****The Official 2014-15 NBA Thread****

The Heat don't need to and shouldn't tank. They need to figure out why they keep stinking up the 3rd quarter. They dig holes in the 3rd that they can't get out of in the 4th, no matter how well they do in the first 2.

Personally, I think the problem is the point guard play. Norris Cole is playing terribly.

I think we should just suck it up and start Napier, see what hes got. We cant possibly get any worse at the pg position. Just throw him in the fire and he will be ready by the playoffs. But if youre going to do it, it cant be a part time job. Give him 35 MPG at PG.

Would you rather:

a) Be the 8 seed and do nothing in the playoffs

or

b) Lose 50+ games and possibly get a top 10 pick?

I go with B every damn time. This team needs young talent that actually has a decent ceiling, not Shabazz Napier or James Ennis. Also they need to trade Deng for picks.

We arent going to lose fifty with this squad and we will At wordt get the sixth seed. They will get it together after the all star break.

Based on what? We're already 34 games into the season. And the 6 seed is no different than the 7th or 8th. If you're not a contender or absolute crap in the NBA, then you aren't going anywhere any time soon.

Current seedings in the East:

1 ATL
2 TOR
3 CHI
4 WAS
5 CLE
6 MIL
7 BKL
8 MIA

Get better PG play and a first round win as the 5 Seed is possible.

"BlameItOnTheHenne wrote:

Based on what? We're already 34 games into the season. And the 6 seed is no different than the 7th or 8th. If you're not a contender or absolute crap in the NBA, then you aren't going anywhere any time soon.

Based on experience alone. This team isnt going to quit whether you like it or not. Theyre going to the playoffs and will be healthy and will be at the ECF.

Whiteside's looked good tonight.

"Silverphin wrote:

Whiteside's looked good tonight.

He's always been a human pogo stick who can jump and block shots.

"BlameItOnTheHenne wrote:

Would you rather:

a) Be the 8 seed and do nothing in the playoffs

or

b) Lose 50+ games and possibly get a top 10 pick?

I go with B every damn time. This team needs young talent that actually has a decent ceiling, not Shabazz Napier or James Ennis. Also they need to trade Deng for picks.

Thank god you are not in charge.

We would have ZERO championships.

Not in our character, and not what this franchise does. As a fan of this team, you should know this by now.

Whiteside is a revelation. 11 pts, 10 rebs., 5 blocks off the bench? uh what?

"Desides wrote:

Current seedings in the East:

1 ATL
2 TOR
3 CHI
4 WAS
5 CLE
6 MIL
7 BKL
8 MIA

Get better PG play and a first round win as the 5 Seed is possible.

Yes, but how are they going to get better PG play?

"Section126 wrote:

Thank god you are not in charge.

We would have ZERO championships.

Not in our character, and not what this franchise does. As a fan of this team, you should know this by now.

It might be slightly out of character, but not completely. They didn't "tank" in 07-08, but they essentially did. They shelved Wade and saved their money for 2010.

"sports24/7 wrote:

Yes, but how are they going to get better PG play?

It might be slightly out of character, but not completely. They didn't "tank" in 07-08, but they essentially did. They shelved Wade and saved their money for 2010.

Only after Wade got hurt and the season was already lost.

Wade probably didn't need to be out the season and had we been in the playoff hunt he probably could've come back.

We didn't make major moves the next 2 years because we were saving for 2010.

And had we gotten the #1 pick we were one ping pong ball away from, or taken pretty much anybody instead of Beasley (Westbrook, Love, Brook Lopez) we might've gotten to an ECF before 2010.

Seriously, could you imagine the Big 3 Heat, PLUS Rose/Westbrook/Love. We would've won 70 plus games every year

If we had a crystal ball, Westbrook would have definitely been the pick at #2.. SIGH I was all on the Beasley bandwagon I even wanted him over Rose.

"schmolioot wrote:

Only after Wade got hurt and the season was already lost.

