NBA 2014/15 Season Thread

[phatman]

In some news which shouldn't really surprise anyone, Steve Nash is expected to be ruled out for the entire 2014/15 season today due to ongoing nerve pressure and stress on his back...

Been a Phoenix fan, I was a fan of what Nash did for the club and the trade which sent him to LA was a great move for Phoenix and probably should have even been done half a season earlier... This should be it for Nash, I can't and don't expect to see him back now and I believe he should just announce his retirement and get it over with...

[TheSqauredCircleMessiah]

Curious. I didn't much follow the business side of the NBA when the last lockout happened, and reading literature about it just confused me even more. Can someone explained what happened and why it led to this weird ass problem for 2016?

Well the last lockout was I think 2 years ago. And it was more about how much of the money should go to players, before the lockout it was a 57/43 split for the players, and during the lockout it got dinged down to 50/50 because the owners alledged that they were running heavy losses and basically wanted an equal cut.

Now this monster deal has happened that has tripled tv revenues and will make the NBA and all the owners a fucktonne of cash, and will no doubt increase profits by a big margin over the coming years.The players on the other hand feel short-changed, having had to cut the money they made 2 years ago because the league was in bad waters and now it has suddenly done a complete 180. The owners will make tonnes of money, and the players won't see a penny for it.

So the players now want to get rid of the max-wage and increase the soft-cap for wages. That way players can make more, and teams should be able to pay more too.

I personally feel that there needs to be a compromise though. Cuban has said that it needs to be more NFL-like in terms of contracts. No max-wage, but also no guaranteed contracts for longer than a year. So players can't cash in after a good year, and then tank completely and expect to keep making the big money deals. Players want guaranteed money, owners want guaranteed performances, neither are realistic from any standpoint.

I'm all for raising the cap and nixing max-wages. But the players also need to compromise in that regard, and getting rid of the terrible guaranteed deals would go a long way in making the league a lot more competitive. And helping to get rid of the high-earning low-performing players who don't add anything.

Not to mention make it so we never have to hear the words "expiring contract" ever again.

The NBPA has always been a joke, partly because Billy Hunter was horrible. Every labor dispute eventually ends up with the owners dividing the players and the players end up taking an awful deal because they need to get paid. It goes back to 98/99 when max contracts were first instituted. In 2011, crippling luxury tax penalties were instituted.

The guys like LeBron. Kobe, Durant...the superduper starts who make a ton of money outside of their NBA salaries can afford to miss a year on principle while the vast majority of players can barely afford to miss one paycheck because they have to pay their entourage and have 4 car payments and a mortgage payment due for an 11-bedroom house every month.

The players on a whole would be colossal morons to give up guaranteed contracts so 1% of their membership can make $40 million a year. The new union head seems pretty smart so I doubt she'll let it get to that. This is a good analysis of the new TV deal that states the owners will want to lock the players out so they can get a bigger slice of the BRI.

Also, Steve Nash is out for the season. Nash will end up having played 65 games as Laker, making more than $415,000 per game played.

[gunnar hendershow]

I could see Nash playing a Juwan Howard role on the Cavs next year.

[Meacon Keaton]

Curious. I didn't much follow the business side of the NBA when the last lockout happened, and reading literature about it just confused me even more. Can someone explained what happened and why it led to this weird ass problem for 2016?

Well the last lockout was I think 2 years ago. And it was more about how much of the money should go to players, before the lockout it was a 57/43 split for the players, and during the lockout it got dinged down to 50/50 because the owners alledged that they were running heavy losses and basically wanted an equal cut.

Now this monster deal has happened that has tripled tv revenues and will make the NBA and all the owners a fucktonne of cash, and will no doubt increase profits by a big margin over the coming years.The players on the other hand feel short-changed, having had to cut the money they made 2 years ago because the league was in bad waters and now it has suddenly done a complete 180. The owners will make tonnes of money, and the players won't see a penny for it.

