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The 2012 NBA free agent class has plenty of gems who could turn struggling teams into contenders.

Or, if some stars leave their respective teams, they could turn contenders into pretenders.

The class may not be as strong as the summer of ’10 group that included LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Amar’e Stoudemire and Chris Bosh, but it does include some All-Stars and a few future Hall of Fame players.

Here is an early look at where some of the top 2012 free agents will land in the offseason. There is a possibility that each of these players could return to their respective squads, but there is also a good chance they could be playing elsewhere for the 2012-13 NBA season.

5. Kevin Garnett, PF, Boston Celtics

Garnett has rejuvenated his career this season, and he looks like the KG of old so far in the playoffs averaging 20.3 points and 11.0 rebounds in nine games. Next year will be Garnett’s 18th NBA season, but his performances as of late suggest that he has a little bit left in the tank to contribute to a contending team.

Whether that team is still the Boston Celtics or not is the ultimate question. Recent rumors have linked the New Jersey Nets with the former MVP, but Garnett doesn’t have to worry about free agency until he is finished chasing another championship. 

Potential Landing Spots: Looks like either the Nets or Celtics. According to HoopsRumors.com, the Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers and Dallas Mavericks could also make a play for Garnett. 

What team will Steve Nash play for next season?

Phoenix Suns Miami Heat New York Knicks Other Submit Vote vote to see results

What team will Steve Nash play for next season?

Phoenix Suns

50.0%

Miami Heat

50.0%

New York Knicks

0.0%

Other

0.0%

Total votes: 2

4. Ray Allen, SG, Boston Celtics

Allen is still one of the best sharpshooters in the NBA at age 36. He set the NBA record this season for the most career 3-pointers made, and he is another piece of the Boston big three that could help a contending team next year.

Allen has battled injuries throughout the year, but he still managed to appear in seven playoff games and average 11.3 points. Allen still has one of the smoothest long range shots in the game, and if he proves that he is healthy enough to contribute next year, contending teams will be lining up for his services.

Potential Landing Spots: According to Yahoo! Sports, the Miami Heat plan on making a run at Allen. The Clippers flirted with the idea of trading for Allen mid-season. Boston may still re-sign him at the end of the day.

3. Eric Gordon, SG, New Orleans Hornets

Eric Gordon had an injury-filled season in what should be his only year in New Orleans. Gordon averaged 20.6 points in nine games in 2011-12, and he is arguably the best shooting guard of this summer’s free agent class.

Gordon is just 23 and has a career scoring average of 18.2 points per game. He is an efficient outside shooter that a team could build its offense around, but he is a little undersized for a shooting guard at 6’3″. Still, he could shoot the ball from anywhere on the floor and score with ease.

Eric Gordon
Harry How/Getty Images

Potential Landing Spots: According to Sports Illustrated’s Sam Amick, Gordon has been linked to the Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Dallas Mavericks and his hometown Indiana Pacers. Amick also notes that the Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers could be solid fits as well.

2. Steve Nash, PG, Phoenix Suns

The 38-year-old Nash showed that he has plenty of elite basketball left in him when he nearly carried the Suns to the NBA playoffs with a late-season run. The back-to-back MVP point guard still ranked second in the NBA in assists with 10.7 per game in 2011-12.

Nash has spent the last eight seasons in Phoenix in addition to his first two years as an NBA player. Whether Nash re-signs with the Suns might come down to how many years the team offers him, or if the organization decides to go into full-blown rebuilding mode by finding a new floor general.

Potential Landing Spots: The Suns are still in the mix, and other rumors have Nash linked to the Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors and the Portland Trail Blazers. 

1. Deron Williams, PG, New Jersey Nets

Williams is the biggest prize of the 2012 free agent class, and the question of whether he will stay with the Nets has been raised since he was traded from the Utah Jazz to New Jersey. The Nets will need another superstar to lure Williams into a long-term contract.

New Jersey (next year Brooklyn) has been trying to trade for Dwight Howard for over a year, and now they have their sights set on an aging Kevin Garnett. Williams averaged 21.0 points and 8.7 assists per game in 2011-12 alongside a young supporting cast. He was also named an All-Star for the third straight season.

