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According to ESPN‘s Chad Ford,

“Several GMs believe the Hawks won’t be able to keep Johnson ($18.5 million in 2011-12), Josh Smith ($12.5 million in 2011-12), Marvin Williams ($8 million in 2011-12) and Horford ($12 million in 2011-12) together past this season for financial reasons.”

After signing sharp-shooter Joe Johnson to the offseasons largest contract (six-year, $124 million) and officially agreeing to a contract extension with Al Horford, it is now apparent that the Hawks will have to make a move if they plan on a) staying under the luxury tax and b) re-signing Jamal Crawford or another player of his caliber during the 2011 offseason.

Last summer Smith’s name sprung about throughout the NBA as a potential trading piece and Chad Ford is reporting that “a number of GMs around the league expect his name to be in the mix by the February trade deadline.”

 Atlanta is currently off to a 3-0 start on the season and will look to make it past the second round of the playoffs after getting swept in the second round during the last two postseasons.

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"Kevin Durant was runner up to LeBron James for the MVP trophy last season when he dropped career-highs in points (30.1 per contest) and rebounds (7.6 per game).

With LeBron now paired up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, it will obviously be more difficult for James to post his career averages on a nightly basis.

Having said that, the 22 year old phenom has yet to reach his peak (scary, I know). With the same team surrounding him as last season, KD will get the opportunity to capture his second straight scoring title, and his first ever MVP trophy.

So is Durant on his way to his first MVP trophy?

Without a doubt."

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"Will Blake Griffin give John Wall serious competition for the Rookie of the Year Award?

If you happened to miss Blake Griffin's debut on Wednesday night then that's unfortunate.

The 6'10" power-forward quickly made up for lost time within minutes of the first quarter, one handing an alley-oop, slamming down an offensive put-back, and ultimately ending the game with an obnoxious stat-line of 20 points, 14 rebounds (9 offensive), 4 assists, and one steal.

Many seem to forget just how good Griffin was in college and quite honestly, just how great he can become in the NBA.

With John Wall being the general consensus pick for the Rookie of the Year Award, I see Griffin giving him a major run for his money, just as long as he can remain healthy.

By seasons end, if all goes well, Blake Griffin will take him the trophy with averages of around 14-16PPG and 10-12 RPG, while providing fans with some of the craziest dunks ever seen in the NBA."

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RK= Ranking

REC= Last season record
Team                                     RK                        REC         SUMMARY

	1	Lakers	57-25	The defending champs kick off the season on top of the NBA. The addition of Blake and Barnes will improve the teams bench, giving the Lakers an even better chance of three-peating.
	2	Celtics	50-32	A healthy KG, a 24-year-old Rondo, plus Allen, Pierce, and the offseason signings of both O’Neals place the reigning Eastern Conference champs one up on the Miami Heat.
	3	Heat	47-35	Chemistry and injuries are Miami’s two major concerns entering the upcoming season. If LeBron, Wade, and Bosh can put those worries to rest, expect the Heat to shoot up in the rankings.
	4	Magic	59-23	Unlike the East’s other two powerhouse teams (Miami and Boston), the Magic had a rather quiet offseason. Don’t be surprised if their roster looks quite different by the February trade deadline.
	5	Thunder	50-32	KD and Co. gave LA a major scare during the first round of the postseason and they will certainly look to do so again. The teams young core should uplift the Thunder to a 50+ win season.

I agee that LA and Boston should be the first two seeds on this list. As for Cleveland, they should definitely be higher. They have lots of potential and young talent that should place them at least higher then the Raptors this season. 

