Welcome to my first of many blog posts. The summer is about to end, college students are already back at school, this could only mean one thing. Probably not what all of you are thinking of (NFL Season?), NBA training camps open up very soon.

This gives me my first opportunity to publicly discuss the NBA free agent circus that occurred throughout the summer. Each post I am going to discuss two big name players that have signed or been traded, and one under the radar name that has changed teams. Before I get into the obvious. Let me first discuss some of the other big names that have left signed on or been traded to a new team:

Amare Stoudemire: The first big name off the market, signed with the the New York Knickerbockers. Knicks fans thought this was the first domino that would revive a franchise in serious turmoil. Unfortunately for them they could not lure in the other big fish. Now there is still a decent chance that Melo and Paul could be brought aboard, however if this roster stays the way it is right now, I see this signing being the biggest bust of the off-season. Amare thrived in the Sun’s system for one reason, Steve Nash. Nash created so many opportunities for Stoudemire, and he simply took advantage of that. Will Raymond Felton be able to do the same? I am not trying to knock Felton, but he is certainly no Steve Nash. Now, I am not saying Amare will not be productive, but this guy is not a player that can lead a team single-handedly. He needs pieces around him, and the pieces that are there now are not even close to what he had in Phoenix. The song, however could change if the Knicks still have some magic up their sleeves and are able to lure Melo and Paul away from their respective teams.

Carlos Boozer: Signed with the Chicago Bulls. This was one of the best signings of the off-season without a question. Chicago needed a low-post presence, and they got their man. They would have liked to have added a Joe Johnson or another scorer as well, but their team is drastically better than the 8th seeded team they were a season ago. Boozer goes from playing with one of the best young point guards in the game (Deron Williams) to another great young point guard (Derrick Rose). He will thrive in this offense. Fans will see Boozer and Rose work a two-man game just as Williams and Boozer did in Utah. The supporting cast on this team is phenomenal as well. Joakim Noah never quits on a play, and Luol Deng, I feel is one of the most underrated players in the game. He can put up 15 and 10 on any given night. With their bench improved as well, they are jolted into the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference, probably not at the Heat’s caliber, but close behind.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas: Ilgauskas is my under the radar signing of the day. The Heat picked him up for the veteran’s minimum, and what an acquisition he is. When the Heat signed the “Big 3″ there were questions about their supporting cast and bench. Ilgauskas is a piece to help solve that puzzle. He may not be a starter, but he can come off the bench and give any team 15-20 minutes a night. He is still in great shape. My partner and world renowned trainer, Cliff Morgan, trains Big Z in the off-season, and has nothing but great stuff to say about him. “Z works harder than anyone I have ever seen. He has his sights set on that Championship ring.” He will provide the rebounding he has given throughout his career, and still knock down a jumper when need be. I think this was the best under the radar acquisition of the off-season.