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Post by wolfmannick on Nov 25, 2020 18:35:12 GMT -6
Didnt see them keeping Gasol after the year he had. Ibaka surprised me thought theyd try to keep him long term. He like toronto and was a great team guy. I saw them passing on van vleet to keep him guess they went the opposite way. That's why I'm not a GM lol The plan was always VanVleet over Ibaka and rightfully so. VanVleet is only 26 and an assassin. He's going to take over for Lowry soon since Lowry is almost 35. This year is kind of a write off(get the 4th or 5th seed) In reality Ibaka will be 32 when the Raptors possible have their next chance. Still they should have given him a crazy 1 year $25M deal with the understanding that if Giannis don't come they would resign him to a multiyear deal. EVERYTHING revolves around getting Giannis. I think Giannis will sign a super max with Milwaukee with the understanding he can ask for a trade in a couple years when things don't pan out. The Bucks gave up too much for Jrue Holliday and lost out on that sharp shooter from Sacramento that went to the Hawks. My guess is he's traded to Miami in 2 years or possible Dallas. If Giannis doesn't sign the max the Lakers are going to make a run at him. Overall what do you make of the off-season? I think the Lakers got even better. Dennis Schroeder and Montrez Harrell give them the number 1 and number 2 6th men of the year from last year. Brooklyn could be scare good IF Durant is close to what he was and Kyrie Irving stays health and mentally stable. Big thing with the Lakers is AD resigning. It's like 99% happening but if he does end up going somewhere else that's a huge loss for them. If he stays it's just another Lebron super team and a ring he didnt really earn. I dont like this super team era it sucks the enthusiasm out of small market teams that wont attract free agents. Brooklyn this year reminds me of the clippers from last year. No real leadership in the room as both durant and kyrie are kinda skiddish mentally and cant take criticism. I can see them lighting it up in the regular season and fading fast come playoff time.
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Post by mikecubs on Nov 26, 2020 2:14:52 GMT -6
The plan was always VanVleet over Ibaka and rightfully so. VanVleet is only 26 and an assassin. He's going to take over for Lowry soon since Lowry is almost 35. This year is kind of a write off(get the 4th or 5th seed) In reality Ibaka will be 32 when the Raptors possible have their next chance. Still they should have given him a crazy 1 year $25M deal with the understanding that if Giannis don't come they would resign him to a multiyear deal. EVERYTHING revolves around getting Giannis. I think Giannis will sign a super max with Milwaukee with the understanding he can ask for a trade in a couple years when things don't pan out. The Bucks gave up too much for Jrue Holliday and lost out on that sharp shooter from Sacramento that went to the Hawks. My guess is he's traded to Miami in 2 years or possible Dallas. If Giannis doesn't sign the max the Lakers are going to make a run at him. Overall what do you make of the off-season? I think the Lakers got even better. Dennis Schroeder and Montrez Harrell give them the number 1 and number 2 6th men of the year from last year. Brooklyn could be scare good IF Durant is close to what he was and Kyrie Irving stays health and mentally stable. Big thing with the Lakers is AD resigning. It's like 99% happening but if he does end up going somewhere else that's a huge loss for them. If he stays it's just another Lebron super team and a ring he didnt really earn. I dont like this super team era it sucks the enthusiasm out of small market teams that wont attract free agents. Brooklyn this year reminds me of the clippers from last year. No real leadership in the room as both durant and kyrie are kinda skiddish mentally and cant take criticism. I can see them lighting it up in the regular season and fading fast come playoff time. AD is 100% resigning with LA. He's waiting to see if Giannis signs an extension. If no he will take a 1 year deal so he and LeBron can opt out after this season for cap reasons in getting Giannis. I agree with you 100% on the superteam thing but disagree on AD not earning his ring. The Lakers only had 2 stars and merely decent role players. I hate how small/foreign markets can't keep/retain players after contract 2 (year 8 or 9 of a players career) but I couldn't care less about New Orleans and Memphis. I'm ok with their players leaving to form superteams but nobody else. I care only about small markets like Utah, Portland, Sacramento etc... that actually support their team. I'm glad AD left too because I want LeBron and him to prevent Kawhi from ever getting another ring. I could see Brooklyn outright sucking during the regular season too. I think Irving is a cancer and may be damaged goods physically. He's finished 2 of the last 3 seasons hurt and 3 of 9 overall in his career. Who knows where Durant is physically. He's 32 and coming off an achilles. Brooklyn is the biggest wild card in the league. Could go either way.
