****The Official 2015-16 NBA Thread****

Ariza not Parsons.

Richardson's highlights against the Kings in his final summer league game, 23 points.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwQk4LpDHcg

I am told that the Heat will "allow" for Richardson to play his way onto the team in Training camp. In other words, they "want" to keep him here and not elsewhere.

They must tender him by Sept. 5th, so they will have to commit early, almost 3 weeks before camp officially opens up.

My very educated guess is that Richardson will not accept the tender, because he believes he can get a full rookie scale contract with the Heat (Starts around 580k per year).

All of this means of course, that if they keep Rio and Bird, that Ennis, TJ, and Walker are likely out via cut, or trade.

Phil Jackson with an indirect shot at Winslow and Duke players, saying Duke players dont live up to expectations in the NBA. Thats him trying to defend not taking Winslow.

"Vertical Limit wrote:

Phil Jackson with an indirect shot at Winslow and Duke players, saying Duke players dont live up to expectations in the NBA. Thats him trying to defend not taking Winslow.

That's also him repeating a nonsense narrative and not investigating for himself to realize that it is 100% false.

NY Times Article: "LeBron has been in Cleveland for a year, and it's still a ****hole."

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/22/sports/sports-owners-dip-into-the-publics-purse-despite-their-billions-in-the-bank.html?_r=0

"Section126 wrote:

NY Times Article: "LeBron has been in Cleveland for a year, and it's still a ****hole."

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/22/sports/sports-owners-dip-into-the-publics-purse-despite-their-billions-in-the-bank.html?_r=0

Yet cities continually fall for this.

While the owners are completely shameless with cajones the size of watermelons for seeking this graft, it's the politicians who allow it that are worse.

The people whoa re supposed to be the stewards of the public good can't even grasp basic economics or read any one of the hundred studies that says these stadiums/arenas aren't worth it.

There are only so many places for teams to move. If cities started standing up it would end.

This needs to happen.

"Where we are leaning right now is that we would not guarantee a spot for a division winner in part because it's so unlikely to happen, and No. 2, if it does happen it would be potentially confusing to fans. No. 3, you would be displacing a team that did have a top-eight record," Silver said Wednesday, per ESPN.com. Silver noted the league's analytics unit estimated there is roughly a 5 percent chance of a division winner not finishing inside the top eight.

"So while we're going to continue to discuss it a little bit more—we need to make a decision before the preseason begins—I think the greater likelihood is we will not be guaranteeing a spot to a division winner," Silver said, per ESPN.com.

Then after that, conferences need to be eliminated as a consideration for playoff berths.

Plain and simple - The top 16 teams from anywhere should be the ones in the playoffs.

Justise Winslow hanging out with KD at his basketball camp.

Plant the seeds Justise

"schmolioot wrote:

Yet cities continually fall for this.

While the owners are completely shameless with cajones the size of watermelons for seeking this graft, it's the politicians who allow it that are worse.

The people whoa re supposed to be the stewards of the public good can't even grasp basic economics or read any one of the hundred studies that says these stadiums/arenas aren't worth it.

There are only so many places for teams to move. If cities started standing up it would end.

I think at this point cities aren't 'falling for it'. Some, yes. But many just see value in having a hometown team. Hell, if you gave me the choice, i'd gladly have my taxes increase by 0.5% if it meant the Heat came to my city.

"Stringer Bell wrote:

I think at this point cities aren't 'falling for it'. Some, yes. But many just see value in having a hometown team. Hell, if you gave me the choice, i'd gladly have my taxes increase by 0.5% if it meant the Heat came to my city.

That argument doesn't fly with me.

Is there some psychic value to having a team? Certainly. Is that value equivalent to what is shelled out in actual dollars? Hell no.

Take Milwaukee as the most recent example. The Bucks have been in the bottom third of attendance for more than a decade and have no statewide footprint at all. In the playoffs against the Bulls, they only sold out due to the thousands of Bulls fan who came from chicago (the Dolphins know this feeling well)

So, despite the fact that the Bucks are clearly a niche team in the state, they were gifted $250 million in state money, plus local money. All while Scott Walker cuts everything else.

I posit to you that not only would the Bucks probably have not moved even if no funding came through, that even if they did, it would have little impact.

The true horror of the Marlins Park boondoggle, beyond the absolute malfeasance of the elected officials, is that they spent a billion dollars to build something NO ONE wanted. People still don't go. There is very little psychic value to the Marlins (and I am a fan, if you force me to pick a favorite MLB team). And if the city had refused to build the stadium, I am pretty certain the Marlins would still be here.

I just don't believe in the relocation threats anymore. There just aren't that many good options for these leagues and owners.

I had a dream that Josh Richardson put on an aerial clinic during a game. So he needs to make the team to make that happen.

I also dreamed LeBron came out with a brand of chili being sold in grocery stores called "Fully Cook'd" and the can was that Cleveland Cavs rust red with pee yellow writing.

I have strange dreams.

"schmolioot wrote:

That argument doesn't fly with me.

Is there some psychic value to having a team? Certainly. Is that value equivalent to what is shelled out in actual dollars? Hell no.

Take Milwaukee as the most recent example. The Bucks have been in the bottom third of attendance for more than a decade and have no statewide footprint at all. In the playoffs against the Bulls, they only sold out due to the thousands of Bulls fan who came from chicago (the Dolphins know this feeling well)

So, despite the fact that the Bucks are clearly a niche team in the state, they were gifted $250 million in state money, plus local money. All while Scott Walker cuts everything else.

I posit to you that not only would the Bucks probably have not moved even if no funding came through, that even if they did, it would have little impact.

