The NBA's free agent frenzy began just over two weeks ago and while some big names have come off the board, there are still several intriguing possibilities. Let's take a quick look at what's happened so far, and, more importantly, what impact these moves might have on the Cavaliers and the Eastern Conference.

The biggest name to change addresses so far has been Elton Brand, who left Los Angeles just days after the Clippers acquired Baron Davis. The move affected both Conferences, and Brand - whose image was spotless before bolting to the City of Brotherly Love - has been vilified in ClipperLand.

Brand is one of only four active players - along with Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Shaquille O'Neal - to have career averages of 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds. His defection wasn't exactly "Boozer-esque," but it's safe to say that David Falk won't be getting warm holiday wishes from Mike Dunleavy this December.

Of course, if the Basketball Gods have any sense of irony, there's a chance the Clippers could land Philly's restricted free agent, Andre Iguodala, who has met with Dunleavy according to reports in the Philadelphia Daily News. The Clippers are also still in the hunt for Atlanta's Josh Smith.

If the Sixers are able to retain Iguodala, their moves propel Philly further into the playoff mix heading into 2008-09. Already one of the tougher matchups in the East, Maurice Cheeks club adds the experience and low-post presence they were lacking last year. If they can keep Iguodala, the 76ers will be a shooting guard away from elite status.

Corey Maggette took part in last week's California Shuffle that saw Baron Davis go from Oakland to L.A., Maggette to Golden State and Brand to Philly. If Iguodala did happen to wind up in L.A., these four moves would have boiled down, in effect, to two really big trades.

The New Jersey Nets continue to completely reshape their roster. The Nets had 10 players on their roster 25-or-younger and needed an increased veteran presence. So last week, Rod Thorn went out and acquired Eduardo Najera, 32, and Jarvis Hayes, 27. They're not difference-makers, but add a hint of veteran presence to the NBA neophytes in New Jersey.

In the Cavaliers division, teams have transformed through trades instead of free agency. The Bucks have sat tight after acquiring Richard Jefferson on Draft night. The Pacers have completely re-tooled - adding T.J. Ford, Rasho Neterovic and Jarrett Jack - along with draft picks, Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert.

The Pistons have been pretty quiet, but off-season rumors have linked them to big names like Carmelo Anthony and, most recently, Tracy McGrady. Although Joe Dumars did threaten to shake up "the sacred cows" in Motown, a more realistic scenario involves Chauncey Billups in exchange for either Andris Biedrins or Al Harrington - as reported in the Oakland Tribune.

There were a couple of free agent moves in the Sunshine State last week as well. Mickael Pietrus signed with the steadily-improving Orlando Magic and sharp-shooter, James Jones, got a big payday from Pat Riley. The Magic are still looking to parlay Dwight Howard's presence into upper echelon status in the East. And the Heat - after drafting Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers - are looking to renew their mojo in South Beach.

In terms of the Cavaliers - it's been all quiet on the Northern Front.

Cleveland is still looking to ink its two point guards - Delonte West and Daniel Gibson. The latter is rumored to be close, but there still hasn't been any official word. Both parties are obviously looking to avoid any ugly disputes like the ones that adversely affected Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic's seasons last year.

In terms of pursuing free agents, the Cavaliers are still rumored to be in the hunt for Twinsburg native, James Posey. The Hornets, Celtics, Spurs, Wizards, Pistons - (and just about any other competitor) - are still in the mix, as well. The sticking point appears to be the length of any potential contract. It's been reported that Posey, 31, is seeking a four-year deal.

Stay tuned. As teams' younger players show their stuff on the floor in Summer League, their bosses will be in the stands - watching, wheeling and dealing - as the offseason heats up like the summer months themselves.

It might not seem like it, but as we clean up from the 4th of July weekend, the NBA's offseason is about to heat up like the weather.

The Draft is over, free agency is on, and various summer leagues are about to tip off.

The Cavaliers - and their first round pick, J.J. Hickson - travel once again to Las Vegas, where their summer league runs from July 11th to the 20th. In Orlando, Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley will face off in the exhibition opener, and the team formerly known as the Seattle Sonics will wear generic "NBA-OKC" jerseys when they take on the Pacers on Monday afternoon.

Picking up on the local zeitgeist since June 26, Cavs fans now realize that Hickson at No. 19 was a solid pick by Danny Ferry. And based on the tape we've seen of the uber-athletic forward from NC State, those fans will be even happier when they see him in the low post wearing the wine and gold.