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Post by mikecubs on Nov 26, 2020 3:00:58 GMT -6
Is there a fiscal reckoning coming to the NBA? TV ratings including on-line #s are dropping Yet they continue to hand out extravagant contracts and I don't mean to upper echelon players but to the Ibakas of the NBA world NO, ratings were in the toilet because no one watches TV during the summer and the bubble sucked with no fans. Plus you had the presidential election/Trump covid diagnosis and the overlapping of other sports you don't normally have(football/baseball pennant races instead of early season). I'm glad this happened to the NBA because the Atlanta Hawks owner was pushing for a 2 month later season start to avoid the NFL. With the ratings debacle that idea is dead. The sports calendar is perfect how it is for the 4 major sports. NONE of these sports should have ever restarted though at least in NBA and MLB the best team did win in each sport so it wasn't a total joke/debacle. The NBA is still a hot property since it's so global, is easy to play and you don't have the head injuries. The NBA lost $$ from China($300M is the rumor) with the Morey comments but you know they will patch things up. Too much $$$ coming from China so no you are not going see a fiscal reckoning. Remember too there are only 15(ish) guys on a team which is a lot smaller than the other sports so it's easier to do crazy contracts. The NBA does have it's 2 BIG warts however. 1. The NBA hasn't solved the superteam thing. They tried last CBA with the "designated player except" where the original player team for contract 3 can offer around $70M more than an outsider team. Kawhi/AD/Kyrie Irving all took less to leave small markets for a big one and turned down the designated player exception. Only 2 star(ish) players with small markets took it. Damien Lillard of Portland and Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City. Westbrook later asked for a trade after Paul George forced a trade. OKC came out of this great because they got a TON of draft picks and Shai Gillious-Alexander for both. George is a playoff choker and Westbrook is a low % shooting ball hog but still point is they couldn't keep their stars. They just got lucky it turned out ok, usually it doesn't for small market teams when a star(s) leaves. Literally 1 star staying for contract 3 in a small market is a joke and going to cause problems for the sport long term. It's always the same drill with stars on small markets. Sign original 4 year rookie contract. After year 3 when you are 1st eligible sign the 4-5 year rookie extension. Then leave or get traded a year before you can leave. So guys are leaving after 8-9 years. The problem is stars only do 1 year of college so guys are starting in the NBA at 19 meaning that they hit free agency at 27 to 28 years old. SO that leaves 7-8 years of their primes in a big market. This is a difficult problem to solve with guys willing to take $70M paycuts to leave for contract 3. My solution is allowing the original team to make contract 2 longer. Right now it's limited to 4-5 years, you are NOT allowed to offer more. Guys shouldn't hit free agency to at least 30 years old. No other sport has this type of problem. NFL has the franchise tag and guys don't care for the most part about market, in MLB you don't reach free agency usually to around 30 when guys start to decline except for a few odd balls(Max Scherzer/Jon Lester), small markets in the NHL can keep their stars(Sidney Crosby, Conor McDavid etc..) 2. The NBA needs to be back in Seattle. I don't care how much $$ the NBA makes or it's popularity the sport is a joke without the Seattle Supersonics. Seattle would be a top 10 team in revenue(according to Tim Leweike) and has a 40+ year history. Of the 4 major sports this is the worst wrong of a city not having a team by far. Quebec City in NHL deserves a team but wouldn't be top 15 in revenue same with San Diego and NFL. In MLB their best open market Montreal would be a small market both pop and revenue wise and the people behind the movement(Warren Cromartie) admit they would be on revenue sharing. I do think this one will be solved before the super team thing. The arena was the biggest obstacle and now that is solved so it's a matter of time.
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Post by wolfmannick on Nov 26, 2020 9:13:26 GMT -6
I'm not sure what the answer is for super teams. Maybe if players opt out of a contract they become a modified rfa? If Giannis does end up leaving Miluakee its kinda a sign the super max contract to keep stars in small markets has failed.