Potential Landing Spots: Williams has a player option for next season, but he intends to explore the free agency market. Whether the Nets re-sign him or not could depend on what other pieces they add around him. According to a recent report, Williams has “a 50-50 shot” of joining the defending champion Mavericks. 

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Dwyane Wade had the worst game of his NBA career on Thursday night, leading to another playoff loss for the Miami Heat.

The team’s chances of reaching self-imposed high expectations are once again slipping away, giving credence to the idea that dealing Wade would give the Heat a better chance to win.

With Chris Bosh sidelined and Miami’s bench unable to fill the void, there was extra pressure on Wade and he failed to deliver. He made just 2-of-13 shots and turned the ball over five times as the Indiana Pacers cruised to a 2-1 series lead.

The normally reserved Wade even had a verbal confrontation with head coach Erik Spoelstra, a sign that frustrations are starting to boil over for the team that many people expected to dominate the NBA for years to come.

Wade, Bosh and LeBron James certainly believed it. The trio’s level of confidence at their introductory press conference was astonishing, even more so looking back on it now. It seems like they truly believed they were just going to steamroll opponents.

What the Big Three seemingly forgot was the fact that basketball is a team game. It takes a lot more than a few superstars to win a championship. Without reliable role players to fill in the holes, the Heat will always be living on the brink.

Can the Heat win a title with the current roster base?

Yes, just give it more time. No, changes are needed. Submit Vote vote to see results

Can the Heat win a title with the current roster base?

Yes, just give it more time.

40.6%

No, changes are needed.

59.4%

Total votes: 621

Sure, the Heat can dominate the regular season based on pure athleticism alone. But when playoff time rolls around and every possession matters, it’s not as easy to put your head down and attack the basket. Not to mention that the Heat’s style of play is tiring.

So, while the Heat are struggling to find players who can provide solid minutes, the Pacers are showing them the benefit of depth. Indiana has a player at basically every position who can produce off the bench, allowing the Pacers to succeed even if a main contributor is having an off night.

The only depth the Heat have is in the elite-slasher category—unfortunately, it’s filled by both Wade and James. And since only one of them can fill that roll at a time, it often leaves the other guy to wander around aimlessly.

In other words, Wade and James just aren’t a good fit together. Neither one has developed a reliable outside shot, so they both fall back on their ability to drive to the hoop. That makes defending them a whole lot easier.

Think about the NBA’s other successful trios.

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

The Boston Celtics have Paul Pierce (who plays the same role as Wade and James), an elite shooter in Ray Allen and a reliable post presence in Kevin Garnett. Of course, Rajon Rondo has improved greatly to give them another weapon.

In the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs have a slashing point guard in Tony Parker, a dynamic shooter in Manu Ginobili and the “Big Fundamental,” Tim Duncan. The Spurs also have a boatload of bench players who understand their roles.

As you can see, both those teams have three key players who all do something a little bit different to help the team win. And, just in case things aren’t working, they have other pieces who can help fill in the gaps necessary to make a title run.

The Heat have two players that like doing the same thing, an injured power forward that is prone to off games and not much else.

Fact or Fiction: The Heat should attempt to deal Wade.

Fact Fiction Submit Vote vote to see results

Fact or Fiction: The Heat should attempt to deal Wade.

Fact

49.6%

Fiction

50.4%

Total votes: 575

That’s why trading Wade in the offseason would optimize their chances of winning a title.

At 30, he still has plenty of value on the trade market and should allow the Heat to get some pieces to build around James, who has more years left on his legs.

It’s not a guarantee by any means—nothing is—but it’s the best thing the Heat can do for the long-term outlook of the team. Even if they were to win one title with the team that’s currently constructed, that would be a massive disappointment in the grand scheme of things.

Building a more complete roster starting with James as the cornerstone gives the franchise a much better chance of success. Even though it may not be a popular move with fans, they won’t be complaining when the banners finally start getting raised.

Ultimately, trading Wade is a lot better than trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

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The College Basketball Hall of Fame


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A photo of Georgetown coach John Thompson III making a point during the 2007 Final Four in Atlanta.

