However, the NBA plans to cut the salary cap for the 2010-2011 season. This could have a huge impact on who championship contending teams are able to pursue. The current 2009-2010 salary cap is set at $57.7 million, and many teams expect a $3 million to $6 million cut. The New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets, and Miami Heat plan to have the most money to spend in free agency. Many playoff contending teams could look to smaller names to get them into better contention. Names such as Carlos Boozer and Joe Johnson will also be available. The Heat may look at keeping Wade and adding a couple of pieces through the draft and a smaller contract in free agency.

With less room to operate under the cap, it is tough to imagine LeBron, Bosh, or Wade going to another playoff contending team. Look for teams to add less expensive players and improve for the draft in the 2010 off-season. Many big-name players will likely remain with their teams on a smaller term deal until the cap situation improves. The amount of salary cap that the NBA cuts will have a huge impact on whether or not these stars switch jerseys in 2010-2011.

There are some phrases an NBA organization never wants to hear, and “It’s time to clean house” is one of the worst. Unfortunately, the Chicago Bulls are dangerously approaching this breaking point. After an incredible postseason fight in last year’s playoffs against the Boston Celtics, many saw the Bulls as a young group ready to play on the main stage. Many believed they could be a successful team within the Eastern Conference, who, most likely would not win their division (seeing as how they play in the same division as the Cavs), but could compete with any team in the conference – sort of what the Atlanta Hawks are doing now. In reality, the Bulls are doing exactly the opposite. In the first quarter or so of the NBA season, they have fallen to a poor 11-17 record. Granted they have secured wins against some of the elite teams in the NBA, but they have also fallen to the worst of the worst. The team took another step towards the depths of damnation on December 21^st, when they blew a 35-point lead in the 3^rd quarter to the Sacramento Kings. The Kings ended the game on a 58-19 run to win by four. That kind of occurrence is not supposed to happen in the NBA. Teams are supposed to be able to coast on a 35-point lead, but obviously the Bulls are not the team they, the media, and fans thought they were. For that reason, it seems as if it’s time for the Bulls to clean house.

Luckily for the Bulls, they have a few key pieces to the puzzle of success. The most obvious of those pieces: Derrick Rose. Derrick Rose has the skill, the vision, the tenacity to be a superstar in this league, and it’s only a matter of time before he realizes his full potential. He reminds me of a young Dwyane Wade, only he possesses the court vision and passing ability of a Chris Paul type player. For Derrick Rose to truly become the superstar he is capable of being, he must work on his game. First off, he must become more aggressive on the offensive end. Too many times, Rose gets comfortable in his sets, and does not use his incredible explosiveness and quickness to get to the rim. From watching a mere 2 minutes of an NBA game in which Rose plays, it’s easy to see that he can get to the rim at will, but for him to truly be an unstoppable force, he needs to develop a jump shot. Like Dwyane Wade, Rose did not enter the NBA with a pure shot, but with the development of an outside shot, Rose will be virtually unguardable. Rose is obviously a keeper in the rebuilding process of the Chicago Bulls.

At the culmination of the current NBA season, other than Derrick Rose, the Bulls will have six players under guaranteed contracts, one of which is Tyrus Thomas, who is a restricted free agent. Thomas is owed just over $6.2 million next season, and it seems as if he will most likely stay with the Bulls. In addition, John Salmons has a player option for the 2010/2011 season worth $5.8 million. Assuming Salmons and Thomas return to the Bulls, the Bulls will have $43,915,782 of committed contracts. NBA executives project the NBA salary cap to be around $54 million and the luxury tax threshold to be somewhere around $67 million, leaving the Bulls around $20 million or so to play the free agency game, in what looks to be the best free agent class in the history of basketball.

Of the players under contract, the Bulls will be retaining some key players, such as Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, and Kirk Hinrich. Joakim Noah is player who can be a key part of the future of the Chicago Bulls. Noah’s relentless attitude on the court combined with his size makes him a hot commodity to any NBA team. He is player who can comfortably play the center position, and do it with relative success. He is a monster rebounder, a decent scorer, and a great defender. Luol Deng is an athletic small forward who is owed over $11 million in the coming season. Deng is playing at a relatively high and efficient level this season, averaging 18 pts and 8 reb per contest. Kirk Hinrich is a different story. Don’t get me wrong, I am a Hinrich fan, but he is not worth the $9.5 million he is being paid this year and the $9 million he is owed next year, especially coming off the bench as he is now. Hinrich is averaging a mere 8 pts and 3 assists this season while shooting an abysmal 36% from the field and 32% from long range. The Bulls are definitely not going to be able to restructure Hinrich’s contract, so their best bet would be to unload his contract to a team in need of a smart point guard who is usually a good shooter and is always a pesky defender. Ideally, they would love to get back an expiring contract, but with so many teams looking to play the free agency game this coming summer, I find it hard to believe they would be able to get something worthwhile.

