Cleveland is ready to contend.

Fact-ish: I think they overloaded and that's not a good thing. Firstly, the dunk was lame. Big deal, Global Icon and Nike made Lebron look worse than he should have (and made Kobe look funny for clowing him). Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon give them size at the wing, but what happens to Delonte West/Mo Williams/Daniel Gibson? I didn't like the Mo Williams trade when it happened, had to eat crow for a bit, then it played out like I thought it would. Plus, Shaq and Z on the floor at the same time? This is not going to be a good thing...

Orlando had a nice offseason.

Fact: Assuming they are done, I think they did. I do think they messed up going to a "traditional" lineup with Lewis back at the 3 and Bass at the 4. Cleveland and Boston was thinking of ways to match up with them and Cleveland even making the offseason moves to match. Having said that, I do like the Bass/Gortat big rotation. And Vince is now the 3rd best player on the team, a good spot for him. They are worse defensively, but now instead of relying on Hedo 28 footers, they are going to rely on Vince 25 footers. Hopefully Howard starts training in MMA with Shaq.

Boston also had a nice offseason:

Fiction: I know they still have to make an offer to Leon Powe, who is unrestricted, and Glenn Davis, who is restricted. But I think Rasheed Wallace is washed up. Sure he makes sense for this team...in 2004. And that's the real issue. Also, Marquis Daniels...he's still in the league? If you score 13 a game for a bad team, does it make a sound? What's interesting is KG's on his extension that gave Boston 8 million, but Pierce and Allen got pay raises (if Pierce exercises his option) so they gained nothing. Not sure how they work this. I'm not too excited about the 2009-10 Celtics.

Detroit did what they needed to return to the elite.

Fiction: OK, Detroit fans, beat me up! Go ahead, I can take it. I took 4 knees to the face and lived to tell about it! Ben Gordon for 8 million is ok. Ben Gordon for 10-11 million? Not so much. And I hope the plan is not to play D, otherwise Charles Villanueva will not be in the game. Nobody told him he's a PF that should be rebounding. What's really baffling to me is they REFUSE to trade Hamilton and Prince. And some of the offers have been good. Why not see if you can pry assets from Portland for Prince? Why not offer Rip to Dallas, OKC, or even Houston? I think if you're going to remake a team...remake a team. And bringing back a washed-up Ben Wallace is not good.

Chris Bosh should be excited about Toronto now.

Fiction: Interested? Sure. Excited? Let's wait and see. I think the Hedo signing makes sense. The problem is if they plan to be Orlando, Bosh has to be Howard. They are not the same player. Howard is a 6'11", 265lb man-mountain with a 26-inch waist and shoulder chiseled out of granite (and no, I'm not gay). Bosh is a 6'11" 235lb speed guy with finesee and a soft touch. Both good, both different. I have no idea if DeMar DeRozen is a good player since I never saw USC (I do wonder about a college team with 3 first rounders and was a bad team though) this past season. I do hope Houston is serious about making a run at Bosh. I still think he can be had.

D-Wade should take his GF Gabrielle Union and high-tail it out of Miami.

Fact-ish: OK...how to do you pay for surgeries for Siohvaughn, then dump her for Gabrielle (granted, that is trading up, but I here Gabrielle is high-maintenance)? Dwayne Wade, you're a smooth operator! I have a few stories about Wade (let's just say there's some truth to the marijuana sex parties), but that's another story for another time. Miami NEEDS to get Odom and Boozer. They got those guys for the small cost of Udonis Haslem and a few picks...that's a coup that can tip the power balance. Now, Jermaine is the 4th best player on the team (forgot he was still there, huh) and a VALUABLE trade chip. If this does not happen, then D-Wade can leave and I wouldn't blame him at all.

The Knicks suck.

FACT: There are only 2 players on the Knicks the fans are excited about, David Lee and Nate Robinson. Guess which players are in limbo. That's right! David Lee and Nate Robinson! (a one year deal only means they get to do this all over again next year) Isn't Donnie Walsh suppose to be some sort of genius? See, I was never on the bandwagon and I love it when I'm right. There's something that hasn't been played up enough. The Knicks haven't been relevant in so long, that the current young crop of NBA players don't know NYC as an NBA hotbed. I don't think NY is the attraction that they hope they are. Just Re-sign these guys already! You have NOTHING to bargain for!!!

Chicago should get in on the Boozer Sweepstakes.

Fiction: I talked with Terrell about this a few weeks ago and I was on the bandwagon. He wants Bosh. I've come around...sort of. I think they should do nothing. Send Tim Thomas to a Big Man Camp and teach him some low box moves. I think he and Joakim will be cheap to sign long term, keeping them financially flexible, and they both have craploads of potential. Why give up on them now? Add to the fact that they now have a PG that can make plays (2 more years like last year and he may jump over Chris Paul for me...maybe...). I think I would just stand pat unless I can get Bosh on a fire sale.

Philly had one bad offseason!

Fact: So you overpay completely for Brand and low-ball Miller, the more important player? I will never understand decision makers. Louis Williams isn't quite ready to run a team and Jrue Holiday was a project even at UCLA. Miller is your stop-gap. Now you're going to ask AI2 to shoulder much of the playmaking responsibilities, something he takes too seriously to the point where he stops being offensively aggressive. The worst part? They are stuck. If Miller walks away clean, they have no cap room to sign anyone else without taking a hit. And Philly fans just aren't excited about this team (that's the issue with playing for the most fickle market in America). I don't get it.

Coming later...the West. I didn't do all the teams because I'll use my NBA preview for all 30 teams.

Terraun Jones