NBA discussion thread

Originally posted by Smasandian
Yeah, it's still fun to complain, or make fun of.

I just think of Raptors Aajuro pick. What the **** was that.....

I do agree that in basketball, you shouldnt draft for position and go for the best player available, but sometimes they're circumstances that you shouldnt go for the best player.

Let's say you have two really great SF/SG like Carter and McGrady on your team. Are you going to draft another SF/SG just because that guy is better than that C you might pick. If he is going to be stuck behind two guys and never play, and wont develop anything over a guy who can start right away and contribute. I think you go for that C.

Football is completely different...but thats a different thread....but yeah, I still dont think, no matter what the pick, you shouldnt really blame the GM at the time for the pick.

... I see what you mean but if it ain't working then trade someone. Don't take a "maybe" if there is a "definite."

^
Exactly

I think the Blazers should go with Durant. I know Oden is a good player too but I think Durant might be better rounded and more polished at this point and could prob make a bigger faster contribution than Oden. But you really can't go wrong with both, injuries excluded. It was just like Olajuwon and Jordan, take your pick 2 championships or 6? Besides I'd like to see Oden in Seattle. I really think they need and could use him more.

Btw, I don't feel sorry for the Celtics, Sixers, Grizzlies or any other team that was purposely tanking to get into the Oden sweepstakes. The hell with them. Jokes on them for tanking. I don't believe that the draft should reward poor play. Don't like your chances in the draft then play better with the team you have. Remember when Doc took that mediocre Magic team all the way to the playoffs. Why? Cuz they played hard. Which shouldn't be too hard to do in the Eastern conference. I like the system the way it is. Its a crap shoot and that's the way it should be.

Edit: And let's not forget the excitement that it generates...

Originally posted by Myth
I appreciate the support Kool, and I love the core of players we have now. I think they could be title contenders in 3-5 years. I was suggesting to Portland's broadcasters that they dub Aldridge and Oden as the "Towers of Power" since Twin Towers has been used. As for the Celtic fans, oh wow what a seen. But I prefer this one:

http://www.kgw.com/video/video-index.html?nvid=146379
(I am the one with the girl wearing yellow)

That is actually the reaction once the Hawks were given 3rd, nobody could hear that we got 1st and it took us a bit to see it on the screen. The radio audience apparently didn't know what pick we got for a long time because our cheers drowned out the broadcasters.

I agree that the league shouldn't reward poor play like teams tanking, but I think Barkley made a great point last night. It would have been better for the NBA if the two top picks went to the East. The West is already loaded with tons of talented (Nash, A.I, Melo, Dirk, Kobe, Duncan,ect.) and if the East would have gotten Durant and Oden it could have balanced out the league more.

And I personally think Portland should take Oden. The guy was one of the two best college players with a broken shooting hand, not sure if Durant could have pulled that off. Plus my gut extinct tells me to go with Oden, but like it's been said before you're not going to lose with either of them. Did anyone hear about that Chinese player that is suppose to go in to 5, His 1st name is Yi, and I'm not even going to try and spell his last name.

I think it is a huge mistake passing on the best player in the draft because he isn't a 7'0 center. You should always take the best player in the draft no matter the position. I just can't understand how someone would pass up on Durant after seeing what he did. How teams draft just makes no sense to me.

Originally posted by RZA
^
Exactly

I think the Blazers should go with Durant. I know Oden is a good player too but I think Durant might be better rounded and more polished at this point and could prob make a bigger faster contribution than Oden. But you really can't go wrong with both, injuries excluded. It was just like Olajuwon and Jordan, take your pick 2 championships or 6? Besides I'd like to see Oden in Seattle. I really think they need and could use him more.

Btw, I don't feel sorry for the Celtics, Sixers, Grizzlies or any other team that was purposely tanking to get into the Oden sweepstakes. The hell with them. Jokes on them for tanking. I don't believe that the draft should reward poor play. Don't like your chances in the draft then play better with the team you have. Remember when Doc took that mediocre Magic team all the way to the playoffs. Why? Cuz they played hard. Which shouldn't be too hard to do in the Eastern conference. I like the system the way it is. Its a crap shoot and that's the way it should be.

Edit: And let's not forget the excitement that it generates...

Yeah, because the Sixers were really purposely tanking when they went from the worst record to the 12 worst record. 🙄

I wish they would have tanked, but they didn't.