The rest of the rankings are here

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RK= Ranking

REC= Last season record
Team                                     RK                        REC         SUMMARY

	1	Lakers	57-25	The defending champs kick off the season on top of the NBA. The addition of Blake and Barnes will improve the teams bench, giving the Lakers an even better chance of three-peating.
	2	Celtics	50-32	A healthy KG, a 24-year-old Rondo, plus Allen, Pierce, and the offseason signings of both O'Neals place the reigning Eastern Conference champs one up on the Miami Heat.
	3	Heat	47-35	Chemistry and injuries are Miami's two major concerns entering the upcoming season. If LeBron, Wade, and Bosh can put those worries to rest, expect the Heat to shoot up in the rankings.
	4	Magic	59-23	Unlike the East's other two powerhouse teams (Miami and Boston), the Magic had a rather quiet offseason. Don't be surprised if their roster looks quite different by the February trade deadline.
	5	Thunder	50-32	KD and Co. gave LA a major scare during the first round of the postseason and they will certainly look to do so again. The teams young core should uplift the Thunder to a 50+ win season.

I think Boston deserves the two spot, at least for now. The full 30 team power rankings are here

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RK= Ranking

REC= Last season record
Team                                     RK                        REC         SUMMARY

	1	Lakers	57-25	The defending champs kick off the season on top of the NBA. The addition of Blake and Barnes will improve the teams bench, giving the Lakers an even better chance of three-peating.
	2	Celtics	50-32	A healthy KG, a 24-year-old Rondo, plus Allen, Pierce, and the offseason signings of both O'Neals place the reigning Eastern Conference champs one up on the Miami Heat.
	3	Heat	47-35	Chemistry and injuries are Miami's two major concerns entering the upcoming season. If LeBron, Wade and Bosh can put those worries to rest, expect the Heat to shoot up in the rankings.
	4	Magic	59-23	Unlike the East's other two powerhouse teams (Miami and Boston), the Magic had a rather quiet offseason. Don't be surprised if their roster looks quite different by the February trade deadline.
	5	Thunder	50-32	KD and Co. gave LA a major scare during the first round of the postseason, and they will certainly look to do so again. The teams young core should uplift the Thunder to a 50-plus win season.

Click here for the entire 30 team rankings

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Analysis: While it would really be incredible to see Miami break Chicago’s epic 72-10 record, I don’t see it being a top priority for the Heat.

Even though the cast of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh have a better chance then any team in the league to break the record, it doesn’t seem likely to happen, especially since chemistry is still an issue.

The Heat will face off against the Orlando Magic (4 times), Boston Celtics (4 times), and the Los Angeles Lakers (2).

Although fully capable of doing so, even winning all 10 of those games seems unlikely as of right now.

Finish reading here

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The top NBA players stepping into stardom this season are players that have never made it to the All-Star game. These players performed exceptionally well last season and have the tools to lift their game to the next level this year.

With the NBA season quickly approaching, NBAPrimetime’s Brandon Ribak presents the top NBA players stepping into stardom this season.

Andrea Bargnani (C, TOR)

Andrea Bargnani was viewed as somewhat of a bust after being selected with the first overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft.

With averages of just 12.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 0.8 BPG on 42.1 FG% during his first three years, it was reasonable for Raptors fans to get a bit concerned about their former first overall draft pick.

But after last seasons performance (17.2 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 1.4 BPG on 47.0 FG%) and the departure of Chris Bosh this offseason, Bargnani has instantly become the face of the Toronto Raptors’ franchise.

Without Bosh taking up 20+ PPG and 10+ RPG, Bargnani’s stats will inevitably increase, giving him potential to average close to a double-double per night (with well above 20 points per contest)....finish reading here Link

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The subject of NBA discussion over the span of the last few months has been pointed directly towards the Miami Heat and the possibilities of the newly-formed Dream Team winning a championship.

It’s ironic that the teams four letter word “heat” can also spell out “hate”, something Miami’s roster has already began to experience this off-season.

With enough star power to take on numerous NBA teams single-handedly, it was certainly expected for fans worldwide to give the Miami Heat the cold shoulder once LeBron James ANDChris Bosh decided to team up with Dwyane Wade.

After receiving criticism by virtually everyone (including the likes of Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and Magic Johnson) –which you could read the quotes on ESPN‘s Heat Index– the Heat will finally get the chance (starting Oct. 26) to step up to the mound and put all of the hate to rest.

The Miami Hate is on. Check out some of the responses to Miami’s hate!

–In a poll taken by ESPN in which they asked “How much do you dislike the Heat?”, 40% responded with the answers “Three Kings are a joke” and “My new least-favorite team” while 27% believed that Miami has had too much hype too son.