Ferry will get a chance to see Hickson and second-rounder, Darnell Jackson, working together for the first time one week from today. In the meantime, like his front office brethren around the league, Ferry will be studying the still-pulsating free agent market to see what pieces he can add to the squad in 2008-09.

Among the four Cavalier free agents, only Devin Brown is unrestricted. Dwayne Jones, Daniel Gibson and Delonte West are all restricted.

Devin Brown's situation might be the most cloudy, following the perplexing end to a highly productive season. Devin Brown was Coach Mike Brown's Swiss Army knife all year; his versatility saved the Cavaliers' bacon during an injury-plagued campaign. But the wily vet wound up in the Coach's doghouse during the postseason and was limited to six total minutes against Boston.

Of course, Gibson and West will be at the top of the Cavaliers' priority list.

Gibson's numbers improved greatly across the board last season. He finished fifth in the league in three-point shooting and was the MVP of the Rookie Challenge. His shoulder injury that sidelined him in the final two games against Boston might have been the difference between the Wine and Gold advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.

And let's not underestimate the fact that LeBron considers Boobie his "younger brother." James has a trust and friendship with Gibson that cannot be overlooked, especially with pressure mounting as LeBron's contract enters its final two years.

Delonte West proved to be everything Ferry hoped for when he made the big 11-player trade. He was fearless in the paint, took a lot of ball-handling duties off LeBron's hands, and proved to be a capable shooter - exhibited by his three-point dagger against the Wizards in Game 4 at Washington.

The one thing Cleveland's front office wants to avoid more than anything is an ugly contract battle with either player like the ones that sullied last summer's offseason. There can be no doubt that those imbroglios directly affected Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic's seasons. Both missed Training Camp and Anderson didn't join the club until early December. Sasha took a big step backwards after an impressive postseason run in 2006-07.

When the Cavaliers brass does shift their focus outside the city limits, they'll find a free agent market in flux.

Armed with a mid-level exception, the Cavaliers can consider names like James Posey and Mickael Pietrus. Both would be perfect fits in Mike Brown's system, and Posey would bring two Rings - along with dogged defense and dead-eye shooting - to his hometown team. (It would be much better watching Posey alongside LeBron instead of guarding him - a job he seems to relish.)

The big name being thrown around recently has been Corey Maggette, and the Cavaliers look to be trying to get into the mix. The former Dukie is on every contenders' short list - including the Celtics, Spurs, Pistons, Magic and Hornets. The 6-6 swingman is coming off a career year.

Maggette's Clippers have already made the offseason's biggest splash, landing Baron Davis hours after the market opened. Word on the street is that Elton Brand is set to re-sign with the Clippers, providing he doesn't pull a "Carlos Boozer" in the next 48 hours. Golden State is rumored to be in the mix. And Philadelphia, flushed with cash, is also primed to make a push for Brand. But it looks like he'll wind up west of the Rockies.

The Sixers, coming off a vastly successful season under Mo Cheeks, seem determined to make a splash. If they fail to get Brand, look for Philly to try and coax J-Smoove or Josh Childress away from Atlanta. A combination of Andre Iguodala and Josh Smith would give the Sixers an explosive young combo heading into the season.

The Eastern Conference, in general, will be getting an overhaul this offseason.

Rumors of the Bucks' demise were greatly exaggerated as Scott Skiles' squad acquired Richard Jefferson and No. 8 pick, Joe Alexander, on Draft night. That certainly cools off the Michael Redd rumors as Milwaukee looks to have a "win-now" mentality.

The Nets, who shipped Jefferson, had an excellent Draft. Fretting fans on the "LeBron Watch" will be curious as to what Rod Thorn does with his free agents - Nenad Krstic and Bostjan Nachbar - in the coming days and weeks.

The Bulls extreme makeover is still in its early stages after drafting Derrick Rose with the No. 1 overall pick. With a glut of guards, Chicago will likely ship either Kirk Hinrich or Ben Gordon. Hinrich looked to be the choice, but recent rumors have the Bulls gauging interest on Gordon. Chris Duhon already looks to be headed to the Big Apple.

And finally, there's the Washington Wizards, who simply re-inked two of their Big Three. Antawn Jamison signed a contract extension to stay in the nation's capital and Gilbert Arenas left money on the table to remain with the Wiz Kids. These two moves can only mean one thing ...

They'll be traveling to Cleveland to face the Cavaliers in the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs in April of 2009.

Let's be honest: Does anyone really know what fate awaits ANY of the players chosen in Thursday night's NBA Draft?

Among the 60 players taken, there will be All-Stars and busts and hidden gems. There may be a Hall of Famer or two in the bunch, and some will never put on an NBA uniform.

