NBA Roundtable Discussion

[Cheech Tremendous]

By the way, happy birthday Ripper!

 

As for the Nets, I think they'll be exactly what they were last year... a 40-45 win team that looks great when they are on and totally disapointing when they aren't. Mikki Moore was nothing more than a role player who put together a couple of nice months. Losing him won't mean much. Getting Krstic back will help, but I think his presence on the team was overstated because they underachieved after his injury. They should have just pulled the trigger on the O'Neil trade.

 

I see them being in the playoffs, somewhere between 6th and 8th.

[Guest]

The Nets will be ok. A team that makes you wonder why they haven't blown it up, because they can't go much further than how they've progressed with this group.

[Ripper]

Kristic is Mikki Moore except he can't finish at the rim as well. Kristic as a little better jump shooter, though in consistant.

 

They should have traded Richard Jefferson for Z-bo out of portland. If all it took was Channing Frye and Steve Francis to make the deal work, the Blazers would have taken the far more talented Jefferson.

 

Or see if the lakers would bite on Jefferson, Carter, draft picks for Kobe.

 

Basically I am saying, the Nets need to do something to be a contender because they haven't done a freakin thing.

 

 

[Cheech Tremendous]

The Nets seem to be going through the same issues that the Sacramento Kings have in recent years. They got so close to to a title, but then the window closed and no one in the organization realizes it or wants to admit it. They start making nothing moves in hopes that the core group can spark that one last run. Meanwhile they should be starting the rebuilding process and cashing in on their tradeable assets before they lose all value.

[Ripper]

You can't say that because the Kings blew the team up.

 

They traded Webber, Peja, pretty much begged Vlade to retire, made no attempt to extend bobby jackson, traded Doug Christie, and Scott Pollard.

 

Basically the only guy from that Western Conference finals team is Mike Bibby and thats just because no one will touch that contract.

 

You can question the moves they made in the blow up, but you can't say they didn't dismantle.

[bobobrazil1984]

The Nets will do NOTHING next year. I've never ever even felt the slightest bit of fear that these Nets (ie - since Vince Carter joined the team) would get close to coming out of the East. ive thought since day one that the much ballyhooed 3 stars (Kidd/Carter/RJ) was overrated and too front-heavy. Kidd, RJ, and K-Mart had balance out-middle-in. Plus as great as Carter is, imo he doesn't have the right mindset in the playoffs.

 

45 wins a semifinal exit. Maybe even a 1st round exit depending on the matchup they draw.

[milliondollarchamp]

From Gilbert Arenas' blog:

 

 

There are these things called shark attacks, but there is no such thing as a shark attack. I have never seen a real shark attack. I know you’re making a weird face as you’re reading this. OK people, a shark attack is not what we see on TV and what people portray it as.

 

We’re humans. We live on land.

 

Sharks live in water.

 

So if you’re swimming in the water and a shark bites you, that’s called trespassing. That is called trespassing. That is not a shark attack. A shark attack is if you’re chilling at home, sitting on your couch, and a shark comes in and bites you; now that’s a shark attack. Now, if you’re chilling in the water, that is called invasion of space. So I have never heard of a shark attack.

 

When I see on the news where it’s like, “There have been 10 shark attacks,” I’m like, “Hey, for real?! They’re just running around? Sharks are walking now, huh! We live on the land, we don’t live underwater.”

 

I think I have a mancrush on Agent Zero.

[MFer]

I love how everyone is burying the Pistons. Yeah they'll probably fall off a little but I have a hard time believing that they're gonna be around a #6 seed. Aside from those couple games against LeBron, they still played very good defense throughout the season. The core of 'Sheed, Chauncey, Rip, and Prince is still very talented and they aren't that old plus the East is still relatively weak. I fully expect guys like Maxiell and Amir Johnson to step it up. Flip will use his bench more cuz he has no choice.

[LivingLegendGaryColeman]

I love how everyone is burying the Pistons. Yeah they'll probably fall off a little but I have a hard time believing that they're gonna be around a #6 seed. Aside from those couple games against LeBron, they still played very good defense throughout the season. The core of 'Sheed, Chauncey, Rip, and Prince is still very talented and they aren't that old plus the East is still relatively weak. I fully expect guys like Maxiell and Amir Johnson to step it up. Flip will use his bench more cuz he has no choice.

 

I still contest part of the problems the Pistons didn't live up to their potential due to Flip not using Maxiell enough. Maxiell played well whenever he got a chance and got taken out. Johnson and Maxiell are great young talents, but if Flip doesn't use them, it won't do a thing. I wouldn't drop them that low even if those two aren't used, but that is an issue.

[Failed Bridge]

Gilbert must be a huge fan of that SNL skit where the shark rings the doorbell and then proceeds to eat the person that answers the door.

