I, like President Bush, was one of one billion fans who chose to watch the "Redeem Team" take on Yao Ming and his Chinese brethren. The United States won by an unknown (to me) final score. I, like President Bush, stopped watching when the game was over instead of when the game was officially over.

LeBron and the U.S. steamrolled through China.

There were a few thoughts -- recurring themes, if you will -- that kept coming to mind as I watched the game. They are:

• I really, really, really dislike Dwyane Wade. If he ever decides to play with intelligence instead of relying solely on his athleticism, he would be as good as he is portrayed to be. Unfortunately, I've been saying that for years now. Defensively, Wade is still incapable of sliding his feet; instead, he runs alongside offensive players, jetting into passing lanes. Thankfully for the U.S., his opponents have been unable to convert.
• Dwyane Wade needs to stop cherry-picking. I'm sorry, but I had to give this its own bullet. At least two times, Wade strolled back on defense, reached the three-point line, and after a Chinese miss, sprinted to the offensive end for an easy dunk. You can call it cherry-picking or sand-bagging (or whatever else), but this fact remains: you wouldn't get away with that crap at the YMCA. D-Wade does it in the Olympics?
• Chris Paul has improved defensively. I know, China's guards aren't the physical types that typically give him fits, but Chris Paul was noticeably this time around. Following an exhibition game against China two years ago, I wrote this: "While I’m bashing some of the NBA’s young stars, I might as well hoop on over to the Chris Paul bandwagon... where I subsequently beat the driver of the aforementioned wagon with a baseball bat. Chris Paul is quickly becoming the most overrated player in the NBA; sure, he’s a step above spectacular offensively, but he cannot stay in front of his man for the life of him (at which time I flash back to Carlos Arroyo shooting a lay-up while CP3 was still scratchin’ his head at the free throw line). At this point he isn’t even average defensively." Obviously, I can't write that anymore.
• Jason Kidd has no business playing, let alone starting. During the telecast, Mike Breen mentioned that Dara Torres was an inspiration to an old-in-the-tooth Jason Kidd. I laughed. Torres -- despite her age -- posted the best split on her medley team, whereas Kidd is easily third-fiddle at his own position. Deron Williams and Chris Paul are better creators, shooters, and -- at least today -- defenders. Experience didn't really do much for Kidd.
• LeBron James is really a fine player. Need I say more?

Over the span of two days and two games, Miami Heat forward Michael Beasley proved summer league games, in the grand scheme of things, mean little to nothing.

On Monday, Beasley made his summer league debut against the Chicago Bulls, led by fellow super-prospect Derrick Rose. Beasley dominated, scoring 28 points in 23 minutes against very good NBA defenders in Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah. He was having fun on the court, laughing, joking and singing as his team rolled over the Bulls.

The general consensus, it seemed , was that Beasley is a superstar.

Then came Tuesday, and things didn't go very well for the Heat forward. Beasley tallied just 9 points on 1-13 shooting to go along with 5 turnovers and 7 fouls. Visibly upset with his play, Beasley barked at the refs. Overall, his performance was less-than-stellar, to say the least.

The general consensus changed. Beasley is a rookie who might become a superstar.

If a player's entire future isn't determined by a single summer league game, what are they good for? The games give fans and coaches a first look at rookies or see how a second or third year player has developed over the summer. What are their strengths and weaknesses? Is his jump shot any better this year?

The key thing is this: do not overreact to each game. Remember, even Marcus Banks scored 42 points in his lone game last summer.

***

Since we're on the topic, how 'bout a video of Michael Beasley getting swatted by Tyrus Thomas?

Either Dante or Galante, who together form the legendary Orlando summer league announcing duo, had a brilliant call at the end: "[Beasley's] very upset as he smiles walking past half court." Thanks to Odenized for posting the video.

Sonics fans watch as their collective puppy is run over by a semi.

The Saga in Seattle is over, and the Kevin Durants (a temporary name, I would assume) are on their way to Oklahoma. The city of Seattle and the franchise which once called it home reached a deal yesterday, ending an era in a great basketball city.

The owners, led by that evil [expletive] Clay Bennett, will pay Seattle $45 million to get out of their lease. If Seattle builds a new arena, and a team doesn't move in by 2013, the owners, led by that evil [expletive] Clay Bennett, will pay Seattle an additional $30 million.

That adds up to $75 million, which, interestingly enough, is more than the $60 million the owners, led by that evil [expletive] Clay Bennett, claimed they would lose if they stayed in the Emerald City.

