Olympic Basketball Previews: Group A

With the 18th Olympic Basketball Tournament kicking off on July 28, and pre-tournament warm-up games well under way, I'm breaking down each team and examining their hopes and expectations, key players, olympic history, and more.

Group A

Argentina

FIBA Ranking: 3rd

Head Coach: Julio Lamas

Key Players: Manu Ginobli, Luis Scola

Olympic Appearances: 6 (2 medals, - Gold in 2004, and Bronze in 2008)

Qualified: 2011 FIBA Americas champion

The Argentinians come to London in search of a third straight Olympic medal, having taken home the Bronze in Beijing four years ago, and stunned the United States at the semi-final stage, before going on to take gold, in Athens. Led by the San Antonio Spurs Manu Ginobli, and a solid supporting cast, look for the Argentines to be among the contenders once again. Luis Scola, now a member of the Phoenix Suns, will providing scoring for them at the four. His game translates very well to international, as one might expect, and he has become a dominant force in international play over the last decade. Argentina possess excellent depth at the swingman positions with Carlos Delfino and former Chicago Bull Andres Nocioni making up the positional rotation. They are also pretty solid at the point with new Knicks' signing Pablo Prigioni taking that role, though Ginobli will likely be given most of the ball-handling duties. Argentina's greatest weakness looks to be their interior defense. They have no real quality players to fill in at the center position, where they have lost Fabricio Oberto to retirement. Scola's scoring will help offset some of their defensive issues early on, but as the tournament progresses, the may struggle some, particularly against teams with big front-lines such as Spain and the USA. 

Argentina's preparation for the tournament has gone well. They used the South American Championships in June, as somewhat of a try-out for fringe players looking to make the Olympic roster, and in doing so found some possibly valuable contributors in Marcos Mata and Leandro Gutierrez. They did this while winning five straight games to take the tournament title, and though the standard of opposition was poor, it will a confidence boost nonetheless. Their NBA veterans should also be well rested up heading into the Olympic tournament. Manu Ginobli was the only Argentine representative in the NBA Playoffs, but Spurs coach Greg Popovich has done an excellent job on managing his rotations all year, and this, combined with the fact that Manu missed a chunk of the season through injury, suggest that the San Antonio guard should be fresh and ready to go, when the tournament begins.

Depth Chart

Tournament Prospects: Argentina should be among the top teams at these games and will expect to be in contention for a medal. They were disappointed to only make the quarter-finals of the World Championships two years ago, though that was without Ginobli. Scola is still a elite offensive forward in the international game, and with Ginobli providing leadership, and some more scoring, on the perimeter, the Argentinians are going to be just to good for most teams in the competition. They'll be hoping to avoid Spain in the quarter-finals, and given that it's a one-and-done format the rest of the way, anything can happen.

I think Argentina are likely to play Brazil or Russia at the quarter-final stage, in what would a fascinating contest. Argentina are a better all around team than Brazil, but I don't know how they'd deal with the size Brazil possess up-front. Argentina will need big games from Ginobili and Prigioni on the perimeter if they're to beat Brazil. As for Russia, again Argentina have more all-round talent, but they are an aging team, and the Russians have a very nice inside-outside balance about them. Their ability to stretch the floor and bang down low will cause Argentina problems. There will be very little between any of those three teams should they meet at these games, but I think the younger legs and interior presence might just trump the Argentines, on this occasion.

France

FIBA Ranking: 12th

Head Coach: Vincent Collet

Key Players: Tony Parker, Nicholas Batum

Olympic Appearances: 5 (no medals)

Qualified: 2011 FIBA EuroBasket runner-up

The French remain bullish about their medal hopes at these games, though realistically they've done well to be here, with of the top ten teams in FIBA's world rankings falling to make the cut (4th Greece, 6th Turkey, 7th Italy, and 8th Serbia). France do have a talented squad however with a lot of NBA talent. The French are led by their enigmatic point guard Tony Parker. Parker seemed in danger of missing these games after injuring his eye just weeks ago during the crossfire of the now infamous Drake/Chris Brown bar fight. Parker has been cleared to play which is a major boost to a French team which has already lost probably their second best player, in Joakim Noah. France will really miss Noah and the energy and defensive presence he provides. They do have other talents though. Look for Nicolas Batum to take on much of the scoring burden alongside Parker. The Blazers swingman is very gifted offensive player and he should really be able to light up the score board at these games. Up-front, the French have a very capable rotation of NBA talents - Kevin Seraphin (Washington Wizards), Ronny Turiaf (Miami Heat), and Boris Diaw (San Antonio Spurs). Diaw's game, in particular, translates excellently to international play. He can play any position on the floor and has a solid inside-outside game. His deft shooting touch and ball-handling skills make him an excellent international big man. It's a pity he won't be playing alongside Noah up-front, as they would have been an ideal pairing together on the floor. On the perimeter, look for new San Antonio Spurs signing Nando De Colo to show flashes of class of the bench. He will be asked to play a major role now, with Mikael Pietrus out. Pietrus will be another big loss for France and they'll miss his experience, though his older brother Florent is on the team.

Depth Chart

Tournament Prospects: The French surprised many in reaching last year's EuroBasket final, and thus assuring themselves of a place at these games. However, the injuries to Noah and Pietrus, strip them of two starters and extremely valuable players. The should still be competitive, and given that the top four teams qualify from each group, they'll only have to beat the two African nations to make the quarter-finals. They should do that with ease though I can't see them progressing any further, as they'll likely face Spain in the quarter-finals. France are interesting dark horse, who could pull off a shock or two, if things go their way but if they win a medal it would be a huge surprise. A brave quarter-final exit is my predication.

