Handling Haynesworth

Despite all the demands for trades, despite all the outcry against him, despite all the desperate attempts to unload him, Albert Haynesworth remains a member of the Washington Redskins and is set to report the training camp with the team this week. In a very positive offseason for the team, Haynesworth has been the one negative story that has hung over the Redskins. After all the different chapters to this story, both sides find themselves stuck with one another and Mike Shanahan has to figure out how to dissolve the situation.

Just to briefly sum up the situation, Haynesworth was given a seven year $100 million dollar contract and has failed to live up to expectations in his first season with the team. After the 2009 season, the team reportedly shopped around to see what they could possibly get in a trade, angering Haynesworth. Haynesworth was also upset at the hiring of Jim Haslett as the team's defensive coordinator because he was going to use a 3-4 defensive scheme with Haynesworth at nose tackle, a position he adamantly does not want to play. So despite his enormous contract and receiving checks from the team, Haynesworth refused to show up to offseason workouts, including a mandatory mini camp, and has been widely criticized by teammates, coaches, and the media. He demanded a trade, but his price tag has been just too high and the team was unable to unload him.

The situations seems awkward and volatile, but it is actually pretty easily fixeable for head coach Mike Shanahan. Haynesworth has realized that a trade is not forthcoming and has said that he is coming to training camp so now the ball is in Shanahan's court. He has to realize that for the time being, Haynesworth is not going anywhere. This may not be such a bad thing if he can difuse the situation. Despite all the offseason nonsense, Haynesworth has apparently been training very hard and has lost about 30 lbs. Ok, so 2009 was not a great year. Instead of being the defensive monster we had hoped for, he seemed more like a big baby that ran to the sideline for a blanket and a juice box after taking one or two snaps. If he's in better shape now, then he'll be able to last longer out on the field. The simple truth is that our defensive line is better with Haynesworth than it is without him. It looks like he's resigned himself to playing another year in Washington so why not use him?

Using a big man that will pout all season and is unliked by all of his teammates does not help, so simply acting like nothing has happened is not an option. When Haynesworth reports, Shanahan should bring him into his office and explain the situation. He chose to come to Washington and he's getting a lot of money to play football. If he wants to be traded, it is in his best interest to prove he can still play and who knows? If he plays the season like a monster and regains the respect of his teammates and fans, then he may find out he actually likes it in DC and he can build on that next season. But if he is going to play, it will be as a nose tackle in the 3-4 and there is nothing he can do about it. Shanahan also needs to tell him to speak to the media once and tell them he's ready to play football this season and then not talk to them again for the rest of the season. Haynesworth got into a lot of trouble mouthing off about former coodrinator Greg Blache's scheme last season. Once the Redskins get a loss under their belt this season, Haynesworth may find the urge to vent to the media and say "I told you so" and "This just doesn't work" and whatever else he may think about the 3-4.

After talking to Haynesworth, Shanahan then needs to get the players together and give Haynesworth the chance to explain himself to his teammates in a players only meeting. Let all the players air out their grievances and get it all out before hand. Team is such an important part of football and you cannot have this kind of thing hanging over everyone's head the whole season. At some point, it will explode and it will be a lot uglier than talking about it before you even get into the swing of things. Once this is done, Haynesworth and the team can tell the media it's resolved and we're moving on, and everyone can put it all behind them and start thinking about the season.

Haynesworth might not want to get a talking to from his coach or be paraded in front of the team, but it needs to happen. It is better for everyone involved to solve this issue now, early on. If he wants a trade, no one will take him if he continues to pout, play at less than 100%, and complain about his team. The defense will be better with Hayneworth leading rather than dividing and with a brand new coaching staff it is better to solve these problems quickly and quietly rather than allow them to plague the team in their first season in charge. This would be an easy way to nip it in the bud and the team would find themselves with a formidable defensive line to go with the much improved (hopefully) team.

