2014 Offseason Thread

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by grndmstr_c

No worries. Just take _ as _ sign that _ hanging _ your every _.

I'd like to solve the puzzle, Alex.

[tap2390]

W/T

[sefant77]

Well...really less trades/action in this draft, expected more.

Relating us: Rondo is pretty much gone in Boston, we should throw Wright/TE/pick and see what happens.

Same with the Suns and Bledsoe. They picked Ennis, looks like the rumours they are looking to S&T Bledsoe are true...

[Melonhead]

Originally Posted by sefant77

Well...really less trades/action in this draft, expected more.

Relating us: Rondo is pretty much gone in Boston, we should throw Wright/TE/pick and see what happens.

Same with the Suns and Bledsoe. They picked Ennis, looks like the rumours they are looking to S&T Bledsoe are true...

I would be ECSTATIC if either of these happened.

[yahyes]

Great. I'm thinking trading for Rondo is going to be the new beaten down idea. Just like that whole "let's trade for Asik!".

[Thomas86]

Originally Posted by Underdog

Harris/Felton
Ellis/Crowder
Deng/Carter
Nowitzki/Gasol
Chandler/Wright

I could live with that...

Birdman for back up center and Mike Miller for his 3 point shooting to fill the roster out.

[yahyes]

Originally Posted by Thomas86

Birdman for back up center and Mike Miller for his 3 point shooting to fill the roster out.

Barf. I'd rather have FO sign Jimmer than Miller at this point.

[Thomas86]

Originally Posted by yahyes

Barf. I'd rather have FO sign Jimmer than Miller at this point.

Mike Miller played in the playoffs this past season but where was Jimmer?...

[yahyes]

Originally Posted by Thomas86

Mike Miller played in the playoffs this past season but where was Jimmer?...

All I'd want for Jimmer's role:

Run around to find an open spot to shoot

Not run point

Look fresh in a Mavs uniform

Have Mavs fans chant Jimbo

Run around some more to tire out defenders


As for Miller. He's slower than slow now. I think he's going to play one more season too.

[mac222b]

Mike Miller was really good and also healthy this past season.

[mac222b]

Rondo not a great fit next to Ellis

[yahyes]

I bet Stephenson would be a better fit next to Ellis. Than Rondo that is.

[hayth.james.g]

Originally Posted by mac222b

Rondo not a great fit next to Ellis

Can you break this down for me abit more? I hadn't considered that Rondo + Ellis couldn't work before. Especially if we got a 3 and D guy at the SF spot.

[backb0ard]

As much as I hate him, Mario Chalmers can hit threes and defend.

[sefant77]

So why the Heat want to get a better PG so badly? Hmmm...

If we can get Rondo, we should take Rondo. And then figure out whats the best rotations are. RC gave Ellis the summer workout plan to improve his shot (midrange and three), so im expecting a even better shooting Ellis next season.

I also think Deng would shoot here 36% or better from downtown if he just take the wide open ones. Sure its not Calderon level but enough for the spacing issue. Opponents couldnt let him open and if they do 36% is enough to punish it.

[grndmstr_c]

Originally Posted by backb0ard

As much as I hate him, Mario Chalmers can hit threes and defend.

I've had this thought, too. He should be on the radar.

[Melonhead]

Cowherd just mentioned that people in Melo's camp didnt like the way Chandler played last year. Something about him not buying in to what the team was doing and Melo wasnt happy about it.

[grndmstr_c]

Originally Posted by Melonhead

Cowherd just mentioned that people in Melo's camp didnt like the way Chandler played last year. Something about him not buying in to what the team was doing and Melo wasnt happy about it.

A couple thoughts. First off, in the absence of more information, I'll take Chandler's side in that disagreement 100 times out of 100. Beyond that, I'm not sure if it's a pro-NY thing, or a pro-Phil thing, or a harmonic combination of the two, but the media bias in the wake of the trade has bordered on absurd at times. Tyson's apparently washed up and Felton's a cancer, Calderon's been spoken of in such a way that you'd swear he was the centerpiece of the deal, and I've heard Larkin described - I $#!t you not - as a big strong PG.

[tsar]

Originally Posted by Melonhead

Cowherd just mentioned that people in Melo's camp didnt like the way Chandler played last year. Something about him not buying in to what the team was doing and Melo wasnt happy about it.

Good. The team obviously wasn't doing something right - going from Mavs culture to Knicks culture (pre-Phil) must have been jarring for Chandler. Playing with Kidd/Dirk/Jet to Melo/Felton/JRSmith.... LOL. He probably got tired of ineptitude. Let's spend that "Melo" money on some quality pieces please.