Lithuania

FIBA Ranking: 5th

Head Coach: Kęstutis Kemzūra

Key Players: Jonas Valunciunas, Linas Kleiza

Olympic Appearances: 6 (3 medals - bronze in 1992, 1996, and 2000)

Qualified: 2012 FIBA Olympic Qualifying participant

Things were looking rosy for Lithuanian basketball a year ago. The were fresh off a third-place finish at the FIBA World Championships in 2010, and were one of the favourites heading into Eurobasket 2011 - a tournament they were hosting. However since then, they're fortunes have taken a turn for the worse. The were eliminated from EuroBasket by a Bo McCaleb inspired Macedonia, and have struggled to regain their confidence since. Lithuania qualified for these Olympic games through the FIBA qualifying tournament in Venezuela a few weeks ago, and though they were excellent in the crucial games there, the group stage loss they suffered at the hands of Nigeria, is very worrying. They'll have to face Nigeria again, here at the Olympic games, and most likely Lithuania will need to overcome them to have any realistic chance of progressing to the knockout rounds. The Lithuanians have a proud tradition to uphold, having been to the semi-final stages in every games, since the country gained independence from the USSR in 1991. To make the semi-finals again, will be a tough ask, though it is by no means impossible. Lithuania's strength lies inside with their bigs, notably the Toronto Raptors pair - Jonas Valanciunas and Linas Kleiza. Kleiza showed the basketball world what he was capable of doing in 2010 when he led his country to bronze at the World Championships, averaging 19.0 ppg. Lithuania will need more of the same from Kleiza if they're to be a force at these games. Alongside him up front, much will be expected from Raptors rookie center Valunciunas. The hype surrounding Valunciunas is building as he prepares to make his debut in the NBA next season. He went 5th in the 2011 Draft, though his stock has improved considerably since and most scouts believe he would have been the consensus No. 2 pick had he been in this year's draft instead. That said, Lithuania will be asking Valunciunas took on a very heavy load for a player who's just turned 20. They'll be depending on him to be their primary rebounder and banger. He's a nice fit alongside Kleiza as he'll be able to play in the post some and give the defense honest, while Kleiza plays more of an outside shooting European-power-forward kind of role. The Lithuanians have a very solid cast of role players all around but they lack star quality on the perimeter. Veteran point guard Šarūnas Jasikevičius, has been a magnificent servant to his country, but his best basketball is well behind him. Nonetheless, he'll be expected to make an impact off the bench and provide some added scoring.

Depth Chart

Tournament Prospects: Lithuania go into this tournament at the lowest ebb in recent years, and while I don't think they're a contender, I do expect them to surprise a few people, and get back closer to the level they played at two years ago. Despite their recent loss to Nigeria, they should be able to overturn that result and qualify for the quarter-finals easily. Where the finish in the group though is crucial, given that Spain will likely be lurking in the next round to play the fourth-place qualifier. That means Lithuania will need a big win, likely against either France of Argentina, to try get a better draw in the quarter-finals. If they can do that though, they're likely to face a beatable opponent like Russia or China in the next round, and give themselves a realistic shot at keeping alive their semi-final streak. Most likely though, the Lithuanians will struggle to be a medal contender. I just can't look past their lack of a quality perimeter player and ultimately this will their undoing. A quarter-final defeat looks their most likely outcome.

Nigeria

FIBA Ranking: 21st

Head Coach: Ayo Bakare

Key Players: Ike Diogu, Al-Farouq Aminu

Olympic Appearances: 1 (This will be Nigeria's first appearance)

Qualified: 2012 FIBA Olympic Qualifying participant

Nigeria will make their first appearance in the Olympic basketball tournament when they take to the court in London. They surprised everybody by storming through the recent qualifying tournament, beating Lithuania, Greece and an Al Horford-led Dominican Republic along the way. The key to Nigeria's success in qualifying was the additions of Al-Farouq Aminu and Ike Diogu, two quality NBA players, who had not represnted Nigeria in last years AfroBasket tournament. Their presence has transformed this Nigerian team into an outfit that none of their Group A opponents will be able to take for granted. Nigeria will be hungry to build on their recent success, and though the won't be favoured, a quarter-final, is by no means out of the question. They beat Lithuania as recently as a month ago, and with France not at full strength, the Nigerians have a window, albeit a small one, of opportunity. The key though, will be their match-up with fellow Africans, Tunisia. Unless they can win that game, Nigeria can't dare to dream. The big question for Nigeria is where the help will come from, to support their two leading players. The unavailability of Ime Udoka is a major blow for Nigeria in this sense. He was their catalyst over the also number of years, and he could have really added something to this Nigerian team. That said, Udoka didn't play in the qualifying tournament and has never been part of this Nigerian team in its current incarnation, so how much they'll miss him is up for debate. Nigeria will need some of their role players to step up though and really make an impact if they're to have any shot of reaching the knockout rounds. They have a solid point guard rotation in Tony Skinn and Ade Daganduro, and Derrick Obasohan will be a big-time scorer, whether he starts or comes off the bench.

