NBA Off-season 2016 thread

[KevB]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

who is going to beat them inside besides Lebron

300 year old Pau Gasol? Lamarcus Aldridge? Those guys are soft, Draymond Green can handle both of them.

you make it seem like these teams have prime Shaq inside the paint. The only thing that they can't stop is a 260 lb Lebron flying down the lane running over people like a tight end playing basketball.

Even though the Jazz aren't there yet they will be the toughest front court the Warriors have to face because of their size and length.

It's not just about post defense. It's rim protection as well. Bogut (and to a lesser extent Ezeli) provided cover at the basket for the GSW perimeter defenders. Bogut had a tremendous impact on several games in the playoffs. He made things difficult at times for LeBron early in the series trying to finish around the basket. His injury was big.

That said, I don't think it changes the Warrior's place as favorites. But it will be something (rim protection) they'll have to figure out/overcome.

[RobBlake]

Now Ray Allen might sign with golden state lmao

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by RobBlake

Now Ray Allen might sign with golden state lmao

Well he did get one for James but at 41? He can probably still hit the 3 but not much else

[KevB]

I don't see anything wrong with these vets going to favorites to get a ring. They've earned that opportunity. They bring something to the table, or the team wouldn't sign them. I have nothing against a guy nearing retirement looking for that one last rush of a title chase. The ring is important, but I think these guys have the perspective to understand it's about that life experience. You want to enjoy life, right? Would you rather "earn respect" toiling away for some crap team that can't win, or play on a team that allows you to truly enjoy your job?

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by KevB

I don't see anything wrong with these vets going to favorites to get a ring. They've earned that opportunity. They bring something to the table, or the team wouldn't sign them. I have nothing against a guy nearing retirement looking for that one last rush of a title chase. The ring is important, but I think these guys have the perspective to understand it's about that life experience. You want to enjoy life, right? Would you rather "earn respect" toiling away for some crap team that can't win, or play on a team that allows you to truly enjoy your job?

I don't have an issue with that as much as I have an issue with a salary cap in a superstar driven league that does nothing from allowing teams to empire build. And I'm saying this as a fan of the biggest offender, the Cavs. It shouldn't be this easy to build a big three. In an ideal world a superstar would struggle to find good talent around him. And the idea that drafts have been rendered almost meaningless after the first few picks.

It's a challenge silver needs to solve.

[ChiefsCountry]

Paul Millsap would be perfect for the Cavs. Swap Love for Millsap. Salaries are fairly equal.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Paul Millsap would be perfect for the Cavs. Swap Love for Millsap. Salaries are fairly equal.

I have to disagree. Millsap is an inferior rebounder to Love and cannot stretch the floor as well. He's only a passable three point shooter, and while he offers much, much better defense, it's going to be in the form of rim protection, which doesn't matter that much against the Warriors. You need guys with long arms and quick feet to defend them well.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

I have to disagree. Millsap is an inferior rebounder to Love and cannot stretch the floor as well. He's only a passable three point shooter, and while he offers much, much better defense, it's going to be in the form of rim protection, which doesn't matter that much against the Warriors. You need guys with long arms and quick feet to defend them well.

That is a better fit for the Cavs. The Cavs didn't need Love to be a stretch shooter, and Love doesn't need to be that either. Love isn't at all comfortable in his role. He is not a stationary player. Bosh learned to evolve into that role. Love has not which is why the Cavs were at their best in the finals when they stopped trying to force touches to Love. And that's bad for Love because he needs to be a volume shooter.

And Love without offense is a liability even if he can rebound, because his defense is atrocious, even though he did make a terrific stop at the end of the GS game. He got knocked around in the post, which is bad, because Tristan Thompson is a completely worthless offensive player unless he's right next to the basket.

I don't think Millsap is ideal for the Cavs, but he's a much, much better fit. If Love wants to play every game like he did game 7 against GS, more power to him. But he will get frustrated as hell if that's how they want to use him. Of course, the better option is to bring in Small Forwards and move Lebron to Power Forward and force him to evolve into a post player. So from that perspective, honestly the Cavs don't need Milsap or Love. Which might actually be one of the more intriguing reasons to trade away Love and consider a Small Forward option like Wade.

[ChiefsCountry]

Building these superstar teams, remember they had a time they sucked - that's how they got the main pieces to make these things work through the draft.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Building these superstar teams, remember they had a time they sucked - that's how they got the main pieces to make these things work through the draft.

Sucking and then not paying $33 million/season to Mozgov and Deng....

The Lakers had better hope that somebody's willing to take one or both of those deals off their hands in 3 years. They won't bottle up the cap for the next 2 seasons because none of the Lakers key talent requires a new deal for at least 2 seasons, but in years 3 and 4, they're gonna wish they had that money off their books.

The NBA will be awash in cash until about 2025 when the insane deal that ESPN gave them expires (and long after the cable sports bubble has burst). It'll be fascinating to see if the cap contracts when that deal expires or if the CBA gets mangled again.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

(and long after the cable sports bubble has burst). It'll be fascinating to see if the cap contracts when that deal expires or if the CBA gets mangled again.

This is what I find fascinating about all of this, and I'm waiting for it to happen in all sports, not just the NBA. All of these teams are massively overvalued right now, which is why it was interesting to sit and listen to Russ Hanneman opine on Any Given Wednesday about how these teams are good investments.

But hey, at least you'll have Jordan Clarkson and Kendall Jenner relationship status updates during your Lakers games.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

This is what I find fascinating about all of this, and I'm waiting for it to happen in all sports, not just the NBA. All of these teams are massively overvalued right now, which is why it was interesting to sit and listen to Russ Hanneman opine on Any Given Wednesday about how these teams are good investments.

But hey, at least you'll have Jordan Clarkson and Kendall Jenner relationship status updates during your Lakers games.

They are if you have a cap tied to revenues, I suppose.

But it does seem like the days of selling a team tied with a billion dollar TV contract in tow are probably past. If you're DeWitt and can get them sold around 2019; right as that cable money has bumped up their books but before the full onslaught of reduced television deals, you may be wise to do so.

It would be catastrophic for the Cards if he did as the debt service would grossly undermine the team's ability to maintain a competitive payroll, but I wouldn't blame him for a minute.

(But seriously, Bill - the !@#$ing team is paid for and has been for a decade...can you please get us Bryce Harper? Pretty please?)

[BWillie]

BTW, does anyone want to do a CP fantasy league next year? Maybe for about $100. Most of my friends are NFL and MLB guys, and don't follow the NBA like I do. Would be nice to be in something to keep my interest in the NBA, especially with Durant leaving my team, OKC

[staylor26]

Wade to the Bulls.

I'm cool with it, but no spacing with him and Rondo.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by staylor26

Wade to the Bulls.

I'm cool with it, but no spacing with him and Rondo.

WOW. He must have been really really pissed off. I never thought he would leave Miami.