The Perpetual NBA Thread

**tsupermario** · July 18th, 2007 10:57 AM

why was he dressed like mc hammer?!? maybe 'u can't touch this' was too fast for him :hihihi:

**kimpOy** · July 18th, 2007 12:21 PM

muntikan ng mag ala puto si marion hahaha

**artpogi** · July 18th, 2007 12:25 PM

^^ pucha :rofl01:

**flakez** · July 18th, 2007 12:29 PM

bwahahahaha. laugh trip ung may marion ah.

**Eismann** · July 18th, 2007 01:32 PM

Most curious free-agent deals
- a blog about 14 hours ago by CNNSI's Forrester
The frenzy that accompanied the onset of NBA free agency has slowed to a waltz of mid-level signings and veteran-minimum deals. That gives us a chance to catch our breath and take the temperature of some of the deals that have already closed. And though it appears many teams have adopted a more prudent approach in throwing dollars after talent, a few teams have made some curious deals.

Rashard Lewis, Orlando Magic: There's little doubt Lewis and his outside range will help open the middle up for Dwight Howard and provide an offensive boost to a team desperate for scoring. But the Magic likely outbid themselves in handing the 6-10 forward $110 million over the next six years. Not only was that $15 million more than what Chauncey Billups (a free agent who could have helped the Magic even more) agreed to from Detroit, but it forced Orlando to cut ties to their own free agent, Darko Milicic. The former No. 2 pick in the 2003 draft may never live up to his pre-draft hype, but at age 22, he has shown signs of developing into a versatile big man, one that could have kept the paint relatively clean for Howard to patrol while Lewis hoisted jumpers. In overpaying for Lewis, the Magic tied up their hands this year and beyond, and for a team that was swept out of the first round of the playoffs last year, will Lewis translate into even a second-round appearance? He had better.

Jason Kapono, Toronto Raptors: This smells like Damon Jones to Cleveland, doesn't it? Kapono had a career year last season, converting 51 percent of his 3-point attempts for the Heat while defenses collapsed on Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade. The Raptors obviously feel he can pull off a similar feat with Chris Bosh down low; why else would they have agreed to expand Kapono's bank account by $24 million over the next five years? But Bosh is no Shaq and Anthony Parker is no Wade. That's not a knock, just an acknowledgment that Toronto plays a different style than Miami. That doesn't mean they can't use Kapono's range, but if they think they'll be getting the production Kapono found in the shadow of one of the game's most dominant big men, they will be scrambling to unload his contract as hard as the Cavs are now trying to unload Jones.

Steve Blake, Portland Trail Blazers: Something isn't adding up in Portland? Jarrett Jack started at point guard last season as an NBA sophomore. Spanish sensation Sergio Rodriguez is a backup many teams would love to have as their starter. And now you go out and get Blake? We can't imagine Blake left a starting gig for a playoff team in Denver to ride the pine for a lottery team. So what is the next step? Luckily, expectations will be such in Portland that coach Nate McMillan will have the chance to weed out his point guard rotation and decide who sees the floor and who the front office gets to play with as a trade asset.

Derek Fisher, L.A. Lakers: Sure, we're happy Fisher's child will receive the medical treatment she needs in L.A. easier than she would have in Salt Lake City. But for as much as the Lakers needed to strengthen themselves in the paint, GM Mitch Kupchak chooses to boost the backcourt with a $14 million deal for a soon-to-be 33-year-old tweener point guard? Sure he will play better D than Smush parker and his familiarity and the respect he carries may keep Kobe's dissension in check at times, but his inability to offer much relief to Kobe from opposing defenses likely won't help the Lakers' playoff prospects.

That's what has been puzzling us a bit.
======================
The Fisher to LAL deal is good but there could have been better ones considering that Crittenton might be the PG LAL is looking for.

**Altis6453** · July 18th, 2007 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by Eismann

Most curious free-agent deals
- a blog about 14 hours ago by CNNSI's Forrester
The frenzy that accompanied the onset of NBA free agency has slowed to a waltz of mid-level signings and veteran-minimum deals. That gives us a chance to catch our breath and take the temperature of some of the deals that have already closed. And though it appears many teams have adopted a more prudent approach in throwing dollars after talent, a few teams have made some curious deals.

