2011-2012 NBA Season

Chris Paul is apparently trying to BEG his way onto the Knicks. I do hope this happens, if only to marvel at New York desperately trying to field a full roster with those three mega-salaries.

And I see Nene and David West are among the free agents about to be WILDLY overpaid. Because the owners learned so much from this recent lockout.

Correct you are Gabe and on all fronts. Nice to know 2011 (economically) has sunk in deep in the NBA as for Paul I called that http://www.chud.com/community/t/128248/2010-11-nba-season/100

Dwight Howard leaving Orlando stinks for the league.

Also I talked about this in last years thread but all these young talented allstars wanting to play in big markets is not good for the NBA. Its another huge black eye. Love of the game and playing should come ahead of the money and fame. These guys make me sick.

Have they not learned from guys like Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki? Be a legend and leave your mark on an organization or city thats not a huge market. Will most of the urban jungle city dwellers all know your name or buy your shoes? Probably not but you make millions of dollars dribbling a ball.

Its ignorant, moronic and just plain dumb behavior. However I will say this the NBA has a collection of owners that are almost certifiably insane.

How Donald T Sterling (Shinn should be considered too) hasn't had his franchise bought or ripped out from under him i'll never know.

Until some of this mess gets solved Baseball and more importantly the NFL will continue to reign and the NBA will continue to acquire huge financial losses.

What's the deal with the new amnesty clause?  I've been reading that the team can cut the player and remove that contract's money from the salary cap.  Does that player still get paid his money or is it an NFL-like blatant disregard to what a contract actually means?  I haven't found any definite answer to that one yet.

No, they still get paid.

There was some excitement regarding the amnesty clause, but it's not a huge deal, and only few can afford it. The team still pays the player after he is cut, it just doesn't count against the salary cap.

So, for instance, if the Wizards want to cut Rashard Lewis' $20 million deal (which is RIDIC, but whatever), they will still owe him $20 million. But their salary cap figure will drop, allowing them to get under the cap and sign more players/spend more money. The reason the Wizards won't do this, other than the fact that they are broke, is that apparently dropping Lewis means they drop far below the MINIMUM salary cap specifications, and they would have to bring on a lot of guys, or one or two bad investments, to get it back up there.

Essentially, the amnesty clause saves no one money, but it can make players even wealthier. It's a good thing, though I believe a team can only use the amnesty clause ONCE over the next six years of this current Collective Bargaining Agreement.

I didn't think I'd see the day, but, Vince Carter, bought out over in Phoenix.

So, obviously he's lost a step, and he frequently doesn't care. But does anyone think he could be a serious game-changer for a contender that picks him up on the cheap? It's a shallow free agent pool, and if I were a GM, I would feel a lot better overpaying him for $4 million then I would giving $13 million or so to Nene and David West.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Daywalker 

Also I talked about this in last years thread but all these young talented allstars wanting to play in big markets is not good for the NBA. Its another huge black eye. Love of the game and playing should come ahead of the money and fame. These guys make me sick.

 

Have they not learned from guys like Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki? Be a legend and leave your mark on an organization or city thats not a huge market. Will most of the urban jungle city dwellers all know your name or buy your shoes? Probably not but you make millions of dollars dribbling a ball.

 

That's all well and good for Duncan and Nowitzki, but if you're stuck on a team that doesn't have the best front office in the league (Spurs) or an owner that is willing to do anything to win (Mavs), then you're just going to toil in futility in a small market. Knock on Paul if you want, but the guy has been the best point guard in the league for the last 4 years, and they haven't been able to build a winning squad around him. I don't blame him for wanting out, just like I don't blame LeBron for wanting out of Cleveland. That was a terribly run team.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe T 

I didn't think I'd see the day, but, Vince Carter, bought out over in Phoenix.

 

So, obviously he's lost a step, and he frequently doesn't care. But does anyone think he could be a serious game-changer for a contender that picks him up on the cheap? It's a shallow free agent pool, and if I were a GM, I would feel a lot better overpaying him for $4 million then I would giving $13 million or so to Nene and David West.

Nah, Vince wasn't good last year, and he's only getting older. If you can't be an effective offensive option playing beside Steve Nash, you probably won't be very good anywhere else.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe T 

I didn't think I'd see the day, but, Vince Carter, bought out over in Phoenix.

