So now, after the new CBA is voted on, is when the media starts pointing this out. Wonderful. I honestly believe the NBA is on the brink of ruin. I don't care what the ratings were. The league needs asses in the seats. What possible reason is there for small market fans to buy season tickets? To watch their newly drafted star player develop, to grow into an elite player, and then watch them bolt for LA or NY? That doesn't sound very enticing to me. Players (and owners to a lesser degree) are killing the golden goose.
This is from the ESPN article regarding Dwight and NJ: 'In light of the league's refusal to allow Chris Paul to dictate a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, one has to wonder if it will sit idly by and let Howard facilitate a move to the Nets. Howard's decision to go to the Nets would put a monkey wrench in the Los Angeles Lakers' plan to team Howard with Kobe Bryant by trading Andrew Bynum for the Magic center.' I just don't see how Howard turns down a move to the Lakers if they approach him. Especially if they have just gotten CP3.
The more I think about the deal, the more I like it, especially if we get Nene and bring back Hayes. That's often the case with DM's deals. We become an inside out team, with some Lowry PnR mixed in. Lee and Budinger on the perimeter help spread the floor for post ups and PnR. Morris comes in for instant O, Hayes for difficult post matchups, Pat Pat for awesome post depth, Flynn can come in and run PnR... Just need to add depth to the wings, which I'm sure Morey already has a plan for.
Even without Nene, the Rockets have many pieces to use to get a wing scorer, which is arguably more important that getting a player like djordan/nene/m.gasol to compliment P. Gasol. Lakers, do not. The chances of us landing another player or two that could make an instant impact was far greater than the depleted Lakers' roster. After those big three, who is their best player? Steve Blake (who can't play WITH them)? Metta World Peace?
I'm sorry but this doesn't make sense. Do you think Howard is greater than Pau and Nene on the court together? In total production and minutes played? Nene and Gasol would be like Yao and T-mac in its heyday in terms of points scored. That combo would would lead all combos in rebounding.
Didn't Mike Brown say he was not going to run the triangle? He seems to do well with handling superstars. He took Lebron to the finals with crap around him. I think Paul and Kobe will respond well to Brown.
Gasol has NEVER averaged 20/10. He hasn't averaged 20 since 2006/7. He's 18/10 last season. And he's on the wrong side of 30...I don't think you can expect him to IMPROVE at this point.
Then we draft Austin Rivers for the 2. Martin couldn't score in the 4th quarter anyways, I dont know why people are so upset about this guy leaving. And now the NBA is going to cut down on offensive players trying to draw fouls. SMH.
What would happen with Okafor? Finally, is he included on the operation or not? Big difference for Lakers.
Are there even any perimeter scoring guys available? It's easy to say they'd have the pieces to go get one. Like who?
Yes, but we were a top-scoring team last year and a big part of that is our offense, which unlike a triangle offense, doesn't require star power. Just players who can fill in at different positions. Lowry, Twill, Ppatt, M. Morris, C. Lee all can do that. Our offense would not suffer as much as most teams when they lose their leading scorer. Although, I do think having a wing-scorer would take precedence over Nene, considering how important that is to the game now.
soshnick soshnick Stern: ``I don't want to speak on the basketball side, but that particular one was weighed against Chris Paul's continued presence in NO.'' 13 minutes ago Retweeted by KevinDing As for other trades, Stern says ``I'll leave that to the team as the discussion goes on.'' 14 minutes ago Retweeted by KevinDing soshnick soshnick `The decision was taken that Chris Paul in New Orleans was more valuable than the trade that was being discussed,David Stern tells Bloomberg
The Lakers did it with Shaq and Kobe (and Gasol for that matter). Traded Divac for Kobe, signed Shaq as a free-agent. Later traded Kwame Brown for Gasol.
While I agree that we should be trying to get a better wing than a Nene, I can't agree that we have better assets than the Lakers. Bynum is a bigger, sexier name than anyone on our roster. And if the rumors are true (and when it comes to the Lakers, unfortunately, they usually are) then Bynum + exception + picks can possibly net them Howard. And if that happens, it doesnt matter what wing we get, we're not beating that team.
And he followed that up with a brilliant 13 ppg on 42% shooting and 8 rpg in the playoffs while getting humiliated by Dirk.
Stern and Hunter are talking, and it doesn't seem like they're going to change their mind. https://twitter.com/#!/soshnick With that, I won't waste anymore time arguing over this, as it seems pointless. I'll still be around in the Texans and Astros forums, but my days as an NBA fan are officially over until Stern is gone. Bye, GARM.
We dont need him to improve. We need him to rebound, protect the paint as best he can and provide size. Those are all things that Scola had trouble doing. Remember 09 playoffs? Watching Gasol and Bynum pick rebound after rebound over opposing teams? Match him with a legitimate center and we have the best front court since Hakeem and Thorpe.