Rashard Lewis, Orlando Magic: There's little doubt Lewis and his outside range will help open the middle up for Dwight Howard and provide an offensive boost to a team desperate for scoring. But the Magic likely outbid themselves in handing the 6-10 forward $110 million over the next six years. Not only was that $15 million more than what Chauncey Billups (a free agent who could have helped the Magic even more) agreed to from Detroit, but it forced Orlando to cut ties to their own free agent, Darko Milicic. The former No. 2 pick in the 2003 draft may never live up to his pre-draft hype, but at age 22, he has shown signs of developing into a versatile big man, one that could have kept the paint relatively clean for Howard to patrol while Lewis hoisted jumpers. In overpaying for Lewis, the Magic tied up their hands this year and beyond, and for a team that was swept out of the first round of the playoffs last year, will Lewis translate into even a second-round appearance? He had better.

Jason Kapono, Toronto Raptors: This smells like Damon Jones to Cleveland, doesn't it? Kapono had a career year last season, converting 51 percent of his 3-point attempts for the Heat while defenses collapsed on Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade. The Raptors obviously feel he can pull off a similar feat with Chris Bosh down low; why else would they have agreed to expand Kapono's bank account by $24 million over the next five years? But Bosh is no Shaq and Anthony Parker is no Wade. That's not a knock, just an acknowledgment that Toronto plays a different style than Miami. That doesn't mean they can't use Kapono's range, but if they think they'll be getting the production Kapono found in the shadow of one of the game's most dominant big men, they will be scrambling to unload his contract as hard as the Cavs are now trying to unload Jones.

Steve Blake, Portland Trail Blazers: Something isn't adding up in Portland? Jarrett Jack started at point guard last season as an NBA sophomore. Spanish sensation Sergio Rodriguez is a backup many teams would love to have as their starter. And now you go out and get Blake? We can't imagine Blake left a starting gig for a playoff team in Denver to ride the pine for a lottery team. So what is the next step? Luckily, expectations will be such in Portland that coach Nate McMillan will have the chance to weed out his point guard rotation and decide who sees the floor and who the front office gets to play with as a trade asset.

Derek Fisher, L.A. Lakers: Sure, we're happy Fisher's child will receive the medical treatment she needs in L.A. easier than she would have in Salt Lake City. But for as much as the Lakers needed to strengthen themselves in the paint, GM Mitch Kupchak chooses to boost the backcourt with a $14 million deal for a soon-to-be 33-year-old tweener point guard? Sure he will play better D than Smush parker and his familiarity and the respect he carries may keep Kobe's dissension in check at times, but his inability to offer much relief to Kobe from opposing defenses likely won't help the Lakers' playoff prospects.

That's what has been puzzling us a bit.
======================
The Fisher to LAL deal is good but there could have been better ones considering that Crittenton might be the PG LAL is looking for.

Poor LA. I doubt if they'll make a splash in the current FA pool.

I think Orlando is a good fit for Rashard but they'll regret letting Darko go.

The Steve Blake deal with Portland doesn't make sense unless they're thinking of jettisoning Jarret Jack (diba galing na si Blake sa Blazers?)

Kapono fit well into Riley's system with the Heat. It's hard to imagine how he can fit into the run and gun style of Toronto which Bryan Colangelo is trying to pattern from Phoenix.

Makes me wonder what the hell Riley and the Heat are going to do to solve their PG and SF problem.

**empy** · July 19th, 2007 07:37 AM

Kapono is this year's Damon Jones. ask the Cavs how well he played out of the Flash/Diesel shadow...

i wonder what is Mitch Kupchak's worst move for the Lakers?
1. Shaq for Lamar Odom
2. Caron Butler for Kwame Brown
3. mismanaging the cap
4. rejecting the Kidd for Bynum trade

what a loser

**Altis6453** · July 19th, 2007 08:55 AM

SI's take on the Yi to Milwaukee saga:

Inside the NBA
Chris Mannix

Irresponsible. That was the word chosen by Guangdong Tigers chief Chen Haitao when describing how the Chinese Basketball Association would feel if they allowed 19-year-old Yi Jianlian to play next season for the Milwaukee Bucks. Seems Milwaukee, with all their young talent in the frontcourt, would pose too much of a challenge for Yi to play significant minutes next season.

