The old saying goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." But try telling that to an NBA general manager.
When the league opens up its 2009-2010 regular season tonight with four games, a quartet of top contenders will display the new additions to their arsenals. New players are just part of the wholesale changes that were made in the offseason by six contenders looking to take home the Larry O'Brien Trophy in June.
That list begins with the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. Rather than stand by and give their championship roster a chance to defend its title, the Lakers jettisoned Trevor Ariza, an up-and-coming small forward who was arguably the most important player in the team's postseason run last year, and gambled on Ron Artest. The 10 year veteran was once one of the most feared defenders in the game, but his reputation is fading.
Last season, Artest displayed his offensive wares on a Houston Rockets team that did not have a go-to guy due to injuries. Artest averaged 17 points a game but is unlikely to duplicate those numbers while sharing touches with Pau Gasol on the inside and Kobe Bryant on the perimeter.
But what really makes ousting Artest a gamble is his volatile personality. Rumors abounded last year of Artest's antics during the postseason, and the Rockets did not seem too displeased to take Ariza off the Lakers' hands to fill their hole at small forward.
Another Western Conference team that is tinkering with its chemistry is the Portland Trail Blazers. Blessed with a bevy of young talent and one of the best emerging players in the game in Brandon Roy, Portland made a curious financial choice this summer.
As one of the few teams with cap space, the Blazers searched high and low for an idea of how to spend it. After being jilted by marquee free agent Hedo Turkoglu, who decided to head north of the border to the Toronto Raptors, Portland shelled out the cash for point guard Andre Miller.
The move was curious for a number of reasons. Roy likes to play with the ball in his hands, as does Miller. Then there is Portland's strange fascination with veteran Steve Blake, who it turns out will be the team's starter. So now the Blazers have spent seven million a year over three years for a backup point guard who cannot play on the floor with their best player and is sure to be unhappy coming off the bench.
In the Eastern Conference, three teams that were dissatisfied with how their seasons ended also saw huge roster shakeups, with varying degrees of severity.
That list starts with the Orlando Magic, a team that surprised many by getting to the NBA Finals, only to fall to the Lakers in five games. Unsatisfied with the tag of runner-up, Orlando altered its roster in dramatic fashion. Exiting was Turkoglu, a key crunch-time contributor and component of Orlando's outside offense. As Turkoglu fled in free agency, the Magic filled their need for a scorer by acquiring Vince Carter from the New Jersey Nets.
At 32, Carter's best years are behind him, and Orlando gave up on promising second-year man Courtney Lee to obtain their guy. But the Magic shed Rafer Alston, a potential chemistry killer with Jameer Nelson returning from injury, and also received a talented young big man in Ryan Anderson, who might be the jewel of this deal.
However, this deal hinges on Carter. He is no longer the go-to option in Orlando thanks to the presence of Dwight Howard, and he should theoretically benefit from playing second fiddle. But if Carter cannot accept that his numbers may take a dip, Orlando's grand plans could go up in smoke.
The Cleveland Cavaliers likewise took a gamble of gargantuan proportions with their trade for Shaquille O'Neal. Despite having the best regular season record in the NBA last year, the Cavs crumbled in the Eastern Conference Finals with their loss to Orlando. Hoping to find the kryptonite to solve Dwight Howard, the Cavs traded spare parts for the Big Aristotle.
Though O'Neal is well past the days when he was the most dominant big man in the game, simultaneously rapping and starring in "Kazaam," Cleveland is hoping that the chance to contend for a championship alongside the best player in the league, LeBron James, can motivate its new acquisition. How much O'Neal has left remains to be seen, however, and though he is seemingly the perfect sidekick for a top player, he still views himself as more of a co-star.
Last but not least in the East is the Boston Celtics. After its hopes at back-to-back championships were derailed by Kevin Garnett's knee injury, Boston primed itself for another title run by adding free agent big man Rasheed Wallace to the mix. Again, Boston followed the prevailing theme in the East of acquiring veteran players whose best years are behind them, hoping that they will provide a spark despite their diminished skills.
In Wallace's case, if he is willing to play off the bench he can provide the depth that the Celtics lacked last year when Garnett went down. In addition, though he plays outside too much for someone with his skills, he is a perfect fit next to the emerging Glen "Big Baby" Davis in the second unit. While Wallace should play a large role, the Celtics' other key offseason addition, Marquis Daniels, might actually be more important to the hopes of the team as a ball-handler off the bench who can also spell Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.
While all these teams were taking risks, the contender that made the most logical move might have been the San Antonio Spurs. The addition of Richard Jefferson from the Milwaukee Bucks is a great fit, as he has experience playing alongside stars like Carter and Jason Kidd in New Jersey. Putting Jefferson in the lineup with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and a healthy Manu Ginobili gives the Spurs another offensive weapon for opponents to defend and makes them a threat in the West.
While it remains to be seen how these major moves play out, one thing is for certain: the NBA is wide open this season, and all six of these teams feel they have a shot at putting a banner in the rafters this year.