Only 33% out of 30,000 plus votes actually liked them.

– Off-season acquired guard Eddie House (Every time I hear Eddie House’s name I always remember the slap in the head by Rafer Alston) was recently interviewed by the Palm Beach Post. The Post asked House what the Heat had to do to silence critics this season and he responded saying,

“I think, you know what, honestly, I don’t give a (expletive) about nobody else on the outside…It doesn’t matter about anybody out there. I don’t care what their expectations are. We have our expectations and our goals. We are going to achieve them. That’s the bottom line.”

House finished the interview with one final statement,

“So, at the end of the day, middle fingers to all the haters.”

–On August 10th via twitter, this is what LeBron had to say about the criticism,

“Don’t think for one min that I haven’t been taking mental notes of everyone taking shots at me this summer. And I mean everyone!”

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The Big Three, Miami Thrice, LeBoshade, Miami Vice…the superhero list goes on.

But after watching Dwyane Wade fall to injury during the first three minutes of the Miami Heat‘s (massively over-hyped) first preseason game, it’s time for reality to settle in.

No matter how bad fans would like to convince themselves that LeBron, Wade, and Bosh are dispensable immortals, at the end of the day these guys are humans just like each and everyone of us.

What would happen if one of the big three fell short to a season (and playoff) ending injury?

Would the other two superstars be able to carry their team to the promise land and capture a championship trophy?

James and Wade

Without Chris Bosh the Miami Heat would be severely undersized. Udonis Haslemwould most likely slide into the starting four spot (unless LeBron decided to step up and play the power-forward position).

While both James and Wade’s scoring averages would quickly increase, the Heat as a team would struggle on the boards.

Come playoff time, the Magic and Celtics would provide mismatches to their advantage due to the plethora of big men on both of their rosters.

Would the Heat win a championship without Chris Bosh?- No.

Wade and Bosh

Miami would place Mike Miller at the starting small-forward position without LeBron James on the court.

Losing LeBron would instantly put a serious load of work right back onto DwyaneWade’s shoulders (just like in the previous seasons).

Without James around to control Miami’s offensive scheme, Wade and Chalmers would be forced to split time bringing up the ball.

For every turnover Mario Chalmers averaged just two assists last season (good enough for 34th best out of leagues point-guards).

Subtract James from this Miami Heat team and they don’t seem too big and bad after all.

Would the Heat win a championship without LeBron James?- No.

James and Bosh

If the Heat were going to have any chance at winning the championship without one of their superstars it would be without Dwyane Wade.

Sound crazy? Well, it’s not!

The duo of James and Bosh are much stronger than the other two combinations listed above.

While talent-wise James and Wade would create a headache for any team that they match up against, they would also lack the legitimate big man needed to secure the paint on both ends of the court.

Similar to how James never had a top-tier power-forward in Cleveland, it wouldn’t be possible for Wade and James to pass through Orlando, Boston, and the Lakers come playoff time if they lack size.

Without Wade on the court LeBron would still be able to play his game while making his teammates better simultaneously.

With Mike Miller at the starting shooting-guard position, James would have the leisure of attacking the basket and dishing the rock out to various three-point shooting threats.

With Bosh being the versatile big man that he is, James would be able to feed the former Toronto Raptor in the paint and all around the perimeter on the offensive end of the court.

Would the Heat win a championship without Dwyane Wade?- Yes.

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Defense wins games.

The Miami Heat‘s President Pat Riley preaches it and head-coach Erik Spoelstrabreathes it.

With so much offensive talent amongst the trio, most forget just how well the big three can defend on the other side of the court.

Since first entering the league, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh have each ranked as top leaders in steals and blocks per game at their respective positions.

James career average- 1.7 SPG and 0.9 BPG.

Wade career average- 1.8 SPG and 1.9 BPG.

Bosh career average- 0.8 SPG and 1.2 BPG.

With James playing the Magic Johnson role for Miami (the role he was born to play), No.6 will let his instincts do the talking on offense, while the majority of his focus will be set on defense.

