It’s the beginning of a rivalry. The Bulls played the Heat yesterday in a summer league game in which the two first picks in this year’s NBA draft matched up. Beasley made a statement with his play yesterday that he, not Derrick Rose should have been the first pick.

Beasley shone yesterday putting up 28 points on 9-21 shooting leading his Heat to a convincing 94-70 victory over the awful looking Bulls. Playing with a fractured sternum, Beasley made an impact immediately as he scored 9 points in his first 8 minutes. He dominated throughout showing what NBA prospects talked about pre-draft with tremendous range, an outside and inside game.

As for Derrick Rose, he didn’t do much. He did have 10 points but on 3-8 shooting and 5 turnovers. Now obviously you can’t look at this game and say that Rose was the wrong choice, but what it does show is how Rose can easily get lost in a game. He can fade at times and not be the main guy on the team. Whereas Beasley can be the go to guy throughout a game and continually draw a double team even if he’s not playing well.

Before the draft I strongly believed that the Bulls should choose Beasley. They did not. I just have a feeling that Rose won’t be the top caliber kind of player that Beasley will be. I think in today’s game Beasley’s attributes a much more important to a team in order to create a championship team. As of late, point guards don’t win championships, big men, and good shooting guards do. Just look at Nash, Kidd, Marbury, Francis, and I’ll even go far back as Stockton. I just think that Rose will fall into that category of being a great regular season player but not good enough for a championship, if he’s lucky.

Technorati Tags: Championship Derrick Rose, Derrick Rose, Derrick Rose Bulls, Derrick Rose Bulls First Pick, Derrick Rose Injury, Derrick Rose Michael Beasley, Derrick Rose Michael Beasley Matchup, Derrick Rose Stephon Marbury, Derrick Rose Stephon Marbury Comparison, Jason Kidd, John Stockton, Michael Beasley, Michael Beasley Better Than Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley Derrick Rose Comparison, Michael Beasley Heat, Michael Beasley Injury, Michael Beasley Should Have Been First Pick, NBA Draft 08, NBA Prospects, NBA Summer League, NBA Summer League 08, NBA Summer League Derrick Rose, NBA Summer League Derrick Rose Stats, NBA Summer League Michael Beasley, NBA Summer League Michael Beasley Stats, Stephon Marbury, Steve Francis, Steve Nash

The free agent season has begun. Following an exciting post-season and draft, the NBA has found another way to keep us hooked. In the next couple of weeks there are to be some big names moved around and could possibly shape next year’s championship team. The Celtics made all the right moves during last year’s free agency and ended up taking the title. So, don’t be surprised if a number of teams take a page from their book. Here are some of the big names who could make a move.

Elton Brand

Although his intentions are to re-sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, don’t be surprised to see Elton Brand move. He has yet to be on a successful team and I’m sure he’s more than eager to cement himself as a marquee player. He is unable to do so on the lowly Clippers who will again have no chance next year in the overly competitive West. If the the right offer lands on Brand’s lap, possibly from his old team in the Bulls, or with the Knicks, Pistons, or Rockets who all need a player like Brand, don’t expect him to stay in Los Angeles.

Baron Davis

After the Warriors 06-07 run that included maybe one of the biggest post-season upsets of the Dallas Mavericks, Baron Davis could not find the same chemistry this past season. Davis has had trouble in the past season with Golden State and it seems like he may be headed out of Golden State after opting out of his contract. Davis averaged 21.8 points a game last season and would be extremely valuable to either a East or West Playoff team. The Detroit Pistons have showed interest in Davis in a possible sign and trade which may include stars Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups. This may turn into the biggest trade of the off-season. Also showing interest are the aforementioned Los Angeles Clippers. If Baron Davis signs with the Clippers this may persuade Elton Brand to stay.

Corey Maggette

Elton Brand isn’t the only Clipper on the move. Corey Maggette has also opted out of his contract and will test the open market. Maggette is more likely than Brand to leave the team and could play an integral part in next seasons playoffs. There were rumors swirling last season of a trade of Maggette to the Suns, so don’t be surprised if that deal won’t resurrect itself. Another team showing interest looks to be the Utah Jazz who are one piece away from a championship team.

