LIFE WITHOUT LOWRY

Kyle Lowry

All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry is set to have surgery to remove loose bodies from his right wrist. This surgery will keep Lowry out for the remainder of the regular season. The Raptors are optimistic that Lowry will be able to return in time for the playoffs. He's having a career year averaging 22.8ppg, 6.9apg while shooting 46% from the field and 41% from deep. Toronto is currently third in the Eastern Conference standings and many expect them to slip with Lowry being out for an extended period of time.

I do believe the Raptors will struggle to a degree without Lowry, but there's another All-Star on that team having a career year himself. DeMar Derozan showed last night why the Raptors might be just fine until Lowry's return. Derozan scored a game high 37 points against the Knicks while making the game winning jumper with 1.9 seconds left. It's going to take a collective effort from the entire team for the Raptors to maintain their position in the standings. Backup point guard Cory Joseph's role expands with this injury as he replaces Lowry in the starting lineup. Additions such as Serge Ibaka and PJ Tucker will help the Raptors in multiple ways. Ibaka will bring much needed rebounding and scoring while giving them a rim protector. Tucker is one of those guys who brings defense, energy and toughness to the table.

There's a similar situation happening in Cleveland with Kevin Love missing the rest of the regular season as well. These two teams met last year in the Eastern Conference Finals with the Cavs winning in six games. If Lowry can return to full health for the playoffs the Raptors are capable of making another deep run. The Celtics are sitting second in the East as of now but have lost three of their last four games. One of those losses coming to Toronto without Lowry.

I wouldn't press the panic button on these Raptors. Sometimes an injury like this can bring a team closer together and impact their play on the court in a positive way. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Toronto was still a top three seed at the end of the regular season. They will be depending heavily on Derozan who can put himself into the MVP conversation if he continues to play at a high level.

FINAL PIECES TO THE PUZZLE?

Deron Williams

Has LeBron James playmaker wish finally come true? Last week Deron Williams was waived by the Dallas Mavericks. After clearing waivers Williams is expected to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers. With this signing the Cavs will have filled a void in the backup point guard position. Last year the team was three deep at the position with Kyrie Irving, Mo Williams and Matthew Dellavedova. This year it's been Irving and rookie Kay Felder who isn't quite ready for that backup role just yet.

It appears that the Cavs aren't done trying to make moves to their roster just yet. Andrew Bogut is expected to sign with the Cavs after being waived by the Sixers. Bogut has told the Sixers that he wishes to compete for a championship since he's been plagued by injuries throughout this season. This would be another piece to the puzzle for the Cavs because they have yet to address the backup center position since Timothy Mosgov signed with the Lakers as a free agent. The Cavs have made some great additions in preparing themselves to defend their title. Kyle Korver and Derrick Williams are just a few key additions. If Williams and Bogut do sign, they help improve the Cavs bench production instantly.

Andrew Bogut

The Bogut signing would be a huge one for the simple fact that his injury was one of the turning points in the 2016 NBA Finals. Bogut served as a great rim protector for the Warriors. While the Draymond Green suspension played a part in game five, not having Bogut for the remainder of the series hurt the Warriors defensively. If Bogut can remain healthy for the remainder of this season he'll be a great asset to the Cavs on the defensive end. These additions to the roster would put the Cavs in great position to repeat come June.

Back in January LeBron James went on record to say, "We need a f---ing playmaker." Many people took this statement and insisted that James was talking about bringing in another star player. That wasn't the case at all. James knew there were holes in the roster that needed to be filled dealing with the second unit. These holes will have been filled if Williams and Bogut join the team this week. Deron Williams is more than capable or running the show with the second unit while Bogut would add a defensive presence. Will these acquisitions be enough for the Cavs to repeat come June?

NIGHTMARE ON MADISON

John Paxson and Gar Forman

If there was ever any front office that needed to start from scratch it's the Chicago Bulls. Yesterday was the trade deadline and the Bulls traded away a 2018 second-round pick, Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Cameron Payne, Anthony Morrow, and Joffrey Lauvergne. Gibson was drafted by the Bulls in 2009 and was the only player remaining from the 2010-11 Bulls roster. That season we saw Derrick Rose become the NBA's youngest MVP and watched the Bulls make it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bulls would win 62 games, the most since Jordan era and finish with the best record in the NBA.

Following that season things began to go downhill. Head Coach Tom Thibodeau really never saw eye to eye with Paxson and Forman. While Thibodeau was able to get the most out of his players throughout all the injury plagued seasons he was let go in 2015. If you get rid of a coach like Thibodeau you would think the front office would bring in a veteran coach, or at least someone with some type of NBA coaching experience? WRONG! The Bulls went into another direction by hiring Fred "The Mayor" Hoiberg. He did have coaching experience coming from Iowa State, but none at the NBA level.

