Pass The Mike Sports

Now that we've had a few days to marinate on last week's NBA trade deadline let's take a look at the aftermath. In case you've been living under a rock, ala Patrick Star, here's everything that went down in the NBA on Thursday. Now that all the paperwork is complete and new jerseys have been printed here's the breakdown of why the Cavs secured the bag even before they beat the brakes off   defeated the Celtics  on national TV Sunday. For much of the season, Cleveland looked old, slow and tired despite sitting comfortably as a top-4 seed in the East. Yet, with a wave of fresh faces, the Cavs are primed to make another Finals run, as opposed to a team who might have lost in the first round. The Cavs acquired Jordan Clarkson, Rodney Hood, George Hill and Larry Nance Jr. at the trade deadline pic.twitter.com/mQNIi0Wszm — Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) February 9, 2018 Cleveland's front office pulled off one of the boldest strategies I've e...

With the NBA free agency period beginning Friday, it's crunch time for the Miami Heat. Team president Pat Riley and the Heat's front office staff have major questions to answer as they prepare for the 2016-17 season. The biggest question involves its biggest free agent: Hassan Whiteside. The 27-year-old center is an unrestricted free agent which means he's free to sign a deal with any team. Fortunately for him, several teams are prepared to offer top dollar for his services come in the coming days. After earning $981,000 last season, Whiteside will sign a deal shortly that pays him up to $22 million dollars a year. Not bad for a player who once had to beg NBA teams just for a tryout. Now, while that's great news for the Whiteside family, it puts the Heat franchise in a tight spot. The issue for Miami is should they use most of their salary cap space to sign Whiteside, or try their luck at wooing Oklahoma City superstar free agent Kevin Durant. Hassan Whiteside...

As the Cleveland Cavaliers battle the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals there is a huge rumor brewing that may make Cavs fans uneasy (again). Could LeBron James possibly return to play for the Miami Heat? Well, according to ESPN's Stephen A. Smith it's very much a possibility .  Smith, who was one of the first to report James interest in teaming up with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade in 2010, presented the idea Monday that the Cavaliers star may ditch Cleveland again depending on how the team performs in the playoffs. Here's Smith and colleague Skip Bayless discussing LeBron on ESPN's First Take.  According to Smith's report, LeBron's decision to leave is based on the promise he made to Cleveland fans when he returned in 2014. Left to right: Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Chris Paul and LeBron James smile during a photo at the 2016 NBA All-Star game in Toronto. Basically if James fulfills his promise by leadi...

Now that the dust has settled on the Miami Heat's season its time to look ahead at what's next for star guard Dwyane Wade. If Wade wants to figure out what element he can add to his game this offseason, he simply has to look at the number on his jersey. While Pat Riley and the Heat front office figure out how to pay Hassan Whiteside, manage Chris Bosh's health issues and keep the team competitive, there's only one thing for Wade to do. Dwyane Wade Yes, Dwyane, its time for you to develop a consistent three-point shot. At 34, Wade had a resurgent season with the Heat after many basketball analysts wondered if he could play at a high level at this stage in his career. In his 13th NBA season, Wade averaged 19 points, four rebounds, and nearly five assists per game. More importantly, he avoided the injury bug that has plagued him throughout his career. Wade played in 74 games, his most since the 2010-11 season. That's notable especially after team president Pa...