Wizards Aren’t Letting Agent Zero Turn Into Free Agent Zero

The Washington Wizards are planning to invest over 150 million dollars in both Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison. This seems like to much for a team who keeps getting knocked out of the playoffs by the Cleveland Cavaliers. I thought Washington would have to get rid of at least one of the two, but it looks as if the Wizards want to continue with Jamison and Arenas. Personally I would have let Arenas go because he did very little last year and we are still unsure about his knee. Jamison is turning himself into a fantastic player, averaging 20 and 10 last year and is bound to become better.

Here is a list of other notable names that could see themselves in different uniforms next season.

Sam Cassell- Boston Celtics- Unrestricted FA

Eddie House- Boston Celtics- Unrestricted FA

Emeka Okafor- Charlotte Bobcats- Restricted FA

Luol Deng- Chicago Bulls- Restricted FA

Ben Gordon- Chicago Bulls- Restricted FA

Delonte West- Cleveland Cavaliers- Restricted FA

Allen Iverson- Denver Nuggets- Early Termination Option

JR Smith- Denver Nuggets- Restricted FA

Steve Francis- Houston Rockets- Player Option

Jason Williams- Miami Heat- Unrestricted FA

Stephon Marbury- New York Knicks- Early Termination Option

Andre Iguodala- Philadelphia 76ers- Restricted FA

Michael Finley- San Antonio Spurs- Unrestricted FA

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Donnie Walsh made his first bad decision yesterday when he decided to hire Mike D’Antoni as head coach of the New York Knicks. D’Antoni, who left the Phoenix Suns, failed yet again this season to get into the finals, despite having one of the most talented teams in basketball. Despite this failure, Donnie Walsh and the 23-59 Knicks (2nd to last in the Eastern conference) thinks that D’Antoni will solve the numerous problems the Knicks face this upcoming season. This is what D’Antoni had to say about his future with the Knicks,

We want to win a championship. I know all the components you have to have. You have to have great offense and great defense.

What the Knicks really needed was a defensive-minded coach to help their awful performance on defense this and the past several seasons. D’Antoni created one of the most effective run and gun offenses over in Phoenix, yet still failed to make it past the Western Conference Finals. As they say, “Defense Wins Championships.” How is bringing an offensive minded coach to a young, immature team going to help?

The Knicks are one of the youngest teams in the league and their inexperience was shown last season when, despite having the highest payroll in basketball, they could not make the playoffs of one of the worst Eastern Conferences to date. The 8th seeded Atlanta Hawks were 8 games under .500 but still found themselves an astonishing 14 games ahead of the lowly Knicks. With useless defenders like Jamal Crawford, Eddy Curry, and Stephon Marbury on the team how does D’Antoni expect to fix this team. Crawford is in the game strictly for offense, which is so sparatic and inconsistent that there is really no need for him to take minutes away from less talented but more consistent players. Eddy Curry is awful on defense and can’t even block spam from his e-mail. Marbury, a.k.a Starbury, has been anything but a star. Someone needs to bury this star six feet under so that New York doesn’t have to deal with his cry-baby attitude.

The only thing that D’Antoni and the Knicks can hope for is to win the lottery. The draft lottery that is. If they can capture a solid position in which they can get Memphis guard Derrick Rose they may have a chance in the future. But that may take several seasons for D’Antoni to develop a team around a young guard. Something that he did well with Phoenix and Steve Nash, but was never done well enough to win a championship.

D’Antoni has no idea what he’s getting into. This team ruined the character of one of the most talented and successful players of all time in Isiah Thomas. Sure D’Antoni has won coach of the year in 04-05. Sure he has led the Suns to 54 wins or more in the past 4 seasons. Sure he has a .608 winning percentage in the past 6 seasons. But where’s the ring Mike? No where. You know why? Because he had Shaquille O’Neal, Amare Stoudemire, Steve Nash, Leandro Barbosa, and Grant Hill on his team and still failed to win. Because he couldn’t handle the ego of Shawn Marion, whose ego would be overshadowed tenfold in New York. And finally because he is 26-25 in the playoffs. A .500 team may get into the playoffs but they will never win the playoffs playing .500.

