RIVALS LOADING UP
June 25, 2009 by R.C. Cola
With the Los Angeles Lakers king of the castle, a few of the other contenders are bulking up with the hopes dethroning the champs. The San Antonio Spurs kicked it off by trading for All-Star-caliber forward Richard Jefferson. The Cleveland Cavaliers, however, seriously loaded up by pairing Shaquille O’Neal with LeBron James, setting up a dream NBA Finals match-up.
Should Kobe Bryant and the Lakers be scared? Probably not. These trades are creating a lot of buzz and are the wellspring of a lot of potentially great storylines. But ultimately, they may not make a whole lot of difference in the grand scheme of things. Both teams still face trouble within their own conferences, and that’s before facing a now-grizzled Laker squad.
Ahead of the NBA draft on Thursday, the Cleveland Cavaliers dealt Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic and a draft pick for the dominant All-Star Center. The team instantly gets stronger up front, and gives King James a legitimate big man to work with. They’ll be better able to match up with the Orlando Magic and Dwight Howard, as well as the Lakers’ frontcourt.
But the O’Neal trade may not pan out as well as the Cavs would like. For one, Superman isn’t used to playing second fiddle. Sure enough, he vowed to make Amare Stoudemire a better player, but ultimately, Shaq supplanted Stoudemire as the go-to offensive threat.
Also, O’Neal and James could get into a battle of egos. Each is a superstar in his own right, but both have larger-than-life personalities and it’s unclear how the two will jive together.
Lastly, how will O’Neal fare with a body that’s clearly in decline? He did post All-Star numbers last year, but he’s unlikely to keep up the pace as he continues to slide downhill.
Still, NBA Commisioner David Stern, fans and sports writers are wetting themselves over the potential match-ups. Old school Superman vs. the new Superman? A Kobe-Shaq match-up in the Finals. The young - and overwhelmed - Andrew Bynum vs. O’Neal. The possibilities are endless. Plus, Shaq is likely motivated to get another ring and one-up Kobe. But seriously, how long will that motivation sustain him before frustration over LeBron dominating the ball gets to him? Not too long, I’d wager.
The Spurs, meanwhile, got younger and faster with Jefferson. In exchange, they only gave up perenial back-up big man Kurt Thomas, an aging Bruce Bowen, and spare part Fabricio Oberto. Essentially, they got Jefferson at a steal. Coach Gregg Popovich once sniped at the Lakers after they picked up Pau Gasol for nothing. Perhaps Coach Phil Jackson can return the favor?
While the Spurs do get better, they won’t be good enough. Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili are aging and definitely on the way down. Tony Parker is still effective, but isn’t anywhere near as zippy as he used to be. And that’s a problem when Parker faces other more effective Western Conference point guards like Utah Jazz Deron Williams and New Orleans Hornet Chris Paul.
Ultimately, you have to salute both teams for making bold moves that will improve their shot next season. I’m just not sure it’ll be enough though.
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