tOfficial 2015 NBA Draft/Free Agency Thread

[WiggyRuss]

no doubt. no matter how you slice it that's simply a cat getting too much for what he does. but hey, i'm betting Gilbert pays it...

of course he is going to pay as much as he needs to pay. the guy- after LBJ of course- was the Cavs best and most consistent player on their run to the Finals- and unless your blind- you saw him play plenty of both PF and C in a league with so many small lineups.

He has so many things in his factor - the rising cap, the market for other big men, same agent as LBJ, the Cavs cant replace his salary since they would be using his Bird Rights, hes only 24 and keeps on improving, hes never hurt, great work ethic and leadership, played well under pressure in the playoffs, - the only leverage the Cavs have is that they can make him play this year for the qualifying offer.....

lets just hope its done either before or very early in training camp

 

[WiggyRuss]

FYI- during that Atlanta v. Cleveland Conference Semis

Tristan Thompson 12 pts, 11 boards, almost 2 blocks , 64% shooting

Paul Milsap- 14 pts 8 boards 35% shooting

in the sweep-

Cavs won that battle.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

silly me- but rolling blackouts and water shortages and droughts seem less than fun! LA is fun to visit- I was out there just 3-4 years ago- but to me anyway, its a fun place to visit- would not live there.

View attachment 20926

thats a picture i took in the metro's last fall about 3 minutes from where I live....absolutely stunning in the fall. Winter can be a b**** no doubt- but I would never want to give up the changing of the seasons.

to me- it seems like anyway- if you really want to enjoy LA you need boku dollars.

Spend a winter in S. Florida and then tell me if you still feel the same way.

 

[trojanfan12]

of course he is going to pay as much as he needs to pay. the guy- after LBJ of course- was the Cavs best and most consistent player on their run to the Finals- and unless your blind- you saw him play plenty of both PF and C in a league with so many small lineups.

He has so many things in his factor - the rising cap, the market for other big men, same agent as LBJ, the Cavs cant replace his salary since they would be using his Bird Rights, hes only 24 and keeps on improving, hes never hurt, great work ethic and leadership, played well under pressure in the playoffs, - the only leverage the Cavs have is that they can make him play this year for the qualifying offer.....

lets just hope its done either before or very early in training camp

You're arguing points that aren't being made. No one is saying that Gibert won't pay. Of course he'll pay, he has no choice. Lebron and TT have his balls in a vice.

While spending $40 million in cap space on one position is not at all desirable and no doubt wasn't in Gilbert's plans when this all started, it's what has to happen to give the Cavs their best shot at winning a title. TT brings a physicality and defensive presence that Love doesn't. Without him, the Cavs get worse not better because they lack the cap space to bring in a cheaper option to provide the same things TT does.
Additionally, if he doesn't pay TT, he risks pissing off Lebron.

Having so much money tied up in one position will eventually bite the Cavs in the ass, just like tying up a bunch of money in older veterans on long term deals, eventually bit the Lakers in the ass. The question is whether or not the Cavs will have any titles to point to and say "it was worth it."

 

[OutlawImmortal]

FYI- during that Atlanta v. Cleveland Conference Semis

Tristan Thompson 12 pts, 11 boards, almost 2 blocks , 64% shooting

Paul Milsap- 14 pts 8 boards 35% shooting

in the sweep-

Cavs won that battle.

Every player has a year where they shoot poorly in the playoffs, LeBron shot 41% in the entirety of the playoffs last year. Is Tristan Thompson a better shooter than LeBron as well? 66% of TT's shots last year were from within 3 feet of the basket, 35% of Milsap's shots were within 3 feet, I think I know who has the wider skill set.

Sweep is irrelevant.

The Hawks should have won, clearly Bazemore and a banged up Carrol are LeBron stoppers. 64% on 28 shots isn't that impressive, and 11-27 from the line is less. He rebounds and defends well enough, sounds like a roleplayer to me.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Put Ed Davis on the Cavs and I guess he'd be well worth 90 million as well.

 

[WiggyRuss]

You're arguing points that aren't being made. No one is saying that Gibert won't pay. Of course he'll pay, he has no choice. Lebron and TT have his balls in a vice.

