whitesoxfan99

QUOTE (Felix @ Jul 14, 2010 -> 11:39 AM) It is, which is why the deal isn't bad at all. Sort of agree. All those contracts suck, but that is apparently the going rate for mediocre/bad centers in the NBA these days so in that respect Milicic's contract isn't bad.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jul 13, 2010 -> 07:57 PM) I like DRose over Bosh as well. Going forward, to build a team around or right now? Because as of now Bosh is the clearly better player with Rose having the higher upside.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 13, 2010 -> 03:12 PM) I know PER isn't everything, but here's my case. I'll give Wade, James, and Durant as above Bosh. Paul...well, I hold injuries against people more than others do. He could come back and put his name right up there. then again, DR1 could take a step forwards this year and do that too. Last year though, if we're talking what other player I put in my top 4 ahead of Bosh, you can fire Kobe at me, but between him already missing 10 games last year and the fact that when I watched him, he was not the same dominant force that he was in the previous years...he's stepped back enough for me to drop him out of my top 5. I think the best player on the Lakers right now is Pau Gasol. The only other one I think legitimately belongs up there is Howard. And between Howard and Bosh, it's a question of defense versus offense. Howard has a bigger body, Bosh is more athletic. Howard is ridiculously bad on offense for his skills. At the very worst, I'd be willing to call it a tie, but I think Bosh is just lesser known because Orlando has done a better job building around Howard. Bosh is not more athletic than Howard.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 13, 2010 -> 02:34 PM) I'd rewrite that and say that I think the Heat have 3 of the best 4 players in the league. By PER last year, I'm right. No way is Bosh a top 4 player in the league. Bosh is not a better player than Howard, Kobe or Durant. I think you can argue that he is as good if not better than anybody else in the league outside of those 3, LeBron and Wade though.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 13, 2010 -> 02:16 PM) Really, I disagree. I think they'll storm through it. Agreed. I mean really how much depth was on those great Bulls teams in the late 90s. You had Jordan, Pippen, Rodman and Kukoc who were all great to very good players. But in the playoffs they only played 7 guys over 10 minutes a game. The Heat have two of the best 4 players in the league, a star PF and a damn good player in Mike Miller. Chalmers is a solid player especially since he will likely get an incredible amount of open looks, Haslem is a solid player, they picked up Ilgauskas for depth and will probably add a couple more vets. I would be shocked if depth is a problem unless they suffer a bunch of injuries. Edit: I forgot they signed Juwan Howard. So if I'm the Heat I try to bring in one more C (Dampier would make a lot of sense, maybe Shaq but I doubt he takes the minimum and probably has too big of an ego) and another PG (Alston, Arroyo) and you have incredible depth. Especially if they do add Bell (although that is looking a lot less likely). But assuming they get Dampier and Arroyo/Alston you are looking at a starting lineup something along the lines of PG LeBron SG Wade SF Miller PF Bosh C Dampier/Haslem/Big Z. With a bench of Big Z, Howard, Haslem as your bigs and then Chalmers, Alston/Arroyo and possibly Raja Bell. That team has basically everything you could ask for except for a dominant defensive C but Dampier, Haslem, Howard and Big Z should be more than capable of manning that position considering there are very few great post players these days.

Sounds like Utah has a trade in place for Al Jefferson.

I enjoy watching soccer, but wow is the diving just disgraceful by some off the top international teams. There really needs to be more officials on the pitch to prevent that bulls*** from occurring and I don't see any legitimate reason not to add more officials.

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Jul 10, 2010 -> 10:07 PM) We'll have a better answer to that question after this year I think. Right now it's hard because it's only his second year and he's definitely not a top-10 player yet. If you had to make the call RIGHT NOW, I don't think you can take him over Lebron, Dwight, Durant, Paul, or Deron for sure and you could probably argue 5 more years of Wade could be more valuable to your franchise than 10 more years of Rose. If he makes the leap to average like 22-5-9 next year while leading the Bulls to the conference finals, the list would shrink. You could definitely make a case for Melo over Rose right now as well.

QUOTE (MHizzle85 @ Jul 10, 2010 -> 12:02 AM) That's exactly why you have Thibodeau. IIRC, Pierce, Allen & Rondo weren't defensive studs either. None of those guys are lacking athletically though. Thibodeau might be a defensive genius, but you aren't turning Boozer, Korver or Redick into good defenders.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jul 9, 2010 -> 10:33 PM) AI2 can take over a game, he's more aggressive, finds his way to the line much more often, and is more dynamic from three point range and nowhere near aftraid to kick some ass and take some names. It's watching him play that is the impressive part. He's also quick as hell, better at handling the ball, sets his teammates up extraordinary well, plays the shooting guard position primary and does so well, and is a much better defender and steals the s*** out of the ball. He's twice the player of Deng. Iguodala is better than Deng but he is an awful 3 pt shooter. Just because he takes more doesn't mean he should take more 3s.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Jul 9, 2010 -> 09:58 PM) I think the argument was GOOD role players. I don't think any of those guys are GOOD. Miller on the other hand would be a good get if he's willing to take a lot less money. Fisher and Bell are good players. Richardson is damn solid for the 8th or 9th guy in a rotation.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Jul 9, 2010 -> 09:29 PM) A lot of old garbage, YAY. Richardson and Fisher can still play. If Bell is recovered from his injury he would be a big addition because he is a very good defender and three point shooter. Big Z is basically done and Kwame sucks though.

