NBA Thread

[verb_to_trust]

Because nobody wants to pay 16 mil a year for Rudy Gay? Hed be a great third option on a team if he would embrace that role though. A lot of things I wouldnt like about having an 'alpha dog' mindset gay on my team however...

[Monkey_Driven]

Because nobody wants to pay 16 mil a year for Rudy Gay? Hed be a great third option on a team if he would embrace that role though. A lot of things I wouldnt like about having an 'alpha dog' mindset gay on my team however...

I was being facetious. The Kings are a wreck. Ha

[verb_to_trust]

I wonder what Electromatic thinks about the new Hawks unis. Better than the Clips new ones I guess.

[Monkey_Driven]

I wonder what Electromatic thinks about the new Hawks unis. Better than the Clips new ones I guess.

Certainly not by much. The neon is terrible. Sixers got it right though.

[verb_to_trust]

Karl Anthony Towns sorta looks like Sinbad.

[Monkey_Driven]

Karl Anthony Towns sorta looks like Sinbad.

I really hope the Wolves draft him. Wiggins, Towns, Rubio, Lavine, and possibly Shabazz could be a fun core.

[Coach]

Pierce, Love to Celtics and more? I doubt it. I don't think that combo of players is enough to win a title either. But I like all of the C's rumors....means Danny is up to something.

http://www.csnne.com/boston-celtics/rep ... aul-pierce

BOSTON – If Kevin Love decides to test the free agent waters next month, you can bet the Celtics will be among those looking to woo him.

But the Celtics know they will need to add more than Love to the mix going forward.

Apparently that’s among the many options the Celtics are considering, according to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.
He reported via Twitter on Wednesday that if Loves decides to not opt-in to the final year of his deal with Cleveland (as was reported by ESPN's Marc Stein) and begins visiting teams as a free agent next month, Boston will try and sell him on the idea of playing with “Robin Lopez and … Paul Pierce.”


Yes, a return of the Truth to Boston would certainly be more attractive to Love. Still, as challenging as signing Love would be, bringing Pierce back to Boston will just as difficult.

Pierce is expected to not opt-in to the final year of his contract with the Washington Wizards and thus become a free agent July 1.

A handful of teams are gearing up for a shot at signing Pierce, with the Los Angeles Clippers – coached by former Celtics coach Doc Rivers – at the front of the line.

Adding Pierce would not only be a homecoming for the Inglewood, Calif. native, but also reunite him with Rivers and fill a major void on the Clippers roster in terms of talent, leadership and veteran moxie, which as we saw with Pierce in Washington this past season, was a huge factor in the playoffs.

While Lopez' twin brother Brook Lopez has garnered much attention for his play, Robin has quietly gone about establishing himself as one of the NBA's better defensive big men.

He averaged 9.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots per game last season. And good things tend to happen when he's on the floor, evident by his plus/minus per 100 possessions the last two seasons being plus 6.1 and plus 5.6, respectively.

As for Love, the idea of him walking away from the Cavs isn’t that big a stretch.

The Big Three of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Love never quite took off the way many anticipated it would during the regular season.

And a shoulder injury after getting tangled up with Boston’s Kelly Olynyk in the first round of the playoffs ended Love’s postseason run after just four games.

Irving’s postseason was shortened after he was injured in the NBA Finals.

Cleveland’s ability to advance as far as they did without Irving and Love was not just a testament to James’ talent, but it also provided a forum for Tristan Thompson to emerge as a major factor at the power forward position.

His rebounding, especially on the offensive glass, was vital to Cleveland’s success and may force the Cavs to pay more for him this summer (he’ll be a restricted free agent) than they anticipated.

In the NBA Finals, Thompson averaged 10 points and 13 rebounds.

Because of Thompson’s postseason success, Cleveland may not be all that pressed or concerned about keeping Love in the fold going forward.

Of course, everything comes back to what Love wants to do – stay in Cleveland or look around and see what else is out there via free agency.

If he decides to test free agency, the Celtics will be among the more aggressive suitors for his talent.

And with that we’ll have the Summer of Love 2.0.

Let's hope for the Celtics. this summertime drama has a happier ending.

[verb_to_trust]

Olynyk is probably asking his agent if hes on the move as we speak..

[Monkey_Driven]

The Steve Kerr Lowe Post podcast is great. Two of my favorites.

[Joesanity]

I like Tristan Thompson, but I like him more coming off the bench.

If Love leaves it'll be a disaster, particularly because it means the Cavs only got one meh regular season out of him and gave up Wiggins for it.