“That’s our No. 1 statement,” forward LeBron James said of the Heat’s defense. “If we can get stops, which we know we can, and protect each other on the defensive end, we can get out and do some easy things on offense.”

The offensive game comes natural for these superstars, but the other end of the floor is where superstars become winners.

“We know to be a good team we’re going to have to be a great defensive team,”guard Dwyane Wade said. “We understand that. That’s been our focal point. The intensity has continued to stay up.”

Is it a bold prediction to say that the Miami Heat will end the 2010-11′ season as one of the most elite defensive teams in the league?

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1. Los Angeles Lakers- Last season record (57-25)

The back-to-back defending champs just so happened to improve on its only weakness this off-season, the bench. Steve Blake and Matt Barnes should provide the Lakers with plenty of spark off of the bench, keeping LA on top of the West until proven otherwise.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder- Last season record (50-32)

Kevin Durant has officially entered super-stardom in the NBA, but the rest of Oklahoma City’s roster must step up if they want any chance at rising to the one seed in the West. Regardless, the Thunder have a young core with massive upside (which is why they rank where they currently do).

3. Dallas Mavericks- Last season record (55-27)

Dallas is stacked with seven-footers, high-profiled players, and a franchise player who signed a contract extension this offseason. The Mavericks always enter every season as one of the elite teams in the West, but a strong playoff run is never definite.

4. San Antonio Spurs- Last season record (50-32)

The championship core is still intact, although a serious decline is approaching for Tim Duncan. The Spurs have assembled a solid group of youngsters (Hill, Blair, Splitter) over the years and it seems like their opportunity to step up is looming.

5. Denver Nuggets- Last season record (53-29)

With Carmelo Anthony still apart of the Nuggets roster (at least until the trade deadline), Denver will remain as a top competitor in the West. George Karl is back, Al Harrington will fill in for Kenyon Martin, and if everything goes well, the Nuggets should clinch another 50-win season.

1. Miami Heat- Last season record (47-35)

Is too much star-power a bad thing? Miami boasts three of the top players in the league on their roster. Doubters believe a mixture of ego and chemistry could crumble this three-head monster (LeBoshade), but until then they enter as the team to beat in the East.

2. Orlando Magic- Last season record (59-23)

Shifting Rashard Lewis to his natural small-forward position will allow forwards Brandon Bass and Ryan Anderon to showcase their unseen talents. Bass will inevitably emerge as a beast in the paint while Anderson will arise as one of the leagues top three-point shooters. Oh yea, Orlando also has a 24-year-old Dwight Howard and Vince Carter, who’s itching to prove his worth after a disappointing season.

3. Boston Celtics- Last season record (50-32)

It’s tough to ever rule out Boston, regardless of how many gray hairs Garnett, both O’Neal’s, and Allen would have if they weren’t bald. Injuries continue to be the teams biggest concern, but with enough depth at the four and five spot the Celtics should be in for another deep playoff run.

4. Chicago Bulls- Last season record (41-41)

After leading the league in RPG and ranking second in BPG (during the regular season) last year, the Bulls acquired Carlos Boozer this offseason to provide the team with a dominate power-forward. The Bulls are young, talented, and deep with a new head-coach. What more can you ask for?

5. Milwaukee Bucks- Last season record (46-36)

Milwaukee surprised us all last year, winning the most regular season games (46) since the 2000-01′ season. With young gun Brandon Jennings leading the way, along with John Salmons,Corey Maggette (currently injured), Andrew Bogut, and Drew Gooden, the Bucks have the talent to rise as a top 5 team in the East.

6. Atlanta Hawks- Last season record (53-29)

It’s funny how Atlanta gives $126 million to Joe Johnson and somehow they drop in rankings. The Hawks have the same core with virtually the same roster as last season. Reigning Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford continues to seek an extension, so keep tabs on just how well he plays this season if he fails to get one.

7. New York Knicks- Last season record (29-53)

Even though New York failed to acquire LeBron, they made a few impressive offseason moves that should land them in the postseason since who knows when. Amare Stoudemire will easily adjust to his former coach’s run-and-gun offense, while newcomers Raymond Felton andAnthony Randolph should quickly begin to excel in it. Knick fans are pumped for the upcoming season and for once, they should be.

