NBA offseason Thread

[Apollo]

Over/Under win total for the Lakers?

I know they won't content or probably not even make the playoffs. But could this team surprise people and be a .500 team this year?

Kobe is the kind of guy who will retire before playing as a bum. If he comes back full strength, and all reports are that he works as hard as anybody in the game, he is still an All Star level player. The year before last year he averaged 27 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists per game. There is no reason to think he won't come back with a 25 point, 5 and 5 type season.

Nick Young is back after his 18 ppg season.

All reports are that number one draft pick Randle is a stud.

Boozer is aging and not a star by any means. But he is a quality veteran who can give you 12 points and 8 boards a game.

If - and a BIG if - Nash is healthy......yea, he is old. But still a very smart basketball player. Realistically a healthy Nash could give you 12 points, 8 assists per game.

There bench has some solid veterans - Jordan Hill is very solid, Jeremy Lin and Ed Davis.

This is a lot of "ifs".........but if Nash/Kobe are healthy, if Randle is the real deal, and if Lin/Boozer have anything left in their tanks, I see no reason this isn't a .500 team.

[LightningBolt]

I think they'll win about 30-35 games, which kinda sucks for them since the Suns get their pick this year unless it's Top 3.

[bran]

even if kobe is healthy the lakers are going to have a hard time i think, so even being a .500 team might be a stretch in the west. i think somewhere in the 30 win range sounds about right.

cleveland offering wiggins/bennett/1st round pick for love.

[Estranged Coma]

Over/Under win total for the Lakers?

I know they won't content or probably not even make the playoffs. But could this team surprise people and be a .500 team this year?

Kobe is the kind of guy who will retire before playing as a bum. If he comes back full strength, and all reports are that he works as hard as anybody in the game, he is still an All Star level player. The year before last year he averaged 27 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists per game. There is no reason to think he won't come back with a 25 point, 5 and 5 type season.

Nick Young is back after his 18 ppg season.

All reports are that number one draft pick Randle is a stud.

Boozer is aging and not a star by any means. But he is a quality veteran who can give you 12 points and 8 boards a game.

If - and a BIG if - Nash is healthy......yea, he is old. But still a very smart basketball player. Realistically a healthy Nash could give you 12 points, 8 assists per game.

There bench has some solid veterans - Jordan Hill is very solid, Jeremy Lin and Ed Davis.

This is a lot of "ifs".........but if Nash/Kobe are healthy, if Randle is the real deal, and if Lin/Boozer have anything left in their tanks, I see no reason this isn't a .500 team.

I used to be a big fan of boozers game and I still believe he can be a very good player in the right system. The bulls never really had an offense that utilized his skill set like the jazz had with him and d will pick and rolling. If Nash can play, which I have no faith in at all, him and boozer could be a lethal pick and roll team together. This team basically is dependent on two guys who we don't even know will be healthy enough to play big minutes in the reg season and if they do can last till playoff time. If Kobe and Nash were to be completely healthy all year they could make the playoffs but that is just not happening.

Edit: and by make the playoffs I mean fight for the 8th seed. The bottum of the west is very good Dallas and Phoenix (who finished 9th) are both rly good teams

Edited July 19, 2014 by Estranged Coma

[Estranged Coma]

even if kobe is healthy the lakers are going to have a hard time i think, so even being a .500 team might be a stretch in the west. i think somewhere in the 30 win range sounds about right.

cleveland offering wiggins/bennett/1st round pick for love.

Damn no way has that been announced?! Honestly I'd be scared to take that deal as a cavs executive. Brons only on a 2 year deal do you take his word he is committed to the cavs for life? K love is on the last yeAr of a deal I would need a commitment from him to a long term deal before I made this deal. Wiggins if nothing can be an elite defender in this league maybe a good system could turn him into a k Leonard type player? Bennett has looked good this summer league is a 1st overall pick and could still be a good player. Love is offensively one of the best regular season players. He is not playoff tested at all his numbers will go down in the playoffs everyone's does. And he rebounds but there's a lot to be wanted on D. Idk I wouldn't do this deal if I were the cavs they get better now but in my opinion not that much better and not better then any of the top west teams.

[bran]

even if kobe is healthy the lakers are going to have a hard time i think, so even being a .500 team might be a stretch in the west. i think somewhere in the 30 win range sounds about right.

cleveland offering wiggins/bennett/1st round pick for love.

Damn no way has that been announced?! Honestly I'd be scared to take that deal as a cavs executive. Brons only on a 2 year deal do you take his word he is committed to the cavs for life? K love is on the last yeAr of a deal I would need a commitment from him to a long term deal before I made this deal. Wiggins if nothing can be an elite defender in this league maybe a good system could turn him into a k Leonard type player? Bennett has looked good this summer league is a 1st overall pick and could still be a good player. Love is offensively one of the best regular season players. He is not playoff tested at all his numbers will go down in the playoffs everyone's does. And he rebounds but there's a lot to be wanted on D. Idk I wouldn't do this deal if I were the cavs they get better now but in my opinion not that much better and not better then any of the top west teams.

yeah it was being reported on espn.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11232868/cleveland-cavaliers-minnesota-timberwolves-talking-trade-involving-kevin-love-andrew-wiggins-anthony-bennett

"One source said the Cavs also are willing to give up a first-round draft pick for next season. Any other players involved in the talks are not known."

that is quite a lot and they are also reporting the wolves want more.

[Estranged Coma]

even if kobe is healthy the lakers are going to have a hard time i think, so even being a .500 team might be a stretch in the west. i think somewhere in the 30 win range sounds about right.

cleveland offering wiggins/bennett/1st round pick for love.