Wade probably didn't need to be out the season and had we been in the playoff hunt he probably could've come back.

We didn't make major moves the next 2 years because we were saving for 2010.

And had we gotten the #1 pick we were one ping pong ball away from, or taken pretty much anybody instead of Beasley (Westbrook, Love, Brook Lopez) we might've gotten to an ECF before 2010.

Right. That's why it may not have been a legitimate tank, but shutting down Wade was done because they knew there was no use and it would be best moving forward. If they continue to struggle to stay around the 5-6 range, I think it would be best to think towards the future as well. Increase the playing time to the young guys. Shop some of the vets who won't be here in a couple of years. And the reason they were that close to that ping pong ball was because of the team Riley decided to field.

"schmolioot wrote:

Seriously, could you imagine the Big 3 Heat, PLUS Rose/Westbrook/Love. We would've won 70 plus games every year

The funny thing is, do you remember how on draft day there were rumors that Riley had a last-minute workout with Westbrook (and I believe Love) and reportedly had do be locked in a room by the scouting staff and talked into drafting Beasley instead of Westbrook/Lopez/Love? At the time, the thought of Riley drafting any of those three ahead of Beasley made my stomach churn. Looking, back it would have been by far an amazing move in spite of what people thought about Beasley.

"Vertical Limit wrote:

SIGH I was all on the Beasley bandwagon I even wanted him over Rose.

One guy isn't playing, one guy can't play. That's a wash right there.

Knicks have traded Smith and Shumpert it appears....it begins

Appears to be Reggie Jackson in return, 3 team deal with Cle. Really like this move if true

"Fin-Omenal wrote:

Knicks have traded Smith and Shumpert it appears....it begins

Appears to be Reggie Jackson in return, 3 team deal with Cle. Really like this move if true

You sure, Wojs is saying Reggie Jackson is not included in the deal.

So far I see JR and Shump to Cle and Waiters to OKC. Unclear what NY got.

Why the **** would OKC do this?

"Fin-Omenal wrote:

Knicks have traded Smith and Shumpert it appears....it begins

Appears to be Reggie Jackson in return, 3 team deal with Cle. Really like this move if true

Woj is saying not the case on Jackson which in a way is good because it means he has NO SOURCES in the Knicks front office. Im guessing Langston Galloway and Thansis Antetokounmpo get called up from the D league. Both were shown on the big screen in MSG before the game tonight. Both have put up good stat lines recently. #TheTankIsOn #LoseMoreForOkafor

My guess is Calderon goes next....

The Cavs are becoming a joke IMO. What do you get a coach having issues with managing his team? JR Smith, of course. There literally may not be a worse player for that situation than Smith.

It's possible LeBron can get him to be the good JR Smith, but not very likely. Maybe the Cavs are just trying to get Blatt to quit so they don't have to pay him the rest of his contract. That sounds like something Gilbert would do.

Phil Motha****in Jackson strikes again. Man is committed to the tank. And I support him. It takes big brass balls to rebuild in NY and this franchise has needed a true rebuild for a minute. Out with the underachievers and in with new blood and draft picks.

Knicks traded Shump and JR to Cleveland.
Cleveland traded Dion Waiters to OKC
Knicks got a future 1 possibly (Woj is saying NYK got this tope 20 protected, Marc Stein is saying Cleveland got it) from OKC, rookie C Alex Kirk from OKC, a 6.5M trade exception for JR, a 2M trade exception for Shumpert, and possibly a future 2 from Cleveland though details are still foggy on that.

Also heard Dalembert is getting waived by NYK

Section, do trade exceptions have to be used all this year? Knicks now have 3...2 from todays deal and one from the Tyson deal.

OKC's a big winner in this deal imo. Waiters fills a big need at SG and as another complimentary scorer to KD and Westbrook. That teams gonna be a problem in the playoffs.

Initial reports included Jackson, so now it's simply a salary dump....next best thing.