"The transition and move of this team begins tomorrow morning," Bennett said in Oklahoma City, forgetting relocation began when he bought the Sonics in 2006.

But for all you Sonics fans who are rather depressed, there is good news: the team's moniker, the Sonics, will not be making the move to Oklahoma! Yes?!?

I mean, who cares if you endured years of mediocrity to land one of the best prospects of this decade, Kevin Durant? Who cares if he teased you with his potential, realizing you won't get a chance to see it met? Who cares that, when a new team decides to move to Seattle, you will have to watch your former superstar destroy your crappy new team?

The NBA doesn't care.

They couldn't win the trifecta.

The Chicago Bulls have been waiting to hire the right coach since April 17 when they dismissed interim coach Jim Boylan. Their fans (and by fans, I mean me) have been waiting all season for someone anyone capable of leading a group of young players.

According to Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald, the Bulls have finally found their man in Vinny Del Negro. Um, what?

Del Negro was a late arrival to the search process and has no formal coaching experience. He spent last season as an assistant to Phoenix Suns general manager Steve Kerr. Prior to that, he was a broadcaster for the Suns and San Antonio Spurs.

Though never officially an NBA coach, Del Negro has a history of working directly with players and will be expected to hire experienced assistants to fill his staff. He impressed Bulls general manager John Paxson during a two-day visit to Deerfield last week.

I think we can agree that the Bulls are team that lacks experience and need leadership. They are the youngest team in the league, and with the first pick, they are set to get younger. For some reason, hiring someone who has never coached on the NBA level seems illogical to me. That being said, my worries have been put on ease a bit; a Suns announcer was on the Chicago radio today and said two experienced coaches were interested in joining Del Negro's staff if he were to be hired.

Del Negro's coaching experience aside, he does come from Phoenix. His familiarity with an up-tempo offense would be great in Chicago because--wait for it, wait for it-- they lack a go to post scorer. At least that is what I am told. Really, it would just be nice to have athletes like Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah, who are might no be great in a half-court set, get easy baskets by outrunning the opposing bigs.

So, Vinny Del Negro (whose last name is just hilarious when you start learning Spanish) will be the Bulls coach. Things could be worse.

Kansas State power forward Michael Beasley has spent the weekend with family members and advisers, coming to a decision on whether to turn pro. At a news conference Monday, the 6-foot-10 Beasley is expected to announce he is entering the 2008 NBA Draft. Most likely, Beasley will be taken with the first pick; at the very least, he will go second.

There is no doubting his NBA potential. He has a lethal combination of quickness and strength, making for a difficult guard. Beasley had the second-most rebounds and third-most points of any freshman in NCAA history that past season. Beasley is a lock for superstardom, it seems to most.

However, Michael Beasley will never reach his potential or become a great NBA player. Like Vince Carter, he will be stuck in very good. Here are three reasons.

1. Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett are good offensively, but what places them among the best power forwards ever is their defense. Beasley is a one-dimensional, offensive player. (Admittedly, he is very good with that dimension.) To be mentioned among the league's elite, Beasley will have to improve on the defensive side of the ball. On the rare occasions that he puts some effort in defensively, he looks to be doing his best Drew Gooden impersonation. Too often, Beasley finds himself lost, out of position and gambling for steals.
2. What separates a very good player, like Vince Carter, from an all-time great player, like Michael Jordan, is work ethic. In high school, Beasley stopped lifting weights because he worried about catching a cold in the school gym, which he said was poorly heated. Can you imagine a high school-aged Michael Jordan using that excuse? Work ethic can be improved, but the chances of Beasley's going from poor to anything more than average are slim.
3. Does Beasley have a winner's mentality? Watching Beasley at Kansas State, the answer was typically no. The best example might be the Wisconsin game. He was focused and played well to start the game. Then, in the second half, Beasley began to lose his poise and almost seemed disinterested. He forced too many plays, either driving into waiting defenders or settling for low-percentage shots. Unlike many of the basketball's best, who look to make their teammates better when they are struggling, Beasley was helpless. He as much to work on if he hopes, ultimately, to develop into a winner.
   

Some say Beasley is too small to play power forward and that is what will limit him in the NBA. However, you probably noticed the three factors I listed as to why Michael Beasley will never reach his potential are all controlled by Michael Beasley himself. All three are tied into one major, overriding factor: his attitude.

Michael Beasley with a good attitude is a very good defender. Michael Beasley with a good attitude works harder to develop his game. Michael Beasley with a good attitude leads a team.

