Off-season moves make LA not such a clear cut favorite to repeat

The off-season deal making hit a fever pitch as the free-agent signing period gun went off on July 2nd and every contender has made big moves to position themselves to knock LA off their championship perch. Here’s who we think has made the biggest off-season improvements so far.

San Antonio – Amazing off season moves for a team that was supposed to be strapped. All key additions including a proven commodity in Richard Jefferson, veteran Antonio McDyess, mid-career pick-ups Malik Hairston and Marcus Haslip, lastly, a excellent pick in the draft of Dejuan Blair who could end up as another Paul Millsap. Mark my words, if the aging core of the Spurs can stay healthy, this team will take the Lakeshow right down to the wire in the West.

Boston – back to their ol’ tricks with the signing of ‘Sheed, a crafty vet who despite his public rep as a ‘cancer’ on a ball club is known throughout the NBA as a great teammate and has immense playoff experience, a ring, and most of all a victory over LA in the finals. However, the flip side to this coin is that the C’s will probably be losing Powe and Davis so they are pushing ‘all in’ for this next year.

Cavs – what can you say? Now they have a “combo” of their own, to rival that of Shaq/Kobe and DWade/Shaq. Now the other two ended up with jewelry at the end of the rainbow, will this one? It gives the Cavs a great starting line-up but it doesn’t address their weakness, which is their bench. This was poignantly obvious in the ECF as the team with the best record in the East was easily dismissed, and in a league that peredicates around matchups and runs, if you don’t make adjustments your results will not vary.

Lakers – The best did get better as the knock on LA has always been their soft underbelly which the Bostonians were able to expose in 08’ but where Howard didn’t have enough help in 09’. The Lakers have addressed that issue with one swift move with the addition of Ron Artest. His reputation speaks for itself as do his problems. Ariza is an up and comer there’s no doubt about that but he will never be a career 16 & 6 guy like Artest (Ariza is 4 & 6) but had the edge in athleticism. It’s a trade for the ‘now’ which put LA in the position to repeat in the eyes of many, but the key to this deal, AND team now is the signing of Lamar Odom, besides being “the impossible cover” he’s also a childhood friend of Artest and probably instrumental in keeping the potentially explosive Laker locker room benign. Who do you think made the biggest off-season movers? Let us know here and in the NBA chat rooms and team rooms.