Depth Chart

Tournament Prospects: Nigeria face an uphill battle to make it out the group stages, though the should be competitive for the most part. Their opening game, against Tunisia, on July 29th will set the tone for how the fare in the competition at large. If the lose that game, they'll likely end up with the Group A 'wooden spoon', but win that opening match-up, and Nigeria know they'll probably only need one more win from their remaining four games to sneak into the next round. The USA game is a write-off, and they'll be blown out, but the have a chance in each of the other match-ups, particularly against Lithuania. Ultimately, I think they'll come up just short, but I do expect them to beat Tunisia. All in all, just qualifying for this tournament has been a massive success story for Nigerian basketball, and if they can go home with just one win, or even six respectable defeats, they'll surely be satisfied with their participation.

Tunisia

FIBA Ranking: 32nd

Head Coach: Adel Tlatli

Key Players: Salah Mejri, Radhouane Slimane

Olympic Appearances: 1 (This will be Tunisia's first appearance)

Qualified: 2011 FIBA Afrobasket Champions

Easily the biggest surprise participant at these games, the Tunisians qualified by winning their first-ever AfroBasket title in Madagascar last summer. That alone was a stunning achievement in itself, as the broke Angola's magnificent run of six straight African championships. Competing at the Olympic games however, will be a whole other level of competition for Tunisian basketball. Their only previous appearance at worldwide international tournament came in the 2010 FIBA World Championships, where they were somewhat less that successful. The Tunisians endured a harsh welcome to international competition in losing all five of their pool games by double digits, while being eliminated with the tournament's worst record. Tunisia's ability to be competitive as this games will be very much dependent upon the performance of their big men Salah Mejri and Radhouane Slimane. Mejri was the tournament MVP for Tunisia at last year's afrobasket tournament, and he will provide them with scoring and rebounding from the center position. They'll need him to match last summer's performances, just to be competitive. Slimane, is a more devisive character. The enigmatic forward is arguably Tunisia's most talented player, possessing an excellent combination of size and skill, but his behaviour has often been called into question. Slimane's on-court demeanor can be very agressive, - excessively so, and often to the detriment of his game, and the team's overall performance. He left the national team in 2007, but has since returned and is showing some willingness to be more of a team player. His contributions were enormously important in Tunisia's AfroBasket success, and they will need more of the same from him if they are to make an impact on London 2012. Mejri and Slimane may be their standout players, but Tunisia is one of the nations at these games, who really lack a true star player, with the ability to carry their team. Thus, they'll need big performances all round, and will hope that some of their supporting cast can exceed expectations. They lack depth though, and will struggle to get those kind of contributions. One player who make be capable of taking on some of the scoring load at least is forward Makrem Ben Romdhane. Ben Romdhane is one of four team members who plays his club basketball with Étoile Sportive du Sahel in the Tunisian domestic league. He may be able to take some of attention away from Merji and Slimane, but Tunisia are still sorely lacking in talent, especially on the perimeter.

Tournament Prospects: Tunisia are the lowest ranked of all the competing nations, and in all honestly, look by far the weakest. Some will say that Nigeria are at a similar level, but the Nigerians proved in the qualifying competition, that they can compete with and beat top class teams. Tunisia have yet to prove that, though their ending of Angola's African dynasty last year was impressive. At these games, the opening game is the key one for Tunisia. There they'll face Nigeria. I do believe Nigeria are a vastly superior team, but realistically this is the one game that Tunisia will feel that have a legitimate shot at winning. If they can do so, that would constitute a successful tournament for them. Progressing beyond the opening group stage seems an impossibility, and given the strength of their opposition in Group A, I find it hard to see them winning even a solitary game.

USA

FIBA Ranking: 1st

Head Coach: Mike Krzyzewski

Key Players: LeBron James, Chris Paul

Olympic Appearances: 16 (13 gold medals, 1 silver medal, and 2 bronze medals)

Qualified: 2010 FIBA World Champions

The defending World and Olympic champions, come into these games, unsurprisingly, as the raging hot favourites for the gold medal. That's the way it is with Team USA. Expectations are always high, and anything less than the gold, would be viewed as a catastrophic failure. This USA team though, seems to possess all the right pieces to win their fourteenth Olympic gold medal. In LeBron James, they have a leader who can effect the game without dominating the ball. James won't need 20 shots a night, and will be quite happy to have Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant carry the bulk of the scoring load. Durant will likely start at power forward for the US, as they lack power forward options, but he's well up to the task and his shooting game will fit nicely into a stretch four role. Look for LeBron to take of much of the power forward match-ups defensively against the better teams, as Durant doesn't have the strength on the block to handle Gasol on that end. The beauty of this version of Team USA is that the each player brings something unique to the table and then pieces look like they'll really fit together. Kevin Love will bring rebounding of the bench, and is another guy with the ability to knock down threes. Tyson Chandler and Anthony Davis provide shot blocking and interior presence, and on the wings, the US possess an abundance of elite scorers. Carmelo Anthony, who likely won't start, will surely make an impression. He'll stil rack up 20-25 ppg coming of the bench. Having a guy like 'Melo who can score so many different ways leaves opponents wondering where to look. It's amazing how good this team is, because when you think about it, they're missing two of their best 5 players - Dwight Howard and Derrick Rose.

Tournament Propects: This USA team will take home the gold. It won't be as easy as many expect, and both Spain and Argentina could put it up to them, but USA are simply to talented and too experience. The presence of so many of the players who won gold in Beijing four years ago will be a major benefit, and should some of the younger players to keep focus at their first Olympic games. USA should win this group, though they may be tested at some point. After that they'll likely face the fourth (and weakest) qualifier from Group B in the quarter-finals. The only worry I would have about team USA is up front. If one of their big men gets injured, they could struggle a little. Anthony Davis is young, and they don't want to have to rely on him for huge minutes. They'll need Chandler to stay healthy, and hope that LeBron's all round game can make up for some of the deficiencies.  