Right now and until he shows otherwise, Michael Beasley doesn't have a good attitude.

The Boston Celtics beat the Miami Heat and Kevin Garnett answered questions at a postgame news conference. When asked about the Heat, KG offered polite praise of the team. Then, Paul Pierce stepped in.

"Man, I am going to tell you the truth. They got D-Leaguers out there, so I think we just handled our business. We're supposed to do that. We knew this was a game we were supposed to win, and we just focused from the jump and went out and did it."

In short, he is telling the truth. Currently, the Heat have nine healthy players on their roster. Six have D-League experience.

1. Earl Barron
2. Stephane Lasme
3. Kasib Powell
4. Blake Ahearn
5. Alexander Johnson
6. Joel Anthony
   

Obviously, the Heat are tanking. Do do they have to be so nonchalant about it? For example: Miami made its last two shots to finish with seventeen field goals against Boston. That total is the fewest since April 10, 1999 when the Chicago Bulls made just eighteen field goals. How does the coach respond?

"Oh, did we?" said Ron Rothstein, the Miami assistant who ran the bench while head coach Pat Riley missed his fourth game to resume his college scouting tour. "How about that?"

Pierce is right. The Heat are a bunch of D-Leaguers, but at least the team could care.

For nearly two decades, point guard John Stockton and power forward Karl Malone redefined the art of the pick and roll within Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan's system. Opponents knew the pick and roll was coming, but could do little to stop it. The well-executed play of Stockton and Malone led the Jazz to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998.

The details were what made the pick and roll successful for Utah. Stockton, the NBA's all-time assist leader, set up and utilized Malone's ball-screen perfectly every time. Then, Stockton's unparalleled basketball IQ and passing ability went to work.

If Stockton chose to dish it off to Malone, undoubtedly the first scoring option, he could be confident that his pass would be caught. An underrated aspect of the pick and roll is the hands of the roller; Malone's were excellent.

Additionally, defenses were left wondering how to contain Malone. With his tremendous strength and athleticism, Malone was a great finisher. However, his mid-range game made the pick and pop equally deadly.

This was where the their teammates became important. Defenses would have to send a help defender to cover Stockton and Malone. The three additional Jazz on the court would move without the ball. Byron Russell would back cut. Jeff Hornacek could spot up for a three. This gave Stockton several more options and helped clear the lane for Malone.

All in all, the pick and roll was a large part of what made the Jazz successful as a team, leading teams to implement more ball-screens. Today, the ball-screen dominates NBA basketball, largely based off of the success of the Jazz with Stockton and Malone.

The real question is this: which current duos and teams best utilize the traditional pick and roll, as well as its variations?

New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul is among the NBA's best creators. The Hornets succeed running screens for Paul, who is able to find Tyson Chandler dropping to the rim or David West setting up for a jumper. Still, the Hornets could still improve. Defenses know Chandler, without a good perimeter shot, will attack the rim while West will settle for a mid-range shot. The Hornets are not among the top three.

Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol combine for an effective pick and roll pairing for the Lakers. The Lakers screen to open up Bryant, with Gasol as the second option. This is also the case in Detroit with Chauncey Billups and Rasheed Wallace. Neither are in the traditional Utah Jazz mold that we are focusing on.

The first place to look for a well-executed pick and roll is, where else, Utah. Coach Jerry Sloan has found new players to run his old system. Guard Deron Williams does his best imitation of Stockton while forward Carlos Boozer is the new Malone. (They even have Kyle Korver shooting the three like Hornacek!) Williams, known for his basketball intelligence, sets up the screens well, allowing him to find open teammates or to utilize his jump shot. Boozer finishes strong in the paint off of the roll and has a solid mid-range game for the pop. Most importantly, the two have great chemistry, making for a successful duo.

The next home to a well-run pick and roll/pick and pop is Toronto. The Raptors have a two players tailor made for the play: Spanish point guard Jose Calderon and forward Chris Bosh. Calderon is one of the best playmakers in the league. Bosh, though not as strong, is among the NBA's best shooting big men. He is often on the receiving end of a Calderon's pass off of ball-screens.

The best pick and roll tandem in the NBA resides in Phoenix. While known for their fastbreak, the Suns look to point guard Steve Nash and forward Amare Stoudemire to generate half court offense. Nash, a two-time NBA MVP, is probably the most cerebral offensive player in the league. His passing skills are matched by few. (Oh, and he's just like John Stockton: a white point guard.) Nash's tremendous shooting ability can hurt defenses if he is left uncovered off of a screen. Then, add Stoudemire to the mix. He is among the NBA's most athletic forwards, allowing him to attack the basket when he rolls. Like Malone, Stoudemire shoots extremely well, putting the defense in a difficult position. One thing is for sure: if defenses over commit when trying to cover Nash and Stoudemire, Phoenix has plenty of shooters to pay them pay.