So Derek Fisher is meeting with the Heat now. It is starting to look like they are going to have an easy time filling out their roster with solid players.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Jul 9, 2010 -> 04:05 PM) I was talking Kobe/Lebron. Kobe puts the fear of god into my ass whenever he shoots a game-winner. I don't get anywhere near the same feeling when Lebron takes a game-winner. Yet time and time again Kobe comes up empty in those spots in the playoffs.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jul 9, 2010 -> 03:58 PM) Well, I think J4L was talking pre missing a finger/worst game 7 imaginable Kobe. It is incredibly difficult for me to remember any game winners or Jordanesque moments Kobe has had during any of the Lakers championship runs. It was always a role player like Horry, Fisher, Artest, etc. that made the big shot. Sure the Bulls had Kerr and Paxson but Jordan hit tons of game winners during the playoffs.

QUOTE (thxfrthmmrs @ Jul 9, 2010 -> 03:14 PM) He was and will never be Kobe or Jordan when it comes to performing in clutch. Duncan was show successful because he mans up when it mattered, such as hitting a 3 point( i believe it was) against lakers with 0.4 left, only to have fisher hit a buzzer beater on the other end, and hitting a 3 pointer against the Suns to force over time. Those shots were normally not within his range. Guys like Horry and Fisher are celebrated for the same characteristics, but frankly, lebron was doesn't have it. He just want to be part of something, he doesn't want to be something. Kobe Bryant as a great closer, my favorite myth in the world. More like incredibly mediocre and overrated as a closer. http://www.slate.com/id/2255932

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Jul 9, 2010 -> 12:50 AM) We need 2.. Give me a Morrow/Redick/Korver/maybe Mason type sniper and a Brewer type defender and I'll be happy. Looks like Deng, Johnson, etc.. are safe from trades. (and Deng better be a 3rd option, not a 2nd Thibs) Rose ------- Deng Boozer Noah Gibson Johnson -------- Law? or -------- Asik Not bad. Possible top 3-4 team in the East. Its a good team probably the 4th or 5th best in the East after Miami, Orlando and Boston and on the same tier as Atlanta. It just is really disappointing after all the talk about possibly landing Lebron, Wade and Bosh to not have a team capable of winning a championship.

No idea if this is legit but Miller to Miami pretty much done? http://www.ksfy.com/Global/story.asp?S=12778542

So there are a few places reporting that Mike Miller will sign a 5 year 30 million dollar deal with Miami. LeBron/Wade/Miller/Bosh/Shaq (if he signs for the minimum as rumored). Wow just wow.

QUOTE (RME JICO @ Jul 8, 2010 -> 11:23 PM) So a one hour special to tell the world you are going to Miami has nothing to do with ego? He clearly has an ego but all great players do, but it doesn't appear he cares what people will think about his legacy or the perception of his titles.

QUOTE (RME JICO @ Jul 8, 2010 -> 11:19 PM) LeBron is who we thought he was. Where is Dennis Green when we need him. Considering there were a ton of people who thought his ego was too big to go to Miami maybe LeBron isn't who we thought he was.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jul 8, 2010 -> 11:02 PM) Can I just say this thread has been amazing for over a week now, and I want to thank everyone involved with it....except for shack, HOW DARE YOU YELL AT ME! You know my wife is giving me hell as it is This thread is going to go over 6,000 replies. Absolutely incredible and it just shows how captivated basketball fans were by this whole FA process.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Jul 8, 2010 -> 10:49 PM) I like what one fan said "he basically said Dwayne Wade is better than him, so he is going to play with him." Well that fan is stupid, but I will concede he is saying he wasn't good enough to win titles by himself in Cleveland.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 8, 2010 -> 10:40 PM) Sounds like Michael Beasley a bit. Not near the shooter or ball handler that Beasley was. Better on the block and is bigger than Beasley though.

QUOTE (SoxFan562004 @ Jul 8, 2010 -> 10:39 PM) is one of those guys the Baylor guy? No. Irving is going to Duke, Barnes to UNC, and Shelby to Kansas.