. Neither team panicked when they lost out on LeBron and Wade. Both teams are incomplete but on the right track, and we will see. this summer and next are huge for both of them. It will be fascinating to see which one gets Howard, and who gets Paul. For once though, my Knicks did something right.