One of my all-time favorite video games is NBA Jam.

At Christmas '93, AB (my mom) got me a Sega Game Gear and a few games. The one I played the most was NBA Jam.

Like most kids, I got sick of it after about five or six days and moved on to something new. I thought about it every once in a while, but I was over the game. That was until a few months ago when I heard EA Sports will release a new version of the game for the Nintendo Wii later this year that I will be sure to check out.

Around that same time, a buddy of mine must've gotten the itch for some 16-bit action. The night of the NBA All-Star Saturday events, my roommate and I went to this friend's house to watch the Dunk Contest. It was a regular night for us: some libations, surfing the Web looking for "talent" (My All-Time Top 5: Halle Berry, Marilyn Monroe, Pam Grier, Jessica Alba and Kim Kardashian), and lots of **** talking.

That spilled over when my roommate (Skeegs) challenged our friend Brian to a game of...yep, NBA Jam. Brian pulled his Sega Genesis out, which was kind of like seeing somebody walking up the street today with a Zach Morris cell phone. I played a couple times and got ran. Skeegs was able to hold is own, even though Brian had probably practiced all afternoon (He says he didn't. I know better). Those two "battled" that night and played six or seven games until about 2 a.m.

A couple weeks ago, Skeegs and I went over to Brian's to watch some games with him and his wife - another friend of ours. Around 11 o'clock, Brian pulled the Genesis out (seriously, who still has a Sega Genesis?) and he and Skeegs went at it again. These two have developed a full-fledged rivalry that is comparable to the Spartans and Persians. The games are more intense than Heat/Knicks games from the mid- to late-90s. Skeegs would lose and wanna run it back. Brian would lose, blame it on the controller he used and make Skeegs switch with him. Things got so heated that, at one point, Brian tried to cut Skeegs' thumbs off with a steak knife. Well, not really, but you get the point, right?

Who knew something that today seems so primitive could provide so much fun (and provide the base of an interesting drinking game - with Capri Sun, of course)?

Hopefully the new version of NBA Jam is as fun as the original.

-6'8"

-230 pounds

-Four-year starter

-Averaged double-figure points and around 6 board a game his entire career, along with shooting about 51 percent from the field

-The ability to score on the wing, combined with the skills to get buckets in the paint

-Can guard multiple positions

That looks like the resume of an NBA Lottery pick, right?

What about when you add this in:

-Looks lost on the court at times

-Sulks when things don't go his way

-No-shows entire games at times

-A bit of a whiner

That looks like the attributes of an athlete with the mental acumen of Ron Artest.

But that's been, for better or worse, what MSU has gotten from Raymar Morgan the last four years. Morgan shows flashes of brilliance at times - like averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds over State's final three regular season games. Those were all wins MSU HAD to have, and Raymar was easily the best player on the floor in each contest.

Then there's the other side of it, like when Morgan had a five-game stretch of 0, 8, 8, 6 and 4 points when MSU lost three of five, and the lead in the Big Ten, early last month.

That's what kills me. I get more upset when Ray has a great game (WHY THE #%$* CAN'T YOU PLAY THIS WAY ALL THE TIME?!?) than I do when he goes out and gives a performance that rivals the acting in "Homeboys From Outer Space." How weird is that? There's so much potential there, but he hasn't fully harnessed it. He's faced injuries and illness during his time in East Lansing, but more often than not, Morgan has played like Rasheed Wallace: great skills and talent, but no real desire to be The Man.

Look at Texas' Damion James. I've been telling my boys all season that he and Raymar are the exact same player: same size, skill set, everything. But James doesn't take nights off (he's scored in double figures in 28 of Texas' 31 games and has 15 double-doubles this season) and is projected as a top-15 pick in this summer's NBA Draft. Morgan - because of his inconsistent play and demeanor at times, not is level of skill - will be lucky to latch on with a team overseas.

But Ray can redeem himself if he carries his good play from the end of the regular season into the Big Ten Tournament and the NCAA Tournament.

The most frustrating thing about that?

Nobody knows if he will.

There's a term for when a basketball team (not named Gonzaga or BYU) puts five white guys out on the floor: Garbage time. No, that's not it. It's called a White Wash.

A new basketball league, which would be based in the deep South (I know, shocking!!), is set to attempt to field an entire league of Anglo players.

The All-American Basketball Alliance (AABA), based in Atlanta, announced in a press release early this week it plans to start its inaugural season this summer and hopes to field 12 teams.

A story in the Augusta (Georgia) Chronicle quotes the statement as saying, "Only players that are natural born United States citizens with both parents of Caucasian race are eligible to play in the league."

