Are the Redeem Team ready ?

This is probably the question many of us are thinking now.

It's the Olympic time, and the most exciting basketball showdown will happen. Only tough teams can play in the quest for the Basketball Olympic Gold.

Defending Champion Argentina sure is raring to win it back to back while 2006 FIBA World Champions are out to forget what happened to them in Athens. Sweeping the elimination was their only great achievement in 2004 but come knock out game, they were booted out by Team USA. So expect the Spaniards to be more aggressive.

And now the Redeem Team, Le Bron James,Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard are mature now, and surely that experience in 2004 have toughen them up.

Plus with the addition of Kobe Bryant,Jason Kidd, Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer and Michael Redd, I think this Redeem Team have a pretty fair chance of bagging the gold.

It's gonna be a very tough competition, but I think the Best World Basketball Team in the Olympics is Team USA,not of course unless other team upsets them.

NBA Blockbuster Trade Thoughts

Here is my assessment on this year's NBA Trade :

Cavaliers. They acquired Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West from Chicago and Seattle for Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Ira Newble, Shannon Brown, Donyell Marshall and Cedric Simmons.)

Cleveland is . . . better? Marginally so; Szczerbiak is a dead-eye shooter and Wallace a good pickup for battles down the road. But if the Cavs have more playoff-tested veterans now, they also are a little older and slower. They will now have to slug games out in the paint, and you wonder how LeBron James feels about that.

Mavericks. (They acquired Jason Kidd and Malik Allen from New Jersey for Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Keith Van Horn, Maurice Ager, Trenton Hassell and draft picks.)
Van Horn saved Dallas by taking a prorated $4 million to play for two months. Kidd should make the game easier for everyone. But Dallas has to break through and win a title now. And the Mavs will miss Diop's size just as much as Harris' quickness.

Suns. (They acquired Shaquille O'Neal from Miami for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks.)
Phoenix rolled the dice by bringing in the 36-year-old Shaq, but the bigger question is whether Amare Stoudemire can do what Marion did for the Suns at the defensive end. If Wednesday's home loss to the Lakers is any indication, the Suns have work to do. But the trade was still worth making; it gives Phoenix desperately needed size up front.

Lakers. (They acquired Pau Gasol from Memphis for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, the rights to Marc Gasol, and draft picks.)
How can one say anything different after watching a rejuvenated Gasol, who has fit right in with Kobe Bryant and the surging Lakers? Los Angeles also opted not to move Lamar Odom before the deadline, giving this group a chance to mesh. GM Mitch Kupchak should drive to Vegas tonight and bet the ranch. He's on a roll.

Spurs. (They acquired Kurt Thomas from Seattle for Brent Barry, Francisco Elson, and a 2009 first-round pick. They also signed Damon Stoudamire.)
San Antonio strikes again, getting the rugged Thomas for the playoff run in the physical West while not having to mortgage any of its key pieces. Stoudamire should help down the stretch if starter Tony Parker continues to be slowed by injuries.

Jazz. (They acquired Kyle Korver from the Sixers for Gordan Giricek.)
This December deal is still paying big dividends for Utah. Korver has fit right into the Jazz' halfcourt sets, and his presence allows Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer more room inside to operate

I just think the L.A. Lakers is the biggest winner among these blockbuster trade deal, with the Mavericks coming in second.