The NBA Thread 2011/2012

[DHSC]

Or whenever it starts.

First 2 weeks of regular season cancelled.

 

[LeTallecWiz]

I think this will be a ~40 game season probably.

 

[DHSC]

Wonder if MC Golgotha can give us some analysis on this.

I personally blame the owners.

 

[MC Golgotha]

Professional basketball is clown shoes.

I don't really care who's right, I think the season should be shorter anyway and there should be less teams in the playoffs. More than half the league goes into postseason. Nonsense. Any season that results in teams writing games off as 'schedule loss' is clearly not good.

The rest is just money. The cap situation in the NBA is weird anyway, with the soft cap and the tax on overspending. The players don't want a hard cap as the big names can make phenomenal amounts of money as they know they are individually crucial to a team. We'll see what some of the lesser lights think once the fortnightly paychecks stop rolling in (no co-incidence Stern is suspending the season in two-weekly increments).

Hopefully they're still dicking about a month from now and we'll see more college hoops on the telly.

 

[DHSC]

FUCK YOU NBA AND NBPA!

I WANT MY BASKETBALL!

 

[Rosco]

Is it back ?

 

[MC Golgotha]

There is a new deal on the table, yet to be passed yet. It plans for a 66 game regular season (48 in conference) starting Christmas Day.

Representatives shook hands on it, but it needs to be ratified formally by both sides. It probably will. They'll look uber-stupid fucking it all up again, and Christmas Day is as good a starting point as they're going to get now as it's one of their biggest TV days of the year.

 

[Rosco]

I haven't managed to catch up on the details, but I heard it's a worse deal than what was on the table in August ?

If that's the case Billy Hunter is getting fired surely.

 

[Karl Hungus]

The more time passes, the worse it is going to get for the players and the owners know it.

Once the season was supposed to start, the paychecks were supposed to start as well.

They should have taken the earlier deal.

 

[DHSC]

And the trade speculation starts!

From SI.Com

When ESPN.com reported on Tuesday that the Celtics would be willing to trade point guard Rajon Rondo for the right player, it surprised anyone who had seen the sixth-year player's mastery of the team's system in recent years.

But according to numerous sources with knowledge of the situation, Boston general manager Danny Ainge is highly motivated to land an even better point guard than the one who led the Celtics to a championship in 2008 and an average of 58.5 wins in the last four seasons: New Orleans' Chris Paul.

Ainge, the sources say, has recently discussed trading Rondo in a deal that nets Paul, but the Hornets don't appear interested in a two-team deal in which Rondo -- who has four years worth approximately $46 million left on his contract -- and Paul would switch places. So Ainge has been on the prowl for a third team that could provide the sort of young pieces Hornets general manager Dell Demps would covet as part of his possible rebuilding plan. The more pressing question, of course, is whether Paul, who can become a free agent after this season, would consider signing an extension with Boston.

While ESPN reports that New York tops Paul's wish list because of the chance to form a Big Three with Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, Paul would have a chance to take the Big Four -- joining Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen -- to a new level in Beantown. Without Paul agreeing to an extension, however, the sources say Ainge will not do the deal.

Intriguing as the Celtics possibility might be, the challenge for Ainge would be selling the 26-year-old Paul on the idea of joining a group of future Hall of Famers with an average age of 35. While Pierce is under contract through 2014, Garnett's and Allen's deals end after this season. What's more, Boston is merely one of the many teams who will be making a serious attempt to land Paul this season.

Paul, who will make $16.4 million this season and has a $17.8 million player option in 2012-13, is widely expected to turn down a forthcoming extension offer from New Orleans. If and when that occurs, it is believed that the Hornets -- who have just five players under contract currently and hardly look like the sort of championship contender Paul wants to be a part of -- will trade him at some point in order to avoid losing him for nothing in return next summer.

The Hornets add a unique element on their own as well: They are owned by the NBA, which has led to the question of whether it would prefer Paul stays put. The league bought the team for $310 million last December and the franchise value would almost certainly take a hit if the popular Paul departs. He has long been hailed as a local hero, a classy member of the community and more than capable athlete who arrived at the toughest of times in New Orleans. Paul was drafted fourth overall by the Hornets out of Wake Forest in 2005, just two months before Hurricane Katrina hit and the team played its next two seasons in Oklahoma City before returning.

This isn't the first time Ainge has attempted to make a bold move to improve his already formidable core. In February of 2010, he tried to acquire then Kings shooting guard Kevin Martin in a deal that was expected to include Allen. Four months later, the Celtics were falling to the Lakers in a seven-game NBA Finals for the ages.

While front-office executives have not been able to talk to agents or players during the lockout, they could talk to each other about possible deals. No deals can actually be done until the collective bargaining agreement has been officially ratified, which is expected to take place in time to start training camp and free agency on Dec. 9. The regular season is expected to start on Christmas Day.