 

So, obviously he's lost a step, and he frequently doesn't care. But does anyone think he could be a serious game-changer for a contender that picks him up on the cheap? It's a shallow free agent pool, and if I were a GM, I would feel a lot better overpaying him for $4 million then I would giving $13 million or so to Nene and David West.

I think the Magic and the Nets thought he would be a serious game changer yet he never panned out.  

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Ar0RRWzAuBx7U2Kdnd5ZFyI5nYcB?slug=aw-wojnarowski_chris_paul_hornets_offers_nba_120611

The Clippers have an offer of Al-Farouq Aminu, Eric Bledsoe, DeAndre Jordan and a first round draft pick for Paul, and the Hornets are "seriously" considering it. What a shit offer. Meanwhile, Warriors are dangling Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, though I assume they would need more to make the salaries work, right?

The ridiculous part about this is that Paul is floating the idea that he won't sign an extension with either of these teams unless they sign WORLD-BEATER Tyson Chandler, who is currently requesting $12 million a year.

Help yourself, there's enough stupid to go around.

The Pacers have some money to spend and some damn good young talent. I can't wait for the season to start!

Lakers get Chris Paul?

Three team deal:

Rockets get Pau Gasol

Hornets get Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, Goran Dragic, Lamar Odom

Uh, is it me, or did the Rockets get hosed? Also, who plays power forward for the Lakers?

Other deals:

Tyson Chandler to Knicks. Dopey Knicks, they probably thought this was the key to getting Paul. Now they're stuck paying almost $15 million a year to TYSON CHANDLER. YOU FOOLS. How did they make this happen? Amnesty for Chauncey Billups. That's like cutting off your face to spite your toenail.

Also weird: Pistons "rebuilding" by giving Tayshaun Prince $9 million a year. I guess that means Richard Hamilton's getting amnesty. Also, $9 million??? Wut.

And Caron Butler as a Clipper. I would like this very much if they weren't being coached by Vinny Del Negro. That guy should NOT be drawing NBA paychecks.

That means the Magic aren't getting Paul, which means it's likely they're not keeping Howard.

I'm not sure the Lakers got that great of a deal in this...losing both Gasol and Odom? Who do they have that can replace them? Unless Howard ends up there as well.

I'd have to wager getting Paul is a prelude to just that.

Another Kardashion divorce is coming.  She won't move to be with him.

really hope howard doesn't end up in LA.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fat Elvis 

The Paul -Bryant backcourt should be the most dangerous/dynamic since Hardaway-Richmond.

Oh good, the Lakers won't be winning any more titles then!

btw- does that mean Sasha Vujacic will be getting a flattop? 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anyawatchin Angel 

really hope howard doesn't end up in LA.

You and 90% of Orlando.  But honestly, I don't know who the Magic could bring in to convince him they're building a winner.  And what kills me is that they took a team that got to the Finals without its starting point guard and acted like they needed to blow it up and start all over again.

I didn't look at the deal yet, but how could the Lakers possibly get Paul AND Howard with the pieces they had to deal.  That would be fucking ridiculous.

You realize what this means, right? Pujols and Wilson to the Angels this morning. Paul, and possibly Howard to the Lakers this evening.

By tomorrow the Jaguars or Chargers will be in L.A.

The thing about building a superteam where you have no extra money is that you can convince guys to sign for very little money. Without Odom and Gasol, they can still grab a forward for the mid-level contract, or even for way below that. A lot of guys would want to play with Kobe and Paul. And, being that the whole league has become like Superfriends, I bet Paul, who's friends with EVERYBODY, is sending a bunch of recruitment Tweets/Emails as we speak.

The NBA needs to just go to 8 teams already. New York, Boston, Chicago, Miami, LA, Dallas, China, and Sacramento.

If one of the small market teams' concerns was the creation of superteams, then why is the league shipping Paul to LA to join Kobe and possibly Howard?   I'm not against it or anything but it seems that  all of owners' concerns (superteams, terrible contracts) have been thrown out the window in the first couple of weeks after the lockout ended.

Looks like some owners feel the same way:

http://tracking.si.com/2011/12/09/report-owners-persuading-nba-commissioner-david-stern-to-veto-chris-paul-deal/

Goes to show that the league shouldn't be owning any of its teams.

Guess the uproar worked. Trade's dead.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rando 

Goes to show that the league shouldn't be owning any of its teams.

I don't think that the league WANTS to own the Hornets but it was either that or let the team go belly up.

