2009/2010 NBA Thread

[Blaze09]

Stuckey has the body to be able to do that. I haven't seen a lot of him though so I'm unsure of how good he is defensively. But he seems like a guy who would be able to do that.

And yeah, looking at the team, I don't understand how it can't not be Johnson coaching. He ran a high tempo, score first team in Dallas and this team seems to be shaping up like that moreso than any other Piston team in the past.

And the Artest to Lakers deal is intriguing. I guess they were able to sign him at the price they offered Ariza so it all works out. Ariza's good and can get better but Artest brings even more toughness to the team.

Above average at best, better than Gordon though. The thing is this can't be the only move. If it is then damn, we wasted 5 mil total between the two. I would have rather them pack it in for a year and get a lottery pick then throw some money at someone next year.

The Lakers are better now, it will be hard for a #1 option to truly get off on them next year. If no one gets better in the west, I see them going back.

Oh, and I found that Brandon Jennings video, very funny

[thuganomic]

I'm not a fan of the Artest deal at all. I don't want to see some punk like Artest on my team. What's gonna happen when he starts bitching about something or doesn't get along with Kobe? Why mess up the chemistry of the team when you could've easily just re-signed Ariza? He was putting up pretty much the same numbers as Artest, and he was a KEY to the Lakers getting the finals last year, especially because of his steals. I just don't see a need for the Lakers to get any better, especially when they got OLDER because of it. Ariza's still very young and could've been in his prime as Kobe and Gasol got older. Now, you just add another guy that's going to age right along with them. I don't really like it for either team, considering Ariza and Aaron Brooks are now the Rockets best players? Houston's doomed, they might end up with one of the worst records in the league next year..

Houston's doomed either way, with or without Artest. They've basically thrown in the towel next season. There's no Yao anyway. This way, they give their young guns a whole season to develop. Best case scenario, Yao returns in 2010 healthy as ever and surrounded by a young nucleus. Worst case scenario, they still have a young core in an attractive city with a ton of cap space to sign Bosh.

[Trey]

Artest: 17.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 3.3 APG

Ariza: 8.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.8 APG

Their numbers last year weren't really that close.

And how tall is Stuckey really? I see he's listed at 6'5 but Gordon's listed at 6'3 when he's really only about 6'1

[buck...]

I'm thinking Stuck is 6'3, 6'4 but don't know for sure. Could be wrong.

[JStarr]

Adrian Wojnarowski on Yahoo compared the Lakers getting Artest to the Bulls getting Rodman, which I find pretty apt. Seems like Artest is going to know his place, be motivated to get a ring, and he's not AS likely to get out of line with Kobe there to chomp on his ass. It would have probably been the same had he gone to Cleveland.

I don't think the Lakers with Artest are quite as good as the Cavs would have been with Artest, but either way, I had him pegged as the most important free agent this offseason. If the Lakers keep Odom, I'll take my place in the "Lakers are repeating" line right behind DMN. Hopefully, he brought a spare bottle of happy juice.

[jrtdot]

From RealGM

Raptors Offer Marion Four-Year Deal?

Jul 03, 2009 2:24 PM EST

The Raptors have offered free-agent forward Shawn Marion a four-year deal worth more than $32 million, according to the Globe and Mail.

The deal could be worth as much as $34 million, according to the report, and is longer and more lucrative than the three-year, $21 million offer Toronto was reported to have made to Marion.

Sources: Blazers, Turkoglu Strike Deal

Hedo Turkoglu has agreed in principle to sign with the Trail Blazers, according to sources.

Turkoglu cannot sign a contract with Portland until Wednesday, after the NBA has released the salary cap for the 2009-10 season.

The deal is believed to be worth roughly $50 million over five years.

Turkoglu had dinner with Blazers coach Nate McMillan in Florida on Wednesday, and the forward flew to Portland to visit the team and city on Thursday.

Well if Turk does not come to T.O. the next best thing with Artest and Ariza off the market is Marion IMO, he played very well in the tail end of the season and I'd really like to see what he can do with a full season in Raptorland. Also, I think he may be able to mentor DeRozan this season.

[Mr Evil Guy]

Turkoglu has apparently broken off his Blazers commitment and has his sights on the Raptors for what could be up to 6 mil more

Just when I thought we lost 'em

[Toe]

Portland's loss looks to be Toronto's gain.

According to a report on globesports.com, Hedo Turkoglu has agreed to terms on a five-year contract with the Toronto Raptors. The deal is worth more than $50 million.

The reported signing comes hours after the sharp-shooting forward's contract talks with the Portland Trail Blazers broke off on Friday night.

The Oregonian newspaper originally reported Turkoglu agreed to a five-year, $50 million contract with Portland, but later in the day indicated that Turkoglu had rejected such an offer.

The 30-year-old Turkoglu, a first-round draft pick of Sacramento in 2000, had spent the previous five years with the Magic and averaged 16.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists over 77 games last season. He helped the Magic into the NBA Finals, but last week opted out of the final season of his deal that would have paid him $7.3 million.

Not only that, but the Magic already made a big move to replace Turkoglu by working out a trade with New Jersey for Vince Carter on draft night.