Originally posted by chithappens
... I see what you mean but if it ain't working then trade someone. Don't take a "maybe" if there is a "definite."

In any draft, anybody who thinks a player is going to be definite star is wrong. Nonbody knows, they're taking they're best guess. If you have to all stars at a position, dont trade them away for a guy who hasnt played for the NBA. He can always be an bust.

Originally posted by DanZeke25
Yeah, because the Sixers were really purposely tanking when they went from the worst record to the 12 worst record. 🙄

I wish they would have tanked, but they didn't.

Too little too late I'm afraid. It definitely seemed to me like they were tanking after they traded AI but then again it could have been the after effects of trading away your best player. Either way they got crap players in return and really seemed like they were making no effort to play well at all or even play the good players they still had. And don't tell me you didn't want them to tank at that point and enter into the Oden sweepstakes if memory serves me right you were practically begging for it.

Originally posted by Smasandian
In any draft, anybody who thinks a player is going to be definite star is wrong. Nonbody knows, they're taking they're best guess. If you have to all stars at a position, dont trade them away for a guy who hasnt played for the NBA. He can always be an bust.

I think he was also referring to the fact that you could always trade the pick. And I agree either way you're taking a chance, if you're going to take that chance you might as well take it on someone who is more of a sure thing and has more value.

Btw, the thing that is going to really hurt the league the most is not just the balance of power to the West but the fact that not many of these games will be broadcast on the major East coast markets at times when people can actually see the games. This means no prime time viewing for cities like NY, Boston, Philly...etc. These are big basketball markets. But for me it's perfect because I'm on the west coast now so haha. Besides everyone has Tivo these days or something like that right? I mean I don't but everyone else does right?

Originally posted by RZA
Too little too late I'm afraid. It definitely seemed to me like they were tanking after they traded AI but then again it could have been the after effects of trading away your best player. Either way they got crap players in return and really seemed like they were making no effort to play well at all or even play the good players they still had. And don't tell me you didn't want them to tank at that point and enter into the Oden sweepstakes if memory serves me right you were practically begging for it.

I think he was also referring to the fact that you could always trade the pick. And I agree either way you're taking a chance, if you're going to take that chance you might as well take it on someone who is more of a sure thing and has more value.

Btw, the thing that is going to really hurt the league the most is not just the balance of power to the West but the fact that not many of these games will be broadcast on the major East coast markets at times when people can actually see the games. This means no prime time viewing for cities like NY, Boston, Philly...etc. These are big basketball markets. But for me it's perfect because I'm on the west coast now so haha. Besides everyone has Tivo these days or something like that right? I mean I don't but everyone else does right?

Why would I tell you I didn't want them to tank, when I just said that I wished they did in the previous post. I was begging for them to get into the Oden Sweepstakes, as was almost every Philly Fan, but they didn't. The only good player we got for Iverson was Andre Miller, but he played really well for us near the end of the season. We were trying to get better trades, but other teams kept saying no. We almsot has Jason Richardson, but GS said no after they thought about it for a while.

The Sixers were deff. not tanking it though. There were plenty of very close games in the 2nd half of the season that they could have easily lossed, one "missed" shot or "bad defensive play" and they could have lost, but they ended up winning in OT or something in that fashion. Iggy led us to plenty of wins in close games.

Yeah I don't think the Sixers were tanking either, if you go back in this thread you will probably see post by Danzeke getting mad because they were winning. This is after they traded Iverson.

Though they did buy out Webber. Its kind of odd to buy out a starter, but really, I don't know or care about what the Sixers did.

Btw, I'm loving seeing Blazers in the trade rumors again:
Randolph for Rashard Lewis?
Randolph to Washington, sending Jamison to the Hawks, and the #3 pick to the Blazers so they can draft Conley?

Man, the possibilities are endless, but either way, Randolph should be a goner. Thank you basketball gods for blessing me.

Conley Jr. at #3 ? If they somehow got that #3 pick, picking Conley Jr. would be a huge mistake. I don't see him as top 10 talent, and definitely not top 3.

This year's draft isn't really cropped with PG's, He isn't going to be available for long on that fact alone. Plus if he impresses his teams through workouts that will just increase his stock that much more.

