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30

Jun

Ready? Predicting the NBA offseason

Here goes nothing …

Chris Bosh: Chicago Bulls
Bosh starts the free agent fiasco off by committing to Chicago

Dwyane Wade: Miami Heat
As expected, Wade re-ups in Miami.

Joe Johnson: New Jersey Nets
Following in the lead of the Heat and the Bulls, the Nets add their ‘Bron piece

Amar’e Stoudemire: New York Knicks
With free agent pieces falling, Walsh lures Stoudemire to play in the SSOL again with D’Antoni

Ray Allen: Chicago Bulls
Allen shocks pundits, signing in Chicago, fueling speculation that LBJ could be next.

Dirk Nowitzki: Dallas Mavericks
Nowtizki re-signs max contract with Dallas, leaving LBJ and Amar’e as the big available commodities.

LeBron James: Chicago Bulls
Ending the chase of LBJ, James signs with the Bulls. Seeing Deng, Rose, Bosh, Allen and Noah on the roster, he can’t turn it down. Bulls now East favorites. Time for the other chips to fall.

Let’s have some fun now …

David Lee: New Orleans Hornets
Chris Paul: New York Knicks
Knicks pull off a sign and trade, sending David Lee, Wilson Chandler, Eddy Curry, a 2011 2nd rounder and a 2012 first rounder to the Hornets for Chris Paul, Emeka Okafor and a 2012 second rounder.

Paul Pierce: Boston Celtics
Despite speculation, Pierce refuses to head to New Jersey, signs final extension with Celtics

Carlos Boozer: Miami Heat
After losing out on LBJ, Pat Riley settles for Boozer, Haywood and Reddick, aiming to create a hybrid of the NBA-champion Heat (big body underneath) and the now-successful Magic (outside sharpshooters). Heat fans not too happy. What else is new.

Rudy Gay: Los Angeles Clippers
Clippers lone splash is Gay, but the team still looks like a real contender

Carmelo Anthony: New Jersey Nets
Devin Harris: Los Angeles Clippers
Make the second offseason blockbuster, sending Devin Harris, a 2011 first round pick, and a 2013 first round pick to the Nuggets for Carmelo Anthony. Nets replace Harris by signing Felton.

Starting five of the five biggest movers:

Miami Heat

PG Mario Chalmers
SG Dwyane Wade
SF JJ Redick
PF Carlos Boozer
C Brendan Haywood

Chicago Bulls

PG Derek Rose
SG Ray Allen
SF LeBron James
PF Chris Bosh
C Joakim Noah

New York Knicks

PG Chris Paul
SG Bill Walker
SF Danilo Gallinari
PF Amar’e Stoudemire
C Emeka Okafor

New Jersey Nets

PG Raymond Felton
SG Joe Johnson
SF Carmelo Anthony
PF Derrick Favors
C Brook Lopez

Los Angeles Clippers

PG Baron Davis
SG Eric Gordon
SF Rudy Gay
PF Blake Griffin
C Chris Kaman

Winners:

Chicago Bulls
Add the big prize, get arguably the third biggest prize, and tack on a sharpshooting Allen.

New Jersey Nets
Land the prize of 2011, have a starting five arguably as good as the Bulls.

Los Angeles Clippers
They only add Gay, but look an awful lot like the 2009-10 Thunder. Young, deep, and a great rookie (Aminu) off the bench.

Losers:

Miami Heat
They keep Wade, but adding an overrated Boozer won’t help. Haywood and Redick make the team a top five team in the East, but not a championship contender.

New York Knicks
The starting five is serviceable - a four-seed in the East behind the Nets, Bulls and Magic - but they are worlds behind the four teams above them, and fail on landing LeBron. Additionally, any shot at Anthony in 2011 is taken away by New Jersey.

Will any of this happen? I’m not counting on it. Still, the pieces fit, and best of all, it sets up a quiet 2011.