Brett Favre Still in the News and Still Undecided

With NFL training camps beginning, Brett Favre has been in the news a lot lately about whether or not he will return. Coach of the Minnesota Vikings, Brad Childress, took a trip out to Mississippi just to hear Favre tell him again that he was undecided. I am really sick of all the talk surrounding Favre and how he has made this all about him and how the Vikings are still allowing this.

First, let me preface this whole thing by letting everyone know that both Favre and the Vikings know Favre is coming back. Come on, he is. He is not undecided at all. When the season ended and he said yet again that he did not know whether he was coming back or not, ok, so there was a chance at that point that he actually did not know. The longer he was undecided, the more clear it was that he was coming back. This is just a song and dance both sides are playing so that Favre can skip training camp just like last year. A year ago, Favre announced in the middle of the preseason that he was going to the Vikings. This year he is going to wait until the middle of the preseason and then he will announce that he is coming back. So for all of you that are actually Favre watching to see whether or not he'll stay or go, there's your answer.

Not only is this what he did last season, but the Vikings have also shown that they knew with their approach to the offseason. Before Favre came to Minnesota, this was a playoff team with no quarterback. The only person in the world that thinks Tarvaris Jackson can actually play quarterback is Childress. He let that experiment go on far too long and finally even he had to admit he needed a quarterback. If the Vikings thought for one second that Favre was even considering retiring, they would have brought in someone, whether it be through the draft or free agency. Without Favre, the Vikings turn back into the playoff contender with no quarterback. With a quarterback, they know they can challenge for the Super Bowl. There is no way the Vikings would allow that opportunity to slip by. The whole conduct the Vikings have shown this summer and last has been so frustratingly patient, that they have to know something we don't. It does not matter who that quarterback is, no team in the NFL goes halfway through the preseason without knowing if they are going to keep their starting quarterback or not. It just does not happen. On his most recent trip to Mississippi, Childress said he still would not give Favre any kind of a timeline. That's because he already knows he is coming back. If not, the Vikings have been completely mismanaged and if Favre does somehow decide not to come back, their season will suffer tremendously and it will be their own fault for not forcing him to decide.

So yes, if Favre is actually undecided, both sides are being stupid. Favre is being selfish and the Vikings are being spineless. This is not the case. So why do I still think Favre is being selfish and the Vikings are being spineless? Because Favre is thinking only of himself and in such a team sport, for the Vikings to allow this is unbelievable. How many players could tell their team, I'll play but only if I can skip training camp? I mean, they're not fooling anyone. Most NFL analysts know this is what's going on so you can be sure the players know it too. Training camp gets players back in shape for the season, important now the Favre has gained 14 lbs. this offseason, and allows the players to start coming together as a team. For quarterbacks, this is important so they can learn player's tendencies, how receivers run their routes, how running backs handle the ball, etc. There's a lot for them to learn. Training camp is not optional because it is important. Favre will miss a lot of practice that he needs and there will be teammates who resent this notion that he is too good for training camp.

People like throwing arguments out there saying it's ok. Favre is 40 years old, he can't handle an entire training camp. It did not seem to affect the team too badly last year as they went all the way to the conference championship game. These arguments are just plain dumb. The Vikings are well aware of Favre's age. If they are worried about how much he can take in a full season then put him in a jersey and put him on the sideline. They control the camp, they can have him play as much or as little as they want. You can learn a lot from just watching. That's why players and coaches constantly watch video. Plus, by being there they can get him back in shape. He's gained 14 lbs! He's out of shape! He needs it even more this season than last season. Plus, him being on the sideline will help his relationship with the rest of the team. Players resent this kind of thing! The Redskins have all come out to criticize Albert Haynesworth for all the nonsense he has put the team through. It will affect his relationship with the team and how he plays. When the New York Yankees signed Roger Clemens, he had it put into his contract that he was not required to travel with the team if he was not pitching. The team clearly resented a player, who was seen as a leader, stipulating that he did not want to be with the team. This is the same thing. Last season, while many people thought Favre was just trying to skip training camp, we did not know for sure and players would be more likely to give him the benefit of the doubt. Something like this had really never happened before. If he does it again this season, there can be no doubt. While Adrian Peterson and the rest of the purple and gold are working and sweating and hurting, Favre will be putting his feet up in his air conditioned home, still supposedly pondering whether to come back or not.