8. Philadelphia 76ers- Last season record (27-55)

Head-coach Doug Collins should be able to turn this Sixers team (that won only 27 games last season) around this year. Jrue Holiday will start at the point and should emerge as one of the league leaders in steals. Spencer Hawes will get his opportunity to shine in a new light and rookie Evan Turner could make a case for the Rookie of the Year Award.

9. Washington Wizards- Last season record (26-56)

With John Wall and Gilbert Arenas penciled in as Washington’s backcourt duo, it wouldn’t come to a surprise if this team quickly becomes a serious threat in the East. Height and depth will ultimately be the Wizards’ weakness and that solely could be the reason why they miss the postseason.

10. Charlotte Bobcats- Last season record (44-38)

After making it to the playoffs for the first team in team history, Charlotte decided to let go of both their starting point-guard and center this offseason. 33-year old Nazr Mohammed will most likely start at the five spot with D.J. Augustin assuming the point-guard duties. Unless Darius Miles gets signed to the roster and somehow becomes a top player in the league, this Bobcats team is in for a downfall.

11. New Jersey Nets- Last season record (12-70)

Anything the Nets do this season will be considered a success due to their horrific 12-70 record last year. Devin Harris, Troy Murphy, and Brooke Lopez sound like a great core on paper, and ifDerrick Favors could unleash the beast the Nets could make a run for a playoff spot. Don’t forget, New Jersey is still in the race to acquire Carmelo Anthony.

12. Indiana Pacers- Last season record (32-50)

Indiana hit the jackpot acquiring point-guard Darren Collison this offseason. Throw him into the starting lineup with Danny Granger and Roy Hibbert and you’ve got yourself a pretty decent core. It’ll take time before Indiana makes an appearance in the postseason, but they’re surely on the right path to success.

13. Detroit Pistons- Last season record (27-55)

Injuries plagued the Pistons last season and with Tracy McGrady on the roster, the injury bug could devastate this team once again. Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva will definitely improve after a terrible first year with Detroit and young guns Rodney Stuckey and Greg Monroe should be able to shine this season.

14. Toronto Raptors- Last season record (40-42)

Losing Chris Bosh will force this Raptors team to be entered in the draft lottery for years to come. Andrea Bargnani will lead the team in PPG, and Linas Kleiza is lined up to be in the race for the Most Improved Player Award. Aside from that, the Raptors will end the season near the bottom of the totem pole.

15. Cleveland Cavaliers- Last season record (61-21)

It’s truly crazy how one team could go from leading the league in wins (back-to-back seasons) to ranking dead last in their conference. LeBron James did it all for the Cavaliers and now being in a state of LeBron-less, this team is more likely to re-acquire James then make the postseason.

Philadelphia Daily News is reporting that the Philadelphia 76ers are in contact with theDenver Nuggets regarding to trade discussions concerning Carmelo Anthony.

The Sixers-Nuggets potential trade offer would send Anthony to the Sixers in exchange for Andre Iguodala (other players would be involved in the deal as well).

PDN stated that an executive said Nuggets GM Masai Ujiri has spoken with Ed Stefanski, the Sixers’ GM.

Yahoo!’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted that everybody on the Nuggets roster is on the market aside from Chauncey Billups and Ty Lawson.

Miami Heat

Last Season: 47-35 (5th Eastern Conference)

2010-11 Prediction: 69-13 (1st Eastern Conference)

Team Strengths

What can’t this team do? This is essentially a team rebuilt from the ground up around Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and a gentlemen who goes by the name LeBron James. You might have heard some news about him joining the team this summer.

While many teams would be content to ride those three horses all the way to a championship, the Heat surrounded them with a plethora of valuable role players and veterans that will all be able to contribute to the team’s success. Mike Miller was the top 3 point shooter in the league last season, and he might see just a few wide open looks this season with the Heat. Zydrunas Ilgauskas followed James over from Cleveland, and should provide some much needed interior strength. Journeymen like Eddie House and Juwan Howard give the Heat a remarkably deep bench.

