Wanted to restart some hot stove league NBA offseason chat again .... and let's keep stuff in here related to the NBA. I'm tired of talking about the mass disappointment of USA Basketball in the recent World Championships of Basketball. The US team was a disappointment; the world has caught up; yada yada yada .... Fine. It's done with, it's over. Let's talk some more offseason NBA.
1 of the 2 things that I'm looking forward to seeing is how Jay Williams does with the Bulls and seeing if our young post players continue to develop. The other big one is seeing how Andre Miller does with the Clippers. However, just like the Sports Guy I'm disappointed we won't be able to see anymore Q and D-Miles.
Ah....yes I am also looking forward to J-Dub debuting with the my hometown Chicago Bulls,If we get off to a good start they could sneak into the playoffs maybe as an 8th seed.Remember the Eastern Conference is very weak so it could happen.Andre Miller should do good and maybe he'll get some respect now that he's not playing in obscurity.And it is true that you won't be able to see Q and D-Miles together anymore but you will see Dajuan Wagner and D-Miles.Trust me these guys should put on a show. I also want to see what all the hype about Yao Ming is actually worth it.And does anyone think the Lakers will be dethrowned this year.If so who is the team to do it.My pick would be the Kings,what do you guys think?
The Bulls need to add a veteran presence down low ... someone to help the development of Curry and Chandler. I'm excited for Andre. He will actually have people to PASS to this year. Hell, he led the league in assists, playing for the Cadavers imagine how he'll do dishing off to the young Clips. I'm a closet Clippers fan (I'm just happy to see them actually GOING somewhere positive for once). They HAVE to do something about those uniforms. God awful ugly. Curious to see how Cleveland handles Wagner, considering he's NOT a point guard, and doesn't necessarily have the height to play the 2. Then again, you do have Iverson, who's a very short "2". The boy's got some RANGE. Interested in seeing if he has NBA 3-point range, obviously he can hit 3s from the international line. Ming did score 21 ppg in the World Championships, which obviously were pretty tough. As long as they have Shaq (simply the most DOMINANT big man in the game) and Kobe (able to create his own offense at any time) and Phil Jackson (extremely underrated as a coach)... I don't want to bet against the Lakers. However, Shaq won't even be ready for the season opener as he gets toe surgery done on Wednesday. This only means Kobe gets the green light to jack up 40 shots a game The Lakers REALLY need to establish a THIRD scorer... somehow. Since they fought to keep Devean George, they really should develop him. He has the tools; they just need to be refined. I happen to be a Kings fan. Call me a bandwagon jumper .... and I'll say it's true. I like how the team plays. And during the offseason, they added Keon Clark to the mix. A rangy 6'1" shotblocker who can play any front court position is not a bad piece to add. The Kings are just THAT much deeper now; they have the best bench in the league. I'm concerned about Doug Christie. His performance in the playoffs was absolutely horrible, and he WILL be pushed by Hedo Turkoglu this year for the starting 2 gig. Hedo brings a better offensive game, but Christie is a better defender. The Kings and Lakers once again, are the proverbial favorites. I have a question for y'all. Has anyone here ever subscribed to NBA League Pass? If so, how much did it set you back, and is it worth it? I also have NBA TV on my cable system, and I'm curious to hear if they actually show live games, or just repeats of the previous day's games.
Well they did sign Donyell Marshall I don't exactly know how that will help but he is a veteran and he could help ease Tyson Chandler into his role in the future.
but does any of this matter? The Kings or Lakers or Mavs or Yugoslavia some Western (or eastern European) team is gonna win it. the Bulls? ppfffttt It seems to be between the Pistons and Nets in the East. The Celtics have no point guard!
I do remember them signing Marshall, but I'm not sure he's the answer to the "veteran" question. I could be wrong though. Dallas could be a major player, if they can seriously upgrade their center position. There was a rumor of Miami trading Alonzo Mourning to the Mavs, which would be a KILLER deal for the Mavs. LaFrentz (current Mavs starting center) is NOT a true defensive stopper. He's great for weak side shot blocks but little else. Hell, he didn't even get major court time for the USA team that bombed out in Indianapolis San Antonio is also a darkhorse in the West. NO ONE in the East, in my eyes, has the tools to beat ANYONE that comes out the West. It's a moot point. And yes, the Celtics are KICKING themselves right now. They have no point guard, and 2 gunners (Pierce/Walker) and ONLY one ball to shoot
Plus, they lost Rodney Rogers to New Jersey. And Vin Baker? Huh? They did add Shammond Williams, one of my favorite Tar Heels. The Nets have had a pretty productive off season - they got Mutombo, got someone to take Van Horn's contract and added Rogers and Chris Childs. They're definitely loading up for a single shot at the title.