Though the pick and roll or the pick and pop have become an essential part of the NBA, there is one key (outside of Stockton and Malone being on a different level) that separates them from the legendary combination of Stockton and Malone. For the most part, teams call screens to open up the court of their guards, leaving the big men an afterthought. For Utah, Malone was always the first option. A few teams are still successful with the traditional Stockton to Malone pick and roll.

Could the season get any worse for the Bulls? Heading into the year, Chicago expected to be in contention for the Eastern Conference title. Instead, the Bulls are battling for eighth place and with each other.

Saturday night's game against the Pacers may sum up Chicago's season. For three quarters, the Bulls had a large lead on Chicago. Then, in the fourth quarter, they are outscored 35-17. In the process, another Bull found himself in a heated "expletive-filled" exchange with coach Jim Boylan. This time, it was forward Andres Nocioni. Not too surprisingly, several other Bulls have had problems this year and with Boylan.

Nocioni was pulled by Boylan after a brief three-minute stretch. At that point, with the Bulls playing well, Nocioni cursed at Boylan and kicked a towel. Boylan then expelled Nocioni from the bench and sent him to the locker room. There, the two engaged in a halftime shouting match.

Nocioni said after another the collapse and loss, "I want to extend my apology to my coach.I think I did a really bad thing today, terrible. My apology to the organization, to [general manager] John Paxson, to my teammates and to everybody because my reaction was pretty bad. Right now I'm calm and I was really frustrated. My reaction was really bad. All right? Thank you, guys."

When asked about the incident after the game, Boylan answered repeatedly, "That's a matter that will be handled internally."

Just four days ago, Bulls.com ran a fluff piece about Boylan. Here is an almost ironic excerpt:

“He has [Ben Gordon] and the other guys more relaxed than before. Guys are enjoying themselves.”

See a pattern here? What distinguishes Boylan isn’t his basketball know-how. It isn’t necessarily his passion for the game. It’s the personal connection he makes with his players. It’s the compassion Boylan has for “his guys.”

Does such a coach alienate one of his most hard-working, team-oriented players? Nocioni embodied the team John Paxson created. Players hated playing Nocioni like teams dreaded playing the Bulls. Nocioni played hard, scrappy defense. On the offensive end, he could shoot the ball and drive well.

He provided energy, making up for the occasional mental miscue. Now, with Nocioni averaging under twelve minutes his last five games, the energy is gone. How is that for coaching know-how?

I do see a pattern. The team started losing. Players began questioning and confronting their coaches. Then, the players stopped giving full effort. The losing continued.

What a season!

Listening to Chicago Bulls head coach Jim Boylan suggest to reporters last Monday that things were fine with his team was frustrating from a fan's perspective. "I just know that what I do in the locker room and with this team, I'm in control. I run this team," he reminded us. We knew better.

We knew better before this latest tidbit surfaced in ESPN's Weekend Dime. Marc Stein, investigating the Tyrus Thomas debacle, discovered Thomas wasn't the only Bull upset with the way Boylan was handling the team.

The story, as I hear it from one team insider, is that Thomas had recently witnessed heated confrontations between Bulls coach Jim Boylan and two of Chicago's more veteran players -- Ben Gordonand Kirk Hinrich -- that wound up pitting multiple players against the coaching staff. I'm also told that Thomas figured he was heading for a similarly nasty blowup of his own with Boylan, but that he also concluded that the punishment for an argument with Boylan would be a lot steeper than what Gordon and Hinrich faced, given where he stands in the Bulls' pecking order and the growing stress of a tension-drenched season.

So Thomas -- confused by recent nine-minute stints against Washington and Memphis after being told he'd be getting steady minutes off the bench in the wake of the Bulls trading away Ben Wallace and Joe Smith -- decided that the smartest move was taking a one-day leave to clear his head.

For starters, Stein confirms the widespread speculation that Thomas was upset with the way he was being utilized. I, too, find it disheartening that Boylan benched Thomas after a very good stretch of basketball following the trade. I touched on that topic earlier.

More important to the Bulls is the situation with Hinrich and Gordon. Hinrich is a team captain. Gordon is the team's leading scorer. Both possess the good character and work ethic GM John Paxson spoke of when he began rebuilding the franchise. These are the guys openly question their coach?

