Free Agency, Who’s Going to Win?

Tonight as the clock strikes mid-night the fun begins. The NBA free agency period beings in earnest with many clubs courting many, many free agents to come and play for their team and represent their city.

Usually when someone mentions something that begins at mid-night, I think of 3 things.
1) For Asheknazic Jews the first Selichot (forgiveness) prayers begins the Saturday night at mid-night before Rosh Hashana. This is a chance for one to beg G-d for forgiveness for his misdeeds from the prior year and an opportunity for renewal, change and ones betterment.
2) Mid-night Madness for the NCAA. The first chance for NCAA programs to practice. This event once a footnote of a footnote on the calendar has become one of the most exciting and looked forward to evenings by college students across the USA. Again a time of renewal, a time to look forward to the upcoming season with hopes of bettering ones finish from the prior season.
3) Mid-night was the hour that Cinderella had to return home as everything around her would turn back to normal. Dress, coach and animals would all revert to what it had been before. In essence the fairytale would be over and the countdown to mid-night was one that was not looked forward to, as Cinderella’s life would turn back into the depressed living that was once before. Had it not been the Prince who had found Cinderella’s shoe and rescued her from her stepmother’s home, she would have been stuck in a very undesirable place forever and ever.

If you look at what can occur over the next few weeks for some players, the above three scenarios are all reality. One can be rescued away from a poor franchise. Saved from a team that will never amount to a row of beans and will be stuck in its murky existence for years to come.

It is a time for renewal for some and betterment for others. It will be a chance for them to move forward or move on. It’s a chance to secure their financial future and a chance to find a team that will win.

Let’s take a quick look at the NBA’s top free agents in no particular order:

1) LeBron James-Need The Sports Rabbi say anything more. Many questions surround LeBron. Where will he go? Is he trying to make as much money as possible? Does he want to win? Will he stay in Cleveland or bolt? I think he is going to Miami with Chris Bosh and will join Dwayne Wade as an all powerful team coached by the legend Pat Riley himself. Many have laughed at this prediction but I have been saying this for weeks and Stephen A. Smith from Fox Sports reported that at the Players Summit held over the weekend this is what actually was discussed.
2) Dwayne Wade-See above. This guy does not want to leave Miami, no way.
3) Chris Bosh-Again see above. This guy is a great complementary player, not one who can win it by himself, but one who needs a star to play with in order to win the title.
4) Paul Pierce-Has opted out of his Celtics contract and will now be a free agent. GM Danny Ainge has said that he may not be able to offer a lengthy contract that another franchise may. Has PP’s days in Boston ended?
5) Dirk Nowitski-I think he’s off to the Suns where he will rejoin Steve Nash and a reuppeed Amare to take them to the promised land.
6) Ray Allen- Done in Boston, how would he look in Miami with Wade, LeBron & Bosh?
7) Carlos Boozer-Is he through with the Jazz? Is he off to greener pastures as he had wanted a year ago? A solid player for any club.
8) Joe Johnson-NY Knicks beware, this may be the best of what you can get after the other sign for different clubs.
9) Rudy Gay, Josh Childress, John Salmons, Udonis Haslem, JJ Redick, Richard Jefferson, David Lee will all find homes, some will stay and some will go, but they will go after the major free agency players.

It will be interesting, it will be exciting but 7am here in Israel (mid-night on the East coast), the fun begins!

Thoughts from the Pulpit

1) Cliff Lee pitched his 3rd straight complete game defeating the Yankees in New York last night. How good will he look on a pennant contender come August 1st? I think pretty good, the question remains is where is he going to go.
2) The Tampa Bay Rays are beginning to fall apart with a 3-7 record in their last 10 games. The Yankees and Red Sox have both catapulted ahead of them in the standings as they continue to free fall. Something has to happen and quickly, before they sink any further.
3) Make sure to tune to www.rustymikeradio.com tonight in Israel at 8pm, 1pm in NY for the Sports Show! Featured guests include Jeff Foote, former Cornell player recently signed by Maccabi Tel Aviv, Ran Nakash- Undefeated Cruiserweight Weight boxer, and Zach Hyman 5th round pick of the Florida Panthers in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft!