Official NBA Discussion Thread

[GatorBait19]

Here is my favorite thing to come out of this LeBron situation so far, Will Leitch's column. Link

 

you know what I find funny about all of this. The talk of how he betrayed Ohio. I always found it funny how people get so distraught over a player leave their team and feeling betrayed.

 

I had a friend in LA told me that LA is where the best sports is and all these great players. I made me wonder why is it cities claim to be wonderful at all this when players are pretty aren't even from there? How is it New York is the greatest place to play baseball, but most of the stars in baseball where born from other places?

 

I guess what I am saying is, Ohio truly should feel hate right now. James was their man, their hero of sports, and mostly an Ohio boy. This is nothing like Shaq leaving Orlando or LA, or any other player who left a team for a championship.

 

If Wade would have ditched the Heat to play in Chicago (his hometown) and won a title, would people have been pissed.... sure, but the story would have been how Wade went home and won a title.

 

I just never understood how a city can go haha we are the best sports city because of championships, when no one on your team is from that area. I know I'll catch something from Peter and Lazor about this because they don't understand this, but I just really think Ohio lost more than a player.

[GatorBait19]

Haha...as if Cleveland couldnt get any worse. (At least yall arent Detroit? Well...I guess they have the Red Wings...)

 

Anyway, only way Cavs beat James to a championship is if he never wins one.

 

Or they start competing in some other sport.

 

Maybe put-put golf. Or bowling.

 

Tigers are in first place!!

[lazorbeak]

All Dan Gilbert showed me tonight is that he cares about winning more than Lebron James ever did with the Cavs.

 

How? How on earth does a poorly written reaction prove Dan Gilbert cares about winning?

 

And now Gilbert's saying LeBron quit not only this year but last year? The man is living in a fantasy world. It's not LeBron's fault he had a defensive coach who couldn't take advantage of offensive sets that actually put the most athletic player in the league in motion without the ball.

 

Also if LeBron didn't care about winning why would he make this deal? Seems like loyalty and money are the reasons to stay.

 

Garnett did the exact same thing 3 years ago (sans annoying press conference) and nobody whined about how he "betrayed" the Timberwolves or accused him of not trying hard enough in all of their post-season losses.

[GruntMark]

And Gilbert's letter begs the question, where has all his energy and focus been on until now if it wasnt about winning a championship?

 

I dont blame LBJ from wanting out. Sounds like Gilbert wasnt putting in the effort.

 

Or is it....its always been 100% and he thinks now without LBJ it'll just get easier? Which just makes him sound like a bigger fool.

[GruntMark]

Tigers are in first place!!

 

Haha...are they?

 

I dont follow baseball so much. But good on the Tigers.

[GruntMark]

Also, Comic Sans?

 

Are you a professional business owner or an 11 year old girl on AIM?

[jbergey_2005]

How? How on earth does a poorly written reaction prove Dan Gilbert cares about winning?

 

And now Gilbert's saying LeBron quit not only this year but last year? The man is living in a fantasy world. It's not LeBron's fault he had a defensive coach who couldn't take advantage of offensive sets that actually put the most athletic player in the league in motion without the ball.

 

Also if LeBron didn't care about winning why would he make this deal? Seems like loyalty and money are the reasons to stay.

 

Garnett did the exact same thing 3 years ago (sans annoying press conference) and nobody whined about how he "betrayed" the Timberwolves or accused him of not trying hard enough in all of their post-season losses.

 

Garnett did nothing like such. He actually wanted to stay with the Twolves for some unearthly reason 3 years ago. Ownership had to convince him to be traded.

 

He made the deal to protect his "brand" which is all he seems to care about. He had to make it seem like it was all about winning since people have started to doubt his ability to win.

 

And I believe mostly everyone believes Lebron quit in the playoffs this past year. That isnt earth shattering news. Gilbert is just repeating what Cleveland fans are thinking right now. Its over reaction and Im sure he will say hes sorry in the future but Id feel the same way if I was him or his fans.