The story also quoted Augusta Mayor Deke Copenhaver, who has publicly expressed his support for minor league teams in the past, as saying he would not support this team. Augusta is one of the cities the league would like to house a team.

Don "Moose" Lewis, the commissioner of the AABA, in the same story said the reasoning behind the league's roster restrictions is not racism.

"There's nothing hatred about what we're doing," he said. "I don't hate anyone of color. But people of white, American-born citizens are in the minority now. Here's a league for white players to play fundamental basketball, which they like."

Lewis said he wants to emphasize fundamental basketball instead of "street-ball" played by "people of color."

"Would you want to go to the game and worry about a player flipping you off or attacking you in the stands or grabbing their crotch?" he said. "That's the culture today, and in a free country we should have the right to move ourselves in a better direction."

I know there may be some people who think this is deplorable. I think it's hilarious. Don't these idiots know the NBA was an "all-white" for the first three years of its existence? The only people of color who were even allowed in NBA arenas until Nat Clifton was signed by the Knicks were the people cleaning the toilets.

I always thought sports was the ultimate equalizer. Sports, in my opinion, transcend race and color and allow people from all aspects of life to put their differences aside in support of a common goal.

"Moose" doesn't see it that way. And even though I in now way agree with what he's trying to do, I'm gonna help him out a bit.

Here are some ideas on how this league can succeed.

-Make the league's major sponsors Ritz, Saltines, Denny's and the NRA.

-Have all the games televised on CMT.

-Make Celtics benchwarmer Brian Scalabrine the face of the League.

-Propose that Wrangler get into the shoe game and have the company sign Indiana Pacer forward Josh McRoberts, Orlando Magic guard J.J. Redick and L.A. Laker Adam Morrison to lucrative deals.

-Suggest to Tommy Hilfiger that his company design league apparel.

-Make Tang the official drink of the league and have Chicago Bulls big man Brad Miller serve as official pitch man.

-Screen all prospective cheerleaders and make SURE their butts are as flat as a blown-out tire.

-Hire Don Imus to do play-by-play for the nationally-televised CMT games.

-Make football hall-of-famer Paul Hornung league commissioner.

-Name the MVP Award after David Duke.

-Name the championship trophy after Marge Schott.

-Hire Wayne Brady to host pre- and post-game shows.

-Make certain the only music played by a non-white artist in league arenas is by Darius Rucker. That or "Whoomp! There it is."

Here's the best idea: scrap the league and join everybody else in the 21st Century.

Remember how the Heisman vote went down to the last two weeks of the regular season?

Everyone was waiting for that one guy to pull away from a pack of four or five and take the award.

Alabama sophomore running back Mark Ingram did that with his performance in the SEC Championship game against Florida, snatching the award from Florida's Tim Tebow among others.

This NBA season has been weird. In the first month of the season, you could make a case for five or six guys who should win MVP. Milwaukee point guard Brandon "Young Money" Jennings was a shoe-in for Rookie of the Year after he went off for 55 points in just his seventh game in the League.

Now, both of those are one-horse races in my opinion. So are the races for Sixth Man of the Year and Most Improved Player.

So unless some guys step up the last 40 games of the season, there won't be any shock when award winners are announced in May.

As for who is leading in the chase for those awards...

Most Valuable Player
LeBron James, Forward, Cleveland Cavaliers
You know how Pistons' fans used to treat Michael Jordan? They hated his guts but respected the hell out of his game. That's the way fans are with James now. He might be too silly for anybody to hate, though, with his pre-game antics and sideline dances. So far this season, LeBron is averaging 29 points, with 8 assists ( a career high at this point) and 7 boards a night. He's also posting career highs in field goal, free throw and three-point percentage. James is doing all this, and has his team in the race for the League's best record, without much else around him.

Also considered: Kobe Bryant (L.A. Lakers), Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas)

Rookie of the Year
Tyreke Evans, Guard, Sacramento Kings
The same way James saved the Cavs when he was drafted in 2003, Evans has been reviving the Kings so far this season. Sacramento was widely thought of as one of the three or four worst teams in the League at the start of the season, but the Kings have been surprisingly competitive. While Jennings started hot and hit the Rookie Wall, Evans has been steady all season to the tune of 20.8 points, 5 boards and 5 assists a night. At 6'6," 220 pounds, Evans can play any of the perimeter positions. He may be best suited to play off the ball, but his play at the point has been solid. Evans has also scored in double figures in all but two games he's played in so far this season.