Qualifier draw throws up a familiar rivalry

The latest chapter in the ever more storied Kerry-Tyrone rivalry is set to occur much earlier in the year than might have been expected, with the two sides drawn to face off in Round Three of the GAA All-Ireland football qualifiers. Neither side has lived up to expectations thus far in the Championship, to point where it may be time to question whether these two counties are still part of the top tier. 

Tyrone had a solid league campaign in reaching the Division II final, and they followed that up with a nice win over Armagh in their first match of the Ulster Championship. Yet, Donegal exposed some flaws and despite their comfortable win over Roscommon last Saturday, I'm not convinced. The rot began in earnest for Tyrone during last season's Championship, and while most may not have seen the humiliation against Dublin coming, the signs were very much there in the struggles the had putting away a relatively poor Roscommon side in their previous match. Tyrone just don't have it in them anymore to play with the same ferocity and intensity which made them three-time All-Ireland Champions. They still possess some fine footballers, and they've shown they have enough talent to beat most counties on their day, but they seem to lack the cutting edge required to really be a contender for Sam. I just can't see them giving much trouble to Dublin, Cork, or even Donegal. They could yet challenge for major honours this year, but I've seen no evidence up to now to suggest that have it in them.

As for Kerry, the difficulty they had in beating Westmeath will have them scrutenised in the media, leading up to this next game. They too, have taken a step back since winning their last All-Ireland in 2009, and they're very much feeling the effects of losing Tommy Walsh to Australian Rules. Kerry's problems are in the middle of the field, where they just don't have the players to match up against the likes of Cork and Dublin. They desperately need Kieran Donaghy out around the middle third, but the can't afford to miss out on his physical presence and ball-winning abilities in the full-forward line either, highlighting just how much of a difference Walsh could make for them, if he was available. The Kerry back-line is far from stellar either at this point with Tomás O'Sé really starting to show his age, and still a gaping hole unplugged at full-back. Nonetheless, the Kingdom still have the best set of forwards in the country and could well have won the All-Ireland last year had it not been for an incredibly resilient Dublin, and an extremely contentious late-free given against them.

Tyrone have always had the upper hand in this fixture over the last decade (at least, in championship encounters), to the point where it has been suggested that Kerry have a mental block when facing the Red Hands. Look for Saturday though, to be the day that changes. Despite their struggles, I have to believe Kerry have another couple of gears to shift up, just as they always seem to do as the summer wears on. The defensive frailties of this Tyrone team should be exposed by the Kingdom, particularly if Kerry get Darren O'Sullivan and co., running at them. Take into account the fact that the away team in qualifier matches, wins less than thirty-percent of the time, and Kerry's home advantage seems set to be the extra help they may need to drive this one home. 

While Kerry-Tyrone is the highest profile clash of the next round, there is plenty more action to be excited about. Leitrim have been rewarded for recording their first ever qualifier win with a match-up against Laois. The O'Moore men will be heavy favourites in this encounter, but coming of Carrick-on-Shannon with a win will not be an easy task, and I expect this game to end up a lot closer than most are predicting. Tipperary have earned another home draw, having beating Wexford in Thurles last week, and will face of against Galway's conquerors, Antrim. Both sides looked impressive in their Round Two wins and will feel there is a real chance here to get a back-door run going. Their should be very little in it, and this promises to be possible the second-best match of the round. Kildare and Limerick complete the draw, although there remains some controversy over where the game will actually be played - it's currently scheduled for Portlaoise.

Connacht SFC Final

Mayo 0-12 Sligo 0-10

For the second time in three years, Sligo supporters will come away from a Connacht final wondering what might have been, after their side was narrowly beaten by Mayo in a dogfight of match. Mayo's performance is sure to be picked apart in the media over the coming days, but in reality, more credit needs to be assigned to the Yeatsmen, and the way they went about their task of disrupting the defending provincial champions. Mayo struggled in front of the posts all afternoon, yet the had a couple of players who stood up to the task in the closing minutes and they were well worth their win.

This match may not have been the most entertaining one for viewers, but despite the lack of scores, there was certainly no lack of intensity. Sligo, in particular, came out very hungry and were tenacious early on. They defend in packs and caused numerous turnovers, with the Mayo attack struggling to get any flow to their play. For all their shortcomings on the scoreboard though, Mayo had already, by this early stage. taken control of the game in the middle of the park. The Yeats county were struggling to get good possession in their forwards, and seemed only a matter of time before Mayo would make their dominance count.

It looked as if they had done just that in the ninth minute when captain Andy Moran slotted the ball to the Mayo net after receiving a lovely hand-off pass. However, this goal was then disallowed by referee Cormac O'Reilly, who adjudged that the hand-pass in question was delivered illegally. Replays seemed to confirm his suspicions.

The next five minutes or so were choppy and highlighted the poor football that was on display for most of the afternoon. Each side registered a pair of wides, with Mayo, in particular, guilty of wasting reasonably straightforward scoring opportunities. Sligo then made them pay, with Mark Breheny (free), David Kelly, and Adrian Marren, adding to their tally. Mayo kicked a further two wides in the mean time before finally ending their twenty-four minute barren spell through an Enda Varley free. The Mayo men were by this stage causing Sligo major problems by running at their defence, and the Division I sides superior pace and power looked ready to show. But Mayo couldn't find the target at all, and let another couple of scoring opportunities go a begging, including two decent goal chances. The sides went in at half-time with two between them 0-05 to 0-03, in Sligo's favour.