 

Its like dating a girl for 7 years and giving her everything she asked for, then have her not call you for two months, and finally having it ended by watching her screw another guy on live TV.

[lazorbeak]

Also, Comic Sans?

 

Are you a professional business owner or an 11 year old girl on AIM?

And I promise you, Cleveland, that with your help, I will be the greatest 5th grade class president in the history of Taft Elementary! This will be the BEST YEAR EVER!

 

 

How does being the #2 star in Miami protect his brand? If that was his only interest, he would've gone to Chicago or New York and been a #1 option in a bigger market.

[The Final Countdown]

Garnett did the exact same thing 3 years ago (sans annoying press conference) and nobody whined about how he "betrayed" the Timberwolves or accused him of not trying hard enough in all of their post-season losses.

Garnett isn't from Minnesota, is he? If LeBron were not an Ohioan, I don't think the reaction would be QUITE this bad.

[BHK1978]

Haha...are they?

 

I dont follow baseball so much. But good on the Tigers.

 

 

Vote: GruntMark

 

How could you not follow the National Pastime!

 

I bet mercenary Phil is kicking himself in the butt for agreeing to coach the Lakers next year. He probably wishes he was the coach of the Heat now.

[GatorBait19]

And I promise you, Cleveland, that with your help, I will be the greatest 5th grade class president in the history of Taft Elementary! This will be the BEST YEAR EVER!

 

I believe Comic Sans should be the official font for the Official NBA Discussion Thread!!!!

[GatorBait19]

Garnett isn't from Minnesota, is he? If LeBron were not an Ohioan, I don't think the reaction would be QUITE this bad.

 

Nope, but he did spend Majority of his career there. Lebron couldn't even do that before he decide it was time to try somewhere else for a title. Also his brand seems to be working, it's been like 5 hours since he spoke and we are still talking about it

[Remianen]

Wow, if you haven't checked it out go to the Cavs website and check out Dan Gilbert's letter to Cleveland.

 

It was a bunch of bull. He's dreaming.

 

I really do not see anything wrong with Dan Gilbert’s letter. It was a very narcissistic thing that he did. I found the whole thing to be completely and utterly ridiculous. What has Lebron done that he deserves to have his own TV special to announce what team he is going to?

 

Let me see: he made sports actually worth following in Cleveland? He spent seven years operating at the same high level with no dropoff?

 

Did he ever win a championship? Is this not the same guy who chocked playing against a Boston team that had no business getting as far as they did (and I am a Celtics fan)? I for one hope that this arrogant kid, and that is exactly how he acted just like a kid, does not win a championship. In fact, I hope he becomes the Jim Kelly of the NBA always getting this close to the NBA championship but never winning it.

 

To me he is the epitome of the modern day athlete. You know the, “Hey look at me aren’t I the greatest!” type of athlete that has not proven that he can win anything.

 

You are so off base here, it's not even funny. Lemme ask you a serious question. A major media outlet offers you money (that you choose to donate to charity) to make your decision on their airspace in a televised special. Do you turn it down? HELL NO you don't. Seriously, if you know any professional athletes at all, you would know that it's often the MEDIA that promotes these things. If someone's offering you a million funneled to your crew to give them "exclusives", you wouldn't turn it down. And if you say you would, I'd question your honesty and your integrity. If a major media outlet or other major sponsor offers you cash money to follow you around for eight months and film your activities, you wouldn't turn it down. So why people hate on folks like TO or Ocho when they take the money and do that, I will never understand.

 

I can guarandamntee that ESPN got their best ratings in that timeslot than they ever have before. So it was well worth it for them to go through with it.

 

Oh and HE choked? Hello? Basketball's a team sport. When did Jordan win his first title? Wasn't it after the Bulls surrounded him with players who complemented him?

 

I didn't have a problem with the letter either. I applaud the fact that he could write that letter personally. It takes a lot for a man to openly come out and call this man out and it's something Lebron will now have to get use to. People are going to trash this guy left and right now that he is gone from Ohio.