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The Los Angeles Clippers stuck around for part of Game 2, but the San Antonio Spurs once again proved how impressive they are as a team, rolling to a 105-88 Game 3 victory to take the 2-0 series lead in their Western Conference semifinals.

San Antonio got out to a big early lead before the Clips valiantly fought back and pulled within four at halftime. 

Of course, the game showed why basketball is a game of runs after San Antonio jumped out to yet another big lead in the third quarter and never looked back.

Let’s take a closer look at Game 2′s action and result. 

Video Highlights

Off a second-quarter turnover by Chris Paul, the Spurs got into transition and showed why they can be so effective when running the break:

Yes, that’s right. Stephen Jackson to Tiago Splitter, and it was still an effective fast break. Impressive.

Of course, the Spurs weren’t dominant on offense the whole game. Randy Foye got things started with this impressive block on Tony Parker:

Twitter Reaction

The NBA Guru reminds us how deep and how talented this Spurs team actually is:

Spurs are just a machine. You may be able to mess with one of their parts, but it takes more than that to deconstruct them.

— NBA Guru (@NBAGuru) May 18, 2012

Not only are they a machine, but they are also a well-oiled machine. When this team is on, it is scary good. 

In the second quarter, Grantland’s Sebastian Pruiti pointed out just how “old school” Tim Duncan truly is:

I don’t believe that Tim Duncan texts…I don’t even believe he has a cell phone

— SebastianPruiti (@SebastianPruiti) May 18, 2012

At halftime, Jose 3030 realized something odd about the scoreboard. It appeared they weren’t keeping score at all, just counting the insane number of flops, a common theme during these playoffs:

Spurs 46 Flops – Clippers 42 Flops.Halftime.No score to this game, just flops.

— 3030 (@jose3030) May 18, 2012

Charlotte Bobcats beat writer Rick Bonnell noticed how aggressive and uh, “fouly,” the Clippers got. Unfortunately for L.A., it was too late.

Somebody told the Clippers it’s time to get chippy. Too late.

— Rick Bonnell (@rick_bonnell) May 18, 2012

And finally, Not Bill Walton raises a very, very interesting question:

If the Spurs somehow win the title this year, does that make Tim Duncan, and not Kobe, the best player of his generation?

— Not Bill Walton (@NotBillWalton) May 18, 2012

Grades for Key Clippers Players

Chris Paul: C-

Paul just didn’t have a very good game. Give credit to the Spurs for hounding him all night, but CP3 just never got comfortable on offense.

What’s worse?

Chris Paul’s 8 turnovers Blake Griffin’s 1 rebound Submit Vote vote to see results

What’s worse?

Chris Paul’s 8 turnovers

41.4%

Blake Griffin’s 1 rebound

58.6%

Total votes: 99

That resulted in a porous eight turnovers to just five assists. Sure, he added 10 points and two steals, but it was not a good game for Paul. He needs to turn it around in Los Angeles for the Clips to have any shot at making it a series.

Blake Griffin: C+

Griffin looked good on offense, hitting jumpers and actually displaying a couple of nice post moves. That resulted in 20 points, which led the team, but he didn’t do much else.

One rebound in 37 minutes? That’s not good. Griffin’s sore knee must really be bothering him, because he wasn’t his normal aggressive self on the glass. Much like Paul, he has to be better. 

Grades for Key Spurs Players

Tony Parker: A-

I’m docking him just a bit because he didn’t shoot the ball very well, but everything else Parker did was near perfect.

He racked up 22 points to go with five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Not only did he fill up the stat sheet, but he also played very solid defense on Chris Paul and forced him into a very poor game. 

Steve Dykes/Getty Images

Tim Duncan: A

Another vintage Tim Duncan performance. He scored out of the post, he hit mid-range jumpers, he played solid defense, he ran the break (seriously), and he even made a couple fancy passes.

It was a joy to watch.

The Big Fundamental finished with 18 points on 9-of-14 shooting, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Deciding Factor: Spurs’ Offensive Execution

The Clippers kept making solid comebacks and stayed within striking range, but the Spurs were simply too good on offense.

There were instances in the second quarter when San Antonio became stagnant and in turn missed open shots. At the point, the Clips fought back into it.