If the season continues the way it is going now for the Chicago Bulls, it will be a fun time for fans this coming summer. As of now, the Bulls would be fighting for an 8 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, but let’s assume they do not make the playoffs and end up in the NBA lottery. The coming year’s lottery picks feature many NBA ready players that could make an impact sooner rather than later, but where the real fun comes in is the free agent market. As stated earlier, the Bulls are looking to have a significant amount of spending money this summer, and hope to be able to lure a top tier free agent. Sadly, seeing as how I am a die-hard Heat fan, it seems as if the Bulls most likely choice in the free agent market would be Dwyane Wade. To fathom a team of Wade, Rose, Deng, and Noah, with a supporting cast of Hinrich, Thomas, and Salmons is amazing. That team could do great things very quickly, but I do not think it’s going to happen. The Bulls, though, do need to lure in a big name to continue being successful. Ideally, the Bulls would want to pair Rose in the backcourt with an athletic 2-guard that can shoot from the outside; somebody like Joe Johnson or Tracy McGrady or even a Manu Ginobili. This will space out the court, allowing Rose more flexibility to penetrate the lane and kick out to shooters. In addition, the Bulls need to add somebody to fill in the starting role as a power forward. Tyrus Thomas, although an athletic freak, is not fit to start in the NBA. He is a great energy burst off the bench and could best be utilized in that capacity. One option would be to pursue the likes of Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer, or Dirk Nowitzki (if Nowitzki decides to use his Early Termination Option). All are big names that will be unrestricted free agents in the coming summer, and as stated before, the Bulls have the money to sign a free agent of that caliber. To fill out the roster, the Bulls should acquire a veteran point guard to teach Derrick Rose the ins and outs of the NBA game, preferably at the veteran’s minimum salary. Some players that fit this description would be Jason Williams, Steve Blake, or even Derek Fisher (if they could ever coax him to leave the Lakers).

Although the Bulls are going through tough times at the moment, they are not far from becoming a successful team. They have some key pieces needed to be successful, and with the addition of just a few more, they could be a dangerous team in the Eastern Conference. The last thing the Bulls would need to do to really get over the hump would be to fire Vinny Del Negro and bring in a coach capable to teaching a young team to play together offensively and, most importantly, defensively, in an attempt towards reaching the ultimate goal. The capability is there; it is simply a question as to whether the organization can make it happen.

Okay, so now that I have your attention…

Team Name: Miami Heat
Last Year’s Record: 43-39
Key Losses: Jamario Moon, Mark Blount
Key Additions: Carlos Arroyo, Shavlik Randolph, John Lucas, Quentin Richardson

1. What significant moves were made during the offseason?

Unfortunately for the Heat, the biggest move was acquiring Quentin Richardson from the Minnesota for salary hound center, Mark Blount. This summer, the Heat missed out on acquiring swing-man forward, Lamar Odom from the defending champion Lakers, and the bruising Carlos Boozer from the Jazz. The good news for Richardson and the Heat is that he brings the long ball threat that Miami loves to utilize, and he is also a long time friend of Dwyane Wade, who the Heat hope to sign an extension with this year. The Heat’s addition of Carlos Arroyo to their roster adds a veteran guard to the backcourt.

2. What are the team’s biggest strengths?

The Miami Heat’s biggest strength is…Dwyane Wade, surprised?  After a strong comeback season where he finished top 3 in MVP votes, “Flash” is back and better than ever. If second year forward Michael Beasley can get past his offseason woes, Pat Riley’s dream of a great tag-team can come full circle. The development of Mario Chalmers allows the Heat to run a fast paced offense, and by this season’s end, Chalmers will most likely be a top tier guard in the league.

3. What are the team’s biggest weaknesses?

Since the departure of Shaq and the retiring of Alonzo Mourning, the Heat’s biggest hole is the center position. Year after year the Heat try to develop a young center, but the products have been Earl Barron and Joel Anthony…enough said. With the mid-season acquisition of Jermaine O’Neal, the soft spot of the defense was hopefully going to be filled, but it seems only temporary. Perhaps with a Magloire, Anthony, and O’Neal frontcourt, the Heat can contend with the size the East has to offer.

4. What are the goals for this team?

Every so often, a summer like the one upcoming brings such great free agents that a team wants all of them. The Heat are looking to sign the likes of Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudamire, and/or put a bid in for LeBron James. The main goal is to sign Dwyane Wade to a multi-year deal in order to keep him from testing the free agent waters. The Heat are looking to add another big name to play along side Wade to not only keep him happy, but to keep the people of Miami interested.

5. Don’t count out Daequan Cook.

The third year guard out of Ohio State has shown significant improvement after each summer, including winning the 3-point shooting contest last All-Star break.  The 6-5 guard gives the Heat different looks at the guard position, and Cook has proved to be a good defender, and will only get better with experience. Look for big things from him this year.

Predicted Record: 44- 38. Due to the lack of free agent signings, the Miami Heat will improve only slightly this season and will enter the playoffs at a 4-6 seed.