Even though I'm a Laker fan, I find the whole league to be such a joke.

Whoever does get Paul is going to certainly benefit from his play, but boy will the conspiracy theories be flying.

We'll see what ends up happening.  I've watched the NBA my whole life but if the Lakers had ended up with Paul and Howard I wouldn't have watched another game.  I absolutely hate what the league is becoming.

They would have had to pay out of the ass for Chandler, while they're already stuck overpaying Brendan Haywood. And Butler, while good, did nothing for them last year. I think they're in a good place, as one of the few teams with cap space next summer. Though if they lose JJ Barea, that might suck.

Just heard Lamar Odom talking to Stephen A Smith on Sportscenter, and I honestly felt bad for him.  You could hear the sadness in his voice at the prospect of being treated "like just a number" and wondering if being with Khloe Kardashian and doing her dumbass reality show rubbed the Lakers the wrong way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarleyQuinn22 

 and wondering if being with Khloe Kardashian and doing her dumbass reality show rubbed the Lakers the wrong way.

I'm gonna say "Yes", and sign that: Jerry Buss, Mitch Kupchak, Phil Jackson, and the rest of the human race.

Me also, I find the whole league to be such a joke.

Rumors are that Dwight Howard wants a trade to the Nets.  Which kinda sucks, not because the Magic might lose Howard, but because there ain't a damn person the Nets would be willing to give up that would help them.

I like that the rest of the owners (who also own part of the Hornets) pulled the "disgruntled fantasy sports" owner when someone in their league does a trade they all hate and start whining.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Dickson 

Rumors are that Dwight Howard wants a trade to the Nets.  Which kinda sucks, not because the Magic might lose Howard, but because there ain't a damn person the Nets would be willing to give up that would help them.

Nets are offering Brook Lopez and draft picks. If the Magic don't get a better deal, they should jump on that. Cap space, and those picks should still be decent, given that, even with Howard and Williams, the Nets just are not very good.

Why in the hell would Howard want to go to Jersey/Brooklyn? Some of these guys are being really stupid about their whole "superstars should play with other superstars" ideas.

Also, I don't necessarily think the league should have canceled that Paul trade. That sets a dangerous precedent.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe T 

 

Also, I don't necessarily think the league should have canceled that Paul trade. That sets a dangerous precedent.

Haven't the last 15 years told you that the league doesn't care about things like "precedent" and "long term ramifications"? 

Lopez is decent, I guess, but with the parts the Magic currently have, decent isn't going to cut it.

I loved Dan Gilbert's letter he wrote to the commissioner.  "When will we just re-name 25 of the 30 teams the Washington Generals?"

Brandon Roy suffers the curse of being drafted highly by Portland.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben W 

Haven't the last 15 years told you that the league doesn't care about things like "precedent" and "long term ramifications"? 

True true. But I don't think Stern understands the immediate ramifications of this. Already, some of the players have revealed they aren't attending camp.

Unfortunately, what can Stern do? He's going to FINE them. Either that, or the league has just started ANOTHER hellish fight with the player's union.

Dell Demps has sworn he's going to deal Paul, but Stern's actions suggest he wants the Hornets to have Paul, forcing him to stay. That's all well and good (Paul SHOULD stay, players shouldn't force their way off teams), but that's Dell Demps' decision. And now Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol have to add even more dysfunction to the Lakers' clubhouse.  And now half the Rockets* have to come to training camp thinking, The team doesn't want us.

Or is the Paul trade going to be resurrected? Because if Paul goes anywhere else, Stern will be essentially denying the Lakers their right to make a deal, and picking where Paul goes. I dunno, commisioner, why don't you just take a job as a GM?

The trade would have created another superteam, either with Paul, Bryant and Bynum, or Paul, Bryant and D. Howard**, and the commisioner should let that play out, and force these teams to make it work with three players making $15-$20 million and struggling to pay other peoples' salaries. Maybe it would teach these NBA execs to use their checkbooks properly for ONCE.

*The Rockets' plan to deal their entire team away for Gasol and free up cash to sign Nene, btw? INCREDIBLY stupid. A starting center in the NBA who averages seven rebounds a game shouldn't be making eight figures a year.

**What would the Lakers have offered for Howard? Bynum and a draft pick? The Magic have that better offer from the Nets.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bailey 

Brandon Roy suffers the curse of being drafted highly by Portland.

