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The news that Ben Wallace had joined the Cavaliers caused a major stir in the league.
Although Wallace was seen as a blue-collar player, he had been one of the leading centers in recent years, consistently selected for All-Star teams and both All-NBA and All-Defensive teams.
When he teamed up with LeBron James on the Cavaliers, the landscape of the Eastern Conference immediately shifted.
The Cavaliers were no longer just "LeBron's team." With Ben Wallace, Big Z (Zydrunas Ilgauskas), and Larry Hughes, the roster was now among the strongest in the league.
It was clear that the Cavaliers, who had made it to the playoffs with the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference last season, would be even more formidable after adding an elite All-Star talent.
LeBron James was thrilled. Wallace was the biggest free-agent signing of 2006, and his acquisition by the Cavaliers caught many by surprise. In an interview, James couldn't hide his excitement.
"I can't wait to play alongside such a legendary center! With Big Ben's help, the Cavaliers will definitely go further this season and even have a shot at the championship!" James declared.
And James wasn't exaggerating.
In the original 2006-07 season, the Cavaliers, with James as their sole core, made it all the way to the NBA Finals despite minimal changes from the 2005 roster.
Of course, when they faced the powerhouse San Antonio Spurs in the Finals, the Cavaliers were swept 4-0, and James had a subpar performance, averaging just 22 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 35.6% shooting from the field, along with 5.8 turnovers per game.
This crushing defeat was a harsh lesson for the young James. After the series, Spurs' star Tim Duncan famously patted James on the head and told him, "The future is yours," a phrase that became iconic in NBA lore.
If the Cavaliers could make the Finals with a weaker team, how much stronger would they be now after upgrading their roster?
To put this into perspective, the Cavaliers' appearance in the 2006-07 Finals was due, in part, to the overall weakness of the Eastern Conference at the time.
The Detroit Pistons, who had dominated the East for years, had lost some of their defensive prowess. Although they reached the Eastern Conference Finals, they couldn't stop the Cavaliers, helped by some questionable officiating and James' ability to take extra steps on drives without being called for traveling.
The Miami Heat, the reigning champions, were significantly weakened—especially Shaquille O'Neal, whose production was rapidly declining with age. O'Neal played only 40 regular-season games, averaging 17 points and 7 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Dwyane Wade, also struggling with injuries, played in 50 games, averaging 27 points, 5 rebounds, and 7.5 assists.
Wade's career, though impressive, was often marred by injuries, which significantly impacted his performance.
As an older rookie when he entered the NBA in 2003, Wade had been criticized for his age and the potential for injuries, which was why many teams passed on him during the draft.
Wade's most unfortunate stretch came in the two seasons following his 2005-06 championship, where he reached the pinnacle of his career by winning the Finals MVP.
After leading his team to the title, Wade became one of the league's top stars, even surpassing LeBron James at the time.
However, in the 2006-07 season, injuries limited Wade to 50 games, and the Heat were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round. The following season, Wade played another 50 games, and his numbers dipped to 24 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. The Heat missed the playoffs entirely.
Wade's two-year absence from his prime was unfortunate, and though he made a strong comeback in 2008-09, averaging 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 7.5 assists, the landscape had shifted.
Kobe Bryant won his first Finals MVP trophy, and LeBron James was crowned regular-season MVP. Though Wade's performances were stellar, he had fallen behind both players due to his lost seasons.
Back to the topic at hand.
With the Pistons and Heat both weakened, teams like the Wizards, Nets, Bulls, and Raptors couldn't challenge the Cavaliers, who managed to reach the Finals as the dominant force in the East. This is the so-called "in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king" scenario.
After the Celtics successfully formed their "Big Three" the following season, and with Dwight Howard's rise with the Magic, James struggled to return to the Finals and eventually decided to follow in the footsteps of the Celtics' stars by forming his own superteam.
With the addition of Ben Wallace, the Cavaliers' chances of making the Finals increased significantly, assuming Wang Chong didn't end up joining the Bulls.
While Wallace wouldn't improve the Cavaliers' offense, his presence would greatly bolster their defense. Defense is the backbone of any championship team, as proven by the Spurs, Pistons, and Heat in recent years.
However, the Bulls were also in the mix.
This season, the Bulls had shown promise on defense, and while they weren't on par with defensive juggernauts like the Pistons or Spurs, they weren't far behind. With young players like Monta Ellis and Luol Deng developing further, the Bulls' overall strength was set to rise next season.
Especially Luol Deng, whose original 2006-07 season saw him make a leap, improving his averages to 18.8 points and 7 rebounds per game. Monta Ellis also secured his spot as the starting point guard for the Warriors, averaging 16.5 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists per game.
With the continued growth of these two, along with strong defense from Wang Chong, Tyson Chandler, and Raja Bell, the Bulls' starting lineup would become much stronger.
Additionally, the Bulls would see a significant improvement in their bench, thanks to Wang Chong's draft selection of Paul Millsap.
Millsap, though a lesser-known second-round pick, had impressive skills. Even in his rookie season, he averaged 6.8 points and 5 rebounds in just 18 minutes per game.
Wang Chong believed that with the right training, Millsap could at least become a valuable bench player, if not a starter.
With this in mind, even with Ben Wallace on the Cavaliers, neither Cleveland nor James would be able to match up with Wang Chong and the Bulls.
While Wang Chong enjoyed his post-draft vacation in Los Angeles with Jessica Alba, Bulls' General Manager John Paxson was left puzzled.
The Bulls had exceeded expectations this season, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, and the team was eager to build on that success.
For the Bulls, taking the next step meant reaching the NBA Finals or even winning the championship.
But Paxson felt that the current Bulls roster was lacking. Wang Chong was the team's only All-Star, and many attributed their success solely to his efforts.
When free agency opened, Paxson considered making a splash, hoping to bring in a star to help Wang Chong.
But after searching the free-agent market, Paxson found few options.
End of this chapter
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