Paul addressed questions about his future at the Boys & Girls Club event in, of all places, New York on Tuesday.

"I try not to pay attention to all that different type of stuff," Paul told reporters. "My heart is in New Orleans and right now the reason I'm here in New York is for [Anthony].

"I know I'm just happy to be here and be a part of it, to give these boxes out to the needy families and then going over to the [Five-Star Basketball] Clinic and seeing the smiles on the kids' faces when we show up."

He would certainly put a smile on Ainge's face if he saw Boston as a worthy destination

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/sam_amick/11/29/chris.paul.celtics/index.html#ixzz1f9hr93tP

 

[DHSC]

Fuck me.

I am going to faint if Lakers get both Howard AND PAUL.

*hyperventilates*

 

[DHSC]

[quote author=DHSC link=topic=47151.msg1440112#msg1440112 date=1323307314]
Fuck me.

I am going to faint if Lakers get both Howard AND PAUL.

*hyperventilates*
[/quote]

*semi-hyperventilates*

 

[MC Golgotha]

Stern fucked pretty much everyone there over the Paul trade. He must have potential buyers for the Hornets lined up and could see dollars walking out the door without Paul on the roster.

No doubt the league will argue it was for competition reasons. That sounds good in theory, but Paul can opt out at the end if the season and the Hornets will get nothing for him. They were getting some decent talent in the trade.

 

[Rosco]

I didn't realise what had happened when I first read your post MC.

An extract from a Simmons article on it:

Just know that I'm a die-hard Celtics fan and die-hard Lakers hater … and even I am appalled. I hope Chris Paul sues. I hope the Rockets sue. I hope the Lakers sue. I hope Dell Demps resigns and makes a sex tape with a stripper wearing a David Stern Halloween mask. Whatever happens, the season has been irrevocably tainted — we just watched FIVE teams have their seasons screwed up by this debacle. Houston's three-year plan just went up in smoke; now the Rockets have to make up with their two best players. (Good luck with that.) The Lakers need to determine if their relationship with the notoriously sensitive Gasol and the even more notoriously sensitive Odom is salvageable; and if it's not, what then? The Hornets are just plain screwed. It's a basketball catastrophe for them. As for the Celtics, Pinocchio Ainge's ill-fated pursuit of Paul ruined the team's relationship with Rajon Rondo, only its best young player. Even the Knicks got screwed — supposedly they closed the deal with Tyson Chandler yesterday, never expecting Paul to become available this summer (and now they can't chase him).

 

[MC Golgotha]

The teams have been meeting again, and there will be more on the table in terms of draft picks and young talent for the Hornets. Stern surely won't be able to say no twice, especially after the raping he took in the press the first time.

 

[Rosco]

It's a ludicrous position he's in.

 

[MC Golgotha]

Goodell must love it every time Stern takes a betrousered shit.

Presumably the Lakers have more business planned. Without Gasol they have a bit of a height shortage.

looks toward Orlando

 

[RedZeppelin]

I know nothing about basketball and never watch it but i just flicked over and caught two college teams (?) Xavier and cincinatti kicking the shite out of each other. Guess cincinatti will be getting some suspension ...their 34 floored some lad with a punch and another of their's tried a sly stamp/kick on him as he hit the floor . Dirty. I do love a good proper sports punch up though .

 

[Rosco]

I never had more than a passing interest in it until last year when the Heat got together, I quite enjoy following it a bit now

 

[LeTallecWiz]

Three teams can talk to Dwight Howard's agent ... Amongst them the mavs ... MAN OH MAN ... and we're probably signing Vince Carter ... Not a bad back up option.

Magic spokesman Joel Glass says the team has granted New Jersey, Dallas and the L.A. Lakers permission to talk to Fegan to discuss possible trades.

CP3 to go?

The New Orleans Hornets' three-team trade with the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets that would land Chris Paul in L.A. has been resubmitted to the league office for approval, according to sources close to the talks.

Rip to the Windy City?

The New Orleans Hornets' three-team trade with the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets that would land Chris Paul in L.A. has been resubmitted to the league office for approval, according to sources close to the talks.

 

[MC Golgotha]

I imagine the Lakers will push HARD for Howard. They want a superstar team like the Heat and they desperately need a big man.

 

[Dirkus_Circus]

As an American I never thought I would see the day that an NBA thread would pop up on SCM. Good on you!

 

[LeTallecWiz]

Mavs have got Odom ...

Two thoughts:

1) Is this to try and get Howard? or are they happy with the roster?
2) If the lakers get Howard, they have to give up Pau & Bynum

 

[DHSC]

I hope Kupchak knows what he's doing.

Pulling out of the Paul deal?

Trading Odom for a pick and a trade exception?

To the team that beat us last season?

Getting Howard and Turk for possibly Bynum and Gasol?

Decimating our front court?

No upgrade at PG?

Relying on Fisher and Blake?

No backup for Kobe?

