[TheSlayer]

(03-26-2013 07:40 PM)PrimeTime32 Wrote:  

@Playboy the Thunder gave up Harden due to salary cap reasons. Basically Thunder ownership didn't want to pay him due to luxury taxes. The penalties are harsher than previous years after the new CBA especially for repeat offenders (probably would have to give him a new contract) due to the repeat offender tax, its not dollar for dollar anymore. I believe the ratio is 2.5 to 1. The Lakers will incur this tax next year but they can afford it due to their multi-billion dollar Time Warner deal

Yeah, but they could have kept him this season and then dealt with his contract in the off-season. This year he was still on his rookie contract and the tax implications would have been a problem the next season. Just imagine having the second best player and then two top 15 players. If they still had Harden, Miami wouldn't be the overwhelming favourite against them this year.

[Screwston]

I don't know why someone would be a huge Lakers fan if they are not even from California.

[TheSlayer]

(03-26-2013 07:50 PM)houston Wrote:  

I don't know why someone would be a huge Lakers fan if they are not even from California.

The NBA is a star-oriented league (more than any other league in North America). Most people aren't Lakers or Heat or OKC or Chicago fans. They are Kobe or LeBron or KD or DRose fans. Granted people that live in these respective cities will be fans but NBA has done a good job of marketing its stars so people will be fans of the player more than the actual team. If Kobe or LeBron started playing in Toronto, all of a sudden the Raptors would be one of the most-followed teams in the league.

[InternationPlayboy]

(03-26-2013 07:50 PM)houston Wrote:  

I don't know why someone would be a huge Lakers fan if they are not even from California.

I was born in Southern California (moved when I was 7) and all my family on my dads side lives there. I spent at least a month in California every year until I was 18. I grew up in Las Vegas and we don't have any professional teams. I would say most peoples NBA team in Vegas are the Lakers. Probably because a) A large amount of vegas population is originally from Cali. b) It's the closest city with a team. c) They play a couple pre season games each year in Vegas. I've been a fan since I've been watching basketball.

[PrimeTime32]

@TheSlayer the Rockets offered Kevin Martin and other players. Conventional wisdom states that if you can get pieces for an impact player you take that deal. If Harden is a free agent and he decides to leave and you get nothing in return then your team is SCREWED. I guarantee Harden aint playing with that rookie contract if he killed it with the Thunder this season.

[Chewbacon]

(03-26-2013 07:50 PM)houston Wrote:  

I don't know why someone would be a huge Lakers fan if they are not even from California.

Because being a fan of something for solely parochial reasons is philistine behavior. Love the game for the players and the competition, regardless of geography.

[TheSlayer]

(03-26-2013 07:56 PM)PrimeTime32 Wrote:  

@TheSlayer the Rockets offered Kevin Martin and other players. Conventional wisdom states that if you can get pieces for an impact player you take that deal. If Harden is a free agent and he decides to leave and you get nothing in return then your team is SCREWED. I guarantee Harden aint playing with that rookie contract if he killed it with the Thunder this season.

Oh yeah, Harden would have definitely been hard to keep for OKC after this season if he did not agree to a contract extension or OKC would have had to match the qualifying offer. The point was that OKC had a shot this year to actually win it all. Even if that meant letting Harden go for nothing, then so be it.

There was a Bill Simmons column (too lazy to find it) which made the argument that it's incredibly hard to win in the NBA and only a handful of teams have won in the last 20 years. If you have a legitimate shot to win it all this year (which OKC did with Harden) you go for it and worry about the tax later. I agree with that. With Harden, OKC would have a real shot at beating Miami.

They did get pieces but Harden is a top 15 player and will probably be a top 10 player next season or the season after that. The pieces that they did get though are not playoff tested and the reason that Harden is important is because he was arguably the best playmaker on that team (especially in the crunch).

[InternationPlayboy]

(03-26-2013 07:56 PM)PrimeTime32 Wrote:  

@TheSlayer the Rockets offered Kevin Martin and other players. Conventional wisdom states that if you can get pieces for an impact player you take that deal. If Harden is a free agent and he decides to leave and you get nothing in return then your team is SCREWED. I guarantee Harden aint playing with that rookie contract if he killed it with the Thunder this season.

I think Harden would have stayed though. Wasn't he pissed when he got traded?

[gamepadawan]

(03-26-2013 07:44 PM)TheSlayer Wrote:  

(03-26-2013 07:40 PM)PrimeTime32 Wrote:  

@Playboy the Thunder gave up Harden due to salary cap reasons. Basically Thunder ownership didn't want to pay him due to luxury taxes. The penalties are harsher than previous years after the new CBA especially for repeat offenders (probably would have to give him a new contract) due to the repeat offender tax, its not dollar for dollar anymore. I believe the ratio is 2.5 to 1. The Lakers will incur this tax next year but they can afford it due to their multi-billion dollar Time Warner deal

Yeah, but they could have kept him this season and then dealt with his contract in the off-season. This year he was still on his rookie contract and the tax implications would have been a problem the next season. Just imagine having the second best player and then two top 15 players. If they still had Harden, Miami wouldn't be the overwhelming favourite against them this year.

