Official 2016 NBA Off Season Thread!

[RagingBITCH]

Teams don't have to meet the salary floor. If they don't, the difference gets paid out and split among the team's current roster.

LOL at ring chaser David West. Joining the spurs last year was one thing, but jumping ship to GSW from an existing contender in SA seems kinda shameful. I guess the dude just wants that championship on his resume no matter what.

Ray Allen coming out of retirement 2 years into it to possibly join GSW is shameful. Albeit, he has 2 rings.

 

[Blackjack200]

Ray Allen coming out of retirement 2 years into it to possibly join GSW is shameful. Albeit, he has 2 rings.

Makes a lot of sense, GSW definitely needs someone to shoot some threes.

 

[QueBert]

Makes a lot of sense, GSW definitely needs someone to shoot some threes.

Yeah, shoot some three's when it matters the most. Curry's like 500 3's regular season, 4 in the finals. Ray's the long term. proven version of Curry. He SAVED the finals for one of the rings he has. Curry has 1 ring and didn't earn it. Without his team he wouldn't have won shit.

Allen > Curry imho.

 

[stlc8tr]

LOL at ring chaser David West. Joining the spurs last year was one thing, but jumping ship to GSW from an existing contender in SA seems kinda shameful. I guess the dude just wants that championship on his resume no matter what.

West gave up $10M last year when he joined the Spurs for the vet minimum. Don't see why jumping ship from the Spurs to the Warriors would be shameful if he's after that ring. He's made some $90M during his career so at this point, he values that ring more than another 0 in his bank account.

 

[core2slow]

LOL at ring chaser David West. Joining the spurs last year was one thing, but jumping ship to GSW from an existing contender in SA seems kinda shameful. I guess the dude just wants that championship on his resume no matter what.

God forbid if athletes want to play to win...

 

[Muse]

total bitch move by durant. want to see gsw crash and burn next yr

You are such a sweetie.

I want to see them lose to OKC in the 1st round of the play offs. That would be epic.

Only in your dreams.

durant + curry + thompson + green = too many cooks

I don't think so, not the way those guys think and play. When they are on the floor it'll be lights out. They'll need 8 other guys, though. I figure another 3 signings soon.

 

[preslove]

The only thing standing in the way of GSW winning the title is potential injuries. They're two bad falls away from mediocrity.

 

[Blackjack200]

God forbid if athletes want to play join a team that is already favored to win...

Not that I blame him though. I'm fine with it. At the end of the day you still need to win 16 playoff games. Curry is injury prone and even if he stays healthy there's no guarantee that he will continue his off-the-charts shooting.

 

[Miramonti]

Barkley is "disappointed" Durant went to GS to get a ring. He quoted Isaiah as saying there are 'bus drivers' and 'bus riders', and now he's a bus rider. He also said players like himself, Ewing, Malone, and Stockton lives aren't "miserable", as they are supposed to be now, because they don't have a ring.

Funny how he forgets riding the Houston bus with Akeem and Drexler, who just won two rings, in his attempt to get one. And he forgets Malone joining Kobe and Shaq after they were champions, in an attempt to get a ring.

Ultimately history seems to forget that someone moved teams as long as they get the ring, but its rather unforgiving if they don't.

 

[zerocool84]

Makes a lot of sense, GSW definitely needs someone to shoot some threes.

Ray Allen makes more sense in Cleveland. He would be a great fit there. He can come off the bench and jack in some threes for like 10 min a game.

 

[Blackjack200]

Barkley is "disappointed" Durant went to GS to get a ring. He quoted Isaiah as saying there are 'bus drivers' and 'bus riders', and now he's a bus rider. He also said players like himself, Ewing, Malone, and Stockton lives aren't "miserable", as they are supposed to be now, because they don't have a ring.

Funny how he forgets riding the Houston bus with Akeem and Drexler, who just won two rings, in his attempt to get one. And he forgets Malone joining Kobe and Shaq after they were champions, in an attempt to get a ring.

Ultimately history seems to forget that someone moved teams as long as they get the ring, but its rather unforgiving if they don't.

Barkley is a sharp guy but strikes me as bitter as fuck when he's talking about LeBron or something like this. How many rings did Shaq win in Orlando? Would anyone ever suggest that it diminished his accomplishment since he had Kobe and a great Laker team around him? Crazy.

 

[core2slow]

Barkley is a sharp guy but strikes me as bitter as fuck when he's talking about LeBron or something like this. How many rings did Shaq win in Orlando? Would anyone ever suggest that it diminished his accomplishment since he had Kobe and a great Laker team around him? Crazy.

