Jump to content

NBA 2017 - 18: A Shot at Parity


Relic

Recommended Posts

On 10-2-2018 at 0:50 AM, Tywin et al. said:

Maybe. I just think LeBron is going to leave because he's going to get beat in the Finals again so he'll have to start over somewhere else. I suspect he'll try and pair up with another max player and the two of them will try to find a team with cap space and a talented young core that's still cheap (an no, not the Lakers).

Houston or San Antonio.

Either Houston to finally get CP3 a championship or San Antonio for Popovitch.

Either of these teams would help him get championships and build on his legacy, but it depends on which one he likes more.

If he chooses any other team, he is a moron.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey, I'd almost forgotten what it feels like to not be completely disgusted by the play of my favorite NBA team.  Nice to see some actual fucking effort for a change and a team where everyone doesn't seem to despise each other.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, briantw said:

Hey, I'd almost forgotten what it feels like to not be completely disgusted by the play of my favorite NBA team.  Nice to see some actual fucking effort for a change and a team where everyone doesn't seem to despise each other.

You're so spoiled hahaha. The Cavs made strong moves at the deadline and their team looks waaaaaaaaay better, on paper, and in yesterday's game. Guys playing with a lot of energy and not expecting LeBron to carry the load is exactly what this team needed. As a Knick fan I'm jealous. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Relic said:

You're so spoiled hahaha. The Cavs made strong moves at the deadline and their team looks waaaaaaaaay better, on paper, and in yesterday's game. Guys playing with a lot of energy and not expecting LeBron to carry the load is exactly what this team needed. As a Knick fan I'm jealous. 

Yeah, they really did a wonderful job of taking a bunch of guys whose games don't mesh well with LeBron's and flipping them for a bunch of guys whose games mesh perfectly with him.  George Hill and Rodney Hood are like the prototypical one and two guard you'd design in a lab to play with James, and Nance is a nice fit as an energy big who likes to cut to the rim and dunk.  LeBron loves guys like that.  

I think Clarkson was an underrated part of the trade as well.  Provides some scoring off the bench, can run the offense, and should see his fair share of open threes when he's out there with LeBron.  He's not a great shooter, but I believe he spots up at around 37%, which is good enough for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/10/2018 at 8:52 PM, Red Tiger said:

Houston or San Antonio.

Either Houston to finally get CP3 a championship or San Antonio for Popovitch.

Either of these teams would help him get championships and build on his legacy, but it depends on which one he likes more.

If he chooses any other team, he is a moron.

You really think he'd leave the East? The three best teams are in the West, and the East is still mostly a cake walk. Do you really think he fears the Raptors or the Celtics? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

You really think he'd leave the East? The three best teams are in the West, and the East is still mostly a cake walk. Do you really think he fears the Raptors or the Celtics? 

Yes, I do and it doesn't matter that the East is easy. What matters is what San Antonio and Houston have to offer. You are thinking way too small.

If he goes to Houston, he can play next to Harden and his buddy CP3, both elite players and win at least one more championship. Plus, should Houston fail to win a title this year, he will be able to help CP3 get his first.

If he goes to San Antonio, he will not only have one of the finest coaches in basketball (it also helps that LeBron likes him and vice-versa), but also an organization that will surround him with quality talent year to year.

If he stays in the east.....he reaches the finals multiple times and most likely loses to the Warriors.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

You really think he'd leave the East? The three best teams are in the West, and the East is still mostly a cake walk. Do you really think he fears the Raptors or the Celtics? 

Had the Cavs continued to implode, I think he would have went West.  But if they rebound and continue to look good, I think he stays.  No reason to leave, especially since they can flip that Brooklyn pick and Smith (basically an expiring contract next season, as he's only guaranteed three million the following year) for another star player.  And you know someone (or multiple someones) will become available around the draft.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, Red Tiger said:

Yes, I do and it doesn't matter that the East is easy. What matters is what San Antonio and Houston have to offer. You are thinking way too small.

If he goes to Houston, he can play next to Harden and his buddy CP3, both elite players and win at least one more championship. Plus, should Houston fail to win a title this year, he will be able to help CP3 get his first.

If he goes to San Antonio, he will not only have one of the finest coaches in basketball (it also helps that LeBron likes him and vice-versa), but also an organization that will surround him with quality talent year to year.

If he stays in the east.....he reaches the finals multiple times and most likely loses to the Warriors.

Is CPS still an elite player? It seems like he's dropped off over the last few years. And I'm not sure LeBron would like D'Antoni's system. I can see it working out great ir being a total disaster. 

