Well basketball is better than soccer, barely, but basically who gives a fuck. Put those assholes on the street.
Re: A Deal being reached.
[quote]LarryDavid wrote:
Also, I’m surprised I care so little[/quote]
still.
I’ll probably really get excited when they actually start playing, though.
Oddly enough, a fight between people who get drowned in money and pussy because they throw a ball through a hoop and billionaires does not get my blood boiling.
Like, not even slightly.
[quote]HoustonGuy wrote:
Well basketball is better than soccer, barely, but basically who gives a fuck. Put those assholes on the street.[/quote]
Cool of you to come in here and say that?
Isn’t that like going out of your way to walk into a gym and tell everyone there they’re dumb for being there?
Dumb post is dumb.
I for one am pumped for Mavs-Heat and Bulls-Lakers on opening day (xmas)
SO I forgot where we left off.
What exactly are the story lines heading into this season again? Let see…
Can Lebron get his ring?
Are the Lakers done?
What’s the deal with free agency?
Will Dwight get traded this year?
There’s no rookies I’m intrigued about.
That’s it off the top of my head.
Knicks Celtics Xmas day…NOYCE!
This is from real gm if anyone cares:
Details have emerged from a league-issued memo circulating to teams, players and agents.
The contract length will be five years for Bird rights players and four years for non-Bird.
There will be no reduction in the Rookie Scale or the minimum salary.
Max salaries will only have one level and it will be equal to 30% of the salary cap, while sign-and-trades will be allowed.
The new exception will be $2.5 million for teams below the cap to go over the cap. Those teams can’t use the mid-level or bi-annual exceptions.
For the mid-level exception, teams under the luxury tax can pay $5 million annually for up to four years, while teams over the tax have a $3 million offer for up to four years.
There also will be a 10% annual escrow system.
The minimum team salary increases to 85% in the first two years and 90% in years thereafter.
Via Adrian Wojnarowski/Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter)
Read more: Details Emerge From Memo To Teams, Players, Agents - RealGM Wiretap
[quote]therajraj wrote:
SO I forgot where we left off.
What exactly are the story lines heading into this season again? Let see…
Can Lebron get his ring?
Are the Lakers done?
What’s the deal with free agency?
Will Dwight get traded this year?
There’s no rookies I’m intrigued about.
That’s it off the top of my head.
[/quote]
No, Yes, it’ll be Dec 9th-25th and it’s a terrible free agent class (best is Nene), yes unfortunately, Derrick Williams will have some nice highlights.
^ Don’t forget to add: who will Sign Brandon Roy?
[quote]therajraj wrote:
To the 3 posts above:
Problem is, for me to watch a sport I need to be a fan of a team.
I can only become a fan of a team organically - I was born and live in Toronto, so by default all Toronto teams are the ones I root for.
I went to school in Canada so my alma mater does not play in the NCAA.
I guess I could start following the Leafs again (use to follow hockey up until the end of high school - 2004), but the sport has too little strategy. Seems like I’m watching random chaos.
BTW I like baseball just as much as basketball if not more. [/quote]
raj - we can’t accept that alma mater argument. its not like the big east conf tourney at msg is best enjoyed by that small handful of alums, that’s just the big east tourney at msg
And that’s the thing about college sports - it’s so much more about the schemes and the game itself vs the pro level which is much more focused on individual players and personalities (and the insane talent/genetics/etc)
And even if you just really can’t get into football, at least give the LFL a chance (not joking at all)
[quote]chillain wrote:
[quote]therajraj wrote:
To the 3 posts above:
Problem is, for me to watch a sport I need to be a fan of a team.
I can only become a fan of a team organically - I was born and live in Toronto, so by default all Toronto teams are the ones I root for.
I went to school in Canada so my alma mater does not play in the NCAA.
I guess I could start following the Leafs again (use to follow hockey up until the end of high school - 2004), but the sport has too little strategy. Seems like I’m watching random chaos.
BTW I like baseball just as much as basketball if not more. [/quote]
raj - we can’t accept that alma mater argument. its not like the big east conf tourney at msg is best enjoyed by that small handful of alums, that’s just the big east tourney at msg
And that’s the thing about college sports - it’s so much more about the schemes and the game itself vs the pro level which is much more focused on individual players and personalities (and the insane talent/genetics/etc)
And even if you just really can’t get into football, at least give the LFL a chance (not joking at all)
[/quote]
They can focus on the game all they want, it’s still a crappy version of it. If I wanted to see missed layups and jumpers I’d go play pickup ball down the street.
I am NOT saying I’m as good as a D1 player, but the difference between Joe Schmoe and a D1 player is about the same as a the difference between a D1 player and an NBA player.
[quote]therajraj wrote:
^ Don’t forget to add: who will Sign Brandon Roy?[/quote]
That’ll be fun. He’ll be a great risk/reward pickup.
Don’t rule out the Blazers amnestying Oden. Reports are he is nowhere near able to play yet. Do you keep a $16M player who’s mediocre over a $8M player who can’t play at all, given that you have to pay both?
Roy is signed for more years though, so he’s still the logical choice. But Paul Allen is not known for being a rational owner. Portland still doesn’t have a fucking GM.
[quote]scj119 wrote:
They can focus on the game all they want, it’s still a crappy version of it. If I wanted to see missed layups and jumpers I’d go play pickup ball down the street.