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Post by mikecubs on Nov 26, 2020 18:20:27 GMT -6
I'm not sure what the answer is for super teams. Maybe if players opt out of a contract they become a modified rfa? If Giannis does end up leaving Miluakee its kinda a sign the super max contract to keep stars in small markets has failed. Do away with free agency. LOL Players can only opt out of the last year of their contract by rule (year 9) so opt outs don't make a huge difference. Guys just wouldn't have an opt out and leave a year later if they were RFA's if they opted out. My solution is this. The owners allow longer than 5 year contracts for rookie extensions. If you have almost a 100% leave rate for contract 3 make contract 2 longer. The small market gets more time. Make the rookie extensions a mandatory 8 years with no opt outs allowed. Make it so you can give 10 years if they want. That way the original team gets at least 11 years instead of 8-9. Guys hit free agency at age 30 instead of age 27. At least superteams wouldn't last as long and there would be more risk of injury when guys are 3 years older so more super teams would be busts. All the other sports allow longer contracts. Look at how long the Kansas City Chiefs extended Pat Malholmes(10 years) or the Edmonton Oilers with Conor McDavid(8 years). In return the players get this. When they leave after year 11 the team they are going to can offer the same contract as the original team so players wouldn't lose the extra $70M for switching teams. Also 100% guarantee the players of a team in Seattle either by expansion or relocation(Memphis). Players get more $$$ both ways with the extra $70M and a top 10 revenue producing team. As far as Giannis even if he stays the designated player thing is a bust because he would be a 1/2 off. And even if he does sign it will be with the understanding he can ask for a trade whenever he wants. Giannis is the rare guy that really does want to stay but the problem is even if you get the rare guy that wants to stay they aren't going to be able to get a good enough 2nd star to put around him. Kris Middleton is more of a 3rd banana and the same with Jrue Holliday. Holliday is already 30 with an injury history. 2 year max he will ask out.
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Post by mikecubs on Dec 3, 2020 15:31:52 GMT -6
Anthony Davis resigned with the Lakers today for 5 year $190M with an opt out after year 4. It was expected he'd sign 3 years with an opt out after 2. LeBron James signed a 2 year $85M extension yesterday so they have him 3 more years counting this season.
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Post by mikecubs on Dec 5, 2020 13:49:37 GMT -6
LA Clippers' Kawhi Leonard ready to 'get back after it' after playoff letdownKawhi Leonard said he loves the challenge of bouncing back from the LA Clippers' stunning 3-1 NBA playoff series collapse to the Denver Nuggets and will see "how strong" the Clippers are. As the Clippers prepare to start training camp Sunday, Leonard and Paul George discussed the team's failure to live up to championship expectations last season and how motivated they are to wash away the bitter taste of their bubble collapse. "Physically, I feel good," Leonard said Friday. "I am motivated. I want to start, I want to get back after it. It does leave a bad taste in your mouth blowing a 3-1 lead. But I love it. These are things that build the player. It's the things that I like, the challenge. The road of going to a championship is hard. I love the process." "We'll see how strong we are and if we can build from things like this. That is what makes players." The Clippers believe that having Leonard and George healthy and participating from the start of training camp this season will make a difference after their chemistry struggles last season. Leonard revealed for the first time that he underwent an unspecified procedure during the offseason in 2019 and that that is why he and George, who was coming off offseason shoulder surgeries, were not able to fully participate in camp last preseason.George said "I wasn't myself" during his first season with the Clippers but said he feels much more comfortable after being able to train this offseason. "Last year was an unacceptable year for me, and I know that," said George, who averaged 20.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 39.8% shooting in the playoffs. "[This season] I feel really good, in a great place." George, who is eligible for a contract extension, said he hopes to retire as a Clipper. "I'm committed, I'm here," the 30-year-old said. "I want to be here. I want to retire a Clipper. I'll say that, every year." George also sought to clarify comments he made earlier this week on the "All The Smoke" podcast, in which he discussed how he was utilized by former coach Doc Rivers and how the Clippers failed to make any adjustments as Denver came back from a 3-1 second-round series deficit. "We all take responsibility into that," George said. "Being one of the top players on the team ... I wasn't playing well enough. The fact that I gave up a 3-1 series [lead] being on that floor sits with me and haunts me." "Doc is a hell of a motivator, a hell of a coach," George added. "Doesn't mean I agree with everything that we did, but that does not belittle the fact that I respect him. ... I did want to clear it up, because the notion out there is that I don't respect Doc and putting the blame on Doc, which is not the case. I am to blame in that situation just as much as anyone." George said