So Greg Monroe is signing a max deal with the Bucks. That means the Lakers have struck-out on Love, Aldridge, Monroe and probably Jordan too. And everyone said that they likely passed on Okafor in the draft because they felt a big man in Free Agency was a forgone conclusion. Poor Laker fans/radio talk show hosts are probably sobbing into their Wheaties today.
The talking heads at ESPN have certainly shut up as well, since they've been saying for months that everyone couldn't wait to go sign for the Celtics/Knicks/Lakers. I guess playing for the "big city market" isn't what players actually care about after all.
I really think that Kobe is singlehandedly destroying that franchise. Nobody really wants to play with him. He's older, oft injured, selfish and not a great teammate. He is a great competitor, though. I would have loved to have had him in his prime, but I don't feel sorry for the Lakers at all. It serves them right. I think it will take them a long time to be relevant again.
I don't want to diminish his injury, but there were times where he did make strong moves and the shoulder apparently wasn't bothering him.
I think it is more of a confidence issue. I have even witnessed him receiving the ball in the corner and be wide-open and he hesitates on the shot. He either then shoots after the defense arrives or tries creating on a drive.
The good news is that if confidence is the issue, he can certainly gain confidence as he works more on his offensive game and has some success.
I think the same holds true for the Knicks and Carmelo. They won't be relevant for a while, either. It's nice to see some of the smaller market "less desirable" teams making deep runs in the playoffs. Let's just hope we can get through a season healthy and we will probably spend this time of the year sending cyber high fives to each other instead of bickering in the Pure Football Forum.....
I respect Kobe because of his unbelievable will to win. The guy is so competitive and the moment is never to big for him. He has the heart of a lion.
I really don't like Carmello at all. Yes, he is a talent, but he never "got it" in regards to what it takes to be truly great. He isn't a winner. He is a selfish player who can score.
Yeah, this forum---for the most part--is a welcome break from the other.
Part of the reason I only post in the Tailgate and Everything Else Forums since before the draft. I'll wait till the pads go on and the hitting starts before I post there again.... lol
I think a lot has to do with the fact that those "big" market cities, just don't have that marked advantage over smaller cities that they used to have. Sure there are many that would be preferable to Cleveland, because of the weather or night life, but hell Boston's cold, NYC is cold, Chicago etc... all have dismal winters.
And as far as night life goes... heck jump a private jet and you're in NYC for a few days in an hour or so. Money and accessibility are no longer issues.
They used to say need to be in big markets for marketing seals... no t so any longer the Durants, Lebron's and Duncans of the NBA are going to get their contracts no matter where they play, with DirecTV packages and TNT etc coverage we all know who the players are regardless of their home turf.
With Caps. the money is the same, state tax aside, it is much cheaper to live in Cleveland than LA...
You no longer have to live on the coast to make commercials, be seen, be heard or be rich.. and the allure of championships... San Antonio is not exactly a night life mecca.
BTW who decided that the Knicks were some premier franchise that people where chomping at the bit the play for? when was their last championship, 1975? What great FA have they landed in the past 30 years... Carmello...PFFT... great city to visit... not sure I would want to live there.
BTW who decided that the Knicks were some premier franchise that people where chomping at the bit the play for? when was their last championship, 1975? What great FA have they landed in the past 30 years... Carmello...PFFT... great city to visit... not sure I would want to live there.
I agree 100%. They haven't been close to being a premiere franchise since Patrick Ewing played there and they couldn't make it over the Reggie Miller hump.
And, LA has been living in their past thinking that Kobe will help them lift that trophy any more. We saw first-hand that the best player in the world can't beat a team.
At any rate, I hope we are moving toward a premiere franchise. Most signs thus far point to yes!
The problem is that most "big" media lives in either New York or LA ... and ESPN is based pretty close to Boston. So they are all filled with complete homers for those teams. Also, those city populations drive a good chunk of their network ratings, so the media big-wigs I'm sure are always pushing for stories that make it look like those teams might be relevant again in the near future, even if they won't be.
With Caps. the money is the same, state tax aside, it is much cheaper to live in Cleveland than LA..
State tax is a big issue... you compare a state like Texas or Florida with no state tax to California which goes as high as 12%.. I have no idea what taxes the Raptors players have to pay but I bet it's even higher.
Should the NBA adjust the cap to account for state taxes? I mean if the intent of the cap is to make things equitable... just a thought
Man why does all the media sites constantly try to create turmoil in Cleveland sports?
we can't catch a break.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
Report: Tristan Thompson and Cavaliers reportedly apart in contract talks Dan Feldman Jul 2, 2015, 3:11 PM EDT 24 Comments 2015 NBA Finals - Game Five Getty Images Yesterday, Tristan Thompson and the Cavaliers were reportedly nearing a five-year contract worth more than $80 million.
Today, not so much.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN:
I still think a deal gets done, because Thompson is still represented by LeBron James‘ agent, Rich Paul. The Cavs won’t want to upset Paul and LeBron, who remains unsigned. This is the leverage LeBron holds.
