NBA Off Season Thread

[JCSunsfan]

San Antonio just went out and signed one major free agent in LMA. They manage to keep themselves relevant. West is a marginal free agent that will make a difference on an older team. This signing for San Antonio is very similar to the Suns signing Nash. They get a player in his prime who will bring alot of wins in the afternoon and evening of his career.

This is the first major free agent San Antonio has ever signed. While I hate San Antonio and Pop for their tanking for Duncan, and the Steve Nash hip check among many other things. They have built a team with one top draft pick and alot of very good picks in the late first, and second rounds.

This not like LA signing Shaq or getting Memphis to bend over and give them Pau.

 

[Mainstreet]

And the Spurs didn't even get out of the first round last year and they're older then dirt... and most everyone here thought Aldridge's "wise" choice would go with us. As far as the Suns never creating a super-team because they didn't win doesn't take away from the fact that they tried like hell to create that team, does it? The Barkley/KJ/Majerle were "elite teams" and that ********* had 3 olympians and countless All-Star appearances between them, not to mention deep benches when they signed AC Green (who was the top FA when signed) and Manning (who was an multiple time All-Star and the top FA when he was signed).

And were you complaining about the Garnett rumors when it looked like we were going to trade Marion to put Nash/Amare/Garnett together? That would have rivaled any superteam as well.

And what is your point? Yes, I want the Suns to obtain the best players possible. However, an elite team (I think by most standards) has to have won at least one or more championships. The Suns do not meet those standards (unless you like lower standards) and never have. I would have loved for the Suns to have traded Marion for Garnett. It didn't happen but what would have been wrong with it?

But hasn't Pop done exactly what Jerry has done? Again, feels like you think it's not good for the game... because right now it's not good for the Suns, whereas you didn't seem to have a problem with Jerry acting the exact same way (and a little shadier, which I had no problem with) as what Pop's doing.

So you think Jerry Colangelo and Gregg Popovich are shady. Good luck with that argument.

 

[WuRaider]

Meh. I'd rank the Cavs, Warriors, and Thunder ahead of the Spurs for the title favorite.

 

[Absolute Zero]

 

[Phrazbit]

It just seems stars trying to bundle together on certain teams (like Miami) has become more prevalent. I do not have any stats to prove it but I didn't feel this way until Miami did their thing with Lebron, Bosh and Wade. Now it seems to be the thing to do. It's not that it didn't happen before but it feels more like a planned thing these days.

A thought, it could be the star players make so much money these days they are not afraid to leave huge dollars on the table like David West. They are more like independent entrepreneurs.

I dunno, if this was Aldridge leaving a bunch of money on the table it would be one thing, but David West is an older player clearly on the decline and not a guy that anyone would say is going to put a team over the top.

I don't think his acquisition is similar to the Miami super team. This is like the Suns landing AC Green, only West is longer in the tooth and not as good as even he was at the time. West just came off the worst season of his career, he is 34 years old. I'm sure he knows the writing is on the wall, a few more years he is probably out of basketball. If he wants to ring chase as the 8th man on a contender... let him.

 

[Cheesebeef]

And what is your point? Yes, I want the Suns to obtain the best players possible. However, an elite team (I think by most standards) has to have won at least one or more championships. The Suns do not meet those standards (unless you like lower standards) and never have. I would have loved for the Suns to have traded Marion for Garnett. It didn't happen but what would have been wrong with it?

and yet you had a MAJOR problem with the Heat, who weren't elite doing the exact same thing back in 2011. That's hypocritical. And talk about "collusion" all you want, but there were tons of reports that LeBron wanted to stay in Cleveland and was lobbying Bosh to go there and Bosh wouldn't. So, again, I think it's hypocritical for you to believe it's okay if the Suns had create a super-team, but it's a big problem for anyone else to.

So you think Jerry Colangelo and Gregg Popovich are shady. Good luck with that argument.

