2013 NBA Season News and Discussion

[conscript]

What I don't get is it's not like the Magic are in Nebraska or some midwest state/city where there is nothing to do. Orlando has a ton of stuff to do and has no state tax that just tells you how bad the Magic's front office is. Look at the Spurs people stay and don't complain they have a great front office players are happy it seems anyways. Point being the Magic needs to change the way they run the office up front and then they will keep the superstars instead of giving them away to the Lakers.

Don't forget, Florida also has no state income tax so you can make more money there than in just about any other state.

[Jibjabb]

That opening game with Dallas and LA got a lot more interesting

I really think that players getting traded to the Lakers for a bag of peanuts is more because of the players wanting to go there and forcing their owners hands. I mean look at Dwight he listed 3 teams he would go to. Brooklyn, couldnt financially make a decent deal after signing Lopez so they were dropped out. So now you have Dallas and the Lakers. On both rosters there was no real young talent that would be worth much at this point besides Bynum but he only had 1 year left on his deal and wouldnt agree to an extension... with anyone. So Orlando was left to either say fuck you dwight you have to stay which in turn fucks themselves by getting nothing. Or they can suck it up and just get what they can for him since they know hes gone.

More and more players make money outside of their contracts so the financial gain of staying home isnt as enticing as it should be. And a lot of this younger generation want to go the easier route by just teaming up with the other best players to get a championship. So on one hand you have the people saying "yea this is great players not going for money they just want to win, very selfless" and then you have people like me saying "they are taking the easy way out by ruining the competitive balance of the league and proving to everyone that they werent man enough to do it themselves where they were the original center piece of the team." The only way to stop it is to change the mentality of the players and thats up to them. So many of them are all BFFs off the court when in the 90s a lot of them hated each other out of their rivalry.

[chadwix]

Sadly, I think it already is.

Bret "the hitman" Heart always won in canada, untertaker at wrestlemania etc. Its a fixed league, there is far to much consistency to claim otherwise.

We got nothing for dwight as it is, should of let him ride the bench for a year. He has overtaken Grant Hill for the biggest pos the magic have ever had.

[conscript]

I really think that players getting traded to the Lakers for a bag of peanuts is more because of the players wanting to go there and forcing their owners hands. I mean look at Dwight he listed 3 teams he would go to. Brooklyn, couldnt financially make a decent deal after signing Lopez so they were dropped out. So now you have Dallas and the Lakers. On both rosters there was no real young talent that would be worth much at this point besides Bynum but he only had 1 year left on his deal and wouldnt agree to an extension... with anyone. So Orlando was left to either say fuck you dwight you have to stay which in turn fucks themselves by getting nothing. Or they can suck it up and just get what they can for him since they know hes gone.

They didn't have to settle though. This is just flat out bad management. Prior to the trade Dwight gave the Lakers and Houston both the exact same message of I'm not extending there and will test free agency, which he still might do. Houston gave Orlando a far better package and more cap relief and the Magic flat out walked away. Houston didn't give a crap about whether Dwight said he would extend or not. The Magic absolutely could have held Dwight until January or until the trade deadline and then worked out another deal with the Nets to acquire Brook Lopez. The amount of leverage the Magic had was at its absolute lowest at this point in the cycle. They had tons of leverage at the draft when Houston was throwing three picks this year, plus players, plus more picks. They had tons of leverage from the draft until the RFA deadline to deal him to Brooklyn for Lopez, picks, and pieces or Houston for tons of pieces.

Instead they waited, and waited, and waited until every single team had already made the vast majority of their off season moves, committed salary to their RFAs therefore killing their ability to be included in sign and trade deals, and pissed away every single ounce of leverage they had. If they hold Dwight to the trade deadline the leverage drastically increases in their favor since they can trade him as a rental to someone or as part of a long term deal package. But nope, Orlando stalled and ran off every single team that was interested in Howard and was willing to give them a sizable package. They had chances to trade him to teams that didn't give a shit whether he signed long term right this second or not because they thought they could convince him to stay. Instead the Magic balked at their massive offers stating they would hold Dwight into the season and didn't have to make a deal and then they end up making a deal when his value and the assets you can get back for him are at their absolute lowest. They got nothing back, they got zero salary relief. They essentially traded Dwight Howard for Afflalo and Harkless. That is a massive fucking failure brought on by their own management and no one else. They didn't have to do a deal now, they chose to and it will seriously destroy the potential of their franchise for the next 5-6 years. They make the Houston trade and they have the pieces to really build a team around.

[icedwarrior]

So I'm cautiously optimistic about the Laker's upcoming season(s), however I have a couple of questions:

1.) What are the odds that Howard signs an extension, and not test free agency? Close to none?
2.) What are the odds that Howard tests free agency, and remains a Laker? I assume this is directly tied to how well they do this season.
3.) How long does Nash have left in the league? Being amazingly productive?

