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Cleveland continues to be the heartbeat of sports media. LeBron is back. What are the Cavaliers going to do next to please the King? Based on media reports they’re in speculative discussions to acquire Kevin Love. This is coming from the same media that reported all types of scenarios for Lebron prior to him declaring to Cleveland.

As the Cavliers sit they are in prime position to grow this season. Why take their valuable young assets and ship them away? Instead they have the formula everyone in the NBA would die to have. An unimaginable of high end low salary young assets (Dion Waiters, Thompson, Irving, Wiggins, Bennett) and veterans in Mike Miller, James Jones, and Anderson Varejeo.

The team that Cleveland will put on the court with Lebron is almost a replica hybrid of the 2012 Oklahoma City Thunder and Lebron’s Miami Heat teams. Vegas is usually spot on over the media and there’s a reason why the Cavs are Eastern Conference favorites and right behind the Spurs for title chances.

The pairing that will bolster this team to the top is their backcourt. Kyrie Irving’s care and attitude waned under poor leadership of Mike Brown and Byron Scott. He wanted out of Cleveland mid-season and was grumbling to the media. Dion Waiters and Irving clashed to the point that Waiters was nearly dealt to rid the team of camaraderie issues.

As the offseason approached Cavs fans were more worried about their youth than the far fetched idea of Lebron signing. If Kyrie would have exited there would not have been a possibility for LeBron heading there.

Why destroy a team of young athletes that have now decided to come together under LeBron? Build with them and see how LeBron and the new head coach see the team. If issues arise once again then put them on the trading block for a possible Kevin Love. Until that time hold tight and see where the athletes take you.

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Summer league action has been great thus far. Free play posts keep winning so I’ll head there again before baseball returns. The Golden State Warriors had won 9 straight summer league games before suffering a loss to the Lakers on Monday.

In my estimation this Warriors squad is getting bookmaker love to entice the public betting market. Their first win over the Phoenix Suns has kept that momentum going. An overtime loss is not enough to get the bandwagon off the Warriors just yet.

But today should. This Golden State roster is not of summer league’s past. The Warriors rode the hot hands of Draymond Green, Ken Bazemore, and other catalysts the prior two summer league’s. Keep in mind this Warriors team did not have a draft pick this season. All players on their roster are practically undrafted free agents.

Rodney McGruder, James Michael McAdoo, Justin Holiday, and Aaron Craft are getting the bulk of the Warriors minutes alongside veteran free agent, Orlando Johnson and a few foreign players.

Atlanta is winless in the summer league but has had the toughest schedule thus far. They lost the D-League select by a bucket, the Wizards who have had a two-man show with Otto Porter/Glen Rice Jr, and the veteran driven Trailblazers (Barton, McCollum, Freeland, and Thomas Robinson).

They’re 0-3 squared with the public mentality of the Warriors is a catalyst for today’s free play.

Free throws have been a detriment for many teams in the summer league. Atlanta though has made 63 of 77 (81%). Golden State along with every other team is shooting a woeful 68%, 61 for 89.

I’ll take the four points tonight.

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Last year was the first year I started handicapping the NBA summer league. It seems to be gaining more attraction this year. More books are offering the games and the level of play seems to be better than a year ago. It doesn’t hurt to see new head coaches, either present, or gracing the sidelines (Steve Kerr, Derek Fisher, etc.)

Currently I’m two games above .500 at 5-3 ATS in summer league plays. Today I have two premium plays available. Both plays can be had for $20 by emailing me at notjustagame23@gmail.com.

Todays free play comes in the Philadelphia 76ers vs the Phoenix Suns. Currently this spread sits as the 76ers favored at 2.5 points. The only reason I can figure out why this spread is in Philadelphia’s favor is because they have some players that played in the Orlando summer league. Phoenix has just two games thus far in Vegas.

I like Phoenix tonight as I think they’re a better team overall in the summer league. They could easily be 2-0 if they did not squander a lead against Golden State. One thing I like about the Suns is they let their young big men get experience in the summer league. The prior two seasons the Morris twins were on the floor. This year Plumlee and Len (before injury) have been gaining experience.

Having a presence such as Plumlee in the paint is a huge x-factor in summer league play. Confidence is rising for guard Seth Curry after he willed the Suns back against the Bucks.

Philadelphia has not been able to play four complete quarters on the floor in any summer league game in Vegas thus far. When Nerlens Noel has been on the floor they’ve been a functional team. But tonight his minutes should be relegated to protect his knee.

Take Phoenix tonight

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At 3PM in Las Vegas one of the many Sunday games in action comes in the Sacramento Kings vs Charlotte Bobcats. Totals are awfully tough in any instance. I’m one to play a total 25% of the time (1 out of every 4 handicapped plays). Today I have a five game board and plays can be purchased in the today’s picks section.

For this free play I’m going to harken back to how these teams played in the regular season. You’re likely thinking why is he comparing a completely different looking regular season roster versus a summer league. Well, if you look at the Kings roster it is filled with some of their main components of the regular season. Players such as Ray McCallum, Ben McLemore, and Derrick Williams. McLemore and McCallum were the Kings starting backcourt for a solid month and a half when Isiah Thomas was out with injury.

In addition to that nucleus of players the Kings have first round pick Nik Stauskas. I do not expect these four players from the Kings to play the high amount of minutes they did in game one of the summer league. With that in mind, you’d have to expect their minutes to leave a lot to be desired on the court. Poor shot selection in the summer league is awful for totals. Ten minute quarters truly do go be quickly. A stretch of four misses in a row and seven out of ten empty possessions could erase a quarter.