Am I surprised by the move?  No.  Almost two year’s ago, I asked on this blog, Is CSMG Still The Place To Be? The company was just coming off of terminating its CEO, laying off several employees, having its founder step down as chairman of the board of directors and had a signed separation agreement with one of its major NFL player agents.  Thereafter, the CSMG football division vanished.  The company was left with a strong baseball and basketball division…until Octagon bought out CSMG’s very strong baseball client list and the agents working on their behalf.  Roughly twenty CSMG employees and over one-hundred-and-forty baseball players switched hands in the deal.

Since the deal between CSMG and Octagon in October 2008, CSMG had one thing to focus on: basketball.  The company’s website currently reflects that fact.  Dwyane Wade’s likeness is all over the homepage, the client sites listed are Henry Thomas’s players, and the only clients listed are those playing basketball.  Will CSMG close up shop for good now that Thomas is leaving for CAA?  The company has had internal issues for quite some time now, and Thomas’s departure may just be the final step to dismantling an entity that was once #6 on Jason Belzer’s Sports Agency Power Rankings.

As listed on CSMG’s website, there are only two Executive Officers: Henry Thomas (President) and Ginger Gordon (Chief Financial Officer).  No need for a CFO if there is no President.  And CAA grows again..

Sports Business

• Think you have what it takes to run Darren Rovell’s blog over at CNBC? [Write My Blog Contest--Your Chance To Blog Right Here!]
• Divorced athletes and their child support options [Negotiating The Professional Athlete’s Child Support Obligations].
• Something makes me think endorsers are just going to love this new column…[Endorsement "Fraud" Central].
• Peyton Manning, Derek Jeter, and Dell Computers? [CAA hired to upgrade Dell].

NFL

• They want $100 million collectively for the use of their likeness [More than 2,000 former players sue NFLPA].

NBA

• After all the Redick speculation, he remains a part of the Magic [Magic pick up option on guard Redick].
• No matter where you go overseas, the people sweat Kobe [Dwyane Wade’s jersey drops in popularity in Europe].

MLB

• Michael Brantley was recently acquired by the Cleveland Indians in the C.C. Sabathia trade.  His agent, Josh Kusnnick spoke about the trade and life as an agent in a recent radio interview [Smoke Signals].

I learned a lot this weekend.  Perhaps the most important nugget of information was that I should never wait until the last minute to start looking to book a flight.  And even when waiting until the last minute, there is no reason to be stubborn and say, “Screw it, I’m driving.”  Although I was able to take care of plenty of phone calls on the road, driving sixteen hours in three days is not something that is fun or necessary.  Anyway, I am back from Winston-Salem and Chris Paul’s charity bowling tournament, and back to the daily grind.

The weekend was a major success.  I left Friday morning, slightly hungover from the previous night’s festivities.  I made it through all of the Florida speed traps, through Georgia, South Carolina, and eventually into North Carolina.  By the way, the lakes in Davidson (just outside of Charlotte) are beautiful.  I arrived in Winston-Salem at around 7 p.m. and got lost a few times before finding my final destination.  I took a former intern and current Wake Forest student, Justin Herzig, and Dynasty’s Bowling Division Director, Bruce Falcon, out for some authentic barbecue and before we left the establishment, we all felt that we had been severely hit on by the waitresses, which was not all that gratifying.

The next day, I snuck into a gym to get my daily workout in, caught up on some law school reading, and watched the first half of the Florida vs. Tennessee game before I headed to the Winston-Salem AMF Lanes. At the bowling alley, I met up with Bruce and a couple of gentlemen from Chaney Sports Marketing Group. Besides seeing one of our clients bowl and network with others in the industry, Bruce and I had traveled to North Carolina to witness what goes into creating such an event. Between myself, Bruce, and Chaney Sports, we hope to create a similar bowling event during All-Star weekend. Much more on that to come in the future.

The Dynasty client that participated in CP3 weekend is Tommy Jones. He was partnered up with Dwyane Wade, who I love as a basketball player, but leaves quite a bit to be desired on the lanes. I am not going to give away who won the event, but let’s just say that D-Wade did not stick around for long. Throughout the event, LeBron James was cracking jokes on everyone, and the crowd was eating it up. I hope that ESPN captured some of LeBron’s antics for when the show goes on air in a few weeks. By the way, look out for a spiked hair guy wearing a blue button-down shirt. I am told that I can be seen in the background of many shots.

The event was catered by Texas Roadhouse, and when there is food, I am a happy camper. Five chicken breasts did the job and I was set for the evening. After the bowling tournament, we headed to a club downtown called 411, which was rented out by Chris Paul and contained more free food, an open bar, and some giveaways.

Overall, it was a great event. The drive home on Sunday was less than pleasurable; however, nothing beat hearing that the Dolphins took it to the Patriots in Foxborough. And it seems like Dynasty may be signing some new clients in the near future based on some of my phone conversations in the car. So I guess driving was not so bad after all…

To see some pictures that I took during the event, click here.