While spending $40 million in cap space on one position is not at all desirable and no doubt wasn't in Gilbert's plans when this all started, it's what has to happen to give the Cavs their best shot at winning a title. TT brings a physicality and defensive presence that Love doesn't. Without him, the Cavs get worse not better because they lack the cap space to bring in a cheaper option to provide the same things TT does.
Additionally, if he doesn't pay TT, he risks pissing off Lebron.

Having so much money tied up in one position will eventually bite the Cavs in the ass, just like tying up a bunch of money in older veterans on long term deals, eventually bit the Lakers in the ass. The question is whether or not the Cavs will have any titles to point to and say "it was worth it."

how do guys play the same position and share the court so often?

Thompson played a ton of center during the year playing with Love, or LBJ or James Jones at the 4--- and then he played plenty of power forward with first Varejao and then Mozgov at the center position.

especially in todays nba- obviously this is a point lost on you- that versatility is key- and Thompson gives you that in his ability to play both PF and C depending on matchups and who is playing with.- ESPECIALLY with the propensity of teams to go small and spread the court

thats where Thompson becomes especially valuable in his aiblity to show and guard the pick and roll.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Every player has a year where they shoot poorly in the playoffs, LeBron shot 41% in the entirety of the playoffs last year. Is Tristan Thompson a better shooter than LeBron as well? 66% of TT's shots last year were from within 3 feet of the basket, 35% of Milsap's shots were within 3 feet, I think I know who has the wider skill set.

Sweep is irrelevant.

The Hawks should have won, clearly Bazemore and a banged up Carrol are LeBron stoppers. 64% on 28 shots isn't that impressive, and 11-27 from the line is less. He rebounds and defends well enough, sounds like a roleplayer to me.

lol.

credibility?

DESTROYED. lol

 

[WiggyRuss]

I actually think the Cavs best and their "go-to" lineup next year will be

PG- KI
SG- Shumpert
SF- Bron
PF- Love
C- Thompson

all though the possibilities are vast- especially if Smith comes back.

ID REALLY like to see how a lineup of

PG- KI
SG- Mo
SF- Shumpert
PF- Bron
C- Thompson

could play....going small.


Cavs COULD go with a really big lineup though too

PG- KI
SG- Shump
SF- Bron
PF- Thompson
C- Mozgov

when you have multiple bigs that work so well together- and compliment eachother so well- you have a lot of versatility with lineups.

The Love/Thompson on court pairing is especially so interesting because of the amazing rebounding that it brings....as well as one guy who can spread the floor and the other guy who can play inside.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

lol.

credibility?

DESTROYED. lol

It's called sarcasm lol. I thought the next part of that sentence would be a dead giveaway but clearly I have to make things as simple as possible for you. Can't say I'm surprised.

 

[Black Adam]

You're arguing points that aren't being made. No one is saying that Gibert won't pay. Of course he'll pay, he has no choice. Lebron and TT have his balls in a vice.

While spending $40 million in cap space on one position is not at all desirable and no doubt wasn't in Gilbert's plans when this all started, it's what has to happen to give the Cavs their best shot at winning a title. TT brings a physicality and defensive presence that Love doesn't. Without him, the Cavs get worse not better because they lack the cap space to bring in a cheaper option to provide the same things TT does.
Additionally, if he doesn't pay TT, he risks pissing off Lebron.

Having so much money tied up in one position will eventually bite the Cavs in the ass, just like tying up a bunch of money in older veterans on long term deals, eventually bit the Lakers in the ass. The question is whether or not the Cavs will have any titles to point to and say "it was worth it."

absolute truth, but STILL a very bad visual...

 

[WiggyRuss]

Taking the Heat «

Now I know where Turnup gets it from! LOL--- although- this article is- at least in part- about how his boy Mike Miller, and some other members of the HEat got swindled out of millions upon the advice of an anonymous Heat VP. Link to an article from Grantland.com lol...

Hustlers operate everywhere, but they seem to do their best work in Miami. South Florida reigns as the Ponzi scheme capital of the country. It’s the welfare fraud capital and the insurance fraud capital, too. Florida resident Rick Scott was forced to resign as CEO of a chain of hospitals after the company received a record fine in what the government called the “largest health care fraud case in U.S. history.” State voters have since elected him governor. Twice. Newspapers here list gas stations that skim credit cards. Miami is the tax fraud capital of the United States, and also no. 1 when it comes to identity theft. So pervasive is that last crime that two former U.S. Attorneys General have had their credit ratings obliterated by Miami thieves. One victim was Janet Reno, a native. The other was Eric Holder, who doesn’t even live here.


