Around the League

[The Penguin]

Sigh.

The Warriors team looks like they're pretty committed to staying together. Every player is taking less/shorter deals to ensure the others can stay.

I'm really gonna miss interesting competitive balance in my NBA. I felt my interest really flagging last year and it's only going to get worse from here on out it appears.

Lebron has spent the last 7 years with 2 of the best players in the East on his team. Frankly I'm glad someone upped him on his own game, I don't think the league has less competitive balance and I thought it was BS the West champ had to slog through a couple of tough series while Lebron grew his legacy beating up on the Raptors and Hawks. I'd much prefer these Warriors crushing his spirit for a few seasons before we see a leaguewide reset when the Golden State and Lebron runs are done than the prior period of a rested Lebron squad being able to wear down a West champ who had already played a couple of tough series.

If there was a legitimate threat to Lebron and the Cavs in the East, then sure, I'd be more upset about non-competitive playoffs, but it's pretty sweet watching Lebron and Gilbert get a taste of their own medicine.

[Snakebites]

Sigh.

The Warriors team looks like they're pretty committed to staying together. Every player is taking less/shorter deals to ensure the others can stay.

I'm really gonna miss interesting competitive balance in my NBA. I felt my interest really flagging last year and it's only going to get worse from here on out it appears.

Lebron has spent the last 7 years with 2 of the best players in the East on his team. Frankly I'm glad someone upped him on his own game, I don't think the league has less competitive balance and I thought it was BS the West champ had to slog through a couple of tough series while Lebron grew his legacy beating up on the Raptors and Hawks. I'd much prefer these Warriors crushing his spirit for a few seasons before we see a leaguewide reset when the Golden State and Lebron runs are done than the prior period of a rested Lebron squad being able to wear down a West champ who had already played a couple of tough series.

If there was a legitimate threat to Lebron and the Cavs in the East, then sure, I'd be more upset about non-competitive playoffs, but it's pretty sweet watching Lebron and Gilbert get a taste of their own medicine.

Well yeah, if your only desire as an NBA fan is the disappointment and struggle of a single player and owner I can see this perspective. If single minded hatred defines you as a fan like that.

I actually like not knowing who the champion will be before the season starts.

[The Penguin]

Sigh.

The Warriors team looks like they're pretty committed to staying together. Every player is taking less/shorter deals to ensure the others can stay.

I'm really gonna miss interesting competitive balance in my NBA. I felt my interest really flagging last year and it's only going to get worse from here on out it appears.

Lebron has spent the last 7 years with 2 of the best players in the East on his team. Frankly I'm glad someone upped him on his own game, I don't think the league has less competitive balance and I thought it was BS the West champ had to slog through a couple of tough series while Lebron grew his legacy beating up on the Raptors and Hawks. I'd much prefer these Warriors crushing his spirit for a few seasons before we see a leaguewide reset when the Golden State and Lebron runs are done than the prior period of a rested Lebron squad being able to wear down a West champ who had already played a couple of tough series.

If there was a legitimate threat to Lebron and the Cavs in the East, then sure, I'd be more upset about non-competitive playoffs, but it's pretty sweet watching Lebron and Gilbert get a taste of their own medicine.

Well yeah, if your only desire as an NBA fan is the disappointment and struggle of a single player and owner I can see this perspective. If single minded hatred defines you as a fan like that.

I actually like not knowing who the champion will be before the season starts.

Well sure, I'd love having 5-6 teams that could win, but if we are going to have a free path to the Finals for the Cavs, I'd much prefer they face the best team possible.

[Snakebites]

Lebron has spent the last 7 years with 2 of the best players in the East on his team. Frankly I'm glad someone upped him on his own game, I don't think the league has less competitive balance and I thought it was BS the West champ had to slog through a couple of tough series while Lebron grew his legacy beating up on the Raptors and Hawks. I'd much prefer these Warriors crushing his spirit for a few seasons before we see a leaguewide reset when the Golden State and Lebron runs are done than the prior period of a rested Lebron squad being able to wear down a West champ who had already played a couple of tough series.

If there was a legitimate threat to Lebron and the Cavs in the East, then sure, I'd be more upset about non-competitive playoffs, but it's pretty sweet watching Lebron and Gilbert get a taste of their own medicine.

Well yeah, if your only desire as an NBA fan is the disappointment and struggle of a single player and owner I can see this perspective. If single minded hatred defines you as a fan like that.

I actually like not knowing who the champion will be before the season starts.

