NBA Thread 2011-12

[Quom]

He makes sense to the Rockets as he continues the Chinese connection and the money that will potentially generate. I think due to the Yao connection the Rockets are far more open to taking a gamble on Lin's continued value as a player on that basis, as even if he doesn't play as well as he did for the Knicks I would assume that the Rockets were adopted by a number of Chinese people due to Yao. For the Knicks it makes far less sense, they are a big market team and are looking to win the championship.

I'm not saying Lin's a bad player, but his actual value as a player isn't equitable to the contract the Rockets are offering. The Knicks are doing the thing that makes the most sense for them as a basketball team.

[gunnar hendershow]

He's Taiwanese.

There's a big difference there. Not to nitpick but it has nothing to do with the Chinese connection the Rockets established with Yao.

[Maxx]

Saw this coming from a mile away. It's the James Dolan Knicks, of course they're going to let a supremely popular player who fell into their laps and rescued their season, walk away the first chance he gets.

[Mofoticon]

If the Knicks were to match Lin, they would likely be approaching a 100 mil payroll in 2015, and according to David Aldridge on twitter, the luxury tax penalties for having such a huge payroll would mean paying an extra 85-115 mil for 1 year.

Easy to see why they won't match on Lin.

[Panni]

I'm not saying Jeremy Lin is great or will be great, but we haven't seen his ceiling. We already Felton's ceiling and it's below-average to mediocre PG. The guy (Lin) was simply beloved in New York City...a "most beloved poll" on ESPN last year had him receive more votes than the likes of Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter & Eli Manning.

The Knicks were going to be over the cap anyway with Amare/Chandler/Melo so why get frugal now? People say he can't mesh with other plays, well they brought in Kidd to teach him how. This really bums me out I'm shocked.

[rocksta]

Fuckin Morey man. Gets Lin at less money than the initial offer sheet and less years. Backloads the fuck out of the contract making a serious deterrent to the Knicks stance of matching 'any offer'. Fuckin Morey.

Edited July 15, 2012 by rocksta

[gunnar hendershow]

Yeah Houston knew what they were doing with the structure of the contract.

[maninblack]

He's Taiwanese.

There's a big difference there. Not to nitpick but it has nothing to do with the Chinese connection the Rockets established with Yao.

People in China regard Taiwan as part of the country. Entertainers from Taiwan tend to downplay the political tensions because the China market is really that lucrative.

That being said, fans in China would have rooted for whichever team Lin plays for, so long as he's playing well. Yi Jianlian gets media coverage, but people know Yi is not going to reach the same level of importance Yao Ming did in the NBA as a player.

If the Knicks were to match Lin, they would likely be approaching a 100 mil payroll in 2015, and according to David Aldridge on twitter, the luxury tax penalties for having such a huge payroll would mean paying an extra 85-115 mil for 1 year.

Easy to see why they won't match on Lin.

The Knicks paid luxury tax for bad teams. They'll be paying luxury tax for this team too, regardless whether Lin's on it. Heck, I think they've been paying luxury tax since the start of this century. They would have made that money back with endorsements and more merchandise sales. They certainly could have easily swayed a few Chinese companies to buy ad space.

[phatman]

Yeah but the luxery tax penalties become far more greater from the 2013-14 season according to all the reports... That is apparently what the Knicks are balking at with the Lin deal... In saying that though, the deal for Lin is ridiculous however if I was the GM of the Knicks, I think I'd bring him back and potentially offer him around the league as expiring trade value when that deal turns into a $14.5 million expiring deal... The Knicks are going to make a shit ton off of him if they bring him back anyway...

I don't like there deal for Felton... He was good in D'Antoni's system but now that the system is different, I don't see him been anywhere near what the Knicks need... Geez, if it came down to Felton or Kidd, I'd be starting Kidd and using Felton off the bench but I'm not the Knicks coach...

In other news, Phoenix picked up Luis Scola via the waiver wire... I like the signing for the Suns and I think they've made all the right moves this offseason for a change... Now that they've missed out on Eric Gordon with the Hornets matching that over the top deal, I'd like to see them turn there attention to signing OJ Mayo... Word going around is that he only wants a little bit more than the mid level exception which I don't think is too bad for a player with his scoring potential... I'd love a Suns starting lineup of Dragic/Mayo/Beasley/Scola/Gortat... I just wish they'd use there amnesty cut on Josh Childress' awful contract as well!

[gunnar hendershow]

Wolves are offering $46 million to Batum over 4 years.

No below average wing player in NBA history has commanded so much drama between two teams. I blame...

[michgcs]

Wolves are offering $46 million to Batum over 4 years.

No below average wing player in NBA history has commanded so much drama between two teams. I blame...

Is Batum below average? Isn't he one of the better young players with a ton of potential or something?

I mean, I agree that the contract's too big for Batum, but I think the Wolves are willing to take the risk for an ultra-athletic, still-developing guy who can oop Ricky Rubio's alleys, right?

(Also, the big contract's probably so the Blazers don't match )

[phatman]

I really don't think Batum will ever be worth that much but you never know...

Also it turns out phoenix did use their amnesty cut on Josh Childress today! Good times!!! Now go get Mayo!

