The 2013 NBA Free Agency Thread

[TGW]

Ouch...rough. But not too far off from what I was saying about Cousins last year. He's not good on or off the court.

[Upper Decker]

Love throughout his career has prioritized defensive rebounding over challenging shots which begs the question of whether he's more of a stat hog than a real difference maker in terms of wins and losses.

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!

At no point in NBA history has the "Best PF in the game" missed the playoffs 5 consecutive years. The injury and poor management excuse only is good for one year, maybe two tops. I'd never want Kevin Love on my team at max money. The Wolves can't even run their offense through him. Dat is right, how much better is he than Ersan?

[jivelikenice]

To be fair to Love, injuries have derailed him and the T'Wolves the last two season which has impacted their ability to make the playoffs. The guy averaged 20/15 and then 26/13 his last two healthy seasons. He's not someone who can put a team on his back on his own, but would likely be a great fit here with another non Lebron/Kobe type of franchise player in Wall. He's clearly a better player than Ersan.

Edit...not a Cousins fan. I think he has great talent but I worry about his relationship with Wall if they were to play together. I think it could have a negative impact.

[Nivek]

Kevin Love has been saddled with atrocious teammates. In 2010-11, Love had exactly one teammate rate above average (Luke Ridnour), and it wasn't by much. In 2011-12, he had two (Pekovic and Rubio -- Pekovic had an excellent rating, but got hurt; Rubio rated about average). In 2012 with help, the Twolves improved from a .207 winning percentage to .394.

This season, they had injuries to their version of the Big Three (Love, Pekovic and Rubio) and took a step back record-wise.

Go back to Love's rookie year, and he had two teammates who rated above average -- Al Jefferson (who played just 50 games that season) and Mike Miller. The following season, Love and Jefferson were the only players on the roster that rated above average.

The quality of Love's teammates in Minnesota were pretty comparable to the quality of Wall's teammates in Washington -- except Wall finally got some decent guys to play with this season. That still hasn't happened for a healthy Love.

Dismissing him because his team hasn't won when he's been uber-productive while surrounded by crappy teammates -- that's too reductionist for me.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Durant mentioned playing for the Wizards if he weren't with the Thunder.

Kevin Love's middle name is Wesley, after Wes Unseld, Love's dad's old teammate. Kevin Love rebounds like Big Wes, and he also throws nice outlet passes.

If things go sour between Flip Saunders and/or Rick Adelman and Kevin Love; the Wizards trade if they accumulate enough assets to go to Minnesota along with Okafor or Ariza in exchange for Kevin Love. Love hasn't won in Minnesota. Washington is on the way up and he's a player the Wizards could certainly use.

Flip and Wittman probably have a good rapport. The trade talks would be congenial if it comes to this.

[jivelikenice]

Didn't Cleveland offer the #1 pick, Waiters and Tristian Thompson before the draft? I don't see how we have enough assets unless Beal is included or unless Otto has a strong rookie compaign.

[LyricalRico]

Didn't Cleveland offer the #1 pick, Waiters and Tristian Thompson before the draft?

I thought that was the package for LMA.

[hands11]

Players like Durant don't leave their teams while they're still good unless something is irreparably wrong with the team. OKC has two top ten players and that FO has been outrageously successful. He's never going to leave. He'll go down as the greatest player in that franchise's history, be the second greatest player of this era, and have one of the most successful careers in NBA history.

OKC would have to lose Westbrook for nothing as a minimum for Durant to consider leaving IMO. And even then, they'd still have Ibaka, who was a top five PF last year. There is no other team in the NBA right now that offers Durant a better chance at winning a championship in both the short and long term. He has no reason to leave. If he wants to win multiple rings, all he and OKC have to do is wait their turn. Sooner rather than later, Miami won't be the best team in the NBA any more. OKC is next.

Miami is in the East. They haven't been the ones stopping OKC from getting into the finals.

Its been LAL, SA, MEM and Dallas stopping them, not Miami.

Last year MEM took them out 4-1 in the 2nd round
SA the year before that 4-1 in conference finals
year before that MEM took them 7 games and lost and Dallas took them in the conf finals 4-1
year before that LAL in the first round 4-2

The West have plenty of hurdles. You can add Houston to the list.

The only reason they didn't make it back to the finals last year was the Westbrook injury. They made it to the finals the year before, obliterating SA on the way. They had a good shot to make it the year before that but they were just too young and ran up against Dirk when he was on a mission and having a postseason run for the ages.

They'll be the favorite in the West once again next year. The West has very good teams. But none of them are as good as OKC. Houston got a lot better with Dwight. But even with him, they're not as good as OKC because Durant is still better than Dwight and Westbrook is better than Harden.

The only team in the NBA that's currently better than healthy OKC is Miami. And age and salary are going to ensure that won't be the case in two years, if not sooner.

MEM, SA, and Houston are all going to be tough. LAL won't stay down long. They have Kobe and Gasol. They will add back talent next year. You have TD and Kobe desperate to get another title before they are done.

Just saying. Getting out of the West isn't a sure thing. And if they don't make it again, at what point does KD start thinking, hey...we tried. I did my think for OKC. Would rather be back home playing with Wall and Beal and the up and coming Wizards.

So it would be a good thing if the Wizards look really good this year and OKC get bumped before making it to the finals. But he doesn't have to come next year.

Dirk for 2-3 years. Then we get KD.