Also considered: Brandon Jennings (Milwaukee), Stephen Curry (Golden State)

Most Improved Player
Kevin Durant, Forward, Oklahoma City Thunder
In his third year in the League, Durant has made "The Leap." His scoring average has gone up exponentially each season (from 20 (year one) to 25 ppg (year two) to 29.1 this season. Durant is also averaging a career-high 7 boards a night. He's a threat to go for 40 every night and he's also mastered the art of manufacturing points. When he has an off night from the field, Durant is awesome at getting to the line. In Oklahoma City's 94-91 win over Atlanta Monday afternoon, Durant went 7-19 from the field, but shot 14-15 from the free throw line. He's getting to the line nearly 10 times a game and in flirting with shooting 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and 90 percent from the free-throw line. Above all of that, he's leading his young Thunder squad to Ws. Oklahoma City currently sits at 23-18, good for 8th in the tough Western Conference. OKC didn't win its 23rd game until the last game of the 2008-09 season. Look for Durant to be in the MVP discussion until he retires.

Also considered: Aaron Brooks (Houston), Channing Frye (Phoenix)

Sixth Man of the Year
Jamal Crawford, Guard, Atlanta Hawks
Crawford has always been known as a gunner. But you can't win with guys like that in your starting lineup unless their name is Kobe. Crawford is in the perfect role in Atlanta. He's been a major reason why the Hawks are atop the Southeast Division. He's the Hawks' version of Vinnie Johnson and he's flourishing in his new role. So far this season, in 30 minutes a night, Crawford is netting 17 points and shooting 45 percent from the field. That number doesn't look that great until you consider that's the best he's shot from the field since shooting .476 from the field in 23 games in 2001-02.

Also considered: Carl Landry (Houston), Jason Terry (Dallas)

Defensive Player of the Year
Dwight Howard, Center, Orlando Magic
Although Howard's offensive numbers have trailed off from last season and his post game is almost nonexistent, his defensive play always remains at a high level. Howard once again leads the League in rebounds (13.1) and blocks (2.49). He also ranks in the top 50 in steals - a category dominated by wing players.

Also considered: LeBron James (Cleveland), Gerald Wallace (Charlotte)

Coach of the Year
Rick Adelman, Houston Rockets
No Yao. No Tracy McGrady, yet, at 23-18, Adelman has the Rockets in the seven spot out West. Prior to the start of the season, I picked Houston to finish with one of the worst records in the League, since the team's roster is made up of no-name players. Houston has been able to stay afloat despite switching from a team that thrived on good defense to a team that likes to run on offense. During his career, Adelman has coached some supremely talented teams in Portland and Sacramento, but this may be his best work.

Also considered: Lionel Hollins (Memphis), Scott Brooks (Oklahoma City)

Let people around here tell it, Pistons small forward Tayshaun Prince, if traded, could get you a more than serviceable big man.

That's about as accurate a statement as this: "Oh, no! White Castle doesn't give you bubble guts at all!"

Pistons fans and pundits have been pining for a big man who commands a double team since Bob Lanier left town. They think Prince, who has two years and about $21.5 million left on his contract, can be moved for a big who would allow Detroit to play 5-on-5 on the offensive end instead of the 5-on-4 they've been playing for the better part of a decade.

That talk has gotten stronger since Prince, in his eighth NBA season, all with Detroit, has missed the team's last four games with a ruptured disk in his back, which will keep him sidelined indefinitely. With the drafting of 17 small forwards this past June (OK, it was really three), Prince's injury has given those rookies, most notably Jonas Jerebko and Austin Daye, a chance to earn PT.

Jerebko, the 39th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, has taken Prince's place in the starting line-up up to this point. Jerebko has played 24 minutes a night since Tayshaun went down. His numbers have gotten better with each start. He has also become more comfortable out on the court and more aggressive on offense. Daye has averaged about 14 minutes a game in Detroit's last four. He's shown flashes, as well.

I knew something was up when Pistons GM Joe Dumars drafted three guys who play the same position as Prince (12 points, 5 boards a game in three games this season). Those moves would lead anyone to believe Tayshaun was on the block. Drafting that many players who fit the same mold as Prince would also lead some to think there is a market for Prince, but there isn't. Not for what Dumars will be asking.

The most logical - and most talked about - deal for Prince seems to be a 1-for-1 deal that would bring Central Michigan alum and Grand Rapids native Chris Kaman home to Detroit. The move would allow Prince, from Compton, to go home, as well.

The deal makes sense on the surface. The contracts of the two players are close enough where no other players would have to be added in the deal. Both players would get a new start. Kaman (21.9 points, 9.4 rebounds in 2009-10) has one more year and about $12 million on his contract, but he would just be reaching 30 years old at the end of the deal.

I should have phrased that different. The deal makes sense for the Pistons. Not the Clippers, or any other team Detroit would be looking to deal with.