While Mayo's scoring problems continued in the second half, Sligo began to have some of their own. The scoring efficiency, on so few possessions, which had seen them take command of the game, deserted them, and it seemed that they had no one to turn to when they needed a big score. Mayo brought on Aidan O'Shea, just a few minutes into the second period, and he had a positive effect, upping the intensity in the middle of the park, as Mayo began to shift up the gears. The fired off three points early in the half, to one from Sligo, and we were back where we started, all level, at 0-06 apiece.

Sligo though, appeared the weather the storm, and with the introduction of Eamon O'Hara in the forty-seventh minute, they began to asserted themselves on the game again. A couple of magnificent long-range frees from David Maye, had the Yeat's men ahead again, and with Mayo registering a couple of nervous wides, the momentum seemed to be finally shifting.

With just over ten minutes to go, and their provincial crown on the line, Mayo were looking eminently beatable and desperately needed someone to grab the game by the scruff of the neck again. Thankfully for them they found those men, with Aidan O'Shea settling their nerves and tying it up again, with a well-taken point after a superb off the ball run. The Mayo men had the next two points as well, and suddenly it was backs to the wall time again for Sligo. The ever reliable Mark Breheny slotted over another free in the sixty-eigth minute to narrow the gap to the minimum once again, but it was just too late for Sligo. Lee Keegan capped a solid win for Mayo with an excellent point after a marauding run forward from the half-back line.

It was a game that really could have gone either way but in the end it was Mayo's midfield dominance that decided it. With the Mayo forwards having such an off day, they needed every scrap of possession they won in midfield, and in the end that was what got them enough scoring opportunities to see off Sligo's challenge. For Sligo, this is a heartbreaking defeat for a team that will now look back with regret on two Connacht final's the might have won. 

D-Day for Dwight?

The Brooklyn Nets have set a deadline of Wednesday night for the completion of trade negotiations with the Orlando Magic, as regards superstar center, Dwight Howard. This is the latest twist in the ongoing Howard trade speculation. The Magic have reopened talks with the Nets today, having spent most of yesterday in discussions with the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Rockets and Lakers can offer much better trade assets than Brooklyn, but both are tentative as regards what they would include in any deal, given that Howard has already made known that he will only sign a contract extension with the Nets. Given the effect that any Howard trade would have on the NBA landscape, let's examine some of the possible and outcomes and what impact they might have for the league and franchises involved. I'll do my best to give an accurate account of all of the draft picks and role players which may be involved in such trades, but bear in mind that such details are almost impossible to predict given that some of the players involved are free agents, and there may up to four or five teams involved in some trade scenarios. The main focus of my thoughts will revolve around Howard's destination in each individual trade scenario.

1. Howard to the Nets: That this scenario still seems the most likely is totally baffling to me. I understand that Howard has some leverage here and that teams may be unwilling to give up as many assets without his commitment to re-sign, but nonetheless, it doesn't seem plausible to me that the best offer the Magic would receive is centered around Brook Lopez, and multiple (likely late-)first round picks. Lopez is an excellent offensive player (career average 17.4 ppg), but there are major questions about his defense, and especially his rebounding. How any player that tall (7'1''), and with his ability, has only averaged 7.5 rpg for his career is shocking. In 2010-11, he played 35 minutes a game and averaged only 6 boards. He played only five games last season after struggling with various injuries, which gives rise to questions about his health going forward. Don't get me wrong, Lopez is a nice player. He could be the second scorer, and third best player on a really good team, but you have to expect more back if you're trading your once-in-a-generation, franchise center.

For the Nets, teaming Dwight with Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Gerald Wallace would make them an instant title contender and set them up for a potentially spectacular first season in Brooklyn. It almost seems unfair that the Nets could end with this much talent, considering the appalling way that franchise has been run in recent years. The Nets definitely went for the home run. They've traded away three straight high lottery picks (Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter, and Damian Lillard), and given out/taken on, some awful contracts. Following on from 'The Decision' and the Chris Paul fiasco last summer, if the Nets could acquire Howard, and proceed to be successful with a multiple star team, it would most definitely change the landscape of professional basketball, probably for generations.

This scenario is probably the best for the league, as it would create a major rival to Miami in the Eastern Conference, in the largest media market. Given the number of star players spread across the two teams, such a rivalry would have the potential to define the NBA for the next decade. The biggest loser in this case is undoubtedly the Orlando Magic. The Magic would end up with a good, but not great center, and a plethora of late first-round draft picks while being unable to get rid of any of their bad contracts (Hedo Turkoglu and Jason Richardson).

2. Howard to the Lakers: The Lakers have already produced one coup this summer, in luring former two-time MVP Steve Nash to La-La Land. Their trump card in these negotiations is the fact that the possess a genuine All-Star player to send Orlando, in Andrew Bynum. Bynum's maturity continues to be questionable, but his game is not. Bynum became dominant and both ends of the floor last season, making his first All-Star team in the process. A package centred around the Lakers big man would at least give Orlando a quality replacement for Howard, though they would need LA to take on one of their bad contracts, - possibly Jason Richardson - to make such a deal a reality. The Lakers seem to be open to such a move, though how the might manage that given their current cap restrictions, I don't know. I believe this would be the best fit for Howard. Alongside Gasol, he would give the Lakers a huge frontline capable of dominating opponents on both ends of the floor. His defense presence around the rim would be extremely valuable in covering for Nash, given Nash's inability to stay in front of quick point guards. Howard would become the default heir to the Laker's throne once Bryant retires, following in the footsteps of Hall of Fame centers Mikan, Wilt, Kareem and Shaq. Of course, Dwight himself seems to want no part in this saga. Following in the footsteps of such Laker legends, especially Shaq, appears to be extremely unappealing to him. Personally I don't want to see more of these juggernaut 'Big Three', or 'Big Four' style teams, but at least their entertaining. This one would be incredibly fun to watch.

