NBA Thoughts

Well, it's been a while since I updated here. And way too long, it seems, since I made a post about something other than College Football.

So, how about an NBA post?

The NBA East is pretty much ... a mess. The New York Knicks are 1.5 games out of their division lead. That shouldn't happen in any division after more than three games are played. The Cavaliers are floundering without Larry Hughes, but still remain a respectable 13-8, and would be the #3 seed if the season ended today.

And, of course, there's the Allen Iverson trade mess. I cannot believe that there are not 29 teams interested in acquiring AI. There's not a single team he wouldn't improve, and no matter your situation, he can provide you with a lot of value.

Top Contender? He can put you even closer to the top.

Borderline Contender? He can make you a top contender.

Middle-of-the-pack team? He can put you in the playoffs.

Bottom-of-the-barrel team? He can put butts in the seats.

I'd personally start drooling if the Cavaliers could somehow find a way to get The Answer. Knowing we'd part with Hughes and at least one of our top rookies, as well as either a good expiring contract (Ira Newbie) or a young stud (Anderson Varajeo) shouldn't inhibit this trade. Lebron-Iverson-Gooden can win the East, and have a very good shot of winning the NBA Title, especially if Zydrunas Ilgauskus does anything in the playoffs this year.

The most likely end result for Iverson though, in my opinion? The LA Clippers. They have a lot of good pieces they can give up, and they have a lot to gain. They were very close to the Conference finals last year, and Iverson could be the piece to push them over the top. Plus, a superstar like Iverson could put them ahead of the Lakers in the public eye, something that has to be invaluable to the Clippers.

And, it would make sense for the Sixers, too. You don't want to keep Iverson in Conference if you can avoid it, and you for sure don't want to keep him in division (say goodbye to those pipe dreams, Celtics fans).

Outside of that, I'd really like the chance to smack David Stern upside the head. You don't switch balls in the middle of the season. You point to the stats that scoring is up, and you negotiate for any possible change to come in the off-season.