2010-2011 NBA Playoffs Thread Pt.2

[Destino]

Also, what is Orlando going to do if the cap becomes more constrictive? They're on the books to be 20-25 million over the supposed low 50 millions cap for the next two years. They've only got team options on Earl Clark and Daniel Orton in that span and those aren't big deals.

I'm just marveling at how poor a financial situation Otis Smith was able to create.

Check out the Heat (different site that seems to be better).

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=9147

If there is a hard cap what are they going to do?

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Check out the Heat (different site that seems to be better).

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=9147

If there is a hard cap what are they going to do?

Any kind of hard cap is going to be phased in over a number of years and there will probably be some kind of Allen Houston rule (which will henceforth be known as the Gilbert Arenas rule).

So, Miami will be fine in the short-term. The other advantage Miami has is that they have tradeable assets. If Bosh suddenly became available, there would be a market for him. Hell, they could technically trade Lebron if they wanted to.

[mcsluggo]

As if he needed any more reason to party...Dirk turns 33 today. Happy birthday, Dirk! Now stop growing older.

<<pics>>

i hate to say it.. but there is NO WAY that Dirk can keep this up much longer. It is amazing that he hasn't really shown any decline yet.... I wouldn't be surprised if next year looks MUCH worse :-s

[royallypwned]

i hate to say it.. but there is NO WAY that Dirk can keep this up much longer. It is amazing that he hasn't really shown any decline yet.... I wouldn't be surprised if next year looks MUCH worse :-s

If Dirk's numbers start to decline next year, it won't be because of his age. It would be because he has already accomplished everything a player can do. MVP, Finals MVP, Champion. The motivation factor could not possibly be any higher than it was this season.

But the way Dirk plays, he can still be productive another few years at least. He's not a typical PF who bangs his body down low. He's more of a finesse player by definition. A damn skilled finesse player. His game gives reasons why he can still put up 23+ ppg the next 3-4 years.

[Going Commando]

Dirk will play forever because he can shoot.

As for the cap situation, check out ours Destino: http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=9153

Did you realize that Rashard's contract isn't guaranteed for the final year? Does that mean we can cut him and be off the hook for the final season? If so, we might be able to trade him as early as next season before the deadline because of that.

Blatche's deal is the longest we've got and it's for about 7 million per year. Not bad for a 17 and 8 player. Our financial house is in good order. Screw the Allen Houston rule.

[royallypwned]

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=227563

wow, this is fascinating stuff. I didn't even realize there was enough of the internet back then.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

I first discovered usenet message groups in '92. I assume I was not the first person to find them. There has been an "internet" for decades.

The world wide web is a newer creation. I first used Gopher in '93. It was slow and there was not much to look at.

I'm probably confusing the timeline, but I feel like it was not until '95 that Netscape was in fairly wide use. Suddenly, overnight, everyone had a geocities web page.

I may be wrong, but I think the first web-based forums I used were Delphi around that time. Maybe a little later.

[PeterMP]

I was using lynx in college. I started in 1990. By the time I started grad school (fall of '95, Netscape like web browsers were ubiquitous.)

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/draft/ultimate/standings-stats.html

What do people think?

I think they underestimate some of the people that had their career affected by injury if you really are talking about them at their best. In his prime, Bernard King could score with any of the non-centers. I'd guess Sabonis at his best would break the top 10 in some categories.

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

Hawks assess trade interest in Smith

The Atlanta Hawks have started to gauge trade interest on forward Josh Smith(notes), and Smith isn’t averse to ending his seven-year stay with his hometown team, league sources told Yahoo! Sports on Monday.

Smith hasn’t requested a trade, but has privately told league friends that the Boston Celtics, New Jersey Nets, Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic are his preferred destinations should the Hawks decide to move him.

“The relationship has run its course,” said a league source with knowledge of the dynamic.

There’s been growing acrimony between Smith and the organization, sources said, largely because of the feeling that Smith has been too convenient of a scapegoat. Smith had one of his most complete seasons for the Hawks, averaging 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

Payroll is an issue for the Hawks, too, and Smith’s contract – which has two years and $25.6 million remaining – is an attractive target for management to unload, if, for no other reason, than the five years, $110 million left on Joe Johnson’s(notes) deal is far more difficult to move.

The Hawks have looked to identify veteran players near the end of their contracts, sources said, but have had no serious discussions on trading Smith.

“They’re looking for a change,” one Eastern Conference executive said. “They would die to be rid of Joe Johnson’s contract or move Smith, but they won’t give [smith] away. They want something in return.”

Dwight Howard(notes) has been a proponent of the Magic trying to make a deal for Smith, a childhood friend, but general manager Otis Smith is low on assets. Houston has long been intrigued with Smith, but like Orlando and New Jersey, also probably doesn’t have the right pieces to make a trade. Hawks GM Rick Sund has long coveted Kevin Garnett(notes) and Ray Allen(notes) – two aging Celtics entering the final years of contracts – but Celtics GM Danny Ainge has yet to show an inclination to break up his core for next season.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Au8F1Qszi6PZxxVlYpgEASW8vLYF?slug=aw-wojnarowski_josh_smith_hawks_nba_draft_062011

---------- Post added June-21st-2011 at 03:30 PM ----------

With an eye on drafting Arizona’s Derrick Williams, the Indiana Pacers have discussed a package including center Roy Hibbert(notes) and the 15th pick for the Minnesota Timberwolves’ second overall pick, league sources said. Nevertheless, the overture hasn’t gained traction in Minnesota. …The Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings are two teams with interest in prying Raymond Felton(notes) from the Denver Nuggets, league sources said. The Nuggets believe strongly in Ty Lawson(notes) as their point guard, and Felton, with a $7.5 million expiring contract, is expendable

. …

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Au8F1Qszi6PZxxVlYpgEASW8vLYF?slug=aw-wojnarowski_josh_smith_hawks_nba_draft_062011

[adam@section118]

Bird was just on the radio. Said HIbbert is not going anywhere

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

Assuming this is true...sounds like the owners are caving.