[Melonhead]

Originally Posted by grndmstr_c

A couple thoughts. First off, in the absence of more information, I'll take Chandler's side in that disagreement 100 times out of 100. Beyond that, I'm not sure if it's a pro-NY thing, or a pro-Phil thing, or a harmonic combination of the two, but the media bias in the wake of the trade has bordered on absurd at times. Tyson's apparently washed up and Felton's a cancer, Calderon's been spoken of in such a way that you'd swear he was the centerpiece of the deal, and I've heard Larkin described - I $#!t you not - as a big strong PG.

No im totally with you. I think the comment of Cowherd is great insight into their team and I take Chandlers side 100/100. The team was garbage, and seeing how Chandler operates in the locker room, people probably didnt like it assuming the chemistry was fragile.

I was surprised especially to hear how pumped up Larkin has been multiple times. And Calderon has no doubt been talked about as the centerpiece of the deal. Crazy spin

[Melonhead]

Donnie Nelson is about to join Cowherd's radio show in a few minutes.

[Melonhead]

Originally Posted by Melonhead

Donnie Nelson is about to join Cowherd's radio show in a few minutes.

Donnie didnt say much. More of what weve read from the QB yesterday

[Jack.Kerr]

Originally Posted by Melonhead

Cowherd just mentioned that people in Melo's camp didnt like the way Chandler played last year. Something about him not buying in to what the team was doing and Melo wasnt happy about it.

Interesting.

For all the current talk about Chandler helping to "recruit" Melo to Dallas, and about how well Chandler and Melo got along, there seemed to be some weird vibes between the two, or at least their "camps".

Maybe it was just the way the New York media was spinning the story at the time, maybe it was just the stress in a losing, underachieving season, but I had the feeling that Amare felt the same way about Melo under D'Antoni--that Melo wasn't buying into what the team was doing offensively.

And that maybe things weren't all happiness and light with Chandler either. Case in point: I think it was after a late-season loss to Washington in which Carmelo had 10 points, on 5-14 shooting, with 9 turnovers, where Anthony was being interviewed by reporters and saying that he couldn't take more shots because his shoulder was killing him, and that everyone had to step up; then when Chandler was interviewed, he basically said that he hadn't heard anything about Carmelo's shoulder being injured.

Again, part of this is interpretation, but the image presented by the NY media was one in which Carmelo was trying to make excuses for a terrible performance, and kind of calling out his teammates a bit in the process, and Chandler, at least, wasn't playing along with the narrative.

If Chandler says they were tight, I'll take his word for it. But it kind of looked like players were going in their own separate directions at times. Definitely not "standing together".

[Melonhead]

If Carlisle says he can do things with Felton, I trust him. Would still like to give Livingston a spot on the roster if the money was there.

For SF, my choices after Lebron, Melo, Deng, Ariza:

PJ Tucker
Rashard Lewis(did well for the heat with 3s)
Mike Miller (3 and D guy)

Harris/Felton/Mekel(he's been working on his shot release)
Ellis/Harris/Ledo
Tucker/Carter
Dirk/Gasol
Chandler/Wright

I think thats 6 seed at worst.

[tap2390]

My pipe dream for spending our $26 million is:

$13 --> Lowry
$4 --> Tucker
$5 --> Dirk
$3 --> Harris
MIN --> Carter, Marion, and Blair


Lowry/ Harris/ Felton/ Mekel
Monta/ Carter/ Ledo
Tucker/ Marion/ Crowder
Dirk/ Blair
Chandler/ Wright/ Sarge

[tsar]

Originally Posted by tap2390

My pipe dream for spending our $26 million is:

$13 --> Lowry
$4 --> Tucker
$5 --> Dirk
$3 --> Harris
MIN --> Carter, Marion, and Blair


Lowry/ Harris/ Felton/ Mekel
Monta/ Carter/ Ledo
Tucker/ Marion/ Crowder
Dirk/ Blair
Chandler/ Wright/ Sarge

No way Dirk takes 5 in that scenario. 8 is already asking A LOT from him - maybe if we get a big fish, but 5 and 13 for Lowry. Just don't feel like that would happen.

[EricaLubarsky]

Looks like Lowry will take 9m/yr...for the Heat.

[sefant77]

Cant blame him...was pretty obvious that the Big-3 taking a paycut (or James pretty much forcing Wade/Bosh) to get another solid 10m player

[tsar]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

Looks like Lowry will take 9m/yr...for the Heat.

Source?

[oilfieldtrash]

Pretty sure Lowry is restricted.

[grndmstr_c]

Originally Posted by tsar

Source?

It's all coming from Ric Bucher, as far as I've seen.