But when San Antonio drives and kicks and swings the ball for open shots, it is simply unstoppable on that end of the court. The Spurs started doing that in the second half, and that’s what won this game. 

Overall, they shot 53.2 percent from the field, but that impressive number was even higher in the second half. 

Who deserves MVP?

Tony Parker Tim Duncan Boris Diaw Danny Green No one. Split it between everyone Submit Vote vote to see results

Who deserves MVP?

Tony Parker

20.2%

Tim Duncan

35.3%

Boris Diaw

10.9%

Danny Green

1.7%

No one. Split it between everyone

31.9%

Total votes: 119

Game MVP: No one

It just wouldn’t be San Antonio’s style to have one player singled out as an MVP. 

Parker was great, Duncan was great, Boris Diaw had 16 points without a missed shot, Danny Green knocked down four three-pointers, Manu Ginobili had a good first half, Kawhi Leonard played solid defense. 

Everyone contributed in their own way.

The Spurs are the epitome of a balanced team, and you should expect more all-around performances from their countless role players as the playoffs roll on.

What’s Next: Game 3

The Spurs and Clippers travel to Los Angeles for Game 3, which takes place on Saturday, May 17, at 3:30 p.m. EDT.

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The Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs have been the most steady NBA franchises over the last ten seasons, thanks to the efforts of Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan.

With six titles between them, they lead the closest thing to dynasties the league has seen of late. 

In the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics have been a dominant force over the last five seasons, capturing an NBA championship in 2008. 

How long do these storied and recently successful franchises have until their dynasties crumble?

Los Angeles Lakers 

The Lakers are unquestionably led by the iconic Kobe Bryant—a guy destined for the Hall of Fame, who could end his career as the most decorated player of all time. He’s been canning jumpers since 1996, but he’s only 33 years old.

Harry How/Getty Images

Although his field goal percentage of 43 percent was his lowest since the 1997 season, he still averaged a smooth 27.9 points per game, dished out 4.6 assists and added 5.4 rebounds.

Kobe has, at most, five years of superstardom left.

Center Andrew Bynum is no longer a soft-spoken youngster but an assertive 24-year-old big man with dominant tendencies. 

He plays with a tough competitive edge and moves well at 7’0” and 285 pounds. He stayed healthy this season and set career highs in points (18.7) and rebounds (11.8).

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

A team can be centered around him in the post, but his injury past is worrisome. 

Paul Gasol has been in the league since 2001 and is only 31 years old. That fact that he contributed so early in his career makes him seem much older and worn down than he really is. 

He’s more of power forward with his soft touch around the rim and ability to knock down the mid-range jumper. 

Bryant is obviously the cornerstone of the franchise, and when his productivity dips considerably so too will the Lakers NBA-title chances.

That would mean the end of the dynasty.

Bynum is inked through 2013, and Gasol’s contract expires in 2014, but—unless they uncover another pure scorer with amazing defensive abilities—the Lakers dynasty ends in four years.

Boston Celtics 

Rajon Rondo has morphed from the guy left out of the Big Three to the Boston Celtics’ franchise player. His crafty style of play and unorthodox antics on the court have made him one of the most captivating and efficient point guards in the NBA. 

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

A pesky defender, he’s a triple-double machine who makes everyone around him better.

There’s not many more ways to describe the complete basketball player. 

Rondo’s only 26 years old and has averaged a double-double the last two seasons. He’s locked up through 2015, and frankly, any talk of trading him is crazy. 

The rest of the team’s long-term viability is in question, however. 

Drew Hallowell/Getty Images

Paul Pierce has been a Celtics staple for 13 years. While he doesn’t possess the elite quickness or athletic ability of some the game’s premier players, he’s oozing with veteran savvy and still has uncanny big-game shooting ability. 

He’s 34 years old and is signed through the 2014 season. 

Kevin Garnett, 35, and Ray Allen, 36, round out the team’s superstars. 

The contracts of both Garnett and Allen expire at the end of this season. They are still productive but clearly in the twilight of their careers. It’ll be interesting to see what the team does with Allen and Garnett this summer. 