The 6-foot-10 Turkoglu spent his first three seasons with the Kings before joining the San Antonio Spurs for one seasons. For his career, he's averaging 12.3 points and 4.2 rebounds and is a career 38.5 percent shooter from three- point range.

Source - http://tsn.ca/nba/story/?id=283674

[jrtdot]

I just hope we can get some backups with some skill because with this signing, we cannot really sign Parker, Delfino and of course Marion

[DMN in the House]

Love the Artest deal. This team is young, but it's not *that* young. Kobe's got old legs, but is in his prime, and this team needs to win now, not in three years when Ariza will be ready. Artest will stay in line, and it means LA probably keeps Odom, because he's good friends with Artest (along with Kobe), and both were instrumental in getting him here. I'll also trust the guy that kept Rodman in line to do the same for Artest, who's always seemed like a guy who wants to win, he just needs a good support structure around him. Love the deal, because Trevor Ariza was definately not worth what he wanted.

[Tits McGee]

Apparently the Blazers are in trade talks with NY for David Lee since the Hedo signing fell thru.

[Mr Evil Guy]

Sheed committed to the Celtics.

EDIT: Kidd verbally agrees to 3 year 25 mil deal with Mavs and it's a possibility that AI = Miami.

Edited July 6, 2009 by Mr Evil Guy

[Maxx]

Ugh, fucking Cuban just can't accept the Kidd trade was horrible. Really, we're going to give a 36 year old point guard who can't shoot and can't defend most of the other younger, faster guards in the conference, 3 years, 25 million? We get it Mark, you regret not keeping Steve Nash, this is not a way to compensate for it. The Mavs are no closer to winning a title this year than they were last year. They should be blowing up the team and going on a free agent spending spree in 2010, but no, they'll try to ride it out with Dirk and Kidd instead.

[naiwf]

Dirk would look REALLY good in a Knicks jersey in 2011

Edited July 6, 2009 by naiwf

[thuganomic]

Ugh, fucking Cuban just can't accept the Kidd trade was horrible. Really, we're going to give a 36 year old point guard who can't shoot and can't defend most of the other younger, faster guards in the conference, 3 years, 25 million? We get it Mark, you regret not keeping Steve Nash, this is not a way to compensate for it. The Mavs are no closer to winning a title this year than they were last year. They should be blowing up the team and going on a free agent spending spree in 2010, but no, they'll try to ride it out with Dirk and Kidd instead.

And Gortat. Can't forget Gortat.

[livid]

Well help might be on the way...

The Dallas Mavericks, after striking verbal agreements over the past few days to retain Jason Kidd and sign restricted free agent Marcin Gortat to an offer sheet, have identified their latest target: Shawn Marion.

The Mavericks and Toronto Raptors, according to NBA front-office sources, are discussing a sign-and-trade deal that would bring Marion to Dallas.

Although no trade appeared imminent Monday night, Dallas has emerged as perhaps the best option for Marion. He appeared to be heading for a new deal with the Raptors when Toronto succeeded in wooing Hedo Turkoglu away from the Portland Trail Blazers with an 11th-hour bid on Friday after Turkoglu had committed to the Blazers.

If the Mavericks and Raptors can strike a deal -- with a third team potentially needed to help make the salary-cap math work -- sources say that former All-Star guard Jerry Stackhouse will almost certainly be headed to the Raptors in the exchange. Stackhouse is scheduled to earn $7 million next season at age 34, but only $2 million of his salary is guaranteed.

Without a sign-and-trade, Marion's options for landing a contract that starts above the projected mid-level exception of $5.8 million next season would appear to be exhausted, with neither Portland nor Oklahoma City -- teams that still have cap space to burn -- expected to make him an offer.

Would be an interesting move but would that mean that Howard would move down to the 2 and then bringing Terry off the bench or trading away Howard like has been rumored for awhile now? As I really don't see them going with Marion at the 4 and putting Dirk at Center as that...wouldn't be a very good idea given how much money they have tied up to Dampier and Gortat.

[Blitz]

I've also heard that instead of signing Gortat to the MLE we'll do a sign and trade with Orlando sending Bass to the Magic, thus retaining our right to go out and get perhaps another point guard (Raymond Felton or Jarrett Jack).

[gunnar hendershow]

Just read that a memo was sent to league execs expecting the salary cap to drop in 2010-11. Cue endless ESPN reporting about just how this affects the free agency class that year and if it's good or bad for King James.

[El Presidente]

That'd be a smart move for the Magic to get Brandon Bass. Their bench is looking all sorts of weak right now if they lose Gortat for nothing.

[MyKILLv2.0]

I don't understand how the Mavs think they will become better if they pick up Marion....especially if it means they lose Howard, which in my eyes would be a wash at best. And more so, I haven't figured out why the Mavs resigned Kidd. He was KILLED all last year when he would face Paul, D Williams, Tony Parker or any of the young guards in the West. I don't care if Dallas can figure out a way to put both Howard and Marion on the floor, I still don't see the Mavs getting out of the first round as long as Jason Kidd is at the point.