3. Howard to the Rockets: Probably the least likely outcome, but I believe this option makes the most sense for Orlando. The could get back three rookies - Jeremy Lamb, Royce White and Terrence Jones, - who have a great upside, plus a couple of future picks. This way, the Magic could rebuild around a young core and add more high potential guys over the next year or two, seeing as they are almost certain to be in the high lottery for a period. I believe this would be the best approach for the Magic to take so that they might build their franchise from the ground up, and give themselves a better chance of surrounding any future stars with a quality roster. From the Rockets point of view, they've made it pretty clear they'll give up anything to get a star big man to build around. The risk for Houston is that Dwight leaves next summer, but given the cap constraints of teams like the Nets, I'm not so sure that Dwight won't sign an extension wherever he ends up being traded. Houston is not an ideal situation though for Dwight. The Rockets roster is one in transition right now and Howard would arguably have only a slightly better supporting cast than in Orlando.

NBA Free Agency

With last week's NBA draft done and dusted, the basketball world has moved on quickly and by this, the third day of July, we're well and truly into free agency. And so, teams and players not allowed to official sign contracts until July 11th, this seemed like an appropriate time to ponder who some of the more marquee free agents are, and where they might be headed to play next season.

1. The first domino likely to fall, and unquestionably the most coveted free agent of this class, is Nets point guard, Deron Williams. Williams has spent the last year and a half in New Jersey, after being traded by the Utah Jazz, who did well to trade him once his desires to be elsewhere to be elsewhere became apparent. The Nets are now in the unenviable position of waiting on Williams to decided between them, and his hometown Dallas Mavericks. The latest reports suggest that these are the only two teams Williams is considering and he intends to make his decision before Team USA's Olympic training camp begins on Friday. In the mean time, the Nets have been desperately trying acquire other quality players to convince Williams to resign. Indications are that they've made a verbal agreement with free-agent forward Gerald Wallace for a four-year, forty-million dollor contract, and reports have suggested that they have a trade in place to acquire Joe Johnson¹ from the Atlanta Hawks for a plethora of expiring contracts, role players and a future first round draft pick. The have also reportedly signed european forward Mirza Teletovic for the mid-level exception², and have been linked with former franchise hero Jason Kidd, who they could still sign, but only on a minimum contract.

Once Williams makes his decision, expect other players to begin to declare quickly. Williams decision - one way or another - will have a massive impact on how both the Nets and Mavs move forward, as well as re-opening all those Dwight Howard trade rumours.

2. The next group of players garnering a lot of attention right now are those veterans - most available on bargain deals - who have the potential to be key pieces for some of next season titles contenders. To the forefront of this group have been Steve Nash and Ray Allen.

Nash has long been linked to a stint with the New York Knicks, but with Mike D'Antoni long gone, Jeremy Lin's rise, and the continuing collapse of the 'Melo-Amare era, the Knicks don't seem like such a great fit for Nash anymore. They also don't have much money to offer given that they currently have most of their salary cap locked by their three core players - Carmelo, Amare, and Tyson Chandler. Nash is expected to meet with the Knicks, and New York have expressed their desire to work out a sign-and-trade of some kind with Phoenix so as to find Nash some extra salary room, but this one now seems like a longshot.

Nash's most likely destination as of today, appears to be a return to his nation of Canada to play for the Toronto Raptors. It would be somewhat of a fairytale ending for Nash, one of the most successful and celebrated Canadian athletes ever, to return to his home nation to see out the final years of his career, and given that the Raptors have the cap room to offer him more than anyone else likely will, is an added bonus. Latest reports indicate that Toronto is willing to offer Nash a three-year, thirty-six million dollar contract - much more than anyone else likely will. The Raptors have a potential decent team to put around him as well. Andrea Bargnani may never be what we expect of a former No. 1 overall pick, but he is a quality scorer who can shoot the ball. The Raptors are also likely to have last year's draft pick Jonas Valanciunas - a Lithuanian center -  come over to join the team this year, and he projects to be a quality back-to-the-basket player - a perfect fit beside Bargnani. This, added to the fact that Toronto has made a three-year, twenty-million dollar offer to restricted-free agent Landry Fields. That potential Raptors team may not be a contender, but - in my opinion, - it's infinitely better than the dreadful Phoenix roster which Nash almost dragged into the playoffs last year.

As for Ray Allen, his future seems much more uncertain. There have been numerous rumours in recent weeks about the possibility of Allen joining the Miami Heat for the mini-mid-level exception of around two-point-five million dollars. Reports are now suggesting though, that Allen's current employers - the Boston Celtics - would be prepared to more than double that offer and pay him around twelve million for two years. This is somewhat surprising, given that only a few days ago, Allen was presumed to no longer be a Celtic, with rumours of his fractured relationship with team mate Rajon Rondo appeared in the media. Now, it seems like the Celtics are favourites to re-sign Allen, though it's far from a sure thing. The Grizzlies and Clippers are also rumoured to be very interested and so Allen won't lack options but he seems likely he'll choose between wearing Celtic green, or 'taking his talents to South Beach'.