The true horror of the Marlins Park boondoggle, beyond the absolute malfeasance of the elected officials, is that they spent a billion dollars to build something NO ONE wanted. People still don't go. There is very little psychic value to the Marlins (and I am a fan, if you force me to pick a favorite MLB team). And if the city had refused to build the stadium, I am pretty certain the Marlins would still be here.

I just don't believe in the relocation threats anymore. There just aren't that many good options for these leagues and owners.

Will say this...

The area around the AAA was a first class dump before that arena was built. It's now Adult disney land with first class restaurants, bars, clubs, and shops....to go with very expensive condos.

BTW, I might be doing some TV stuff with Justise Winslow soon....

"Section126 wrote:

Will say this...

The area around the AAA was a first class dump before that arena was built. It's now Adult disney land with first class restaurants, bars, clubs, and shops....to go with very expensive condos.

I haven't been there in a long time, but wasn't Bayside there long before the arena?

And I imagine that area would have eventually been built up with or without the arena, because it's a desirable area in the first place and people actually go to the Heat games. It's kind of a chicken/egg thing. Did the arena make the area desirable or did the arena move into what Arison knew was desirable land?

"Section126 wrote:

BTW, I might be doing some TV stuff with Justise Winslow soon....

Cool. Make sure you shout out Roc Nation

"schmolioot wrote:

I haven't been there in a long time, but wasn't Bayside there long before the arena?

And I imagine that area would have eventually been built up with or without the arena, because it's a desirable area in the first place and people actually go to the Heat games. It's kind of a chicken/egg thing. Did the arena make the area desirable or did the arena move into what Arison knew was desirable land?

Not so sure. Bayside is very insulated. All of this just sprouted up after the arena got built. The condos especially.

What the Arena did is bring 20k people to that area very often..and those people consume. Not only Heat games....it's the weekly concerts there.

"schmolioot wrote:

That argument doesn't fly with me.

Is there some psychic value to having a team? Certainly. Is that value equivalent to what is shelled out in actual dollars? Hell no.

Take Milwaukee as the most recent example. The Bucks have been in the bottom third of attendance for more than a decade and have no statewide footprint at all. In the playoffs against the Bulls, they only sold out due to the thousands of Bulls fan who came from chicago (the Dolphins know this feeling well)

So, despite the fact that the Bucks are clearly a niche team in the state, they were gifted $250 million in state money, plus local money. All while Scott Walker cuts everything else.

I posit to you that not only would the Bucks probably have not moved even if no funding came through, that even if they did, it would have little impact.

The true horror of the Marlins Park boondoggle, beyond the absolute malfeasance of the elected officials, is that they spent a billion dollars to build something NO ONE wanted. People still don't go. There is very little psychic value to the Marlins (and I am a fan, if you force me to pick a favorite MLB team). And if the city had refused to build the stadium, I am pretty certain the Marlins would still be here.

I just don't believe in the relocation threats anymore. There just aren't that many good options for these leagues and owners.

I go to 30 games a season (Marlins), just because we're still somewhere in the bottom in attendance, people show up to more regular season games there than they did in Sun Life, it's just true.

And now they're going to have David Beckham as a neighbor in that area, and more demolition is coming (a lot of it are homes) and that Orange Bowl site will be cleaned out even more. You should have seen what a dump the area was before Marlins Park, not exactly a place you want to raise your kids.

"Section126 wrote:

BTW, I might be doing some TV stuff with Justise Winslow soon....

You guy's should kiss, be good for ratings.

"Fin-Omenal wrote:

You guy's should kiss, be good for ratings.

well, Espn blows LeBron and their numbers are pretty good...so..why not?

"schmolioot wrote:

I haven't been there in a long time, but wasn't Bayside there long before the arena?

And I imagine that area would have eventually been built up with or without the arena, because it's a desirable area in the first place and people actually go to the Heat games. It's kind of a chicken/egg thing. Did the arena make the area desirable or did the arena move into what Arison knew was desirable land?

I think it was just a marina/fishery before the marketplace was built around it. Once Brickell started taking place, it was pretty much a no brainer to put a mall there.

"Section126 wrote:

NY Times Article: "LeBron has been in Cleveland for a year, and it's still a ****hole."

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/22/sports/sports-owners-dip-into-the-publics-purse-despite-their-billions-in-the-bank.html?_r=0

Cleveland

Some hype.

MIAMI — The Heat’s old warrior, as his coach calls him, intends to keep fighting for as long as he is able.

Like most players at this stage of their career, Udonis Haslem is wrestling with inevitable physical decline while his desire burns as hot as ever. The question for Haslem — and any other 35-year-old in the NBA — is how much longer his body can support what his heart wants to do.

Heat veteran Udonis Haslem still has burning desire to compete, win photo
Allen Eyestone
Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem (40) talks to the fans about the Heat Nation before tipoff at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, Florida on October 29, 2014. (Allen Eyestone / The Palm Beach Post)
“I feel pretty durable,” he said after his second straight season playing fewer than 1,000 minutes (after averaging 2,283 during his first seven seasons and playing fewer than 1,400 just once in his first 10). “I just make sure to keep myself ready and give myself a chance to play this game.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/sports/basketball/heat-veteran-udonis-haslem-still-has-burning-desir/nm4SC/

Dwayne Wade launches his own wine label in China. Now section can have a TV segment called "Drunk with Wade" where they review highlights of wades career...remote in one hand and TV glass of win in the other.http://mweb.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25250084/dwyane-wade-launches-his-own-wine-label-in-china :)

I don't drink but I might need a few of those bottles each time Wade misses a game this season.....