It's great to say the things he said now that's he's retired so he doesn't come out as a bitter fuck, but im sure all those guys that he mentioned are still bothered by the fact that they came so close but didn't win any rings even after they've retired. Chuck's pretty dumb for the most part of the stuff spewing out of his mouth, he's just a great caricature that's all.

 

[smackababy]

Barkley is a sharp guy but strikes me as bitter as fuck when he's talking about LeBron or something like this. How many rings did Shaq win in Orlando? Would anyone ever suggest that it diminished his accomplishment since he had Kobe and a great Laker team around him? Crazy.

Orlando hated Shaq when he left and it was big deal he went to the Lakers. Though, it was Orlando that caused it. They wouldn't pay him what he was worth.

 

[Miramonti]

Orlando hated Shaq when he left and it was big deal he went to the Lakers. Though, it was Orlando that caused it. They wouldn't pay him what he was worth.

Iirc, that was a bidding war that went back and forth, and West did everything to throw in everything, while Orlando may have been a hair at most behind. However, as most people feel (without shaq coming out and saying it), he was going to hollywood regardless.

 

[manly]

It's great to say the things he said now that's he's retired so he doesn't come out as a bitter fuck, but im sure all those guys that he mentioned are still bothered by the fact that they came so close but didn't win any rings even after they've retired. Chuck's pretty dumb for the most part of the stuff spewing out of his mouth, he's just a great caricature that's all.

Actually a lot of NBA old-timers sound bitter as fuck when discussing current players who make staggering fortunes compared to pre-1990s. Some of them are bitter for different reasons, such as Kareem who lost his fortune, and has never been given any post-playing gigs considering his achievements and intellect.

Blackjack200 lost all credibility by saying Chucky is a sharp guy.

It's pretty silly that it's perfectly acceptable for upper-class teens to play pro tennis or golf. But you have ESPN's Rachel Nichols lamenting "one and done" ruining college hoops or KD getting hammered for choosing his new employer after 9 seasons in one place.

 

[RPD]

I would say I'm shock Chuck would say that, but well he's said some pretty stupid things... Can't believe he forgot what he did at the end of his career. But I'm sure if presented with this he'd have his own spin on why he wasn't a bus rider.

 

[Ackmed]

Barkley is "disappointed" Durant went to GS to get a ring. He quoted Isaiah as saying there are 'bus drivers' and 'bus riders', and now he's a bus rider. He also said players like himself, Ewing, Malone, and Stockton lives aren't "miserable", as they are supposed to be now, because they don't have a ring.

Funny how he forgets riding the Houston bus with Akeem and Drexler, who just won two rings, in his attempt to get one. And he forgets Malone joining Kobe and Shaq after they were champions, in an attempt to get a ring.

Ultimately history seems to forget that someone moved teams as long as they get the ring, but its rather unforgiving if they don't.

They were at the end of their career, not even close to the same thing.

 

[Miramonti]

I would say I'm shock Chuck would say that, but well he's said some pretty stupid things... Can't believe he forgot what he did at the end of his career. But I'm sure if presented with this he'd have his own spin on why he wasn't a bus rider.

At least strong basketball fans know that he has plenty of idiot in him still and to filter that out from the good insights and humor.

 

[Childs]

They were at the end of their career, not even close to the same thing.

And I'm sure if they could do it over again they would have left sooner. KD already has foot issues. Chasing a title at the end of a career is dumb because by then they are usually way past their prime.

 

[zerocool84]

Barkley is "disappointed" Durant went to GS to get a ring. He quoted Isaiah as saying there are 'bus drivers' and 'bus riders', and now he's a bus rider. He also said players like himself, Ewing, Malone, and Stockton lives aren't "miserable", as they are supposed to be now, because they don't have a ring.

Funny how he forgets riding the Houston bus with Akeem and Drexler, who just won two rings, in his attempt to get one. And he forgets Malone joining Kobe and Shaq after they were champions, in an attempt to get a ring.

Ultimately history seems to forget that someone moved teams as long as they get the ring, but its rather unforgiving if they don't.

You can't put Malone in the same boat, he went to the Lakers long after his prime. It's like him leaving at the same age as Durant to the Bulls.

 

[smackababy]

Iirc, that was a bidding war that went back and forth, and West did everything to throw in everything, while Orlando may have been a hair at most behind. However, as most people feel (without shaq coming out and saying it), he was going to hollywood regardless.

