Report: Rockets to make 'all-out push' for LeBron James

I agree. Seems like media fodder for those that don't look beyond the first glance.

He's opting out. Whether he stays or goes depends on Wade and Bosh. Riley can't do anything other than ask them to take paycuts to bring in a 4th high quality player.....he's got no picks, young players or other assets to offer.

This isn't complicated. The Heat lost, and their trajectory points down. Then need an infusion of talent, and the only way that happens is if LeBron, Wade and Bosh take significant paycuts.

 

I'd also add that it's not easy to see exactly what the Heat need.

They were beat on both ends of the court. Their lack of post defense really showed up against the Spurs, as did their lack of playmakers outside of LeBron.

Available centers/post defenders via free agency:

1) Greg monroe - They can't afford him, and he's not really a great defender anyways.

2) Marcin Gortat - Will sign for $10 million/year or more. MLE isn't an option, so they would need cap room.

3) Pau Gasol - Probably $10 million/year.

Available playmakers:

1) Melo - Would need to to take a $8 to 10 million paycut.

2) Lowry - Looking for $10-12 million/year. Will probably get $8 to $10. MLE wont be enough.

3) Bledsoe - RFA. Nope.

4) Stephenson - Haha.

 

Actually, that is wrong. Post entry is supposed to cut through; if his man immediately doubles, you are supposed to fade the cut into the strong-side corner. However, it is not a normal defensive scheme to double with the post-entry man: it breaks down the defence as bad as giving up middle if read properly. You are not supposed to crowd the post with a strong-side shooter. There is supposed to be 3 spot-ups at the top of the key, opposite wing, and opposite baseline. The last guy makes a weak-side cut in the open spot if they double.

When Dwight got the ball in the post, it was widely recognized that Harden was out of the play, not even spotted up. That is not "quitting" on the team over the course of a series, but pouting that he doesn't make the play. Also, Harden didn't really put the Rockets in a position to win... but his general performance is not really on-topic.

 

I know this is a joke but way to go Miami folk... Making fun of your greatest player will get u far jajajajaja

http://power96.com/2014/06/23/10-sources-why-lebron-james-wont-be-playing-in-miami-next-year/

 

Does this make Cleveland a more palatable place for Lebron to land?

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Yahoo Sources: Cleveland reaches agreement with Clippers' Ty Lue to become associate head coach for David Blatt. <a href="http://t.co/2NYL7YDnSv">http://t.co/2NYL7YDnSv</a></p>&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/statuses/481172448017002496">June 23, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

Cleveland could sign Red Auerbach and I'm not sure it would make any difference.

 

Dan Gilbert is still the owner
David Blatt is still the (new) head coach(reportedly killed any chances of LeBron returning)
Cavs haven't shown any signs of doing anything right since he left.
Did I mention Dan Gilbert is still the owner?

So, no.

Going back to Cleveland is all about going back "home", not winning.

So the media should stop talking out both sides of their mouth. LeBron just wants to win, is all about winning, is focused on championships and in the next sentence mention Cleveland. Stop it.

 

I'm sure they would if he wasn't dead already.

 

I don't know. A year ago the Spurs lost in the finals, their core was old, and their window of opportunity was shutting fast.

 

LeBron on the Rockets is a threepeat minimum, maybe even a fourpete.

 

I explicitly recall Harden dumping it down, Dwight getting shaded and kicking it back out to Harden for open jumpers/attacks. Harden had awful games at home, but he and Dwight carried us on the road.

Harden put us in position to win game 4 single handedly, and Dwight put us in position to win game 6 single handedly. **** ups from role players cost us the games. It's ridiculous how much hate Harden is getting on here, lol.

 

I'm harden fan but I'm just throwing a fact out there. Which is after game 3 or gAme 4 he was shooting the worst % in decades for the amount of shots he took. He played absolutely awful up to that point.

 

Yeah, FG% was awful obviously, but he was playing well in other areas, he was our only guy who could create anything offensively. I mean, did you seriously feel more comfortable with the ball in someone else's hands?

 

If Lin doesn't lose the ball twice, Harden's D isn't even a subject.

 

Oh yea it would. You can't get much worse than that. He's known around the league as a scrub defensively now.

 

Minimum 8-peat...

 

"not 3... not 4... not 5... not 6...not 7" lol

 

I was in Asia traveling so I didn't get to see as much of the games as I wanted so I can't speak to confidently in his play overall. I just hope next season he brings it.

 

I don't think you understand the definition of shading. Dwight getting shaded in the post has no affect on whether Harden would get open looks or not. Shading deals with the on-ball defender forcing the offensive ball-handler to the baseline, since it acts as an extra defender. You must be referring to when an opposing player "digs" at Dwight one pass away. Completely different scenarios. I would really really hope Harden could get open looks if his defender digs at Dwight right after the post entry, especially since he is kinda one of the best offensive players in the league.

Did Harden get open looks from Dwight? Yea, Dwight helped the whole team. Did Harden also pout on many possessions? You bet he did. Maybe I'll get some screenshots when I am more free.

Harden gets hate because he was terrible as usual on defence, and unusually bad on offence. Seriously, he did not play well in any area, except for excelling in giving the Blazers free points. Obviously, keep in mind that Harden had high standards for his offensive output, and I am not going to lower my expectations of his offence. There is enough revisionist history happening for this playoff series. This is two years in a row he has pooped his pants in the playoffs, and plays the crappiest defence in the league. Totally justified "hate", although, moreso criticism. None of us (exception maybe CH) actually "hate" Harden. Don't be ridiculous.

Um, gee, I don't know, Dwight? Who had a career high playoff PER, averaged a 27 and 13 on 67% TS (give take on these stats)? What playoff series were you watching?

 

I have heard the word shading to also describe half committing to the post on the double, I am aware that shading means to try to get the ball handler to go a certain direction. I thought Harden made great defensive plays, especially on the road. For whatever reason, he played very well in Portland and stunk it up in Houston.

I disagree that he didn't play well in any area. 27ppg on 22 shots is hardly awful, and he made very clutch plays in game 1 (putting us up two with like 10 seconds left), game 3 and game 6. I certainly didn't see him "pouting," so please post videos or pics of him doing that. What I saw was a guy that was in a shooting slump dating back to the end of the regular season and shaky confidence as a result. He was our second best player and it wasn't close.

Someone has to get the ball to Dwight dude, he doesn't bring it up the floor. Harden got the ball to Dwight in the right spots constantly. Dwight was the best player on the floor that series.