he and Leonard, 29, want to make sure there is a "winning attitude" and "winning environment" this season. They have been talking to new coach Ty Lue and are eager to get started. And while Leonard knows returning to play amid the COVID-19 pandemic will be challenging, he said he hopes the team can bond and improve its chemistry after a season that was disrupted by injuries and off-the-court circumstances. Leonard also said he will continue to lead the team the same way he did last season, with his play and by taking action when needed, like calling players-only film sessions as he did at one point. "A coach can't put a battery in your back and tell you to play harder to go win games," Leonard said. "You have to have the mindset." Leonard added: "But my leadership role isn't going to change. I'm just going to keep doing the same thing I've been doing." www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30451293/la-clippers-kawhi-leonard-ready-get-back-playoff-letdown
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Post by wolfmannick on Dec 5, 2020 14:45:05 GMT -6
^ Sounds like damage control since word got out that he and george pissed off pretty much the whole team. Wonder how the addition of ibaka will affect the room.
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Post by mikecubs on Dec 5, 2020 15:21:04 GMT -6
I think Ibaka will help but they still don't have a PG, George is a playoff choker and Kawhi is an injury risk. Plus the Lakers improved so much. Telling too that Leonard says he isn't changing his leadership role.
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Post by wolfmannick on Dec 5, 2020 15:24:09 GMT -6
I think Ibaka will help but they still don't have a PG, George is a playoff choker and Kawhi is an injury risk. Plus the Lakers improved so much. Telling too that Leonard says he isn't changing his leadership role. Hes got two rings seems hes content playing second fiddle for the clippers regardless how they perform.
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Post by mikecubs on Dec 5, 2020 16:26:49 GMT -6
I think Ibaka will help but they still don't have a PG, George is a playoff choker and Kawhi is an injury risk. Plus the Lakers improved so much. Telling too that Leonard says he isn't changing his leadership role. Hes got two rings seems hes content playing second fiddle for the clippers regardless how they perform. Yep, despite the 2 titles the guy doesn't care about being great/going down as an all time great. No leadership ability, no desire to stay with a better team. All he cares about is living in LA being home. He's a great current player but not an all time great. For most of the peak of his career LeBron, Durant and Curry were better. He was merely a role player for quite a few years in San Antonio. In 19 he got lucky because James got hurt and had no help on the Lakers yet, Durant and Thompson got hurt. He was in the right place at the right time. When he won with the Spurs he wasn't clearly the Spurs best player(they still had Duncan/Parker). He's not going to have great longevity most likely. It angers me greatly a lot of Raptor fans think they would have repeated if he stayed. The Raptor fans are becoming the dumbest fans in all of pro sports. Total ignorance and disrespect of LeBron James and how basketball works. No way was Lebron going to lose to a guy with a bumb knee(s) that didn't care about winning and only living at home with his mommy. Look at Lebron's leadership skills compare to Kawhi's. LOL LeBron is chasing Jordan/trying to become the greatest athlete ever. That is VERY powerful Crap. People that driven aren't going to lose to the likes of Kawhi. Only way I could see the Clippers winning is if the short turn around causes injuries to James or Davis.
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Post by wolfmannick on Dec 5, 2020 17:00:54 GMT -6
Hes got two rings seems hes content playing second fiddle for the clippers regardless how they perform. Yep, despite the 2 titles the guy doesn't care about being great/going down as an all time great. No leadership ability, no desire to stay with a better team. All he cares about is living in LA being home. He's a great current player but not an all time great. For most of the peak of his career LeBron, Durant and Curry were better. He was merely a role player for quite a few years in San Antonio. In 19 he got lucky because James got hurt and had no help on the Lakers yet, Durant and Thompson got hurt. He was in the right place at the right time. When he won with the Spurs he wasn't clearly the Spurs best player(they still had Duncan/Parker). He's not going to have great longevity most likely. It angers me greatly a lot of Raptor fans think they would have repeated if he stayed. The Raptor fans are becoming the dumbest fans in all of pro sports. Total ignorance and disrespect of LeBron James and how basketball works. No way was Lebron going to lose to a guy with a bumb knee(s) that didn't care about winning and only living at home with his mommy. Look at Lebron's leadership skills compare to Kawhi's. LOL LeBron is chasing Jordan/trying to become the greatest athlete ever. That is VERY powerful Crap. People that driven aren't going to lose to the likes of Kawhi. Only way I could see the Clippers winning is if the short turn around causes injuries to James or Davis. I dont know that many people who think they would have for sure repeated but it isnt a stretch to think they would have made it back to the Finals had he stayed. The East wasnt exactly stellar last year.