Kaman is the best center the Clippers have ever had. Him being able to do more than move all his limbs saved jobs after the debacle that was Michael Olowokandi. Kaman's numbers haven't been great. His career averages of 10.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks don't jump out at you, but he's one of maybe six TRUE centers in the NBA who's a threat to get a double-double every night while commanding a double team.

The Clippers are third-worst franchise in sports (number one plays at Brush and Montcalm downtown and number two is owned by the Cryptkeeper). It's worth a shot because the talk between Dumars and Clippers GM Mike Dunleavy could go something like this:

Dumars: "Hey, Mike. I got a logjam at small forward. Any way I can get Chris Kaman off your hands?"

Dunleavy: "Chris Kaman? Oh, my starting center. Um...he's pretty good. And one more brainfart of a move could cost me my gig."

Dumars: "Yea. I understand that, but we really, really need a big man."

Dunleavy: "I don't know, Joe. We already have Al Thornton and we're not looking to take on anymore money."

Dumars: "Oh, but his deal is up after next season. He's long, a plus defender, gives you scoring, can guard different positions. I think you know him."

Dunleavy: "Do I!!! I'll take him. I didn't even know Scottie Pippen was still around!!!"

Dunleavy isn't even that dumb. You're going to trade a bonafide big man for a guy who isn't even gonna start for you? That's career suicide, especially for somebody like Dunleavy who already isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer.

There's not that many true bigmen in the league anymore and unless a team is in severe financial trouble, no GM in his right mind would trade his center for a small forward unless that small forward's name is LeBron.

I'm not saying there's nothing you can get for Tayshaun. Can I interest you in Eddy Curry? He works about as hard at his job as the people who work the drive-thru at the Wendy's by my house. How do you feel about Samuel Dalembert. Six points and 6 boards a game...for $12 million/year.

Detroit's best bet is to find a big through the draft. That may take some time, though, because there aren't many great big men coming out in the next couple years. (Really) early mock drafts have the first big man, Kansas center Cole Aldrich, going number 5 to Golden State.

That same mock has the Pistons, at number 12, taking...Ohio State small forward Evan Turner.

Maybe Detroit could be the first squad to field a squad of guys 6'4" to 6'8."

The more things change, the more that stay the same.

Look for the Lakers and Spurs to battle for the best record out west, while LeBron and Shaq will battle Boston's three-headed monster for the east crown.

Here is how I see each team finishing in each division.

(Bold denotes playoff team)

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division
Boston
Toronto
Philadelphia
New York
New Jersey

Central Division
Cleveland
Chicago
Detroit
Indiana
Milwaukee

Southeast Division
Orlando
Washington
Miami
Atlanta
Charlotte

Western Conference

Northwest Division
Denver
Portland
Utah
Oklahoma City
Minnesota

Southwest Division
San Antonio
Dallas
New Orleans
Houston
Memphis

Pacific Division
L.A. Lakers
Phoenix Suns
Los Angeles Clippers
Golden State Warriors
Sacramento Kings

Aside from the free agent frenzy that took place right after players could sign with new teams, this has been a quiet NBA offseason.

Some big names (Shaq, Ron Artest, Vince Carter) have changed teams, while some guys who were thought to have been on the trade block (Tracy McGrady, Richard Hamilton, Amare Stoudemire) have stayed with their respective squads.

The draft came and went with no sure thing coming out off the 2009 class. Blake Griffin would be considered a sure thing had he been drafted by any team other than the Clippers. But I digress.

The officials went on strike, leading to replacement referees taking over for the preseason. The replacements are bad. "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" bad. A game between the Rockets and Celtics last week saw 75 fouls called and 102 free throw attempts.

All that aside, the start of the 2009-10 season is on the horizon and I oculdn't be any happier. It seems like eons ago that the Lakers (my favorite team) hoisted the Larry O'Brien trophy in Orlando.

Going into the season, the Lakers look poised to become repeat champions for the seventh time in team history.

But what about the rest of the league? Which teams can challenge L.A.? Which teams would stink on Xbox?

What follows is a countdown of teams in the league - from worst to first. How bad they'll be is "detailed" by the division they're placed in.

The Fried Bologna Sandwich Division

30. Sacramento Kings
Sacramento won just 17 games last season and finished the season with the worst record in the league. Francisco Garcia, who averaged a shade under 13 points a game in 65 games last season and signed a four-year, $23 million extension, had been expected to contribute and help get the team out of the NBA cellar. Kings fans will have to wait for that contribution. Garcia is out four months with a wrist injury because an exploding exercise ball. If that's not an omen, I don't know what is.

