Terry Stotts

OregonDucks said:

Its ridiculous really. The fact the NBA blocks the Chris Paul trade to the Lakers, but allowed KD to the Warriors is odd, obviously it was different because KD was a free agent, but the blocking of Paul to LA showed the NBA doesn't want super teams like this happening.

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Apples to Oranges comparison.

While there was a definite conflict of interest in what happened with the CP3 deal, it was within the leagues power to do it. The trade certainly wasn't egregious and what the Pels were getting back was pretty fair.

The problem was that CP3 was the Pels only star player and the league was trying to sell the team. Losing him likely would have lowered what they could have gotten for the team.

The problem is that the league should never be in position of owning a team and on the exceedingly rare times that it happens, they should put a group in place to run the team and not involve themselves in the day to day operations.

In the case of KD to the Warriors, as you mention, KD was a free agent. It isn't within the leagues power to stop a player who has earned free agency from going where he wants to go. The league would have been sued and lost badly in court.

Plus, it took a perfect storm of circumstances, that we are unlikely to see again any time soon, to create the situation that allowed the Warriors to have the cap space to sign him in the first place.

OregonDucks said:

but the blocking of Paul to LA showed the NBA doesn't want super teams like this happening.

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If the league is being honest, they actually do want super teams, imo.

Of course they can't ever say that they want them because there are teams in cities that are unlikely to ever be able to attract the players to form a super team. They have to at least have the appearance that they don't want them or risk losing interest in some of those cities.

The league knows that super teams are good for the bottom line. Fans complain about them, but also watch them. Whether they are watching hoping they win, or watching hoping they lose, they're watching.

trojanfan12 said:

If the league is being honest, they actually do want super teams, imo.

Of course they can't ever say that they want them because there are teams in cities that are unlikely to ever be able to attract the players to form a super team. They have to at least have the appearance that they don't want them or risk losing interest in some of those cities.

The league knows that super teams are good for the bottom line. Fans complain about them, but also watch them. Whether they are watching hoping they win, or watching hoping they lose, they're watching.

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I think the debate about super teams are up in the air. I will say, LeBron not being in the East this year has really diminished my interest in the East. I would watch EC games just to root against LeBron, or root for a certain team I thought could knock LeBron out. I probably would have the same feeling if he was in the playoffs in the West.

But now, I have zero interest in the East and haven't watched one Eastern conference game.

OregonDucks said:

I think the debate about super teams are up in the air. I will say, LeBron not being in the East this year has really diminished my interest in the East. I would watch EC games just to root against LeBron, or root for a certain team I thought could knock LeBron out. I probably would have the same feeling if he was in the playoffs in the West.

But now, I have zero interest in the East and haven't watched one Eastern conference game.

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See, I think that Lebron being out of the East makes the EC playoffs more interesting than they have been since Lebron joined Wade and Bosh in Miami. This is the first time since then that it wasn't pretty clear who was going to the finals from the EC.

In the West, there are some interesting story lines and matchups, but I think most believe that if the Warriors stay healthy, they are coming out of the West.

trojanfan12 said:

See, I think that Lebron being out of the East makes the EC playoffs more interesting than they have been since Lebron joined Wade and Bosh in Miami. This is the first time since then that it wasn't pretty clear who was going to the finals from the EC.

In the West, there are some interesting story lines and matchups, but I think most believe that if the Warriors stay healthy, they are coming out of the West.

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I think this year, compared to years past, if the Warriors stay healthy they are clear champions. Because LeBron isn't in the East to stop them.

trojanfan12 said:

If the league is being honest, they actually do want super teams, imo.

Of course they can't ever say that they want them because there are teams in cities that are unlikely to ever be able to attract the players to form a super team. They have to at least have the appearance that they don't want them or risk losing interest in some of those cities.

The league knows that super teams are good for the bottom line. Fans complain about them, but also watch them. Whether they are watching hoping they win, or watching hoping they lose, they're watching.

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They want super teams but with rivals.

The ratings are high not just because of the Warriors. It's because LeBron was there to at least provide some competition.

Now if Durant had stayed in OKC and you had the Warriors sans KD going up against the Cavs every year that would have been a bloodbath and the ratings would have been even higher. That's what the fans wanted, that's what the NBA wanted, that's what everybody except for Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors wanted, lol...

trojanfan12 said:

See, I think that Lebron being out of the East makes the EC playoffs more interesting than they have been since Lebron joined Wade and Bosh in Miami. This is the first time since then that it wasn't pretty clear who was going to the finals from the EC.