Originally posted by Myth
Though they did buy out Webber. Its kind of odd to buy out a starter, but really, I don't know or care about what the Sixers did.

Webber never started for Philly this year, well maybe the 1st couple games of the season he started, but he bareley had any PT, and after that he either sat the bench or didn't dress as at all.

Originally posted by RZA
Besides everyone has Tivo these days or something like that right? I mean I don't but everyone else does right?

I know I don't.

Originally posted by Lord Evolution
Yeah I don't think the Sixers were tanking either, if you go back in this thread you will probably see post by Danzeke getting mad because they were winning. This is after they traded Iverson.

The Sixers WERE tanking at first. There is no doubt in my mind about this. Now late in the season they strung some wins together but they were not even trying when Iverson was first traded.

Originally posted by Smasandian
In any draft, anybody who thinks a player is going to be definite star is wrong. Nonbody knows, they're taking they're best guess. If you have to all stars at a position, dont trade them away for a guy who hasnt played for the NBA. He can always be an bust.

Obviously there is no certainty because even injuries come up, BUT certain instances are silly.

Example: If Oden and Conley Jr stay in school but the Supersonics had already resigned R. Lewis, do you not draft Durant?

Sonic fans would go f'ing crazy.

The Bowie - Jordan is a joke because they had plenty of 2 guards BUT Jordan was going to be better than at least two of the guards on that roster (of that, there was no question) meaning you could trade away the guys who were still of value, or just trade the pick to some sap for a neccesity.

There is no reason not to take the best player in basketball. Even in football, this is not a cut and dry issue (unless you are talking about QB), but you almost always take the best guy on the board unless there is some bare bones neccesity.

Originally posted by chithappens
The Sixers WERE tanking at first. There is no doubt in my mind about this. Now late in the season they strung some wins together but they were not even trying when Iverson was first traded.

Obviously there is no certainty because even injuries come up, BUT certain instances are silly.

Example: If Oden and Conley Jr stay in school but the Supersonics had already resigned R. Lewis, do you not draft Durant?

Sonic fans would go f'ing crazy.

The Bowie - Jordan is a joke because they had plenty of 2 guards BUT Jordan was going to be better than at least two of the guards on that roster (of that, there was no question) meaning you could trade away the guys who were still of value, or just trade the pick to some sap for a neccesity.

There is no reason not to take the best player in basketball. Even in football, this is not a cut and dry issue (unless you are talking about QB), but you almost always take the best guy on the board unless there is some bare bones neccesity.

What reason do they have to tank at first, and then start winning? It wouldn't make sense to tank, and then start winning. What does that accomplish? It doesn't get you into the playoffs, and it doesn't get you a great draft pick either. Great stategy there.

Trust me, they were not tanking. I'm probably the only one here that actually watched most of the Sixers games, and they were deff. trying to win.

Originally posted by chithappens
The Sixers WERE tanking at first. There is no doubt in my mind about this. Now late in the season they strung some wins together but they were not even trying when Iverson was first traded.

Obviously there is no certainty because even injuries come up, BUT certain instances are silly.

Example: If Oden and Conley Jr stay in school but the Supersonics had already resigned R. Lewis, do you not draft Durant?

Sonic fans would go f'ing crazy.

The Bowie - Jordan is a joke because they had plenty of 2 guards BUT Jordan was going to be better than at least two of the guards on that roster (of that, there was no question) meaning you could trade away the guys who were still of value, or just trade the pick to some sap for a neccesity.

There is no reason not to take the best player in basketball. Even in football, this is not a cut and dry issue (unless you are talking about QB), but you almost always take the best guy on the board unless there is some bare bones neccesity.

In football, unless the guy who is best player available is going to be next best thing ever, you never take the best player available because they're will always be an bare bone neccisity in football, especially if your in the top 10. In the last 20, then yeah, maybe you can go for the best player available, but theres 22 positions that you need to fill.

Agreed.

NFL GMs are idiots though so I'm not going to have a real discussion about that (Lions picking C. Johnson, Miami Ginn Jr.; there was a lot of stupid picks this past year) because they do not agree with the position argument. I think it depends on situation entirely but this year some weird picks for the hell of it

Yeah your right, this is NBA.

But I still think your wrong about the NFL draft.

Utah.. 131

Originally posted by Barker
Utah.. 131

Hopefully the same thing happens 3 more times. 13