What happens to the prodigal sons? Two of the NBA's biggest moneymaking franchises, the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks, are being run by the adult children of the original bosses. And there is evidence that in both cases it is not going well. The Knicks, under Charles Dolan's son James Dolan, have spent a fortune alienating staff, losing a sexual harassment lawsuit, and losing games wholesale. The Lakers, meanwhile, have increasingly fallen under the spell of Jerry Buss's son Jim Buss, and in the process have converted a dynasty into a soap opera. The basketball isn't even all that great anymore. Having been burned in the past by incompetent owners like Ted Stepien, the league is careful about who it allows to own a team -- ownership is a skill! -- but the league's hands are tied when parents pass control to children. So, for the time being, I guess all we can do is sit back and watch two of the most important franchises try time and again to get it right, at the expense of a league that would love to see those franchines humming.
Where in the world will Kobe Bryant end up? When everyone in the NBA gets all hysterical about something, there's almost always some old-school conventional wisdom that can be applied to calm everything down. When it comes to trade demands, the old-school conventional wisdom is that the player ends up settling down and things sort themselves out. But that runs counter to just about everything I have heard and read from people in the know in this particular case. The divides are deep and real, and this player is not, I don't think, settling down. Which makes me think that perhaps this time there is no conventional wisdom. Which feels about right.
What about Phil Jackson? Let's say he does lose Kobe Bryant, and ends up as the lone bigshot in a sick organization. With his ongoing health problems, that would have to mean curtains, right? Here's one other thing that has occured to me: it's not out of the question that Phil Jackson could end up as a quasi-owner of the Lakers. Humor me for a second: There is widespread dissatisfaction with Jim Buss in Los Angeles. There are a lot of people who would prefer that Jeannie Buss run the Lakers, instead of her brother Jim Buss. She is already a key executive, and is said to be more competent of the two. And if she were to end up behind the owner's desk, that could mean a ton of influence for her long-time boyfriend, Phil Jackson.
Will we ever get the real truth about that shooting at DeShawn Stevenson's house? It was one of the strangest stories ever. A multiple felon, Curtis Ruff, turned up with bullet wounds at a local hospital. Law enforcement investigated, and found witnesses and evidence placing Ruff outside Stevenson's house, having some kind of dispute with some women and friends of Stevenson. The report from the officers found ample testimony and evidence that Ruff had fired at Stevenson's house. And of course, the bullets that had torn up Ruff's leg, and the shell casings on the ground were evidence that somebody had fired back. But the story of everyone who would talk to officers was that Stevenson was asleep inside the entire time, and as soon as Ruff started firing, his friends (including former NBA player Brandon Hunter) ran inside and hid. Ruff won't press charges, so law enforcement officials can't take the case much further, and we're left having no idea how that man got shot -- and as far as I can tell, this story has slipped completely off the NBA media radar.
Is it Dwight Howard time? This question was on this list last year. I guess the answer was "almost." That's OK. Big men take longer to develop. At some point, though, he's going to be an MVP candidate. Pre-season would seem to indicate that could be this year.
Did the Suns and Celtics make the right roster gambles? Phoenix is a high-wire act even when everything goes right for this franchise. This season will be something else entirely. To me, this roster, at this juncture in history, has the perfect motivation. They are still stunned by what happened last year against the Spurs in the playoffs, and feel very much that this league owes them one championship trophy. That's warrior mentality. That's what you need to keep you from petty distractions. That's why I picked this team to win it. But they have certainly made some non-optimal roster moves in recent years, giving away players (Kurt Thomas, James Jones) and several picks. Yes, they got Grant Hill, but ask the people in Orlando what it's like to count on his health. And as for the Celtics, oh, they got better. They got way better. But their summer was a true gamble. Are they on a path to win a title before Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce slip beyond their primes?
Will the NBA be able to convince fans to trust referees a little more? There are changes in the air. For instance, as of this morning you can see which referees are assigned to which games tonight. But what comes of Lawrence Pedowitz's investigation? How will the league go about building trust?
Are the Dallas Mavericks the best team in the NBA, or are we waiting for a fire sale? They are a popular pick to win it all this year. They are also a team wrapped in doubt after flaming out in the first round against Golden State this spring. You can make a strong case that they are a tweak or two away from the title they almost got in 2006. You can also look at their salaries and realize that if this roster is not perfect, it's going to be very tough to re-tool on the fly -- most of their good players have long and hefty contracts. I have to believe that this is a make or break season for this roster.
Now is San Antonio too old and slow? Bruce Bowen, Robert Horry, Brent Barry, and Michael Finley are all getting older and slower. Tim Duncan has been banged around a lot in his career and has missed long stretches before. On the other hand, last year -- as the league got faster -- they were supposedly too slow, but they embarrassed everyone in the end. And don't forget that Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Ime Udoka, Fabricio Oberto and company are in their primes.
Will Seattle get to keep its Sonics? This could end up being the biggest story of the year. Although will all these lawyers involved, things likely won't move all that fast. It could also end up being the biggest story of next year. Or the year after that.
Will China make the most of its moment in the sun? ESPN's John Hollinger predicts Yao Ming will be the best player in the NBA, in terms of PER. Yi Jianlian has everyone very excited in Milwaukee. The NBA is hustling to launch a professional basketball league in China. And the Beijing Olympics are coming up next August. For whatever reason, basketball has become an important front in China's ascension on the global stage, and over the next year, China has a lot on the line.
Will LeBron James get help? The Cavaliers have been trying hard to assemble a roster that will keep James in town when his current contract expires. At the moment, that project has taken a step backwards, as two key members (Sasha Pavlovic and Anderson Varejao) of his already questionable supporting cast are still holding out. The conventional wisdom is that to get back to the Finals, and to actually win the title next time, the Cavaliers need not only those two back, but also some other serious improvements, especially at guard. Can Daniel Gibson develop fast enough to satisfy? Can the team get the pieces together to lure a big name guard? Can LeBron James take this team back to the Finals even without an improved supporting cast?