A restricted free agent, Thompson could always seek an offer sheet. But even in this environment, I don’t think he gets near a max contract somewhere else (though it’s certainly within the realm of possibility). His best move is exploiting the Paul/LeBron relationship while negotiating directly with Cleveland.
As an aside, Draymond Green can thank the leaker of Thompson’s negotiations.
Becky Hammon will coach San Antonio's summer league team in Las Vegas, the Spurs told ESPN's Marc Stein on Friday.
She will be the first female head coach in summer league history. Natalie Nakase served as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers in 2014.
Becky Hammon is heading to Las Vegas, where she will coach the Spurs' summer league team starting July 11. Matt York/AP Images The San Antonio Express-News earlier reported that Hammon would coach the Vegas summer league team.
Hammon became the first female full-time assistant coach in NBA history when she joined the Spurs before the 2014-15 season. She played 16 seasons in the WNBA, making the All-Star team six times, and moved to the Spurs bench upon her retirement.
"Nothing in my life has really ever been easy. I've always been someone who did it uphill," Hammon said in August. "I'm up for challenges. I'm up for being outside the box, making tough decisions and challenges. ... And I'm a little bit of an adrenaline junkie. Throw those all in there and this was the perfect challenge and opportunity."
Now Hammon will be taking the next step in her coaching development.
The Las Vegas Summer League begins play July 10. The Spurs play their first game July 11 against the New York Knicks.
San Antonio is also participating in the Salt Lake City Summer League. Will Hardy, the team's video coordinator, will coach the Spurs there.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
That is pretty cool, but I wonder if a woman can succeed in the NBA. The NBA is such a superstar driven league, and even the most experienced coaches have issues when dealing with the superstar player on a 5 year, guaranteed, $110+ million deal.
FRESNO, Calif. – The Cleveland Cavaliers reached out to point guard Rodney Stuckey to gauge his interest, league sources informed Northeast Ohio Media Group.
I'm told that Stuckey is intrigued with the possibility of joining the Cavaliers, but at this juncture the conversations are exploratory, a source said.
He made $1.2 million last year with the Indiana Pacers. The Cavaliers only have the taxpayer mid-level exception that pays approximately $3.4 million to offer him. Stuckey is figured to command more from other teams, but he's willing to listen to the Cavaliers' pitch, I was told.
The 29-year-old veteran is coming off a strong 2014-15 campaign where his three-point shooting of 39 percent jumped 12 percent from the previous year. He has always been a solid get-to-the-basket scorer, averaging 11 or more points in seven of his eight seasons played, but now he's a more complete player who is efficient defensively.
If acquired, he would serve as an upgrade at the backup point guard position and would also play well alongside Kyrie Irving in the backcourt. There have not been any serious contract discussions with restricted free agent Matthew Dellavedova as of now. That will come down the line.
The Cavaliers are still monitoring the situation of Mo Williams.
Stuckey is reportedly garnering interest from the Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Sacramento Kings and the Pacers.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
We aren't worried about Delly for now. He's an RFA, so unless somebody pays him a crazy salary, we'll likely retain him for another year. Mo Williams is probably "Plan B", unless he's willing to take a veteran minimum. He's likely expecting the Taxpayer Mid Level Exception, but we're probably seeing if guys like Stuckey want to ring-chase for a bargain contract first.
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
Thanks for the article. While I want us to address the PG position, I don't think Stucky is the right guy. He has some strengths and weaknesses:
He is not a good defender.
He can get to the rim, take contact, and score.
He is not a good jump shooter. [Although, I earlier said that wasn't a huge deal in what kind of PG I am looking for]
He is not a good passer.
He holds the ball too long and then decides to drive it late.
Bottom line: I think the guy has some talent and can wow you a bit, but he's a one-dimensional player that would not be a great addition to play on a TEAM.
I am encouraged that the Cavs are at least looking to improve the PG position. I think it is mandatory.
Yeah, it seems like a lot of guys are leaving some major money behind to be happy.
I am of the opinion that if you can get $80 or $90 million, how much more than that do you really need to be happy? What is more important, being happy within the structure of a new team, and being at home in a new environment, or more money on top of an obscene pile of cash?
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Looking into the West, because honestly.. No one in the East concerns me, even if we don't make any upgrades..
The Top 3 IMO are GS, OKC, and SA..
LAC lost Jordan, which drops them out of any serious talks..
If SA can get Aldridge, I think they would have to be 1A behind on GS.. With the wild card being a healthy OKC..
Following the Heat model, we just lost to an overall good team (Miami lost to Dallas) and now will beat OKC this year.. Then OKC will trade one of their 3 best players..
Am I the only one that pronounces hyperbole "Hyper-bowl" instead of "hy-per-bo-le"?
Man,they got LaMarcus Aldridge, and they are also pursuing David West.
