NBA Offseason Thread

[fathom]

The real question is, who is going to be boinking LeBron's mom if he goes to the Heat? I'm thinking Jarvis Varnado, as you know what they say about a man with a huge wing span.

[RockRaines]

I love how quietly Durant signed an extension. He's probably the best scorer in the game and nothing about it on ESPN.com front page.

[whitesoxfan101]

I love how quietly Durant signed an extension. He's probably the best scorer in the game and nothing about it on ESPN.com front page.

 

That's how adults handle things. It doesn't get much attention these days if you just act like a grown up though.

[Rowand44]

The real question is, who is going to be boinking LeBron's mom if he goes to the Heat? I'm thinking Jarvis Varnado, as you know what they say about a man with a huge wing span.

I'm still not buying this Miami stuff.

[Jenksismyhero]

Anyone who says the "Miami Thrice" and crap players would win titles need only look at the 2003-2004 Lakers. 4 hall of famers on that team and they couldn't win. I think Miami will be a really good team with all three, obviously, but it's not guarantee that they'll win a bunch of rings.

[fathom]

Anyone who says the "Miami Thrice" and crap players would win titles need only look at the 2003-2004 Lakers. 4 hall of famers on that team and they couldn't win. I think Miami will be a really good team with all three, obviously, but it's not guarantee that they'll win a bunch of rings.

 

I don't think they'd be better than the Lakers with a healthy Bynum. I'd like to see how many injuries Wade would have if he tried to play 45 minutes a game due to their awful bench.

Edited July 8, 2010 by fathom

[whitesoxfan101]

Anyone who says the "Miami Thrice" and crap players would win titles need only look at the 2003-2004 Lakers. 4 hall of famers on that team and they couldn't win. I think Miami will be a really good team with all three, obviously, but it's not guarantee that they'll win a bunch of rings.

 

Well that's not a great comparison because Malone and Payton were old men then. But I think your overriding point is correct in that this isn't a video game. Having great players will get you a long way, but it doesn't guarantee a ring. Particularly when their cap hits limit what help you can get them.

 

I don't think they'd be better than the Lakers with a healthy Bynum.

 

That's because they wouldn't be. I'm still not convined they'd be better than the Thunder if OKC continues their rapid development.

Edited July 8, 2010 by whitesoxfan101

[Soxbadger]

Im not buying Miami.

 

If I had to bet, Id say its Knicks, Chicago, Cleveland or Nets.

 

I cant see Lebron going to Miami on Wade's terms. I cant see Lebron and Wade in game 7 of the Finals with 10 seconds left deciding who is going to take the shot.

 

If Lebron is ego, if Lebron is megalomania, if Lebron wants a cult of personality, then Lebron needs to be his own man. He couldnt team up with Wade, he couldnt team up with Bosh, he had to make his own road. Knicks, Nets, Bulls, Cavs all provide that. They have complimentary pieces, but no one is going to argue that it is Rose's show, or Harris, etc. On the Bulls. Cavs, Nets, he is the highest paid player, there is no Amare with a max, no Wade getting a 6 year deal to his 5, no Bosh/Wade stealing his thunder announcing the day before.

 

Of the teams left, I was most concerned about the Knicks yesterday, it seemed like momentum was heading there way.

 

In the final hour, I am going to change my mind and go with the Bulls. This is not based on rumor, not based on fact, just based on my perception of the events and how they have unfolded.

 

Lebron wants tonight to be the biggest show on earth, and if he has anyone with a marketing brain, the most important thing to tonight is surprise.

 

If all the rumors say Lebron to Miami, and then he goes there, his big special is a so what.

 

Instead if all the rumors say the Bulls are out and at the last moment he picks the Bulls headband, hell dominate the news cycle.

 

There wont be any "Lebron joins Wade/Bosh in Miami" headlines, instead they will say "Lebron the Air Apparent"

 

[Jenksismyhero]

Well that's not a great comparison because Malone and Payton were old men then. But I think your overriding point is correct in that this isn't a video game. Having great players will get you a long way, but it doesn't guarantee a ring. Particularly when their cap hits limit what help you can get them.