Well sure, I'd love having 5-6 teams that could win, but if we are going to have a free path to the Finals for the Cavs, I'd much prefer they face the best team possible.

In other words yes. The entire league and your perception of it revolves around your dislike for one player.

And that's kind of a bummer.

[The Penguin]

Well yeah, if your only desire as an NBA fan is the disappointment and struggle of a single player and owner I can see this perspective. If single minded hatred defines you as a fan like that.

I actually like not knowing who the champion will be before the season starts.

Well sure, I'd love having 5-6 teams that could win, but if we are going to have a free path to the Finals for the Cavs, I'd much prefer they face the best team possible.

In other words yes. The entire league and your perception of it revolves around your dislike for one player.

And that's kind of a bummer.

Dislike of the Cavs, not Lebron.

He could go to LA and I wouldn't care about him one bit (other than intrigued about what he could build). But living in Ohio and having "Cavs fans" everywhere (but weirdly, nowhere to be found before 2004 or from 2010-2013), if the Pistons can't win then my preferred outcome is seeing them lose. I'm tired of "at least we aren't Detroit" jokes and complaining until Mo Williams is an all-star, so the sooner the franchise goes back to irrelevance, the happier I am.

[Snakebites]

Well sure, I'd love having 5-6 teams that could win, but if we are going to have a free path to the Finals for the Cavs, I'd much prefer they face the best team possible.

In other words yes. The entire league and your perception of it revolves around your dislike for one player.

And that's kind of a bummer.

Dislike of the Cavs, not Lebron.

He could go to LA and I wouldn't care about him one bit (other than intrigued about what he could build). But living in Ohio and having "Cavs fans" everywhere (but weirdly, nowhere to be found before 2004 or from 2010-2013), if the Pistons can't win then my preferred outcome is seeing them lose. I'm tired of "at least we aren't Detroit" jokes and complaining until Mo Williams is an all-star, so the sooner the franchise goes back to irrelevance, the happier I am.

Still doesn't matter. Your followship of the NBA appears to revolve around your dislike of something.

If you enjoy that good on you, but its tough for me to imagine anyone enjoying the NBA like that.

[The Penguin]

In other words yes. The entire league and your perception of it revolves around your dislike for one player.

And that's kind of a bummer.

Dislike of the Cavs, not Lebron.

He could go to LA and I wouldn't care about him one bit (other than intrigued about what he could build). But living in Ohio and having "Cavs fans" everywhere (but weirdly, nowhere to be found before 2004 or from 2010-2013), if the Pistons can't win then my preferred outcome is seeing them lose. I'm tired of "at least we aren't Detroit" jokes and complaining until Mo Williams is an all-star, so the sooner the franchise goes back to irrelevance, the happier I am.

Still doesn't matter. Your followship of the NBA appears to revolve around your dislike of something.

If you enjoy that good on you, but its tough for me to imagine anyone enjoying the NBA like that.

I follow the NBA because I enjoy the game, I enjoy the roster construction aspect of team building and I enjoy the storylines. But we've been playoff irrelevant as a franchise for nearly 10 years, so yes, my dislike of a team (and by transitive property cheering for every team they play) drives my viewership of the playoffs. It wouldn't be that different if the Celtics / Bulls / Lakers were in the position of rolling over their respective conferences and the Pistons remained irrelevant (though I dislike the Cavs more due to our two most recent appearances being sweeps to them and having to live among their fans).

My top preference would be the Pistons competing for titles. My next preference would be a wide open league that 5-6 teams could win. But we don't live in either of those realities, so yeah, I enjoy watching the Cavs lose.

[Liqourish]

Harden closing in on a $228 million 4 years extension with Houston. Am I the only one who doesn't get the appeal of Harden? He gets to the line alot for flailing into opposing players, but he's a one way player that has accomplished nothing significant. What am I missing here?

[Pharaoh]

Harden closing in on a $228 million 4 years extension with Houston. Am I the only one who doesn't get the appeal of Harden? He gets to the line alot for flailing into opposing players, but he's a one way player that has accomplished nothing significant. What am I missing here?

"Superstar" is the appeal.

Personally I wouldn't want him on my team cause I despise what he is

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[Cowology]

Depends on what you are after. You plug Harden in on the Pistons and we are at least a 50-55 win team. We are more exciting and win regular season games. But you don't win championships with that sort of player.

[DBC10]

^Yeah, I mean I remember the Stuckey vs Harden debates which were comical since Todd/whateverhisusername would debate that endlessly and never give an inch in thinking that Stuckey was an overall better player. Never forget.