In such a team sport, it really bothers me that a player is putting himself that far above the rest of the team. What is even more baffling is that the team is allowing it! I just wish Favre had retired after Green Bay. I still had some respect for him after New York. Now I have none. Remember what Favre's legacy used to be? How much people looked up to him and loved him? How we used to cheer for him when he came onto the field after the death of his father and played so tremendously? Now I just want him to go away. Have the last three years really been worth it?

Marcus Shows Potential at Development Camp, But Not Enough

The Capitals just wrapped up their development camp this weekend with their final red vs. white scrimmage on Saturday. I was there and had my eyes fixed on Marcus Johansson. General manager George McPhee talked at the beginning of free agency about how his biggest target in the offseason was a second line center. Now, however, he has hinted that Johansson may be ready not only for a spot on the roster, but to move all the way up to the second line. As I watched him on Saturday the only conclusion I could make was that he was not ready for such a big NHL role.

Selected 24th overall by Washington in the 2009 draft, Johansson spent the 2009-10 season playing in the Swedish Elite League where he posted 10 goals and 15 assists in 49 games. He has not yet suited up for the Capitals, so development camps is really the first place I've gotten a chance to see what he can do. The first thing I noticed about his play was that he needs work on his faceoff. He either loses it out right or wins it too hard, meaning the puck shoots all the way down the ice. Any offensive zone faceoffs were useless because even on the rare occasion he did win, he would ice it for the defense. He does have tremendous stick handling capabilities. He was very good at avoiding the first one or two defenders that approached him. His major problem, however, was not being able to distribute. He held onto the puck for far too long. While he may have been able to skate around the first guys that came after him, he constantly skated himself into a hole he could not get out of. All of a sudden, when surrounded by three players, he would lose the puck because there was no where else for him to go. It was clear he was not looking for someone to pass too. He really needs help developing his hockey sense. He may have been avoiding defensemen, but he was not creating anything with his moves.

Compare this to a Nicklas Backstrom. What makes Backstrom so great at the center position is that he can see plays developing. Not only does he make just the right pass at just the right time, but he also gets himself in a position to score just because he knows how a play is going to develop. That was not evident with Johansson who was not looking to distribute the puck at all. Ok, so maybe he is destined more for the Ovechkin role of play making. Stick handle around everyone and either take your shot or draw everyone to you leaving a teammate open. The problem was that Johansson was not creating plays with his stick handling, he was merely boxing himself in. More importantly, this is not what we need for our second line anyway. The Capitals' second line is going to have Alexander Semin on the left and either Eric Fehr or Brooks Laich on the right. Semin is a playmaker, like Ovechkin. He can draw defensemen to him with his abilities and still score or leave open another player. Eric Fehr is really developing into this sort of style as well. Brooks Laich is more of a grind it out player. You will always see him in the crease ready to tap in rebounds and screen the goalie. This line does not need another stickhandling play maker. It needs a Backstrom type distributor. Johansson's game as of right now is simply not where it needs to be for him to move all the way up to the second line.

This of course brings me back to the major criticism I have had of McPhee this entire offseason. We have holes to fill at center and defense and I do not think prospects are the answer...yet. Eric Belanger, a trade deadline acquisition last season played tremendously for Washington. He needs to be re-signed. Johansson may be able to develop his game more during training camp with the help of fellow Swede Backstrom, but moving him to second line just seems to me like throwing him to the wolves. He might be NHL ready, but if he is then put him on the third line. Re-signing Belanger would give you Backstrom on first, Belanger second, Johansson third, and Steckel fourth. I think Belanger would be the right move, but if McPhee is determined to have his prospects there are other choices as well. I have been thoroughly impressed by Matthieu Perrault every time he was called up last season. Jay Beagle was also just re-signed by the team. Both of these players have NHL experience. Perrault especially seems like a much better fit for the second line than Johansson.