 

 

 

That's because they wouldn't be. I'm still not convined they'd be better than the Thunder if OKC continues their rapid development.

 

It's not a perfect one, but really Shaq and Kobe were nearly as dominant as Lebron and Wade (Shaq maybe more so since he was the most dominant player that no one could stop). But people are arguing that all they need to do is grab a couple of cheap veterans to round out the roster. I think an aging Payton and Malone are about as good as they could get.

[Chisoxfn]

Anyone who says the "Miami Thrice" and crap players would win titles need only look at the 2003-2004 Lakers. 4 hall of famers on that team and they couldn't win. I think Miami will be a really good team with all three, obviously, but it's not guarantee that they'll win a bunch of rings.

Dude, huge difference. 3 of those guys were passed there primes (Payton/Malone/Shaq).

[RockRaines]

Well that's not a great comparison because Malone and Payton were old men then. But I think your overriding point is correct in that this isn't a video game. Having great players will get you a long way, but it doesn't guarantee a ring. Particularly when their cap hits limit what help you can get them.

 

 

 

That's because they wouldn't be. I'm still not convined they'd be better than the Thunder if OKC continues their rapid development.

The Thunder will be a real threat this upcoming season and many after that. Durant doesnt show any signs of slowing down and they have a bunch of young talent. Couple of picks and they could really make a charge. I do however think that the Heat picked up a few good pieces in this last draft that are being overlooked.

[MurcieOne]

Travis Outlaw got 35 million. Makes the Boozer deal look even better. VIVA BOOZER!

[whitesoxfan101]

The Thunder will be a real threat this upcoming season and many after that. Durant doesnt show any signs of slowing down and they have a bunch of young talent. Couple of picks and they could really make a charge. I do however think that the Heat picked up a few good pieces in this last draft that are being overlooked.

 

It seems like a lot of people have absolutely no idea how good they are, let alone will be. No matter where LeBron goes today and Carmelo goes eventually, OKC will end up with the Larry O'Brien trophy at least once in the coming years. I actually agree with you on some of the Heat draft pieces too. But 2nd round picks could certainly flame out, no matter how good they look on paper.

Edited July 8, 2010 by whitesoxfan101

[G&T]

There wont be any "Lebron joins Wade/Bosh in Miami" headlines, instead they will say "Lebron the Air Apparent"

 

 

Please buy airapparent.com and put out on twitter that it was bought and see what happens.

[RockRaines]

It seems like a lot of people have absolutely no idea how good they are, let alone will be. No matter where LeBron goes today and Carmelo goes eventually, OKC will end up with the Larry O'Brien trophy at least once in the coming years.

Pretty sure I havent heard ONE person on the new even say Durant's name this offseason when talking about the top players in the NBA.

[fathom]

The Thunder will be a real threat this upcoming season and many after that. Durant doesnt show any signs of slowing down and they have a bunch of young talent. Couple of picks and they could really make a charge. I do however think that the Heat picked up a few good pieces in this last draft that are being overlooked.

 

Varnado was a great pick

[fathom]

Travis Outlaw got 35 million. Makes the Boozer deal look even better. VIVA BOOZER!

 

from?

[RockRaines]

Varnado was a great pick

I really like Butler.

[Soxbadger]

I should just file an intent to use TM on "The Air Apparent".

 

Then I should twitter that some one trademarked that name.

 

Ooooooo

 

Only problem is I cant imagine my bosses being pleased if we get a thousand phone calls about our connection with Lebron.

[SoxFan1]

from?

The Nets. They're going after Tyrus Thomas next.

[fathom]

The Nets. They're going after Tyrus Thomas next.

 

wow

[fathom]

I really like Butler.

 

Is he even going to be ready for this year?

