2013-2014 NBA season thread

[DiracSpike]

Originally Posted by fleury

Here's the deal. He wants money, but with more money I'm going to guess he wants more women as well. Aside from LA which I don't think is possible for Lebron to go to, I think one of the NY area teams is where he's going to head to. I have no idea of the cap space either the Knicks or Nets have, but NY has so many things a guy like him would desire - women, nightlife, crazy houses, being among the "social elite", etc. One thing is for sure, and that's that Miami has more money to throw at Lowry if he wants to go there.

Are you talking about LeBron or Lowry? Because LeBron is married to his high school girlfriend and has three kids.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by DiracSpike

Are you talking about LeBron or Lowry? Because LeBron is married to his high school girlfriend and has three kids.

Lebron. Marriage, like that means anything to a pro athlete.

[nik-]

So if Lebron takes less money and stays so they can put a better team together, what's the over/under on Lebron hater strokes? I say 3.

[DiracSpike]

LeBron has haters no matter what he does. Personally I think the main reason he opted out is to restructure his contract. No one seems to be talking enough about this, but of Bosh and Wade are smart enough to take less money the Heat have a real shot at landing at Lowry. The heat don't even have to match salary with the raps because tax in Florida is gonna be a lot less than Ontario. The most glaring weakness with the heat was Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole. An elite point guard gets them right back to the top IMO.

[OzSome]

Wow looks like the powerful Miami Heat is no longer mighty. Chris opted out on his contract so basically the Big 3 all opted out in their contract. Not so sure what is Bosh thinking but good luck finding a team who will overpay him again.

[Antithesis]

Gotta say the whole thing with Jason Kidd going to the Bucks is really strange. They already have a coach. Seems like a really scuzzy thing to pursue a job that is held by another person. Then again it shouldn't come as much of a surprise when Kidd does scuzzy things.

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by OzSome

Wow looks like the powerful Miami Heat is no longer mighty. Chris opted out on his contract so basically the Big 3 all opted out in their contract. Not so sure what is Bosh thinking but good luck finding a team who will overpay him again.

I think it's still most likely all three remain with the Heat. Bosh can probably still get more with the Heat than just about anywhere else, I wouldn't be surprised if he goes with something like a four year contract starting at around $18 million.
But if it's true that James is still expecting the max ($22 million), then it's going to take a major, major sacrifice by Bosh and Wade to get any sort of big free agent.

I see them working something out so that they're able to use their full MLE (about $5.2 million), and still retain Allen, Andersen, Cole, Napier, and Haslem (assuming Haslem renegotiates his current contract). If you can get those guys for $9 million total, give James his full $22 million, then you can still pay Wade and Bosh $18 million each and sign a $5.2 million UFA.

But if you want to get a bigger contract (like, say, Lowry), you'd need to drop all the way under the salary cap by $10 million (or whatever you're going to offer Lowry). So then you've got shed absolutely everything else on the roster, sign Wade and Bosh to $31 million total, and use minimum contracts to fill in the rest of the roster. I don't see that happening. I think they're far better off going with the first option that allows for a solid bench and one more okay UFA, rather than going all in on one more big-ticket UFA and gutting what else remains of their roster.

For what it's worth, all the Toronto media right now is reporting that Lowry resigning with Toronto is "just about a done deal".

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by Antithesis

Gotta say the whole thing with Jason Kidd going to the Bucks is really strange.

Seems to me the new owner who knows nothing about BBall is running the team. Kidd's the one name he recognizes to trade 2 2nd rounders for him. It'll blow up in the Bucks face in no time.

[Senator Clay Davis]

So apparently LeBron only wants to sign a max deal for 2 years, Bosh wants 5 years and $55 million as a starting point and Wade wants 4 years at $12 million a season as a starting point.

[darklord700]

Wade's not worth 12m per year. The Heat is sacrificing later years for now. If they stagger their deals, like Wade getting $5M now and $20 M in the final year that sort of things, the Heat could have monster cap space to go after Lowry or even Melo.

The Heat might be counting on the next CBA to yield another amensty clause to use on Wade later.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Hmmm....

We have been telling you for weeks that Cleveland is in the hunt for LeBron James. Some have dismissively scoffed at the notion, like Miami radio host Orlando Alzugaray. Others have surveyed the landscape, summoned their inner Spock and said: “Why not?”

And as we reach the seventh day of the seventh month of the year, the possibility never looked more plausible than it does today.