 

Yeah, let them trash him. I'm sure that's going to really hurt him when he checks his direct deposit every week during the season. It'll pain him even further when he's hoisting a big golden trophy while the Cavs struggle to eke out 45 wins.

 

Also I feel bad for Dan. He still has 11 million he can spend, but the talent is somewhat gone. His best bet would be to fill with quantity instead of quality. He has a decent PF/C combo with Anderson and Jamison. A backup there would help and someone to replace....... well subsidized his role.

 

Why? Why feel bad for "Dan"? Did he not have SEVEN YEARS to build a team around arguably the best all around player in the game right now? You're giving Antawn Jamison way too much credit. He was decent two years ago. Now? I wouldn't take that leap of faith.

 

It does suck for the Cavs franchise as a whole and this will probably set them back big time. I mean before Lebron showed up the franchise was in a long funk, the memories of Ferry, Daugherty, Nance, and Harper were fleeting. Lebron injected an interest back into the franchise and now that he is gone, they will probably take a while to recover.

 

The Cavs franchise can go scratch. For four years, the Knicks have been in fire sale mode. David Lee's name has been bandied about in trade talks for two years. Where were the Cavs? You mean to tell me John Salmons wouldn't have been helpful to Cleveland? How about Sheed? Ben Wallace, even at his age, would've been a good fit defensively in the pivot (and the Cavs didn't need scoring from the 5). Brandon Roy's name has been in trade talks as well. What, is he not better than whoever's playing the 2 this year?

 

I'm sorry, I have zero sympathy for teams that don't give full, honest efforts to assemble championship caliber teams and then whine when their cornerstone players leave. Read Dan Gilbert's letter. Where was the guarantee three years ago? All of a sudden, he's full of piss & vinegar because his cash cow went to a better pasture? Tough.

 

I love how fans like to call players greedy. Oh yeah? How's Lebron greedy since he's taking LESS to go to Miami than Cleveland could've offered (about $30 million less at that). He's greedy alright...for a title. And the Cavs aren't in a position to get one for at least two years, given their cap situation. The only person I feel bad for is Byron Scott. His last gig was a lot more promising than the current one promises be.

 

 

Dan Gilbert needs to lay off the barbiturates and hallucinogenics, at least before writing a letter to his customers.

[GatorBait19]

Remi you need to make sure you check stuff first

 

First, Dan has only had the team for 5 years.

 

Second, When was Brandon Roy's name brought up in trade discussions? when he was a rookie?

 

Third, Ben Wallace was on the Cavs the two previous years. He was apart of the Shaq deal and then got his contract bought out by Suns and wasn't even attempted to be resigned by the Cavs.

 

Fourth, Dan tried to bring Artest, Ariza, and many others to the Cavs last year and they all declined even with the Cavs offering more money. Why, simple put who wants to get stuck in Cleveland with out James.

 

Jamison isn't the best and I never stated that.I said he and Anderson were a decent PF/C combo. Plus the fact that before he was traded Jamison was doing 20 ppg with 8.8 RPG. Shaq, Jamison may have been past their primes but it's not like the Cavs lost anything when they traded for Telfair and Jamison. They lost Z........ wait no they didn't.

 

When I said trash I meant the Media. Now if he does bad or the Heat don't win a championship people wont sit hear and say "oh he had no talent around him". I don't get how people think the Cavs didn't put talent around him, they tried everything humanly possible to do it. Just because you want someone doesn't mean the other team is going to trade them to you.

[BHK1978]

Let me see: he made sports actually worth following in Cleveland? He spent seven years operating at the same high level with no dropoff?

 

Yeah you are right, I guess the run that the Indians had in the mid to late 1990's does not mean anything. Or heck even that Indians team that almost made the World Series in 2007. Those teams were not worth following.