By Sean Connolly

Technorati Tags: 2008, Amare Stoudemire, Atlanta Hawks, basketball, Defense, Derrick Rose, Donnie Walsh, Eastern Conference, Eddy Curry, Grant Hill, Isiah Thomas, Jamal Crawford, Knicks, Knicks Problems, Leandro Barbosa, Mike D'Antoni, New Coach, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Playoffs, Sean Connolly, Shaq, Shaquille O'Neal, Shawn Marion, Stephon Marbury, Stephon Marbury Trade, Steve Nash, Western Conference

But that’s not what I’m writing about today. I was in Tune Street yesterday – our great local music & electronics store – and overhead a New York Knick’s fan share his agony.

What got me was this: “Here am I at home, paying $170 for NBA League Pass just to stick with my beloved Knicks, and I’m yelling at the TV: ‘Fire Isiah!’ I’m like screaming at the television set as if I paid the big bucks at the Garden. And of course I know the dude can’t hear me but I can’t help myself.”

Knick coach Isiah Thomas – Photo Suzy Allman/New York Times

I felt for the guy and in return for my not mentioning his name, he agreed to talk more. If you love B-ball and you understand the joy and pain of rooting, you may appreciate this. He’s an older guy and started by telling me some of his history:

“I grew up in the Bronx before the games were on TV and listened to every Knicks game on the radio. Sweetwater Clifton, Richie Guerin, Kenny Sears … and in those days if you were going to high school in the city you had a G.O. discount card which got you into the Garden for 50 cents, up in the top most section of the balcony.

“In those days the NBA played doubleheaders, so if you loved basketball there was no better place than the old Garden. You get a Nedicks hot dog and an Orange Julius and head in for hours of great b-ball.

“The team that killed us was the Celtics – they manhandled the Knicks with Russell and Cousy and Frank Ramsay and they had this goon of a guy Jim Loscutof who literally would throw the Knicks around. Of course they played the best team basketball around too, but we hated them.

Bob Cousy vs. The Knicks – Photo: William C. Greene

“So you can imagine what it feels like now all these years later to watch the Celtics steal Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett and out together a gem of a team while Isiah crashes and burns the Knicks.

Kevin Garnett – Celtic Saviour

“We’re talking absolute agony. I gotta pray the Pistons take them out or whoever wins the West – Phoenix or San Antonio or even the Lakers!”

That, folks, is what rooting is all about. This guy is already hoping the Knicks blow every game left so they have a shot at Derrick Rose.

Even the New York City sportswriters are dripping with anger at what has happened to one of the most storied franchises in pro basketball. Frank Isola, the beat writer at the New York Daily News wrote about why he hates this version of the New York Knicks:

• The team I grew up rooting for has become a running joke.
• Few in the organization care about the team’s history.
• Patrick Ewing doesn’t work for them.
• They have had seven straight losing seasons.
• James Dolan once said that “the worst year yet” was 1999; yes the year they reached the NBA Finals.
• Isiah Thomas thinks he’s doing a great job.
• Stephon Marbury thinks he’s done nothing wrong.
• They don’t play defense.
• They ripped out the Marty Glickman radio booth for the sake of the almighty dollar.
• Few of the players have earned the fat contracts they’ve received.
• They are 19-48 in an Eastern Conference that except for three teams – Boston, Detroit and Cleveland – has to be the worst ever. How can the Knicks not even be in playoff contention in mid-March?
• Yes, I must confess, I hate the Knicks. These Knicks.

Mark Berman of the New York Post reported on the Knicks’ embarrassing lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves this way:
“The Knicks fell behind 42-24 after one quarter, with the Wolves converting 17 of 23 shots for a 73.9 percentage in setting their franchise high for most points in the opening stanza.
The Knicks might as well have taken the charter plane home then with their 50th loss in the bag.
Yes, it’s now 19-50. Mindboggling.
Ten fastbreak points to zero for the Knicks in the first 12 minutes.
‘The first quarter was a nightmare,’ Isiah Thomas said afterward.
No. The season – and the last four years – have been a nightmare. Thirteen games to go. And counting.”

Now add the fact that the Celtics are playing great basketball with a terrific chance to win the NBA title and you get a better idea why just about every New York Knicks’ fan from New York City to Los Angeles are having a hard time sleeping.

Technorati Tags: Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Boston Celtics, Frank Isola, Isiah Thomas, Kevin Garnett, Madison Square Garden, Mark Berman, NBA, NBA League Pass, New York Knicks, pro basketball, Stephon Marbury