With all of the trouble the Chicago Bulls played, albeit at a low level, through, it appears obvious that Boylan is lacking control of the team. If you haven't been keeping track at home, here is a fairly complete list of the Bulls problems this season.

1. During training camp, the Bulls voted to allow Ben Wallace and only Ben Wallace to wear his patented headband. Unfortunately, his signature defense wasn't included.
   
2. Prior to the first game of the season, Gordon and forward Luol Deng declined lucrative contract extensions. As karma would have it, both would take a step back this season.
3. Bulls started the season, but we kept on justifying it. They always start poorly!
   
4. Paxson fired coach Scott Skiles on Christmas Eve when it became apparent things weren't getting better and after the team tuned him out.
5. Subsequently, Boylan was hired.
   
6. Joakim Noah was involved in an altercation with assistant coach Ron Adams. Despite the good relationship between Noah and Adams, Wallace and Adrian Griffin called a team meeting to vote on punishment for Noah's actions. Noah sat two games.
   
7. Fresh off of his suspension, Noah openly challenged the motivation of the veteran Wallace. Personally, I don't see this as a problem; at least someone acknowledged Wallace was playing entitlement minutes.
   
8. Rookie JamesOn Curry was arrested for public urination and resisting arrest while assigned to the Iowa Energy of the NBDL.
9. Bulls acquire Hughes and Drew Gooden. Hughes made noise by saying having fun was more important than winning championships. Still, my favorite post-trade quote comes from Gooden, who said, "I could pass, I could block shots, I could play great defense, I could play help defense, I could shoot 3s. I believe I could do it all." You could start playing like that anytime.
   
10. Hinrich and Gordon confronted Boylan sometime during this period.
    
11. Thomas skipped practice and was suspended for two games.
    
12. Days later, rookie center Aaron Gray criticized Boylan for removing him from the game, saying, "That's what I get for working hard?" I think it became clear that there were problems when Vanilla Thunder started complaining.
13. Duhon skipped practice after going to the Duke-North Carolina game. He then downplayed it by saying, "I haven't been playing a lot anyway." A fine and suspension served as punishment.
    
14. No new photos surfaced of a drunken Duhon performing lap dances.
15. Players were seen laughing during a loss against Detroit.
16. Bulls excused Joakim Noah from practice Wednesday to visit Florida and his former team. Who needs to focus on the season at hand?
17. The Bulls sport a 26-39 record, leaving them in tenth place in the lowly Eastern Conference.
    

Each situation comes down to one thing: winning. If the team made a great turn around under Boylan -- or better yet, started well -- the other problems would not have snowballed. Players would be content with their roles or at least keep their unhappiness to themselves. Duhon and Noah would have focused on their current team instead of looking back on their college days. Hinrich, Gordon, and Thomas would be unable to question Boylan's would-be winning decisions. But alas! The Bulls trail the Atlanta Hawks and Boylan is forced to tell us he has the dysfunctional Chicago locker room under control. We know better.

Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah did not attend practice on Wednesday. Unlike Tyrus Thomas and Chris Duhon, Noah's absence was excused for a "personal matter." The organization knew Noah would miss Wednesday's practice weeks in advance.

What exactly was the personal matter Noah had to tend to?

Apparently, Noah used the time off to visit Billy Donovan and the struggling Florida Gators at the Georgia Dome. Noah was to serve as an reminder of what they can do before the SEC Tournament began.

The Gators lost 80-69 to Alabama and, at one point, trailed 42-14. The meeting failed miserably.

I find this story important for two reasons. Alabama's victory keeps my championship pick alive. I owe it to you, Crimson!

But here is the important question: why should Joakim Noah be excused from practice to visit his old college team? Just days ago Chris Duhon served a two game suspension (like it matters, he doesn't even play) and was fined for going to the Duke-North Carolina game. He was ripped for his actions by John Paxson. Yet he approves of Noah's absence?

Really, there are few differences between the two situations. For starters, Noah is a starter while Duhon rarely plays. Next, Noah missed a full-fledged practice; Duhon missed a shootaround. Then there is one thing that keeps Noah from getting crucified: Paxson allowed Noah is skip practice in the middle of a playoff run to visit his old college buddies.

That might just be the scariest part.

Talk regarding title contenders in the Eastern Conference usually begins and ends with three teams. The Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons sit atop the conference, holding league's best records at 49-12 and 45-17. Cleveland, if only for LeBron James, is always mentioned as the third threat.

