The league-wide crusade continues. Today’s NBA report turns our attention to the teams in the meat-and-potatoes Midwest. Here’s what’s on tap this season with the teams that comprise the Eastern Conference’s Central Division:

(33-49) Chicago received the ultimate gift and curse when they locked down the number one pick in the NBA Draft this year. After much debate about Michael Beasley, the team chose to ride with prodigal son Derrick Rose. Pooh will generate some excitement in a town that desperately wants a return to respectability, while getting to play with cool hand Luol Deng. Our favorite ponytail Joakim Noah should have a strong sophomore season, and Ben Gordon will be gunning for his life after holding out so long when his contract negotiations failed to go the way he wanted. The real problem this team faces is that it carries way too many guards. Trying to find enough playing time for them all will be like too many heads trying to smoke one little doobie. It’s just not enough hits to go around. The Bulls will battle for a playoff spot this year but there simply are no guarantees at press time

(59-23) The Detroit Pistons are like Buddy Revell in one of my old school favorites, Three O’Clock High. They clearly are the class bully in the East every year but once they got their bell rang by LeBron for 48 points in 2007, the nerds just aren’t scared of them anymore. Rasheed, Chauncey and Rip remain dangerous, but teams like the Cavs and Bulls know they can beat them on any given night. And the Pistons don’t have enough to punk Boston’s Big Three ensemble even though Jason Maxiel will be in beast mode this year. New coach Michael Curry will put the fire back in the Pistons game but I am not convinced it will be enough to detour a second round playoff exit. And that is not acceptable with all the talent in the Motor City. Read the rest of this entry »

The opening of training camps for the upcoming 2008-09 NBA season will take place in 13 days and the news out of Washington is looking bleak for Wizards fans and Gilbert Arenas.

Reports have confirmed that Agent Zero will be out of action until at least December after undergoing yet another surgical procedure on his left knee. This was his third surgery on the knee in 17 months. It was also the reason that he only played 13 regular season games last season, including hindering his team’s playoff performance in the first three games of the Wizards’ first round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

So the real question is: how much return on investment will Wizards’ owner Abe Pollin receive on that colossal $111 million dollar contract that Agent Zero inked over the summer?

Though Arenas claims this latest surgery should allow him to come back more explosive than ever, I, among others, remain skeptical. Will Arenas ever be the same player again? Not to mention, how many times was his return pushed back last year? Several. First, he was guilty of coming back too soon after injuring the knee at the end of the 2006-07 season, then finally opted out of playing the remaining games against the Cavs in 2008 playoffs because he clearly was not helping his team by playing less than 100%. So why should we really believe that he will be back by December? I certainly don’t and the Wizards organization should be frantic right about now. This is the same team who offered Arenas $127 million but he was gracious enough to take one for the team, accepting an offer 16 milli less. How nice, but when will your services really be available Mr. Arenas? What are Caron Butler and Antwaan Jamison thinking right now? Something deep inside my woman’s intuition tells me that Jamison is now having second thoughts about staying in Washington.

So what will the over/under be on Agent Zero’s return? He says early December. If I had money to bet, I would say late January.

Stay tuned.