The Basketball Thread

[Amblève. 4,995]

Hate Kansas with a passion,, wanted him at Kentucky man. Something about Kansas that irks me.

Hell no! Had he chosen Kentucky they could already hand them the title. Their team for the next season is good even without Wiggins.

I wanted him to go to Florida but yeah... I'm fine with Kansas though.

[Rambo 1,729]

Can't wait till Wiggins plays in the NBA. It's rare to see a talent like him coming out of Canada. I hope the Raptors tank next season just to draft him even though that will be unlikely.

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

@Blue-in-me-Veins, Agree with most of the points except for two.

Firstly, Kendrick Perkins is no rim protector. Dude's a stiff and should be nowhere near the starting-5. He's a solid rotational player but as a contender you shouldn't have to rely on such a guy to be your defensive anchor. At all. The Thunder are lucky they have Jones on their roster, if he could develop into a decent player they could move Ibaka to C and play Jones at the 4. Just imagine Durant and Jones interchanging their positions... would cause havoc for the opponents every night.

I still see Perkins as a great presence inside, and the grit he brings. OKC bar Kendrick is a soft team, but the bite he brings on the defensive side is immeasurable. He doesn't bring the stats (KP) but he brings vital intangibles especially on defense that really saved OKC from becoming another Suns back during the 2004-2008 years.

In other words, all O but no D. But I think we should just agree to disagree. Hahaha

As for Perry Jones III, best steal in the draft, Hands Down. He is another KD, only thing is his knee problems. Perry hopefully can get that figured out because if he can, then no doubt in my mind KP would see a reduction of minutes in the future.

[Amblève. 4,995]

Can't wait till Wiggins plays in the NBA. It's rare to see a talent like him coming out of Canada. I hope the Raptors tank next season just to draft him even though that will be unlikely.

With Rudy Gay? Nah, don't see how tanking would be possible with their team. In the end, the Raptors will be too good to tank and too bad to really make any noise. Mediocrity at its best.

[Ronaldo 28]

Durant may never win a championship.

[Amblève. 4,995]

Durant may never win a championship.

He's friggin' 24 years old...

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

@Ronaldo, im gonna give you the benefit of the doubt, as i assume you mean that because of Miami Heat.

However after they win it this year (i mean come on, no excuses for them NOT to win it) i think D-Wade got like 2 more REAL SUPERSTAR seasons left in him. He's a walking injury, and i wait for the time when LBJ has to carry them to a title win with out D-wade as i can see that really helping out his legacy.

However! KD as Amels said is only 24,, compare him to where lebron was at this time and i say he's in a MUCH MUCH better situation. With spurs ageing, Lakers in turmoil, Denver well you know, OKC has the west on lock-down (Bar injuries). And i think KD will get at most 2 championships. But hey, we've got plenty of years to wait and see how the NBA will shape out to be, as i see a big shift taking place with new super-stars rising and old faces dissapeaing within the next 3-4 years.

[The Skipper 20,593]

I'm still mad OKC let Harden go. Could've easily beaten Memphis if he was still on OKC's roster.

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

Memphis

Best believe. But i would have made the same call (in trading Harden instead of Ibaka) as we got 2 first-round draft picks and a 2nd round pick which Playoff teams rarely get to benefit from. And with this front office i whole-heartedly believe they will make the proper decisions with those picks. (well how can't you after they picked up Russel, Harden and KD) By the way, whats your NBA team? if you have any.

[The Skipper 20,593]

By the way, whats your NBA team? if you have any.

I don't really have one unfortunately, just a general NBA fan. However, I am a keen follower of GSW, Houston and the Wizards (because of Wall and Beal).

[Amblève. 4,995]

They couldn't have afforded his contract. OKC's annual revenue is still shite compared to the big-market teams, they wouldn't have been able to go that deep into the luxury tax.

[The Skipper 20,593]

They couldn't have afforded his contract. OKC's annual revenue is still shite compared to the big-market teams, they wouldn't have been able to go that deep into the luxury tax.

