THE OFFICIAL MIAMI HEAT SUMMER of 2010 Thread.

wade pretty much killed chicago's chances in my opinion. When a star like wade pans your team like that, other stars may listen and take in to account what he is saying. The five team race just became a four team race....nyk, Cleveland, Miami and to a lesser extent nj.

Interesting nite on nj by ESPN's Chris broussard....nj is open to dealing the third pick if it frees up enough cap space for them to sign a second max fa. Something to keep an eye...thorn is crafty and a very underrated gm

 

I don't remember seeing this posted, but thought it was worth bringing up.

 

Truth hurts Sect.

Never be a fan of the NBA, be a smart bettor of it, think of it as horse racing and drop the nonsense.

 

Wasn't Donaghy something like 9-0 picking playoff games on LeBatard's show?

 

Believe he is now 13-1 or something crazy like that.

The one game he missed, too, the officiating was heavily favored towards the team that loss!

 

9-4 is still a 70% success rate. Were it me betting, I'd take that every day.

Understood. I'm just saying, Donaghy seems pretty good when it comes to on-court subject matter. I haven't read his book and never will, so I don't know what the deal is with his gambling methods, but I'm not concerned about that topic.

 

Colin not being a dusche. Rare.

 

...and no guarantee he'll ever win a championship there. No one running that mad house would know of the championship ingredients. We have Riley, who has the knowledge of how to build a perennial contender.

This is all assuming LeBron wants to win, and not fall blindly in love with a thankless over-hyped city.

 

I think the NY big market thing is only over-hyped by the fans and media. I was in China last summer and I was shocked by how big Kobe was over there. There were billboards everywhere. Also I saw Reebox basketball parks that were full every night. I've heard that they have as many people who are basketball fans as the U.S. has population. The Chinese are buying merchandise in droves and all they care about is championships. With all the marketing I saw going on over there, I have no doubt that the shoe companies are aware of that. If Lebron really wants to grow his world brand, then he needs a championship and that's far more important than the slightly more national publicity he may get in NY. In fact, going to NY and not winning a championship would result in less exposure than going anywhere else and winning. I don't know what his chances of winning in Cleveland are, but I'd say there considerably better than winning in NY. Then you throw in making $30 million less and and paying more in taxes (I believe that Ohio has a 6% state tax and NY has a 9% state tax before the increase) then it becomes an easy decision.

As for Miami vs. Cleveland, I think that state tax thing is about $1.8 mill difference per year. I don't think that's nearly as important as the extra $30 mill he'd get for staying. And even the extra $30 mill is not as important as having the best chance at a championship. Do Wade and Lebron believe that being together gives them that best chance? Would that potential championship be diminished for either one b/c of the other (basically ego)?

 

Bye, Michael Beasley... good luck in _______.

 

Don't be a tease HD.....

 

Chicago is so butt-hurt it's getting sad. Obviously, Wade has his reasons for saying what he said. And being that's his hometown, it's hard to call it a "bias".

I hope they get completely shut out in Free Agency.

 

I'm still waiting for Simmons to jump into the fray with some ironically unfunny pop culture reference

 

The Bulls org and their fans are only upset because they know Wade's view is the view of most players who only care about how Jordan perceives he was treated by the org, which wasn't good.

I mean seriously, who even remembers that Pete Meyers was a player for the Bulls or would even care if he was?

There is a reason the bulls have been shut out in FA every time they've entered the fray. Duncan, McGrady, Grant hill, etc.

 

I knew eventually this would bite Chicago in the arse. The best team maybe in NBA history lead by possibly the greatest player ever wants you to keep them together for one more yr to bring your team another ring and you choose to disband it because you feel they are too old and its time to cut your losses. No respect or loyalty.

 

They actually showed Scottie on the jumbotron at a Dolphins game once.

 

I just read Wade's comments about Chicago. This is what all the fuss is about? Because Jordan and Pippen aren't apart of the organization? Really?

Wade does know that Jordan is an owner of another NBA team currently, right?

And Pippen...well does anyone know where Pippen is these days short of still denying those gay rumors from a few years back?

I am by no means a Bulls fan ( I kind of hate them, actually), but if that is Wade's logic...then it is laughable to me. Again, don't get me wrong, I would probably prefer that Wade stay in Miami for everyone's sake here, than go to Chicago, but unless there is more to his loyalty questions than Pippen and Jordan not being there, his logic is terrible.

I am sure you guys have come to the conclusion already, but I assume that he simply doesn't want to go to Chicago and is looking for any thinly veiled excuse not to go.

On a (sort of) related ote, has anyone heard of the S&T rumor regarding Bosh to the Lakers for Bynum? There has been some grumblings about it on some of the Laker boards and a few national writers have stated that it almost happened in February, but L.A. didn't pull the trigger in fear of losing Bosh after the season. With a S&T, obviously he is locked up. My opinion is that it would make L.A. too soft upfront. Not that Bynum is a world beater, but his size and presence does have to be taken into account.