Whew. That is going to be one tough team to beat.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
Being a bandwagon Cavs fan is a heck of a lot more fun than being a diehard Browns fan.
In fantasy land I'd probably trade in K-love and TT for Aldridge. They are both really good but man Aldridge is sick and more prototypically what I'd go for in a PF. It must suck to be a Blazers fan today. Great day to be a Spurs fan though, great decade and a half to be a Spurs fan.
So the story is.. That the Lakers passed on Jalhlil Okafor because they were targeting a Big in Free Agency..
Jordan went to Dallas.. Monroe to Milwaukee.. And Aldridge to San Antonio (all wonderful vacation spots obviously)
So now.. The Lakers are talking to Indiana, about trading for Roy Hibbert..
I'm really enjoying the struggles of LA and NY.. It's fun for me..
Note: San Antonio actually is a great city, Dallas is alright..
I'm loving it too. The media and fans from LA (and New York for that matter) are extremely obnoxious. They talked about Love this year like it was a forgone conclusion that he was on his way there for next season. You'd ask them for reasons why he'd possibly go there and it was always something along the lines of, "It's the Lakers! Everyone wants to play for us". I have thoroughly enjoyed watching them whiff out on free agent after free agent this summer.
I'm also talking a lot of enjoyment in imagining guys like Bill Simmons, Stephan A. and other ESPN talking heads cringe because their "big city" teams of choice are failing miserably at getting anyone respectable in.
The west is nasty. Warriors, rockets, spurs are great teams
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
After a tumultuous start to the offseason, when he was called out by Pacers President Larry Bird and cast aside for a younger, more athletic draft pick, Roy Hibbert is now on his way out of Indiana.
The Pacers spent Saturday finalizing a trade to send Hibbert to the Los Angeles Lakers. A league source confirmed to The Indianapolis Star that the deal will be completed on or after July 9, the end of the NBA moratorium. According to USA Today's Jeff Zillgit, the Lakers will absorb the remaining $15.5 million of Hibbert's contract. The Los Angeles Times is reporting that the Pacers will get at least one future second-round pick and potentially cash.
What a drop in status Hibbert has had over the past two seasons.
Remember in like 2012 when people said he was going to be dominant
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers could be looking to replace J.R. Smith with Joe Johnson, but it may cost them, wait for it, Anderson Varejao to do it.
That's the word from ESPN's Brian Windhorst, who says the Cavs are considering a trade for Brooklyn's six-time All-Star guard.
However, because Johnson makes a whopping $24.8 million, to make the deal work, the Cavaliers would have to give up more than Brendan Haywood's $10.5 million, cap-relieving contract. That's where Windhorst says Varejao could come into play. Varejao is a favorite of fans and LeBron James alike, but he's also coming off an Achilles injury and his $9.6 million contract could be attractive to a Nets team desperate to shave millions off its payroll by dumping Johnson.
The Nets, by the way, talked to the Memphis Grizzlies about a Joe Johnson trade earlier in the offseason, ESPN reported.
The possibility of moving Varejao may also be the reason for the Cavaliers' interest in power forward David West, Windhorst suggests. After all, signing West makes curious sense if you intend to keep both Tristan Thompson (at a potentially max price) and Varejao and, especially, not when you just signed Kevin Love to a five-year contract and have Timofey Mozgov firmly in place as your starting center.
The interest in West, of course, could also just be a negotiating tactic as talks between Cavs and Thompson have stalled.
Johnson averaged 14.4 points and shot 36 percent (121 of 337) from three-point range last season. If acquired, it would likely mean the end of Smith's time in Cleveland. He turned down his $6.4 million option with the Cavs and it doesn't appear they are interested in committing to him long term.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers have set their sights on free agent power forward David West, according to numerous media reports.
Indianapolis Star's Candace Buckner reported early Saturday morning that the Cavs are showing "huge interest" and ESPN's Marc Stein classified the team's pursuit as "aggressive."
West exercised his player option with the Indiana Pacers shortly before free agency began, becoming an unrestricted free agent in hopes of getting an agreement with a championship contending team. According to reports, West is willing to take far less than the $12.6 million he would've made with Indiana this upcoming season.
The Cavs, who have very little money to spend, will have competition as both the Washington Wizards and San Antonio Spurs are interested in the veteran known for his bruising style and locker room presence. The Spurs, after coming to an agreement with free agent prize LaMarcus Aldridge on Saturday afternoon, would like to boost their frontcourt depth and the 34-year-old veteran would fit well.
West averaged 11.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 28.7 minutes per contest for the Pacers last season.
The Cavaliers opened free agency by getting agreements from Iman Shumpert and Kevin Love, but things have slowed since. They would only be able to offer West the taxpayer midlevel exception worth a bit more than $3 million or hope West would be willing to take the veteran's minimum.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
![[Linked Image from i301.photobucket.com]](http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn59/Stetson1376/c8f5fed9-fc01-4b87-bda3-b2b53f0b16cb_zpse708e05e.jpg)