If the Capitals do not have the money for an expensive second line forward, there are other options other than just Johansson. I am not opposed to bringing him up this season, or even giving him a roster spot so he can cycle with Beagle and Perrault. Believing you can put him on the second line, however, is wishful thinking. The Capitals need to allow Johansson to develop his game without putting too much responsibility on his shoulders. They also need to find a lineup that will suit him better than Semin and Fehr/Laich. He can be a good player if he gets the right players around him. Second line? That just doesn't make sense.

The Clock is Ticking for the Nationals

After a promising start to the season, the Nationals went into the all star break in the familiar position of last place. Compared to the last two seasons this is actually an improvement, as the Nationals do not have the worst record in baseball and are on pace to win 71 games. Still, this is not where many hoped the team would be when Ted Lerner took over the team in 2006 and brought in Stan Kasten as team president to rebuild. Now, with many promising pieces coming together for this team, the Nationals are on the clock. This team needs to be a competitive team before Stephen Strasburg's contract expires or the core may fall apart.

The reason I set this goal for the team is because it will be VERY important to make sure Strasburg stays in DC and because this is not an unrealistic or unreasonable goal. Strasburg was one of the most hyped players coming out of the draft of all time. So far, he has lived up to expectations. In his seven major league games he has 61 strike outs and a 2.32 ERA. Yet, he has a 3-2 record. He will play a full season next year and, assuming a sophomore slump, I think Strasburg will be one of the best pitchers in the league in 3 years, if not the best. He is that good. Why, if you are that talented, would you continue to stay on a .500 team? Loyalty to the team that drafted you? Perhaps, but for big time players who want to win sometimes loyalty is not enough (Lebron James). Strasburg was born in Santee, California. He played college ball at San Diego State. When his contract expires, he may well consider moving back west. The Nationals MUST give him a reason to stay here. Sure, maybe he will decide he likes DC and will want to stay. I hope so. But the Nationals did not just draft Strasburg to fill seats, they drafted him to win games and help this team get better. The best way they can convince him to stay is to show him how good this team has been and will continue to be with him. A 71 win season does not do that.

Saying that this team needs to be a playoff team in 3 or 4 years is not unreasonable at all. The National's best season was their inaugural season in 2005 when they finished with a .500 record. Since then, they have been bottom dwellers. Now, the team is beginning to bring in a solid core. Pitching, the Achilles' heel of the Nationals for years, has been much better this season with the addition of Strasburg, Matt Capps, and the return of Livan Hernandez. Bryce Harper, if he can behave, will be a major asset to this team playing along side Ryan Zimmerman. The pieces are there, but the rebuilding needs to start showing more than just minor results. Besides, after five sub .500 seasons, is it really that unreasonable to want to see major improvement? When the Nationals first came to DC, games were always packed. Now, the seats are empty every night Strasburg is not playing. How much longer are DC fans suppposed to wait?

I think the first step for this team will be to re-sign Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham who will both be free agents at the end of the season. The two have hit a combined 37 home runs this season and with Zimmerman batting fourth, they make a formidable 4, 5, 6 batting lineup. Dunn actually leads the National League with 22 home runs. With the Nationals struggling at the plate this season (ranked 25th in runs, 20th in hits, 24th in RBIs, and 18th in batting average) you would like to see them keep two of their best hitters. I have had enough of this notion of "patience" and the idea that prospects will solve all of your problems. That time has passed. Do not let pieces of the puzzle walk because you are ok with setting the team back another two or three years so you can have more prospects develop. By the end of the 2010 season, barring a major comeback, the Nationals will have had five consecutive seasons with a sub .500 record. That is long enough. It is time to make a move up the standings.