No the still would be. If OKC wants to be better they need to move Russ to the 2 and try and get a good pg. Russ can put up numbers but he makes a lot of stupid plays and there is no reason he should be throwing up more shots then Durant, it's absurd. Durant is the most efficient scored in the league. Anyways it doesn't matter because I don't see OKC beating a healthy nuggets team. I'm picking them if they don't meet up with SA early.

[PrimeTime32]

Yea I know the fan in us says go for the ship but you have to remember Durant and Westbrook and Ibaka are all under 25 years old and they are thinking long term in terms of building a team around those guys without spending a fortune
[/quote]

[the Dagda]

I'm a big Dallas fan. I'd like to see Dirk win another one before he retires but it won't be this year. I doubt they make the playoffs.

Honestly it's almost impossible to pick against the Heat. I can see them making it through the East with three 4 or 5 game series. OKC is not as good without Harden. The Spurs have a shot with Popovich (best coach in the league imo). It would be interesting if one of the West's 3-5 seeds made it to the Finals.

[Screwston]

(03-26-2013 08:00 PM)SHANbangs Wrote:  

(03-26-2013 07:50 PM)houston Wrote:  

I don't know why someone would be a huge Lakers fan if they are not even from California.

Because being a fan of something for solely parochial reasons is philistine behavior. Love the game for the players and the competition, regardless of geography.

What city are you from?

[InternationPlayboy]

I think OKCs problem is Durant is too beta. He's afraid to take the alpha role and Westbrook takes it, but just can't come through when it really counts. Westbrook is either on or off. KD needs to step up his role on the team.

[Chewbacon]

(03-26-2013 08:21 PM)houston Wrote:  

(03-26-2013 08:00 PM)SHANbangs Wrote:  

(03-26-2013 07:50 PM)houston Wrote:  

I don't know why someone would be a huge Lakers fan if they are not even from California.

Because being a fan of something for solely parochial reasons is philistine behavior. Love the game for the players and the competition, regardless of geography.

What city are you from?

Toronto, but I've lived all across North America.

[philly22]

Miami over OKC in a repeat of last years finals

[Therapsid]

(03-26-2013 09:46 PM)philly22 Wrote:  

Miami over OKC in a repeat of last years finals

So far this Miami/OKC isn't one of the NBA's great rivalries. Not even close. Lebron's too dominant a player to make it close.

It's early for KD, since he's still young and just beginning his prime. But hell, the Knicks/Heat rivalry of the 90's was more interesting. Anyway rivalries in general aren't as heated now because star players share agents and play together in international competition.

[Freddy_1]

King, Duck, Billy, Sidney and myself as a starting 5 would challenge all these NBA chumps!

[InternationPlayboy]

(03-26-2013 10:19 PM)Freddy_1 Wrote:  

King, Duck, Billy, Sidney and myself as a starting 5 would challenge all these NBA chumps!

[gamepadawan]

(03-26-2013 08:23 PM)InternationPlayboy Wrote:  

I think OKCs problem is Durant is too beta. He's afraid to take the alpha role and Westbrook takes it, but just can't come through when it really counts. Westbrook is either on or off. KD needs to step up his role on the team.

Westbrook is the pg meaning he has to get his feeds from Russ.

[TheRookie]

I'm a Nuggets fan and feel they are a real dark horse right now.

They can take the Clips or Thunder in a seven game series.

Not sure if they can beat the Spurs or Heat though.

[Joga Bonito]

(03-26-2013 11:12 PM)TheRookie Wrote:  

I'm a Nuggets fan and feel they are a real dark horse right now.

They can take the Clips or Thunder in a seven game series.

Not sure if they can beat the Spurs or Heat though.

I like the Nuggets but as poorly as they shoot it from three combined with their terrible free throw shooting, has me thinking that they are poised for an early exit. I really expected Gallo to be a star and it hasn't really materialized. Ty Lawson is a monster though and if they can keep the tempo up(which they probably won't in the playoffs) they can make a nice run. But the fact that they will most likely play half court ball for the better part of the playoffs has me bullish on the Nuggets for the aforementioned reasons.

[kosko]

(03-26-2013 04:08 PM)InternationPlayboy Wrote:  

Kobe was looking 23 years old again with this dunk last night..

The NBA is so sloppy with calls at times, Kobe took a few extra steps there no doubt lol.

[Giovonny]

(03-26-2013 11:27 PM)kosko Wrote:  

The NBA is so sloppy with calls at times, Kobe took a few extra steps there no doubt lol.

I'm a referee. That was not a travel. It's really not even close to being a travel.

No offense, just sayin..

[kosko]

(03-26-2013 11:50 PM)Giovonny Wrote:  

(03-26-2013 11:27 PM)kosko Wrote:  

The NBA is so sloppy with calls at times, Kobe took a few extra steps there no doubt lol.

I'm a referee. That was not a travel. It's really not even close to being a travel.

No offense, just sayin..

I'll take your word for it then.

[Mentavious]

I use to be a Lebron hater but now that he won a ring and is finally dominating it takes to much energy to hate on him.

This is def Lebrons peak. No way he can keep the pounding of the inside/driving game up. He's got a few more years of this type of play but sooner or later he will have to lose some weight.

That goes for Dwight. He has a few more years of top play. Injuries always catch up to these guys....especially te bigger players.

I like the Heat to win it all.