29. Milwaukee Bucks
Two-guard Michael Redd is coming off ACL surgery and has missed 96 games the last three seasons. When healthy, he's a scoring machine. The Bucks better hope Redd can channel his inner Pete Maravich and drop 65 a game because that's the only way they'll be able to compete. Milwaukee also went from having Ramon Sessions as its starting point guard to Luke Ridnour. That's like a guy going from chick who played Charlotte on "Sex and the City" to the one who played Samantha. Neither's that good, but it's obvious one's better than the other.

28. Memphis Grizzlies
You know those guys you play pick-up ball with who always get out on the court and go for theirs and can't grasp the "team" concept? Memphis has a team full of those, including "Me, Myself and I" Hall of Famer Allen Iverson. Sure, he's 34, but you mean to tell me a first-ballot Hall of Famer with a career scoring average of 27.1 ppg (5th all time) could only get a call from Memphis? That says a lot. Another "me first" guy Memphis picked up this summer is Zach Randolph. Randolph could be the best low-post player in the game, but he's certifiably insane. He could be the first player to get a "DNP-COMMITTED" in a box score. To add insult to injury, the Grizzlies play in the toughest division in the league, with Dallas, Houston, New Orleans and San Antonio. It's like they're taking a knife to a gunfight every night.

The White Castle/Telway/Comet Burger Division

27. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves have promise. Minnesota has the best post player in the league under 25 in Al Jefferson. The Kelly Rowland to Jefferson's Beyonce is second-year power forward Kevin Love, who nearly averaged a double-double last season in 81 games. The T'Wolves picked up Sessions - a decent guard- from Milwaukee to man the point. But the team plays in what could be the second toughest division in the league: the Northwest, with Denver, Portland, Utah and Oklahoma City. Minny could look good at times and awful at others.

26. New Jersey Nets
Devin Harris (21.6 ppg, 6.9 apg in 69 games last season) is a superstar in the making and 2008 lottery pick Brook Lopez (13 points, 8 boards and 2 blocks a game) could form a solid inside-outside combo with Harris. But when Bobby Simmons ($11,242,666) is the highest paid player on your team you've got some serious issues. Could you imagine if Tito was the highest-paid Jackson? Me, either.

Part II coming tomorrow

Four seasons ago, the Phoenix Suns finished the season in the conference finals after losing, 4-2, to the Dallas Mavericks. That was the team's second-straight trip to the NBA final four, as Phoenix bowed out, 4-1, to eventual champion San Antonio in 2005.

The core of those teams featured Steve Nash (two-time MVP), All-stars Amar'e Stoudemire (Stoudemire missed 79 games in 2005-06) and Shawn Marion, defensive stopper/dead-eye shooter Raja Bell, super-sub Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw (Diaw spent time at all five positions during that run), Tim Thomas and Eddie House (both are guys who can get you 20-30 off the oak) and Kurt Thomas.

The Suns, who had a book, ":07 Seconds or Less," a publication chronicling the team's 2005-06 season written by longtime basketball writer Jack McCallum, written about them, didn't even make the playoffs last year. The west was tough last season and Stoudemire missed extended time with an eye injury, but for a team that features two of the greatest of all time at their respective positions (Nash and Shaquille O'Neal) to not make the playoffs is absurd.

The group featured in McCallum's book has since been broken up. Of that core, only Barbosa, Nash and Stoudemire remain. Phoenix may still be fun to watch, but the sun has set on the team's relevance.

Phoenix Suns
Phoenix's core now features a 37-year-old with bad ankles (Grant Hill), a 35-year-old with a bad back (Nash) and a 26-year-old coming off eye surgery (Stoudemire). That group also features former MSU star Jason Richardson and Barbosa, 28 and 26, respectively.

Phoenix does have some young pieces that should contribute in second-year center Robin Lopez and 2009 lottery pick Earl Clark.

The Suns have the pieces to have a solid season, but with the moves some other teams out west have made, I don't think Phoenix has enough in the tank to compete.

Nash's back problem would be a bigger issue if he relied on athleticism, which he doesn't. Last season, in 74 games, Nash shot .503 percent from the field, while pouring in 15.7 ppg and handing out 9.7 assists a night. Nash has the ability to make everyone around him better, but this group looks like someone just threw it together.

I also don't have faith in head coach Alvin Gentry, who coached in Detroit for parts of three seasons. This is Gentry's fourth coaching stint. He's taken one team to the playoffs - the Pistons in the lockout-shortened 1999 season. Gentry has a career record of 195-239 and has been fired mid-season twice. I've read that the Suns players love Gentry, but I don't see him putting them in the best position to win for an entire 82-game season.