It’s only natural for Miami’s criminal culture to bleed into our sports. Lawyer Scott Rothstein used cash from his massive Ponzi scheme to sponsor the Dolphins, the Heat, and the Florida Panthers. Just this spring, federal authorities in Fort Lauderdale arrested former Dolphins cornerback Will Allen, charging him with running a $31 million pyramid scheme of his own. A teenage con man named Jimmy Sabatino once posed so credibly as a Dolphins executive that FedEx couriers handed over to him $260,000 worth of Super Bowl tickets, which Sabatino resold.

Naturally, Miami also figures in the FIFA corruption scandal. FBI agents raided the organization’s regional offices on South Beach. Feds allege that the president of a Miami-based soccer marketing grouptook millions of dollars in bribes,investing the dirty money in properties around South Florida. In a neat little synchronicity with Miami’s real estate shadiness — the city leads the nation in both mortgage fraud and money laundering — it came out that the head of socialist Venezuela’s soccer federation was somehow able to buyeighthomes here.

Even our colleges play the game. A couple of years ago, Ponzi schemer Nevin Shapiro almost killed off University of Miami football and basketball by diverting more than $2 million of his ill-gotten cash into the programs. Of all the teams down here, only the Miami Marlins have so far avoided an association with a con artist, though some fans might accuse Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, who convinced taxpayers to shell out more than $2 billion for a new stadium, of running a legal con himself with hissports franchise.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Taking the Heat «

Now I know where Turnup gets it from! LOL--- although- this article is- at least in part- about how his boy Mike Miller, and some other members of the HEat got swindled out of millions upon the advice of an anonymous Heat VP. Link to an article from Grantland.com lol...

Hustlers operate everywhere, but they seem to do their best work in Miami. South Florida reigns as the Ponzi scheme capital of the country. It’s the welfare fraud capital and the insurance fraud capital, too. Florida resident Rick Scott was forced to resign as CEO of a chain of hospitals after the company received a record fine in what the government called the “largest health care fraud case in U.S. history.” State voters have since elected him governor. Twice. Newspapers here list gas stations that skim credit cards. Miami is the tax fraud capital of the United States, and also no. 1 when it comes to identity theft. So pervasive is that last crime that two former U.S. Attorneys General have had their credit ratings obliterated by Miami thieves. One victim was Janet Reno, a native. The other was Eric Holder, who doesn’t even live here.


It’s only natural for Miami’s criminal culture to bleed into our sports. Lawyer Scott Rothstein used cash from his massive Ponzi scheme to sponsor the Dolphins, the Heat, and the Florida Panthers. Just this spring, federal authorities in Fort Lauderdale arrested former Dolphins cornerback Will Allen, charging him with running a $31 million pyramid scheme of his own. A teenage con man named Jimmy Sabatino once posed so credibly as a Dolphins executive that FedEx couriers handed over to him $260,000 worth of Super Bowl tickets, which Sabatino resold.

Naturally, Miami also figures in the FIFA corruption scandal. FBI agents raided the organization’s regional offices on South Beach. Feds allege that the president of a Miami-based soccer marketing grouptook millions of dollars in bribes,investing the dirty money in properties around South Florida. In a neat little synchronicity with Miami’s real estate shadiness — the city leads the nation in both mortgage fraud and money laundering — it came out that the head of socialist Venezuela’s soccer federation was somehow able to buyeighthomes here.

Even our colleges play the game. A couple of years ago, Ponzi schemer Nevin Shapiro almost killed off University of Miami football and basketball by diverting more than $2 million of his ill-gotten cash into the programs. Of all the teams down here, only the Miami Marlins have so far avoided an association with a con artist, though some fans might accuse Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, who convinced taxpayers to shell out more than $2 billion for a new stadium, of running a legal con himself with hissports franchise.

Where I get it from?
I promise you my Heat payments never bounced.

And, I know all about what happened to Mike, Rashard and Jones. Knew right when it happened.

The anonymous Heat VP isn't that anonymous, it's Steve Weber who was my reps boss. It's no secret.
And, he did introduce them, thinking the guy was legit, but they came to their own conclusion about whether to invest or not.