Forgive me while I try to contain my laughter.

You want irresponsible? How about forcing a developing player to sit out an entire season just so the Chinese hoops association feels better about the market that he lands in? That's what Yi would have to do if the Tigers carry through with their plan to block Yi from playing with the Bucks.

According to an NBA spokesman, if Yi decides he wants to re-enter the NBA draft next season he would have to sit out the entire 2007-08 season. I'm not just talking about the NBA season. Yi couldn't play anywhere, not in the States, not in Europe and certainly not in the CBA. If he does, Yi would continue to remain the property of the Bucks.

And how exactly would sitting out a season help Yi? How would that help the Chinese national team, which is hoping to make a big splash in the '08 Beijing Olympics, improve? Instead of a getting a bigger, stronger, more skilled Yi next summer, the team would have a rusty player whose growth has been stunted by his own government's short-sightedness.

Truth be told, the idea that Yi is ready to step in and contribute right away is ludicrous. For every LeBron James (20.9 points in 39.5 minutes as a rookie) there is a Jermaine O'Neal (4.1 in 10.2) to match. The learning curve for some rookies is practically a 90 degree angle, and the fact that Yi has faced very little American competition means his will be enormous.

Yao Ming was the first overall pick in '02 and unquestionably is the most-talented player to come out of China -- and he averaged 13.5 points as a rookie.

What makes anyone think Yi can do any better?

He can't, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Exactly what is so bad about Yi having to earn his playing time? O'Neal was talented but raw, which is a pretty accurate description of Yi, who has had some phenomenal workouts against steel chairs. But four years of development (both physically and emotionally) in Portland later, and O'Neal was ready to become a five-time All-Star in Indiana. A little time learning the playbook and the NBA style of play couldn't hurt. And even if Yi had landed in Atlanta, there are no guarantees he would step in an contribute right away. In fact, it is more likely he would have struggled and eroded his confidence to the point where he might not be able to recover.

The road to starting isn't much tougher in Milwaukee. Andrew Bogut and Charlie Villanueva aren't exactly Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson. If Yi proves he is half the player the Chinese government believes he is, Bucks coach Larry Krystowiak would be foolish to sit him on the bench.

If the CBA wants to pull Yi back to China and make him sit out the season just so he can land in a city like Memphis or Minnesota, fine. The NBA, which cherishes its profitable relationship with China, will be upset but it shouldn't feel beholdened to a government and a country that, to date, has produced exactly one viable player. It sets a bad precedent. If commissioner David Stern intervenes and forces Milwaukee's hand, what's to stop China from hand-picking cities for all their players? Yao has decided to take up surfing -- let's get him to Los Angeles. Sun Yue is terrific snowboarder. How about developing him in Denver or Utah?

If the CBA wants to sink their own ship, let them. Their quality of basketball is decades behind Europe and even further behind the U.S. The only hope for the development of their precious national team is to export their players to markets that will make them better. Holding them back will only serve to make them worse

Very well said, Mr. Mannix!

**Eismann** · July 19th, 2007 09:57 AM

HOLLINGER'S FA SEASON ANALYSIS

Improvement. That's the name of the game in the offseason, and it comes in all shapes and sizes.

With that as the background, here's a midsummer update showing the teams that have made themselves more formidable than they were a year ago:

(Major additions and subtractions are given in parentheses)

1. Houston Rockets
(added Mike James, Luis Scola, Jackie Butler and Aaron Brooks; lost Juwan Howard and Vassilis Spanoulis; replaced Jeff Van Gundy with Rick Adelman)

While you're focusing on the San Antonio-Dallas-Phoenix triumvirate in the West, don't sleep on Houston. The Rockets have quietly put together a roster that very well could be the last team standing in the Western Conference in 2008.

Start with the decision to replace Van Gundy with Adelman -- a change in direction that will likely make the team more up-tempo and offensive-minded. They'll miss Van Gundy's defensive genius, but given the offensive stagnation this club showed in 2006-07, it's not a bad trade.