One would think the emergence of Jimmy Butler, him and Rose would become one of the best duos in the league. That didn't pan out and the organization decided Rose was no longer the future of the franchise and traded him to the Knicks for Robin Lopez, Jerian Grant and Jose Calderon. To paraphrase Forman after drafting Denzel Valentine last summer the Bulls must 'get younger, more athletic.'

How do you get younger by bringing in a 34 year-old Dwyane Wade and a 30 year-old Rajon Rondo? I'm still trying to figure out the answers to this. Not only do you bring them in, but outside of McDermott there aren't any shooters on the roster. Then during the season you trade Tony Snell for Michael Carter-Williams. Fast forward to the trade of Gibson and McDermott and now this Bulls roster has five point guards. It makes absolutely no sense in my eyes.

It's clear that the front office doesn't know what direction they want to go in. It seems like everyone but Paxson and Forman realize that the Bulls need to tank and start over. I don't understand why the trade deadline went by and Jimmy Butler is still in a Bulls uniform. While the Bulls are 7th in the Eastern Conference standings they need to look to the future. Making the playoffs does nothing but give the city false hope.

I'm hoping the "GarPax" run will come to an end soon in Chicago, but it simply doesn't look like that will be the case. They have flat out lied to the fans on the future of the team and have a coach in place that doesn't have respect or control in the locker room. The Bulls will be bad for a long time coming if a change isn't made in the front office.

IS LAVAR BALL OUT OF BOUNDS?

LaVar Ball

Lonzo Ball is a star freshman at UCLA. He's a shoe in as a lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. While he has a promising career ahead of him the talk has been more about his father. LaVar Ball, at a recent game told ESPN, “I have the utmost confidence in what my boy is doing. He’s better than Steph Curry to me. Put Steph Curry on UCLA’s team right now and put my boy on Golden State and watch what happens.” I'm glad LaVar has confidence in his son's talent, but he's got to be out of his mind to think if his son were to be on the Warriors at this point that they would be a better team.

Lonzo Ball

Lonzo has enough media attention as it is and I'm pretty sure he doesn't need his father adding to it. LaVar Ball is doing nothing but putting a target on his son's back and you better believe that these NBA players are taking notice. While I do believe Lonzo has the potential to have a great NBA career, I think his play on the court should speak for him and not his father. Following in Lonzo's footsteps are his brothers LaMelo and LiAngelo, who have also committed to UCLA. Both are still playing at Chino Hills High School looking to bring home another state championship.

There's no question that LaVar Ball has confidence in his Lonzo's ability. With that being said some things you just keep to yourself. These type of statements can become more of a distraction as Lonzo continues on the next level. Lonzo has been compared to the likes of Jason Kidd with his great playmaking ability. With the NCAA Tournament approaching soon it'll be interesting to see how far UCLA can go. I mean if we're going to take the LaVar Ball route and compare him to Curry at this point we have to remember Curry took mid-major Davidson to the Elite Eight 2008. It's to be determined if UCLA will be cutting down the nets at the end of the season, but I can almost guarantee that LaVar Ball will find his way into the headlines again.

NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND REVIEW

Coming into NBA All-Star Weekend we had great storylines. Headlining these storylines was Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Everyone wanted to see how the interaction between these two would play out since Durant as joined the Warriors. Let's not even get into that just yet though, I want to start off with Saturday night.

Kristaps Porzingis

The Taco Bell Skills Challenge didn't disappoint. I picked Isaiah Thomas to win the event, but it was Kristaps Porzingis who took home 1st place. This is the second year in a row that a big man has won the competition. Karl-Anthony Towns was winner last year in Toronto.

Eric Gordon

Next, we had the JBL Three-Point Contest. My pick to win it was 2013 winner Kyrie Irving. Defending champion Klay Thompson surprised a lot of people by not making it out of the first round. The final round came down to Irving, Eric Gordon, and Kemba Walker. Irving and Gordon tied with 20 points forcing a shootout in which Gordon won with a final score of 21. So far this All-Star Saturday night is off to a pretty good start.

$500,000 raised for Sager Strong Foundation

Soon after there was a tribute to Craig Sager, which in my eyes was the highlight of the Saturday night festivities. NBA players came onto the court along with other celebrities to help raise $500,000 for the Sager Strong Foundation. It ended with one of Sager's younger sons making a layup with the help from Shaq to push the total to half a million.