The biggest advantage the Heat should have over the rest of the league is in sheer athleticism. This is a team that can run with anyone in the NBA. Trying to guard them in man coverage would be a nightmare, and they have the athletes to break down any zone you can draw up.

A few adventurous souls have predicted the 2010 Heat will eclipse the ’96 Bulls legendary 72 wins. I am not that brave, but they should win the East and clinch home court throughout. Anything less than a championship is going to be a major disappointment for Miami.

Team Weaknesses

The most glaring personnel weakness is the seeming lack of interior defense. While James and Wade are excellent on ball defenders, the Heat lack a presence to patrol the paint like a Dwight Howard or Kevin Garnett. Whether or not Miami can defend dominant big men will go a long way toward determining how far they can go this season.

There is also a question of chemistry. These players have never played a full season together, and Wade, James, and Bosh are all very much accustomed to being the first option of their respective former teams. Are there enough shots to go around? Can three alpha dogs coexist? Who takes that last shot in a close game? Can these players thrive under the weight of all the expectations heaped on this team?

This is a team focused on winning it all and winning now. If they fail to win a championship now, with this collection of talent, the consequences will certainly be interesting.

Will the No.1 overall pick John Wall capture the Rookie of the Year Award this season?

John Wall has received plenty of hype prior to and after being selected as this years No.1 overall draft pick.

With former Washington Wizards franchise player Gilbert Arenas anticipated to be the starting shooting-guard for the club, the concern will be whether J-Wall can post solid statistics alongside of Agent Zero.

In 34.8 MPG as a freshman, Wall posted 16.6 PPG, 6.5 APG, 4.3 RPG, and 1.8 SPG on 46.1 percent shooting from the field.

Five of Wall’s fellow Wildcat teammates were drafted in the first round of the 2010 NBA draft, providing enough evidence that Kentucky had an extremely productive roster.

Wall will certainly get his own as the starting point-guard of Washington. He will see ample playing time and should post averages along the line of 15 PPG and 5-7 APGwith over one steal per contest.

But is that enough to be crowned as the Rookie of the Year?

I think not.

The Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin is projected to average 16.3 PPG, 8.2RPG, 2.2 APG, and 1.2 BPG during the upcoming season (according to CBS).

After suffering an injury during preseason which forced Griffin to miss his entire rookie season last year, the forward is expected to be 100 percent healthy by the start of this season.

If Griffin can stay healthy, he will undoubtedly be crowned as the Rookie of the Year.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Last Season Record: 61-21 (.744), 1st in East

2010-11 Season Record Projection: 38-44 (.463), 9th in East

Team Strengths

The Cavaliers enjoyed their most successful five-year stretch in franchise history from 2005-10, advancing to at least the second-round of the playoffs each season, making their first ever Finals appearance in 2007, and registering back-to-back 60-plus win campaigns in 2009 and 2010.

But without LeBron James, Cleveland fans can expect their basketball team to be as paltry as the woeful Indians or the last-place Browns…right?

Not necessarily. While most people expect the Cavs to have a considerable dropoff (and maybe become one of the worst teams in the league), they still have a considerable amount of talent, athleticism, and youth at most positions.

New coach Byron Scott promises to instill a new offensive system that fans have been clamoring for in recent years—a running, fast-paced, small ball-type of lineup. And he has the personnel to make it work.

In the backcourt, the Cavs will likely employ a tandem of Ramon Sessions and Mo Williams. The two were teammates in Milwaukee in 2008 and developed a strong rapport. While they are both listed at point guard, Williams plays better as an off-guard when he can spot up on the perimeter, threaten defenses with his three-point shot, and use his quick first-step to get past scrambling defenders.

Sessions will be the primary ball-handler and is more adept at creating scoring opportunities for others. While they are smaller than most backcourts, they’re quick, speedy, and can score in bursts.