Snuggled between Detroit and Cleveland in the conference standings is an one overlooking club. The Orlando Magic are 40-24 on the season, sit four games ahead of the Cavaliers, yet rarely are mentioned among the conference's best.

That fact surely has not gone without the notice of many Magic players:

There is a growing us-against-the-world sentiment in the Orlando locker room that the Magic aren't getting enough credit for dominating the Southeast Division, and keeping the heat on Boston and Detroit in the Eastern Conference.

It is not a forgone conclusion, Magic players insist, that the Pistons and Celtics are locks to be in the Eastern Conference Finals.

"A lot of the talk is about Boston and Detroit and even Cleveland some, but we want to try and make our statement come playoff time," Magic forward Rashard Lewis said. "Go ahead and sleep on us, label us as underdogs, and we'll be the team to surprise you in the playoffs.

There is no logical reason that the Magic are being ignored. Like any true contender, Orlando features a star, capable of crossing over into superstardom, in Dwight Howard. (Of course, history has shown it always helps to have a star center.) Howard, the NBA's elite rebounder, averages a league-best 14.5 rebounds. Add in his potent post game which, while not overly refined, can dominate physically-inferior big men. Howard scores 21.6 points each contest without any real offensive skill outside of the paint. On the other end of the court, Howard is the anchor of the Orlando defense.

In case teams are able to contain Howard inside, the Magic can look to forwards Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis. While neither player is an exceptional rebounder or defender, two areas Howard more than makes up for, they are key offensive options. Turkoglu is making a run at the NBA's Most Improved Player, upping his scoring output to 19.5 points to go along with his 4.8 assists. His ability to drive and to hit jump shots should be key in opening up the paint for Howard. Lewis offers many of the same skills as Turkoglu, though he has a better three-point shot. On the season, Lewis is the Magic's third leading scorer at 18.4 points per game.

In a playoff situation, the Magic have three players who possess the ability to go off for thirty points on any given night. That can make a team into an instant contender in the Eastern Conference. At the very least, Orlando deserves more attention then they are presently receiving.

For now, the Magic continue to use the slights as motivation. In the words of Dwight Howard, "Keep overlooking us, and we'll keep on playing like we have all season."

Dwyane Wade was once considered in the company of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. When he carried the Heat to the Finals, it would not have been absurd to say Wade was better than Bryant and James. All things considered, it is interesting to see how far Wade has fallen in the span of two short seasons.

In Sunday's Miami Herald, Dan Le Batard blamed the lack of success on Pat Riley's construction of the team. That is undebatable, considering the team is the worst in the league. For the most part, Le Batard was correct. That is, until he tried to make the following point:

There isn't much of a difference between Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Tracy McGrady, Paul Pierce and Wade. They all would have won with Shaquille O'Neal. The past decade, in one way or another, has belonged to O'Neal and Tim Duncan -- the huge dudes. But now you have Reggie Miller using the standings and teammates to say that the Heat would be a playoff team if it did nothing more than trade Wade for Bryant, the present consensus best player in the world.

Never mind that Bryant hasn't been out of the first round since O'Neal left and had a trade-me temper tantrum this offseason. And never mind that Wade might look a lot like Bryant right now if he had Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum and that Lakers bench. Wade's turnovers are up and his percentages are slightly down, yes, but that might have more to do with not trusting terrible teammates than anything else.

Kobe Bryant would never allow his team to finish with the worst record in the NBA, let alone miss the playoffs in the lowly Eastern Conference. Bryant has been left out of the playoffs just once in his career. The Lakers finished with a 34-48 record in 2004-05, largely due to injuries forcing Bryant to miss 16 games. For comparison sake, Wade and the Heat are 11-50 through 61 games. That is take it to a new level.

Le Batard is correct in writing that Bryant has never made it out of the first round without O'Neal; however, it is not fair. In the 2006 playoffs, the Lakers lost to Phoenix in seven games. Bryant averaged 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists with 49.7% shooting. Bryant's supporting cast consisted of such greats as Lamar Odom, Smush Parker, and Chris Mihm. These were the other leading scorers for the Lakers, not the random scrubs on the end of the bench.

The fact that the Lakers even made it to the playoffs is remarkable!

That was the same year that Dwyane Wade willed the Heat to a Finals victory. What were Wade's playoffs averages in 2006? He averaged 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. Interestingly enough, on 49.7% shooting. When Wade was at his best, he was still equal to Bryant's lesser games!

