View Full Version : 2004-05 NBA thread
skipshady
14 Feb 2005, 10:41 PM
I wonder if Utah is regretting the Boozer deal yet? Isn't he grossly overpaid?
In hindsight, yeah, they could've spent their money better. But my take is that they had to get a big ticket free agent last summer just to show that they were serious players in the offseason, and they were going to overpay no matter whom.
Cleveland came out of this handsomely though. They lost Boozer, but now they don't have to give him the big extension he was due next year. Instead, they got Gooden who's an MIP candidate, in addition to Varejao, Pavlovic and Traylor, who are part of the best bench in the league.
ibreak4coffee
15 Feb 2005, 10:40 AM
Cliff Robinson to the Nets... a good deal for them I think. I still think NJ will fall short in the Atlantic... the Celtics remain a .500 team, Philly isnt bad, and NJ will eventually drop its level of play. And of course, Vince cant play for more than a month without an injury ;)
At least the crappy Atlantic is interesting again. You can write off the Knicks, and the Raptors will probably start a fire sale to continue rebuilding and can also be written off, but the rest should fight to the wire.
Hopefully the Robinson deal is the start of an active trading deadline, and one that will feature more than just expiring contracts moving around. And am I the only one who wants to see Walker back in a Celts jersey? Man that would kill that team!
ibreak4coffee
15 Feb 2005, 10:43 AM
In hindsight, yeah, they could've spent their money better. But my take is that they had to get a big ticket free agent last summer just to show that they were serious players in the offseason, and they were going to overpay no matter whom.
Cleveland came out of this handsomely though. They lost Boozer, but now they don't have to give him the big extension he was due next year. Instead, they got Gooden who's an MIP candidate, in addition to Varejao, Pavlovic and Traylor, who are part of the best bench in the league.
Its always hard to predict how a guy will play after he signs his first deal with financial security. Boozer obviously has fallen into the half a game effort category, but I agree with Skip that Utah needed to make the deal... they need to surround Kirilenko with some size and talent to make any noise. Personally though I've always thought Boozer should have stayed in the East. He's more dominant there because most teams are so thin at the 4 and 5 spots. Pretty much any team in the East could use him.
Cleveland did come out better, and if they can hold on to Z, and maybe get Michael Redd in free agency or a trade, will contend for the conference. They dont really even need to worry anymore about player recruitment... who wouldnt want to play with LeBron? (besides Carmelo ;) )
skipshady
15 Feb 2005, 01:28 PM
Cleveland did come out better, and if they can hold on to Z, and maybe get Michael Redd in free agency or a trade, will contend for the conference. They dont really even need to worry anymore about player recruitment... who wouldnt want to play with LeBron? (besides Carmelo ;) )The way the other Cavs play, a lot of the credit has to go to Lebron. What's amazing about him is that he doesn't force shots that aren't there and he shares the ball - for all his shot attempts, he's shooting .489 from the field and averaging 7.7 assists/game. And he's 20 years old?
- I feel bad for Knick fans. I just want to shake Starbury and all the other Knicks and shout "Knickerbocker please!" to their faces.
ibreak4coffee
15 Feb 2005, 01:49 PM
I feel bad for Knick fans.
I am incapable of this feeling :)
TheSlipperyOne
15 Feb 2005, 02:35 PM
The way the other Cavs play, a lot of the credit has to go to Lebron. What's amazing about him is that he doesn't force shots that aren't there and he shares the ball - for all his shot attempts, he's shooting .489 from the field and averaging 7.7 assists/game. And he's 20 years old?
Exactly. I do think that if there is anyone in the NBA right now who could average a triple-double for a season at some point during his career.
7.7 A/G is impressive but if he had an actual big-time shooter, like Michael Redd, then I think it would go up even more.
TheSlipperyOne
15 Feb 2005, 02:38 PM
If Zo plays for the Heat this season then they would have the number 1, 2 & 3 picks from the '92 draft playing for them. That's kind of cool.
On Sportcenter last night Marc Stein said that teams are interested in trading for the Raptors' Donyell Marshall but the Raptors have said if any team wants him they have to take Jalen Rose too.
ibreak4coffee
15 Feb 2005, 03:24 PM
If Zo plays for the Heat this season then they would have the number 1, 2 & 3 picks from the '92 draft playing for them. That's kind of cool.
On Sportcenter last night Marc Stein said that teams are interested in trading for the Raptors' Donyell Marshall but the Raptors have said if any team wants him they have to take Jalen Rose too.
Sportscenter is right and its a shame. Donyell is in the last year of his contract, and the way he feels he's been treated in Toronto, there's no way he'd re-sign. The Raptors have been really stupid, wasting their time by starting Rafael Araujo over Donyell. Not only does Rafael stink (he rarely plays more than 10 minutes), but its caused Donyell to want out when he loved it with the Raps last year and started all 66 games he played. Moroever, he's the type of veteran they need to surround Bosh and Alston, and they're forcing him out. Ridiculous.
