2010/2011 NBA Thread

[DMN in the House]

The Knicks' 'glory days', if you can even call then that, were with Willis Reed. At least he won a title. Patrick Ewing did fuck-all.

New York is, at best, SIXTH on any list of 'all-time' franchises, behind Boston, LA, Chicago, San Antonio, and either Detroit or Milwaukee. New York is only 'important' because they're New York. There would be no NY/LA rivalry because they wouldn't play often enough.

All of this talk is humorous, though. LA will be champs again next year, provided Bynum is healthy. Even if Bosh/Wade/LeBron get together, that team isn't 'better' than LA, except in video games.

[naiwf]

The Knicks' 'glory days', if you can even call then that, were with Willis Reed. At least he won a title. Patrick Ewing did fuck-all.

New York is, at best, SIXTH on any list of 'all-time' franchises, behind Boston, LA, Chicago, San Antonio, and either Detroit or Milwaukee. New York is only 'important' because they're New York. There would be no NY/LA rivalry because they wouldn't play often enough.

All of this talk is humorous, though. LA will be champs again next year, provided Bynum is healthy. Even if Bosh/Wade/LeBron get together, that team isn't 'better' than LA, except in video games.

LA's not winning it all next year. My money's on The Thundah taking them out specifically if Phil isn't around. Bynum just seems like he's going to suffer from chronic injuries throughout his career. OKC came close without a big man, so I think another year of experience and Cole Aldrich should help them. The East will be a complete mess.

[Your Mom]

So my Bulls are getting Lebron yes? We are going back to the top!

[Trey]

As a fellow Bulls fan, all I can say is hopefully. And if we do end up signing LeBron we will also more then likely land Bosh as well so more then likely DMN and naiwf would have to at least think their predictions over.

[jrtdot]

Wizards absorb more cap room

On Tuesday, the Nets traded Yi Jianlian to the Wizards for Quinton Ross, creating additional room under the salary cap.

The Nets sent the Wizards cash in the deal.

This opens up $3 million more salary cap room, leaving the team about $30 million under the cap.

"This trade is a good opportunity to add a skilled 7-footer with significant NBA experience who was the sixth overall pick in the draft just three years ago," Ernie Grunfeld said in a statement. "Yi fits in very well with our ongoing plan of building towards the future with a core of young, talented players."

Read more: http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/67569/20100629/yi_traded_to_wizards_freeing_up_more_cap_room_for_nets/#ixzz0sIaO2MmI

So the Nets dump another player (as they booted Dooling) and basically get more cap space gearing up to be a player in the 2010 free agency market.

Imagine if Lebron goes to the Nets. Bron, Harris, Lopez, and possibly a power forward like Boozer or Lee (getting just under the max money for both PFs would make this possible). That could be possible.

I think the Bulls may have the best chance of all the guys with the free money right now as Miami has only 3 players available: Joel Anthony (they qualified his offer today), Mario Chalmers, and Beasley and therefore not much to really make up a sign and trade, also if they can get 3 one of the three must lower their price or all must lower their prices to build a team beyond the 3. However, the Bulls, do have some players like Joakim Noah, Derrick Rose, James Johnson, Taj Gibson and Luol Deng. They are good pieces that can be built around especially Rose, and a combonation of either Deng or Noah. One of the two could be moved in a SnT that would give the Bulls more room to sign a Bosh or whoever.

Probably another good place would be NYC. They have good swingmen and guards in Wilson Chandler, Danilo and to a lesser extent in Toney Douglas and Bill Walker. Then there is also the wildcard of what happens with David Lee, either a SnT, signing the dude (worst case) or letting him go. Also there are the intangibles that NYC have for the likes of Lebron like the free-willing crazy lifestyle of New York and with possibly a lot more endorsement money. But then there is also the mega spotlight that some will not be able to take. Can Lebron take the heat in a championship starved city that WANTS WANTS WANTS an NBA title.

