NBA Thread 2011-12

[Quom]

Yeah but were the league perpetuating the myth whilst showing their games over say the games of SA, Portland, Dallas, Sac or any of the other teams who were perpetually in the playoffs at the time? I have no idea since in Australia there is fuck all promotion full stop.

[naiwf]

The Knicks rarely got on national TV during their horrendous decade. They still got an inordinate amount of attention for being the NEW YORK Knicks, but no one would put the Knicks on over Tim Duncan, Nowitzki and Nash/Kidd/Marion or the C-Webb Kings. The NBA is a league that promotes stars and the Knicks didn't have any from the time Ewing left until last year. Not so surprisingly, the Knicks started getting those ESPN and TNT games as soon as they signed Stoudemire, and will probably have twice as many this year since they now have 'Melo as well. Just to wrap it up we all know that OKC is a small media market, but they've got two of the best young players in the game so expect to see a lot of the Thunder this year.

Edited December 9, 2011 by naiwf

[VerbalPuke]

The Detroit Pistons and Richard Hamilton have agreed to a buyout for the remaining two years of his contract. This is not going to be part of the amnesty clause, so the Pistons still have that to use on either Jason Maxiell, Charlie Villanueva, or Ben Gordon (though they are apparently going to wait until next season to use it).

I'm torn, I like what Rip did as a Piston, he had a good career here, but it's definitely time for him to go. On one hand, I'm glad we're just letting him go so that we can open up some minutes in our jammed back court. On the other, I can't help but think he may have had some trade value with his contract set to expire next season.

This team has become so underwhelming since Joe Dumars traded Chauncey Billups, his trades and free agents have sucked, though he does deserve some credit for drafting Jonas Jerebko and Greg Monroe. They're not going to be superstars, but are solid building blocks.

So with Rip gone, it now leaves Ben Wallace as the final player left from our championship year, he was the first, and is now the last (though he did have stops in Chicago, Phoenix, and Cleveland prior to returning).

[naiwf]

You guys are never gonna believe this but Greg Oden suffered a set back in his injury rehab. I wouldn't be shocked if the dude just spontaneously combusted one day since he's an accident waiting to happen.

[Fait Accompli]

My God - calling him "fragile" would be an understatement.

[Maxx]

Entire franchise is cursed. The first day of training camp, they've lost Roy forever, Oden for the year and Aldrige for at least a week with another bout of his heart ailment.

[gunnar hendershow]

Pacific Northwest has a massive basketball hex.

And to add to the Stern talk, this is a huge detriment to his legacy. It just looks petty and desperate. You want parity? Okay, go ahead and follow the NFL pr NHL model. Superstars in the NFL hail from such giant media markets like Indianapolis, Green Bay, and New Orleans. The systems that both leagues have work well at creating parity and, shockingly, have improved ratings and attendance. Every game means something in the NFL for most teams, and in the NHL despite the absurdly long season the difference between being in the playoffs and not is only a few games usually. In the NBA teams are finished by the end of December and beginning tank-a-palooza. Last year as a Wizards fan was fun because it was Wall's rookie year, but you think I gave a fuck about them the season before? Absolutely not. You think I'll really care if they're sitting out of the playoff hunt by mid-February? Absolutely not. Make it less like baseball where half the markets in the league have nothing to care about come the end of May and make it more like the NFL and NHL where all but a few teams have every game mean something. You'll find overall visibility increases and guys in small markets can get huge sponsorship deals because they're always in important games and always on TV. Then, Mr. Stern, you and the owners can sit back and marvel at the amount of money you're raking in.

And to add to DMN's point, great management only goes so far in building a winner in a small market. It's absolutely necessary, but in the case of Portland for example everything was going so right for them and then they caught this injury bug. Now they're at best peaking at a perennial 5 or 6 seed in the playoffs until what's left of that promising core is scattered across the league. Nobody will be going there who can be replacing Brandon Roy.

[naiwf]

New York gets Chandler, the rights to Ahmad Nivins and Giorgos Printezis from Dallas; Dallas gets second-year guard Andy Rautins from New York and a protected 2012 second round pick from the Wizards; Washington gets Knicks center Ronny Turiaf a 2013 second round pick plus a reported $3 million in cash from the Knicks.

The Knicks will receive cap relief on the $14.2 million owed to Billups for the 2011-2012 season, the final year of his contract. Billups was reportedly very upset by the decision; he will now enter a blind bidding pool of teams where only teams that are below the salary cap can compete for his services. His stay in New York was short: he was traded along with forward Carmelo Anthony prior to the 2011 trade deadline.