Glen Robinson III

Now it's the moment that everyone looks forward to. The Verizon Slam Dunk Contest. I think majority of people at home like me chose Aaron Gordon to win it and put on a show similar to last year. It started promising with Gordon using a drone to help assist on his first dunk attempt. Gordon missed on his first couple attempts and that took all of the excitement out the building. On his last try he completed the dunk, and that's the last dunk he would make. His next dunk he missed on each attempt and failed to reach the next round. The final round would be between Glen Robinson III and Derrick Jones Jr. This was about as boring as it could get. Robinson would practically win due to default because Jones was unable to make a dunk on his first attempt. Three of Robinson's dunks were just about the same. It wasn't that they weren't good dunks, but I wasn't impressed. But then again, I haven't dunked since my days on the Jordan Jammer so...

Anthony Davis

Usually when Saturday night doesn't seem as exciting there's at least redemption in the game on Sunday. I picked the Western Conference to be victorious with Westbrook taking home MVP honors. The West would get the victory 192-182. Anthony Davis would take home MVP scoring an All-Star game record 52 points. One highlight I enjoyed was seeing Durant connect with Westbrook on an alley-oop. That was about all the interaction we saw between the two. I'm all for putting on a show for the fans with the highlight dunks, crafty ball-handling, and crazy assists but for the love of competitiveness can we get some defense??? We could've been treated to a great ending with the game being close halfway through the fourth quarter. West coach Steve Kerr puts back in the starters while East coach Brad Stevens leaves most of his starters on the bench. I don't know who's to blame but if the game is close majority of starters need to be back on the floor to finish the game. Until some type of defense is played these games will continue to get worse each and every year.

All-Star Weekend was a let down this year. The most exciting part of the weekend happened after the game when DeMarcus Cousins was traded to the Pelicans. The dunk contest needs to be revamped. Either get more high profiled NBA players to participate or let these YouTube sensations compete and put on a show for the world to see. I miss the days when athletes loved to compete in the All-Star game. At the rate this game is headed I wouldn't be surprised next year if a team puts up 200 points. Get it together NBA!

BAYOU BOOGIE

Cousins & Davis

Just a few hours after the 66th NBA All-Star game ended Sacramento Kings star player, DeMarcus Cousins was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans for Tyreke Evans, Buddy Hield, Langston Galloway, one 2017 first-round and second-round draft picks. While Cousins definitely has some maturing to do on the court no one can deny the talent that he brings to the game. Also, the Kings never did a good job building around their former franchise player. It seemed every year Cousins was playing for a new coaching staff, and the Kings front office did a poor job of surrounding Cousins with talent. The Kings are obviously in rebuild mode now with the departure of Cousins. I wouldn't be surprised if more moves are made by the Kings before the trade deadline.

On the New Orleans side of town does this trade make the Pelicans a contender in the Western Conference? I still believe the Pelicans need to address a few positions on their roster to become contenders. Jrue Holiday becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. He's only 26 years old, but I don't believe he's the answer at the point guard position. One of the first point guards that came to my mind was Chris Paul. He'll be a free agent by the end of the 2018 season. Paul started his career in New Orleans and so far his career with the Clippers still hasn't landed him in the conference finals. Paul would also bring veteran leadership to a young team and that is something that Davis and Cousins would benefit from directly. Another point guard worth mentioning is Derrick Rose who's set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer as well. The Knicks have been an embarrassment to the NBA this season and it wouldn't surprise me one bit if Rose parted ways.

Chris Paul

One thing is for sure and that's the future of the Pelicans is very bright. When is the last time that we've seen a roster with the best two big men on the same team together? They have the foundation to become something special sooner than later. We can now see how Cousins will react in an entirely new environment. Many people felt a fresh start in another city would be good for Cousins. Only time will tell, but if he can mature on the court becoming an asset instead of a distraction then the sky is the limit for this team.

NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND PREDICTIONS

NBA All-Star Weekend is set to begin tonight in New Orleans, Louisiana. There are so many events I'm look forward to, but personally I can't wait to see the interaction between Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Head Coach Steve Kerr has already hinted at the possibility of playing his four Warriors players alongside Westbrook. Guess I'll have to wait until Sunday to see how that goes, but until then are my predictions for the upcoming events:

BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge Friday, Feb. 17, 9:00pm ET

• U.S. Team Roster def. World Team Roster, Karl-Anthony Towns MVP

Taco Bell Skills Challenge (First Event) Saturday, Feb. 18, 8:00pm ET

1. Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks
2. DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings
3. Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
4. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets (replacing Joel Embiid)
5. Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics - Winner
6. Gordon Hayward, Utah Jazz
7. John Wall, Washington Wizards
8. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns

JBL Three-Point Contest (Second Event)

1. Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
2. Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
3. Eric Gordon, Houston Rockets
4. Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers - Winner
5. C.J. McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers
6. Kemba Walker, Charlotte Hornets
7. Wesley Matthews, Dallas Mavericks
8. Nick Young, Los Angeles Lakers

Verizon Slam Dunk Contest (Third Event)

1. Derrick Jones Jr., Phoenix Suns
2. Aaron Gordon, Orlando Magic - Winner
3. Glen Robinson III, Indiana Pacers
4. DeAndre Jordan, Los Angeles Clippers

66th NBA All-Star Game Sunday, Feb. 19, 8:00pm ET

• Western Conference def. Eastern Conference, Russell Westbrook MVP

I do believe that Russell Westbrook will win his third straight All-Star game MVP and will do so in triple-double fashion. Besides the game on Sunday I'm really looking forward to Verizon Slam Dunk Contest. I'm eager to see what Aaron Gordon has in store this year after the epic battle him and Zach Lavine had last year. I hope everyone enjoys the excitement of NBA All-Star Weekend because I know I will.

MVP RACE: IS A TRIPLE DOUBLE ENOUGH?

The All Star break is upon us and there's a two man race for Most Valuable Player. Russell Westbrook and James Harden have elevated their level of play in historic fashion this season. With the departure of Kevin Durant in the offseason, Westbrook has put the Oklahoma City Thunder on his back and taken flight. He's the first person since Oscar Robertson to be averaging a triple-double at this point in the season.

Westbrook is doing everything possible to keep the Thunder in the playoff picture. He's currently averaging 31.1ppg, 10.5rpg, and 10.1apg. Even with Durant leaving for the Warriors I couldn't imagine Westbrook would be chasing history the way he is. Injuries earlier in the season to Victor Oladipo and now Enes Kanter have left Westbrook playing with a bunch of C grade role players, and he's making the most of it. The Thunder are seventh in the Western Conference and will more than likely make the playoffs come April. Is averaging a triple double enough to win Westbrook the MVP race?

I don't think so. James Harden isn't averaging a triple-double, but he has not only elevated his play but the team success is following. Before the year started there weren't many people talking about the Rockets as a contender in the Western Conference. Mike D'Antoni became the new Head Coach and told the world that Harden would make the switch from shooting guard to point guard. At best, I imagined that the Rockets would be a fun team to watch on offense while fighting at the bottom of the West to make the playoffs. Right now the Rockets are third in the West and Harden is averaging 29.2ppg, 8.3rpg, and 11.3apg. He's the first player in NBA history to have multiple 50 point triple doubles in the same season. Also, he's joined Oscar Robertson as the only players to have five 40 point triple double games in the same season.

Both Harden and Westbrook are deserving of the MVP, but if I had to choose one it would definitely be Harden due to his team success along with his individual numbers. While I do believe that Westbrook does have enough in the tank to finish the season averaging a triple-double it won't be enough to get him the MVP award. It will be a tight race all the way until the end of the regular season, and as a basketball fan you can't help but to enjoy the history these two players are making.

DC RISING

There's no secret that the Cleveland Cavaliers are the heavy favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference this June. My next question is who will be their biggest challenge come April and May? While the Boston Celtics are only two games behind the Cavs, there's a team in DC that has been on fire since the start of the new year. The Washington Wizards have the NBA's best record since the start of 2017 going 17-5. Just recently the Wizards had their 17 game home winning streak snapped by the Cavs in what I like to call an Eastern Conference Finals preview.

John Wall is having another All-Star season, and his counterpart Bradley Beal is having an All-Star worthy season himself. If it was up to me Beal would be replacing the injured Kevin Love come this weekend in New Orleans. The dynamic duo are finally starting to get healthy and playing extremely well together. Role players such as Otto Porter Jr, Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat have also been consistent contributors leading to the team success.

The Eastern Conference playoff picture is shaping up to be an interesting one. Just yesterday, the Raptors traded Terrence Ross and a 2017 first round pick to the Magic for Serge Ibaka. This is a great move for the Raptors who have struggled to fill that PF position all year. The Celtics have a star in Isaiah "Fourth Quarter" Thomas and with Kevin Love to miss the rest of the regular season for the Cavs things start to become much more intriguing in the East.

Once it's all said and done I do believe that the Eastern Conference Finals matchup will be between the Cavs and Wizards. Wall has is having a career year and is establishing himself as a leader on his team. As long as they can stay healthy not only do I believe they can get to the Eastern Conference Finals, but I believe they can make it a competitive series as well against the Cavs.