[Deleted]

So I'm cautiously optimistic about the Laker's upcoming season(s), however I have a couple of questions:

1.) What are the odds that Howard signs an extension, and not test free agency? Close to none?
2.) What are the odds that Howard tests free agency, and remains a Laker? I assume this is directly tied to how well they do this season.
3.) How long does Nash have left in the league? Being amazingly productive?

1. I'd say it's like 90% sure he signs an extension with the Lakers. He already fell in love with the city during his surgery in LA. He have the chance to win multiple championships with Nash, Pau and Kobe before they retire and then it'll be his team.
2. He'll stay in Lakers. He'll stay a Laker even if they don't win it the first year, he knows that he'll never get the chance to play with such talented players and it will be his best shot at a ring. He don't want to go to a small franchise like Mavericks.
3. I'd say he have about 2-3 years left. Enough to win a couple of championships. I think Lakers will two championships during the next three years with Heat taking the other one.

[Windry]

So I'm cautiously optimistic about the Laker's upcoming season(s), however I have a couple of questions:

1.) What are the odds that Howard signs an extension, and not test free agency? Close to none?
2.) What are the odds that Howard tests free agency, and remains a Laker? I assume this is directly tied to how well they do this season.
3.) How long does Nash have left in the league? Being amazingly productive?

1) From my understanding, he can make more money by resigning with the Lakers once he's a free agent. He makes less money signing an extension before the end of this season.
2) I believe that's what will happen. He will become a free agent, "test the free agency market," and then resign with the Lakers.
3) Well Nash has a 2yr contract with a 3rd year player option. His numbers will likely go down next year because he won't be dominating the ball as much. My guess is he'll be playing less minutes as there's no reason to play him if the Lakers are up 20 in the 4th. That being said, I expect him to be effective for the next 2 years. I think year 3, we'll see Nash devolve into something like what Jason Kidd is right now. My guess is that he plays out the 3 years, and retires then, or plays 1 more year for another team.

[conscript]

So I'm cautiously optimistic about the Laker's upcoming season(s), however I have a couple of questions:

1.) What are the odds that Howard signs an extension, and not test free agency? Close to none?
2.) What are the odds that Howard tests free agency, and remains a Laker? I assume this is directly tied to how well they do this season.
3.) How long does Nash have left in the league? Being amazingly productive?

1) Extremely high. According to Steven Smith who was with him when the deal was announced, Dwight said he was almost certainly staying. Once he gets there there is about no shot he actually leaves.
2) Mediumish. If he actually "tests" free agency I think he will leave. Maybe he wines and dines a team for a free meal or two and then signs with the Lakers, but if he starts actually batting his eyes at another team I think he actually leaves.
3) 2-3 years, maybe more. Age isn't showing yet, who knows when it will. Hell he can probably extend that 2-3 years to 3-5 if he takes on a bench role.[

And theres no reason to be cautiously optimistic. Go full on douche bag Laker fan like most of you folks act every year. You guys deserve it after this offseason.
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---------- Post added 2012-08-11 at 08:08 PM ----------

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1) From my understanding, he can make more money by resigning with the Lakers once he's a free agent. He makes less money signing an extension before the end of this season.

Ya but the more money thing rarely matters. More often that not the max guys use that more money deal in a sign and trade deal to go where they really want to while still getting the most money and years (which completely ruins the point of that being added into the CBA. Thanks lockout for doing nothing!)

[Deleted]

I love that the Lakers picked up Jodie Meeks and Antawn Jamison too. They've really made some good moves this off season. Their bench actually don't look that bad anymore. Steve Blake showed last year he's able to make clutch shots when it counts he's a decent backup for Steve Nash. Absolutely brutal starting five and a decent bench. They're going to be terrifying for the other teams.

[conscript]

I love that the Lakers picked up Jodie Meeks and Antawn Jamison too. They've really made some good moves this off season. Their bench actually don't look that bad anymore. Steve Blake showed last year he's able to make clutch shots when it counts he's a decent backup for Steve Nash. Absolutely brutal starting five and a decent bench. They're going to be terrifying for the other teams.

Ya their bench is shockingly good. Blake looks way better coming off the bench and playing 10-15 minutes than he does playing 30-35 lol. Hill, Eyenga, McRoberts, etc. is pretty decent when they don't have to play significant time.

[Deleted]

Ya their bench is shockingly good. Blake looks way better coming off the bench and playing 10-15 minutes than he does playing 30-35 lol. Hill, Eyenga, McRoberts, etc. is pretty decent when they don't have to play significant time.