[whitesoxfan101]

Pretty sure I havent heard ONE person on the new even say Durant's name this offseason when talking about the top players in the NBA.

 

Which is a shame considering he's the 3rd best player in the league right now.

[ZoomSlowik]

Everybody seems to take either the side that Miami Thrice would win 5 or 6 rings, or that they wouldn't win any at all, and I disagree with both. When you have a team that basically pays it's entire salary cap number to three guys, and only two of them are superstars, one isn't even a top 10 players, it's not a lock you'll win every year. But when you have two of the top 4 players in the league and a guy who's between 11 and 15 together for 5 years or so, you'll be able to piece together the right cheap and mediocre players around them to win a ring or two. I don't think there are the right players out there though (people aren't going to just come to Miami for nothing with the CBA coming up) to put alongside the big three next year for me to pick them against the Lakers or Thunder (who I think are going to be legitimately awesome) in a 7 game series though, but they'd be the favorites in the east.

 

Oh, and I agree on staying away from Twitter, which has proven itself to be even more useless than I thought in this process. I always thought the only thing Twitter was good for was information, but it appears the only thing it's actually good for is misinformation.

 

We don't know exactly what will happen because nothing like it has ever happened before. No one has had a player as good as Bosh be their decided #3 and no one has had 75% of their roster filled up with minimum salary guys before.

 

The closest comparison we can come up with is the 2008 Celtics. They won 66 games and a title their first year together and might have had more if Garnett had a few more prime seasons in him. Let's look at their actual roster that first year:

 

PG- Rondo in his second year, only averaged 10/4/5, Eddie House

SG- Allen, Tony Allen, James Posey

SF- Pierce, James Posey

PF- Garnett, Powe, PJ Brown

C- Perkins, Davis

 

How good was that supporting cast? Rondo hadn't broken out yet, and we know his jumper has the potential to break backboards. Perkins wasn't exactly a low-post force, averaging 7/6 in 25 MPG. Posey was a solid role player, but he played 25 minutes and 7 points per game. All of those big men can be/were basically picked up off the scrap heap, and Eddie House and Tony Allen aren't exactly mind-blowing either.

 

Another thing I'd like to point out: Pierce, Allen and Garnett averaged 36, 36 and 33 minutes respectively. They had plenty of chances to rest when they were blowing teams out, and they clinched VERY early.

 

At least to me, it looks like the Heat could be pretty comparable, especially after a year or two of adding MLE salary players. I see a few key differences right now:

 

-The Celtics interior defense is much better. I think that's their biggest issue right now. Bosh isn't anything close to Garnett on the defensive end, and Perkins gave them a big body that could defend centers.

 

-Allen and Pierce are much better outside shooters than the Miami stars, allowing them to spread the floor easily. This is a major issue, but could easily be solved with the MLE down the line. Someone like a Mike Miller or Kyle Korver would improve things greatly.

 

-On the flipside, the Heat duo would feature the two most unstoppable drivers in the league and they'd live at the free throw line, something that would serve them well night in and night out. The Celtics weren't anywhere near as strong on the drive and hit a lot of jumpers (though they obviously got by because they hit them a lot of nights and played great D).

 

-The Heat also have stronger ball-handlers on the wings, reducing the need for a serviceable point guard. Allen and Pierce were okay, but not really the kind of guys you want running your offense. James and Wade both have significant experience doing it.

 

 

To summarize, if they add any kind of shooters/size up front and stay healthy, they're likely a 55-60 win team much like the Celtics were. Winning in the playoffs would be another story as they currently have no answer for Dwight or the Lakers.

[MurcieOne]

PDcavsinsider For what it is worth, sources say the teams trying to sign LeBron have still not been told of a decision. Any of them.

 

This is the thing that annoys me the most. He is going to embarrass a lot of important NBA people today. I cannot believe he has the balls to let the teams know where he is going. He cares so much about this getting leaked that he is going to embarass everyone but Pat Riley. I hate LeDouche.