Now that the Dallas Mavericks have defeated the Miami Heat to win the 2011 NBA Championship where does each team go from here? Dallas just won the title without arguably their 2nd best player (Caron Butler), meanwhile the Heat just lost the title in large part to an epic 4th quarter meltdown in Game 2 (leading by 15 points with 7 minutes left) and an inability to get any type of final quarter production from one of the best players in the game, LeBron James. Miami will enter the 2012 season as the prohibitive favorites to hoist the very same trophy that was being displayed up and down Biscayne by the opposition in 2011. So… what now?



WHERE DO THEY GO FROM HERE:

Eric Spoelstra, Miami Heat Head Coach: His options would be plentiful if the Heat did in fact let him go which I think would be a great thing for both parties. Pat Riley, however, has seemed to make it clear that Spo is his man. Spo is young and obviously not much of a disciplinarian and based solely on his undressing in the NBA Finals, he will not get a chance to get bumped by one of his players he would be gone long before that happens.



Jason Kidd, Dallas Mavs PG: After the Finals the PG formerly known as "Ason" said he felt great and he could play at least 3 more years. Well one thing is for sure, he definitely played like it. He defended Kobe, Durant and Lebron in consecutive series, none of which went the distance. This first ballot Hall of Famer is enjoying the fruits of his NBA labor and will one day be a great Head Coach.

Chris Bosh, Miami Heat PF: Bosh was the subject of extraordinary critism and banter. From being called feminine to soft as paper mache, Bosh never seemed completely effected by the banter and although he appeared out of place at times, he had a very consistent All Star level season. Now comes the hard part. Can he accept his role as a third fiddle, now that it is a reality, for the foreseeable future? For him it is fit in between the Big 2 and forever be an afterthought or bust.



Tyson Chandler, Dallas Mavs C: Tyson Chandler is an unrestricted free agent and is currently looking like the best available player in a weak free agent market. He has proved that if he can stay healthy he can be a valuable piece to a championship puzzle. Is he a player to build around? No, of course not. If any team thinks he is and throw a bunch of money his way, good for him but that team more than likely would not be a contender and since he already has the ever coveted championship ring, where he goes from here no one knows.

LeBron James, Miami Heat SF: The "Chosen One" fairly or unfairly has been mocked and attacked, sometimes viciously by fans, owners and members of the media who all had a part in building unattainable expectations. Pressure busts pipes and it appears that maybe LeBron does not have what it takes to seize THE moment; YET. I have a feeling the many stories of his demise are greatly exaggerated. He is a 26 year old two time MVP and maybe he is comfortable with just being that or maybe one day he will want to be immortal and play with a sense of urgency instead of entitlement. Maybe not. The choice is his and his alone.

Mark Cuban, Dallas Mavs Owner: The Mavs had the highest payroll in the NBA and the eccentric Cuban has made it clear Championship rings are a thing of the past. So what will he do? Will he buy each of his players their own team? Will he build an arena on the moon so the Mavs can play against Aliens and be champions of the Universe? Will he buy a baseball team and promise his players they can play in the off-season? It all seems so absurd but with Cuban who knows where he goes from here.





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