NBA 2012/13 thread

[NBAfan]

The preseason is here! Time for another exciting season!
There are many interesting questions.
Can Nash keep up his high level of excellence for the Lakers? Can Miami repeat? Can the Thunder get better? Are the Spurs still really good? Will the Knicks be over hyped yet again? Can The Mavericks be elite again? Are the Bulls screwed? Are the Celtics finally done? Will Minnesota make the playoffs? Is Philadelphia an elite team? Don't forget the Clippers will be relevant for an unprecedented second straight year.

 

[Azale]

The preseason is here! Time for another exciting season!
There are many interesting questions.
Can Nash keep up his high level of excellence for the Lakers? Can Miami repeat? Can the Thunder get better? Are the Spurs still really good? Will the Knicks be over hyped yet again? Can The Mavericks be elite again? Are the Bulls screwed? Are the Celtics finally done? Will Minnesota make the playoffs? Is Philadelphia an elite team? Don't forget the Clippers will be relevant for an unprecedented second straight year.

IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. No
4. Yes
5. No
6. No
7. Yes
8. Yes
9. Yes
10. No

 

[classical_hero]

This could be either the most boring season or the most exciting season, depending on how the teas at the top do and if we have a dominant team in each conference, which does seem to be panning out.

 

[Archbob]

No questions about the Nuggets? McGee will have a breakout year. I'll be laughing if the Nuggets upset and win the west.

 

[NBAfan]

Dirk has had arthroscopic knee surgery today. Out six weeks probably.

 

[Zack]

The Lakers and Heat playing each other would be interesting. They're both totally unequipped to defend the other team.

 

[El Justo]

i wouldn't call the sixers elite quite yet. cart-before-the-horse. better? yes, on paper. but they have had quite a roster turnover since last year. lots of new pieces for collins to fit in. with all that said, i think they will be better and they can compete with the elite teams but i am a realist and realize that they need a lot of things to go right for them to be challenging for a title come june.

i do like the way the roster looks now with some better shooters coupled with a big man. it will definitely be fun to watch. hopin' those knees hold up for bynum...

 

[Bowsling]

As long as the Raptors can finish ahead of somebody else (the Bobcats) again this year, I'd call it a successful season.

 

[Left]

Harden just got traded to the Rockets for Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, two first rounders, and a second rounder. Also sent Daequan Cook, Lazar Hayward and Cole Aldrich to HOU

Wasn't really expecting it right now but I guess its not all that surprising that they traded him. If he he rejected their 12 mil a year offer I suppose they didn't have really any chance of retaining him in FA.

Houston finally gets the star they've been angling for I guess. Seems like the package they put together for the best center only netted them the third best 2 guard though. OKC now looks really interesting though. Lamb looks really promising and Kevin Martin is probably going to be a really good bench scorer at this point in his career. Also even more first rounders.

 

[Zack]

That was unbelievably stupid of the Thunder.

 

[Left]

Tough pill to swallow breaking up your Championship calibur core but I think it will shake out well actually. Its bad in the short term obviously but it saves long term flexibility and I think ultimately Perry Jones III and Lamb could be very good. Plus they got the toronto pick which is a really nice asset.


Just wait two more years for Nash, Kobe, Wade, Duncan, Ginobili and Parker to get old(er) and you now have a talented veteran core in place.

If they hadn't left Seattle I think Harden would've been retained

 

[downtown]

I don't think it was too bad of a trade. Harden wanted a max deal and OKC couldn't afford (or didn't want) to give him one. Martin is a very capable bench scorer (perhaps more than Harden), although he isn't nearly as good a defender, but Lamb lead Houston's preaseason team in scoring, and PG3 looks great too. With those picks, OKC can grab another vet if they need one for a playoff push, or have tons of flexibility down the line.

Houston is interesting, but whether they are a playoff team or not depends on Lin. I'm also not sure Harden can be the best player on a great team.