So basically right now they're losing him for nothing. The Sixers arent going to give up Igoudala for him, so they need to drop their demands. I bet he'll be moved on the deadline day, when their hand is forced.
The problem though with Toronto is that basically after getting virtually nothing in return for Vince Carter, they are now asking for too much to make up for that terrible trade... its a shame
TheSlipperyOne
15 Feb 2005, 06:01 PM
The Rocky Mountain News polled 151 NBA players on a variety of issues recently. Here is how they rank the best players in the NBA:
Shaq 22.5%
Duncan 19.9%
KG 18.5%
LeBron 9.3%
Kobe 6.6%
Nash 4.0%
Amare 2.6%
McGrady 2.0%
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nuggets/article/0,1299,DRMN_20_3548691,00.html
Every player who received a vote is on an All-Star team except one: Pau Gasol.
dark knight
23 Feb 2005, 07:53 PM
New Sportsguy - http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/050223
I'm still waiting for him to write about KG crying about losing. Maybe I should write him about it.
Ian McCracken
23 Feb 2005, 11:03 PM
The Rocky Mountain News polled 151 NBA players on a variety of issues recently. Here is how they rank the best players in the NBA:
Nash 4.0%
At least now we know that the percentage of NBA players on crack is approximately 4.0%
skipshady
23 Feb 2005, 11:30 PM
We've been on the run
Driving in the sun
Looking out for #1
California here we come
Right back where we started from
Hustlers grab your guns
Your shadow weighs a ton
Driving down the 101
California here we come
Right back where we started from
California
Here we come (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=stein_marc&id=1998391&CMP=OTC-DT9705204233)
TheSlipperyOne
23 Feb 2005, 11:52 PM
Chris Webber traded to the 76ers for absolutely nothing!!!! And barring injuries have just jumped to the top 3 teams of the East.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=ford_chad&id=1998426
nad1998
24 Feb 2005, 12:04 AM
Chris Webber traded to the 76ers for absolutely nothing!!!! And barring injuries have just jumped to the top 3 teams of the East.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=ford_chad&id=1998426
Billy King is a genius!!!!!!!!
Toolhead
24 Feb 2005, 12:22 AM
Billy King is a genius!!!!!!!!
All hail Billy King!!! And It was just earlier today that I was calling him and idiot for not moving Glenn Robinson, which begs to ask, why the hell wasn't the Big Dog included in this trade? You'd think the Kings would actually want something in return for C-Web.
ibreak4coffee
24 Feb 2005, 01:30 AM
WHAT THE HELL WAS SACRAMENTO THINKING??? As a Raptors fan, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief that we werent involved in the worst trade of the year. At least the Raptors got draft picks for Carter... this trade ties the Kings hands for the next three years with three mediocre players. Stupid stupid stupid. Philly is the clear favorite in the Atlantic division now.
DevilDave
24 Feb 2005, 02:45 AM
Chris Webber traded to the 76ers for absolutely nothing!!!! And barring injuries have just jumped to the top 3 teams of the East.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=ford_chad&id=1998426
The 45% of Sacramento Kings fandom that was all over Chris Webber's back for hogging the ball and disrupting the flow of the Kings offense is celebrating this trade.
The other 55% is tonight mourning the fact that we've shipped our title aspirations right out of town.
skipshady
24 Feb 2005, 01:26 PM
Bucks trade, no, not Michael Redd, Mike James to Houston for Reece Gaines and a basket of chicken wings: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1998814
The Rockets now have the greatest collection of backup point guards and combo guards in the league, with James, Jon Barry, Bob Sura, David Wesley, Andre Barret and the incomparable Charlie Ward. They still need to get protection for Yao at PF - Howard and Taylor aren't going to do it.
TheSlipperyOne
24 Feb 2005, 01:41 PM
The Sixers aren't done yet:
Big Dog to NO for Mashburn and Rodney Rogers. Insurance pays 80% of Mash's salary and they get some depth with Rogers.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1998845
The Cavs don't want to be left out and trade a 2007 1st round pick to the Celtics for Jiri Welsch:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1998808
TheSlipperyOne
24 Feb 2005, 03:38 PM
* In a move to free up more money to try to re-sign Redd in the off-season the Bucks traded Van Horn to the Mavs (in a move for the Mavs to get another scorer who can't play defense) for Calvin Booth, Alan Henderson and some cash:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1998910
Is Redd really going to want to re-sign to a team whose only other player is Desmond Mason?
* In a move to take on even more big and long contracts Zeke traded Nazr Mohammed and Jamison Brewer to my Spurs (who now have a new starting center! or back-up PF to Duncan that isn't undersized and making a ridiculous amount of money) for Malik Rose and a 1st round pick. Then the Knicks traded Vin Baker and Moochie Norris back to the Rockets for Maurice Taylor and a 1st round pick.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1998814&num=0