By shedding Billups, Turiaf and Rautins, the Knicks have actually created cap space for themselves despite the sizeable offer to Chandler. They will need it. Having lined up the best 3-4-5 combination in the NBA with Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler, the Knicks must now work quickly to address their backcourt, which is about as barren as it gets.

I understand that Billups is upset, but the Knicks probably got better as a result of these moves. They may not get CP3, but they only really need to concentrate on getting depth at the guard spots. My hope is that they wouldn't try to flip Amar'e for an elite guard, but I'm pretty much open to anything.

[VerbalPuke]

Sounds like Rip Hamilton is heading to Chicago, which isn't a bad move for them. He's 33 but still has a good shot and can provide a good veteran presence on the team. Him playing with a real point guard should help a lot.

Oh and surprisingly, Tayshaun Prince is staying in Detroit. I'm ok with that, its a reasonable contract and we don't have a better option at the SF spot.

Unfortunately, its already starting to sound like we are going to overpay for Rodney Stuckey, no surprise there....

[Quom]

I would have thought NY might go in for Rip depending on the money he's after. He can't create his own shot but could work well playing off double team 'Melo or Amare might attract. A decent PG who could control the floor is needed though. But meh, I'm sick of thinking how elite teams stacked with All-Stars could get even better.

[naiwf]

Dwight Howard has officially requested a trade. lol parity.

[Maxx]

Yes, but it's to the Nets. Say what you will about them moving to Brooklyn next year, but it's not like they're a marquee franchise. If he wants to go the Nets, like it's being reported, then he's starting a new legacy for a franchise that more often than not has been completely irrelevant. Far better than him going to the Lakers.

[VerbalPuke]

I would have thought NY might go in for Rip depending on the money he's after. He can't create his own shot but could work well playing off double team 'Melo or Amare might attract. A decent PG who could control the floor is needed though. But meh, I'm sick of thinking how elite teams stacked with All-Stars could get even better.

Him going to New York would be funny only because Chauncey just left and I know those two really miss playing together. But yeah, spot on that he can't create his own shot, which is why Chicago works for him.

I hope he keeps a good attitude though, it started to suck these last few years. I'm just glad we are moving on and did so without the aid of the amnesty clause. I just hope we don't overpay for Stuckey. The Pistons could be really fucking bad this year, which is fine if we can get a good draft pick (that feels horrible to say).

[naiwf]

Yes, but it's to the Nets. Say what you will about them moving to Brooklyn next year, but it's not like they're a marquee franchise. If he wants to go the Nets, like it's being reported, then he's starting a new legacy for a franchise that more often than not has been completely irrelevant. Far better than him going to the Lakers.

That's true, but Utah and Orlando will both have lost their franchise players to a team that will be playing in the state of New York. The Nets may not be an elite franchise, but they have been to the NBA Finals twice in recent memory and are on the outskirts of the biggest media market in the country. Meet the new NBA, same as the old NBA.

[Maxx]

D-Will is different, Utah chose to send him there, he didn't demand it.

[gunnar hendershow]

The entire mess in Utah last year is apples to the oranges of Melo, Howard, and CP3.

Anyway, I'm not heartbroken at the Nets of all teams acquiring a star.

[naiwf]

D-Will is different, Utah chose to send him there, he didn't demand it.

One domino led to the other. Howard's only going to New Brooklyn Jersey because Williams is already there. At the end of the day, the new age of NBA player movement will pretty much ensure that you either get incredibly lucky (drafting Durant/Westbrook, hitting the lottery and landing Timmay) or you become farm clubs for the "big boys" in this league. The smart move aka contraction would never get approved.

[phatman]

Mike Bibby reportedly signing with New York Knicks for the veteran minimum, $1.4 million...

I like the deal for the Knicks and I think Bibby suits the system... I'd immediately plug Bibby into the starting role over Toney Douglas, that much I know for sure...

[Maxx]

Paul trade is completely dead now, Lakers have pulled out and are shipping Odom to the Mavs for draft compensation.

So...awesome!

I mean, I'm sure this will somehow play into the Lakers getting Dwight, but I'll be happy with Odom for nothing.

[livid]

Yeah, awesome that Chris Paul leaves New Orleans with nothing in 7 months!

Guess that's one way to contract a team.