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It will be amusing ... The Celtics think they'll be able to get Baker back on track. He'll need the friggin ball for THAT, and you think Pierce and Walker are gonna accept getting the ball less? HA HA HA The Nets got away with BLOODY MURDER getting Philly to take that Van Horn stiff. I NEVER thought that would happen. A front line of Mutombo, Martin, and Jefferson is a very good one, defensively. I think the Nets will be the "elite" of the East, if you can call it that. I still don't think the Nets could take anyone from the West in the Finals.
Ewing SHOULD be signed by the Knicks, so he can retire as a Knick. He's very much past his prime now, and needs to hang it up. Watching him the past couple of years has been pretty painful.
He's getting closer to that age were he can rest in peace.Hahaha,yeah I guess I would like to see him finish his career as a Knick too even though the thought of the Knicks fills me with murderous rage.I will forever hate the New York Knicks!!
Ach...Don't get me started about the Knicks. I still wake up in a cold sweat some nights screaming at the top of my lungs: Dunk it, Charles Smith, you useless bastard!!!
Smith was fouled on that play. Vin Baker was once a great talent, can he get it back? Pistons have a major upgrade in a few areas: 1) point guard Chauncy Billups was impressive last year for Minnisota 2) Rebraca and Rodney White are both in thier 2nd year and are expected to be much improved. 3) Pistons signed 2 other Europeans, Okur and a guy from Spain I think. As you know, Europeans are better at basketball than Americans. Nets will still win the east with a 55-27 record, but the Pistons will be right behind at 53-29. Milwaukee should be back in the fold as well.
Stackhouse traded to Washington It's officially a six player trade, but it's essentially Jerry Stackhouse for Rip Hamilton, with four inconsequential players thrown in for salary cap purposes. I was under the mistaken impression that Michael Jordan was serious about building a franchise but this trade proves he just wanted to play with a head coach and a bunch of players he hand-picked. which Jerry Krause didn't let him do. Here's the deal. Michael Jordan's going to play one more season. He could have Rip Hamilton or Jerry Stackhouse as his shooting guard. Hamilton would have helped the Wizards more in the long run, but Stackhouse will help Jordan win more games and make the playoffs.
So, what did you do on your vacation? He didn't have time to play for his nation because he was protecting our nation! I know he has said that when he retires that he would like to be some sort of law enforcement officer, but imagine the suspect when he was arrested and Shaq pops out of the ride. BTW, Ted, not bad on the East prediction. Skip, I still don't think that Jordan can help them make the playoffs because he is a year older and he looked old last season. Can he stay healthy? Will his players still believe in him after he traded the guy he was molding in Hamilton? Will Stackhouse respond well with a really weak supporting cast? Seems that Jordan is using a page out of Bruce Arena's playbook by picking people from his college by getting Stackhouse. And don't forget Brendan Haywood. Free agent Bryon Russell (who didn't attend UNC) is soft, too. I wonder what Dean Smith is doing? Well, he did get rid of Hubert Davis.
Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Mateen Cleaves on Tuesday from the Sacramento Kings for forward Jumaine Jones. Jones wasn't much of a shooter and not a 1 gaurd, but Mateen? Sure, he is kinda like a Steve Alford, good college winner, but not much of an NBAer so far. Maybe he can coach? BTW, Cleveland is looking sign 36-year-old free agent Rod Strickland. Yea Cadavers!
Why should it fill you with rage? The Bulls are the ones that beat the Knicks every F*in year. 2-0 lead in the 93 Conference Finals and we go out 4 straight. I know Metro: DAMN YOU SMITH!!!!! But I hated the Chicago Bulls with a passion. Even the icon himself, MJ. I think I hated Pippen the most on that team though. The one year I thought the Knicks had a decent shot against the Bulls was in 97, when the Knicks were screwed by PJ Brown and the Miami Heat. Ahh, I can still picture Ward being tossed into the stands. . . . . . .
well there goes the season for Detroit. Nice trade Pistons...you ************ing *********************s! ************ this. I am sick over this. ************ you PISTON MANAGEMENT. I really hate to think that Dumars made this ************ing trade.
Don't worry ted, the pistons realize what the sixers realized before. You cannot win with Jerry Stackhouse on your team. It's that simple. He disapears in big games, and is selfish, and a bit of a clown. They'll be better off without him.
HangthaDj, the Sixers tried to trade Iverson to the Pistons to get Stackhouse in 2000 but hte deal fell thru because one of the other sixers in the trade failed his physical. Also, Stack completely changed his game and was a very good all around player last year. You might think he's a clown, but the Pistons went further in the playoffs than the Sixers did. ************ this mother************ing trade. what a bunch of ************ing ************************ ************ing ************ers trade.
I thought I heard someone yelling early this morning. Ted, was that you? "**Sniff sniff...** you smell that? " "Whats that? The NBA season is coming?" "No, Kobe's new cologne. I think i'm going to faint..."
from what I am reading the Pistons' logic is that they were going to lose him next year anyway when stack opts out of his contract for max money (which the pistons can not or will not pay). I believe Rip has just one year left on his contract so they can decide after the year if he is worth keeping.