Inside, Anderson Varejao will move into the starting lineup and take over the center role. He is undersized, but how many teams have dominant inside games that he’ll really struggle to defend one-on-one? Obviously some of the elite teams (like the Lakers, Magic, and Bulls, for example) will have capable scorers, but against the Cavs’ primary competition for a final spot (Sixers, Knicks, Pistons, Nets, Bobcats) it won’t be a major issue.

The real question is who will start at power forward: J.J. Hickson or Antawn Jamison? Jamison is by far a more experienced and complete player, but Hickson’s upside and athleticism will make him the favorite to land the starting spot. He showed improved range on his mid-range jumper in the Vegas summer league and has the potential to thrive in an up-tempo system.

Plus, the Cavs will need a spark off the bench with Varejao as a starter and bringing in a natural, proven scorer like Jamison (who has put up good numbers on mediocre teams in the past) is a good idea.

No one will be expecting much from the Cavs this year, so they could have an opportunity to really catch a lot of opponents off guard with their new system.

Team Weaknesses

Obviously there’s a glaring hole at small forward. Instead of LeBron James, the Cavs will start one of the Jamario Moon-Jawad Williams-Joey Graham combo—to say they might not be able to fill the gap is an understatement.

Moon and Williams are strong defenders but aren’t what the Cavs really need at the 3, which is a dominant scorer. In fact, the Cavs really don’t have any one-on-one scorers at all, meaning there will be a lot of pressure on them to defend, rebound, and get out in transition as often as possible.

In the halfcourt, they’ll struggle to get good looks at the bucket. If Mo Williams and Sessions aren’t creating things off the dribble, they can’t really post up anyone inside.

Also, the opposition will learn to pack the middle and force the Cavs to settle for outside jumpers. Daniel Gibson and Anthony Parker are the two most adequate outside shooters, but they’ll both be coming off the bench. Sessions (6.7 percent), Moon (32.0 percent), and Jawad Williams (32.3 percent) didn’t exactly light it up last season.

This team was built to complement LeBron James. With him gone, each player’s role is either undefined or they’ll be called on to produce much more than in the past. How each player responds will determine how successful Cleveland is in the 2011 season.

Published on: NBA Primetime

Another day, another rumor.

The Houston Rockets have joined the “aggressively pursuing” group of organizations in the hunt for Carmelo Anthony.

While yesterday’s rumor stated that the New Jersey Nets emerged as the front-runners in the Melo sweepstakes, no source verified the validity of the rumor.

The Denver Nuggets are interested in trading Anthony to the Eastern Conference while obtaining draft picks and young talent in return.

The Rockets could provide two of the three demands.

Draft Picks

According to the NY Times, Houston has the right to swap first-round picks with the Knicks in 2011, a right they obtained via trade.

In addition, Houston will also obtain New York’s 2012 first-round selection.

Young Talent

While Kevin Martin isn’t necessarily considered “young” in the NBA world, his talent is intriguing enough to catch Denver’s front-offices attention.

At the age of 27, Martin has proved to be a top tier scoring threat in the league, averaging at least 20 PPG throughout his past four seasons.

During K-Mart’s 08′-09′ campaign he produced career-high numbers in points per game, dropping 24.6 PPG, good enough for seventh best in the NBA.

Although Martin has a history of various injuries, he has the ability to light up the scoreboard when placed into the right system.

In addition to Martin, the Rockets have eight players on their roster that are 25 years of age or younger.

If Denver is really interested in acquiring young guns for Melo, Houston seems to be the team to make a deal with as they have a surplus of young talent on their roster.

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NBA Primetime’s Brandon Ribak breaks down the 2010 NBA Power Rankings into two parts. This article focuses on the top 8 teams that will make the playoffs out of the Eastern Conference.

Eastern Conference Power Rankings

1. Miami Heat- Regular Season Record 64-18, .780 PCT

The Heat enter the 2010 season as the favorites to win the title. With three of the league’s best players running the show in Miami, it’ll only be a matter of time before the three-headed monster begins to shatter records from left and right. 64 wins is nearly a guarantee, even if one of the beasts goes down for a long period of time.