[hands11]

Durant mentioned playing for the Wizards if he weren't with the Thunder.

Kevin Love's middle name is Wesley, after Wes Unseld, Love's dad's old teammate. Kevin Love rebounds like Big Wes, and he also throws nice outlet passes.

If things go sour between Flip Saunders and/or Rick Adelman and Kevin Love; the Wizards trade if they accumulate enough assets to go to Minnesota along with Okafor or Ariza in exchange for Kevin Love. Love hasn't won in Minnesota. Washington is on the way up and he's a player the Wizards could certainly use.

Flip and Wittman probably have a good rapport. The trade talks would be congenial if it comes to this.

Even better. So we get Dirk this off season. Challenge for and win a title.

Wall, Beal, Webster, Dirk, Nene, Okafor

Then in 2-3 years, KD and Love come onboard just as Nene and Dirk are winding down.


Wall, Beal, KD/Webster, Love..some center

[deneem4]

Perry jones iii

[payitforward]

Even better. So we get Dirk this off season. Challenge for and win a title.

Wall, Beal, Webster, Dirk, Nene, Okafor

Then in 2-3 years, KD and Love come onboard just as Nene and Dirk are winding down.

Wall, Beal, KD/Webster, Love..some center

Mmmm, smells good. Pass me the pipe; I want some of that too....

[payitforward]

Perry jones iii

Always impressed by your brilliant ideas, deneem -- but your accurate typing in this post is what blows me away.

[dangermouse]

Man, Love on this team would be awesome. Wall/Beal/Porter/Love/My grandma

Contender.

[deneem4]

Perry jones iii

Always impressed by your brilliant ideas, deneem -- but your accurate typing in this post is what blows me away.

Perry jones iii is mini durant....we need mini durant....I guarantee hes going to be an allstar

[Nivek]

Perry jones iii

Always impressed by your brilliant ideas, deneem -- but your accurate typing in this post is what blows me away.

Perry jones iii is mini durant....we need mini durant....I guarantee hes going to be an allstar

By when?

And what are you putting behind this guarantee? In other words, what will you do when Perry Jones III doesn't make an All-Star game within the timeframe you specify?

[Ruzious]

Perry jones iii

Always impressed by your brilliant ideas, deneem -- but your accurate typing in this post is what blows me away.

Perry jones iii is mini durant....we need mini durant....I guarantee hes going to be an allstar

Shirley you don't mean an NBA allstar. I doubt he ever achieves mediocrity in the NBA.

[deneem4]

Always impressed by your brilliant ideas, deneem -- but your accurate typing in this post is what blows me away.

Perry jones iii is mini durant....we need mini durant....I guarantee hes going to be an allstar

By when?

And what are you putting behind this guarantee? In other words, what will you do when Perry Jones III doesn't make an All-Star game within the timeframe you specify?

When he gets ample playing time...the man is a beast, okc jus so stuck with their rotations he cant get the experience, like nobody knew who reggie Jackson was til westbrook got hurt and nows he considered near bledsoe level....pg3 or jarvis critterton faith

[Nivek]

Perry jones iii is mini durant....we need mini durant....I guarantee hes going to be an allstar

By when?

And what are you putting behind this guarantee? In other words, what will you do when Perry Jones III doesn't make an All-Star game within the timeframe you specify?

When he gets ample playing time...the man is a beast, okc jus so stuck with their rotations he cant get the experience, like nobody knew who reggie Jackson was til westbrook got hurt and nows he considered near bledsoe level....pg3 or jarvis critterton faith

What's holding Jones back is NOT inadequate playing time. I've seen him play, and "beast" is not a word that would apply. Words that come to mind: weak, soft, timid. He's a good athlete, but he's not the 2nd coming of Durant. As a freshman, Durant was the best player in the NCAA. At the same age, Durant was playing All-NBA caliber hoops. If Jones ever has a single season as good as Durant's rookie year, I'd be shocked.

Reggie Jackson emerged in the regular season as a fairly competent reserve -- almost as productive as AJ Price. He had a nice playoff run -- rating right around average. Bledsoe is an interesting comp, except a) Bledsoe seems to be moving into overrated territory (he's a nice player with terrific potential, but he was actually inefficient last season and still has a ways to go), and b) Bledsoe is still significantly better.

Who or what is PG3?

By "Jarvis Critterton" I'm guessing you mean Javaris Crittenton. I'm not sure why you'd mention him -- he was AWFUL.

[tontoz]

The only way PJIII gets to an AS game is if he buys a ticket. Best case scenario is that he gets a ticket for free.

[payitforward]

Perry jones iii is mini durant....we need mini durant....I guarantee hes going to be an allstar

By when?

And what are you putting behind this guarantee? In other words, what will you do when Perry Jones III doesn't make an All-Star game within the timeframe you specify?

When he gets ample playing time...the man is a beast, okc jus so stuck with their rotations he cant get the experience, like nobody knew who reggie Jackson was til westbrook got hurt and nows he considered near bledsoe level....pg3 or jarvis critterton faith

Oh... that is so true -- I mean if only you were coaching OKC! You could get them unstuck (you being an "unglu gu" right?) n we'd get to see how great, how truly great, he is.

I just know that when pjiii gets to the All Star game, he is going to buy you a ticket. I mean a good seat, not one behind a post (which must be where you have been sitting as you have watched him so far if you think he's a beast...).