Factoring in Rondo (a player entering the prime of his career) and the rest of their older stars, the Celtics only have two more years left. They’ve surprised us before, and very well could win another NBA title in June.

But, come next fall, they could be an entirely different team. 

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs are the team most people love to hate, a throwback bunch of fundamentally sound stars and relatively unknown role players. 

Steve Dykes/Getty Images

Tim Duncan has easily been the most accomplished big man of the last 15 years, and although he played the least amount of minutes per game of his career this season, he hardly looked like a guy too slow to play at a high level. 

He averaged a respectable 15.4 points per game, hauled in nine rebounds per game and added 1.5 blocks. 

At 36, the former No. 1 overall pick doesn’t have many years left, but many thought he was finished entering this season. He’s a free agent at the end of this year, but I’d be surprised if he wasn’t brought back by the Spurs for a few more seasons. 

Manu Ginobili, 34, is the team’s flashy scorer and nagging defender who’s battled injuries throughout his career. He’s signed through next season. 

Tony Parker has always been a good point guard, but he elevated his game to an MVP-caliber this season. He’s 30 years old and, like Rondo, is signed through the 2015 campaign. 

Factoring in the age, productivity and contracts of their three biggest stars, the Spurs have two—maybe three—years left of their “dynasty.” 

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Point guard is the richest position in the NBA.

How many PGs will go in Round 1?

3 4 5 Submit Vote vote to see results

How many PGs will go in Round 1?

3

0%

4

0%

5

0%

Total votes: 0

Physically gifted floor generals with immeasurable skill sets flood the draft every single summer and this year is no different. As legends like Jason Kidd and Steve Nash inch closer to retirement, new talents will step up in their place. Here are the five top point guards in the 2012 draft class.

5. Tony Wroten

Wroten is one of the increasing-number of combo guards entering the league. But unlike most tweeners that are natural scorers and will be forced to learn how to run an offense, Wroten is already a phenomenal playmaker.

He isn’t a freak athlete. But at 6’5″, what he lacks in elite athleticism, he makes up for in size and strength.

4. Marquis Teague

John Calipari knows point guards. Teague will join former Kentucky distributors Derrick Rose, John Wall, Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight in the NBA. Not only is history on his side developmentally, but he has the genes to succeed as well—his brother Jeff Teague is the starting point on the Atlanta Hawks.

Teague is raw, but he possesses track-star speed and a don’t-blink first step.

3. Dion Waiters

Waiters will primarily play shooting guard at the next level. But like the player that scouts are comparing him to—Dwyane Wade—he’s versatile enough to run the point.

Also like Wade, he’s an elite athlete that’s capable of getting to the rim by going around or over a defender. He’s another raw prospect, but not many players have a higher upside than Waiters in this year’s class.

2. Damian Lillard

Lillard is the best player in the 2012 draft that the common NBA fan has never heard of. Playing at Weber State, he didn’t exactly play against top-notch competition. But he left no doubts about his skill level in scouts’ minds, averaging 24.5 points per game last season.

He won’t dish out 10 assists a game, but he’s too explosive of a scorer to be stopped—an opponent’s only hope is to slow him down.

1. Kendall Marshall

Marshall is the top pure passer to enter the league since Rajon Rondo. He only averaged 7.8 points per game at North Carolina, but he doesn’t need to score to light the opposition up offensively. He delivered 9.7 dimes a contest displaying eyes-in-the-back-of-his-head-like floor vision.

His basketball IQ is off the charts. He’s clutch. But most of all, he makes the players around him better.

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

Follow @TheRealDDaniels

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Marc Serota/Getty Images

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade power the Miami Heat, as we saw in Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers. Without them, there is no chance that the Heat will make it any further than the first quarter without being blown out. And then there is coach Erik Spoelstra…

Coach Spoelstra may not be the perfect coach for the job, but he has sustained some level of leadership within the Miami organization. The players seem to be receptive of him and his ideas, even in situations where they may feel like the play-calling could have been better.

Miami’s head coach is in a good spot with the players, for now. However, that could change if he does not figure out a way to ease off of the gas when it comes to the league’s most valuable player.