2. Orlando Magic- Regular Season Record 57-25, .695 PCT

Orlando manages to keep their name out of the NBA spotlight, even during theoffseason. With J.J. Reddick re-signed, Chris Duhon signed as a back-up, and Quentin Richardson picked up to replace Matt Barnes, the Magic have quietly enjoyed another efficient offseason. Orlando has some young players, –Brandon Bass and Ryan Anderson– who will each get their opportunity to make an impact to the teams success this season.

3. Chicago Bulls- Regular Season Record 52-30, .634 PCT

Surprised? Well, you shouldn’t be. With D-Rose running the show, Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson dominating the paint, and the Bulls offseason signings of Kyle Korver, C.J. Watson, Ronnie Brewer, and Kurt Thomas equally contributing, a 50 win season is well in reach for this young and exciting team.

4. Boston Celtics- Regular Season Record 50-32, .610 PCT

Boston managed to keep their core that won the 2008 NBA Finals intact this offseason. But with the additions of both O’Neal’s, the Celtics roster is only growing in age. Boston will either enjoy a successful season or a horrific one with a strong case of the injury bug.

5. Atlanta Hawks- Regular Season Record 47-35, .573 PCT

Atlanta re-signed Joe Johnson to a ridiculous contract this offseason and has progressively improved throughout the last five seasons. With young guns such as Al Horford, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, Jeff Teague, and Jordan Crawford on the roster, the Hawks have massive potential to make a splash during the upcoming season. The big question is whether or not they will be able to turn their talents into wins.

6. Milwaukee Bucks- Regular Season Record 45-37, .549 PCT

Taking about splash’s, the Bucks are prone to turn many heads during the 2010 season. This offseason Milwaukee acquired Corey Maggette, Drew Gooden, Chris Douglas-Roberts, and Jon Brockman via signings and trades. With head-coach Scott Skiles having a reputation for being tough on his players and defensive-minded, expect the team to emerge as a top contender in the East.

7. Charlotte Bobcats- Regular Season Record 40-42, .488 PCT

Charlotte lost their starting point-guard and center this offseason. In addition, head-coach Larry Brown’s future has been up in the air ever since the team was swept to the Orlando Magic during the first-round of the NBA playoffs. With the Southeast Division emerging as one of the strongest divisions in the league, the Bobcats chances of winning more than 40 games this season are slim.

8. New York Knicks- Regular Season Record 38-44, .463 PCT

With the offseason additions of Amare Stoudemire, Raymond Felton, Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf, Timofey Mozgov, and Kelenna Azubuike, the Knicks look stronger than ever. If all goes well, New York will make it to the postseason for the first time since the 2004 season.

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From 2008-2010 the Cleveland Cavaliers enjoyed tremendous success throughout the regular season, winning a combined league best 127 games during the two year span.

With LeBron James as the face of not only the franchise but of the entire NBA, Cleveland received the prestigious honors of airing a total of 51 of their regular season games on national television throughout the two seasons, ranking second to only the Los Angeles Lakers who aired a combined 52 times.

The Cavaliers attendance ranked second in the NBA last season and according toRealGM, when on the road, the Cavaliers routinely sold out arenas with an average increase of 2,500 more fans than on average.

The Cavaliers organization managed to build a prominent fan base around James, bringing in talent upon request to help carry the team to their first NBA Finals trophy.

After LeBron James announced on national television this offseason that he would no longer be apart of his hometown team, Dan Gilbert, the Cavaliers players, and the fans have been forced to transition from Kings of the NBA to Jokers.

With LeBron James’ name no longer heard of in the same sentence with the Cleveland Cavaliers (and anti-LeBron t-shirts turning into a Cleveland trend), the NBA has already began to throw the city of Cleveland to the curb.

On August 3rd the NBA released the marquee games for the 2010-11′ season, out of the 20 games scheduled, the Cavaliers were disappointingly no where to be found.

In 2002 (the season before James was drafted), the Cavaliers ranked dead last in the NBA in attendance, with no LeBron James around the teams attendance will quickly begin to plummet.

Looks like the Cavaliers 15 minutes of fame has officially came to an end.

The Cleveland sports curse lives on and it won’t be surprising when Cavalier fans start to lose an interest in the team that once held the key to their hearts.

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