Eyenga and McRoberts are no longer Lakers. I don't care though, neither are good.

[icedwarrior]

And theres no reason to be cautiously optimistic. Go full on douche bag Laker fan like most of you folks act every year. You guys deserve it after this offseason.

I've been a Laker fan for a while, but I don't want to be a "full on douche bag Laker fan".

So are y'all ready to crown the Lakers the West champions? Will Spurs / Thunder be a threat to them? Personally, I think this puts them over the two teams, but I don't think the Lakers are invincible. I could still see the Thunder beating them. Possibly the Spurs, they're puzzling at times; some years they're ridiculously amazing, others they're irrelevant.

[Deleted]

I've been a Laker fan for a while, but I don't want to be a "full on douche bag Laker fan".

So are y'all ready to crown the Lakers the West champions? Will Spurs / Thunder be a threat to them? Personally, I think this puts them over the two teams, but I don't think the Lakers are invincible. I could still see the Thunder beating them. Possibly the Spurs, they're puzzling at times; some years they're ridiculously amazing, others they're irrelevant.

I think the Thunder will have a better regular season and secure the first seed, mostly because they're a lot younger and also because Dwight might not be ready to play until a few months into the season. I think Lakers will get the second seed just ahead of Spurs though and I think we'll see a Western Conference final with Lakers-Thunder. Personally I'm going to give Lakers the edge, even though Thunder has the homecourt advantage. I'm almost 100% sure that the Heat will reach the NBA finals once again and then we'll have a final with Kobe vs Lebron, finally! Going to be legendary. I can't really pick neither here, going to be very close. But I'm definitely cheering for Lakers.

Proud to be a Lakers fan "before it was cool". So many people jumping on the bandwagon as we speak, so funny!

[icedwarrior]

I think the Thunder will have a better regular season and secure the first seed, mostly because they're a lot younger and also because Dwight might not be ready to play until a few months into the season.

Didn't Westbrook sprain an ankle or something in the Olympics? Or am I wrong?

I think Lakers will get the second seed just ahead of Spurs though and I think we'll see a Western Conference final with Lakers-Thunder. Personally I'm going to give Lakers the edge, even though Thunder has the homecourt advantage.

Yeah, I remember the Thunder being scary at home. Here's hoping the Lakers get homecourt advantage.

I'm almost 100% sure that the Heat will reach the NBA finals once again and then we'll have a final with Kobe vs Lebron, finally! Going to be legendary. I can't really pick neither here, going to be very close.

Yeah, sadly, there aren't many great teams on the East. There's the Celtics, who had their chance last year and blew it. I don't think they'll do that well this year. And there's the Bulls, who lost people, and Rose is going to miss some months healing. Heat should make the Finals, barring something big.

On paper, I feel that the Lakers have the advantage against the Heat, but...I'm a Laker fan, so perhaps I'm being biased.

[Deleted]

Didn't Westbrook sprain an ankle or something in the Olympics? Or am I wrong?



Yeah, I remember the Thunder being scary at home. Here's hoping the Lakers get homecourt advantage.



Yeah, sadly, there aren't many great teams on the East. There's the Celtics, who had their chance last year and blew it. I don't think they'll do that well this year. And there's the Bulls, who lost people, and Rose is going to miss some months healing. Heat should make the Finals, barring something big.

On paper, I feel that the Lakers have the advantage against the Heat, but...I'm a Laker fan, so perhaps I'm being biased.

I'm not sure what happened to his ankle, apparently he'll be fit for the final tomorrow, according to a few sources.

On paper, I wouldn't say Lakers has an advantage, I'd say they're about equal, remember that the Heat added Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis this offseason, they also improved their team greatly.

[icedwarrior]

On paper, I wouldn't say Lakers has an advantage, I'd say they're about equal, remember that the Heat added Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis this offseason, they also improved their team greatly.

Hmm, derp, I completely forgot about those two additions. I retract my previous statement.

And now I'm curious as to what Conscript and others think.

[Windry]

@conscripts

- McRoberts was part of the trade for Howard. He's an Orlando Magic now.

- I'm not 100% sure, but I remember reading that signing an extension for Bynum or Howard, they would end up being paid something like $2m less per year in their salary (as opposed to if they resigned for the returning max with their team), so... that being the case, I'm pretty sure Howard and Bynum are not going to sign an extension, but they will just resign with the Lakers and 76'ers next summer.

- Part of the change in the CBA was that they have 2 levels of max contracts now. One for resigning with your team, another for any other team to offer.