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by tsar

Source?

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...mming-national

Source: Heat-Raptors Deal for Kyle Lowry 'Imminent'

An agreement in principle on a deal that would send point guard Kyle Lowry from the Toronto Raptors to the Miami Heat is "imminent," a league source with direct knowledge of the negotiations said Friday.

The deal, which will consist of the Raptors signing and trading Lowry in exchange for Heat point guard Norris Cole, cash and a combination of future draft picks, can't be officially consummated until sometime after July 1 because Miami is currently over the salary cap and must sort out its position with its existing core of superstars—LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

But James already has opted out of the remaining two years of his Heat contract and the team is aggressively looking to upgrade its point-guard position to persuade James to return. Miami traded up to acquire University of Connecticut point guard Shabazz Napier in Thursday night's NBA draft, but apparently aren't stopping there to show James he will not have to carry the same ball-handling and playmaking duties as he did during the team's failed attempt to snare a third consecutive championship this past season.

Regardless of how the discussions go with James, Wade and Bosh, however, "Lowry will be a member of the Heat" next season, the source said. The Heat's grand plan is to transform its Big Three into a Big Four that would include Knicks free agent Carmelo Anthony, multiple league sources have said. The addition of Lowry, though, could mean only part of the current Big Three comprises the new quartet.

Lowry, a nine-year veteran, put up career highs in points (17.9 per game), assists (7.4), rebounds (4.7) and starts (79) to help Toronto make the playoffs for the first time since 2008 with a franchise-record 48 wins. The exact terms of his deal are being worked out, but its value will be $9-$10 million a year for at least three years. He made roughly $6.2 million this past season.

Ongoing concerns within the Raptors organization that Lowry's notable improvement was inspired by his pending free agency and mutual interest between Lowry and the Heat prompted the three parties—Toronto, Miami and Lowry—to work toward a mutually beneficial agreement.

“I'm happy with making the playoffs and doing that, but the end game for all players should be a championship and that's what I want to play for," Lowry told Basketball Insiders this week. "I want to play for a championship.”

Coming to terms on a deal as early as possible allows both teams to know exactly where they stand and act quickly when free agency begins.

Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri knows all too well the perils of going into the summer uncertain about a superstar with an expiring contract. He served as an assistant GM when Chris Bosh bolted Toronto to join James and Wade in Miami in 2010. Shortly thereafter he was hired away by the Denver Nuggets as their VP of basketball operations and presided over dealing presumptive free agent Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks less than a year later.

Bosh now is expected to follow James into free agency by opting out of the remaining two years of his Heat contract, the source said, and the Raptors intend to meet with him to gauge his interest in returning to Toronto.

The attraction for Bosh to Toronto would be a more significant role and a longer-term deal with the Raptors. Were he to stay in Miami and the pursuit of Anthony prove successful, Bosh would be looking at a significant pay cut and remaining the third option, if not possibly sliding to the fourth, offensively. Bosh has repeatedly stated that he'd like to stay in Miami, but rival GMs and executives have indicated that if the Heat's current Big Three were broken up, they have believed that Bosh would be the one to leave.

Ric Bucher covers the NBA for Bleacher Report.

[Melonhead]

Am seeing that nowhere on the intrawebs about Lowry.

Bleacher report thinks a deal is done on July 1, but not going with that



EDIT Article is funny especially because Melo doesnt even have MIA listed as a team he's visiting,
but also because I see Lowry getting more than 9-10 on the market(he could still go).

[Underdog]

Free agency doesn't start until July 1st... Either somebody is reporting their spitballing as "news" or there's some major tampering going on here that the league should investigate ASAP.

[grndmstr_c]

For a good time, see Ric Bucher's twitter account.

[Melonhead]

Originally Posted by grndmstr_c

For a good time, see Ric Bucher's twitter account.

HAHAHAHAHA was just coming to post this. Wow he got pwned

Not to mention hes been way off multiple times. Bosh/Lebron to Bulls 3 years ago.

Also ripped Woj when he reported Dwight to LA.

[yahyes]

Bucher is a toolbox. As for waiting on Melo's decision. It wouldn't hurt because Parsons will be still be there. He is my 2nd choice at SF. Plus you might even have Cleveland be waiting on Lebron's decision. Which still leaves the possibility Deng won't be signed yet.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Originally Posted by grndmstr_c

For a good time, see Ric Bucher's twitter account.

Bosh returning to Toronto is the part that seemed just a bit far fetched.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by grndmstr_c

For a good time, see Ric Bucher's twitter account.

Wow, looking kinda sad...

[EricaLubarsky]

Feel kinda bad for him