*** Official 2014 NBA Draft and Free Agency Thread ***

[vi edit]

And?

They just opened up 55 million in salary space for the front office to work with. Crunch some numbers, make some calls, see if you can lure in some more talent to beef up the bench then come back to the big three and see if they can ink a deal that works.

 

[nf4m]

And?

putting riley "on the clock" when it's their own fault? what happened to not one, not two, not three? talk about shifting blame for their own shortcomings.

 

[vi edit]

putting riley "on the clock" when it's their own fault?

I think it's mostly manufactured drama to troll for clicks myself. More telling would have been if *only* Lebron opted out. I don't think Wade at the age of 32 and an NBA age of 110 has much desire to pack up an move to another team. He could have sat back and collected a fat paycheck that *NO ONE* else would come close to paying him. Same for Bosh. He'd have a better chance since his position is more in demand than a non-explosive, non-efficient hollow shell of a shooting guard getting 20 million would.

 

[smackababy]

I think with Lebron publicly opting out like that, it really put pressure on Bosh and Wade to do the same. He is the player that would lead the team, and if he was willing to take a pay cut to help and the other two don't, who do you think is going to get blamed for them not winning the 2015 finals? It won't (for once) be Lebron. He really forced Bosh and Wade's hand to either play along, or he might go somewhere else. And without him in Miami, they don't stand a chance of winning.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

Mistake for Wade. He isn't going to get that money. The rest of the league won't give him a 4 year contract and Miami is really in no position to offer him a large deal. He shot himself in the foot.

And, as far as Manu and Duncan, them taking pay cuts to keep the team was different. They were both still incredibly productive and knew they were staying in the organization. They wanted championships and knew SA was the place to get them. Both were also going to be hard to replace. How hard will it be to replace Wade in Miami? Hell, you only need someone who can show up for 2/3rd of the season games and kind of just be on the floor in the playoffs.

how can you not see your double standard

 

[smackababy]

how can you not see your double standard

Double standard? Manu and Duncan actually PLAYED basketball in the finals. Wade stood on the court, taking up cap room. I hope Miami doesn't resign him. That would show him!

 

[preslove]

Part of Wade staying for less money is so that he goes out a beloved Heat player who gets free on-court tickets and other perks.

 

[HendrixFan]

Part of Wade staying for less money is so that he goes out a beloved Heat player who gets free on-court tickets and other perks.

Or a team office job after retirement. Riding Lebron's coattails and coming off the bench will be the only way he adds to his ring total. The report today was that Wade would take 4 years at 11-12 per, and Bosh was going for a similar rate but for 5 years. That still seems overpriced on Wade to me but I suppose it isn't too bad with the cap increases over the coming years.

Gortat re signed with the Wiz, so Lowry is the big get the Heat are looking at. A ton of teams are still down on Lowry because of his attitude/disposition so his selling price is lower than his game suggests.

 

[Sephire]

Kobe-Melo-LeBron Trio with Nash and Pau

 

[dougp]

Kobe-Melo-LeBron Trio with Nash and Pau

Do you know what a salary cap is or are you just retarded?

 

[manly]

Do you know what a salary cap is or are you just retarded?

Even if he's retarded, he may yet know more hoops than you do.

Kobe's contract is ridonkulous, but supposedly if Carmelo and LeBron are willing to split $30M between the two of them, the Lakers can sign both. I'm pretty sure the Lakers would have to use the stretch provision on Nash to clear room (he's useless anyway, so they'll do it in a heartbeat). Pau can re-sign for whatever the Lakers want due to Bird rights, and they'll be in luxury tax territory. And the rest of the roster would be minimum salary players.

I think the chances of this happening are under 1% but it's not impossible. I also think it's a relatively poor idea. LeBron is a total game changer, but 3 ball-dominant small forwards is just outright silly. (I know Kobe is a 2 guard but he's almost a 3, he can't really guard wings anymore.) To me, this "Big-3" incarnation is not a heavyweight contender.

 

[Engineer]

You've got the salary cap, the luxury tax and then WTF is this shit?

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports....n-for-karl-malone-brian-shaw-and-john-salley/

 

[dougp]

Even if he's retarded, he may yet know more hoops than you do.

Kobe's contract is ridonkulous, but supposedly if Carmelo and LeBron are willing to split $30M between the two of them, the Lakers can sign both. I'm pretty sure the Lakers would have to use the stretch provision on Nash to clear room (he's useless anyway, so they'll do it in a heartbeat). Pau can re-sign for whatever the Lakers want due to Bird rights, and they'll be in luxury tax territory. And the rest of the roster would be minimum salary players.

I think the chances of this happening are under 1% but it's not impossible. I also think it's a relatively poor idea. LeBron is a total game changer, but 3 ball-dominant small forwards is just outright silly. (I know Kobe is a 2 guard but he's almost a 3, he can't really guard wings anymore.) To me, this "Big-3" incarnation is not a heavyweight contender.