Say what you want about Steinbrenner and the Yankees, but he did have one thing right. Every season you do not win the World Series is a failure. Plain and simple. Granted, some failures are worse than others, but that is the goal for each team each and every season, the Nationals included. In a few years, the Nationals are going to have to start convincing all those prospects that they tried to build the team with to stay in DC. That means the rebuild is taking too long. If not soon, at what point are you planning on bringing a playoff team to Washington? Now, you are on the clock to turn this around soon, or start all over.

Lebron James Heads for Miami Leaving Dan Gilbert Looking Classless

On Thursday, Lebron James announced that he would be leaving Cleveland for Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, and the Miami Heat. The announcement itself was not hugely surprising, as sources had leaked that Lebron would be headed to Miami earlier that day, but it did end weeks of scrutiny as to where the superstar talent would end up. The big story followed Lebron's decision when Cleveland owner, Dan Gilbert, sent a letter to Cleveland fans regarding Lebron.

If you have not read it, it is not too hard to find online. Gilbert's response was classless, petty, and just plain stupid. Now I will be the first to say that I did not really like the way Lebron handled free agency. Since Lebron skipped college for the NBA draft, this was the first chance he has had to really be recruited and he clearly enjoyed himself. The whole one hour show in which he made his announcement did make him look pretty narcissistic, but this does not excuse Gilbert from his scathing remarks and in fact, in my mind, somewhat justifies Lebron's departure.

Gilbert berates Lebron saying that his leaving was a "cowardly betrayal" and mocks him with all the nicknames that people have given him over the year. Gilbert also came out and said Lebron got away with far too much while he was in Cleveland including giving up in the playoffs and now it will all come to light. My favorite part is the guarantee Gilbert makes saying "I personally guarantee that the Cleveland Cavaliers will win an NBA championship before the self-titled former 'king' wins one." Wow.

To say Lebron's leaving Cleveland is an act of betrayal is completely unfair. Now I of course am a huge Washington Capitals fan and I can tell you that if Alexander Ovechkin decided to leave I would be devastated. We thought that his addition to the team would mean a championship so if he leaves before accomplishing that, I would be upset. That is completely understandable. Would I cheer against him? Probably. But you have to keep in mind that Ovechkin is the type of talent that requires the organization to do whatever it takes to keep him. Lebron is the same way. Lebron's departure is more a mark against the Cleveland Cavaliers than it is against him. He made your team relevant and a major contender. He even tried to recruit Chris Bosh to come to Cleveland and Bosh said no. Lebron was clearly not satisfied with the team's chances of winning a championship and that is the fault of the management. As I have said numerous times heading up to this decision, the NBA is a superstar driven league. Superstar teams, if they can work well together, win championships. Bryant/Gasol, Garnett/Pierce/Allen/Rondo, Duncan/Ginoboli, Wade/Shaq, etc. This is the way it works. You of course have to give Gilbert credit for trying. He put together a good roster with Antawn Jamison, JJ Hickson, Delonte West, and Mo Williams, but this was the same formula he used for years and it did not work. Gilbert has been trying to surround Lebron with good talent, but he needed another superstar. Think about it. People have debated for years about whether Michael Jordan could have been as good as he was without Scottie Pippen. Lebron even tried to stay in Cleveland. He wanted to stay in Cleveland, but neither he nor Gilbert could bring in another superstar and that is why he left. The responsibility for that rests on Gilbert and the Cleveland Cavaliers, not on Lebron.

I do not for a second believe the notion that Lebron quite on the Cavs during the playoffs. If he has been consistent about anything it is that he wants to win a championship. He feels so strongly about winning that he left a team in which he could have made more money and will accept less than the maximum deal to help Miami build the rest of the team. Now you are telling us that he quite on you in the playoffs? Even if it were true, that is not an ace in the hole that you keep quiet until he leaves. That is something that you deal with immediately. If the team thought he was quitting on them, then they needed to take him aside and tell him "Cleveland will not lose in the playoffs if you are going 100%. We will win a championship if you play 100% every minute of every game." Instead, Gilbert did not say anything and then as soon as Lebron announces he's headed to Miami all of a sudden he wasn't going all out? That is completely ridiculous.