Other veteran players valued on the free agent market include Marcus Camby, Kirk Hinrich, Jason Terry, Antwawn Jamison, Rashard Lewis, and Chauncey Billups. Of these players, Camby and Terry appear to be earning the most interest. Terry is supposedly in the final stages of discussions regarding a multi-year contract with the Boston Celtics, a move which would likely spell the end of Ray Allen's tenure with the legendary franchise. Camby has a number of potential suitors including the Heat and Spurs, though he maintains his priority is to re-sign with the Houston Rockets. Camby would likely command more than the leagues minimum salary, making it difficult for a team like the Heat to sign him, but if they do, he could be a perfect fit to plug one of the defending champion's few glaring weaknesses. Hinrich, at this point, looks set to return to the Chicago Bulls, the team which drafted him in 2003 with the seventh overall pick. Hinrich could potentially be a starter next season for the Bulls with Derrick Rose out, and would most likely be expected to mentor rookie point guard Marquis Teague. The Bulls are drawn to Hinrich because of his ability to play both the one and the two, defend multiple positions, and shoot and handle the ball. This seems to be pretty much a done deal, though don't rule out a late bid from the Lakers or Celtics, both of whom have expressed interest in the veteran guard. If Hinrich does sign with the Bulls, that means they likely won't pick up their team option on point guard C.J. Watson, would could then become an unrestricted free agent in a couple of weeks time.

3. The third, and final, group of players who will impact free agency this year, are the unrestricted free agents. These are guys like Jeff Green, Eric Gordon, Roy Hibbert, and Omer Asik, whose current teams can match any offer another team gives them. Some of the most coveted players in the free-agent class fit into this category, which also means by default, that they're likely staying put, as any contract offers they do receive will be matched. Eric Gordon in particular is one player who fits this mold, with New Orleans indicating they would match even a maximum offer, though still has been some interest - notably from the Suns, Pacers, and Rockets.

Hibbert has already made a verbal agreement with the Portland Trailblazers for a maximum contract over four years. This is one of the more interesting case, as while Indiana are expected to match, this is by no means a certainty and the Pacers have made it clear they'll be taking all of their options into consideration.

Jeff Green will also draw interest from a number of teams, but is regarded as highly likely to re-sign with the Boston Celtics, who see him currently as an important part of their future in the post-Big Three era.

One of the more interesting cases in all of this summer's free agency is that of the Chicago Bulls Turkish center, Omer Asik. Asik is a defensive big man, who has become a key part of the Bulls legendary 'Bench Mob' - possibly the best five-men defensive unit in the NBA. The Bulls have made it abundantly clear that they value Asik and that it is one of their main priorities to re-sign him this off-season, however, this plan has been thrown in real jeopardy by an offer Asik has received from the Houston Rockets. The Rockets have reached a verbal agreement to pay Asik twenty-five million dollars over the course a three years - what seems to be a straightforward eight-million dollar a year contract. This would be a tough enough pill for the Bulls to swallow, but it's made worse by a loophole in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement. Under the new CBA, other teams can only offer a restricted-free agent, like Asik, a contract at the mid-level for the first and second years of the deal - approximately five-million dollars a year. However, in the third year, that team may offer the player up to the maximum league contract. Thus, the deal Asik has agreed with the Rockets would pay him around five-million dollars in Year 1, very slightly more in Year 2, and almost fourteen million dollars in Year 3. This loophole makes the deal much harder for the Bulls to match given that they already have four players - Rose, Deng, Noah and Boozer - on large contracts.

It seems very unlikely that Chicago owner Jerry Reinsdorf will give management the go ahead to match this deal, which would almost certainly mean paying luxury tax in multiple seasons, however, I believe the should match it. Asik is an extremely capable defensive player, even if he is atrocious on the offensive end. His defense is a major contributing factor in why the Bulls are the best defensive team in the league, and one of the best overall teams in the league. At five million dollars a year for the first two years of that deal, Asik is a great value player. He becomes even more valuable a year down they road when the Bulls likely amnesty Carlos Boozer. Yes, Asik will be vastly overpaid in Year 3 of his deal, but, that year he will be an expiring contract and any expiring deal that large is always a major trade chip. Rose may be out next season, but it's time for the Bulls to bite the bullet and pay the dollars they need to, to build they best team they can for when he gets back. Asik can be an integral part of that.

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1. Johnson is only available on the trade market for so little because of his awful contract which pays him ninety million dollars over the next four years.

2. The mid-level exception is approximately five million dollars per year. Teletovic contract is said to be worth about fifteen million for three years.

Leinster SFC semi-final Reviews

Leinster SFC semi-final - Dublin 2-11 Wexford 1-10

Dublin were lucky to escape Croke Park with a fortuitous win over a gallant Wexford side. The four-point winning margin very much flattered a Metropolitans side which could well have been beaten, should Ben Brosnan's free-taking form deserted him in the second-half. That really is the story of this match, in many ways. Wexford led by three points at half-time, and it could have been more had Dublin not been allowed a highly controversial goal - Diarmuid Connolly appear to take at least nine steps before finishing to the net. Dublin though, rallied to start the second-half, with Wexford missing a couple opportunities to get the first score of the period, before Stephen Cluxton stepped up to slot over a long range free for Dublin. This was a chance missed for Wexford at a time in the match when another point or two might have really rattled the All-Ireland champions. Instead, it was the yellowbellies whose confidence collapsed. They continued to move the ball well in attack, but weren't showing the same patience to create good shots, leading to some questionable shot selection. This combined with Brosnan's free-taking struggles, - he missed five kicks over the course of the afternoon, including three relatively straightforward ones in row, during a critical time in the second half. With the Wexford able to register two second-half points, - compared to twelve wides - Dublin duly took advantage.