So the players now want to get rid of the max-wage and increase the soft-cap for wages. That way players can make more, and teams should be able to pay more too.

I personally feel that there needs to be a compromise though. Cuban has said that it needs to be more NFL-like in terms of contracts. No max-wage, but also no guaranteed contracts for longer than a year. So players can't cash in after a good year, and then tank completely and expect to keep making the big money deals. Players want guaranteed money, owners want guaranteed performances, neither are realistic from any standpoint.

I'm all for raising the cap and nixing max-wages. But the players also need to compromise in that regard, and getting rid of the terrible guaranteed deals would go a long way in making the league a lot more competitive. And helping to get rid of the high-earning low-performing players who don't add anything.

Not to mention make it so we never have to hear the words "expiring contract" ever again.

The NBPA has always been a joke, partly because Billy Hunter was horrible. Every labor dispute eventually ends up with the owners dividing the players and the players end up taking an awful deal because they need to get paid. It goes back to 98/99 when max contracts were first instituted. In 2011, crippling luxury tax penalties were instituted.

The guys like LeBron. Kobe, Durant...the superduper starts who make a ton of money outside of their NBA salaries can afford to miss a year on principle while the vast majority of players can barely afford to miss one paycheck because they have to pay their entourage and have 4 car payments and a mortgage payment due for an 11-bedroom house every month.

Don't forget drugs. Rich black guys love their drugs.

[JasonM]

As far as Nash goes, I think it's time for the guy to hang up his boots. His body isn't going to get better, and with the reports of him having nerve damage I doubt it would be anywhere near smart to keep going and risk making it worse and suffering from it for the rest of his life.

With his knowledge and love for the game, his best bet is to simply move into a coaching role because he could really excel in such a thing. Preferably I see him as an assistant coach at the Mavericks, re-uniting him with Dirk But I'm biased anyways.

[gunnar hendershow]

Today's the day!

Predictions:

Eastern Conference

1 - Cleveland

2 - Chicago

3 - Toronto

4 - Atlanta

5 - Washington

6 - Charlotte

7 - Detroit

8 - Miami

Conference Finals

Cleveland over Chicago

Western Conference

1 - LA Clippers

2 - San Antonio

3 - Golden State

4 - Oklahoma City

5 - Dallas

6 - Portland

7 - Memphis

8 - Phoenix

Conference Finals

San Antonio over LA Clippers

NBA Champion

San Antonio

Awards

MVP - LeBron James

ROY - Jabari Parker

Sixth Man - Reggie Jackson

Most Improved - Jared Sullinger

DPOY - Joakim Noah

Coach of the Year - David Blatt

Lottery Top 3

Philadelphia

Orlando

LA Lakers

West is ridiculous and that top 5 is completely interchangeable. I basically went off of who is starting the season banged up (OKC), who will be benching starters (SA), and who is most motivated (LAC in a landslide). Dallas had a great offseason but who knows how well everything will click. I trust Kerr as a coach so hence I put the Warriors third.

[phatman]

I know I'm giving my predictions late but here they are anyway...

East

1. Cleveland Cavaliers

2. Chicago Bulls

3. Washington Wizards

4. New York Knicks

5. Toronto Raptors

6. Charlotte Hornets

7. Atlanta Hawks

8. Brooklyn Nets

Anywhere from 4 to like 12 in the East I believe can be shaken up and mixed around... I have Detroit & Miami (I think they will be too prone to injury) missing the playoffs and the Nets surprising some by making the playoffs...

I'll take Cleveland over Washington in East Finals 4-1 too...

West

1. San Antonio Spurs

2. Los Angeles Clippers

3. Golden State Warriors

4. OKC Thunder

5. Dallas Mavericks

6. Portland Trailblazers

7. Houston Rockets

8. Phoenix Suns

Clippers over Spurs in West Finals after they finally put it all together for a run in the post season...

