Good News, Bad News - Atlantic Division
Welcome to my new weekly column! I hope you enjoy my thoughts and observations on the best league in the world, the NBA. I want to start by discussing the situation of each team in the league, both the good news and the bad news. This will be a four-part series, covering one division a week, beginning with the Atlantic.
Boston Celtics
GOOD NEWS - Paul Pierce has evolved into one of the league’s best all-around players. Vin Baker has impressively turned around his personal life, leading to remarkable on-court resurgence and the role of Boston’s premier big man. Explosive rookie Marcus Banks is very promising, and fellow rookie Kendrick Perkins should soon evolve into a force down low.
BAD NEWS - New acquisition Raef Lafrentz falls well short of filling Boston’s glaring need at center, especially as he hobbles on the fence of playing hurt vs. season-ending knee surgery. Even if Raef were healthy, the Celtics were absolutely ripped off in the Antoine Walker trade, so intent was Danny Ainge to send Walker out of town. Not only did Boston receive lesser talent for the All-Star forward, they financially committed themselves to LaFrentz in a huge way, and it is highly doubtful that he will ever justify the investment.
Miami Heat
GOOD NEWS – Rookies Dwayne Wade and Udonis Haslem have been impressive thus far. Wade especially has the makings of a star. Eddie Jones has surprisingly returned to his form of the late 90’s, and along with Wade, Caron Butler, and Lamar Odom give Miami an advantage on the perimeter against most opponents.
BAD NEWS – Odom has been solid, but not spectacular or deserving of the massive contract he received from Pat Riley. After obsessive hand-wringing over the maximum contracts he gave to Jones and Brian Grant, and their effect on the Heat’s salary cap, Riley overspent for another marginal star. Miami will need young prospects Butler, Wade, and Haslem to realize every bit of their potential if they want to contend any time soon.
New Jersey Nets
GOOD NEWS – Jason Kidd remains one of the league’s best point guards, and as long as he is in charge, the Nets are a Finals contender. Richard Jefferson and Kenyon Martin are solid pieces, and New Jersey and Philadelphia are the only East contenders with recent Finals experience, which gives them a slight advantage over New Orleans, Detroit, and Indiana.
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