NBA Off-season Thread

Originally posted by LA9erFan:
Ya, he did. I'm really, really worried about the direction of this team.

if they dont get kobe help, he would want to be traded to a contender,, clipppers anyone?

Originally posted by LA9erFan:
Ya, he did. I'm really, really worried about the direction of this team.

With the new luxury tax essentially being a hard cap, they will have to actually compete on a more even playing field. They can't simply just outspend everyone.

Originally posted by 9erReign:

Originally posted by LA9erFan:
Ya, he did. I'm really, really worried about the direction of this team.

With the new luxury tax essentially being a hard cap, they will have to actually compete on a more even playing field. They can't simply just outspend everyone.

The terms of the Time Warner deal are so absurd that they'll still be able to spend what they want to. The revenue off of that alone is about $200M per year, and will pay the bills before any other source of revenue is considered.

The finances of the Lakers have also been unusual because of the length of time that Kobe's been a max-level player. You're not going to see another $30M player in the NBA for a long time. The Laker payroll will normalize a bit after this year because of that.

LaMarcus Aldridge hopes the Portland Trail Blazers can improve their roster before the start of the 13-14 NBA season. If that does not happen, Aldridge would prefer a trade.

Sources say Aldridge would prefer a trade to the Chicago Bulls.

The Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers would be two other teams high on Aldridge's list.

"LaMarcus loves Portland," said the source. "He spent seven years there and grew as a man. Him going back is a possibility and he knows that. He's a professional, it wouldn't be an issue."

Bulls, Mavs, and Clips...Clips have the pieces to make it juicy, dunno how it'd work with Blake...Bulls would love it, Aldridge instead of Booze next to Noah with Rose, wow, that'd be great.

Originally posted by LA9erFan:
I'm watching Open Court on NBATV right now, and it always brings the lulz.

Ernie Johnson: "Charles, what was your favorite subject in school?"

Charles Barkley: "Lunch."

Shaq is always clowning on Charles. I thought it was Shaq who said "lunch"

Also, when others try to make fun of Shaq, he gets all serious lol - but yes, that show is hilarious.

Originally posted by LA9erFan:

Originally posted by 49ersMyLife:

Originally posted by sacniner:
f**k Dwight Howard. Such a prima donna. If the Lakers are unable to sign him, they will just sign some other sick FAs in the near future.

A lot of Laker fans and media are suprised by the billboards. I'm sure Dwight loves it. He loves having his ego stroked.

I can't fault Dwight Howard in this. He didn't ask for billboards. He asked for a different coach and a different system and who can blame him? D'Antoni doesn't really know how to use Howard.

He's a free agent. Players shouldn't be expected to re-sign with a team even though it's not in their best interest. If Lakers don't fire D'Antoni and he signs elsewhere, I commend him for leaving money on the table (and millions more from sponsors) and signing with a team where he can be used properly.

If he wanted D'Antoni to be fired, D'Antoni would be fired. To me, this smacks of him trying to run damage control for when he leaves. "You know, I would have stayed, but I didn't want to play for that coach." If he went to Laker management and said that he'd re-sign if MDA got fired, it'd get done. But the Lakers aren't going to fire D'Antoni without a commitment from Dwight.

I said this earlier in the offseason and I'll reiterate it now. I want the Lakers to re-sign Dwight simply so he can be flipped for assets later, or I want them to sign-and-trade him for the same reasons. Him walking for nothing would bother me more because we don't get anything in return, rather than me being sad that we're not building around him as a person. Dude is slimy and catty.

I don't know if he told the management that or not...but don't you think it's obvious that he doesn't want to play in this system. I think it's also obvious that D'Antoni is not the right coach for this team with (even if Dwight goes elsewhere). So to me, it's weird that Lakers are continuing with him.

I agree that Dwight is not the guy you want to build around. I'm just saying I can't fault him for going somewhere else because it's a bad system for him. But, I don't think flipping Dwight will be easy. He'll dictate where he'll want to go. But, that's better than losing him for nothing. That'll be big blow.

