NBA Thread

[Coach]

It's also important to point out that off the court Lebron is a much, much better person than Jordan. Jordan, like Bird and others, is a total a-hole.

[bada]

I never got an asshole vibe from Bird off the court. He wants to be left alone so I supposed that's standoffish but I don't think he's anywhere near Jordan level assholishness.

[Lament]

Larry Bird's asshole tendency are pretty well documented. He's a staple on just about every "Biggest Jerk/Assholes in NBA History" list that ever pops up.

[bada]

On the court yeah but off the court he seemed to be a great guy. The way he reached out to Magic after get got HIV was all class.

[Lament]

If I remember correctly. there were a lot of stories back in the day about him basically ignoring his kid from his first marriage despite her constantly reaching out to him. It seems like people that knew him have always suggested he has a very, very dark side. But, honestly, most of these superstars do. And most of the ones who are notoriously jerks have just as many people who will vouch for them being classy or caring. Service industry people always used to praise Jordan for how well he treated them. It seemed like the deal with Jordan was always that he was a raging asshole to people in "his world" (teammates, reporters, corporate team employees) but was very aware of people who put him on a pedestal, and went out of his way to live up to their image of him (servers, caddies, valets, ball boys, arena employees).

I can't speak as much to Bird, not being a Boston guy, but I would imagine at the end of the day you get the same kind of mixed stories that you do with Jordan. That's kinda why I'm impressed with LBJ at the end of the day. You don't need to look very hard to find examples of fucked up darkness surrounding Jordan, Bird, Kobe, Shaq, Barkley, Ewing, Melo, Iverson, etc. But in a time when every little thing a guy like Lebron does ends up under the most intense of microscopes and a story of him doing something awful would have reached everyone in the country in about 25 minutes, he's remarkably clean. His biggest strike against him is "The Decision," which not only does he admit was a huge mistake, but at the end of the day also raised a lot of money for a worthy cause.

[bada]

I have to admit I didn't know about Bird and his daughter stuff. I read a little bit about that and it was a bummer.

[Monkey_Driven]

Lebron is opting out. Likely to force some roster moves, but interesting nonetheless.

[4/5]

Well, here we go. I think it's as simple as this: if Wade and Bosh opt out, LeBron is coming back. If Wade opts in, LeBron is probably gone.

[nyquillyn]

In more important news, Timmy is coming back!

[E.H. Ruddock]

I'll laugh if LeBron goes back to Cleveland.

[verb_to_trust]

Well, here we go. I think it's as simple as this: if Wade and Bosh opt out, LeBron is coming back. If Wade opts in, LeBron is probably gone.

Why would either opt out? They probably aren't getting more on the open market are they?

[bada]

The Heat's hope is all three opt out and take less so there is more money to bring guys in.

[Coach]

Let James create his own all-star team again. What we've learned in Boston in '08 and now in Miami is that the sudden creation of a "big three" may net a title or two, but it's not sustainable. I most fear the next team that duplicates the Spurs model.

[4/5]

Well, here we go. I think it's as simple as this: if Wade and Bosh opt out, LeBron is coming back. If Wade opts in, LeBron is probably gone.

Why would either opt out? They probably aren't getting more on the open market are they?

Bosh probably would. Obviously, Wade wouldn't get much at all. But that's why what Wade does is the key to all of this: the only reason he would opt out is to take less money to keep LeBron here and help the Heat bring in additional talent. I can't imagine that he would opt out without knowing that LeBron was definitely coming back. If he opts in, which is likely his best option financially, it'll make it tough for Miami to give LeBron the max and bring in anybody else.

[Lament]

Let James create his own all-star team again. What we've learned in Boston in '08 and now in Miami is that the sudden creation of a "big three" may net a title or two, but it's not sustainable. I most fear the next team that duplicates the Spurs model.

To be fair though, unless you're a fan of the Spurs, Bulls, Lakers, or Celtics, what the Heat just accomplished in the four seasons of their Big Three is more impressive than anything your team has accomplished in its entire history, so you'd probably jump at the chance for LBJ to come to town and build an all-star team. Let's not sneer at four straight finals appearances with two victories.

[Monkey_Driven]

The cap is going to go up each year (it will rise substantially sometime after the new TV deal is made). I predict Bosh and Wade will opt out and new contracts that pay they more on the back end when the cap is much higher.

[Fuck You Jobu]

Let James create his own all-star team again. What we've learned in Boston in '08 and now in Miami is that the sudden creation of a "big three" may net a title or two, but it's not sustainable. I most fear the next team that duplicates the Spurs model.

To be fair though, unless you're a fan of the Spurs, Bulls, Lakers, or Celtics, what the Heat just accomplished in the four seasons of their Big Three is more impressive than anything your team has accomplished in its entire history, so you'd probably jump at the chance for LBJ to come to town and build an all-star team. Let's not sneer at four straight finals appearances with two victories.

When you're the best player and then choose exactly where you want to go, and with whom to play with, in terms of NBA history, that's pretty weak.

[4/5]

So he should have just watched Cleveland waste his prime because of front office incompetence?

[Coach]

Let James create his own all-star team again. What we've learned in Boston in '08 and now in Miami is that the sudden creation of a "big three" may net a title or two, but it's not sustainable. I most fear the next team that duplicates the Spurs model.

To be fair though, unless you're a fan of the Spurs, Bulls, Lakers, or Celtics, what the Heat just accomplished in the four seasons of their Big Three is more impressive than anything your team has accomplished in its entire history, so you'd probably jump at the chance for LBJ to come to town and build an all-star team. Let's not sneer at four straight finals appearances with two victories.

Oh I am most certainly sneering at 2 titles in 4 years based on the expectations and what could have been (or could still be).

Remember, this was billed - by ESPN, Wade, Bosh, James, the fans - as the beginning of the greatest NBA dynasty ever.

Yes, there's much to celebrate - two titles is great - but didn't most folks expect more?

[Monkey_Driven]

Let James create his own all-star team again. What we've learned in Boston in '08 and now in Miami is that the sudden creation of a "big three" may net a title or two, but it's not sustainable. I most fear the next team that duplicates the Spurs model.

To be fair though, unless you're a fan of the Spurs, Bulls, Lakers, or Celtics, what the Heat just accomplished in the four seasons of their Big Three is more impressive than anything your team has accomplished in its entire history, so you'd probably jump at the chance for LBJ to come to town and build an all-star team. Let's not sneer at four straight finals appearances with two victories.

When you're the best player and then choose exactly where you want to go, and with whom to play with, in terms of NBA history, that's pretty weak.

Salaries, contracts, and team building strategies are quite a bit different now. I agree it might be seen as an easy way out, but as 4/5 mentioned, Cleveland was incompetent in building teams around him.