KBerg_CBS Ken Berger

Stern on owners' proposal: "It's all out there. ... I'm never saying final, final to anything other than we made our offer." #NBA

KBerg_CBS Ken Berger

Stern says cap "target" is $62 million per team, with a max above that to allow for exceptions such as the Bird exception." #NBA

KBerg_CBS Ken Berger

Stern: "This is we think the best shot we have ... to avoid a lockout." #NBA

KBerg_CBS Ken Berger

Stern: Proposal also included "flex cap," with a max that could be exceeded and a minimum. #NBA

KBerg_CBS Ken Berger

David Stern: Owners proposed guaranteeing no less than $2 billion per year in salary over 10-year CBA. #NBA

KBerg_CBS Ken Berger

Players' response was to reconvene Friday after meeting as a group on Thursday. #NBA

http://twitter.com/#!/kberg_cbs

[ixcuincle]

http://twitter.com/AndrewSiciliano/statuses/83314919721803777

For those asking: RT @tomhoffarth: Spero Dedes will take NYKnicks job, not the Lakers. http://*******.com/3zy9meu

Dedes did Lakers radio for several years. Going to do Knicks TV now.

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

Timberwolves Offer No. 2 Pick For Lakers' Andrew Bynum

The Minnesota Timberwolves continue to scour the trade market for impact players who can help the team immediately, perhaps better than the second overall pick, which they own, in Thursday's NBA Draft can. The latest player they've targeted, according to Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated, is Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum. Amick describes the Timberwolves as "incredibly active" in trade discussions, and it's clear they intend to shake up their roster before or during the Draft.

Bynum, who won't turn 24 until October, is among the NBA's best young centers, with career averages of 10.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks. He's struggled to stay healthy over the last four seasons, missing 114 games over that span, but he's proven productive when able to play. Last season, he shot 57.4 percent from the floor and averaged 11.3 poins, 9.4 rebounds, and 2 blocked shots in just 27.8 minutes per game. In an expanded role--he's the Lakers' third option at best right now, behind Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol--for a Wolves team in need of low-post offense, he could provide even more offense.

http://minnesota.sbnation.com/minnesota-timberwolves/2011/6/21/2235391/nba-trade-rumors-timberwolves-draft-pick-andrew-bynum-lakers

---------- Post added June-22nd-2011 at 12:15 AM ----------

Probballdraft: The Lakers are trying to get in on the Dwight Howard sweepstakes. Willing to offer Bynum & Odom. More to come.

---------- Post added June-22nd-2011 at 12:17 AM ----------

There have been renewed whispers the Knicks have inquired about Suns point guard Steve Nash, who lives in SoHo in the offseason. The Knicks have talked internally about trading Chauncey Billups for Nash as both have expiring contracts. But there does not appear any reason for Suns owner Robert Sarver to make a move and give Mike D'Antoni a chance to reunite with his favorite son.

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/usc_vucevic_at_center_of_knicks_fQW4QY0ufdry7UDIr4GG4O#ixzz1PxABtB9m

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

Spurs fielding trade calls for Parker

The San Antonio Spurs are engaged in discussions about trading point guard Tony Parker(notes) to secure a high pick in Thursday’s draft, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

The Spurs have talked to teams in the lottery, including the Toronto Raptors and Sacramento Kings, who hold the fifth and seventh picks, respectively. The Kings are determined to get a frontline point guard, and have also talked with the Denver Nuggets about Raymond Felton(notes).

It’s unclear who the Spurs would prefer to take if they acquired a high lottery pick.

If the Spurs were to trade Parker, George Hill(notes) could become their starting point guard. League sources said Hill also has drawn trade interest from teams willing to give the Spurs a pick near the back end of the lottery.

Parker didn’t play well early in the Spurs’ first-round loss to the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies in May then later told French reporters he thought the franchise’s days of contending for a title had all but ended.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-wojnarowski_tony_parker_spurs_nba_draft_062111

[Going Commando]

Lots of trade rumors going on. Surprising since this is universally seen as a weak class. More evidence that the league is realigning itself if some of these trades actually happen.

[ixcuincle]

http://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/statuses/83694944988041216

Y! Sources: Minnesota has decided to fire coach Kurt Rambis, but will wait until after NBA Draft to make it official. tinyurl.com/638jy4o

---------- Post added June-22nd-2011 at 09:10 PM ----------

http://twitter.com/ATL_Sports_Fan/statuses/83703280714260480

"Mark Recchi retired right after the finals. Unlike Lebron James, he retired right before the finals." LOL

[terrifNick21]

Ron Artest is changing his name to World Peace.

:rotflmao:

[Kosher Ham]

I would buy a "World Peace" jersey.

Good for him.

[StillUnknown]

World B. Free>>>>>>>>>>Metta World Peace

[Kosher Ham]

World B. Free>>>>>>>>>>Metta World Peace

Original, but not better.

[ixcuincle]

No Ochocinco but still lol

Is this our draft thread or what

[bushwack]

A guy Miami could be drafting for their PG position could be Norris Cole out of Cleveland State. This kid can handle the ball, pass the ball, he shoots lights out, and he plays great defense. I wouldn't be surprised to see Miami to draft Cole with pick #31.

I can't figure out how to get this post into the new NBA thread, but like I said in the NBA thread, I'm not surprised to see Cole lighting it up for the Heat.