Michael Dara-McAuley's introduction for the second-half really turned the whole game on its head, with the Dublin midfielder doing an excellent job of winning breaking ball and running at the Wexford defence. Why Dara-McAuley wasn't selected to start ahead of Eamon Fennell, is a mystery. On one hand, McAuley is an All-Star quality midfielder - one of the best in the country, and a guy genuinely possess the skills, and a natural understanding of how to play the game of football, as well as his size and strength. Fennel on the other hand doesn't seem to understand the first thing about playing gaelic football. He's big and strong, and he'll certainly win some ball for you in midfield, but his decision-making has been called into question numerous times and he simply does not effect the game the Dara-McAuley does.

Wexford did not have a player of comparable quality to either, to spring from the bench. Matty Forde has reportedly been playing Junior football for the county. If he would commit, imagine the difference even a half-fit Matty could have made coming on for the last 20 minutes on Sunday? Counties like Wexford, just can't afford to lose players of such quality and it is sad that such a truly incredible talent has been lost to the GAA community at such a young age. Wexford now face Tipperary in the All-Ireland qualifiers - a draw they will no doubt be reasonably happy with, though it will be a tough task to win in Thurles.

For Dublin, the next day out will be Leinster final day, and a renewal of their old rivalry with Meath. Meath looked impressive in beating Kildare in the other semi-final and Dublin won't have it all their way. It's an exciting prospect, though I doubt whether we'll have any true indicator of where the Dubs are at untile they're out of the Leinster cauldron. There seems to me to be a lack of focus, or intensity to the All-Ireland champions this season, and it will be interesting to how the will react in a game where they are really being pushed to the brink. Wexford came close yesterday, but kicked away their opportunity. Meath, - on the basis of their performance Sunday - look exactly the kind of team to beat Dublin. They did an excellent job of running at the Kildare defence, winning themselves a lot of frees in the process. If they do this in the provincial final, they'd be exploiting probably the greatest weakness in Dublin's defence, and they've showed that in Cian Ward and Brian Farrell they have free-takers to punish teams.

For Dublin, the key is getting the team selection right, and playing with sufficient intensity. The intensity shouldn't be an issue, with a huge crowd expected in Croke Park, but the team selection is a different story entirely. Michael Dara-McAuley's introduction for the second-half on Sunday really turned the whole game on its head, with the Dublin midfielder doing an excellent job of winning breaking ball and running at the Wexford defence. Why Dara-McAuley wasn't selected to start ahead of Eamon Fennell, is a mystery. On one hand, McAuley is an All-Star quality midfielder - one of the best in the country, and a guy who genuinely possess the skills, and a natural understanding of how to play the game of football, as well as his size and strength. Fennel on the other hand doesn't seem to understand the first thing about playing gaelic football. He's big and strong, and he'll certainly win some ball for you in midfield, but his decision-making has been called into question numerous times and he simply does not effect the game the way Dara-McAuley does. This is a crucial decision for Dublin going into the Leinster final, given the superb recent form of Meath's young Conor Gillespie. Dublin are likely to also be missing forward Diarmuid Connolly, who was issued a straight-red card on Sunday for striking a Wexford player off the ball. This is the second time in as many years Connolly has received his marching orders for such an offence, following on from his dismissal in last year's All-Ireland semi-final against Donegal. Who they replace him with will now be among the biggest questions heading into the next match? Eoghan O'Gara is probably the most likely, given the unexplainable love affair Gilroy has with him. There are better options available though, - even Mossy Quinn would surely be preferable?

So Dublin march on in the quest to win back-to back All-Irelands, while Wexford must travel the scenic route once again. One has to commend this Wexford team for the way they've performed in recent years and stubbornly refuse to give up, but it must be a devastating blow for this group of seasoned players to fall narrowly short against Dublin yet again. It's long road back to Croke Park for them now.

GAA Weekend Previews: Meath vs. Kildare

Sunday

Leinster SFC semi-finals

Meath vs. Kildare, Croke Park, 14:00

Kildare will go into Sunday afternoon's clash as red hot favourites against a Meath side which has endured a terrible season to this point. The Meath men have look anything but assured in even getting this far, struggling mightily to put a gallant Wicklow away, and needing a second day out to beat Carlow - both Division IV opposition. On the other hand, Kildare could not have been more impressive  so far in 2012. The played so excellent football in their March to the Division II title in the spring and have done very well thus far to guard against any potential distraction from the Seanie Johnston case. Johnston could well have a role to play in this game, and if he does, is sure receive a mixed response at Croke Park. Johnston was not expected to be available to the Lillywhites so soon, as he was ineligible, given that he had not yet played a match for his new club in Kildare. However, Johnston made a 90-second cameo appearance as a substitute for Coill Dubh in a hurling match on Saturday, freeing him up to be available to Kieran McGeeney on Sunday.

Johnston may prove to be an important player for Kildare if they're to mount a serious challenge later on in the summer, but for this weeks game, they'll have more than enough without him. This Meath team just seems to be all over the place and they'll do well just to avoid the kind of defeat Offaly suffered at the hands of Kildare a few weeks ago. The Lilywhites should cruise through this semi-final with plenty to spare.