Yeah, doubt it. If you want to believe "rumors," LeBron wants a max contract and Carmelo is taking a cut to rebuild in NYC.

 

[vi edit]

Hmmm lot of chatter about Lebron going back to Cleveland. Interesting.....

Could just be a big smokescreen to put leverage on Miami. But it's not really the front office of Miami that has issues...it's Wade & Bosh accepting their fate and taking less money. Bosh can get more money elsewhere. Wade cost himself millions opting out in hopes they can get the band back together. No one will sign him for what he would have made in Miami under his original deal. But maybe he'll sign for 4 years and make more overall than he would going back into free agency again next year for a 2-3 year contract.

Has Cleveland forgot "The Decision" yet? If his agent starts spinning this and it's just a bluff then Lebron will be *even more* hated than before there.

Interesting.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Kobe, Love, and Melo were playing pick up games at UCLA yesterday. After that Kobe, Melo and their wives went out to have dinner. Late night Kobe, Melo, and Pau met for a birthday thing.

 

[smackababy]

Hmmm lot of chatter about Lebron going back to Cleveland. Interesting.....

Could just be a big smokescreen to put leverage on Miami. But it's not really the front office of Miami that has issues...it's Wade & Bosh accepting their fate and taking less money. Bosh can get more money elsewhere. Wade cost himself millions opting out in hopes they can get the band back together. No one will sign him for what he would have made in Miami under his original deal. But maybe he'll sign for 4 years and make more overall than he would going back into free agency again next year for a 2-3 year contract.

Has Cleveland forgot "The Decision" yet? If his agent starts spinning this and it's just a bluff then Lebron will be *even more* hated than before there.

Interesting.

Lebron wants to go back to Cleveland. He is from there, his family spends half the year their, and he likes it there. He just won't go back unless it is on his terms, which means he will need people able to help him be successful. Irving is a start, but they need more.

From the sound of it, Lebron isn't really courting anyone, instead letting teams that want him make a pitch to his agent and he can weigh the options. He is trying to avoid another "Decision", but a player of his caliber and status is going to have a big deal made about where he is going to go. Realistically, I think he stays in Miami. Even if Bosh and Wade won't take huge cuts, they are off the books for Miami. They can look to pick up people to play around Lebron. Pretty much everyone besides Ray Allen should be let go anyway. Maybe Birdman as well.

 

[vi edit]

Kobe, Love, and Melo were playing pick up games at UCLA yesterday. After that Kobe, Melo and their wives went out to have dinner. Late night Kobe, Melo, and Pau met for a birthday thing.

And that would work how? If the "Big three" in Miami was a cap anchor, I don't even have a metaphor to describe what these three would be in LA.

Kobe - 23.5m
Melo - 21.5m
Pau - 19m

64 million...Salary cap is 58 million.

 

[darkewaffle]

There's no way Pau is getting 19m, half that is more realistic.

(That group is still pretty farfetchd regardless of course)

 

[vi edit]

I think Melo, Kobe and Russell Westbrook should just make up a three man team and call themselves the HeroBallers. Maybe court Monte Ellis for a bench player.

 

[dougp]

There's no way Pau is getting 19m, half that is more realistic.

(That group is still pretty farfetchd regardless of course)

Pau easily deserves that much, he's still one of the best bigs in the game.

 

[HendrixFan]

Pau easily deserves that much, he's still one of the best bigs in the game.

He's 35 and can't keep up the minutes. His game is similar to Duncan in that he doesn't rely on athleticism anywhere near as much as skill. However, his body can only take so much. If you sign him to anything more than 2 years, it should be for no more than $7M per.

There are always dumb teams out there though who overbid. Pau has to decide if he wants money or more shots at winning.

 

[smackababy]

Well, Bosh is considering the Rocket's max offer rumors are saying. Perhaps, the Heat are done. If that is so, Wade just shot himself in the foot. Without Lebron and Bosh, Wade has nothing to really offer the Heat except that he has given them his best years. Sources are also claiming the Heat have been low balling Bosh, who was willing to accept 5 years @ 80-90 million.

 

[vi edit]

Bosh to the Rocket's is a scary move. Him and Howard combined with Hardin is a very hard to defend combo. Plus that's some serious length on the other end of the court to contest with.

 

[dougp]

He's 35 and can't keep up the minutes. His game is similar to Duncan in that he doesn't rely on athleticism anywhere near as much as skill. However, his body can only take so much. If you sign him to anything more than 2 years, it should be for no more than $7M per.

There are always dumb teams out there though who overbid. Pau has to decide if he wants money or more shots at winning.

He just turned 34, and put up decent numbers last year. You expect him to sign something similar to what Boris Diaw got? LO-fucking-L.

 

[HendrixFan]

He just turned 34, and put up decent numbers last year. You expect him to sign something similar to what Boris Diaw got? LO-fucking-L.

If it is longer than two years, you are putting alot of risk into the back end.