Usually, the Fourth of July holiday is one of baseball's benchmarks. But it's slowly becoming a hoops junkie's holiday, too. And now that Independence Day has come and gone, expect things to heat back up.

With the free agency period tipping off on July 1, the landscape of the league is in constant flux - almost daily - through the rest of the summer. Players can begin to sign with teams starting July 8, but there's already been some seismic shifts to the NBA, most notably in the Eastern Conference.

So far, the Cavaliers have made the biggest splash - which is bound to happen any time Shaquille O'Neal makes a landing.

After being mauled in the middle by Dwight Howard in this year's ECF, the Wine and Gold dealt Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic to Phoenix in exchange for the Diesel. The 15-time All-Star and four-time NBA Champion gives the Cavaliers an inside presence that they haven't had since LeBron's arrival. Zydrunas Ilgauskas is a two-time All-Star and he holds a handful of franchise records, but he's not the force that Shaq is - even at 37 - on either end of the floor.

The Cavaliers were a 66-win team without the Diesel and they didn't give up any core players from that team to get him. Big Ben's limitations had become glaring - he attempted 13 shots in 14 playoff games, operating on a bad wheel the entire time. Pavlovic was never able to live up to his potential in Cleveland. In 344 games as a Cavalier - with a role that fluctuated from starter to afterthought - Sasha averaged exactly 6.0 points per game.

Shaq's presence immediately puts opponents in a pick-your-poison position. Foes can either double Shaq or LeBron James. And if they figure out that dilemma, both players will find Delonte West, Mo Williams or Daniel Gibson spotting up or driving-and-kicking. LeBron's numbers - especially his assists - should make another jump this season.

Of course, the Cavaliers have a free agent dilemma of their own to deal with in Anderson Varejao.

If the numbers are what they were reported - (the signing moratorium is still in effect) - then the deal Charlie Villanueva is about to sign with Detroit should have some bearing on Anderson's value. The Wild Thing - a fan favorite who's beloved by his teammates - is a tough, versatile player, but his limitations were exposed against Orlando.

Including the postseason, the Cavaliers were 43-13 with Varejao in the starting lineup. In those 56 games, Andy averaged 9.2 points and 7.4 boards per contest. Cleveland would probably like to add more scoring to that starting spot, but to have a young big like Varejao who can play both spots effectively is also vital. Remember - both Z and Shaq are in the final year of their contracts.

The Cavaliers will also be looking for one of - if not both - of last year's rookies to contribute in 2009-10.

J.J. Hickson showed glimpses - shooting .515 from the floor in limited action. Only 20 years old, Hickson - who last saw action on April 5 - will be counted on to continue his development. Second-rounder, Darnell Jackson, bloomed later in the season. In the last month of the campaign, he saw time in every game but one. In his longest run of the season - in the finale against Philly - Jackson went for 15 and 8.

This year's first-rounder, Christian Eyenga, will likely continue to develop overseas, while Danny Green - who Cavs tabbed at No. 46 - could possibly dent the rotation this year. Some scouts feel Green was the steal of the second round, and there's something to be said about a man who's won more games as a Tar Heel than any other player in UNC's rich history.

Depending on J.J.'s back, all three players should get their chance to show Chris Jent and the Cavs staff their stuff when Las Vegas Summer League tips off this weekend in Sin City.

While the Wine and Gold continue their attempt to lure free agents to the North Coast, other teams have made their moves as well. The Celtics have reportedly reeled in Rasheed Wallace, the Lakers have landed Ron Artest and Ben Gordon will join Villanueva in Motown. With Hedo Turkoglu on the move, the Magic dealt for Vince Carter.

The Turkoglu defection might be the lynchpin for the remaining free agency season. After spurning the Blazers, Hedo instead opted for Toronto. It would have been nice to get the 6-10 playmaker out of the Conference, but it also handcuffs the Raptors financially. Signing Turkoglu makes it very difficult for Toronto to financially retain players like Shawn Marion and Anthony Parker.

All these moves are just from the first few days of free agency. This is around the time that those "hoops junkies" from the first paragraph tend to grow impatient. Sometimes they even get a little star-struck. Trevor Ariza becomes Scottie Pippen and Charlie Villanueva becomes James Worthy.

But as Danny Ferry has said on countless occasions, he's building the team to win now and consistently into the future. And while he and the brass are constantly looking to improve the team, they're not going to make a move that'll jeopardize the franchise's plans one year from now. They can sign a player that they like to a long-term contract now, or they can sign a player that they love to a long-term contract next summer.  

The Cavaliers will be patient and they will not be star-struck. Ferry was pilloried by impatient fans last summer before fleecing Milwaukee for All-Star guard Mo Williams in early August. And that move worked out pretty well.

So sit back and enjoy the second phase of the NBA's offseason. It's just starting to get interesting.