O.J. Mayo might turn out to be better than Derrick Rose. Or maybe Russell Westbrook will be better than both. Michael Beasley could average 20 and 10 for the next decade, or he could be a classic underachiever like Derrick Coleman - a player he's frequently compared to.

So when fans panicked over the Cavaliers' selection of J.J. Hickson with the 19th pick - and expressed their disappointment in no uncertain terms in response to my Draft blog - I took it with a grain of salt.

Hickson leapfrogged bigger names like Kosta Koufos, Mario Chalmers and Chris Douglas-Roberts to be the second First Round selection in Danny Ferry's tenure with the ballclub. In just one season at Raleigh, Hickson left an indelible impression in the country's toughest conference - and obviously on Ferry and the Cavaliers scouting department.

Later Thursday night, the Cavaliers made a couple more moves in the second round - acquiring forward Darnell Jackson and center Sasha Kaun, both members of the National Champion Kansas Jayhawks. Both were four-year players at Lawrence and helped the Jayhawks to four straight Big 12 titles.

Jackson averaged 11.2 points on .626 shooting and a team-high 6.7 rebounds in 40 games. Kaun, 23, averaged 7.1 points on .619 shooting, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.

On Friday afternoon, Hickson and Jackson made their first appearance in the flesh at Quicken Loans Arena - introduced to some Cavalier employees and members of the media by the man who drafted them.

"Both of these guys were pretty aware that we were very interested in them," beamed Ferry. "Both of them came in for two workouts - which is the maximum that we can have them in for - and we spent time talking to both of them and made them feel confident that this is a place that had some strong interest."

Ferry knows that the local punditry - as well as most fans - were looking for a "name" in Thursday's Draft. More than anything, fans were upset that Hickson is only 19-years-old, and could be a year or two from being a solid contributor.

But Hickson might be a quicker learner than expected. He went 12-for-12 from the floor in his first-ever game at NC State, and shot .591 from the field - tops in the ACC. He averaged nearly 15 points per contest and was a relentless rebounder for a freshman, snagging 8.5 boards per game.

Most people - including myself - hadn't seen much of Hickson. But just a few minutes of watching him in action with the Wolfpack shows what his game is all about. He loves to play with his back to the basket. He has excellent footwork and an impressive array of moves around the bucket. His game has been compared to Al Harrington's and his favorite player is Kevin Garnett.

"I kind of pattern my game after a couple players - there's not one single player that I focus on," said Hickson. "It's something I've worked at and something I try to continue getting better at."

More than anything, it's apparent that he likes to stick his nose into the action and loves to bang in the post - a welcome trait for the Wine and Gold.

On the other side of the coin, Hickson is listed at 6-9, but after seeing him in person, it's hard to see him as an inch taller than LeBron James. (Although LBJ's aura usually gives him a couple extra inches.)

Jackson was one of five Jayhawks drafted on Thursday. He was the 52nd pick of the Draft, selected by Miami before being sent to Cleveland for the lower of the two second round picks Cleveland has in 2009. The rugged forward talked about his Draft night experience.

"My mom told me I was going to Cleveland, and I don't know what it is about this place but it's always been in my heart and on my mind," said Jackson. "Ever since I started playing basketball and LeBron came here I would think: ‘Man, I'd love the chance to run up and down the court with him.'"

During their respective workouts, neither player had the opportunity to meet LeBron James, personally. James has been working out at Cleveland Clinic Courts - (and was actually shooting with Chris Jent late yesterday afternoon before the media started filing in) - and at one point, Jackson did get a look at him.

"When LeBron was stretching, I took a look over at him," smiled the Oklahoma City native. "It's not every day that you get to see the King. I thought: ‘Is that really him?'"

Much of the concern fans had over drafting Hickson was his timetable - and specifically how it affects LeBron's contract. But a source close to the King maintains that what he wants more than anything is a "4" who can catch the ball in the post and finish.

One look at Hickson's highlight reel shows that he knows exactly what to do with the ball when he receives it down low. The only question now is: when will he be ready to do so.

"I'm just ready to do whatever's asked of me," said the Atlanta native. "If they want me to come in and contribute right away, then I'm willing to do that. Whatever coach asks of me, that's what I'm going to do."

Cavaliers Grab J.J. Hickson

Posted at 9:32 p.m. EDT

Well, the Cavaliers confounded everyone - not going for the big names like Kosta Koufus or Chris Douglas-Roberts - but instead opting for NC State freshman, J.J. Hickson.

