Out of all the major sports, the NBA always seems to have the most interesting off seasons. And although it’s a little over a year away, the 2014 off season is already looking like to be one of the most important in the long history of the league.

It all starts with a parade, the celebration for the last team standing, but those thoughts of joy quickly disappear and are replaced with the need to do it all again. The off season is where championship teams are born.

A week after the Larry O’Brien trophy is held up into the air, the new season officially begins. The first event of significance is the NBA Draft. The Draft, typically dominated by the teams that failed during the regular season, symbolizes hope for these teams. Hope that they can pick the cornerstone for their future. Hope that they won’t waste this opportunity on a bust. Hope that they won’t pass on a future Hall of Famer (Looking at you, Portland).

In 2014, the team who draws the #1 pick will undoubtedly select Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins has been hyped as the next “Great” since his junior season of High School. He selected the Kansas Jayhawks this past spring and will likely only be spending one year at the school. In the NFL or MLB, a team can “tank” towards the end of the season to help secure the number one pick, but that’s the beauty of the NBA. In the NBA, the lottery gives the bottom 15 teams of the league a chance to get the first pick. Which means even if a team like, Charlotte or Orlando, were willing to lose games in order to draft Wiggins, they wouldn’t be guaranteed the pick. (The last team to finish the season with the worst record and pick first was back in 2004, when Orlando drafted Dwight Howard.)

The Free Agency Period can make or break a championship contender. Teams try desperately to make the leap from the middle of the pack to a championship contender. Trying to keep their core players together, teams struggle with the cap, and keeping enough free space to allow them to add complimentary talent. Two of the biggest stories of the 2014 Off Season will be: where LeBron takes his talents this time around, and the future of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Starting with LeBron, he could stay with the Heat for another year or opt out of his current contract to resign a better contract with Miami or sign with another team. Regardless of what team he wants to play for, he will likely opt of the current deal; resigning a new deal with Miami will give him stability for the future and more money next season, and being a free agent allows him to explore his options. Rumors suggest the Lakers and the Cavilers are already showing interest, with more teams to join as time goes on. His decision will likely come down to winning and if the Heat show they can win again next year, I think he stays. If the Heat don’t win however it’s anyone’s game. The Cavilers are a bright young team that is filled with potential. The biggest drawback for the Cavs is that some of the fanbase is still bitter over “The Decision.” Would LeBron go back there?

The Lakers are one of the most storied franchises is all of sports. This team isn’t the Lakers of past however. An old team, being led by an aging superstar like Kobe may not be the most appealing place for the best player in the world. Especially when winning is his greatest desire; the Lakers were the second best team in LA last year, and with the clippers hiring Doc Rivers that will most likely continue. LeBron isn’t the only big name on the market next year. The Lakers are also showing interest in Carmelo Anthony. Though the biggest knock the Lakers have against them in regards to signing either LeBron or Anthony, is Kobe B. Bryant.

Kobe is a future Hall of Famer, but time is catching up with him. A former slashing two guard who was as athletic as they came and could score as well as anyone, is now limited to outside jumphots with flashes of his old self sprinkled throughout the season. A onetime lockdown defender is now a basketball equivalent to a DH, guarding the opposing teams worst offensive player so that he can save his energy for offense. Kobe did everything in his power this past season to get the dysfunctional Lakers into the playoffs. He did manage to get them in, but at the cost of tearing his Achilles in the final week of the season. This gave the Lakers an opportunity, a reason, to part ways with him.

No decision is loved by everyone, and this one would have been no different. But the negatives that Kobe brings to the team with his overbearing personality are starting to surpass how well he plays. Getting rid of Kobe may have helped keep Dwight Howard, who signed with Rockets, after Kobe confronted him during his meeting with the team. This type of behavior isn’t going to be appreciated by players who are equally or more talented than he is; such as Carmelo or LeBron. With D’Antoni as the coach I could see Carmelo possibly coming on board, but I don’t see a scenario with Kobe and LeBron on the same NBA team. That being said, if Carmelo does sign with the Lakers, the Knicks might join in the LeBron sweepstakes. The Knicks tried hard to get LeBron last time he was on the market, and with the emergence of the Nets, the Knicks may need James to retake New York.