In the West, there are some interesting story lines and matchups, but I think most believe that if the Warriors stay healthy, they are coming out of the West.

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The East is intriguing this year. The ECSF and ECF should be high entertainment.

jontaejones said:

They want super teams but with rivals.

The ratings are high not just because of the Warriors. It's because LeBron was there to at least provide some competition.

Now if Durant had stayed in OKC and you had the Warriors sans KD going up against the Cavs every year that would have been a bloodbath and the ratings would have been even higher. That's what the fans wanted, that's what the NBA wanted, that's what everybody except for Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors wanted, lol...

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Agree. It was great for the league when it was, for example, Lakers/Celtics.

It was interesting when Lebron was in Miami because there were a couple of Eastern Conference teams that could actually give them a fight and teams coming out of the West with a legit shot to beat them...which 2 of them did.

Like I said though, this Warriors super team was the result of a perfect storm of circumstances and it's unlikely we will see the same thing happen again any time soon.

trojanfan12 said:

Agree. It was great for the league when it was, for example, Lakers/Celtics.

It was interesting when Lebron was in Miami because there were a couple of Eastern Conference teams that could actually give them a fight and teams coming out of the West with a legit shot to beat them...which 2 of them did.

Like I said though, this Warriors super team was the result of a perfect storm of circumstances and it's unlikely we will see the same thing happen again any time soon.

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The Warriors super team was created because of LeBron and what he created in Miami and what he was trying to build in Cleveland. If it weren't for the Warriors, LeBron probably wins 2 more rings in Cleveland.

The Super team in Miami was actually a bust if you think about it. They stole one against the Spurs and should have never lost a series to the Mavericks. At the time, I think the Spurs were really the only team that I saw as a real threat to the Heat.

OregonDucks said:

Its ridiculous really. The fact the NBA blocks the Chris Paul trade to the Lakers, but allowed KD to the Warriors is odd, obviously it was different because KD was a free agent, but the blocking of Paul to LA showed the NBA doesn't want super teams like this happening.

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The NBA was wrong to block the Paul trade, not allowing the KD signing.

OregonDucks said:

The Warriors super team was created because of LeBron and what he created in Miami and what he was trying to build in Cleveland. If it weren't for the Warriors, LeBron probably wins 2 more rings in Cleveland.

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The Warriors super team was created through the draft and some incredible luck. If Curry doesn't struggle with ankle issues early in his career, he signs a max deal earlier and the Warriors are unable to create the cap space to get KD.

I believe that there were a couple of other things that happened as well, but if memory serves, him still being on a team friendly deal was the biggest thing.

OregonDucks said:

The Super team in Miami was actually a bust if you think about it. They stole one against the Spurs and should have never lost a series to the Mavericks. At the time, I think the Spurs were really the only team that I saw as a real threat to the Heat.

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Yes and no. That Heat team made it to the finals 4 straight times and won twice. It's not the level of success that was expected for them, but they certainly weren't a bust either.

LeBron went to the finals how many years in a row while in the East? His Miami teams were the most stacked, and there is no reason, in that era of the NBA, they shouldn't have won more.

OregonDucks said:

I think this year, compared to years past, if the Warriors stay healthy they are clear champions. Because LeBron isn't in the East to stop them.

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Two things...the Rockets Warriors series is going to be epic just like last year, hopefully with both teams fully healthy this time. Second, the Bucks or Raptors are going to be a real test for the Ws, maybe more than the LeBron Cavs teams were.

msgkings322 said:

Two things...the Rockets Warriors series is going to be epic just like last year, hopefully with both teams fully healthy this time. Second, the Bucks or Raptors are going to be a real test for the Ws, maybe more than the LeBron Cavs teams were.

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Bucks will win the East. Won’t be their year this year though

msgkings322 said:

Two things...the Rockets Warriors series is going to be epic just like last year, hopefully with both teams fully healthy this time. Second, the Bucks or Raptors are going to be a real test for the Ws, maybe more than the LeBron Cavs teams were.

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Yeah, I fear the Deer. Giannis is definitely scary good. Also, the Bucks have a really good coach. I think Lue was okay, but he was more a guy who was thrust into the situation and expected to follow LeBron's lead, while Budenholzer comes in with vast experience and accomplishments already, and he is truly respected by his players. I'm not sure Lue ever had that.