As much as I'm proud of my city Houston can't compare to Madrid or Barcelona. The food isn't as good, the weather, the women. BCN and MAD had a 500 year head start. Pay Gasol didn't want to come here. I do think Llull is all about winning though so that should be our biggest draw.
Ugh. Thanks for the correction Bima. Not what I wanted to hear. In that case McDaniels is probably gone, though it does create a different dynamic to free agency. Is Llull minus McDaniels but with our NOP 1st better than no Llull or NOP 1st but with someone like Lawson and McDaniels? Our one trump card might be promising KJ significant time. If we let Brewer walk, we can offer McDaniels the majority of our backup wing minutes. Maybe he takes that with the potential to score big in 2016 free agency.
Why i find it perplexing is firstly why would the 76ers trade such a big upside second round gem when they were the only team guaranteed to be able to match any offer ( even if he wasnt a one year vet). Secondly why would the Rockets trade for his bird rights when in my opinion its the worst summer to have rfa when you have limited cap. Before the cap rise kicks in. You are setting up yourself as a target from teams with cap space to try and steal your free agents by giving big offersheets and at the least foiling your plans even if you match at the mle( huge overprice). Even if Ariza and Brewer were to get traded/leave the mle or part of it can be put to much better use because anyone who has seen him play knows he is not ready to step in and fill Arizas shoes especially in a team that wants to call itself a contender. It would make more sense as a move from a rebuilding team with capspace not the Rockets. Now the options have cost real assets sadly.
If he is all about winning he will stay where he is. Unless you mean winning millions. Much easier to win the euroleague the spanish championship and cup than the nba. Real faces teams that have 1/10 the budget it has. and yes the euroleague the spanish championship and the spanish cup are significant titles that make him a hero to his city much more than an nba title in a far away country that means nothing to the spaniards would. Especially if these titles come against playing in the finals againdt Barcelona.
You know, with all the cap room Philly has, I would not be surprised if they offered McDaniels a 3 year $9 million contract. When the cap jumps next year, they might have 10 players committed for a total of $25 million. Also calling it now.....Anthony Davis will be a 76er in 2019.
Should cities really be compared, when you're talking about leagues? If Llull was already an established player in the NBA, and was deciding on LA vs Milwaukee, then there'd be an argument there.
He's won all the titles though. The only thing left is a World Cup and Olympic Gold medal. The Basquet rivalry between BCN and MAD is no where near Football levels and Madrid fans don't even think he's the 2nd best player on the team. The fans love Nocioni more than him. His city isn't even on the mainland!
Its not at football levels but its the same club. A win versus your archrival and hated nemesis counts the same bragging rights. And its the second sport its not like noone watches. the taste of wins can be strange thing. For some it means the job is done now i can leave. For others it is so sweet that they want to repeat it the most and relive the glory and admiration from the fans. And where better to repeat it? In the spanish league that is a free way to the finals or the nba where the playoffs are a deathmatch in the west?
Lulz is the Tmac of Spain. Why would he give it up for unstable minutes and no instant respect if the NBA isn't his final dream destination?
If he were all about winning, he'd want to come to the greatest league in the world and win there. What you are describing sounds more like being the big man on campus than being a winner.
Not really. If you want to win you can stay where there is better chance to win. Its not like the spanish league is the lithuanian league and Real is Zalgiris.The Nba is an ocean away and for the madrilenos a Euroleague means the world and the players are heroes while the NBA is just something only the basketball fanatics stay up to watch. The acb is a very prestigious league on their own right and the euroleague even more so. Do you think only an nba title means winning in basketball?
The NBA is the best league in the world. There is not legitimate question about that. If you are all about winning and being the best, you would play in that league. If you like the winning to be easier, and being a hometown or country hero, then you can do that, too.
Noone doubts that the NBA is the best league in the world. So what? I dont understand the next step in logic. If you are all about winning you should move to a foreign country play in a league where even contenders lose in the first round and very few care much about from your compatriots? the world does not revolve around the nba even if its the best league in the world. Funny thing he could win a nba title and he wouldnt be a country hero whereas a euroleague versus barca? Everyone will chant his name. Madrid and spain compared to the usa are midgets in a map but that doesnt mean they live to follow america. Winner has a meaning in Europe too. A very powerful tempting meaning.
Could someone, anyone, please define that for me. If Cavs win it all and Love leaves does that define him as 'not all about winning'? If D-Wade stays in Heatville does that mean he is, or is not, 'all about winning'? We, none of us, know not what thoughts are in Llull's mind. Or how he defines, 'all about winning'. I mean, building a winner, or efforting to, elsewhere after already winning 'at home', is not 'all about winning'???
If you define winning as going out and beating the best, then that happens in the NBA. You apparently define winning as finding an intermediate level where you are more likely to succeed and gain more fame and adulation.
Another benefit to signing Llull at or near the MLE.......it gives you the flexibility to bring back Bev and/or Brewer. If you trade for Lowry or Lawson, committing money to Bev or Brewer beyond next year may prevent you from opening up max cap space in 2016. So assuming the following Llull - 4 years $20 million Beverley - 3 years $18 million Brewer - 1 year $8 million Terry - 1 year $1.5 million Sign 1st round pick Sign 2nd round pick Llull / Beverley / Johnson Harden / Terry / McDaniels Ariza / Brewer DMo / Smith / TJones Howard / Capela That's starting to look like a really good team, especially if you can upgrade from Terry using Papa, Prigoni and the picks.
Yeah, I think this is a likely outcome. And if you can move TJones+Kpap/Prigs non guarantted contracts for a Vet PF as insurance that would be great. A Brandon Bass / JJ Hickson type. I haven't closed the door on being able to get Llull AND KJ with the MLE. I know it is easy to say that KJ will be priced out, but we'll see.
Rockets have early-bird rights on Brew and can start him at 8M without touching the MLE. Rockets can offer 120% raise for Smith ~ 2.5M per (plus he gets 5M from Detroit). But if Smith wants MORE than the 2.5M, the Rockets would have to dip into the MLE to do it. So the hope is, Smith is content with his 2.5+5 salary.
