Yay! Shaquille O'Neal brings a level of excitement and legitimacy to the team that no other player could possibly deliver. Yes, last year's team, led by Lamar Odom and Dwayne Wade, was promising, but even Odom allowed that the opportunity had to be grasped. A toned and vengeful Shaq on a Kill Bill-style quest for redemption, Wade's dynamic play, and the prospect of an extended playoff run will keep Miami fans happily entertained this season.
Boo! No matter the names involved, trading three starters for one will invariably weaken a team's rotation. Miami, already on the shallow end of the roster pool, now features only O'Neal, Wade, and Eddie Jones as established game-changing players. And while the prospect of playing with O'Neal is enticing to many free agents, it is not as appealing as cash, leaving Miami to sift through the bargain bin of free agents. That being the case, Christian Laettner, Wesley Person, Damon Jones, and Michael Doleac is a decent haul for such a limited budget.
Orlando Magic
Yay! New boss John Weisbrod became the hero of NBA shirtsleeves for his gruff handling of Magic diva Tracy McGrady. McGrady ridicules his teammates while sitting out a game, Weisbrod confronts him with the tape, teammates and coaches in attendance. McGrady demands a trade, Weisbrod hands him a plane ticket and celebrates that the team is better without him. That approach will play well in Orlando, which after Shaq and McGrady has lost its taste for superstars. This year's edition will recall the popular "heart and hustle" outfit of three years ago, with Dwight Howard and Kelvin Cato in a highly watchable rerun of the Ben and Bo show, and in a supporting role, draft steal Jameer Nelson as Darrell Armstrong.
Boo! Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley are two very good players who, like two potentially good students goofing off in the back of the classroom, need to be separated for their own benefit and that of the group. Fans will quickly grow weary of watching Francis ambling down the lane, waiting, along with the opposing defense and anyone who has watched a Rockets game this millenium, for Mobley to toss himself towards the rim for an alley-oop. It's unfortunate for a team with all the right ingredients to be put on a hot dog like Francis.
Washington Wizards
Yay! Nowhere else in the league will you find a lineup with such youth, athleticism, and versatility. Gilbert Arenas, Larry Hughes, and Jarvis Hayes comprise the league's quickest perimeter trio, and they should be dominant in the open court. New power forward Antawn Jamison will provide the low-post scoring that Kwame Brown has failed to supply. As for Brown, his move to center, and the presence of four capable scorers around him, should allow him to concentrate on rebounding and defense, his most likely avenues to a notable NBA career. Etan Thomas provides the sturdy presence in the paint which the notoriously ductile Wizards desperately need, a trait Brown would do well to adopt himself.