Harden is a superstar, he gets buckets and makes players better. Even if he never wins a chip in his prime end of his career and becomes a ring chaser later, he's still a star. We see what happens when stars aren't catered to like PG13 or KD. They'll just bounce. Basically every team has a 5 year window to prove to the star that they can do it. Fortunately Harden is catered to and HOU always seem to be getting every year even after countless failed experiments like the Dwight fiasco and soon to be Ryno and Gordon.

[bstein14]

Hawks get Dedmon for 2 years $14 million total... He's quite a bit better than Boban Stan for sure jumped the gun on that signing.

[DETermination]

Hawks get Dedmon for 2 years $14 million total... He's quite a bit better than Boban Stan for sure jumped the gun on that signing.

Meh Dedmon isn't that good, Id take Boban over him no doubt.

[Snakebites]

Hawks get Dedmon for 2 years $14 million total... He's quite a bit better than Boban Stan for sure jumped the gun on that signing.

SVG always overpays for second/third string guys.

He's just trigger happy with bench players.

Still salty about that Galloway signing.

[Pharaoh]

Hawks get Dedmon for 2 years $14 million total... He's quite a bit better than Boban Stan for sure jumped the gun on that signing.

SVG always overpays for second/third string guys.

He's just trigger happy with bench players.

Still salty about that Galloway signing.

I understand the value of vets but I'm with you Snake:

We invest millions into scouting college & pro players. Giving the likes of Bobo & Galloway $7 mil makes me wonder what the point is.

If it's to have "true pros" on the practice floor or in the locker room then we haven't learnt from the Caron Butler days - I believe SVG stated that guys like that only give you max value uf they're key cogs in the rotation - not end of bench guys

Surely they're are true pros that went undrafted or are available from the GL or available for the minimum? No point paying $7 mil per for guys that don't move the needle.

Of course the idea could be that you never know who will be available for your scraps (Tobias & AB to some extent) so having a collection of short, cheap-ish contracts might be a good thing...

But they're only a good thing if you package them for a significant upgrade

RJ - Galloway
AB - Kennard - Bull
SJ - Harris
? - Henry - Tolly
Dre - Moreland

Maybe we can package Jon, Ish & Bobo for a starting PF?

Or Henry, Ish & Bobo?

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[tmorgan]

I understood and understand the Boban contract... he's a productive per-minute player that I expect to be very useful this year.

Galloway, though... that was clearly a mistake in terms of contract size. The market has shaken out badly for players, and I'm pretty sure Galloway could have been had for 2/10 if we'd waited ten days. If not, we could have gotten someone as a serviceable 3rd string PG and SG for a lot less. Heck, Bullock covers the SG part anyway.

[DBC10]

SVG hedged on Galloway and I don't think it's going to pay off. I feel like we could've had someone else with that money.

Surprised to see Ian Clark still not signed with anyone.

[bstein14]

Jonas Jerebko signs for 2 years $8.2 million with the Jazz and Ersan Illyasova signs for 1 year $6 million with the Hawks. Illy and Jon have pretty similar skill sets and pretty similar impacts on the game and Illy getting signed at a bargain price. I would expect him to have a pretty solid year down in Atlanta.

[coordinator0]

Jonas Jerebko signs for 2 years $8.2 million with the Jazz and Ersan Illyasova signs for 1 year $6 million with the Hawks. Illy and Jon have pretty similar skill sets and pretty similar impacts on the game and Illy getting signed at a bargain price. I would expect him to have a pretty solid year down in Atlanta.

The thing that sets Leuer apart from those two is his ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the basket (and finish) from the perimeter. And also be a competent defender. That's pretty huge. Jerebko and Ilyasova are far more similar to each other than Leuer is to either of those two. Bad comparison.

[tmorgan]

Jonas Jerebko signs for 2 years $8.2 million with the Jazz and Ersan Illyasova signs for 1 year $6 million with the Hawks. Illy and Jon have pretty similar skill sets and pretty similar impacts on the game and Illy getting signed at a bargain price. I would expect him to have a pretty solid year down in Atlanta.

That I can't agree with. We didn't get a good year out of Leuer last year, but he's clearly a better player than Ilyasova now. Illy's defensive contribution is taking charges and getting beaten if he doesn't. Jon plays real defense. Illy may be a better shooter, but Leuer is a much bigger threat to score away from the three point line.

Leuer for 10 is better than Ilyasova for 6 (for this year). The length of the contract issue with Leuer I can't argue.