 

 

You are so off base here, it's not even funny. Lemme ask you a serious question. A major media outlet offers you money (that you choose to donate to charity) to make your decision on their airspace in a televised special. Do you turn it down? HELL NO you don't. Seriously, if you know any professional athletes at all, you would know that it's often the MEDIA that promotes these things. If someone's offering you a million funneled to your crew to give them "exclusives", you wouldn't turn it down. And if you say you would, I'd question your honesty and your integrity. If a major media outlet or other major sponsor offers you cash money to follow you around for eight months and film your activities, you wouldn't turn it down. So why people hate on folks like TO or Ocho when they take the money and do that, I will never understand.

 

Please, his P.R. people probably told him to give the money to charity so it would make him look good. He did this to hype himself bottom line and it benefited all those around him. From the University of Phoenix to ESPN.

 

Oh and HE choked? Hello? Basketball's a team sport. When did Jordan win his first title? Wasn't it after the Bulls surrounded him with players who complemented him?

 

He had a team around him good enough to reach the finals in 2007. Yet he did not win (but yeah there was no talent around him it was by his sheer force of will that they made it to the finals), this last season he went 3 for 14 in game five against the Celtics but yeah that is not choking.

 

As much as I hate Kobe Bryant, I have to give the devils his due because he is a clutch player and a proven championship level player, if that would have been him in that game, he probably would have dropped 40 on the Celtics and called it a night.

[Tha Black Phenom]

Except he didn't.

 

Almost all the times during the finals that Kobe scored massively against the Celtics, the team lost. Only thing he had to do was wait for his teammates to wake up and play ball. Basketball is a team sport. And clearly LeBron had scraps in 07. They barely made the finals only to get pummeled and whited out in brutal fashion. It's amazing enough he made the conference finals with that cast.

 

And Game 5 would probably be that noteworthy if he hadn't done a devastating triple-double on the very NEXT game, on their way out. I can't believe Gilbert has the gall to say he quit during that game. And on any of the other games where he either almost managed a double-double or flat out led the team like he always did.

[MGreene78]

Except he didn't.

 

Almost all the times during the finals that Kobe scored massively against the Celtics, the team lost. Only thing he had to do was wait for his teammates to wake up and play ball. Basketball is a team sport. And clearly LeBron had scraps in 07. They barely made the finals only to get pummeled and whited out in brutal fashion. It's amazing enough he made the conference finals with that cast.

 

And Game 5 would probably be that noteworthy if he hadn't done a devastating triple-double on the very NEXT game, on their way out. I can't believe Gilbert has the gall to say he quit during that game. And on any of the other games where he either almost managed a double-double or flat out led the team like he always did.

 

They made the Finals pretty easily. They killed the Wizards 4 to 0, stomped the Nets 4 to 2. They then fell down 0-2 to the Pistons only to rebound and stomp them the next four games. They lost to the Spurs because the Spurs were by far the much better team.The next year they added more talent with out losing much. Then the year after that they added Mo Williams while only losing Damon Jones and Joe Smith! Each year the Cavs have put better talent around James and each year they get great regular season results and not so great post season results.

 

Now all of this blame doesn't solely go to Lebron. The Cavs did put talent around him. Talent has to play as well and in game 6 Lebron was the only one really doing anything. The team committed 22 TO with Lebron leading the way with 9. Lebron also shot 38% that night which is about what the whole team shot. I always thought that Cleveland's biggest problem is something Gator touched on with the Magic. While Mo Williams can score the fact that his tendency to pass isn't option one has always thrown up red flags to me. If Lebron didn't have to carry the ball down the court and avg 7 assist a game I believe Cleveland would have been much better off.

 

Odd thing is that the +/- category has Jamison being the best on the Cavs side at -1. Mo Williams was the worst worse with Delonte West at -12 and Lebron coming in at -5. That to me say Jamison isn't as bad as we would all seem to think.

[Astil]

I must say I am a lifelong Knicks fan, and because of growing up in the 90s I hate Pat Riley, and hate the Heat.