I don't think Phoenix should look at dealing Nash or Stoudemire, but what Phoenix should do, assuming they don't make the playoffs this season, is draft an understudy for Nash. Phoenix has failed to develop a back up for the two-time MVP. Having one in tow would make for a smooth transition once Nash calls it quits. Next year's draft class doesn't have that great a crop of point guards, so looking at someone like Raymond Felton in free agency next summer would be a good move.

It would do Phoenix good to make some moves this season, as Stoudemire has an early termination option that kicks in next summer.

When you lose your team's superstar and best player, you're bound to go through a rough transitional period - especially when another top-tier talent can't stay healthy.

For those reason, I see the Houston Rockets, which finished 4th in the West last season, as one of the teams that have played well recently that will struggle through the 2009-10 season.

Houston Rockets
The Rockets made it out of the first round of the playoffs for the first time in 12 years this past spring. The team played admirably in its second round series with the eventual champion Lakers - despite losing center Yao Ming (career averages of 19.1 points and 9.3 rebounds/game) in game 3 of the series. Ming has since been diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his left foot - an injury that is career threatening for a man of his size. Yao will have surgery to repair the broken bone in his foot and has been ruled out for the entire 2009-10 season, leaving Houston with little-used (and little talented) David Andersen as its starting center.

Yao's injury allowed the Rockets to apply for the disabled player disabled player exception, an exception to the NBA salary cap that grants the injured player's team money to sign a free agent. The Rockets were granted the exception, and used about $5.7 million on free-agent Trevor Ariza. That's a solid move, but Ariza will be asked to do much more than he did as a Laker. He doesn't have the game's best player and one of its best big men to play off of now.

Another question mark is Tracy McGrady, who, like Hamilton, I expect to be traded at some point this season. McGrady has never led a team to a playoff series win in his 12-year career. The Rockets got out of the first round last season while McGrady nursed an injury and watched from the sidelines. Since arriving in Houston prior to the start of the 2004-05 season, McGrady has missed 113 games and played in an average of just 59 games a season. He is also in the last year of his deal and has a contract that's an astronomical $23,239,561. McGrady is also currently nursing a knee injury that will likely keep him sidelined until December.

Without Yao - and by making the assumption that McGrady will miss an extended period of time due to injury this season - the Rockets should look at getting McGrady off their books and look to 2010. Houston is in the toughest division in the league (the Southwest with Dallas, New Orleans and San Antonio), so even with T Mac, Houston will finish no higher than fourth in the division and will miss the playoffs. Why not get that huge, bad deal out of the way and pull a Celtics in 2006-07 and tank the season and get in the John Wall sweepstakes?

Part III coming soon

With teams looking to free up cap space to make a run at the prized players in the much-hyped 2010 NBA free agent class - LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh and Joe Johnson are just five names that come to mind - there will surely be some squads looking to dump what they deem "bad" contracts to give them the flexibility to make a hard sell to some of those free agents.

With the league salary cap most likely taking a steep drop next season (some think it may drop form the current $57.7 million to around $50 million), teams will make moves to avoid paying the league Luxury Tax, as well.

A few of those teams have been consistent playoff teams this decade. But do to roster changes, injuries and/or finances, these teams will see a drop in wins this season in a bid to rebuild or shed cap space.

Detroit Pistons
Shortly after the start of the 2008-09 season, Detroit re-signed two-guard Rip Hamilton to a 3-year, $34 million deal that could keep him with the club through 2013. I don't see that happening, especially after Detroit this summer inked Bulls super-sub Ben Gordon to a 5-year, $55 million deal. A number of people believe Detroit will run a three-guard offense with Hamilton and Gordon running alongside third-year guard Rodney Stuckey. There's not enough balls to go around for those three guys.

All three are scoring guards - even though Detroit is making an effort to turn Stuckey into a point. Hamilton can play off the ball. So can Gordon to a lesser extent, but Stuckey will dominate the ball this season as the team looks to make him That Guy. And you don't pay someone coming off the bench $55 million.

Both Hamilton and Gordon for their career average around 15 shots a game and don't provide much else. That, in my opinion, leaves Hamilton as the odd man out as Gordon is just 26, while Hamilton is on the wrong side of 30. Just like Chauncey Billups was last season before he was dealt in what amounted to a salary dump. I don't know what Pistons President and GM Joe Dumars could get for Hamilton, but getting that contract off the books is looking like a good move. It's not a bad contract, which works in the favor of Dumars in trying to move it and in favor of the team who signs Rip, as his deal isn't that cumbersome to take on.

Dealing Rip, as I expect Detroit to do, would leave the Pistons with a core of Stuckey, Gordon, Tayshaun Prince and Charlie Villanueva (who signed with Gordon this offseason for just under $38 million). That's not a very imposing roster. Detroit sports icon Ben Wallace returned this season, but is waaaaaay past his prime. Starting center Kwame Brown, who has played solid ball so far this preseason, can't catch a cold, let alone a post entry pass. And Dumars drafted three players who play the same position. They may be able to play multiple positions, none of which is center or point guard.

