I think today’s players are realizing that due to their high level ability, they have a choice that other players don’t really have. They saw some of the quality players in the past that pretty much had their prime years stuck in purgatory, as well as playing in destinations they didn’t like. If this is the way the NBA is going to go in, well, that’s just how it is, although with the new CBA, it is going to be a little harder. I think owners with lots of cash and a certain mindset (like Mark Cuban) are still going to spend money, as those guys can eat up the losses.
It will be interesting how this CBA comes into play in the next few years. This is supposedly supposed to create balance, but if this does the opposite, then maybe contraction is a possibility. You can’t win a championship without a superstar (unless you have multiple all-star players and a HOF-level coach), and it gets harder to sell seats when there are no superstars playing for your team.
I think this gets washed out with the ridiculous amount of endorsements they make. I think NBA superstars make more money off of endorsements than contracts (Trying to remember a Forbes article where I saw how much money each NBA superstar was making per year + endorsements).
I don’t think the Sixers would have come close, even with Theo Ratliff. No one was beating the Lakers that year (once the playoffs began), although the 1st game that they won is still one of the greatest games I have ever seen.
"After noting that he wanted to keep his core together and later identifying that core as the team’s four All-Stars (Rondo, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett), Ainge was asked point blank if he was planning to trade Rondo.
“I’m not, no,” bottom-lined Ainge during a press conference with coach Doc Rivers to discuss the team’s post-lockout agenda."
"The remainder of the Celtics’ schedule will be announced on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET on NBA TV. The plan is a 66-game regular season, ending about 10 days later than usual. The last possible day of the NBA finals would be June 26, two weeks later than the championship series ended last season. The Celtics, and every other NBA team, are guaranteed at least one set of back-to-back-to-back games. "
Whoa, five games on Christmas? It’s an NBA miracle!
And apparently every team will get at least a three games in three nights stretch…but some could get up to three…three games in three nights stretches.
Now I guess we want to see who the unlucky teams are that get three back-to-back-to-backs. If it’s the Cavs then we might actually see Baron Davis die on-court of a heart attack.
Except now they’ve already emptied their roster for Melo…there’s nothing left for Chris Paul.
Sixers would’ve gotten destroyed with Ratliff too, but I think he’d have given them a chance to win 2 games. Obviously Dikembe is the better overall player, but the Sixers that year scored lots of their points off the fast break. Dikembe came along and slowed it to half court. Oddly, Ratliff was better at getting blocks in those years, but not a better overall defender.
Clint:
An NBA Christmas miracle? Every time Raja Bell shoots, a Jimmer cries on the other wing.
Baron Davis? That’s probably the only thing we’ll see him do on the court other than not try.
Gonna be some real shitty basketball in those third games. Low scoring, no fast break points, tons of missed FGs, vets playing under 30 minutes. I’m going to say the league is will have the younger teams play more three game back to backs.
And the Nuggets got better after trading Melo. Outside of Wilson, do they really care JR and KMart won’t be on the team this year? They were FAs and I’m not sure if the team wanted to re-sign them.
The power teams just are not the same as they were, all these superstars are trying to recreate the past and that is not possible anymore. What these teams ignore is those dynasty teams like the Lakers, Celtics, Bulls had role player that would have been borderline allstars on other teams. The new salary cap just does not allow for teams like that. So yeah you get a group of 3 all stars together and your salary cap is gone. Now you have to fill in with Tyrone from the local Circle K to fill out your team because that is all you can afford.
“Three of Boston’s four All-Stars are 34 or older, so the Celtics’ run of success will come to an end soon, unless Danny Ainge can find a way to quickly retool with a group of younger stars. But the Knicks and Sixers won a grand total of one playoff game last season. And the Celtics, even though we don’t know who their starting center is, still have the best lineup in the division, by far.”
You’re right, shut down is an extreme word. I just remembered Lue bothering Iverson enough for Lakers to win (which can be incorrect in and of itself). I love how memory distorts the past.
I think what you remember is that the announcers were screaming that Lue was stopping Iverson, but Iverson burned Lue in that series.
jae, I’m not saying 20 million isn’t a lot of money, but for the wins they contribute to a team, the salary cap artificially lowers their true market value. LeBron would easily have a 30 million dollar a year contract otherwise. It’s going to be a lot of moneyballing from here on out from every team that wants to win in these conditions. Hockey tried to get around this by signing guys to insane 8-10 year deals or some shit.
Washington deserves to suck. They’re paying Rashard the biggest contract in the league, and they actually have to debate whether to shed it or not. Fuck all that “he’s good in the locker room” shit. Let Wall and Crawford shine, and if you plug Nick Young at the starting 3, that’s the best scoring first 3 in the league.
Kobe was helpless that series compared to AI. I know many people hate on his many 38-40% shooting percentages that year and stuff, but he still actually tried a more team game and was less of a ballstopper then guys like Steve Francis. I also think, he was working teamwise fine in Denvers Streetball offense with him and Melo and his percentage reflects that, too … People also forget that only his body kept him from being nice defence wise. AI was more complete then people give him credit for. Only thing I missed with AI was some smarts, education and a Kobe or Dirk practise effort.
Btw, J. Crawford is getting old and slower, but recent events may lend him more then he is worth. Not sure what the Hawks will do anyway. Team roster seems to be messy…
"Here’s the bottom line: The Celtics will be a luxury tax-paying team and therefore will have only the mini mid-level exception ($3 million) with which to attract anything more than a minimum-contract player. The Celtics are already over the salary cap with the team on the hook for $64.9 million for seven players (that’s including a $5.7 million qualifying offer to Jeff Green, and that price tag should only rise). Boston will be able to sign its rookies and use Bird Rights to potentially pay to retain the likes of Green and Glen Davis.
I think it was more about the fact that the Sixers really only had Mutombo and the great eternal Todd MacCulloch to throw at Shaq.
In Game 1 he had 44 points, 20 boards, 5 assists…and in Game 2 he had 28 points, 20 boards, 9 assists, 8 blocks. I mean come on, what the hell can Larry Brown do about that?
And then poor Todd had to face Shaq again the next year. Held Shaq to only 36 points and 12 boards per game. What a champ.