Ok, so what was Gilbert supposed to do? All the best free agents are signed and Cleveland lost the player that made them relevant for all these years. He needed a way to fire up the fan base and convince them that they still have a basketball team. All very true, but in the end this hurts Cleveland's chances. If you are a star basketball player, why would you know want to play for Cleveland? If you ever left all of a sudden it might be you he's attacking. If you cannot win with the mediocrity he's surrounding you with, then you have betrayed Cleveland. I have no problem with Gilbert trying to fire up his fans. I don't even have a problem with the guarantee that Cleveland will win a championship before Lebron because it excites the fans. It doesn't have to be true and Gilbert knows its a long shot, but he has to sell his team to the fans. The problem I have is that if a player ever thinks about what is in his best interest, all of a sudden it is treason! What he fails to realize is that the NBA is a business. Believe me, no one knows that sports mean so much more than that to people better than I do, but NBA players are employees. Teams have to convince players that it is in their best interest to play for their team and Gilbert failed. The answer is not to bad mouth Lebron, but bring in players who can beat him. Gilbert may have already burned too many bridges to make that a reality.

Lebron James Set to Reveal Decision Tomorrow Night

Lebron James plans to announce where he will go in 2010 tomorrow night at 9 pm ET on ESPN. Before the decision tomorrow, now would be a good time to speculate where he will be going and why. Last week, Lebron visited with six teams: New Jersey, New York, Miami, the LA Clippers, Cleveland, and Chicago. It is safe to say that one of those six will have the King next season. While different executives are saying different things about what Lebron is intending to do, here is where I rank those six teams starting with the most likely destination:

1. New York
2. Miami
3. Cleveland
4. Chicago
Definitely not: New Jersey and Los Angeles

Let's take a look at where he definitely is not going first. Los Angeles was never really a contender for the Lebron sweepstakes. The Kobe/Lebron city rivalry was a nice story, but a player who really wants to win a championship is not going to the Detroit Lions of the NBA. There was a lot of talk about New Jersey with new owner Mikhail Prokhorov taking over this year, a man who is as focused on winning a title as Lebron, but things have just not gone their way so far. Despite winning a whopping 12 games last season, New Jersey fell to third in the NBA draft and was not able to bring in either of the mouth watering prospects John Wall or Evan Turner. Bringing in coach Avery Johnson was a step in the right direction, but the Nets have fallen flat so far during free agency. Besides Jay-Z, the Nets have nothing to offer Lebron that other teams can't. The idea of a minor league team plus Lebron is not really what the King has in mind for next season.

Many people thought heading into the offseason that Chicago had the best chance of any team. They were a playoff team in the 2009-10 season which means the addition of Lebron could potentially be enough to send this team over the edge. I don't buy it. I have never thought Chicago made much sense for Lebron. If you are Lebron James, you are trying to figure out what's missing from your team, what is keeping you from a championshp. First, while Mike Brown was not a terrible coach by any means, he was clearly not good enough to take Cleveland the distance. This postseason, Doc Rivers outcoached him and last season it was Stan Van Gundy. Also, while Lebron may be surrounded by good talent, he is the only major superstar of the bunch. Meanwhile, the Lakers are winning championships with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol coached by Phil Jackson; the Celtics with Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett coached by Doc Rivers; the Spurs with Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili coached by Gregg Popovich; the Heat with Dwayne Wade and Shaquille O'Neal coached by Pat Riley; etc. This is a superstar driven league and we see teams win with superstar tandems and established coaches. So this is what I believe Lebron wants.

Does this sound like Chicago? No. The Bulls hired Tom Thibodeau as their coach in the offseason and he is an unknown commodity. He has been an enormously successful assistant coach, but he has never been a head coach before and that is not what Lebron wants. Also, Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose, while both are very good, are not a superstar tandem. This would be a very good team with Lebron, but that's what Cleveland is, very good and Lebron is looking for championship caliber.