Not a single player in the league seems to be in better basketball condition than LeBron James. He is agile, rarely benched and plays very physical basketball on a consistent basis. Still, after being propelled into the power forward position after Chris Bosh’s indefinite exit, James is subjected to far more than he ever has been in his career.

The fatigue was apparent in Game 2. James has even come forward, according to ESPN, and said that the job is challenging:

“It’s a lot more taxing being in there with bigger guys,” James said, according to the Miami Herald.

He said that defense “is the biggest difference. When you’re on the perimeter, there’s more space. The interior is more cramped and physical.”

That’s been made painfully obvious. After posting really good free throw numbers throughout the first series against the Knicks and in Game 1 of the Indiana series, he bricked two possible game-winning foul shots. It was something that pushed LeBron right back into that dim light that forces the question—“Is he really ready to be as great as The Greats?”

Is Erik Spoelstra right in his decision not to rest LeBron more?

Yes. Miami needs LeBron to be on the floor almost 48 minutes to be successful without Chris Bosh. No. LeBron’s fatigue in the fourth is only going to ensure that Miami continues to struggle without Bosh. Submit Vote vote to see results

Is Erik Spoelstra right in his decision not to rest LeBron more?

Yes. Miami needs LeBron to be on the floor almost 48 minutes to be successful without Chris Bosh.

33.3%

No. LeBron’s fatigue in the fourth is only going to ensure that Miami continues to struggle without Bosh.

66.7%

Total votes: 3

However, there is something else that should be learned from Game 2 in Miami against the Pacers. James played 43 of 48 minutes, and the fatigue was there. Everyone saw it. James knows it and he hopes to get a little bit of rest here and there to keep those things from being a factor.

What was Coach Spoelstra’s response?

“There’s nothing we can do [about rest for James] in the fourth quarter,” Spoelstra said, according to the Herald.

“Forty-minutes-plus is probably what he can expect.”

It is one thing to not cave in to pressure from the superstar athlete. We get that. Players often look for a role in coaching that exceeds their responsibilities. Leave the coaching to the coach, and just play the game.

Still, there seems to be a lack of communication when it comes to what Spoelstra needs to do in order to get the best possible performance from the best player on his team. He’s never coached a player like James. Taking into account how conditioned James is in the game, it’s hard to think that he would ever need a breather.

He does now, especially while banging bodies with David West play by play.

Spoelstra wants to ride James until the wheels fall off, and unfortunately that may continue to be in the fourth quarter. LeBron has worked on being productive both offensively and defensively in the fourth. That has been shown in both the regular and post seasons.

Yet, it does not seem too smart to keep up with pushing James to the limit in a much more physical aspect of the season. The NBA Playoffs are generally much more taxing than the regular season, and 43 minutes are far from tiring.

Coach Erik Spoelstra has done a great job with LeBron James as a player and working him in every inch of Miami’s offensive scheme.

However, he may be out of his league at this point. Rotating players is something that elite coaches do without breaking a sweat and without forcing their star players into a bad situation. You know, the Phil Jacksons and the Pat Rileys.

What if Spoelstra doesn’t have that yet?

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Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

Miami Heat superstar LeBron James has taken a beating in the media over the last year for his failures to come through in the clutch. 

When the Miami Heat fail, we find a reason to criticize LeBron, but why doesn’t anyone do the same to Kobe Bryant?

LeBron has come through more often in late situations in recent years than Kobe has, but we rarely hear a peep about Kobe’s failures, while those of James dominate the news on television, radio and print media. 

Why is that?

For example, LeBron bricked two crucial free throws in the final minute of Miami’s Game 2 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday, and all you heard about on Wednesday was the fact that he disappears during the final minute of close games.

Yet Kobe went scoreless the final 6:43 in Wednesday night’s Lakers’ loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder and wasn’t criticized nearly as much.

Bryant hasn’t hit a game-tying or game-winning shot in the final 10 seconds of a playoff game since 2006, yet it’s LeBron who is everyone’s whipping boy.

That’s because LeBron made himself a target for the criticism.

It’s a combination of things, really.

Should Kobe be criticized more in the media for his failures?

