Bye bye Ben

An assortment of NBA thoughts, since the Cubs are too frustrating to discuss:

• - The Bulls-Ben Gordon-Pistons situation is a tricky one, because there’s no clear winner with the exception of Gordon’s agent and financial advisor. The Bulls lose their best scorer, a man with ice in his veins who is never afraid to shoot, regardless if he’s 10-for-10 or 0-for-10. At the same time, they lose a player who was never interested in guarding his man and who had worse ball handling skills than my 11-year old cousin. Gordon goes from a starting role on a playoff team with the league’s top young point guard to a rebuilding franchise without a coach and a star already at shooting guard. And the Pistons have to pay a 6-3 shooter $55 million over the next five years while also giving Rip Hamilton $32 mill over the next three seasons. The move changes things in the Central Division, I’m just not sure yet which way they change.
• - A lot of Bulls fans are banking on an improved Derrick Rose, a more mature Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah, a healthy Luol Deng and the same John Salmons that showed up in the Celtics playoff series to offset Gordon’s departure. If all that happens, well then losing BG is no big deal. But what are the odds of all that taking place? Rose improving makes sense, but I would put the other three (four if you count TT and Noah’s development separately) as 50/50 shots. Add in two rookies and remaining questions about Coach Vinny, and I say the Bulls as currently structured are no lock for the post-season, especially in the tougher Eastern Conference.
• -Last thought on Gordon; how will the Bulls replace him at crunch time? Say what you want about Rose, who I love, and Kirk Hinrich, who played great in the post-season save for that jagged layup that almost cost the team Gm. 6, but Gordon was clearly the go-to guy with the clock running out. He almost single-handedly won Gm. 2 and hit his ‘cajones’ shot at the end of Gm. 4 extended the game to another OT, which the Bulls wound up winning. In the past, whenever the Bulls needed a bucket at the end of a game, they’d turn to Gordon, who more times than not delivered. It’s going to be weird to have a Chicago-Detroit game where #7 is knocking them down against the Bulls instead of for them.
  
• -Best part about the signing: the cap space. The Bulls should have nearly $20 million next summer with a bunch of aspiring contracts, meaning they could potentially sign a DWade or Chris Bosh. Add in an already young team with some nice pieces, and the future looks bright on the West Side of Chi City.

• -Other NBA moves, in rundown mode.

The Shaq to Cleveland trade is putting a band-aid on a major scar. O’Neal, at his age, is no more than a role player. Make that a space-eating role player. Putting him on the same team as LeBron James is the equivalent to putting Refrigerator Perry in the same backfield as Barry Sanders; the skilled player can’t do his thing because the big guy won’t be able to get out of his way. Unless they add a skilled wing player, and there aren’t many left, the Cavs will officially blow the opportunity to have the best player in the league play in front of his hometown fans for his entire career. (Yes, I’m saying if Cleveland doesn’t win the 09-10 title, James is bolting.)

Vince Carter to the Magic is genius. The fact that Orlando could get him without giving up any of their All-Stars makes them the favorite in the East next season. VC isn’t the player he was with Toronto early in his career, but he’s still one hell of a scorer and has even become more of a playmaker over the past few seasons. Team him with Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis and Superman Howard, and the Magic have one hell of a squad.

Ron Artest is now a Laker and Trevor Ariza a Rocket. What’s it mean? That L.A. is clearly the team to beat in 2010. With Kobe, Gasol, (I assume) Odom and now Artest, the purple and gold have no real weaknesses, unless Phil Jackson decides not to return. So I guess the question is, who’s their top competition? Boston should be a beast again (especially if they add Rasheed Wallace), Orlando as I mentioned is really good, and Cleveland will be tough in the East. Denver, Utah and Dallas should all be back at premier levels out West, with Portland and even Oklahoma City being much improved.

But the #2 team is clearly San Antonio. If Duncan, Parker and Manu are healthy, the Spurs are already tough. Add in a great fourth scorer in Richard Jefferson, the unexpected offensive lift of Matt Bonner and Roger Mason, and also two of my favorite players in the NBA Draft, Pitt forward DeJuan Blair and Miami shooting guard Jack McClinton, and the Spurs could give the Lakers all they can handle.