I understand how con men earn their titles, but how anyone could fall for the stories they did in this day and age when money can be transferred within minutes is beyond me.

It's funny. Mike's wife/kids/friends were sitting in those courtsides during the playoffs that year, thinking they were his guest, when in actuality they paid for them. At least he got something for his cash.

 

[Heatles84]

Taking the Heat «

Now I know where Turnup gets it from! LOL--- although- this article is- at least in part- about how his boy Mike Miller, and some other members of the HEat got swindled out of millions upon the advice of an anonymous Heat VP. Link to an article from Grantland.com lol...

Hustlers operate everywhere, but they seem to do their best work in Miami. South Florida reigns as the Ponzi scheme capital of the country. It’s the welfare fraud capital and the insurance fraud capital, too. Florida resident Rick Scott was forced to resign as CEO of a chain of hospitals after the company received a record fine in what the government called the “largest health care fraud case in U.S. history.” State voters have since elected him governor. Twice. Newspapers here list gas stations that skim credit cards. Miami is the tax fraud capital of the United States, and also no. 1 when it comes to identity theft. So pervasive is that last crime that two former U.S. Attorneys General have had their credit ratings obliterated by Miami thieves. One victim was Janet Reno, a native. The other was Eric Holder, who doesn’t even live here.


It’s only natural for Miami’s criminal culture to bleed into our sports. Lawyer Scott Rothstein used cash from his massive Ponzi scheme to sponsor the Dolphins, the Heat, and the Florida Panthers. Just this spring, federal authorities in Fort Lauderdale arrested former Dolphins cornerback Will Allen, charging him with running a $31 million pyramid scheme of his own. A teenage con man named Jimmy Sabatino once posed so credibly as a Dolphins executive that FedEx couriers handed over to him $260,000 worth of Super Bowl tickets, which Sabatino resold.

Naturally, Miami also figures in the FIFA corruption scandal. FBI agents raided the organization’s regional offices on South Beach. Feds allege that the president of a Miami-based soccer marketing grouptook millions of dollars in bribes,investing the dirty money in properties around South Florida. In a neat little synchronicity with Miami’s real estate shadiness — the city leads the nation in both mortgage fraud and money laundering — it came out that the head of socialist Venezuela’s soccer federation was somehow able to buyeighthomes here.

Even our colleges play the game. A couple of years ago, Ponzi schemer Nevin Shapiro almost killed off University of Miami football and basketball by diverting more than $2 million of his ill-gotten cash into the programs. Of all the teams down here, only the Miami Marlins have so far avoided an association with a con artist, though some fans might accuse Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, who convinced taxpayers to shell out more than $2 billion for a new stadium, of running a legal con himself with hissports franchise.

I see Wiggy's grasping again.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

again- predictably- "WHAT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED A LONG TIME AGO!!"

lol

Well, it's better to be a has been than a never was.

This is not like filling for bankruptcy.

Titles don't fall off your credit report in 10 years...lol

With that being said, the Clippers are my Team.

But, Lamarcus Aldridge is my favorite player, Blake coming 2nd and Chris Paul like in the 15-20 range.

Doesn't make me a bandwagoner.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I see Wiggy's grasping again.

I was just checking Grantland and saw the article and thought it was entertaining- it was published just yesterday.

Honestly how dumb are NBA players? Just write some guy a check for 2 million.....unreal. I mean its totally over the top writing by the author too....give me a break...

“There’s very little old money in Miami,” says Billy Corben, director ofCocaine Cowboys and other documentaries about Miami excess. “Everyone’s nouveau riche. If you’re in New England, your last name is your entrée; you can’t just pop in somewhere like the Great Gatsby and throw money around. In Miami, nobody cares. It’s such a transient population. There’s such a permissiveness. As long as you have that cash, doors open for you.”
“I think about this all the time,” says Fred Grimm, a columnist for theHerald. “So many of us come from other states and other countries that we seem to lack that sense of shame that doing wrong would bring to someone living in, say, small-town America, where people have known you and known your family for years. What we have instead is a place where someone who flashes money and drives luxury cars and lives the high life can find instant social acceptance.”
“Miami is a honey trap, let’s be real,” says Corben, the filmmaker. “It promises glitz and gloss and glamour, but it’s a hollow shell and a money pit in the end. Miami very rarely fulfills the promise. It’s selling the dream. But they don’t come true just because you buy them.”