[Quom]

There is an article up on ESPN (I think, it's on one of the basketball sites) outlining the feud between the Wolves and Blazers. Basically the Blazer's failed to disclose that the player they were trading had an issue with his back which has led to a compensatory agreement being needed. Then because Roy retired his contract was being paid out by insurance (he was effectively waived as a retired player) now because the Wolves have signed him the insurance is cancelled as it's no longer a retirement due to injury, so the Blazers are on the hook for the remainder of his contract. Wolves then wanted a sign and trade for Batum (to the point they were offering Derrick Williams and picks!!!) Blazers refused and stated they would match any offer the T'Wolves made. So Wolves have then made an insanely crazy contract offer.

I haven't seen a lot of Batum, but he has a high 3pt percentage, according to Maxx can drive and play above the rim (which we are sorely lacking) and is meant to be an excellent perimeter defender. If all of that is accurate he could be an incredibly valuable part of the team. He might not be worth crazy money based on value, but if he ticks all the above boxes he could be easily that valuable to the Wolves. It's a big if though and if he ends up stinking there isn't a team in the league who will want to trade.

But in reality Love is making demands about improvement within the team, Batum is young and has experience. If we miss the play offs this year Love and Rubio will both likely leave as soon as their contracts expire or another team offers cents on the dollar in trade value.

[rocksta]

If Batum gets that kind of contract its tying up a lot of resources to a player who in my opinion won't live up to them. He's good but people have been predicting a true breakout season for him for awhile now and he just hasn't showed that. Didn't even always start last year on a pretty terrible Blazers team. He has great length and can shoot the 3 and a lot of people love him and see him having a tremendous ceiling. I personally don't see him getting past being a really good role player. To me that contract is inflated. He's easy to fall in love with but that number is very far from what the Blazers were hoping to keep him at and for good reason. I'm not really a betting man but I bet if you sign him for 46 million you will look back at it later and wonder why you signed him to such a huge contract.

I read that article too about the disputes between the Blazers and the Wolves. The shit about Roy being a point of contention is nonsense though. Yah they're bummed they have to pay out the rest of that, of course. However, Roy would have been picked up by another team if the Wolves hadn't been there.

[Maxx]

Batum fits really good with the Wolves. $46 million good? Not sure about that.

[rocksta]

Anyone else watch a little summer league? 5 dollars for every game streaming is worth it for me personally.

Some interesting stuff so far. Loved MKG's first game thats my favorite person from the draft awesome awesome guy. Absolute legend at St. Pats and with Team Final with Rakeem. If there is anybody I've been rooting for more in the last few years I don't know who.

Damian Lillard had an impressive game too really like his game. Rough first half then he dropped 21 in the second half, including this dagger.

[michgcs]

I haven't seen a lot of Batum, but he has a high 3pt percentage, according to Maxx can drive and play above the rim (which we are sorely lacking) and is meant to be an excellent perimeter defender. If all of that is accurate he could be an incredibly valuable part of the team. He might not be worth crazy money based on value, but if he ticks all the above boxes he could be easily that valuable to the Wolves. It's a big if though and if he ends up stinking there isn't a team in the league who will want to trade.

The problem with that is the Wolves already have Derrick Williams, who can jump to the moon and back... and has a semi-decent 3pt shot, I think? Eh. I'm under the impression that Batum's way better and way more consistent, though, but yeah. Apparently he's worth that much to the Wolves

[Plubby]

Anyone else watch a little summer league? 5 dollars for every game streaming is worth it for me personally.

Some interesting stuff so far. Loved MKG's first game thats my favorite person from the draft awesome awesome guy. Absolute legend at St. Pats and with Team Final with Rakeem. If there is anybody I've been rooting for more in the last few years I don't know who.

Damian Lillard had an impressive game too really like his game. Rough first half then he dropped 21 in the second half, including this dagger.

That's not a knife.

This is a knife.

[Quom]

Williams is a 4. Or at least was last season. He seemed to lack any mid-range presence and couldn't drive to create his own shot. We already have Love who fills that role and has a very good mid range game. Either Williams and Pek need to start banging the boards so that Love can play as a three (which he seems to enjoy, most sets start with him out behind the 3pt line anyway) or more realistically Williams needs to expand his game a great deal to be worthwhile (Love's rebounding isn't going to happen if he's not under the glass), there could also be issues if he's a 3 on offence and a 4 on defence as I'm not sure Williams is up to covering the 3 spot.

Williams currently doesn't fit the team's needs. the hope is that he develops the attributes that are needed. But at the moment he's a 4 who is too small to dominate with his current skill set. At the moment he seems to need the ball to be put in his hands after the team gets him open, which isn't good enough when you have 3pt experts and guys like Love and Pek who can work for their points.

We really need another 2 though. I would have rather we got an athletic 2 than Budinger, especially if Batum is coming in.

At the moment though on paper it looks like a much better team than what they had last year and they were on track for a play-off birth until Rubio decided to get injured.

[gunnar hendershow]

Williams is a talented player who needed room to develop on an NBA team that suited his skills. He didn't get this in Minnesota and I think the Wolves notice that. I honestly can't see Derrick Williams reaching the ceiling people thought he had a year ago as long as he stays in Minnesota. It's not a great match for either side.