NBA 2016 Off-Season Thread

Djay

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Super teams generally don't win the first year they're put together. I don't know if it's chemistry or what, but historically they need a season before they do anything...if they ever do. Malone/Payton with the Lakers. LeBron/Bosh with the Heat. Nash/Howard with the Lakers. LeBron/Love with the Cavs. None of those teams won it their first year. The only instances I can think of in the last 30 years is when Drexler joined the Rockets for their '95 Championship and the '07 Celtics Championship with Garnett and Allen.

Not saying they won't win or that they shouldn't be the favorites, but history says adding superstars together doesn't immediately result in a championship.
 

Alex

Still a Music Elitist
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The thing about the Dubs "superteam" is that most of them have been playing together since they joined the NBA. Durant is the only new addition. I really don't get the media's idea of the Dubs "cheating" the system. They drafted phenomenally well and picked up one FA. It's not like players multiple teams took pay cuts to join one team. They signed one FA. That's it.
 

Enzee

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This is a terrible basis for contract law. Maybe he should have had a "feels" contingency written into his contract so he had better recourse if the Heat were suddenly legally being big ol meanies. Can't it also be possible the Heat are entirely justified in letting him leave, though? Why does it have to turn into a WWE script? Why can't it be that the situation just didn't work out, and honestly was doomed to not work out after the Heat didn't win 6 in a row and their attempts to rebuild were met with too many injuries.
No one said the heat CANT do it, or that it's illegal or something, it's just shitty on their part. That's all.
Wade had THEM in the other position and didn't force them to pay him more when he was actually worth it. Yes, they are justified in letting him leave, just like he would have been justified in demanding more money and not letting them get to the finals 3 years in a row. He deferred payment for the benefit of the organization overall, and then they didn't hold up their end of it. It couldn't be written into his contract or then they would have been over the cap. It HAD to be a gentlemen's agreement. The team made a bunch of money from being successful for those years that they never would have gotten otherwise, Wade isn't the only one who benefited from the success of the team.
He had built up a relationship with the management over his entire career, so when they give you their word, based on that 10+ year relationship, you figure they'll keep it.
 

Convo

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ill still be watching. I think the east is interesting if some of these rebuilds work out. Knicks will be an interesting team to follow. I'm glad we are just a young team with still a few people away. Let the Dubs and Cavs have their reign. My bold prediction(maybe not so bold) is still Milsap to the Raps which really puts them on a more equal level with the Cavs. That move makes so much sense when you just look at both teams and where they are at.
 

Brahma

Obi-Bro Kenobi-X
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ill still be watching. I think the east is interesting if some of these rebuilds work out. Knicks will be an interesting team to follow. I'm glad we are just a young team with still a few people away. Let the Dubs and Cavs have their reign. My bold prediction(maybe not so bold) is still Milsap to the Raps which really puts them on a more equal level with the Cavs. That move makes so much sense when you just look at both teams and where they are at.
The Knicks? A team full of injured or no defense playing washed up stars.
 

Convo

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The Knicks? A team full of injured or no defense playing washed up stars.
Yep! I'm not convinced DRose is washed up either. It's a much more interesting Knicks team than last year. Prob finish 3rd behind Cavs and Raps?!;-)
 

Slaythe

<Bronze Donator>
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Yeah, you're right Convo. And my comments about college for him were definitely overblown (but I never preferred Ingram. Not for one second.) Simmons combination of size, athleticism and overall game smarts just don't come around very often. His floor is something like a much more athletic Lamar Odom which would still be a really good player. And then likely something much better than that.
 

Convo

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My homer prediction but watching him play he looks like he could easily average 10-10-10. It's more likely he's 15-7-6. So far they've used him as a Point Forward and he's looked really good. I'm ready for the season to start!

Some real nice highlights.

Ben Simmons vs Jazz | Utah Summer League | 8 July 2016 - YouTube


Have the wolves played yet? Been hoping to catch them to see Dunn. Think I'm going to go to the Wolves game again this year since they draft most of the guys I wanted. :-(
 

Brahma

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Yep! I'm not convinced DRose is washed up either. It's a much more interesting Knicks team than last year. Prob finish 3rd behind Cavs and Raps?!;-)
He isn't washed up. He just can't/won't stay on the court.
 

Convo

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Watching Dunn play this summer league game like its his last game just makes me sad. Really wanted him. So much fire.
 

Djay

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Am I totally missing something or do they not have a League Pass option for Summer games this year? I don't have NBA TV, so...that sucks unless I'm just missing it somewhere.

Edit: Apparently it's streaming on ESPN3. That works.
 

Djay

Trakanon Raider
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KAT is so well-spoken. He's going to have a long career even after his playing days are over.
 

Araxen

Golden Baronet of the Realm
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Dunn reminds me of Wade. Rubio and him playing together is going to be something special to watch.

 

Convo

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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he will grow on Slaythe! He needs to work on some things, like any rookie but he's in a great situation for max development to his game.

If anyone is interested, Sixers playing Lakers at 830 pm est on ESPN 2. Sixers sent Sauce and Grant to Vegas to play to see how Simmons does with more pros. I'm curious to see is Sauce can drain all the open looks he will get tonight.. Plus Ingram will be fun to watch.

Our starting 5.

McConnell
Stauskas
Grant
Simmons
Holmes

I expect an amazing ally-oop highlight tonight from Simmons to Grant
 

Slaythe

<Bronze Donator>
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Dunn looked pretty good but its important to keep in mind he's a 22 year old going up against people either much younger than that or people fighting for NBA roster spots. That's competition he should dominate.

That said, you watch him play and you can see the defensive potential. He's really explosive off the dribble too and is a confident player. Jump shot is broken though. Ugly and inconsistent at best. But, I guess I would say that he knocks that jumper down even being ugly at a ok percentage. If a shooting coach can fix his mechanics I don't think he'll have problems there.

I still have the same concerns. Jamal Murray looks like a lost child out there in that game, but he's also 19. Dunn looked good and I hope he turns out great. There is just a lot less time for him to do it than your typical lottery prospect.
 

Gilgamel

A Man Chooses....
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Summer league means nothing. Just keep saying that. It's like a pre-season NFL game only even less meaningful.