Last year, the Lakers lost in five games. Bryant averaged 33 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. Again, how is he to blame?

Arguing that Dwyane Wade needs a better supporting cast to make it to the playoffs is entirely correct. The fact is that Wade is not good enough to carry them 82 games. History has shown that is not the case for the NBA's best player, Kobe Bryant.

The Miami Heat's record sits at 11-47. Dwyane Wade has played through injury, but his stats are down across the board. Just a few weeks have passed since the Heat traded away one of the faces of their franchise, the over-the-hill Shaq O'Neal. The man they received in that trade, Shawn Marion, has done nothing to turn the team around. To date, the Miami Heat are this season's most disappointing franchise.

On Thursday, Pat Riley announced he would be missing one or two upcoming Heat games. This time, Riley's knees are in good shape. Instead, Pat Riley will attend various NCAA tournament games for scouting purposes.

When describing the situation and his own role (Riley is both coach and president of the Heat), Riley said, "“I’ll be flying in and out, but I think right now, I’ve got to do that. I need to do that.”

True, Riley does have an obligation, as the team president, to be on top of player evaluation for the upcoming draft; surely, such a disappointing season will result in a top four draft pick. However, at what point is enough enough?

Riley admits he has seen plenty of the highly touted prospects on tape, but would like to see them one or two times in person. To be fair, he will try to watch them (presumably the likes of Michael Beasley, Derrick Rose, and among others) without missing actual Heat games.

By skipping games, not matter how few, Riley is effectively saying this season is a waste. That mindset would directly contradict himself following a defeat at the hands of the Raptors. An upset Riley said, "I've got to ferret them out of here and just put them on the bench and bring in a bunch of young guys. The season's over for them. That's how they're playing, some of them, anyhow."

How, exactly, is placing scouting over your team's games any different?

The Chicago Bulls have suspended second-year forward Tyrus Thomas two games for missing practice on Wednesday. John Paxson, general manager of the Bulls, declined to elaborate on the situation, though a representative for Thomas cited "personal reasons." Interim head coach Jim Boylan said the situation was simply disappointing. "The way I handled it, yeah, I regret it," Thomas admitted.

This latest situation does nothing to help the reputation of Tyrus Thomas. During every nationally televised game, the announcers already explain the so-called immaturity Thomas exhibits. Often times, they point out the dunk contest incident. In 2006, he told reporters he was "into the free money" offered for just participating. Those comments led to a fine of $10,000 by the Bulls organization and a media uproar.

Unfortunately, the people who vilified Thomas last season will do the same again. Who cared that Thomas had announced, even before the that controversy, that he would be donating all slam dunk earnings to his former high school? Nobody. Instead, they bashed Thomas, labeling him as another selfish, money-oriented athlete.

Through that all, Thomas fought for a cause he believed in: improving the lives of inner-city youth. He established the Tyrus Thomas Foundation last year "to nurture the development of leadership, scholarship, service and health of at-risk youth through exposure to cultural activities that will broaden their intellectual horizons, academic strategies and educational competency, as well as promote healthy lives through physical activities." The foundation is rooted in five core values : 1. Perseverance; 2. Respect; 3. Integrity; 4. Determination; and 5. Enthusiasm. (P.R.I.D.E.)

Nobody seemed to care.

During the summer, Thomas held a golf tournament in his hometown. Celebrities participated in the event, with all proceeds assisting the Baton Rouge Area Foundation.

Nobody seemed to care.

Just a few weeks ago, the All-Star game was held in New Orleans. Thomas hosted a celebrity bowling event. The money raised will aid victims of Hurricane Katrina and their rebuilding efforts.

Again, nobody seemed to care. The few who noticed thought highly of the man many labeled as immature or a "thug." They defended him, talking about his strong character.

Then, Thomas skips practice. All of the good he has done throughout the year has been negated. Thomas is once again the malcontent the national media portrayed him as. The facts do not matter.

Once again, who cares if Thomas has a right to be upset? After Ben Wallace and Joe Smith were traded, Paxson said Thomas and Joakim Noah would receive increased, steady playing time. In four games, Thomas averaged 14 points, 8.75 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 3.75 assists in a four game stretch, outplaying newly-acquired forward Drew Gooden.

Then, inexcusably, Boylan benched Thomas in favor of Gooden. Boylan's only comment was that "it's time." (For a great analysis of Jim Boylan, visit Kelly Dwyer.) This was the second time Thomas was benched despite playing well. Early in the season, when everyone in the starting lineup except Tyrus sucked, he was benched .For the second time, Thomas played to the company line, saying he was fine with coming off the bench as long as the team won. (For the record, Thomas denied playing time had anything to do with it.)

