GOOD NEWS - Shareef Abdur-Rahim has been outstanding. While Tracy McGrady and Kevin Garnett are often cited as superstars who have never seen the second round of the playoffs, Reef remains the best player in the league to never see any playoff action at all. Though he's made a career of being the NBA's star-crossed star, Rahim is a team player who plays hard and sincerely wants to win.
BAD NEWS - Atlanta does have a serious talent deficiency, but their biggest problems are of the off-court variety, namely their still-unresolved ownership situation and an embarrassing lack of fan support. The plan for fixing the franchise - empowered, aggressive management assembling a talented, exciting roster and capturing the imagination of Atlanta fans. Now if I could do that instead of just saying it, I wouldn't be writing a weekly column for free.
Chicago Bulls
GOOD NEWS - General Manager John Paxson recognized that the Bulls as constructed were on a path to nowhere, and did not hesitate to make significant changes. More to his credit, he improved the team without sacrificing any young talent. Jerome Williams and Antonio Davis are positive influences on Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler, as well as solid players who will force them to earn their minutes. Scott Skiles did the team a huge favor by scrapping the triangle offense, which was handcuffing young stars like Jamal Crawford.
BAD NEWS - Despite the warm-and-fuzzies that usually follow a major trade like the Bulls pulled off, significant questions remain about a team still very much in the formative stages. Eddy Curry is plagued by lapses in concentration and effort, though when focused he is a remarkable player to watch. Tyson Chandler is veering uncomfortably close to Marcus Camby territory, as fragile as he is talented. Finally, the backcourt of Kirk Hinrich and Crawford is intriguing but unproven.
Cleveland Cavaliers
GOOD NEWS - Lebron James is the good news. He is every bit as good as advertised, and has provided no reason to believe he won't be the larger-than-life superstar the team, the city, and the league need him to be. Every basketball superlative applies to James - he is unselfish, aware of everything on the court, hard-working, exciting, athletic, and deceptively strong. Further, he is fully cognizant and accepting of his status and celebrity, but his ego remains set to a healthy braggadocio, more than mere confidence but well short of McGradyian self-worship. His conceit is tempered by the gravity of the fact that the fortunes of many, many people are intertwined with his success or failure.