Hickson played big in the country's toughest conference and is already developed physically - with a strong upper and extremely strong lower body for a 19-year-old. He prefers to play with his back to the basket, but can also knock down the 18-footer. Even for a young guy, he's a tough matchup because of his combination of strength and quickness and has a nice array of moves under the basket.

Hickson has drawn comparisions to Al Harrington - a player the Cavaliers were reportedly interested in as of late. At 6-9, he's relatively small for a PF. He doesn't have great mechanics and questionable hands. Hickson also doesn't have much of a left-hand at this point - a concern for a player who likes the action close to the basket.

He has the potential to be an excellent rebounder, and he'll be with one of the top rebounding teams in the NBA. Hickson gives the Cavaliers an athletic player at a position where they desperately need it.

The Countdown Begins...

Posted at 9:02 p.m. EDT

The word on this Draft was that it was deep one, and that's proven to be true through the first dozen picks. The Nets have to be tickled that Brook Lopez fell to them at No. 10. And the Pacers - in one day - made a major upgrade of their point guard position, snagging Jerryd Bayless at No. 11 just hours after picking up T.J. Ford in the Jermaine O'Neal trade.

Sacramento just surprised everyone by drafting Rider's Jason Thompson at No. 12.

Brandon Rush, as expected, came off the board to Portland. The Cavaliers were high on him, but as the Draft continues to shake out, some names are beginning to slip closer to No. 19.

Cleveland will be keeping an eye on Philadelphia - another team in need of a big. Again, the decision will be whether the Cavaliers go with a wing player or a big. The Sixers are reportedly high on Kosta Koufus and if he comes off the board, that could change the Wine and Gold's plans.

The Cavaliers are within minutes of making their choice ...

And They're Off...

Posted at 8:12 p.m. EDT

So here we are after the top five picks have come and gone ...

The big mystery of the early stage of the Draft was answered when the Heat ended their smokescreen and drafted Michael Beasley with the No. 2 overall pick. Pat Riley had questioned Beasley's dedication, but when the smoke cleared, the choice was easy. Many people feel that the K-State phenom will be a double-double machine from day one.

For all the bluster about Miami grabbing O.J. Mayo and the Heat waiting to acquire Elton Brand or Carlos Boozer next year, it was Beasley with the pick.

Mayo went to the Timberwolves, who will go with Al Jefferson at the "5" again this upcoming season - unless they make another move between now and Training Camp. (Or the end of the night.)

The Sonics took defensive-minded combo-guard, Russell Westbrook, with the No. 4 overall pick. Most of the punditry here at CCC feels that was a stretch for the Sonics. (Put it this way: Westbrook wasn't even at Madison Square Garden's Green Room.) But the combination of Westbrook and Kevin Durant is still a nice one-two for Seattle.

With the fifth pick, the Grizzlies stuck to the script and went with Kevin Love - the prolific freshman from UCLA. Love has dropped a ton of weight since the NCAA season ended and will fill the frontcourt void left by the departure of Pau Gasol. Memphis has to feel good about this draft.

With Gasol's younger brother, Marc, agreeing to join the Grizzlies this season, Memphis has to feel like they got two lottery picks out of the night.

The Knicks are on the clock now, and that's always good for some electricity at MSG ...

Let the Games Begin

Posted at 7:18 p.m. EDT

Right now, the talk around Independence is about the same as the buzz around the basketball community - and most of it focuses on the Nets-Bucks trade.

Of course, the name of a player not involved (Michael Redd) is what the media is talking about. Does the deal that sends Richard Jefferson to Milwaukee indicate that Redd is expendable? Or does it portend that Milwaukee is building for this year, and giving Redd a sidekick like R-Jeff is an indication that the Bucks are looking at making a move.

Of course, from the New Jersey side - as it will be from now until 2010 - folks are concerned that the Nets are making salary-cutting moves to make a pitch at LeBron. And it's not completely crazy to think that way. New Jersey did give up one of the Eastern Conference's better small forwards for two non-starters. The jury is still out on Yi Jianlian.

I've had a couple of readers write in to ask who the Cavaliers would prefer - CDR or Courtney Lee. I think they're high on both players, but it'll probably boil down to a simple choice of whether they want a wing player or a big man like Roy Hibbert or Kosta Koufus - if either (or any of the four players) are available.

The Cavaliers do like Courtney Lee and Danny Ferry has said that he likes Douglas-Roberts' game. Either would certainly solidify the two-guard spot. Both guys are "basketball players" - meaning they're not shooters or ball-handlers or defenders. They can do it all, and versatility at that position has to be a priority going into 2008-09.

The 2008 tips off in just a few minutes ....