Actually never said Pop did anything shady, but I can see how you read it that way. He played by the rules, offered the best FA in the game the best chance to win and a MAX deal and got his big man, but it's still a mystery to me, how anyone believes that Jerry didn't bend/break the rules when we were in our heyday. Signing AC/Manning to one year, one million dollar deals with secret under the table agreements to pay them their worth the next year, far exceedng the salary cap once they had their Bird rights was completely against the spirit of the rule and I was happier then a pig in slop. But the NBA sure as hell wasn't as they closed that shady business in the next CBA and hammered teams who did it after (see Joe Smith and the Wolves contract and penalty for proof of that).

I'd love to see your reasoning why you think it WASN'T shady for Jerry to sign guys to the two biggest FA in back to back contracts to minimum deals while also negotiating second secret contracts the league didn't know about so they could far exceed the cap the next year once they had their bird rights.

 

[Cheesebeef]

San Antonio just went out and signed one major free agent in LMA. They manage to keep themselves relevant. West is a marginal free agent that will make a difference on an older team. This signing for San Antonio is very similar to the Suns signing Nash. They get a player in his prime who will bring alot of wins in the afternoon and evening of his career.

This is the first major free agent San Antonio has ever signed. While I hate San Antonio and Pop for their tanking for Duncan, and the Steve Nash hip check among many other things. They have built a team with one top draft pick and alot of very good picks in the late first, and second rounds.

This not like LA signing Shaq or getting Memphis to bend over and give them Pau.

I actually feel like the LMA signing is much more like the Danny Manning signing in the summer of 1994. We were a 60 win team that fell short in the playoffs and Manning was coming off back to back All-Star appearances and was the best FA on the market, much like Aldridge. He was there to extend our run and push us to the next level, much like Aldridge is there to extend the Spurs run and get them back to the Championship level.

The Nash signing... odd as this sounds, is more like Shaq to the Lakers. The one guy who completely turned the squad into title contenders. Only difference, Shaq accomplished his goal and Nash and the Suns became the most snake-bitten playoff team I can ever remember.

 

[sunsfan88]

David West signs with the Spurs for the minimum.

https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/618153935048699904

That's sounds about right.

IMO, the super NBA teams are ruining the NBA in their ability to corner the market on players. I'm not sure what can be done about it. It was good that GS won the title last season but now they will become an elite team.

What's funny is that West proved his word means absolutely nothing

West also never envisioned himself as a ring hunter near the end of his career. The thought of trying to wrangle his way to a title contender just doesn't appeal to him.

"I'm not going to be one of those guys that's just out here chasing that. I'm not going to be one those guys out here sacrificing who I am, the things that make me me, to go out and get a material goal. That's just not the way I'm wired," West declared. "So, I understand we're not in that space anymore in terms of this group, but that's fine. It's just a reality you have to deal with, but you got to accept it and face it in order to get yourself moving and producing positively."

http://www.indystar.com/story/sport...iana-pacers-david-west-sees-reality/16506641/

 

[overseascardfan]

What's funny is that West proved his word means absolutely nothing

I guess he earned the right to be a hypocrite by leaving $10.5M on the table to chase a ring. Sucks
for him if SA doesn't win it all next year.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I guess he earned the right to be a hypocrite by leaving $10.5M on the table to chase a ring. Sucks
for him if SA doesn't win it all next year.

Not a wise move on his part. Leaving $10 million on the table is a bad business decision, but if you are going to do it to chase a championship, at least go to the team that would give you the best opportunity of winning it.

That being Cleveland or GS.

 

[JCSunsfan]

You have to wonder what is going on in Cleveland. They are now finding out what it is really like to negotiate with Rich Paul. Cleveland was willing to give Thompson the max and then things stalled. Here is what I am guessing is going on.

Paul wanted an "opt out" clause to go along with the max deal. Cleveland says that they are giving him a max deal, which is above his market value anyway. But hey, they will give him an opt-out, if he gives the team an out option.

Paul says we are done talking, and oh, btw, you are done talking to LeBron too.

