Commentary
The anticipation is finally over. Kings have been dethroned, triumvirates have been formed, villains have been casted — and I’m just talking about LeBron James.
In what many considered to be the biggest free agency in the league’s history, some of the biggest names in the National Basketball Association (NBA) became available to the highest bidder.
In the last few weeks, Cleveland has gone from a championship contender to the wayside while Miami’s roster now boasts the top three prizes of free agency in Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh.
LeBron’s decision, also known as “The Decision,” changes not only Miami’s fate, but that of the whole league. It effectively makes the Eastern Conference the clear winner in this free agency, and finally a contender against the NBA defending champions, the West’s Los Angeles Lakers.
“The Decision” also set the precedent for future free agents in terms of the leverage they have in deciding where they will go. Whether or not the East’s “Big Three,” Allen, Garnett and Pierce — sorry, LeBron, Wade and Bosh — will live up to their hype is unknown, but if their chemistry on Team USA is any indication of what is to come, then NBA fans are in for quite a treat.
Here’s the Charlatan’s take on the winners and losers of free agency thus far.
Winners:
Miami Heat: Miami gambled big time by clearing cap space and purging its roster and now heads into next season with three of the world’s best players, while still adding to their roster. Fantasy team owners know that none of the three will be able to maintain the same value, but Heat fans could care less if it all results in championships for years to come.
Chicago Bulls: Sure they aimed for the stars and fell short, but their roster still includes core players like Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Luol Deng, as well as new additions like Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver. Things should be interesting in the East next season.
Los Angeles Lakers: For the reigning champs, having Phil Jackson re-sign was just as important as free agency. The Lakers also signed Matt Barnes and Theo Ratliff, helping their chances at a three-peat next season.
Losers:
Cleveland Cavaliers: Sorry Cleveland, the King has left the building.
New Jersey Nets: They had their sights set on the likes of Wade, James, Bosh, etc. They ended up with Travis Outlaw, Jordan Farmar, Johann Petro and Anthony Morrow. If the latter four names don’t ring a bell, it’s a good indication of where the Nets will end up this season.
Toronto Raptors: They lost Bosh, through no fault of their own, and traded away Hedo Turkoglu, whose signing was a mistake to begin with. They seem destined for mediocrity, but then again, that’s not much of a change from last season.