As expected, LeBron James won’t be signing a contract extension this summer with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Instead, LeBron will wait it out and become an unrestricted free agent next summer. During the summer of 2010, many teams — most notably the New York Knicks — will make a run at adding the best player in the league to their squad.
As for the fantasy basketball world, this news doesn’t change much. If anything, it might be good news. With the Cavs facing a lot of pressure to win and keep LeBron happy, they will spend to put good players around him. …read more

Around the NBA trade deadline, there was talk about Shaquille O’Neal being traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now it appears, depending on who you believe, that these talks may be heating back up.
For both sides, this deal would make a lot of sense. For the Cavs, they desperately need to give LeBron James a running mate. Considering that Shaq is coming off of a very good season, he could still get the job done in the middle. At the worst, he’ll give the opponent another player to think about outside of LeBron.
For the Suns, Shaq doesn’t …read more

The Cleveland Cavaliers have gotten good play out of Ben Wallace this season. When he has been healthy, at least. Shortly after returning from a broken leg, Wallace is now suffering from a strain in his left knee that may sideline him for the entire 2009 postseason.
This would be a big blow to the Cavs. Wallace isn’t the dominant defensive force he used to be but he’s still a very good defender who doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be effective. With LeBron James doing most of the offensive work, Wallace has been free to concentrate on defense …read more

1. Cleveland Cavaliers
Everything is looking good right now for the Cavs. They have the best player in the league in LeBron James. They have a great defensive team and a very efficient offensive unit. Cleveland is also undefeated at home and they have playoff experience.

2. Boston Celtics
The reigning NBA champions haven’t looked as dominant as usual as of late. Their lack of depth has been apparent and their Big Three doesn’t always have the needed juice on a game by game basis. That said, they are still the team to beat until someone ends their back-to-back dreams.
3. Orlando Magic
If …read more

Eric Gordon, Los Angeles Clippers
Since Cuttino Mobley has been traded, Eric Gordon has definitely become a fantasy viable player. He’s starting, getting good minutes and producing at a good clip. Since he’s a rookie it’s hard to tell what his ceiling is but he is looking like a player that can average between 13 and 15 points in his rookie campaign.

Kris Humphries, Toronto Raptors
With new coach Jay Triano now in charge of the Raptors after Sam Mitchell got fired, there’s some rumblings that Kris Humphries could see his minutes rise. Andre Bargnani isn’t defending well and Humphries could be the …read more

Chauncey Billups, Detroit Pistons
While Chauncey Billups could have another solid season, there are some red flags. First of all, he has Rodney Stuckey behind him and Stuckey is viewed as the future of the franchise in Detroit. Second of all, Joe Dumars seems ready and willing to trade Billups if the right trade becomes available. If Billups ends up in a bad situation, his value could plummet.
Mo Williams, Cleveland Cavaliers
Common sense says that if you play next to a very good passer like LeBron James, your fantasy value will rise. However, that hasn’t really been the case. A lot of …read more

Although training camp hasn’t started yet, it is never too early to take a look at the MVP favorites. For the 2008-2009 season, five players have a really great shot at winning the MVP award. Here are the top five 2009 NBA MVP candidates:
5. Tracy McGrady, Houston Rockets
If the Rockets can live up to their lofty expectation and Tracy McGrady can stay healthy all year, T-Mac has a chance to be in the MVP running. He’s an immensely talented player who could impress a lot of voters this season. Staying healthy will be a challenge, however.
4. Dwyane …read more

Delonte West, who was one of the best players for the Cleveland Cavaliers last year in the NBA playoffs, has re-signed with the Cavs. The Cavs acquired West from the Seattle Supersonics in the three-team mega deal that also brought Ben Wallace to Cleveland.
Last year in the playoffs, West started at point guard. This year, things will be different. The Cavs traded for Mo Williams and he will be the team’s starting point guard. However, that doesn’t mean West won’t play. He should see many minutes behind Williams and even next to Williams.
As far …read more

With the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games a thing of the past and training camp approximately one month away, let’s take a look at 2008 NBA power rankings:
1. Boston Celtics – The defending champs are the team to beat.
2. Los Angeles Lakers – The Lakers with Andrew Bynum will be tough.
3. San Antonio Spurs – The Spurs always seem to lurk near the top.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers – With the addition of Mo Williams, watch out.
5. New Orleans Hornets – James Posey will add a mean streak in NO.
6. Detroit Pistons – The Pistons should once again win a lot of …read more

Mo Williams was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade between the Cavs, Milwaukee Bucks and the Oklahoma City Supersonics. Williams is the biggest name involved in the trade, but he’s far from the only player to switch teams. Here is a list of the players who are switching teams and the fantasy football impact of each aspect of this trade:
Mo Williams, Cleveland Cavaliers
Williams should be a very good next to LeBron James on the Cavs. He can pass, shoot and score the ball effectively. While he’s not the purest point guard, his scoring …read more