The NBA Finals are over, and now we can fully devote all of our attention to the NBA Draft, upcoming free agency, and the many trades that could possibly take place sometime this summer. Here are a few of the latest rumors.
Gilbert Arenas has accepted the fact that he is no longer the main man in Washington now that the Wizards are guaranteed to pick John Wall with the first pick in Thursday's draft. However, he is not ready to give up completely on the franchise, especially after his dreadful past season that involved bringing a gun into the Wizards' locker room. Arenas has been training with a purpose this offseason. He is making it known that he has something left, and that he can still contribute to an NBA team. Look for him to be moved to shooting guard this year, which will make for a formidable back court once he and Wall are a duo. Arenas should have a fairly good year, and he is more than capable of averaging 17-20 points in a Wizard's offense that will likely run through him and Wall.
There has been speculation about both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics since the finale of the NBA Finals. The Lakers are looking to retain unrestricted free agents Derek Fisher and Shannon Brown as well as head coach Phil Jackson. I expect all three to return to Los Angeles next year. Boston is a different story, however. Doc Rivers will likely leave the organization in order to be closer to his family and spend more time with his children. Rasheed Wallace may retire. Paul Pierce has a player option to terminate his contract and pursue free agency, but he had previously stated that he wished to be a Celtic for life. Expect him to remain in Boston. Ray Allen is another question mark, and he could possibly be lured from the Celtics if a team is willing to give him a big enough contract.
The Minnesota Timberwolves could be one of the most interesting teams this offseason. Although they will probably not land any top tier free agents, there have been rumors that Rudy Gay is interested in joining the team. He is listed as a small forward but could possibly play the shooting guard position if needed. If the Wolves believe that they have a legitimate shot at landing Gay after the July 1 opening, they could look to address the shooting guard position in the draft. Otherwise, I expect them to take Wesley Johnson, the small forward from Syracuse. The Timberwolves are a confusing team, though. Think of this potential starting line-up: Jonny Flynn, Corey Brewer, Wesley Johnson/Rudy Gay, Kevin Love, Al Jefferson. Pretty good right? Apparently, the Wolves believe that Love and Jefferson cannot co-exist on the floor, though. I've addressed this issue in the past, but it has come up again. Some Minnesota executives have even hinted at the fact that either Love or Jefferson could be traded before the draft even though both are better than the alternative at center, Darko Milicic.
Lastly, the roster of the Dallas Mavericks could be undergoing major changes in the offseason. Erick Dampier could be on his way out, and Jason Kidd could come off the bench next year. Obviously all efforts are being made to keep Dirk Nowitzki, and Mark Cuban has even talked about trying to work out a sign and trade option for LeBron James. That could be another formidable lineup next year: Jason Kidd/Roddy Beaubois, Caron Butler, LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki, Brendan Haywood. That team could easily contend with the reigning champion Lakers for the Western Conference crown. Concerning Dampier, I'd expect him to be moved, but that he will sign with another team.
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