That doesn’t bode well for a total set at 157.5. Charlotte is set as favorites at 3.5 points for a reason. They’re a defensive laden NBA summer league team. They aren’t going to score a ton of points.

Expect both teams to shoot poor and for this game to fall well below 157.5.

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In about a week the NBA free agency frenzy will begin. Media focus will surround the big names in the market. Carmelo Anthony has already decided to opt out and the unknown still surrounds the Miami big three.

San Antonio won its fifth championship in the Duncan era. They did so be having the best and unmatched bench play in the playoffs. Throughout the NBA there are capable starters coming off the bench. Perhaps they have Corey Maggette type of skills—scorers but a liability on defense. Having a sharp skill on offense is what a bench needs to boost their team. After all their job is to give their starter’s adequate minutes of rest.

With the salary cap in play more than ever, you’re starting to see some coaches utilize their bench with more velocity. Rotating in younger players for a starting veteran that is getting paid a meager salary (Miami with Norris Cole over Mario Chalmers).

Surrounding stars with bench players that are there to work is the model San Antonio has shown. Brooklyn probably was the second best at that this season. Shaun Livingston, Andray Blatche, and several others filled in nicely and were a main reason for the Nets turning their season around. While Phoenix took players that were buried on other rosters (Gerald Green, Mason Plumlee) and turned them into overnight successes.

Here are a look at the non-notable free agents that can offer high value for teams.

Trevor Arizona
Arizona made his fortune off his post Lakers contract. It was obviously a higher contract than he deserved. He is at the point of his career where he can be an effective player off the bench. He provides sharp shooting and size at 6’8. Look for teams to offer him a one to two year deal to provide that lift off the bench.

DJ Augustin
Sure Augustin was a bust as a high first round pick. General managers are over that fact. Augustin showed last year for the Bulls that he can be one of the best backup point guards in the league. Injuries will happen and he can play at a high level for 20 to 25 games. He’ll be an attractive candidate for several teams looking for veteran leadership at the backup point guard position.

Jerryd Bayless
Bayless is the argument the NBA has for college players leaving to early. It’s not that Bayless does not have the talent to be an NBA starter. It’s the fact that he has bounced around the league and not been giving the proper opportunity. Teams have used him for trade bait based on his young talent and ultimately it has hurt his career. Staying in college would have done wonders to his basketball maturation. At this point he is going to have a tough time getting back a starting role.

Vince Carter
I’m shocked to see how Carter has prolonged his career. A few seasons back it looked like his gravestone for his career was finished in Phoenix. He couldn’t move up the floor and had ballooned in weight. Instead he transformed his game and worked on his jumper. It paid dividends in Dallas. His size and shooting can keep him in the NBA for a couple of more seasons.

Others: Ed Davis, Wes Johnson, Shaun Livingston, Ramon Sessions, and PJ Tucker

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The 2014 NBA Draft is five days away. Many are calling it the best crop of talent in quite some time. International prospects and the diaper dandies of 2013 fill the top of the draft board. That’s a common correlation to countless NBA drafts.

What makes this draft elite is the handful of talented 22 and 23 year old prospects. Typically players this age are ruled out of the first round. They’re usually the type of players that could be counted on as a second option on their college teams their junior and senior years. Players categorized in this age group are usually second round picks. Some fight through the first cuts and get an initial rookie NBA contract. The ceiling usually involves bouncing around the league for four seasons before settling in overseas.

This draft is going to change that. Many of the players in this age group are going to play in the NBA for a long time. Some may even be in consideration for rookie of the year. Here is quick look at expected first round picks at age 22 or 23.

Shabazz Napier
I’ve been big on Napier since his freshman year at UConn. Both of his college coaches, Kevin Ollie and Jim Calhoun, gave him the freedom to play his game. It caused some poor stretches but also gave him the confidence to carry his team in 2013-2014. A two time college champion is not one to take lightly on the professional level. Napier will be a perfect fit to a team’s second unit in 2014 and 2015. Before long he’ll have a starting role.

Adreian Payne
Payne is a bit of a different story. At 23 years old, he caused his fortune to be put on hold. At times in his career he was overweight. Before last season he dedicated himself to getting into shape. It paid off even through a season of injuries. He showed the ability to dominate inside and on the perimeter. There aren’t too many big men currently in the NBA that have his offensive skill set.

CleAnthony Early
Early’s story is also a bit different. The 22 year old did not receive the high scholarship offers out of high school in New York. Most talented players on small schools take a few years to get noticed. Early was noticed last year as Wichita State burst onto the scene. He made the right move in coming back last year. Improvement was noticeable in all facets of his game. March only benefitted his draft stock.

Doug McDermott
McDermott has been labeled a shooter and scorer selectively. Creighton’s team was an offensive juggernaut in the newly formed Big East. But when it faced defensive minded teams it struggled. McDermott’s transition to the NBA might be more of a challenge than his eye-popping stats show. Nonetheless, a role will be formed for him. He has the size at 6’8 to build a niche even if his defensive efforts force him to 20 minutes or less a game.

CJ Wilcox
The Pac-12 is the most under covered big conference by the media. Wilcox in my estimation was one of the best college basketball players last year at creating his own shot. He can score baskets in a hurry while doing the little things that add to a team. He’ll likely fall to the early second round and land on a team that will be boosted immediately. Wilcox offers the biggest bang for his likely draft position of anyone in the draft.