I agree with you completely about the whole rebuilding thing. I read your post in the Lakers thread too and it makes all the sense in the World. I think Lakers need to get couple of young guys and couple of high picks and re-build from scratch.

'Melo was just an example...I didn't want to say Lebron

Originally posted by GameOver:

LaMarcus Aldridge hopes the Portland Trail Blazers can improve their roster before the start of the 13-14 NBA season. If that does not happen, Aldridge would prefer a trade.

Sources say Aldridge would prefer a trade to the Chicago Bulls.

The Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers would be two other teams high on Aldridge's list.

"LaMarcus loves Portland," said the source. "He spent seven years there and grew as a man. Him going back is a possibility and he knows that. He's a professional, it wouldn't be an issue."

Bulls, Mavs, and Clips...Clips have the pieces to make it juicy, dunno how it'd work with Blake...Bulls would love it, Aldridge instead of Booze next to Noah with Rose, wow, that'd be great.

Blazers will be stupid if they take Booze for Aldridge. That will be a really bad move.

Originally posted by sacniner:

Originally posted by 49ersMyLife:
I can't fault Dwight Howard in this. He didn't ask for billboards. He asked for a different coach and a different system and who can blame him? D'Antoni doesn't really know how to use Howard.

He's a free agent. Players shouldn't be expected to re-sign with a team even though it's not in their best interest. If Lakers don't fire D'Antoni and he signs elsewhere, I commend him for leaving money on the table (and millions more from sponsors) and signing with a team where he can be used properly.

You're right, he shouldn't be expected to sign with the Lakers. That isn't my beef with him at all. He just wavers back and forth on his choices and has had beef with all of his coaches. He is a prima donna and for a lot of basketball fans, including myself, its hard to cheer for him at this point. We'll see if he can land somewhere where he actually "likes" the coach.

Yea...the guy doesn't really know what he wants. I just meant, in this situation - Lakers are fukin' up. They should have never hired D'Antoni to begin with after acquiring Dwight in the off-season. Then, after seeing how poorly Dwight fits that system - they are continuing with it. If he's the future, as the GM said, then actions must follow those words.

Old roster+Bad HC+ Dwight on the way out = bleak future

Lakers headed down the toilet.

Originally posted by Hopper:
Old roster+Bad HC+ Dwight on the way out = bleak future

Lakers headed down the toilet.

Kinda want them to keep Dwight. I think that would be the bleakest for future for them. Yeah put all your eggs in a Dwight basket, lol.

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA

Celtics and Nets continue to make significant progress on parameters of a Garnett-Pierce deal, sources in talks tell Y! Sports.

Originally posted by Jcool:

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA

Celtics and Nets continue to make significant progress on parameters of a Garnett-Pierce deal, sources in talks tell Y! Sports.

Russian Mark Cuban is one funny dude.

Man I hope Houston doesn't get Dwight. This is the first time in years I've really liked the roster, and he really doesn't fit what the rest of the team likes to do. The team just needs to grow together, we haven't had the same 5 guys for more than 6 weeks at a time in years it seems.

Originally posted by TX9R:
Man I hope Houston doesn't get Dwight. This is the first time in years I've really liked the roster, and he really doesn't fit what the rest of the team likes to do. The team just needs to grow together, we haven't had the same 5 guys for more than 6 weeks at a time in years it seems.

You guys would forever be one and done if you don't make another big splash in free agency

Originally posted by 49ersMyLife:

Originally posted by LA9erFan:
I'm watching Open Court on NBATV right now, and it always brings the lulz.

Ernie Johnson: "Charles, what was your favorite subject in school?"

Charles Barkley: "Lunch."

Shaq is always clowning on Charles. I thought it was Shaq who said "lunch"

Also, when others try to make fun of Shaq, he gets all serious lol - but yes, that show is hilarious.

I still like the show better pre-Shaq. He has gotten better, but I think it was good with Ernie, Jet, Chuck and a rotating guest some times.