Damn no way has that been announced?! Honestly I'd be scared to take that deal as a cavs executive. Brons only on a 2 year deal do you take his word he is committed to the cavs for life? K love is on the last yeAr of a deal I would need a commitment from him to a long term deal before I made this deal. Wiggins if nothing can be an elite defender in this league maybe a good system could turn him into a k Leonard type player? Bennett has looked good this summer league is a 1st overall pick and could still be a good player. Love is offensively one of the best regular season players. He is not playoff tested at all his numbers will go down in the playoffs everyone's does. And he rebounds but there's a lot to be wanted on D. Idk I wouldn't do this deal if I were the cavs they get better now but in my opinion not that much better and not better then any of the top west teams.

yeah it was being reported on espn.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11232868/cleveland-cavaliers-minnesota-timberwolves-talking-trade-involving-kevin-love-andrew-wiggins-anthony-bennett

"One source said the Cavs also are willing to give up a first-round draft pick for next season. Any other players involved in the talks are not known."

that is quite a lot and they are also reporting the wolves want more.

Fuck that if they give any more they are going to have a lot less depth i wouldn't make that deal if I were Cleveland. If they do it lebron might as well be named Player/GM tomorrow

[bran]

what could golden state possibly give that beats that?

[Estranged Coma]

what could golden state possibly give that beats that?

David lee Harrison Barnes and klay Thomson beats that in my opinion. At first I heard they would include klay now I read on espn they won't. If they did that is an amazing deal. That's three starters for that Minnesota team that can really play.

[TeeJay410]

I mean, the timberwolves are playing this amazing considering they sort of have no leverage. Love is leaving the team either way, and they have a limited time before the trade deadline before they have to. They can either trade him and watch him go and get nothing in return. They should be glad to get what they get. However they are playing the Cavs and the Warriors against one another and driving up with price.

[RussTCB]

This made me laugh. Wasn't sure where to put it, so I guess this is as good a place as any:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj9Ei7FGQgg

[TeeJay410]

LeBron will wear 23, according to his Instagram.

[Forsaken]

LeBron will wear 23, according to his Instagram.

Surprising, I figured he'd go with a new number. Jersey sales for it would go through the roof.

[Crazyman]

Man, Paul George just snapped his leg in half. Awful, awful injury, please don't post it in this thread. Wish the best for him going forward.

[ronaldo9]

Watched the clip, but blocked the view of him. Other players' reactions were enough. Imagining something like Kevin Ware, with how people have described it--don't need to see that again. Here's hoping for George's recovery going forward.

[Crazyman]

Very similar to the Kevin Ware injury. Reminds me of the Joe Theismann break, for the older crowd. My mom actually broke her leg similarly like 15 years ago and they almost had to amputate it. Medical technology these days is unbelievable.

I'd say this makes the Cavs and the Bulls the two favorites in the East now, right?

[MEXzilla]

All I gotta say is wow, that looked awful. I can only hope the kid gets better.

[ronaldo9]

I'd say this makes the Cavs and the Bulls the two favorites in the East now, right?

Think I'd agree with that. Indiana losing two of their best players from last season in George and Stephenson.

[TeeJay410]

I don't know of it's too late but it would be nice to have LeBron step up, considering George is his friend. Couldn't fault him by any means for not doing it, however.

As far as ramifications in the east, hell, I think the Heat became the third best team in the conference. Assuming the Cavs get Love (which they likely will), the top four in the east looks like

1. Cavs

2. Bulls (though it's more like 1B, in case of a tie you take the team with the best player. I also am skeptical about Rose playing NBA level basketball when he hasn't played a meaningful basketball game since since the 2011 playoffs.)

3. Heat

4. Wizards (can't believe I'm typing that)

[Forsaken]

Sheeeesh. Almost as bad as watching Bogut come down on his arm a few years back.

[estrangedtwat]

I'm not even gonna watch, cause there are some things you see and then can't UN-see.

Having said that, I only have one more thing to contribute:

Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs!!!!!!!!

[TeeJay410]

Please no one post a picture. I'll look when I'm ready but I can't stomach to see it right now. Heartbreaking for the man. Fortunately he's young and should bounce back.

[Forsaken]

Please no one post a picture. I'll look when I'm ready but I can't stomach to see it right now. Heartbreaking for the man. Fortunately he's young and should bounce back.

Same was said about D Rose.

I'm hoping the best for Paul because dude was just beginning to peak, would be a shame if this was career threatening.

[Estranged Coma]

I'm not even gonna watch, cause there are some things you see and then can't UN-see.

Having said that, I only have one more thing to contribute:

Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs Cavs!!!!!!!!

I tuned into the game yesterday just in time to watch the injury when it took place. They showed a replay one time them ig once they saw it and noticed how ugly it was they didn't show it again. The scrimmage was stoped after the injury. This was my thoughts exactly when it happened "damn he's done" "damn the cavs just won the east" lol. The worst part was it was a damn scrimmage, such a fuckin shame man. And it was on a breakaway layup that Goerge did not need to contest (he's a ball player tho and it's instinct no blame on him).

O and yea if you don't like bad injuries don't watch it. I find them fascinating, I already have the pic saved, I found it on twitter lol

Edited August 3, 2014 by Estranged Coma

[magisme]

I don't mean to be an asshole, but does anyone else think this injury has been given far too much weight and attention? Sure, it's visually gruesome, but he's not the first star player to suffer an injury that will sideline him for 9-12 months. In a weird way it's almost as if people like how horrible it looked, so they want to keep talking about it.