I am NOT saying I’m as good as a D1 player, but the difference between Joe Schmoe and a D1 player is about the same as a the difference between a D1 player and an NBA player.[/quote]
I don’t disagree - just not big on comparing college game to pro game, there’s room for what both bring to the table (football, hoop in particular here)
[quote]scj119 wrote:
[quote]chillain wrote:
[quote]therajraj wrote:
To the 3 posts above:
Problem is, for me to watch a sport I need to be a fan of a team.
I can only become a fan of a team organically - I was born and live in Toronto, so by default all Toronto teams are the ones I root for.
I went to school in Canada so my alma mater does not play in the NCAA.
I guess I could start following the Leafs again (use to follow hockey up until the end of high school - 2004), but the sport has too little strategy. Seems like I’m watching random chaos.
BTW I like baseball just as much as basketball if not more. [/quote]
raj - we can’t accept that alma mater argument. its not like the big east conf tourney at msg is best enjoyed by that small handful of alums, that’s just the big east tourney at msg
And that’s the thing about college sports - it’s so much more about the schemes and the game itself vs the pro level which is much more focused on individual players and personalities (and the insane talent/genetics/etc)
And even if you just really can’t get into football, at least give the LFL a chance (not joking at all)
[/quote]
They can focus on the game all they want, it’s still a crappy version of it. If I wanted to see missed layups and jumpers I’d go play pickup ball down the street.
I am NOT saying I’m as good as a D1 player, but the difference between Joe Schmoe and a D1 player is about the same as a the difference between a D1 player and an NBA player.
[/quote]
Damn and I thought you were a true basketball fan. Derrick Rose is exciting to watch both at Memphis and the Bulls. Don’t tell me he somehow got so much better in one year by picking up an NBA Spalding basketball.
nods head at scj
[quote]therajraj wrote:
^ Don’t forget to add: who will Sign Brandon Roy?[/quote]
Man the Blazers are going to suck. Ever since Sheed left I’ve hated what the Blazers have done with their team. Everyone says “oh they’ll be a contender in the near future” but no none wants to admit they don’t have the talent to even reach the conference semis. They suck at free agency and they suck at nearly everything else. B-Roy should bolt the fuck outta there. To bad B-Roy’s career is probably finished though.
[quote]MattyXL wrote:
Knicks Celtics Xmas day…NOYCE!
This is from real gm if anyone cares:
Details have emerged from a league-issued memo circulating to teams, players and agents.
The contract length will be five years for Bird rights players and four years for non-Bird.
There will be no reduction in the Rookie Scale or the minimum salary.
Max salaries will only have one level and it will be equal to 30% of the salary cap, while sign-and-trades will be allowed.
The new exception will be $2.5 million for teams below the cap to go over the cap. Those teams can’t use the mid-level or bi-annual exceptions.
For the mid-level exception, teams under the luxury tax can pay $5 million annually for up to four years, while teams over the tax have a $3 million offer for up to four years.
There also will be a 10% annual escrow system.
The minimum team salary increases to 85% in the first two years and 90% in years thereafter.
Via Adrian Wojnarowski/Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter)
Read more: Details Emerge From Memo To Teams, Players, Agents - RealGM Wiretap [/quote]
Latest news from ESPN is that Paul wants to sign with NY and NY only. It’s up to the Hornets to decide if they want to trade him. Then you think of what the Knicks have to offer and you wonder how the hell any kind of fair deal can get done.
Personally I hope the deal never gets done. I hope the new CBA severely inhibits such a trade from happening. The last thing the league needs is another Big 3. If the deal gets done Derek Fisher and the NBPA can suck my dick. People want the league to get more competitive, not the inverse.
Without a third team it isn’t going to happen, the Knicks have nothing to offer. As a Knick fan I want it to happen but I see where your coming from, I would love parody as well. No matter what happens with CP3 this year Knicks somehow have to get bigger down low, I believe they only have a midlevel exception and and could use the Amnesty Clause on one of their shit contracts (from what I hear Balkmans contract, But I would like them to keep him as he can really hit the boards but he may be a malcontent) I don’t think any of the big men available will sign for a mid level exception.
[quote]MattyXL wrote:
Without a third team it isn’t going to happen, the Knicks have nothing to offer. As a Knick fan I want it to happen but I see where your coming from, I would love parody as well. No matter what happens with CP3 this year Knicks somehow have to get bigger down low, I believe they only have a midlevel exception and and could use the Amnesty Clause on one of their shit contracts (from what I hear Balkmans contract, But I would like them to keep him as he can really hit the boards but he may be a malcontent) I don’t think any of the big men available will sign for a mid level exception. [/quote]
The Suns had a decent run without much of anything at the centre position with STAT and Nash helming the ship so I don’t think getting a good big man is vital but would obviously help them. They need chemistry ala the Dallas Mavericks and good coaching that is focused on defence. I’m sure there are some cheap defenders out there. They already have the foundation on the offensive end so they just need to continue to build a strong fundamental base. I don’t see them ‘getting there’ this year or next even though they could have one of those ‘runs’ - and with a shorter season who knows, but they aren’t on Miami or Chicago’s level right now.
I want to see the Spurs have one final run. I hope then get the Memphis Grizz in the playoffs and beat the shit out of them. Zach Randolph is probably 300lbs by now with a 2 inch vert instead of the 3" he had last season.
Honestly they NEED a big man, to man the paint, grab boards and protect Amare so he doesent get beat up, it is absolutely vital that they have a player like that. If they get Chris Paul, a big if, they are on the level potentially of those teams you mentioned.