Just thought I would throw that out there for you folks who are craving Bosh for the Heat.

 

It doesn't help that Bynum himself has labeled himself as injury prone. I swear that that kid is sometimes so aloof, that he has to STILL be 17. Not media savvy at all. I think it is kind of up to Bosh, to be honest. He can walk, leaving Toronto with nothing if he so chooses. It would behoove them to get something back for him, and Bynum is still young enough and ceiling forever high that a S&T revolving around him COULD be the bestoption for them.

Bosh's list includes the Lakers, by the way.

I hadn't heard of the Bosh/Bynum rumor up until today. That is why I brought it up. I would think if this were to happen (lets assume it does for the sake of argument) that you now have to figure out how Bosh and Lamar fit together. Right now, it seems to work because once Bynum goes to the bench, Pau can play the 5 and you put Odom in at the 4. With Bosh...you are essentially forcing Pau to play the 5 at all times and bringing Lamar in just to spell Bosh, severely limits the versatility that the team currently has.

But I didn't intend to derail the Heat thread, just saw the blurb and thought I would bring it up.

 

As for the Wade stuff. Jordan retired seven years ago (for the last time), and was at least a part owner of the Bobcats since 2006, meaning form that point forward, it had been pretty much impossible for him to be a part of the Bulls organization in any official capacity.

Besides, at this point, I think everyone is clued in on how vindictive MJ is and how long he holds grudges. Who is to say that Chicago hadn't extended an olive branch and Jordan told them to pound salt? His temper is the stuff of legend, afterall.

As for Pippen having seaosn tickets to the Heat...wouldn't you? I mean, think about it, you are a world famous retired athlete who can come and go as he pleases. Would you rather watch basketball in Miami or Chicago during the Winter/Spring? It makes PERFECT sense to me.

Anyhow, it sounds like the odds of Wade leaving Miami are pretty next to nothing. It will be interesting what parts they put around him. I am probably wrong, but I almost feel that adding LeBron would be a mistake and taking a chance on someone like Bosh/Amar'e is a better option.

 

I can't speak for Wade, but I think he's partially referring to Jerry Krause's dismantling of that team in the late 90's.

You don't think it's odd that Jordan has no affiliation with the Bulls now? I can't think of an athlete of his caliber having little to nothing with the team he was with for so many years.

It would be like Dan Marino owning the Jacksonville Jaguars or something.

 

Well, I would assume, based on how it turned out, that MJ wanted ot run the whole show, and up until that point, Krause was pretty good at assembling championship teams. MJ, as it turned out, was a VASTLY superior player than front office worker (Kwame Brown, #1 overall pick). SO maybe Jerry knew something the rest of us didn't.

I don't think that the Bulls would ever deny MJ if he wanted some type of PR job with them, or even a low level coaching job. But do you really think MJ was willing to do that, ever? What qualifications had he had at that point to simply give him carte blanche?

So yeah, MJ split and went where he could get what he wanted. Failed at it, and was fired (as he should have been). He then proceeds to tell everyone that he felt betrayed and had he known that he was going to be fired, he would have NEVER returned to play for the Wizards (read: made a ton of money for the organization). The dude holds grudges.

I don't doubt that MJ may have gotten a hold of Wade to tell him that Chicago wasn't loyal, but honestly? Is Chicago REALLY to blame in this case? Or is it a case of Jordan pouting at perceived slights from the organization?

If you subscribe to perception being reality, then I suppose it doesn't matter, either way.

Well, the theory I have always heard, and one I think is pretty much true, is that it is better to get rid of a player one season too early, than a season too late. I think both Laker fans and Heat fans can relate to that in terms of Shaq. Had either franchise held on to him any longer than they did, his value would have plummeted more than it already was.

Yes, Miami got a championship with Shaq, but L.A. parlayed that original trade into the team they have today, thus making both sides winners in the long run. Same for Miami shipping him to Phoenix for Marion and the eventual cap space that came along with it.

Krause was hedging his bets. Jordan was what, 35 after that last championship? Rodman's wheels were starting to come off (from a substance abuse perspective) and Pippen was no longer a spring chicken. They MAY have been able to keep it together for one more year, but if they fell short, Krause gets accused of holding on too long, and not changing with the times. He felt the time to rebuild was then, for better or for worse.

And while it is somewhat odd that Jordan has no affiliation with Chicago, I am willing to bet it has a lot to do with his own red *** versus Chicago not wanting him around. Again, Jordan has a LONG memory when he feels slighted (look no further than his Hall of Fame speech).

 

Which is all that I ask of him between now and whenever Miami meets or goes over the cap.

 

Good stuff. But not only will the Chicago guys never look at this, they'd have trouble deciphering it if they did. No wonder Sedano does radio.

 

Fantasy Island?