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2008/2009 NBA Thread v2.0

jrtdot

By jrtdot
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JStarr Tag Team Champion

JStarr

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Okay, so maybe OKC isn't the Thunder quite yet.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)—The NBA has filed for trademark rights to six nicknames for the league’s new Oklahoma City franchise: Barons, Bison, Energy, Marshalls, Thunder and Wind.

Ick. Just ick. They had to go out and find five other names so shitty they make Thunder look good in comparison. The Bison? Seriously? The team's bad enough to get some "endangered species" jokes as it is, but the Bison?

The Wind? The Energy? More like the Insanity...as in "stop the..."

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JStarr Tag Team Champion

JStarr

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Foreign territory

Aug. 6, 2008 07:52 PM

The Arizona Republic

So, King James wants to be King of the World.

At least that's what it sounds like if we're to believe "a person close to LeBron James" who talked to ESPN.com's Chris Broussard and told him that James is willing to play in Europe for $50 million per season.

The report also said that two Euro clubs, CSKA Moscow and Olympiakos of Greece already have contacted James, who can opt out of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers and become an NBA free agent at the end of the 2009-10 season.

There has been a recent exodus of players from the NBA to Europe, including Josh Childress who took a reported three-year, $10 million-per-year deal from Olympiakos, with options to get out of the deal at the end of each season.

Arizona recruit Brandon Jennings also bolted to Europe because he may not have qualified academically to play for the Wildcats and he isn't old enough under the NBA's current rules to go directly into the league.

Given the weakness of the American dollar and an NBA collective-bargaining agreement that limits opportunities for a lot of mid-level players, it's no wonder many are looking to Europe.

And there is little wonder European teams are willing to pay the money. WNBA players get more money in Europe, where owners get tax breaks for owning professional sports clubs.

The owner of the club that Mercury star Diana Taurasi plays for in Russia is renowned for lavishing big salaries on his American stars.

Now, our first inclination was to think that James - or the "person close" to him - was just throwing this out there as some sort of leverage for his next NBA contract.

But he's going to get a maximum deal whether it's from the Cavaliers or the New York Knicks or whichever team he decides to play with under his next contract.

The maximum deal under the current collective-bargaining agreement, that is.

And, for a player of LeBron's years in the league come 2010, that's going to mean a contract that is probably going to start under $20 million a year, depending on what league revenues are by then.

So, what if he's actually negotiating for more than himself?

Or at least for more than what is available under the current system?

The collective-bargaining agreement expires after the 2011 season, and NBA owners have an option to extend it a year beyond that.

Could this be LeBron's shot across the bow, a message to owners that if they don't loosen up the purse strings he and other stars might become part of the global economy?

Remember, under older rules Michael Jordan once got $33 million for a season with the Bulls.

Is it possible that James would opt out and go play in Europe for a season, perhaps forcing NBA owners to open up the CBA in 2011 and agree to terms that would allow he and other superstars to get even more money before he agrees to come back?

He is the one player who might have that kind of leverage.

And what if some other 2010 free agents - or potential free agents, if they exercise options - such as Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Amaré Stoudemire, Chris Paul, Tim Duncan, Deron Williams and Manu Ginobili decided to join James on a European vacation?

That would shiver David Stern's timbers, huh?

While James probably could do as well, or even better, on the world market in terms of endorsements, we frankly don't believe he would be willing to risk his legacy by playing in Europe, even for $50 million per.

But he sure has given NBA owners something to think about.

I'd be quite surprised if someone of James' stature headed abroad, as the current crop appears to be a bunch of guys who think they should be starters (and paid thusly) and can't quite get there. The day Kobe or LeBron or Wade defects to a Euro club is the day before David Stern gets on the horn with everyone in any power position in the Euro leagues and gets something done about this European expansion people keep prattling about.

But $50 million? Hey, I'd listen.

Edited by Sinistarr
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Mr Evil Guy Midcarder

Mr Evil Guy

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Okay, so maybe OKC isn't the Thunder quite yet.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)—The NBA has filed for trademark rights to six nicknames for the league’s new Oklahoma City franchise: Barons, Bison, Energy, Marshalls, Thunder and Wind.

Ick. Just ick. They had to go out and find five other names so shitty they make Thunder look good in comparison. The Bison? Seriously? The team's bad enough to get some "endangered species" jokes as it is, but the Bison?

The Wind? The Energy? More like the Insanity...as in "stop the..."

I like Oklahoma City Marshalls the best, personally.

Also, fuck the NBA. I'd go to Europe for 50 million a season. Then I'd stay for 20 years and become a billionaire.

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jrtdot Lower Midcarder

jrtdot

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Not good news for the Spurs and Warriors...

Manu needs surgery on his heel after playing in the Olympics: http://tsn.ca/nba/story/?id=247862&lid...os=topStory_nba

Monta Ellis severely sprained his ankle and is gone for 3 months: http://tsn.ca/nba/story/?id=247716&lid...os=secStory_nba

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Toe Hall Of Famer

Toe

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Bosh and O'Neal looked fantastic tonight for the Raptors, and Roko Ukic looks to be a good back-up for Jose Calderon. He reminded me of Calderon in terms of how he handles to ball, he just doesn't have the same finish offensively.

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MyKILLv2.0 Opener

MyKILLv2.0

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Speaking of fantastic.... yah, the Mavs still suck. :lmao:

Also, to answer these questions

Which team do you think looks strongest going into the regular season? Boston from the East... LA from the West.

Weakest? Charlotte from the East... Memphis from the West.

More improved? 76'ers from the East... Houston from the West.

Worse off? New Jersey from the East... Golden State from the West.

Which NBA rookie will be ROTY?Michael Beasley from the East... Kevin Love from the West.

Early Predictions: Who will win it all this year? Boston over Orlando from the East... Houston ove New Orleans from the West, with Houston winning it all.

Edited by MikelSweeten
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Lowerdeck World Champion

Lowerdeck

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Jersey's gonna be awful this year. Hopefully some of these young kids start working good in a few years. Or we score LeBron.

Apparently some foreign investment groups from Dubai and Russia wanted to buy the team and Atlantic Yards off of Ratner... until the oil prices plummeted. I can only hope someone new buys the team and starts improving it.

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jrtdot Lower Midcarder

jrtdot

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Which team do you think looks strongest going into the regular season? LA Lakers

Weakest? Bobcats

More improved? Clippers

Worse off? Sacramento

Which NBA rookie will be ROTY? Michael Beasley

Early Predictions: Who will win it all this year? Lakers baby, in an improbable Lakers/Celtics rematch!

Watched the Raptors game, have to say, they are looking strong, except I am worried with Andrea and Joey, they are two components that, if both do well, with the rest, we can win many games, they have to stay consistent, Raps have a limited bench this year so they need to step up. Andrea did good in pre-season so hopefully we see more of that and less of what he did in the opener.

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