Moreover, hiring Adelman was especially important in this case because it basically adds another player to the roster. Bonzi Wells bristled under Van Gundy after showing up out of shape, and hardly played last season. But he seems excited by being reunited with Adelman, who coached him to a strong campaign in Sacramento two years ago.

From there, add in two vastly underrated trades. The first one pilfered James from Minnesota for Howard, giving the Rockets a do-over on the disastrous James-for-Rafer Alston trade two years ago. The second nabbed Scola and Butler from San Antonio in return for Spanoulis.

Scola, a skilled Argentinian who has been one of the best players in Europe for the past half-decade, will make an immediate impact as a starting power forward. Butler, as a young center with strong scoring skills in the post, should energize a second unit that was bereft of offense last season.

In the big picture, the Rockets aggressively addressed their three main problems: stagant offense, point guard and power forward. At this point in the offseason, nobody has upgraded more than this club.

2. Charlotte Bobcats
(added Jason Richardson and Jared Dudley; lost Brevin Knight; replaced Bernie Bickerstaff with Sam Vincent)

Richardson is a reliable scorer and rebounder -- one that will help push rookie bust Adam Morrison out of the rotation if he struggles again -- and gives the Bobcats a much-needed go-to guy late in games. It also allows sharpshooter Matt Carroll to shift to a more suitable sixth-man role, in which his defensive shortcomings won't be so glaring. As a late first-rounder, Dudley could be surprisingly effective too -- don't be shocked if he's earning important minutes by season's end. Add it up and a playoff run doesn't seem far-fetched at all.

3. Phoenix Suns
(added Grant Hill, Alando Tucker; lost James Jones)

The Suns sold one of their first-round draft picks (uh-gain) but they also used one to grab Tucker, a tweener who should be able to fill in a lot of the minutes played by Jones. But their big grab was Hill, who is as brittle as they come but still a star when he's healthy enough to go.

He should thrive in Phoenix's running game and take over Boris Diaw's role as the de facto point man when Steve Nash is out of the game. Plus, his willingness to sign on the cheap means the Suns might not be done maneuvering just yet. After four decades they're still looking for a title in the Valley of the Sun; Hill might be the guy to get them over the top.

4. New York Knicks
(added Zach Randolph, Wilson Chandler, Dan Dickau and Fred Jones; lost Steve Francis and Channing Frye)

I'd rank this higher if I had any faith in the ability of Curry and Randolph to defend with even a smidgen of enthusiasm or competence, but I don't. The two will combine to give the Knicks the league's most defensively disinterested frontcourt, and that should put them in the bottom five or so in defensive efficiency. But offensively, the Knicks might be good enough to play .500 ball anyway.

5. Atlanta Hawks
(added Al Horford, Acie Law)

Throw in two more lottery picks to a cast that already includes rising stars Joe Johnson and Josh Smith, and suddenly the Hawks look a lot more like a real basketball team. Horford was one of the top talents in an extremely strong draft, and at his size he'll probably be able to play some center -- a spot where the Hawks have been badly undermanned in the past. I'm less bullish on Law's prospects, but he can't be any worse than the gang that manned the point for Atlanta last season.

6. Boston Celtics
(added Ray Allen; lost Szczerbiak and Delonte West)

Long-term, I have grave doubts about whether this was the right move for Boston; as I've mentioned before, unless they're about to use Gerald Green and Theo Ratliff's expiring contract as bait to bring in another star, I hardly see the point of acquiring Allen.

But in the short-term, Allen will be a big upgrade on the Wally/West combo that manned a lot of the shooting guard minutes for Boston last season, and that should be enough to pull the C's out of the cellar in the Atlantic.

7. Memphis Grizzlies
(added Mike Conley, Darko; lost Atkins; replaced Tony Barone with Marc Iavaroni)

The Grizzlies added two coveted young talents in Conley and Milicic, with the latter being hugely important because of the lack of a dependable frontcourt sidekick for Pau Gasol. Conley also figures to make an impact, but given his youth, it may come more in future seasons than the present.

Besides, he's filling some big shoes: Unbeknownst to many, Atkins played out of his mind a year ago. Conley will be hard-pressed just to match those numbers this season, let alone exceed them.