Trade Winds Blowing in the Draft

Posted at 5:07 p.m. EDT

I'm here at the Cavaliers state-of-the-art training complex - Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence - where we media members will take in the 2008 NBA Draft. I'm going to be blogging from here as the Wine and Gold work their way towards the No. 19 pick.

This is one of the most wide-open drafts in recent memory. And it's a deep draft.

As many as six point guards - Derrick Rose, O.J. Mayo, Jerryd Bayless, D.J. Augustin, Eric Gordon and Russell Westbrook - could be lottery picks. The entire first round is deep with big men - even in the bottom half and past where the Cavaliers select. Quality wing players like CDR, Bill Walker and Courtney Lee should be, as well.

The story going right now is that the trade winds are beginning to blow. And all the action has been in the East.

Pending physicals ...

Jermaine O'Neal got shipped to Toronto to shore up their frontline. T.J. Ford got sent to Indy to shore up their backcourt. Each player was on the clock with their former teams, so the fact that both moved is no surprise. And it puts an end to the rumor that O'Neal might wind up in Cleveland.

The second big deal also involves a Central Division and Atlantic Division team with the Bucks sending Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons to New Jersey for Richard Jefferson.

Yi moves to the big market, which his people wanted the entire time. And Bobby Simmons ends a snake-bitten stay in Wisconsin. New Jersey has now shipped out two-thirds of their Big Three and continues to get younger.

Boston's Championship is already having ripple effects across the league, and it's certain that the complexion of the East is going to be dramatically different between now and October.

And we haven't even seen the first pick of the Draft yet. Stay tuned ...

His last words at the podium before getting on the bus to Logan Airport last night said it all: "A LeBron James team is never desperate."

That's about all James could say after his Cavaliers dropped a difficult 96-89 loss in Boston, and now face elimination on Friday night at The Q. Throughout the postseason, LeBron has said that - as the team's leader - if he seems rattled, the team will get rattled. If he is poised and confident, the team will be poised and confident.

LeBron's past numbers indicated that he would have a big Game 5 in Boston - and he did.

In his two previous playoffs appearances, in Game 5's with a series tied 2-2, LeBron has averaged 41.7 points, seven boards and six assists. He didn't reach those numbers on Wednesday night, but after the way Cleveland has played in Boston, you might have thought 35 would put them over the top.

"As an individual, I don't care how well I play offensively," said James. "If you don't win that's all that matters to me. I'd rather play bad and shoot bad from the field and turn the ball over a couple a times and get a win. My individual play doesn't mean anything when you lose."

Of course, LeBron's production wasn't the problem last night. The Celtics got big games from two of their big three, plus a huge lift for Rajon Rondo. From midway through the second quarter, Boston seemed to get every loose ball, every call and every offensive rebound - including the game-clinching board by Ray Allen with the Cavaliers trailing by four - 91-97 - with 19 seconds to play.

The Wine and Gold have no one but themselves to blame. They shot just 63 percent from the stripe in the second half. They had two fewer assists as a team than Rajon Rondo had individually. And Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who dominated Kendrick Perkins through the first two games of the series in Beantown took only two shots in the second half on Wednesday.

"I just couldn't get any shots," said Z following the tough loss. "I've got to find my way to somehow get myself more involved. It's up to me to figure it out somehow."

The Cavaliers didn't get a ton from anyone other than Delonte West - who led everyone with 16 points in the second half. West had four steals and four dimes and, maybe most importantly, was aggressive getting to the rim.

"The outside shot wasn't falling and, when you're on the road, that's what you have to do - you try to force the referees to make some calls," said the Cavaliers starting point man.

The small lineup of West and Daniel Gibson was very effective in the first half, but Boobie was forced from action early in the third quarter with a left shoulder injury. Team personnel will tell you that Gibson is pound-for-pound one of the toughest players on the squad. He should be ready to go on Friday night.

The Cavaliers were not dour in the locker room following Wednesday night's loss. It was more an air of determination. Wally Szczerbiak - the only other Cavalier to net double-figures - put it bluntly. "Well our backs are against the wall, we're desperate," said Szczerbiak, apparently not getting LeBron's memo. "So we've got to play that way, and we've got to figure out a way to get a win at home - like we did in Games 3 and 4 - and take it one step at a time."

Delonte West boarded the bus out of the arena, saying - in "colorful" language he later apologized for - that the Cavaliers would see Boston again on Sunday afternoon for Game 7.

"This is one game, and this (series) is like a heavyweight fight," said West. "You ain't gonna win every round. The fight's not over, so we're gonna regroup, get back to Cleveland, and get ready for Game 6."