The Pistons will, at times, be very fun to watch. You just won't be watching them past mid-April this season. I didn't think Detroit was a playoff team with Hamilton. Unless the Pistons get someone who can give you 17 points and 10 boards a night, they're definitely not playing in the second season.

Did I mention Kwame Brown is Detroit's starting center?

Part II coming soon

Seventy-seven.

Seventy-five.

Those aren't temperatures in southern California in November. Those are total fouls called by replacement officials in a couple of preseason NBA games this week. An agreement needs to be reached by the league and its officials and soon or else games will be so disjointed and long that viewers will think they're watching football.

That's not the only big issue that's top of mind heading into the 2009-10 NBA season. There are a number of issues, players and teams hoop fans should watch out for.

Here are some teams on their way up heading into the new season.

Trending up

Portland Trailblazers
Had Greg Oden been able to give the Blazers anything in their first-round series with Houston last spring, Portland moves on to play - and scare - the Lakers in the second round.

The Blazers addressed some concerns this offseason that leads me to believe they may be ready for prime time. Portland added free agent point guard Andre Miller to its stable, who, at 33, will bring added stability to that roster. Miller, who put in 16 points a game and played all 82 last season, is a definite upgrade over Steve Blake, who performed admirably last season (11 points, 5 assists a night).

Adding Miller should take some of the stress away from superstar in the making Brandon Roy, which will allow Roy to freelance more on the offensive end. If Oden (19 ppg, 10.5 rpg in two preseason games) is able to be a compliment to LaMarcus Aldridge, who also broke out last season with 18.1 ppg and 7 boards a night, Portland could play deep into the playoffs. This team has length and depth that could pose problems for a lot of squads out west.

Chicago Bulls
Chris Paul, Jason Kidd and Mark Jackson were the last three point guards to win Rookie of the Year before Derrick Rose took the award last year. Each of those three court generals' stats took a solid jump in their second season, but none of them were on a team as athletic as Rose.

The Bulls played the defending champion Celtics tough in the best series of the 2009 playoffs - without their best player in Luol Deng, who has missed 52 games since the end of the 2006-07 season. If he's able to return to form (Deng averaged nearly 19 points and a shade over 7 rebounds in 2006-07), Deng and Rose could form one of the league's more dynamic wing tandems.

The scary thing about the Bulls is they don't have a lot of depth on the perimeter. If Deng goes down, who replaces that production? They do have the bodies to bang inside, though. The Bulls' roster lists nine players 6'9" and taller.

Toronto Raptors
Acquiring small forward Hedo Turkoglu in the offseason was a solid move. With that, Toronto has basically become the (really) northern version of the Orlando Magic.

The Raptors have Chris Bosh (22.7 ppg, 10 rpg in 2008-09) to play the role of Dwight Howard alongside Turkoglu, while Andrea Bargnani (15.4 points, 5.3 boards, 41 percent from 3, 83 percent from the line) will take on the role Rashard Lewis played in Orlando. Jose Calderon, in the second year of a 5-year, $45 million contract, will run the team - and is one of the underrated players in the league, in my opinion.

Like Chicago, Toronto has a wealth of bulk up front, including former Piston Amir Johnson, who I expect to contribute now that not a lot it expected of him. The Raptors backcourt depth leaves a lot to be desired. They need someone to play alongside Calderon and Jarrett Jack, who came over this summer from Indiana, isn't a starting two guard. Lottery pick DeMar DeRozan will get a chance to prove his wealth early.

Oklahoma City Thunder
This is my second-favorite team, behind the Lakers. My love for Kevin Durant is almost unhealthy. Russell Westbrook (15 points, 5 boards, 5 assists in his rookie campaign) is on his way to becoming one of the more dynamic guards in the league. And Jeff Green is rounding into one of the more versatile forwards in the association.

I really, really like this team's prospects. If the Thunder were a stock, I'd buy 1,000 shares.

The team's only drawback is that it doesn't have a veteran presence. Bruce Bowen, who I hate with a passion, retired over the summer. But he's that glue guy who guys feed off of. He doesn't put up numbers, but he plays great defense and has the ability to get under the skin of players on opposing teams. Had he signed with OKC, I would pick them to make the playoffs. That still may happen, but I can't see a team that's one of the youngest in the league (average age: 25) putting together extended winning streaks, which is what is needed to make the playoffs.

Oklahoma City's longest winning streak last season was three games. That brought them to 16-45. I can't see a team that features a player as dynamic as Durant having too many more less than stellar seasons.