Cavs over Clippers in NBA Finals...

MVP: LeBron

Rookie: Jabari Parker

Most Improved: Too Hard to Pick lol Andrew Bogut?

Sixth Man: Isaiah Thomas

Defensive: Anthony Davis

Coach of the Year: Steve Kerr

[Quom]

Randle broke his tibia. Sucks if he's out for the year as he debuted so won't get the Griffin/Noel treatment where they counted as rookies the year after they were drafted. Well that and everything else that goes along with being injured.

[Benjamin]

Holy shit, Dallas-Spurs was a hell of a game. Ellis was awesome, he's really improved his overall shooting, really think they can make some proper noise in the Western Conference.

[Maxx]

Fuck the Spurs

[gunnar hendershow]

Holy shit, Dallas-Spurs was a hell of a game. Ellis was awesome, he's really improved his overall shooting, really think they can make some proper noise in the Western Conference.

With the Chandlers in town I really like Dallas. I'm not completely sold on Parsons as a star player but between Dirk, Ellis, Tyson Chandler, and the awesome Jameer Nelson/Devin Harris combo I really like them to make a push at the top 3 of the conference.

[JasonM]

One thing that made me smile all game long was Tyson's backtapping like it was going out of style.

It's the little things, but that guy simply knows how to be a great center doing the things that don't appear on the stat sheet. Not neccesarily going for the rebound himself, but rather focusing on retaining possession and tapping it backwards when he can't get it.

Devin Harris also impressed me a lot with great scoring and being there when he needed to be, and he didn't look out of place at all. If he can keep up his scoring touch for the rest of the season, he can be a great 6th man and arguably a contender for 6th man honours at the end of the season.

Dirk and Ellis did their things, and especially Ellis has become a much better team player as a whole since joining the Mavs, and it's good to see the team mentality is rubbing off on players in Dallas, it makes good players into great players and so on.

Only one that didn't impress was Chandler Parsons, whether it's simply being an off-game, having to gel with the team and the style, or just general bad luck. His performance didn't exactly help the team, and it hurt them in the long run.

But of course it's only one game, against the reigning champions nonetheless. In the other 81 games a lot can happen, but what I saw from the Mavs was very encouraging and if the team can continue to gel and players stay healthy they can certainly push for a high spot in the conference and make a strong playoffs push.

[Monkey D. Lars]

Have you guys seen Davis? The Brow was great!

Also Randle , I was interested to see him play this year. Dallas also impressed me a lot. Now I'll have my fingers crossed for OKC the next two games. A lot of injuries and Blazers/Clippers. 1-1 will be a great start.

[Monkey D. Lars]

Also! Kenny Smith with a reality tv show?

[JasonM]

Have you guys seen Davis? The Brow was great!

Also Randle , I was interested to see him play this year. Dallas also impressed me a lot. Now I'll have my fingers crossed for OKC the next two games. A lot of injuries and Blazers/Clippers. 1-1 will be a great start.

If there's still anyone doubting that this guy is in the running for DPOY or even an outside MVP shot, they're fucking idiots. He almost got a triple double, with blocks! I might be hyperboling due to being awestruck, but damn he's great to watch him. Unselfish, hard working, and massively talented. I want more Brow! (except next Saturday against the Mavs, please have an off game please )

[Plubby]

The brow is amazing. They need to T-up the NO coach every game he enters because playing him is unsportsmanlike conduct.

I paid $93 for him in the fantasy league for a reason >_<

[Monkey D. Lars]

I just realised our bench tomorrow: Perkins, Collins, Thomas and Telfair.....

[Rafael]

It could be worse.

You could be losing to the Bucks at home.

EDIT: Kemba is so clutch.

Edited October 30, 2014 by RafaelFms

[Meacon Keaton]

We still suck. I think Plubby is there to witness the suck, too.

[Plubby]

Ouch. Ker-pwn smashed

And yes, I was there.