I can see why the Spurs would be a good fit, and you're right to say there's a lot of mutual respect been LeBron and Pop, but I'm still not sure that will be enough. He'd still have to deal with GS, Houston and OKC, assuming nothing changes, and he'd only be able to dodge one of them in the playoffs. 

The Warriors window is this season and next unless Klay takes a team friendly contract. Of the Warriors core four, he seems like he'd be the one most likely to dip. If I were LeBron, I'd want to be on a team that can peak beginning in the 2019-20 season and carry me afterwards, which is probably going to be Philly. And if he signs there, they can get around some cap issues because of the rookie contracts. If Embiid can stay healthy, Simmons can become the next LeBron who can't shoot and Fultz fixes whatever is wrong with him, that seems like the place to be. 

17 minutes ago, briantw said:

Had the Cavs continued to implode, I think he would have went West.  But if they rebound and continue to look good, I think he stays.  No reason to leave, especially since they can flip that Brooklyn pick and Smith (basically an expiring contract next season, as he's only guaranteed three million the following year) for another star player.  And you know someone (or multiple someones) will become available around the draft.

I know you're a fan and you have to hold out hope, but it seems to me that it's going to be really unlikely that he stays unless they win a championship. I'm not even sure if he'd stay if they merely look competitive in the Finals. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

51 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

Is CPS still an elite player? It seems like he's dropped off over the last few years. And I'm not sure LeBron would like D'Antoni's system. I can see it working out great ir being a total disaster. 

I can see why the Spurs would be a good fit, and you're right to say there's a lot of mutual respect been LeBron and Pop, but I'm still not sure that will be enough. He'd still have to deal with GS, Houston and OKC, assuming nothing changes, and he'd only be able to dodge one of them in the playoffs. 

The Warriors window is this season and next unless Klay takes a team friendly contract. Of the Warriors core four, he seems like he'd be the one most likely to dip. If I were LeBron, I'd want to be on a team that can peak beginning in the 2019-20 season and carry me afterwards, which is probably going to be Philly. And if he signs there, they can get around some cap issues because of the rookie contracts. If Embiid can stay healthy, Simmons can become the next LeBron who can't shoot and Fultz fixes whatever is wrong with him, that seems like the place to be.

Not gonna happen.

And yes CP3 is still elite, it's just that if you don't score 20 points the media will not give you the attention you want, but he is great at everything else and efficient with his shots.

As for those Western teams, a combination of Kawhi, LeBron and a strong supporting cast can take down any team.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Rhom said:

Lavar Ball doing Lavar Ball things

 

So how good would Lonzo Ball have to be for an NBA team to be willing to put up with that?  Assuming Lonzo actually followed through on this threat (which would be incredibly stupid), I think it would completely blow up in Lavar's face.  Because if it means Lavar being part-time GM, and having to give two Ball brothers roster spots regardless of whether they're even replacement level players, that is a HUGE problem.  Even if Lonzo is like John Wall/Damien Lillard good, he might get no takers on that deal.  Take the whole family to Lithuania?  I'm sure you'll sell a lot of shoes from there...

I guess it somewhat comes down to whether LaMelo and LiAngelo are decent.  LiAngelo isn't considered an NBA prospect - he was only a 3 star recruit, and was expected to be a role player at UCLA.  LaMelo is more promising, but he's also only 16, and is considered an indifferent defender in Lithuanian pro leagues.  So that's one maybe and one no. 

I'm probably taking this more seriously than it deserves.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Maithanet said:

I'm probably taking this more seriously than it deserves.

I think that's a problem we all fall into, including the media.  Its how Lavar got his platform.  Everyone takes him seriously but himself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, Red Tiger said:

Not gonna happen.

And yes CP3 is still elite, it's just that if you don't score 20 points the media will not give you the attention you want, but he is great at everything else and efficient with his shots.

As for those Western teams, a combination of Kawhi, LeBron and a strong supporting cast can take down any team.

Don't you think LeBron wants to go to a team that will allow him to age? It seems to me that Philly would be the perfect spot for that. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Tywin et al. said:

Don't you think LeBron wants to go to a team that will allow him to age? It seems to me that Philly would be the perfect spot for that. 

....No....no I do not. Matter of fact, im pretty sure he reeeeeaaally does not care about this (and im wondering to myself, why on Earth this would matter). What he cares about is getting as many rings as possible before he retires and doing it in a way that would benefit his legacy.

Also, going to a team where the biggest draw is a big man who has a bad injury history is a huge no-no. Plus Philly overall is shit at drafting and attracting quality free agents.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, briantw said:

Gotta love how the Cavs went from being quite possibly the worst team to watch in the league to one of the most fun literally overnight.

Their draft day trades were pretty impressive. Gave up nothing other than this year's late first and Jae Crowder, and got some really nice players. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...