The Trailblazers are the Madden video game of NBA franchises.  
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe T 

True true. But I don't think Stern understands the immediate ramifications of this. Already, some of the players have revealed they aren't attending camp.

Unfortunately, what can Stern do? He's going to FINE them. Either that, or the league has just started ANOTHER hellish fight with the player's union.

 

Dell Demps has sworn he's going to deal Paul, but Stern's actions suggest he wants the Hornets to have Paul, forcing him to stay. That's all well and good (Paul SHOULD stay, players shouldn't force their way off teams), but that's Dell Demps' decision. And now Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol have to add even more dysfunction to the Lakers' clubhouse.  And now half the Rockets* have to come to training camp thinking, The team doesn't want us.

 

Or is the Paul trade going to be resurrected? Because if Paul goes anywhere else, Stern will be essentially denying the Lakers their right to make a deal, and picking where Paul goes. I dunno, commisioner, why don't you just take a job as a GM?

 

The trade would have created another superteam, either with Paul, Bryant and Bynum, or Paul, Bryant and D. Howard**, and the commisioner should let that play out, and force these teams to make it work with three players making $15-$20 million and struggling to pay other peoples' salaries. Maybe it would teach these NBA execs to use their checkbooks properly for ONCE.

 

*The Rockets' plan to deal their entire team away for Gasol and free up cash to sign Nene, btw? INCREDIBLY stupid. A starting center in the NBA who averages seven rebounds a game shouldn't be making eight figures a year.

**What would the Lakers have offered for Howard? Bynum and a draft pick? The Magic have that better offer from the Nets.

You know what the worst part of this deal was?  The Hornets were actually getting a decent return for Paul. Odom, Scola, Martin, Dragic and some kind of a draft pick.  And it is obvious that CP3 has no intention of sticking around after his contract expires after the season. Dan Gilbert might be worried about creating a league of superteams and also-rans (to which he has a good point), but in the process, he is crippling the Hornets.  It was small markets vs. big markets; now it looks like it is small market vs. other small market, every man for himselftime.

So if this is CP3 last season under contract with the Hornets, he'll end up going to LA ANYWAYS and the Hornets will get nothing in return? awesome on Sterns part.  Then again, why does New Orleans even have a basketball team?  I don't mean that to sound bitchy if there are any Hornets fans in here.

Why do I get the feeling somebody's opting out of this CBA the second they're able to?

They should probably contract like five teams, and I bet something like that will happen by the time the next CBA comes up for discussion.

Me, I can't name a single Charlotte Bobcat. I suspect it's been like that for years.

Also, yeah, as long as the GM's kowtow to the players at every opportunity, there will always be that lockout-flavored friction. "Oh, you don't want to play with us anymore? Let us bow to your every whim!" I mean, Christ, you've got a contract, dude. Finish it out, and then leave. Teams, save the money, LET THEM LEAVE.

The Magic and Celtics are finalizing a deal that would swap Brandon Bass for Glen "Big Baby" Davis.  I really liked Bass, even if the Magic never seemed to play him enough, but getting Davis seems like a good move whether they keep Howard or not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe T 

 

Why in the hell would Howard want to go to Jersey/Brooklyn? Some of these guys are being really stupid about their whole "superstars should play with other superstars" ideas.

 

Probably because he has a smart financial manager.  The Knicks can't afford him and when the Nets move to Brooklyn there's going to be a big celebrity push towards that team.  They already have celebrity ownership and the curiosity of people wondering about the rich Russian owner.  I think they'll carve out a part of the NY market quickly.

The Magic just waived Gilbert Arenas using the new amnesty clause, to the surprise of absolutely no one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by A-Pathetic 

 

Probably because he has a smart financial manager.  The Knicks can't afford him and when the Nets move to Brooklyn there's going to be a big celebrity push towards that team.  They already have celebrity ownership and the curiosity of people wondering about the rich Russian owner.  I think they'll carve out a part of the NY market quickly.

We've been hearing this for what seems like 5 years now and nothing has come of it.  I don't think the Nets will ever shake the stigma of being New York's second team.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Dickson 

The Magic just waived Gilbert Arenas using the new amnesty clause, to the surprise of absolutely no one.

I'm kind of surprised just because someone actually used the clause.  It seems like there was a list of 20 players who might be cut with the new clause but then their respective teams claimed that they wouldn't use it.

I wonder if someone will even take a flyer on him for the league minimum?