 

[Zack]

Is an extra $6 million over four years really that much money for someone wealthy enough to own a sports team?

I'm perplexed why they had no problem giving Kendrick Perkins the contract they did, but don't want to extend someone as important to their team's success as James Harden.

 

[Bowsling]

Maybe it's some conspiracy involving a potential sponsorship from a razor company?

 

[Left]

Is an extra $6 million over four years really that much money for someone wealthy enough to own a sports team? .

Tiny market and the ownership group has some money problems.


I guess I'm most surprised they traded him so quick. They could've signed him to the mini-max, keep him around for a season and then trade him later if they wanted to aim long term. He could still net a boatload in trade.

 

[Zack]

That's not necessarily true; the small-market "woe is me" card is a bargaining tool, with dubious truthfulness. And really, if you're buying an NBA team not named the Lakers or Knicks and expecting to make a lot of money, you're an idiot. NBA teams are like real estate - the money is made on the sell.

And that's not even mentioning that the owners willfully moved the team from Seattle to a tiny market.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8486795/the-harden-dilemma

Given Oklahoma City's economics, they'd be losing eight figures a year (allegedly) to keep their best four players. And really, even if Harden takes a little less — say, $57 million instead of $64 million — that doesn't really help the Thunder. Or so they say. Thanks to the latest labor agreement, they're arguing publicly that no small-market team can pay three max contract guys (in this case: Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Harden) AND avoid the prohibitive luxury-tax penalties AND field a good enough supporting cast. Although this seems like a good time to mention that Oklahoma City …

1. Sold out the past four seasons.
2. Fielded a popular/marketable/likable contender for the past three years.
3. Hosted 19 playoff games over the past two seasons (free money).
4. Didn't pay the luxury tax in any of the last four years.
5. Will remain under the tax if they don't extend Harden until next summer.
6. Wouldn't be the first "small market" team to pay the luxury tax. Check out this splendid piece of "Who paid the luxury tax since 2002?" research from Sham Sports — you'll notice Sacramento (2003-04: $30 million), San Antonio (2009: $8.8 million), Minnesota (2004: $17.6 million) and Cleveland (2008-10: $43.1 million) on there.

So for the Thunder to say, Yeah, we can't pay the tax, we're a small-market team, that would be financial suicide — it's not totally genuine. Businesses have ebbs and flows. You can't complain about losing a reasonable amount of money for the next few years (if that's even true — more on that in a second) after raking in profits for five straight years. Nobody feels bad for you, Billionaire Dudes Who Hit The Jackpot With Durant, Hijacked The Sonics From Seattle And Have Been Raking In Money In OKC Ever Since. Seriously. Can it already.

 

[Zack]

Also, when you move a team from the #14 TV market to the #45 market, you lose your right to complain about being a small market team.

 

[Left]

Its also a possiblity they were looking to trade Harden even if they did extend him.

 

[Archbob]

They got a really good deal for Harden. I actually think OKC came out ahead in that deal. Martin can score just as well and Harden isn't a #1 guy. I don't believe he worth a max contract.

I'm perplexed why they had no problem giving Kendrick Perkins the contract they did, but don't want to extend someone as important to their team's success as James Harden.

Cause they got Howard in their conference now and Perkins is the anti-howard defender.

 

[dgfred]

I don't think it was too bad of a trade. Harden wanted a max deal and OKC couldn't afford (or didn't want) to give him one. Martin is a very capable bench scorer (perhaps more than Harden), although he isn't nearly as good a defender, but Lamb lead Houston's preaseason team in scoring, and PG3 looks great too. With those picks, OKC can grab another vet if they need one for a playoff push, or have tons of flexibility down the line.

Houston is interesting, but whether they are a playoff team or not depends on Lin. I'm also not sure Harden can be the best player on a great team.

I believe they could have got the rights before for lottery/or the #2 eventual pick from the Bobcats for Harden... if they would've wanted it.