****The Official 2013-14 NBA Thread****

Why do you always post stats that don't matter? Especially PPG.

Of course a guy that throws up a million shots will finish with more PPG.

 

Because great players WIN. History doesn't give a **** about dunk contests or stats; it notes the WINNERS. Dwyane Wade is the best SG in the game? He should have damn well powered this team through at least one more win on his own. Because that's what GREAT DOES.

Guaran-****ing-tee you, the guy you mentioned-Harding- puts this team on his shoulders and makes this series at least NOT an embarrassment. Maybe even take it to 7; and then, anything can happen.

Not Wade.

 

Done with this. Pick it up tmrw.

Maybe Harden's terrible postseason numbers will get better by then.

 

I laugh at the Cavs....I see Wiggens as a huge bust despite his athletic ability. The kid is just seriously missing something on the court.

 

Never pass on someone with the last name Parker, Cavs going to regret passing on Parker.

 

Harden.

You must have missed the part where Harden is a habitual terrible performer in the playoffs.

Wade....one of the best playoff performers of all-time.

These are just Facts...but who cares? Once again.

 

Not this year.

And I just know that Lebron never gives up playing alongside Harden, the way he did when he realized he was playing alone out there. You know, with the best SG in the game.

 

You're the first Knicks fan I can stand.

 

@EthanJSkolnick 29m On call, @ShabazzNapier says LeBron's tweets were "so special" to him.

@EthanJSkolnick 28m
Shabazz Napier describes himself as "super comfortable" playing off the ball

@EthanJSkolnick 17m
Riley said there were half-a-dozen guys the Heat liked who went early in second round. So you can pick through that list.

 

I love how half the time he just stands in the middle of the paint like he's a Center or something protecting the rim, completely oblivious to where his man is and just watching the ball.

 

I really don't think Harden will be anymore than a support player if he's on the same team as LeBron. It's Lebron's team.

I have no problem with Wade earning 15m-17m a year because you know how good he is. You know he will redefine his game with better outside shooting and a better post game. It's what Jordan did as he played well into his 30s. Wade is so good he can dominate as a SG with some tweaking.

 

Those three together on a team playing majority minutes could give up 150 points.

 

Harden would get yelled at by lebron more than chalmers did for terrible defense and chucking.

 

Shabadazz Napier. Welcome to your first morning as a Heat player!

 

Harden would either have to start playing defense or get knocked out eventually because I can't see Lebron putting up with his effort.

 

It would make a lot of sense to give James Michael McAdoo a shot no? Anyone hear anything about giving him or any other UDFA an offer?

 

You know I will say that the only thing stopping Harden taking over from Wade is himself.

Improve your shot selection and play defense. Even Melo is a much better defender thsn Harden.

 

Not trying to make Cavs management look good, but with two of those #1 picks, they had less than a 2% chance of getting #1.

Also, the only horrible use of assets could be argued as Anthony Bennett (and it is still early) and Jarrett Jack. The 2010-2013 seasons were not made to field competitive teams. It was to accumulate picks and young talent (like Sixers seem to be doing now).

 

Correction: the "playoffs" implies the prior three rounds to the Finals. You know....the rounds that Wade was really good in.

 

Wade only sucked for a few games in the Finals. Otherwise his playoff performance this year was the most consistent I've seen from him in the playoffs in a few years.

Bottom line though is if you play 20 straight games, you're likely to struggle in a few of them. If you play in 20 straight playoff games...you're definitely going to struggle in a bunch of them because that's the level of competition.

To sit here and say Dwyane Wade is worth only $3.3 million, how can anyone even take that seriously?

 

If Wade actually went out on the market and seriously fielded offers from teams other than the Heat he would command in the $13-15 million per range, particularly from a star starved team/market.

So the notion that he should take $3 million here, is ludicrous.

I imagine we make it worth his while and give him 4 for $55 million or something in that range, so he can still get a "win" of more guaranteed money while lowering his yearly base

 

Patric Young is interesting.

I wonder if Philly is gonna sell off any of the 2nd rd. Picks they got left.

Problem for miami is that they took their guy at #32..so the price will be steep....or prohibitive

 

Btw..Boik..the Heat think your knicks killed this draft..

So you got that.

 

I keep seeing people thinking Norris Cole is gone because of Shabazz Napier and that doesn't make much sense to me. Cole is an athletic defender at PG and Napier has more offensive capabilities at PG. That would seem to marry well, no?

 

Maybe we trade him for Lowry with some other future draft picks and money, sign and trade maybe?

 

Absolutely..and in a cap sport...you need guys that perform beyond their contracts. Cole does that.

And btw...one of the most common disagreements Riley has with Spo is whether to carry 3 or 2 pg's. Spo got his way with 3 this past year.

Maybe he gets his way again.

 

I can't see us letting go of Cole, especially with Chalmers being a free agent. I know people are hoping Shabazz makes an impact his rookie year but I can't imagine Riley would lean that much on a rookie. It wouldn't surprise me to see Chalmers back on a 1-2 year deal.

 

So apparently I posted this in the middle of a **** storm here, without realizing that. Still, Sect?

 

Not much of a chance at that.

 

The only way I see Coles gone is if he's involved in a sign and trade for Lowry.

 

Well..the Napier scouting report they gave me was obviously a dummy report they hoped to spread....

But the Cleanthony one was 100% real. They really liked him.

Alphabet man had a comparable to Al Farouq Aminu...according to the heat..which is great value at #51

 

IMO you won't see that for at least a couple of years yet. Despite some irrational posts in this thread Wade is still one of the best SGs in the league, if not the best. I actually expect that he'll be as good again the next two seasons, but without the need for the down time. That's based on my understanding of the treatment he was undergoing. The analogy that comes to mind is that of a football player coming off of an ACL injury where they're not back to form until two years later. The theory behind Wade's treatment was that it would take all season for the healing to occur. If it works as expected then next season he should be fully healed from the knee issues. Of course he's older so he'll never have the explosiveness he had in his youth, but I think it's reasonable to expect a return of that efficient (+50%) 22 per player next season without all those missed games.

 

I like Early. I think the Knicks made a good pick there. I preferred Napier, but if Miami had not been able to pull of that trade, I would have felt fine with the Heat taking Early instead. And that was in the first round with the guaranteed contracts. The Knicks got a steal with Early in the second. I like players who excel against elite competition and Early did exactly that in the tournament. I think that bodes well for a prospect's chances of excelling against the upgrade in competition he'll face in the NBA.

 

Edited. How's that?