There was even an article where the majority of Orlando people didn't want to pay Shaq what the best young player in the NBA was worth and Jerry West was. Shaq didn't even take offers until Orlando made theirs, which was like $10 million less than LA. Had Orlando been willing to just pay what Shaq most certainly deserved, Shaq and Penny would have won those rings, not Shaq and Kobe.

 

[Miramonti]

Wade to Chicago Bulls.

I'm surprised but am happy for him. Miami isn't winning a championship regardless, they prioritized whiteside over him (pissing him off), and Chicago is likely paying him a lot more money. I love DRose but Wade is a lot more of a team player than he was as he was coming back from injuries, trying to prove he can score.

 

[manly]

Wade to Chicago Bulls.

I'm surprised but am happy for him. Miami isn't winning a championship regardless, they prioritized whiteside over him (pissing him off), and Chicago is likely paying him a lot more money. I love DRose but Wade is a lot more of a team player than he was as he was coming back from injuries, trying to prove he can score.

Shouldn't be surprising, Pat Riley in Miami has shown no loyalty to players until after they retire. D-Wade is one of my favorite players, but people thought his knees were shot 2 years ago. He just had a solid season, but undersized shooting guards who can't shoot a jumper do NOT age well.

I didn't even know Chicago had that much cap space, the Bulls should've insisted on a hometown discount. Say 2 years, $42M. Riley was not moving off $40M, and Wade would've taken Denver's offer already if he simply wanted the most money.

I'm not convinced this is a good deal for the Bulls relative to keeping D-Rose. Rose had an expiring contract, so he was trade bait up until next March. It seems like Rose's career is essentially over as far as star (not even superstar) status goes, but you could almost say the same about Wade. Wade the player won't be valuable trade bait in the 2017-2018 season (the expiring contract could be trade-worthy).

I suppose they moved Rose because he'll never be the same, and because he and Jimmy Butler really don't co-exist together well; despite any public posturing to the contrary. As much as it sounds like I'm knocking Rose, the Bulls got back pretty much nothing in that trade. They're still a team that loses in the 2nd round at best.

 

[smackababy]

Losing the in second round is better than not making the playoffs like last season.

I did hope the Bulls would build around Butler.

 

[Miramonti]

Shouldn't be surprising, Pat Riley in Miami has shown no loyalty to players until after they retire. D-Wade is one of my favorite players, but people thought his knees were shot 2 years ago. He just had a solid season, but undersized shooting guards who can't shoot a jumper do NOT age well.

I didn't even know Chicago had that much cap space, the Bulls should've insisted on a hometown discount. Say 2 years, $42M. Riley was not moving off $40M, and Wade would've taken Denver's offer already if he simply wanted the most money.

I'm not convinced this is a good deal for the Bulls relative to keeping D-Rose. Rose had an expiring contract, so he was trade bait up until next March. It seems like Rose's career is essentially over as far as star (not even superstar) status goes, but you could almost say the same about Wade. Wade the player won't be valuable trade bait in the 2017-2018 season (the expiring contract could be trade-worthy).

I suppose they moved Rose because he'll never be the same, and because he and Jimmy Butler really don't co-exist together well; despite any public posturing to the contrary. As much as it sounds like I'm knocking Rose, the Bulls got back pretty much nothing in that trade. They're still a team that loses in the 2nd round at best.

As a Bulls fan for decades, I've followed Rose like a hawk from the outset. Last year was mixed feelings. He paced himself to play the entire season without a major injury, but that meant dragging himself up and down the court in the first half of the season, while still pacing himself in the second half. He turned it up around January, but mostly only on offense, unless it was a nationally televised game, which he gave it everything (and was usually awesome.)

So I think the change of scenery, and to a huge market, will bring out the best of him on both sides of the court. Playing with stars in front of that audience will inspire him to fill the box score, and not just in the scoring column this time. He's only 27 and has a lot of game left in him. He's one of the few guards that can keep up on defense with Irving, Wall, Curry, and Lowrie (although tended to get toasted on pick and rolls by guards that go straight to the cup, like Teague and Lin.) At the same time, he can get whatever he wants off them offensively...if he's willing to play that hard and his conditioning is back up to top form, which it wasn't last year (with only himself to blame.)

In NY, if he's on the court and fairly uninjured, he'll take these matchups personally again and do very well, better than he would if still in Chicago, where last year he was thinking he's great but wasn't concerned with being great every night. I think he put Chicago in a very difficult situation, with many fans having turned against him (albeit often ones that listen to more talk radio jibberish than actually watch him play much imo.) As a result, management really had little choice than to trade him, when they knew they were never going to offer him what he would want after a good year (because of the health risks, age, as well as questionable desire), and could get nothing for him if they did nothing.