Walton STILL here?

Imagine if Howard bolts for the Nets and Paul goes to Clippers?

When the lockout ended I thought we would be getting Howard AND Paul. Sure, we would have given up ALL our height advantage, but man what a team that would be for this season and the next 4-5 ones too.

Then Stern comes in, decides to fuck things up by nixing a trade for 'basketball reason'? What the fuck? His decision fucked so many teams over, not just the Lakers. Rockets now are in limbo because they envisioned a Nene and Gasol frontline. Hornets can't get fuck all now.

And comic sans Gilbert makes an ass out of himself by saying that Lakers essentially CANNOT cut salary because he would be losing out on revenue?

Fuck you Stern.

Fuck you small time owners.

Fuck you NBA.

I wish the lockout had continued.

And oh, best of luck Lamar.

 

[Rosco]

You were never getting both Howard and Paul, you didn't have enough to trade to get both.

Paul to the Clippers nearly happened yesterday.

 

[DHSC]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=47151.msg1443336#msg1443336 date=1323853604]
You were never getting both Howard and Paul, you didn't have enough to trade to get both.

Paul to the Clippers nearly happened yesterday.
[/quote]

Yeah, Stern pulled out again because he wanted all top 5 Clippers assets. Crazy

There was a minute possiblity of getting both Ross.

If Stern had not interfered, Howard could have demanded to be traded to the Lakers and we could have traded Bynum plus some of the bad contracts (Blake? World Peace?) in exchange for Howard and Turkoglu bad contract. However, that would have left us horribly thin in terms of the frontcourt.

I wouldnt like to see players behaving like spoilt brats; but it would have been a heck of a dream.

In other news, Nene re-signs with Denver who also traded for Brewer and Fernandez. Good moves there.

Mavs dumping players to get under the cap for a run at next year's top free agents.

Kwame Fucking Brown got a 1 year 7m contract from GSW.

Who's Kwame Brown, you ask? Well read this (Kobe's the one complaining):

“I got to say, it was tough doing it that year. I was playing with guys, God bless them — God bless them — but Kwame Brown. Smush Parker. We had one game right before…by the way, what I say here, I say directly to them, see what I’m saying, I don’t talk behind people’s back. Things that I say to you, I’m comfortable saying this to them and I’ve said this to them...But like, the game before we traded for Pau, were playing Detroit and I had like 40 points towards the end of the game. This is back when Detroit had Rasheed [Wallace], Chauncey [Billups] and those guys, so we had no business being in the game. So down the stretch of the game, they put in a box and one. So I’m surrounded by these players, Detroit players, and Kwame is under the basket, all by himself. Literally, like all by himself. So I pass him the ball, he bobbled it and it goes out of bounds.

“So we go back to the timeout and I’m [upset], right? He goes, ‘I was wide open.’ ‘Yeah, I know.’ This is how I’m talking to him, like, during the game. I said, ‘You’re going to be open again, Kwame, because Rasheed is just totally ignoring you.’ He said, ‘Well, if I’m open don’t throw it to me.’ I was like, ‘Huh?’ He said, ‘Don’t throw it to me.’ I said, ‘Why not?’ He said, well, ‘I’m nervous. If I catch it and they foul me, I won’t make the free throws.’ I said, ‘Hell no!’

“I go to Phil [Jackson], I say, ‘Hey Phil, take him out of the game.’ He’s like, ‘Nah, let him figure it out.’ So, we lose the game, I go the locker room, I’m steaming. Steaming. I’m furious. Then, finally I get a call, they said, ‘You know what, we got something that’s happening with Pau.’ I was like, ‘Alright. Cool.’…That’s what I had to deal with the whole year.”

 

[DHSC]

Chris Paul to Clippers for Gordon, Aminu, Kaman and Minny's 2012 first round pick. Good haul there. Potential superstar SG, young and athletic SF, expiring contract and potential top 5 lottery pick there.

Feel sorry for Gordon though, the Clippers front office told him he wouldnt be traded. Still, it's all business.

 

[MC Golgotha]

It's the Clippers though, so everyone is still waiting for the other fucking shoe to drop.

 

[DHSC]

[quote author=MC Golgotha link=topic=47151.msg1443852#msg1443852 date=1323949738]
It's the Clippers though, so everyone is still waiting for the other fucking shoe to drop.
[/quote]

What are the odds on them trading away Blake Griffin? ;D

 

[LeTallecWiz]

[quote author=DHSC link=topic=47151.msg1444260#msg1444260 date=1323996535]
[quote author=MC Golgotha link=topic=47151.msg1443852#msg1443852 date=1323949738]
It's the Clippers though, so everyone is still waiting for the other fucking shoe to drop.
[/quote]

What are the odds on them trading away Blake Griffin? ;D
[/quote]

If they have a good season with Paul/Griffin, the team will be built properly around them ... If they struggle, both will leave.