The Clippers are also a dark horse I think in this whole hooplah. The other LA team has parts like Baron Davis, Blake Griffin, Kaman, DeAndre Jordan, Eric Gordon, and the new draftees like Aminu (who has the best eyewear ever) and lil Eric Bledsoe. They also have enough assets AND enough money to sign at least one big name and possibly trade for another. Imagine the likes of Lebron in LA-LA-LAND. The 5 would most likely be...Davis, Gordon, Bron, Griffin, and Kaman. Now that has potential. Imagine if they could pull something off with Kaman being traded? or even Davis (if anyone would be willing to take him)

I am getting real real excited about Thursday

Edited June 30, 2010 by jrtdot

[DMN in the House]

I'm not going to have to re-think anything. None of these projected 'super-teams' are better than the Lakers as currently constructed. The only high profile free agent who has ever won anything is Wade. LeBron isn't a winner, he's proven that. You need THREE big men to match up with LA, and no other team has that. Phil will probably come back, and the only team who will reall be a threat to LA will be OKC, but I don't see them winning a seven game series against LA, not yet.

Pipe dreams for franchise is all well and good, but this is reality, and in reality, LA is, and will continue to be, the best team in the league, with the best player in the league, the most athletic bigs in the league, and the best coach in the league. I'm not being arrogant, it is what it's been for the last two and a half years.

[sahyder1]

LeBron, Wade, Bosh in Miami or LeBron, Bosh, Rose in Chicago can beat LA.

[jrtdot]

I have an issue with a Bron, Wade combo as both are ball handlers primarily and I just can't see it working out as much as a Bulls Bron, Bosh and Rose.

[DMN in the House]

Twice, maybe. The only 'closer' on either of those teams is Wade.

Kobe guards Wade, which is an even match-up, if not in favor of Kobe. Kobe's less athletic than Wade, due to being older, but a better player now. Rose doesn't have any chance against Kobe.

Odom/Artest platoon LeBron. They won't win the scoring battle, but I'll take that match-up any day.

Gasol and Bosh are somewhat even. Neither can really guard the other, due to their differing skillsets. In the end, Gasol is in a better situation, because he has Bynum backing him up.

Against a team with James/Bosh/Rose, Kobe and Fish can switch on and off Rose, because he won't be the focal point of that team. Fisher isn't a score anyway, but he'll win at least one game for LA. Noah is a nice hustle player, but would get abused by either Gasol or a healthy Bynum, whichever Bosh isn't guarding, series is over in 5 or 6.

Against Miami, I can't even tell you who runs point or center, but Wade probably makes that a seven game series. Again, the Lakers sizes wins the day, because Bosh simply can't guard BOTH Bynum and Gasol, and LeBron will be run ragged by the combination of Odom/Artest.

Three great players and a bunch of roleplayers doesn't beat two great players, three very good players, and Robert Horrycito.

Sorry, LA is still better. Things can change, but if the main parts of LA return (and the only one who might leave is Odom), everyone else is easily replaceable. It doesn't help matters that LA has been together for years now, and, outside of Wade and Shaq, none of these superstar free agents has ever had to defer to anyone. If the Celtics weren't so old and broken, I wouldn't even pick a 'superteam' to make the Finals.

[Maxx]

Paul Pierce is opting out and Danny Ainge has unsurprisingly said the Celtics won't be chasing him down if another team gives him a good offer.

[jrtdot]

Paul Pierce is opting out and Danny Ainge has unsurprisingly said the Celtics won't be chasing him down if another team gives him a good offer.

because in all honesty, Pierce is not the same guy who took them to the promised land 2 years back and I highly doubt the Celts wanna strap themselves for cash in a 4 year deal (which is what he is rumored to look for). Also Garnett is a shadow of the player he once was. Ray Allen can still be in this league for many years with his pure abilities but he cannot carry a team. Basically, IMO it is all but over for the Big 3 whether it falls apart now or by next season, it will be Rondo's team with whoever they can get.

[Colossus]

Just a thing. There is absolutely no way that the Bulls are using Noah for a S&T, as someone said here. Noah and Rode are the only guys in the team that can make an All-Star team (Rose has already made one, and if Noah wasn't injured, I believe he could already be an All-Star). So, if you want to lure Big Names, you can't trade away your 2 best players

[DMN in the House]

With it looking like Perkins will be out for next season, there's no reason to keep the Big 3 together. They might as well rebuild now, maybe get a nice draft pick, and try and go from there.