[Sideburnious]

The landshark skit is great! Arenas' argument reminds me of Chris Rock's joke about Sigfried and Roy's tiger attacking them "That tiger didn't go crazy! That tiger went tiger! When it was riding around on a bike it was crazy!".

[bobobrazil1984]

I can see the pistons with a top 2 record in the conference, only to lose in 6 in the ECF to say Chicago or somebody. The core is not old enough yet to where they're gonna fall off significantly - they're good for another 50+ win season. The oldest guys, Cwebb and Dale Davis, are gone, and there's a new infusion of youth.

I love them, but I don't think they can win a title with flip saunders at the helm, and with the lack of hunger/desire from the starters. Unless Maxiell and Amir really break out. Interested in seeing how Rodney Stuckey plays.

 

 

[Brett Favre]

According to Bucher, Ron Artest is going to be a Knick and they're working out a deal.

[Ripper]

A: the deal had better not have included David Lee.

B: Ron Artest has got to not want to be the focus of the offense.

 

He was a black hole in Sacramento. The Knicks offense should start and finish with either Z-bo or Curry this year. Them on the block scoring or getting doubled and scoring of the pass.

 

Nothing else is acceptable. Not Artest thinking he is a offensive juggernaut, not Jamal Crawford taking a contested 30 foot three pointer.

 

Personally, i would see what I could get for Eddy Curry right now. Z-bo is just as young and a better scorer and rebounder than him. Both are horrid defenders.

 

 

[Brett Favre]

Isiah made it pretty clear that Lee isn't going to get traded for Artest. If the trade takes place after August 28, it will include Jones and Dickau's expiring contracts. If not, it will be some combo of Jeffries, Nate, Q, maybe the rookies, or something like that.

 

I don't think Curry will get traded, so atleast Artest makes up for some defensive inefficiencies they have. You could always run a defensive lineup with Lee at center (he's not much of a defender either but he's active) with Balkman and the 3/or/4 and Artest taking up the other spot. I want him here more for his defensive abilities, but if he can score, that's cool, but just off of Randolph and Curry. So I agree with most of what you said.

[Ripper]

I think they should start Artest at the two guard. While he doesn't offer you Two guard offensive skills, he can defend the two.

 

I wouldn't be opposed to a Marbury(a damn good defender in his own right) Artest, Jeffries(or Balman) Curry and Z-bo and they could just muscle teams around night in and night out.

[Kurt Angle Mark]

Elton Brand blew out his Achillies Tendon

 

[Cartman]

Whoops...

[Guest Vitamin X]

Alright, so the Lakers can take the 8 spot in the West. There you go. Problem solved.

[Guest •]

That'll be a year off. Is Shaun Livingston done, too?

[Guest]

We got lucky there. The Lakers still won't make it though, those wins over the East won't be as easy anymore.

[bob_barron]

Elton Brand blew out his Achillies Tendon

 

 

Weird. I was possibly going to cover together a basketball clinic he was doing tomorrow

[Kurt Angle Mark]

L.A. Times reports that the Clippers have signed Brevin Knight

[Ripper]

Oh well that fixes it.

 

Man, I feel bad for Elton. Clippers will be in the Lottery next year though so maybe they can solve their future point guard problems.

[Open the Muggy Gate]

Shame for the Clippers. They had a good shot at the playoffs, but that may have been destroyed with this.

 

I'm sitting here a month later and still wondering.... why the fuck did the Grizzlies give DARKO 21 million bucks?

[Brett Favre]

[Cheech Tremendous]

I guess Jermaine O'Neil wants a trade to the Lakers. Yawn.

 

Anyone else getting tired of these guys who are paid to be franchise players complaining when their teams aren't good enough? You are paid to the face of the team, with the entire squad built around you. Stop bitching because you can't get the team over the hump. Public trade demands are so low class.

[MrRant]

I agree. But then again it has just got to be a bitch to sit there and watch a bad front office. Not that Indiana has a bad one ( I don't really know).

[Guest]

Worst kept secret in the history of secrets.

 

Here's a video.

 

http://www.wthr.com/global/video/popup/pop...mp;rnd=75453942

 

He wasn't really complaining. I guess it's nice to see a guy that can actually say what he needs to say and doesn't mutter his way through the interview saying the same things over and over again. I know that has nothing to do with anything, but at least the dude is articulate and can form sentences.

 

I hope we get him. But not for Bynum. I guess that's a deal killer right there. But he didn't demand or ask for a trade at all.

[alfdogg]

Golden State re-signs Matt Barnes to a one-year deal for $3.5 million. They also signed Austin Croshere to a one-year deal on Friday.

 

Dallas signs Eddie Jones to a two-year deal with the first year at $1.83 million, and the most recent rumor is that they could sign Chris Webber for the MLE.