The last four games, Thomas has played well. Despite this, the minutes he received were inconsistent. One night he would receive twenty-five minutes, the next night he would have nine. After that, the minutes would increase. Those games would be followed by another night with little playing time.

Fortunately, some good as resulted from the situation. Thomas spoke positively of a phone conversation he had with Boylan following the missed practice. "I'd say we broke some barriers," Thomas said. "We talked about a lot of different things, personal, basketball. I need to at least call and talk to somebody and not be so secluded like I normally am."

It is easy to understand Thomas' frustration. More difficult, and nearly impossible, is justifying his actions. Quite simply, he was wrong to miss practice without permission or notice. As a Tyrus Thomas supporter and, to extent, apologist, it is sad to see him erase all of the good he has built up with one stupid, immature action.

Tyrus Thomas had shown he is better than that.

Trade rumors swirled around Phoenix and Shawn Marion last season and into this past offseason. Those in the know believed Marion would be traded as a result of chemistry issues. According to Peter Vecsey of the New York Post, Shawn Marion wanted to stay in Phoenix until a meeting with Phoenix president and general manager Steve Kerr.

In this meeting, the two sides discussed terms of a new contract. Marion believed a contract worth $15 million per season would leave him underpaid and asked for a maximum contract. Kerr disagreed, saying the only players worth a maximum contract were Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan. Marion perceived this as an insult and tensions between the two sides continued, culminating in the blockbuster deal with Miami for Shaq O'Neal.

These entire ordeal leaves me pondering two questions: how much is and who is worth a max contract?

Based upon ShamSports.com's (a great, funny basketball site) numbers, a maximum contract for players with six or fewer years of service is valued at $13 million each season. For veterans for seven to nine seasons, the salary increases to $15.6 million. Maximum contracts for ten-plus year veterans are $18.25 million. These salary levels can vary year to year.

Currently, twenty-one players earn max dollars. Well, eighteen since Stephon Marbury, Shaq O'Neal, and Jermaine O'Neal are hardly earning their keep. Stull, all have made at least one All-Star appearance.

To truly justify a max deal, a player should be more than an All-Star. A single player who occupies roughly 40% of the salary allotment must make his team a playoff team, to a reasonable extent. Simply, only the NBA's bests are deserving of maximum contracts.

In my book, there are only six players worthy of being max players. Kerr was correct in labeling Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett. They add a mentality that goes beyond the box score. Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have led their teams deep in to the playoffs with little support. Finally, the point guards. The additions of Steve Nash and Chris Paul made the Suns and Hornets into contenders overnight.

When it comes down to it, these six players are who max contracts were designed for. They alone can make their teams into contenders.

The Boston Globe is reporting that David Falk, an agent for Sam Cassell, confirmed the NBA veteran would be sign with the Celtics after being waived by the Clippers earlier in the week. Falk said:

We've talked to all the teams that expressed an interest in Sam and nothing is going to change. He's still going to sign with the Celtics. The only unknown is if some team claims him off waivers. But I consider that to be highly unlikely.

The addition of Cassell will add consistency to Boston's point guard play. Rajon Rondo, a second year player out of Kentucky, had step into the starting role and played well, averaging nearly 11 points and 5 assists on 48.8% shooting. However, Rondo lacks size and experience, two traits which are crucial for playoff success. Cassell provides those qualities and should help the Celtics to make a strong push for a championship.

Unfortunately, history tells us that signing waived players rarely works out as planned. In the last five seasons, twenty-four players have been bought out and signed by playoff teams after January 1st. Of those players, only eight averaged more than 15 minutes during the playoffs: Chris Whitney (Orlando in 2003), Brevin Knight (Milwaukee in 2004), Alonzo Mourning (Miami in 2005), Dale Davis (Detroit in 2005), Chucky Atkins (Memphis in 2006), Tim Thomas (Phoenix in 2006), Chris Webber (Detroit in 2007), and Eddie Jones (Miami in 2007). Even then, Atkins, Thomas, and Webber were the only players to average more than 9 points.

There is one final fact regarding these signings: Lindsey Hunter and Glenn Robinson are the two players who actually won championships. In 2004, Hunter signed with Detroit and went on to win the Finals. Robinson was a bench player for San Antonio in 2005. Neither player averaged more than 4 points a game.

Signing players off of buyouts rarely works. For Boston's sake, hopefully Cassell can buck the trend.