 

I just can't... hate this team. 3 stars willing to take less money to win. Vets coming in on the vet minimum. If they get Shaq it'll be:

 

Shaq

Bosh

LeBron

Wade

Chalmers

 

Mike Miller off the bench.

 

Vs.

 

Bynum

Gasol

Artest

Bryant

Blake (?)

 

with Odom off the bench.

 

Sign me up for 7 games of that.

[juggaloninjalee]

I don't think Shaq will return to Miami. However without Shaq the Heat vs Lakers look like the championship series next year. I will have to root for the Lakers though.

 

Lebron going to Miami makes me happy. Not as happy as him going to the Knicks would have made me though.

 

I am a Pistons fan so the fact the Celtics aren't the top team makes me happy. The Bulls didn't get him and anytime an Ohio team gets shafted makes me happy!

[Remianen]

First, Dan has only had the team for 5 years.

 

And you're saying five years isn't long enough to assemble a championship team? Might wanna tell Danny Ainge that.

 

Second, When was Brandon Roy's name brought up in trade discussions? when he was a rookie?

 

Brandon Roy's name was broached several times that I recall. When the Knicks were working with the expiring contract of Allen Houston (which I think was Roy's rookie year), the value of the deal made it extremely attractive to teams looking to clear cap space in a hurry. His was one of several "big names" thrown around and reported on by both the NY Daily News and the Post. If the KNICKS of all people, are talking about a player, why isn't an actual real team doing so?

 

Third, Ben Wallace was on the Cavs the two previous years. He was apart of the Shaq deal and then got his contract bought out by Suns and wasn't even attempted to be resigned by the Cavs.

 

This part I forgot. However, weren't the 'Big Three' in Boston assembled within the last five years? Where were the Cavs?

 

Fourth, Dan tried to bring Artest, Ariza, and many others to the Cavs last year and they all declined even with the Cavs offering more money. Why, simple put who wants to get stuck in Cleveland with out James.

 

You're a lame duck franchise. No one wants to sign with one of those. Had Gilbert put the proverbial pedal to the metal EARLIER (with all the piss & vinegar he's projecting with that letter), it might not be quite so hard to get people to come in.

 

Jamison isn't the best and I never stated that.I said he and Anderson were a decent PF/C combo. Plus the fact that before he was traded Jamison was doing 20 ppg with 8.8 RPG. Shaq, Jamison may have been past their primes but it's not like the Cavs lost anything when they traded for Telfair and Jamison. They lost Z........ wait no they didn't.

 

So, lemme get this right. You're giving a player credit for being "good"....on the Wizards? The Gilbert Arenas-less Wizards at that? Okay.

 

When I said trash I meant the Media. Now if he does bad or the Heat don't win a championship people wont sit hear and say "oh he had no talent around him". I don't get how people think the Cavs didn't put talent around him, they tried everything humanly possible to do it. Just because you want someone doesn't mean the other team is going to trade them to you.

 

GatorBait, look at the talent the Celtics put around Paul Pierce. Look at the talent the Lakers put around Kobe (after he threatened to bolt). Look at the talent the Spurs put around Tim Duncan. Look at the talent the Magic put around Dwight Howard. Within the last five years, you've had several bonafide stars change teams. NONE of them wound up in Cleveland. The other team will trade to you if you offer them the best deal. Please show me links to stories of Danny Ferry talking to the Sonics about Rashard Lewis or the Wolves about KG or the Grizz about Pau. Or hey, how about the Ty Lawson draft day trade. I'm sure the Cavs were all over that one.

 

Yeah you are right, I guess the run that the Indians had in the mid to late 1990's does not mean anything. Or heck even that Indians team that almost made the World Series in 2007. Those teams were not worth following.

 

Apparently it wasn't, since all of the Plain Dealer's columnists don't acknowledge it at all. They talk about Jim Brown's Browns teams as the only bright spot in Cleveland's sports history. Almost made the World Series is meaningless. It doesn't count for anything. Why, I have no idea. New York fans have forgotten more championships than Cleveland fans have ever had so why they don't enjoy the near misses more is beyond me.