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Post by mikecubs on Dec 5, 2020 17:33:27 GMT -6
Yep, despite the 2 titles the guy doesn't care about being great/going down as an all time great. No leadership ability, no desire to stay with a better team. All he cares about is living in LA being home. He's a great current player but not an all time great. For most of the peak of his career LeBron, Durant and Curry were better. He was merely a role player for quite a few years in San Antonio. In 19 he got lucky because James got hurt and had no help on the Lakers yet, Durant and Thompson got hurt. He was in the right place at the right time. When he won with the Spurs he wasn't clearly the Spurs best player(they still had Duncan/Parker). He's not going to have great longevity most likely. It angers me greatly a lot of Raptor fans think they would have repeated if he stayed. The Raptor fans are becoming the dumbest fans in all of pro sports. Total ignorance and disrespect of LeBron James and how basketball works. No way was Lebron going to lose to a guy with a bumb knee(s) that didn't care about winning and only living at home with his mommy. Look at Lebron's leadership skills compare to Kawhi's. LOL LeBron is chasing Jordan/trying to become the greatest athlete ever. That is VERY powerful Crap. People that driven aren't going to lose to the likes of Kawhi. Only way I could see the Clippers winning is if the short turn around causes injuries to James or Davis. I dont know that many people who think they would have for sure repeated but it isnt a stretch to think they would have made it back to the Finals had he stayed. The East wasnt exactly stellar last year. There's a TON of Raptor fans who think they were a lock over the Lakers. LOL I agree the east sucked but Miami was very underrated like the Raptors were the year before. Jimmy Butler is very underrated as a star. Wish the Bulls would have kept him. Adebayo is a max guy and young all star. The Heat were very deep with 7 players that averaged double digits points plus they had other good role players like Kelly Olynyk, Derrick Jones and Andre Iguadala. Miami is like the Raptors in how they find underrated gems like Tyler Hero, Kendrick Nunn, Duncan Robinson etc.... The Heat were legitimately 11 deep. I have a feeling they would have beat the Raptors. Raptors definitely would have beat the Celtics and Bucks too. Still matter no what would have happened Toronto would have given Leonard a better shot than the Clippers. Dumbest decision ever for a pro athlete! The irony is Leonard wouldn't have had to even spend 2 years in Toronto if he stayed. March the season was suspended and it was bubble from July on so it didn't matter the city you played for. This year starts dec 22 and will be only 72 games.
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Post by mikecubs on Dec 9, 2020 3:14:28 GMT -6
The Raptors 1st game ever vs. New Jersey at skydome. The Raptors win
Kawhi Leonard's shot at court level
from the upper deck
^^^ NBA finals doc
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Post by mikecubs on Dec 20, 2020 2:21:24 GMT -6
Giannis Antekompo of the Milwaukee Bucks agreed to a 5 year $228M extension with an opt out after year 4. With the last year of his 2nd contract still on the books the Bucks have control over him for 5 more years. Other than Damien Lillard of Portland, Giannis is the 2nd star since Lebron did his super team thing/creation to sign a 3rd contract with a small/foreign market.
So much for the Raptors team president having an in with him and getting him to come to Toronto. To be honest I kind of wish he went to Dallas or Miami so it would have caused a labor stoppage in a few years so this problem could get fixed. Him leaving Milwaukee would have been the final straw.
Raptors made a mistake losing Ibaka to keep the cap room for him. Best options for the Raptors other than a new/more fair system would be to just keep collecting assets and hope to trade those for 1-2 year rentals ala Kawhi.
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