Chicago will always belong to Michael Jordan. Lebron would have to do something pretty spectacular in order to not be chasing down Jordan's legacy. Lebron wants his own legacy to go with that championship that has avoided him. Lebron is not desperate enough to sacrifice his legacy for a championship and especially when going to Chicago does not bring him any closer to that championship.

Lebron has made it pretty clear in the past few days that he wants to stay in Cleveland. Cleveland made a very positive move in hiring Byron Scott as their new head coach. Scott certainly fits what Lebron is looking for in a coach. Lebron has also taken a Dwayne Wade role for Cleveland in contacting free agent Chris Bosh to convince him to come to Cleveland. As Lebron is from Ohio, it would be very hard for him to leave Cleveland. So why do I have Cleveland at 3 on my list? Because they have been unable to bring in any of the numerous superstars to their cause. Toronto made it known that they would be willing to do a sign and trade with Cleveland for Bosh and he said no because he did not want to play in Cleveland. Bosh is potentially leaving millions on the table by signing with Miami who Toronto does not want to deal with. Had Lebron been able to bring in Bosh, there is no doubt he would have stayed. Bosh's reaction, however, may be all Lebron needed to know. Cleveland is not the place a lot of people want to play. If even Lebron can't bring players in with a maximum sign and trade deal on the table, then putting a superstar team together in Cleveland might not be in the cards. He will not stay in Cleveland if he thinks he cannot win a title there and he cannot win a title with the team they have. Bosh has sealed Lebron and Cleveland's fate.

There was a rumor at the beginning of free agency that Wade, Bosh, and Lebron were interested in coming together in Miami. Bosh told reporters he did not see it happening, but that rumor has persisted and many say Lebron is still interested. The reason why this will probably not happen is the salary cap. You are talking about signing three players at the maximum salary meaning you do not have room for much else. NBA rules allow for trades that do not affect cap space and players to be signed at the minimum for no cap penalty. Assuming Miami trades Michael Beasley, and they would pretty much have to, then Miami would have the super trio, three draft picks, and several players signed at the minimum even if Wade signs a deal for less than the maximum as he has offered to do. Granted, with Wade, Bosh, and Lebron a lot of players would be interested in Miami, namely young rookies and desperate veterans. NBA players, however, do not like leaving money on the table. To think Miami could put a team together working with just the bare minimum is a bit optimistic and I do not buy it. The question is will Lebron? He will know even better than I will the salary cap question and Miami will have had to present a plan to him of what they will do if he does come. If they do not have a realistic plan for how to build the rest of the team, then Lebron may decide not to risk heading into 2010 with half a team and a whole lot of expectations.

That leaves New York. New York has a coach in Mike D'Antoni that has established himself as a very good and successful coach. They have added a superstar player in Amare Stoudemire. This is a team in which Lebron could establish his own legacy of rising them up from the basement. This is also a team that with Lebron and Amare together, would be ready to compete. And, New York is poised for more free agent moves next season if this team is not as successful as he hopes this season. New York would be a much easier city to recruit from. This team has everything Lebron wants for a championship run and the ability to keep building if they need more, unlike a maxed out Miami team if the super 3 were not successful. So while Miami may look like an attractive move and even though he wants to stay in Cleveland, the best chance Lebron has for continued success is New York and that is where he is most likely to end up. Of course, it's up to him. He may see things differently and then he will go elsewhere. We won't know for sure until tomorrow night.

NHL Free Agency Under Way, Are Capitals Looking in the Right Direction?

With NHL free agency now underway, Caps fans everywhere are keeping their fingers crossed for that missing piece of the puzzle. While no one can say for certain what that missing piece may be, I have had my theory for the last 2 years. Defense. This team needs defense.