If they moved a few players I'm very sure they could've. They still managed to offer Harden a decent contract but obviously Harden was more interested in being the main man at Houston - can't really blame OKC for that though, he's better than just a 6th man as he's proven this season at the Rockets.

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

I don't really have one unfortunately, just a general NBA fan. However, I am a keen follower of GSW, Houston and the Wizards (because of Wall and Beal).

its all gucci. pretty sure GSW will come out the best of those three. Surely had SA against the ropes games 1 and 2.

[The Skipper 20,593]

its all gucci. pretty sure GSW will come out the best of those three. Surely had SA against the ropes games 1 and 2.

Yeah, future for GSW is very bright. Excellent young coach in Mark - one of the most underrated NBA players of all time, the splash brothers, Harrison Barnes who looks like a future all star if he fulfils his promise and of course David Lee. Decent young bench. Bogut as well (who I have a reserved opinion on, don't think he's as healthy as he should be). Things are looking up for them for the next couple of years.

Houston will be the most interesting to watch in the off season as they're due a star signing. Wizards hopefully draft in another great young talent with their lottery pick... It'll be an interesting off season this year, plenty of great free agents.

[Ronaldo 28]

@Ronaldo, im gonna give you the benefit of the doubt, as i assume you mean that because of Miami Heat.

However after they win it this year (i mean come on, no excuses for them NOT to win it) i think D-Wade got like 2 more REAL SUPERSTAR seasons left in him. He's a walking injury, and i wait for the time when LBJ has to carry them to a title win with out D-wade as i can see that really helping out his legacy.

However! KD as Amels said is only 24,, compare him to where lebron was at this time and i say he's in a MUCH MUCH better situation. With spurs ageing, Lakers in turmoil, Denver well you know, OKC has the west on lock-down (Bar injuries). And i think KD will get at most 2 championships. But hey, we've got plenty of years to wait and see how the NBA will shape out to be, as i see a big shift taking place with new super-stars rising and old faces dissapeaing within the next 3-4 years.

KD plays for OKC and Lebron plays for Pat Riley.

Age is irrelevant, when you know your team is not willing to take some hits financially. Small market teams will continue to have this problem and teams like NY and LA won't because they are willing to take the hits financially (since they have massive revenue streams).

Also, iF KD stays in OKC, I don't think he wins a championship. Miami are going to decline, however, the Pacers and Warriors (maybe Rockets) are the new young guns of the NBA, similar to what OkC was a few years back. Lakers are kind of an enigma now and Spurs will drop went TD retires (which PoP will also retire the same season cause he stated it before).

[Ronaldo 28]

Also, I wouldn't sleep on Minn.

I'm a huge fan of Rubio and with their style of play and players, they can make some noise next season (barring injuries).

[Amblève. 4,995]

If they moved a few players I'm very sure they could've. They still managed to offer Harden a decent contract but obviously Harden was more interested in being the main man at Houston - can't really blame OKC for that though, he's better than just a 6th man as he's proven this season at the Rockets.

Who should they have moved? Ibaka's their defensive anchor, Westbrook and KD are going nowhere which leaves us with OKC's role players. Sefolosha's their elite wing-defender (every contending team needs one), Collison's their main back-up big man and Perkins is unmovable (I still can't believe he earns more than 8m per season, smh). As I said, OKC's not rich, their owner won't pay the luxury tax (with the new CBA the tax is gonna be even more expensive), hence, they can't afford to pay 4 players more than 12m per season each.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Who should they have moved? Ibaka's their defensive anchor, Westbrook and KD are going nowhere which leaves us with OKC's role players. Sefolosha's their elite wing-defender (every contending team needs one), Collison's their main back-up big man and Perkins is unmovable (I still can't believe he earns more than 8m per season, smh). As I said, OKC's not rich, their owner won't pay the luxury tax (with the new CBA the tax is gonna be even more expensive), hence, they can't afford to pay 4 players more than 12m per season each.

Yeah, you have a point. It came down to the owner in the end and obviously he thought it's best if they let him go instead of paying some extra luxury tax. Still a shame, would've easily been the best 3 combo in the NBA bar maybe Heats'.