Example: Next summer Dwight will be able to resign with the Lakers with their bird rights on him. The max that the Lakers will be able to sign him for will be $22m (that's just a guess, but it should be somewhere around there). The max other teams will be able to sign him for is $19m (again, rough guess, but should be pretty close). The Lakers are not allowed to sign-and-trade Dwight for anything more than $19m. If he wants to get paid higher amount of $22m, he would have to resign with the Lakers. Once he resigns with the Lakers at that amount, by league rules, the Lakers are not allowed to trade Dwight. This does effectively punish players for wanted the max salary and leaving their team.

Anyways... Dwight will stay in LA because financially, it makes the most sense for Dwight. Adidas gives him something like $9m per year more to play in a big market (LA, NY, Boston, Chicago). So... if he goes to Dallas, that's like taking a $12m per year pay cut.

Dwight to Brooklyn will not happen because of where they are in cap space now. That idea pretty much died as soon as the Nets signed Lopez to the returning max (just like the example above, the Nets are not allowed to trade Brooke Lopez until Dec 25th). Also, in case you didn't know, the Nets used their amnesty on Travis Outlaw, AND teams are only allowed to amnesty contracts that were made before this CBA, so every player signed this offseason cannot be amnestied. Just like no one wants Boozer's contract, no one is going to trade for Lopez. The Nets are going to be stuck with Lopez, and they will have no way of getting Dwight.

[Papapwn]

I'm not sure what happened to his ankle, apparently he'll be fit for the final tomorrow, according to a few sources.

On paper, I wouldn't say Lakers has an advantage, I'd say they're about equal, remember that the Heat added Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis this offseason, they also improved their team greatly.

rashard lewis isnt even half the decent player he used to be. So dont count on him. Ray allen while being deadly isnt going to be much of a factor coming off the bench. His main strength was knocking down open shots and with him coming off the bench, hes going to have to create his own shots more.

I dont even think you can compare the 2 players both teams got. Nash > rashad and Dwight > ray allen. By greater i mean that they will contribute way more and bring way more to the team. Plus i really feel people underestimate how free kobe is going to be now. Hes going to get way better looks now.

Another factor is that lebron loves posting people up and driving to the bucket, but he isnt going to get many opportunities with howard being in there now. The lakers dont have to all zone back in and give lebron an easy dish to an open outside shooter.

Another factor is that dwight howard lives on the offensive glass, the heat are going to struggle rebounding wise which i think is going to be the main reason they lose.

Yes i am biased being a Laker fan, however i find any of the points i made hard to disagree with.

One of my best friends is a heat fan and he honestly said that hes confused what the heat can do against the lakers.

[Deleted]

Hmm, derp, I completely forgot about those two additions. I retract my previous statement.

And now I'm curious as to what Conscript and others think.

Hehe, they are two awesome additions, should bring a lot from the bench. Ray Allen and Mike Miller from 3 point land, going to be deadly!

Rashard Lewis hasn't been good lately, but I have a feeling he'll strive in in Miami Heat.

[conscript]

Hmm, derp, I completely forgot about those two additions. I retract my previous statement.

And now I'm curious as to what Conscript and others think.

I still think the Heat are the better team, probably because I am tremendously pre-LeBron and Wade. The Dwight Howard addition solidifies the interior against a slashing team like OKC with Westbrook more than it helps anything else. That isn't the Heats game. The Heat a perimeter oriented team that doesn't necessarily need to get to the paint to win. Plus the Heats defense is still far better than the Lakers with Howard. LeBron can guard Howard inside as eh has done in the past if that is even a necessity since he probably isn't going to beat you alone on the offensive end. If Lewis can at all return to his old form the Heat are going to be just absolutely ridiculous. If the Heat and Lakers both make it to the Finals with a healthy roster, something the Heat didn't do this season, the Heat should win. They beat OKC who is essentially a younger, faster version of the current Lakers but not necessarily more skilled at the Center position. They should be able to beat the Lakers if they can slash and kick like they did against Ibaka who is essentially Dwight lite. Hell they beat OKC and then immediately had two of the big three players have surgery. They were able to move the ball all day on the younger, faster Thunder. They should easily be able to do the same thing against the Lakers who are all defensive liabilities except Howard and Artest.


Its impossible to tell though until we see how LA is going to actually operate their offense. Who knows, Kobe might go full on douche mode and demand Nash give him the ball for 30 shots a night and there is a huge falling out between them. I doubt that that will happen, but we don't even know what they are going to do on the offensive end outside of the rumor of maybe running the Princeton offense.

---------- Post added 2012-08-12 at 08:03 AM ----------

Rashard Lewis hasn't been good lately, but I have a feeling he'll strive in in Miami Heat.

Hes been rolling by on his wagon filled with the millions and millions of dollars the Magic stupidly gave him. This is essentially his last year of getting free money since the Hornets bought out his contract. So if he wants to continue making money in the NBA, I assume he is broke like most stupid athletes who get those huge contracts, he actually needs to show up and play.