Last season, the Capitals finished the season ranked 1st in offense and 16th in defense. Their powerplay was ranked 1st and their penalty kill was ranked 25th. Now take a wild guess as to what this team may be missing? When it comes to offense or defense, it seems to make a certain amount of sense for this team to focus on defense. This team is overflowing with offensive talent, but there is a serious lack of defensive talent. I have felt for 2 years that this team still needed a strong defensive player. NHL experts have said since the offseason began that this team should focus on defense. Yet an article from the Washington Post this morning wrote that general manager George McPhee was going to be very cautious heading into free agency. Granted, team projections show that the Capitals might not be working with a lot of money and this is a pretty weak free agent class, but when your team exits the playoffs in the first round, you would like to see some changes made to help the team go forward. But wait, the article was not finished. McPhee went on to talk about how his top priority was a second line center, not a defenseman. He believed our defense would be better with the additions of prospects Karl Alzner and Jon Carlson who now appear ready to take on full time roles with the team and hinted that the team would not re-sign free agent defenseman Shaone Morrisonn. This was a hard pill to swallow.

At the trade deadline last season, it was clear the Capitals were seeking a natural and productive center. Brendan Morison will not be re-signed and I am unclear as to what will happen to Eric Belanger, so this team will be in need of a center. Centers are important for offensive set ups, but also contribute a lot on the penalty kill. Still, you know what would help our defensive game more than a center? A DEFENSEman. I cannot understand why when we are the best offensive team in the league and at best a middle of the pack defensive team we refuse to address the issue. Even when we do seek defensemen, we only take offensive minded ones. Mike Green is a fantastic talent, but the reason why he has never made an Olympic squad, all-star team, or won the Norris Trophy despite being nominated two years in a row and leading all defensemen in goals, assists, and points, is because he is terrible defensively. He was the worst player on the ice for the Capitals in the playoffs last season. At the trade deadline, the Capitals added Joe Corvo which failed the address the problem because he is another offensive minded defenseman. Now, the Capitals are talking about letting Shaone Morrisonn walk, despite the fact that he is one of the few defensive minded players on the team.

And what is their solution? Prospects of course. McPhee's answer to everything. To be fair, Carlson looked fantastic when he was called up last season and really gave the Capitals a spark in the post season, but, of course, he is an offensive minded player. Alzner is more of a defensive, grind it out player, which is good, but I have a hard time believing he is the solution to our defensive woes. I look at the starting six for the Capitals and see Green, Jeff Schultz (if he re-signs with the Capitals), Tom Poti, Tyler Sloan, Alzner, and Carlson. That is just not enough.

Of course there is currently no reason for DC fans to hit the panic button. Goalie Semyon Varlamov continues to develop and the team will not have to deal with the post season problems that have plagued Jose Theodore the past two seasons. A strong goalie obviously helps bring the goal totals down. Plus, this team has shown they are more than capable of handling the regular season and perhaps they could make a deal at the trade deadline to bring in a great defenseman who can help contribute to a long playoff run. And of course, free agency is not over yet. Defenseman Anton Volchenkov is still available and still a perfect fit for this team.

And yet, I am still nervous because of McPhee's sense of patience. I will give him all the credit in the world for building this team. He preached patience for years when he brought in many of today's stalwarts as prospects and the team is now a major playoff contender. He brought in Ovechkin and Varlamov and worked deadline magic in 2008 to help the team win the Southeast Division for the first time in 7 years. But I have also seen the Capitals exit the playoffs far too early the last three years. I heard him preach "patience" in 2009 when the team made no moves at the trade deadline despite being second place in the conference because we needed to "think about the future." I watched the urgent need for a defenseman go ignored in the offseason last summer and at the trade deadline last March and I see it happening again. While he has all the confidence in the world in his prospects, I have to ask, are Alzner and Carlson enough to help this team improve one of the worst penalty kills in the league? Are Alzner and Carlson really going to give the team the bump they needed to get deep into the playoffs? They are good players to be sure and may one day be great, but I would feel a lot more confidant about Washington's Stanley Cup chances in 2010-11 with a Volchenkov rather than two unproven prospects.

There is always a limited window of opportunity in sports. I sincerely hope that McPhee is making the right move now or that he will realize we need a big defenseman before that window has closed completely.