This will be no easy task. Creating a list of the top players in any professional sports league is like trying to decide with a group of friends what toppings to put on the pizza. Usually there will be a few unanimous selections, but on the whole opinions will vary, and consequently discussion and debate will follow.
It's all about preference. It is no secret that professional sports all around the world vary in terms of the level and type of competition in their leagues. Take the NHL for example, where we witnessed an 8th seed defeating a 6th seed for the Stanley Cup. That is in sharp contrast to the NBA, where year in and year out there are at best 4 or 5 teams that can be considered true contenders.
n professional sports, things rarely stay the same for long. As time passes, things will inevitably change, and the NBA is no exception. Gone are the days of well-built, post-oriented half-court teams, disappearing is the floor general as a breed of the NBA point guard and slowly leaving the game is the notion of finesse over athleticism.
Despite being the favourites heading into the 2012 London Olympics, this year's edition of the United States National Team still drew much speculation as to who would represent the Americans at this year's games.
Talk about making a statement. The Minnesota Wild have acquired the two most coveted free agents in this year's class, forward Zach Parise and defenceman Ryan Suter. Both inked 13 year deals worth a total of $98 million and will be joining a Wild team that looked to start out strong in the 2011-2012 season but quickly faded out of the playoff race. Reports had indicated that the Wild had been interested in both players, with hometown boy Zach Parise being the top prize, but few had predicted that the Wild would sign both.
Deron Williams has agreed to a 5 year/$98 million contract with the newly located Brooklyn Nets. Williams will join 2008 draft pick Brook Lopez, newly acquired swingman Joe Johnson and veteran Gerald Wallace on July 11, when NBA free agent signings become official.
In stunning fashion, the Los Angeles Lakers have swooped under the noses of the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors and have acquired a top veteran point guard in Steve Nash. The Canadian had been weighing and considering a $36million/3 year deal from the Toronto Raptors and a possible sign and trade to the New York Knicks, which would have paid him just under $10 million per year. Instead, Nash is now heading to Hollywood in a sign and trade with the Los Angeles Lakers, who in return will send four draft picks to the Phoenix Suns.
Free agency is an interesting time for general managers around the league. On one hand, you have assets that can be acquired without giving up anything in return. On the other hand, when signing a free agent you are expected to pay a premium, oftentimes giving out contracts above the player's value. In today's salary cap era, this balance is key as a mixture of internal scouting/development, trades and free agent signings is what will ultimately lead to success.
Yesterday marked the day of the 2012 NBA Draft and many things happened the way they were supposed to. Anthony Davis went first overall, David Stern was booed whenever he appeared and every pick after #1 was a crapshoot. Charlotte was the first to put speculation to rest by taking Michael Kidd-Gilchrist with the second pick over Bradley Beal, Thomas Robinson and other other hopefuls.
The livelihoods of many in the basketball world are reliant on one particular event in the NBA offseason. The draft is a time where team scouts, general managers, coaches and other team personnel tremendously boost their job security, or where they lose it altogether. That is why no one wants to make a decision on a boom or bust player. These players have the potential to be superstars in the league, but they also lack some sort of ingredient required to allow them to reach their potential, that is why they are such high risk picks
