The NBA offseason can be a troubling time for many athletes, simply offering too many opportunities for individuals to run into trouble. Rather than focus on the downward spiral of players like Lamar Odom and J.R. Smith, however, should we instead focus on the progress other athletes, like Metta World Peace, have made after their own missteps?

During Canada Basketball’s introductory press conference, general manager Steve Nash referred to the current state of Canadian basketball as the “golden age” for the nation in the sport. Just 10 years ago, hardcore, patriotic basketball fans keenly focused in on the status of Canadian ballers like Carl English and Aaron Doornekamp. Dwayne Riley-Grant explains how much can change in a decade.

The leading scorer of the 2012-13 NBA season, Carmelo Anthony, put up an impressive 28.7 points per game on much improved shooting efficiency from his previous year, while also making a big jump in points scored per game. There were several possible reasons for Melo’s improved shooting efficiency and overall better performance, such as his matured post-up game, shot selection and his move to the power forward position, but what played the biggest part in his jump to the NBA’s top scorer?

Future Hall-of-Fame point guard Jason Kidd, who started 48 games for the New York Knicks last year, retired last month. Less than two weeks later, on June 12, he was named head coach of the Brooklyn Nets. Considering the recent history of the NBA, this was a pretty remarkable turnaround to say the least. In the past, former players have typically had to earn their dues for years as assistant coaches, broadcasters, or in front office roles before being handed the coveted role of head coach for an NBA team.

When the Houston Rockets brought Dwight Howard on board through free agency this offseason, they essentially signed themselves up for a year of headlines and hoopla. Easily forgotten in all of the commotion of Houston’s resurgence as a Western Conference power, however, is point guard Jeremy Lin. It wasn’t long ago when Linsanity was in full effect. Will we ever see it again?

In the nearly 70-year existence of the NBA, a lot has changed. Players of a variety of races and nationalities now populate the league. The 24-second shot clock and three-point arc have been implemented. Shorts have grown longer, and tattoos more prevalent. The elite players of today earn more salary in a year than the legends of yesteryear did over an entire career. Throughout all that change, though, at least one thing has remained constant: the dominance of the Lakers and Celtics.

Dwight Howard has been a topic of major discussion for going on three seasons now. What often gets lost in the shuffle of where he’ll end up or why he hasn’t been as dominant as he was during some of his final years in Orlando is the fact that he’s been playing with a back injury. TheGP’s resident sports medicine guru Doug Freeman sheds light on the situation.

It probably wasn’t supposed to end like this for Paul Pierce. Not after so many years in Boston. It’ll be strange to see him playing alongside Kevin Garnett next season, wearing the black and white Brooklyn uniform, chasing after one more ring. It doesn’t feel right to see him playing anywhere else. Mark Milner explains the End of the Era in Boston.

It’s been a busy week for Boston Celtics fans. Even before the blockbuster deal was announced that would send Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Brooklyn, their own bench boss had signed on for a new opportunity with the Los Angeles Clippers. It’s the end of an era in Beantown, no doubt, but are things finally getting started for Chris Paul, Blake Rivers and the Clips?

They say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. If that is indeed the case, then 37-year old Miami Heat shooting guard Ray Allen may be the definition of sanity: he does the same thing over and over again and expects the exact same result each time. Luckily for him (and us), time and time again throughout his career, he has gotten those results. For 17 years in the NBA, Allen’s job has been to make shots, and, for most of that time, he has been the best in the world at it.