8. Washington Wizards
(added Nick Young, Oleksiy Pecherov; likely to add Juan Carlos Navarro)

Can it be? Do the Wizards finally have a bench? Adding three young players to the mix (their last two first-round picks plus whomever they trade for Navarro) certainly makes last season's feeble second unit seem much more imposing for this go-round.

9. New Orleans Hornets
(added Morris Peterson, Julian Wright)

The Hornets filled their hole at the wings with free agent Peterson and first-rounder Wright, who should be a big upgrade on the Rasual Butler/Desmond Mason combo that filled the slot last season.

Peterson gives the team a legit perimeter threat, something it lacked a year ago once Peja Stojakovic went on the shelf, while Wright's all-around game should provide a nice complement off the bench. Between those two and Peja's return, the Hornets impotent offense of a year ago should be a thing of the past.

10. Sacramento Kings
(added Spencer Hawes and Mikki Moore; replaced coach Eric Musselman with Reggie Theus)

I have no idea if Theus can coach or not, and I think Musselman could do a pretty good job in the right situation. But nobody doubts that the wheels were coming off by the end of last season and that a change would be for the better, so in this case the Mussleman-for-Theus swap should be for the better.

Moreover, the Kings addressed their horrid frontcourt by adding two centers in Hawes and Moore. These moves may not keep them out of the lottery, but it will at least help stop the bleeding.

11. Los Angeles Lakers
(added Javaris Crittenton, Derek Fisher)

I'm not sure if this is enough to make Kobe rescind his trade demand, but it helps. The Lakers point guards were disastrous last season, so adding the veteran Fisher to take over for Smush Parker should pay immediate dividends (although the Lakers overpaid and will hate themselves for this two years from now, that's in the future -- remember, we're just looking at the impacts for 2007-08 today).

Crittenton was supposed to be a long-range pick, but he played well enough in summer league that folks may reconsider that position -- especially since at 6-foot-5, he has the size that Phil Jackson craves in the backcourt.

12. Chicago Bulls
(added Joakim Noah and Joe Smith; lost P.J. Brown)

Maybe power forward isn't the weak spot on the roster anymore. Already possessing a promising stud at the position in Tyrus Thomas, the Bulls added the energy of Noah and the veteran smarts of Smith to their roster, shoring up a spot manned by a fading Brown last season. Plus, they give Chicago yet more assets to throw into a trade for the likes of Kevin Garnett or Pau Gasol.

13. Toronto Raptors
(added Maceo Baston and Jason Kapono; lost Morris Peterson)

Kapono might not even be as good as Mo Pete, the man whose spot he takes at greater expense. But the big picture in Toronto is that they have three deadly shooters surrounding T.J. Ford and Chris Bosh, so defending the latter two on the pick-and-roll will be a pick-your-poison proposition. Additionally, the more important comparison was improving on Joey Graham -- who inexplicably became the starter last season after the team soured on Peterson -- and Kapono is more than up to that challenge.

14. Detroit Pistons
(added Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo)

I'm not sold on Afflalo at all, but Stuckey looks like the real deal, and should give Detroit a second-unit guard who can actually score once in awhile. After watching Flip Murray and Lindsey Hunter hoist brick after brick the past two seasons, Pistons fans are going to think this guy is the second coming of Dave Bing.

15. Philadelphia 76ers
(added Thaddeus Young and Jason Smith; lost Joe Smith)

Joe Smith was one of the keys to the Sixers' strong second-half run last season, so losing him leaves a dent. On the other hand, they added two first-round picks in Young and Jason Smith, and my guess is the contributions of those two will offset what has been lost.

======================================

Houston should scare SA as Texas' top team if TMac stays healthy.

Who the hell is Dave Bing?

**tsupermario** · July 19th, 2007 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by M54 Powered

i wonder what is Mitch Kupchak's worst move for the Lakers?

how about his draft picks?

players still available when he made his picks:
2002: Kareem Rush, Chris Jefferies. Still available: Carlos Boozer, Matt Barnes.
2003: Brian Cook, Luke Walton. Still available: Josh Howard, Leandro Barbosa
2004: Sasha Vujacic, Marcus Douthit. Still available: Chris Duhon, Anderson Varejão