[verb_to_trust]

What about Anthony Bennett? Chopped liver?

[Monkey_Driven]

I love this time of year. Rumors, speculation, and controversial trades/signings/drafting abound!

[E.H. Ruddock]

If Love leaves it'll be a disaster, particularly because it means the Cavs only got one meh regular season out of him and gave up Wiggins for it.

This is the biggest damage if Love leaves. Not so much that they won't get by without him, but what they gave up to get a player for one year. A number one pick for that. They better resign him.

[Joesanity]

What about Anthony Bennett? Chopped liver?

Let's be nice now.

There's a lot to like about chopped liver.

[Monkey_Driven]

The Batum and Henderson/Vonleh trade is intriguing to me. I can't recall seeing Vonleh getting any playing time last year.

[verb_to_trust]

I dont really watch college basketball. Is sinbad towns the real deal or are they just hoping when you draft big guys from kentucky you get anthony davis?

[Monkey_Driven]

I dont really watch college basketball. Is sinbad towns the real deal or are they just hoping when you draft big guys from kentucky you get anthony davis?

I think Towns has the potential to be a really great player. He does a lot of things really well and has a good jump shot.

[4/5]

If Love leaves it'll be a disaster, particularly because it means the Cavs only got one meh regular season out of him and gave up Wiggins for it.

This is the biggest damage if Love leaves. Not so much that they won't get by without him, but what they gave up to get a player for one year. A number one pick for that. They better resign him.

That definitely has the potential to go down as an all-time bad trade if Love doesn't at least opt-in and help them win one title.
LeBron the player >>>>> GM LeBron

FWIW, at this point that trade is a sunk cost and I think the Cavs would be better off freeing up that money and getting a court-spreading wing or two at a fraction of the cost. GM LeBron should be well aware after the last two Finals trips that DEPTH MATTERS. He doesn't need a "Big Three" to win. Kyrie and LeBron are enough star power, now fill out the roster with guys who can hit threes, play defense, and rebound. It's absurd to pay Love $20m plus to stand behind the three point line.

(This isn't an attack on Love, I just think the Cavs could use their resources in a much better way than paying him tons of money to do a job that guys do for less than half the price. So, if they do bring him back they need him to be more than just a spot shooter.)

[Electromatic]

If Love leaves it'll be a disaster, particularly because it means the Cavs only got one meh regular season out of him and gave up Wiggins for it.

This is the biggest damage if Love leaves. Not so much that they won't get by without him, but what they gave up to get a player for one year. A number one pick for that. They better resign him.

That definitely has the potential to go down as an all-time bad trade if Love doesn't at least opt-in and help them win one title.
LeBron the player >>>>> GM LeBron

FWIW, at this point that trade is a sunk cost and I think the Cavs would be better off freeing up that money and getting a court-spreading wing or two at a fraction of the cost. GM LeBron should be well aware after the last two Finals trips that DEPTH MATTERS. He doesn't need a "Big Three" to win. Kyrie and LeBron are enough star power, now fill out the roster with guys who can hit threes, play defense, and rebound. It's absurd to pay Love $20m plus to stand behind the three point line.

(This isn't an attack on Love, I just think the Cavs could use their resources in a much better way than paying him tons of money to do a job that guys do for less than half the price. So, if they do bring him back they need him to be more than just a spot shooter.)

Sounds like they could use Playoff Demarre Carrol.

[Joesanity]

If Love leaves it'll be a disaster, particularly because it means the Cavs only got one meh regular season out of him and gave up Wiggins for it.

This is the biggest damage if Love leaves. Not so much that they won't get by without him, but what they gave up to get a player for one year. A number one pick for that. They better resign him.

That definitely has the potential to go down as an all-time bad trade if Love doesn't at least opt-in and help them win one title.
LeBron the player >>>>> GM LeBron

FWIW, at this point that trade is a sunk cost and I think the Cavs would be better off freeing up that money and getting a court-spreading wing or two at a fraction of the cost. GM LeBron should be well aware after the last two Finals trips that DEPTH MATTERS. He doesn't need a "Big Three" to win. Kyrie and LeBron are enough star power, now fill out the roster with guys who can hit threes, play defense, and rebound. It's absurd to pay Love $20m plus to stand behind the three point line.

(This isn't an attack on Love, I just think the Cavs could use their resources in a much better way than paying him tons of money to do a job that guys do for less than half the price. So, if they do bring him back they need him to be more than just a spot shooter.)

I feel like they were figuring some things out in that Boston series. He looked really good and comfortable in the offense.