2017-2018 NBA Regular Season Thread

[bksballer89]

'Playoff LeBron' is real, and defense is the reason

 

[Bolts]

Unless he's suddenly become stupid, Melo is opting in on his deal. If they give PG a max or even near max...will they even have cap space to recruit anyone?

If Melo cared about trying to win, he'd opt out and sign back with OKC for a reduced price to give them more money for PG/other players, but I doubt that happens.

 

[Wishbone]

With 3 games left the Thunder could finish anywhere from 4th to out of the playoffs.

 

[msgkings322]

'Playoff LeBron' is real, and defense is the reason

Shhhhh don't tell @LAD

 

[msgkings322]

If Melo cared about trying to win, he'd opt out and sign back with OKC for a reduced price to give them more money for PG/other players, but I doubt that happens.

Or he could sign somewhere else close to winning.

 

[Bolts]

Or he could sign somewhere else close to winning.

That too but if he likes the team he's on and thinks they could contend, opting in is gonna severely hurt their chances for next year no matter what happens with PG.

 

[LAD]

Shhhhh don't tell @LAD

Hahaha I come from the school of show me.

Cle is going to need him to step up defensively if they're going to get out of the East.

 

[tlance]

Sure he can.

Lebron gets asked every other year and he navigates it perfectly.

And yet still gets lambasted for it when he leaves without warning.

Like really people. Would you prefer he hold the franchise hostage for an entire season before FA like Dwight did? For LeBron and his short term deals, that would be every year.

 

[LAD]

Or he could sign somewhere else close to winning.

Such as? No room in GS or Hou, plus I'm pretty sure neither would give up what they have to make room for him. You thinking Cle would like to have him?

 

[msgkings322]

With 3 games left the Thunder could finish anywhere from 4th to out of the playoffs.

Can't we say that about like 5 teams? It's the craziest end of year playoff push I can remember

 

[tlance]

It really put him in a bit of a no win situation too, imo. If he says he's staying, then leaves, he's a liar. If he says he's leaving, he gets booed by OKC fans for the rest of the season, not to mention the upset it could cause with the team.

Maybe a blanket..."I'm just trying to get through this season, help this team win as much as possible and I'll deal with the off-season in the off-season"?

That is the only way impending FAs should ever respond unless they are 100% returning or 100% leaving. Even then, probably best to be vague and consistent so media stops asking.

 

[msgkings322]

Hahaha I come from the school of show me.

Cle is going to need him to step up defensively if they're going to get out of the East.

Obviously. But at age 34 some of us have seen him do it over and over, apparently you need more evidence LOL

 

[LAD]

Obviously. But at age 34 some of us have seen him do it over and over, apparently you need more evidence LOL

Well a good indication of this maybe being the first season we don't see it get better is the fact they're barely holding onto that 3 seed. When is the last team we've seen an LBJ team have less than 50 wins with a handful of games left in the reg season? I honestly think they might even be a lower seed had some of the other teams not had injuries.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

And yet still gets lambasted for it when he leaves without warning.

Like really people. Would you prefer he hold the franchise hostage for an entire season before FA like Dwight did? For LeBron and his short term deals, that would be every year.

Agree.

I have no issue with the way he handles his business.

But, I understand why Miami fans might feel differently because they wasted a draft pick on the guy that he liked.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Well a good indication of this maybe being the first season we don't see it get better is the fact they're barely holding onto that 3 seed. When is the last team we've seen an LBJ team have less than 50 wins with a handful of games left in the reg season? I honestly think they might even be a lower seed had some of the other teams not had injuries.

Uh, last year.

They only won 51 games.

57 the year they won a chip and 53 the year before that.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Such as? No room in GS or Hou, plus I'm pretty sure neither would give up what they have to make room for him. You thinking Cle would like to have him?

Houston has room, no money without making moves.

Ariza, Luc Mbah are both Free Agents.

But, he's not opting out of 28 mil.

He probably couldn't get a 2 year deal at that price unless he was coming in a package with Lebron.

 

[LAD]

Uh, last year.

They only won 51 games.

57 the year they won a chip and 53 the year before that.

Great, so proving my point that each year we're seeing a decline in defense which impacts the reg season? Only a matter of time before teams in the EC take advantage & get over the hump. Clearly that isn't going to be Toronto this season

 

[larryjohn]

If Melo cared about trying to win, he'd opt out and sign back with OKC for a reduced price to give them more money for PG/other players, but I doubt that happens.

If Lebron (or any other player with the option) cared about trying to win, he'd opt out and sign back with CLE/XX for a reduced price to give them more money for PG/other players, but I doubt that happens.

 

[LAD]

Houston has room, no money without making moves.

Ariza, Luc Mbah are both Free Agents.

But, he's not opting out of 28 mil.

He probably couldn't get a 2 year deal at that price unless he was coming in a package with Lebron.

I know GS wouldn't break up their team to add him. But you think now that Hou has found a winning combination they would risk breaking that up - especially when we know LBJ only likes to sign 1 year deals? Would be interesting if they did it though. I think he'd be a better fit in Philly though. Nice young core around him would take care of the heavy lifting for the duration if was interested in that.

 

[tlance]

If Melo cared about trying to win, he'd opt out and sign back with OKC for a reduced price to give them more money for PG/other players, but I doubt that happens.

The problem is that the player's association does everything they can to discourage players from doing that. When stars take less, it impacts the market for everybody else.

In other words, LeBron would actually be selfish to take a smaller deal because it would have trickle down effects across the league. Melo is clearly in a different category, but he still has more to consider than himself and the Thunder.