Monday: Teams on the decline

I realized something during the Basketball Hall of Fame inductions last Friday night - other than the fact that Michael Jordan had a Mike Tyson/Rickey Henderson moment during his entire speech.

The NBA, the league I have loved since I knew what it meant to dribble, needs to establish its own Hall of Fame.

The NFL has its own, in Canton, Ohio. The National Baseball Hall of Fame inducts only individuals who played professionally (There's a College Baseball Hall of Fame in Lubbock, TX). The College Basketball Hall of Fame inducted its first class in 2006.

So why on the night where the Greatest Player of All Time and one of the hardest working coaches of all time (Jerry Sloan), along with David Robinson and John Stockton, are being enshrined, do they have to share that moment with a women's basketball coach?

Nothing against C. Vivian Stringer, but she did not belong in that Hall Class.

I understand the impact she has had on the women's game. She's in the top 3 in all-time wins. She was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. She even has an award named after her - The C. Vivian Stringer Medallion Award of Sport for Women's Coaching, handed out for the first time in 2002. But I'm not sure if 20 percent of those in attendance at last Friday's ceremonies know who Stringer is. That number would probably smaller if not for Don Imus and the events of spring 2007, where the radio host used some colorful language to describe some of the players on Stringer's Rutgers squad.

I'm not trying to downplay Stringer's accomplishments, because there are some males who don't deserve to be in the Basketball Hall, either. There are 13 referees in the Hall, along with the likes of Mirko Novosel, who coached Yugoslavia to medals in the 1976 and 84 Summer Olympics.

Sure, those people should be recognized, but to have them share busts with the likes on Jerry West and Magic Johnson seems absurd. Honor them through TV coverage during the enshrinement ceremonies. Educate people on their impact and accomplishments, but having Bob Houbregs (University of Washington star and All-American in the 50s who played a whopping FIVE YEARS and 9.7 minutes/game in the NBA) enshrined with Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird is like giving Vin Diesel a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and putting it between Marlon Brando and Sidney Poitier.

Get this right, Commissioner Stern I don't wanna see LeBron James and Dwayne Wade inducted alongside John Tesh...even though he composed the best theme music for anything EVER (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_h7Lm7C9Nk).

On Friday night in Springfield, Mass., the greatest athlete of my lifetime will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

In the last 25 years, Michael Jeffrey Jordan has done more for one sport (outside of Tiger Woods) than any other athlete.

He, along with Magic and Bird, made the NBA "mainstream." He showed that black males could be marketed effectively. He had a tireless work ethic. He was cold-blooded. He won. A lot.

My affection for Jordan began at an odd time. It was the spring of 1989. I was 8 years old and the Chicago Bulls had been pitted against the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons in one of the most physical playoff series on record. Each time Jordan would drive to the cup, somebody (Rodman, Salley, Laimbeer) would knock him to the crowd. My cousin, who I watched all the games with, would bust out laughing when Jordan would start wincing in pain (that pain is said to have spawned the "Jordan Rules" and paved the way for the "Superstar Call.").

"What's so funny about that," I'd ask.

"(Jordan) thinks he's the @#%$. He needs to be knocked on his @*&," she answered.

"Well, that's not what basketball is. And based on your, and the crowd at the stadium's reaction, he must be really, REALLY good. I don't think you'd be so excited if that was Will Perdue on the ground."

"Get outta here, boy," she ordered.

I was hooked after that.

I read up on Jordan. So much to the point that I am now a walking Michael Jordan encyclopedia.

I had my mom buy me an "I wanna be like Mike" T-shirt.

I had an aunt buy me a red, replica "Bulls 23" jersey for Christmas one year.

I drank Citrus Cooler Gatorade every day for a two-year period.

I cried like Adam Morrison the day, in October 1993, Jordan announced his first retirement.

I refuted any argument that the retirement was an 18-month suspension for gambling (I've since backed down on that stance).

I compiled a collection of at least 150 Jordan cards.

At one point, I had almost every Bulls game from 1996-98 on VHS. Had I been smart enough to keep those tapes, I would have worn the DVDs out by now.

I hated the comeback with the Wizards for one reason and one reason alone: not even Mark Twain could have written a better ending than the one in '98 in Utah.

All basketball fans, even those who despised Jordan, have more than a couple of memories of the 6'6" guard from North Carolina. So at some point this weekend, pay homage to the Greatest Of All Time. Buy "Come Fly With Me" off Amazon. com. Watch a couple of the hundred hours of programming NBATV is showing this week. Drink a Citrus Cooler Gatorade. Sing the song from that silly commercial.

"Sometimes I dream..."