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

I was just checking Grantland and saw the article and thought it was entertaining- it was published just yesterday.

Honestly how dumb are NBA players? Just write some guy a check for 2 million.....unreal. I mean its totally over the top writing by the author too....give me a break...

“There’s very little old money in Miami,” says Billy Corben, director ofCocaine Cowboys and other documentaries about Miami excess. “Everyone’s nouveau riche. If you’re in New England, your last name is your entrée; you can’t just pop in somewhere like the Great Gatsby and throw money around. In Miami, nobody cares. It’s such a transient population. There’s such a permissiveness. As long as you have that cash, doors open for you.”
“I think about this all the time,” says Fred Grimm, a columnist for theHerald. “So many of us come from other states and other countries that we seem to lack that sense of shame that doing wrong would bring to someone living in, say, small-town America, where people have known you and known your family for years. What we have instead is a place where someone who flashes money and drives luxury cars and lives the high life can find instant social acceptance.”
“Miami is a honey trap, let’s be real,” says Corben, the filmmaker. “It promises glitz and gloss and glamour, but it’s a hollow shell and a money pit in the end. Miami very rarely fulfills the promise. It’s selling the dream. But they don’t come true just because you buy them.”

If he swindled James Jones, he must have been beyond awfully persuasive.
We're talking a UM finance major who served as secretary-treasurer of the NBA players association.
He's also the opposite of a free spender.
Plain jeans and polo shirt type of guy. No bling, no frills.

 

[Heatles84]

I was just checking Grantland and saw the article and thought it was entertaining- it was published just yesterday.

Honestly how dumb are NBA players? Just write some guy a check for 2 million.....unreal. I mean its totally over the top writing by the author too....give me a break...

“There’s very little old money in Miami,” says Billy Corben, director ofCocaine Cowboys and other documentaries about Miami excess. “Everyone’s nouveau riche. If you’re in New England, your last name is your entrée; you can’t just pop in somewhere like the Great Gatsby and throw money around. In Miami, nobody cares. It’s such a transient population. There’s such a permissiveness. As long as you have that cash, doors open for you.”
“I think about this all the time,” says Fred Grimm, a columnist for theHerald. “So many of us come from other states and other countries that we seem to lack that sense of shame that doing wrong would bring to someone living in, say, small-town America, where people have known you and known your family for years. What we have instead is a place where someone who flashes money and drives luxury cars and lives the high life can find instant social acceptance.”
“Miami is a honey trap, let’s be real,” says Corben, the filmmaker. “It promises glitz and gloss and glamour, but it’s a hollow shell and a money pit in the end. Miami very rarely fulfills the promise. It’s selling the dream. But they don’t come true just because you buy them.”

Agreed. Some NBA players (or professional athletes for that matter) aren't really versed in finances. Still though, as Turnup mentioned, James Jones has a finance background, so it's a bit surprising that he was swindled.

Then again, there's some crafty ponzi schemers out there. Look at Shapiro, that little troll ran off with nearly a billion dollars.

 

[trojanfan12]

how do guys play the same position and share the court so often?

Thompson played a ton of center during the year playing with Love, or LBJ or James Jones at the 4--- and then he played plenty of power forward with first Varejao and then Mozgov at the center position.

especially in todays nba- obviously this is a point lost on you- that versatility is key- and Thompson gives you that in his ability to play both PF and C depending on matchups and who is playing with.- ESPECIALLY with the propensity of teams to go small and spread the court

thats where Thompson becomes especially valuable in his aiblity to show and guard the pick and roll.

Maybe if I type slower, you can keep up.

They are both power forwards. Tristan Thompson is a power forward who is a back up to Kevin Love, who is also a power forward. Just because Thompson occasionally plays center when the Cavs want to use a smaller lineup, doesn't change the fact that he's a BACKUP POWER FORWARD.

Therefore, the Cavs are looking at tying up about $40 million in 1 position. You trying to make it look better by claiming that Thompson can play center in some lineups, doesn't change the facts. You can put lipstick on a pig and it's still a pig. You can put Thompson at center in some lineups and he's still a backup power forward.

It's really not that complicated.

 

[bksballer89]

Opened thread up to see Wiggy still being Wiggy