Crickets.

People are not talking about this, but I believe it will get fairly ugly.

 

[FArting]

https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/618491584137408512

 

[Chaplin]

https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/618491584137408512

If that doesn't show you David Lee's value, nothing will...

 

[JCSunsfan]

https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/618491584137408512

And the obvious question is why?

 

[Cheesebeef]

And the obvious question is why?

salary dump. they can stretch Wallace's contract and have him count only 3.3 against the cap stretched over the next three years, saving them major money in luxury tax.

 

[Phrazbit]

You have to wonder what is going on in Cleveland. They are now finding out what it is really like to negotiate with Rich Paul. Cleveland was willing to give Thompson the max and then things stalled. Here is what I am guessing is going on.

Paul wanted an "opt out" clause to go along with the max deal. Cleveland says that they are giving him a max deal, which is above his market value anyway. But hey, they will give him an opt-out, if he gives the team an out option.

Paul says we are done talking, and oh, btw, you are done talking to LeBron too.

Crickets.

People are not talking about this, but I believe it will get fairly ugly.

They only have a few days to resolve it. The salaries for the guys they've extended and have bird rights to (which does not include LeBron) are going to get locked in and once that happens they won't have cap space to keep LeBron.

 

[FArting]

https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status/618480180227502080

 

[FArting]

https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/618480948435234817

 

[FArting]

https://twitter.com/sam_amick/status/618498249939222528

 

[FArting]

https://twitter.com/PrioritySports/status/618510440079847424

 

[Ronin]

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA 11m11 minutes ago

Free agent Alan Anderson has agreed to a one-year, $4M deal with Washington, league source tells Yahoo Sports.

 

[Mainstreet]

and yet you had a MAJOR problem with the Heat, who weren't elite doing the exact same thing back in 2011. That's hypocritical. And talk about "collusion" all you want, but there were tons of reports that LeBron wanted to stay in Cleveland and was lobbying Bosh to go there and Bosh wouldn't. So, again, I think it's hypocritical for you to believe it's okay if the Suns had create a super-team, but it's a big problem for anyone else to.

How can I argue this point when the Suns were never a "super-team." The Suns have never one a championship. I think the same rules applies to all NBA teams including the Suns. Furthermore, I think the rules should make all teams and players more accountable but that is not going to happen.

Actually never said Pop did anything shady, but I can see how you read it that way. He played by the rules, offered the best FA in the game the best chance to win and a MAX deal and got his big man, but it's still a mystery to me, how anyone believes that Jerry didn't bend/break the rules when we were in our heyday. Signing AC/Manning to one year, one million dollar deals with secret under the table agreements to pay them their worth the next year, far exceedng the salary cap once they had their Bird rights was completely against the spirit of the rule and I was happier then a pig in slop. But the NBA sure as hell wasn't as they closed that shady business in the next CBA and hammered teams who did it after (see Joe Smith and the Wolves contract and penalty for proof of that).

Okay.

I'd love to see your reasoning why you think it WASN'T shady for Jerry to sign guys to the two biggest FA in back to back contracts to minimum deals while also negotiating second secret contracts the league didn't know about so they could far exceed the cap the next year once they had their bird rights.

You obviously feel Jerry Colangelo was "shady." So be it.

This is an old topic that has been talked to death. May I suggest you let it go.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Jerry Colangelo signed players to 1 year deals because they trusted that he would reward them. He had a reputation for taking care of his own and players put their trust in that. Even so, the league frowned on such deals that could be interpreted as "wink, wink" deals, so they changed the rules.

He abided by the rules and they changed them. When the new rules came down he abided by those too.

 

[sunsfan88]

Figured I'll post this here since its the NBA off season thread.

One of the funniest NBA videos I've ever seen. Really well done

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXU1etIC1No#t=351

 

[Mainstreet]

I really can't remember a player changing his mind once he has committed in free agency. Maybe there are some but I can't remember.

https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/618841172090454016