Various reports say James will give serious consideration to returning to the Cavs, who he met with Sunday in south Florida. James is traveling today to Las Vegas, and a source who has been briefed on James’ free agency maneuverings told SheridanHoops that James’ inner circle, from his wife, Savannah to his agent, Rich Paul, to his best friends, Maverick Carter and Randy Mims, are unanimous in their belief that James’ best move is a return to the team he played for from 2003-2010.

My source believes there is a 75 percent chance James returns to Cleveland.

http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2014/07...LL00O2QddPw.99

[wingmaker]

What a weird dynamic for Miami. They go from the team that lucked into landing the big three to being put into an impossible position four years later by the same players (well, mostly LeBron). If LeBron leaves, do they go all in on Bosh? Does he even choose to stay without LeBron? Either way, if Lebron leaves, they are not a championship calibre team. They might not even be a playoff team. Crazy.

[Read Only]

The Cavs make a lot of sense for Lebron, would have made more sense if they traded the. 1st or Waiters & Thompson for Love.

Outside of Gilbert being a huge d-bag, Cleveland gives him a decent chance to win, has a ton more flexibility than Miami, probably his top choice to live with his kids (Akron).

The coach seems like a dud and the GM is fairly unproven and as mentioned you probably want to move pieces to get a Kevin Love or another big star, but Lebron, Kyrie, say Love is a better fit as a big 3 than Wade and Bosh plus you would have better supporting guys as well.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Read Only

The Cavs make a lot of sense for Lebron, would have made more sense if they traded the. 1st or Waiters & Thompson for Love.

Outside of Gilbert being a huge d-bag, Cleveland gives him a decent chance to win, has a ton more flexibility than Miami, probably his top choice to live with his kids (Akron).

The coach seems like a dud and the GM is fairly unproven and as mentioned you probably want to move pieces to get a Kevin Love or another big star, but Lebron, Kyrie, say Love is a better fit as a big 3 than Wade and Bosh plus you would have better supporting guys as well.

I agree going back would be a good move for him, but he lives with his kids now.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Bosh has reportedly been offered a max deal (4yrs, $96 million) by the Rockets. I'll actually be stunned if he doesn't take it (assuming it's actually been offered). He's from Texas and he will not get a max deal from Miami, but he's apparently going to wait until LeBron makes his move.

[nik-]

So is Houston trying to recreate Miami's problem?

[darklord700]

Stranger things have happened but who would have thougth 4 years ago, it would actually make good sense for Lebron to go back to Cleveland. Problem is Wade is not worth $15M a year nor is Bosh worth $20M that they were rumored to be demanding. So Miami doesn't look like a good spot for Lebron to win now. Not unless Wade or Bosh are willing to take pay cuts to bring in talents. And there're no taletns to bring it that even getting Deng will not make them chamipionship favorites.

If I was Lebron, the Cleveland situation looks mightily tempting right now.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by darklord700

Stranger things have happened but who would have thougth 4 years ago, it would actually make good sense for Lebron to go back to Cleveland. Probably is Wade is not worth $15M a year nor is Bosh worth $20M that they were rumored to be demanding. So Miami doesn't look like a good spot for Lebron to win now. Not unless Wade or Bosh are willing to take pay cuts to bring in talents. And there're no taletns to bring it that even getting Deng will not make them chamipionship favorites.

If I was Lebron, the Cleveland situation looks mightily tempting right now.

There's also a pretty massive legacy piece there too. Goes back home, possibly wins a championship there ... in Cleveland, where they never win.

Pretty much erodes the only black mark on his career.

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Bosh has reportedly been offered a max deal (4yrs, $96 million) by the Rockets. I'll actually be stunned if he doesn't take it (assuming it's actually been offered). He's from Texas and he will not get a max deal from Miami, but he's apparently going to wait until LeBron makes his move.

It'll be crazy if Bosh doesn't take it. He's getting $24M per year just to shoot 3s in the corner without needing to bang bodies underneath the rim. If this is true than the Houston Big 3 will have Dwight at about $22M, Harden at $15 and Bosh at $24M. That's over $60M for just three players and you still have to pay Parson even if we assume Lin and his $8M salary could be traded away.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Let's be real, winning 1 single title in Cleveland is the equivalent of winning 50 in Miami. It makes him a legend, something he can never be in Miami. And I think if Bosh does get a max offer and takes it, there is no way LeBron isn't taking the max and Wade isn't going after his max. Neither of them I'd imagine want to be paid less than Bosh.