 

Please, his P.R. people probably told him to give the money to charity so it would make him look good. He did this to hype himself bottom line and it benefited all those around him. From the University of Phoenix to ESPN.

 

http://livingelpaso.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/haters.jpg

 

 

He had a team around him good enough to reach the finals in 2007. Yet he did not win (but yeah there was no talent around him it was by his sheer force of will that they made it to the finals), this last season he went 3 for 14 in game five against the Celtics but yeah that is not choking.

 

Do you even watch basketball? Have you played it at all? Would you like to go through Michael Jordan's game by game Finals stats and say he choked when he has an off shooting day? I'm guessing Kobe Bryant pulled off one the biggest choke performances in history this past Game 7. Are you even familiar with LeBron James' game? He doesn't always have to drop 40 to help the team win.

 

As much as I hate Kobe Bryant, I have to give the devils his due because he is a clutch player and a proven championship level player, if that would have been him in that game, he probably would have dropped 40 on the Celtics and called it a night.

 

Yes, that's the answer. Keep shootin'. Odd how Kobe managed to help his team win their most recent title by NOT dropping 40 and calling it a night. Must be a coincidence.

[Genadi]

Kobe is still the best player in the league, whether or not that's still true at years end is another story.

 

Can't believe Lebron is going to Miami, I am officially interested in the NBA season again.

 

Who do you guys think is the best rookie coming in? We don't get college ball or much coverage here I hardly know any of their names but want to watch out for a few the coming season.

 

This made me lol

 

http://livingelpaso.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/haters.jpg

[MasterJ]

Kobe is still the best player in the league, whether or not that's still true at years end is another story.

 

Can't believe Lebron is going to Miami, I am officially interested in the NBA season again.

 

Who do you guys think is the best rookie coming in? We don't get college ball or much coverage here I hardly know any of their names but want to watch out for a few the coming season.

 

This made me lol

 

http://livingelpaso.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/haters.jpg

 

I think a dark horse for ROTY in the NBA this year is Ed Davis good potintal big man from UNC but John Wall is the most skilled all round player in this years Rookie class

[SHaynes23]

My favorite for ROTY is DeMarcus Cousins from Kentucky. He's playing for the Kings, and he and Tyreke Evans will be a very good inside-outside combo. The only reason he fell to five was his lack of maturity. He has the chance to come in and be the Kings number two man right away and make a major impact his first season.

[MasterJ]

Lebron is a good player but not all that he is hyped out to be, I mean the media keeps saying he's a future legend and blah blah blah. I'm still waiting for him to come through in the play off and before this guy even is in the szme breath a Jordan win three titles and if he done win one with Mami he dont have his little excuse of not having a team around him. Truth is James chokes in the playoffs and quites when he feels the game is over watch game 2 5 7 of the series agianst Bosten he QUITE plan and simple until he can prove himself to me he's not in my top ten.

[randomfreeze]

I don't think anyone is saying LeBron James is one of the top ten greatest players of all time, are they? He's one of the best players in the league right now, and it's fun to compare people to Jordan because he's the best, but we've compared worse players to Jordan (Arenas and Iverson are two outrageous examples off the top of my head.)

 

I'm excited he's coming to Miami because American Airlines Arena is a short ride away from me. I've never had a horse to pull for in the NBA, and my friends know I famously change my favorite team every year based on where my favorite college players get drafted. I'm from West Virginia University and Da'Sean Butler was drafted by the Heat so my bandwagon jumping is with Miami this year.

 

The best part about this for people living in South Florida is it just gives us something else to do. We are a lesser LA, few people actually grow up in South Florida and stay, we are all transplants, like LeBron. We aren't life long Heat fans. And LeBron coming down makes the Heat just another social event we have the option of attending. The media and the ten thousand or so fans that actually went to the games might try to present some other argument to you but really, the majority are just glad we have an air conditioned meeting place to congregate on a Wednesday night.