Yes No, he’s proven himself Submit Vote vote to see results

Should Kobe be criticized more in the media for his failures?

Yes

31.1%

No, he’s proven himself

68.9%

Total votes: 45

He had every right to, but LeBron left Cleveland to join other superstars in Miami. James’ image took an awful hit for “The Decision.” Then there was the not one, not two, not three championships he went out and promised.

That and a host of other things make him a target for criticism, but most importantly, when you’re the best player in the game and you don’t come through in clutch situations, you are going to feel the heat associated with it.

Kobe’s workman-like attitude and leadership have always been respected. The same can’t be said about LeBron. 

Kobe is all about business. LeBron likes to have fun along the way.

Bryant has always wanted to be the best basketball player on the planet. Sometimes it seems like being a global icon is more important to LeBron.

Brett Deering/Getty Images

Is the criticism of LeBron fair? Hardly, but he’s made himself a target for it, so it’s unlikely to change anytime soon.

Then there’s the way Bryant steps up and handles criticism. He’s classy and shoulders the blame when it comes his way. He doesn’t care, though, if people like him or not.

It’s way too important for LeBron to have everyone like him. He doesn’t handle the criticism as well.

LeBron likes to play the victim card. For example, earlier in the season, after being criticized by Kendrick Perkins for his Twitter comments, he told ESPN’s Brian Windhorst:

I’m an easy target; if someone wants to get a point across—just throw LeBron’s name in there. You could be watching cartoons with your kids and you don’t like it, you say, ‘Blame it on LeBron.’ If you go to the grocery store and they don’t have the milk that you like, you just say, “It’s LeBron’s fault.”

James is an easy target because he made himself one, but that doesn’t mean a guy like Bryant shouldn’t face the same criticism for his failures on the court.

Is it fair? No, but it’s the way that it is.

There’s only one way for LeBron to silence the critics, and that’s to  achieve what Bryant already has: multiple championships.

Until he does, he’s going to remain the media’s whipping boy.

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Basketball


Image by ben110
Basketball guys

Anthony Davis – the consensus No. 1 pick.
Jeff Gross/Getty Images

The 2012 NBA draft lottery is going to be an extremely important time for a number of teams. Fans of lottery-bound franchises will want to tune in on Wednesday, May 30 to catch the drawing on ESPN, which starts at 8 p.m. ET.

Most hoops junkies know just how much getting lucky in a lottery can change the future of an organization. The Chicago Bulls were fortunate enough to draw the No. 1 overall pick back in 2008 with only a 1.7 percent chance of winning. They used it to select Derrick Rose and the rest, they say, is history.

Let’s take a look at the teams that sorely need the luck this year.

Brooklyn Nets

This team could be a potential playoff contender or it could be a gutted shell of a roster depending on how the ping pong balls bounce.

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Before moving to Brooklyn, the Nets decided to trade a top-three protected lottery pick to Portland in exchange for Gerald Wallace. If they can’t get their pick to land in those first three, the Nets are in trouble.

They will likely lose star Deron Williams to free agency and it’s a high probability Wallace signs with a contender as well.

On the other hand, if they get the top pick (7.5 percent chance they do), the Nets will be competing with Anthony Davis playing center, Brook Lopez at the 4, Wallace on the wing, MarShon Brooks at SG and D-Will running point.

Cleveland Cavaliers

It would be wild if Cleveland were to get lucky in back-to-back years. The Cavaliers have a 13.8 percent chance of winning this season, much better than the 2.8 percent shot they had last year with the LA Clippers’ selection.

They could use it to instantly bolster their frontcourt with Davis and give them a second straight Rookie of the Year candidate after Kyrie Irving ran away with it in 2012.

The Cavs would be right back in the playoff hunt if they were to luck out and win the lotto.

Sacramento Kings

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It seems that the Kings have been rebuilding for years. They have not made the playoffs since the 2007 season and haven’t had more than 25 wins in the past four years.

While things are finally looking bright in Sactown—due to the emergence of DeMarcus Cousins and Isaiah Thomas, among other young players—adding a future superstar is their biggest priority.

Anthony Davis fills that requirement and would form a fearsome and formidable duo in the paint with “Boogie” Cousins. 

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