[rocksta]

I don't feel like arguing with you DMN about the whole Lakers-Superteam thing as I don't think the Superteam will really happen and with a sport like basketball chemistry is so important and you can't simply estimate that for an entirely new team. I just think you won't find too many people arguing that the Lakers are better that aren't Laker's fans.

Edited June 30, 2010 by rocksta

[MyKILLv2.0]

Actually I would have to agree with DMN. True, on paper the "super team" in Miami looks impressive but the Lakers have proven they can play well together. As long as Artest returns to LA next year, I would still pencil them in as the favorites jno matter what happens in free agency. That doesn't mean the super team in Miami....or any other super team that develops in this free agent off season, presumably can't defeat the Lakers. What I am saying is that until they have proven they can play together, the Lakers have to be the favorites going into next season.

[DMN in the House]

So, because people are going to fall for media hype, I'm wrong?

A Miami team with Wade, James, and Bosh is better than LA at ONE position, SF, roughly equal to them at two others, SG and C, worse at PG, and MUCH worse at PF. The difference between Gasol and Haslem is exponentially greater than the difference between LeBron and an Odom/Artest platoon.

Chicago is even worse off, because they don't have anyone who can guard Kobe, except James. Rose can't do it. They can move Bosh to the PF, but Bynum, if healthy, would abuse Noah on the block. They don't have a Wade to make Kobe work like Miami would, so he becomes more productive.

None of these 'super-teams' is as good as LA. I don't care how man future Hall of Famers they sign. The media cab hype it up all they want, but LA is, and will be, the best team in the league.

[naiwf]

So, because people are going to fall for media hype, I'm wrong?

A Miami team with Wade, James, and Bosh is better than LA at ONE position, SF, roughly equal to them at two others, SG and C, worse at PG, and MUCH worse at PF. The difference between Gasol and Haslem is exponentially greater than the difference between LeBron and an Odom/Artest platoon.

Chicago is even worse off, because they don't have anyone who can guard Kobe, except James. Rose can't do it. They can move Bosh to the PF, but Bynum, if healthy, would abuse Noah on the block. They don't have a Wade to make Kobe work like Miami would, so he becomes more productive.

None of these 'super-teams' is as good as LA. I don't care how man future Hall of Famers they sign. The media cab hype it up all they want, but LA is, and will be, the best team in the league.

That Miami team probably wouldn't even get to the Finals because they'd have no bench whatsoever by default. I don't see them being able to play "the big three" 42+ minutes per game and having the legs to finish the Eastern Conference teams off, let alone an LA or OKC type team. Chicago with James & Bosh would still have the problem that they don't have a guy who can knock down meaningful free throws at the end of a close game. Noah and Bosh is an awfully thin front line too.

[sahyder1]

ESPN has put up a little game asking everyone to pick the destinations for the top 10 Free Agents this year.

I have a group created there.....feel free to sign up.

Group Name - EWB

Password - ewb

[bolleje]

Just a small 'noob' question, as this is my first NBA free agent period I'll really follow closely. (I'm Belgian, restarted to play basketball about a year ago and tried to follow the NBA season... big Lebron James fan (and Bosh fan too) so looking forward to see what'll happen).

Thursday is the opening of the trade window. In competitions and sports I know well (for example soccer) the start of the trade window doesn't really bring anything big to the table. The big transfers are made during the whole transfer time and a little bit more at the end. But what I understand from the anticipation to thursday... people expect Wade, Bosh & Lebron to sign with a team thursday allready?? Can I expect the big trades to be done in a week or will this also take months?

[Hajjhowe]

I don't think chemistry is a problem for a Bosh/LeBron/Wade trio. They worked together just fine on Team USA and Mimai will have no problem finding talented guys willing to take pay cuts to sign with a team that has 3 of the best players in the league.

Also I don't really see how you can call LeBron a loser. He couldn't win a title by himself like any other player in the history of the NBA. He just didn't have another star player with him at any point, and with two I am pretty confident that team would beat anyone in a 7 game series. Not that LA aren't good, but that threesome is just too much for any group to handle.

That said I don't see all three together. I'm thinking LeBron will stay in Cleveland and Bosh might go to Miami. The three together just doesn't seem that plausible.