Post by vecseysbeard on Jul 19, 2013 12:31:40 GMT -5
New season, new thread.
NBA Thoughts:
1. New CBA has ironically screwed teams in the name of better cap management. Shorter contracts so a team isn't burdened with 6/7 year deals. I get it but the turnover and demand for immediate success is going to kill some FO and coaching staffs. Owners will get tired of failed expectations after year two. And players will be angling for FA in the second year of a four year deal. I don't like it. Case in point: Portlandia. LA signed a four year deal and is already angling for a trade. BUT I like what they did this offseason (more on what I like below). I am not against better cap management...more and more teams are being wiser about their contracts. But if you're a young team trying to develop a core and build something, the current CBA makes that extra difficult. LA should be quiet and see what takes shape this year and next...could be something there. Maybe more good will come with FO being forced to be smarter and coaches being forced to streamline their systems more efficiently...but as a fan of team that could be in Portland situation after this year, I don't like it.
2. Teams that intrigue me
Cavs: Young, top player in Kyrie, plenty of cap space when it will matter most, made a reasonable gamble in Bynum, weak East. The 2011 draft is still a bummer to me. Still would have taken Jonas over TT. And in the hindsight world, sure would be nice to have Klay Thompson or Kawhi Leonard instead. I have cooled on my displeasure with the Waiters pick as that draft year looks awful. Though Harrison Barnes at SF would be nice right now. In fact, the Cavs could have been the Warriors...Irving-Klay-Barnes....sigh....now I'm sad. Indifferent about Bennett. Shitty draft to land number one pick. Wait and see but overall, like it that the Cavs will be a league-pass kind of intrigue this year.
Warriors: Whats not to love. I love their roster. I love Iggy on that team. It may be hard to keep core intact but this year and next will be lots of fun. They took a gamble that I think is paying off in Bogut. Lee is a double-double guy and then all the shooters. Sigh. I may have to go to few GSW games this year.
Bulls: I'm intrigued to see Rose back. Will he be the same, is he a shell of former self? The lineup of Rose-Butler-Deng-Gibson-Noah will be a +/- nightmare for everyone else. Gibson-Noah is + heaven while Boozer is nothing but - on the floor. Hope Thibs does Boozer in this year. I would like to see full-strength Bulls take on what I think will be a weaker Heat team (minus LBJ being other-worldly).
Portland: Portland quietly made some interesting moves. Adding Wright, Lopez and even Thomas Robinson, not to mention some scorers from the draft in McCollum and Crabbe to go along with Lillard, Matthews, Batum and LA. A LA-Lopez front court seems like a really nice fit. Intrigued to see how they come together.
3. Teams that meh me
Rockets: Harden and Howard are goofballs. Never going to have the fortitude to win anything. I do think Howard will be fine in that offense. I know some have taken shots because Howard complained about the Lakers offense last year. But I believe that complaint had less to do with the actual offense more to do with Kobe, the Lakers, D'Antoni. I still don't much interest in the Rockets.
Nets: In the book of what not to do is the Brooklyn Nets. I'm so confused. Jason Kidd is the HC. Stupid money and old players all over that roster. A weird Russian owner. In some ways it's fascinating but basketball-wise I'm not interested in middler-team from the East p, wrought with issues. But they will, along with the Rockets, will be force fed to us this year.
Wizards: I know that there is some buzz around them like around the Cavs but I just can't get behind a team led by Wall. Kyrie > Wall in terms of alpha.
Anyway, this tl;dr as it is.
Looking forward to the year ahead.
NBA Thoughts:
1. New CBA has ironically screwed teams in the name of better cap management. Shorter contracts so a team isn't burdened with 6/7 year deals. I get it but the turnover and demand for immediate success is going to kill some FO and coaching staffs. Owners will get tired of failed expectations after year two. And players will be angling for FA in the second year of a four year deal. I don't like it. Case in point: Portlandia. LA signed a four year deal and is already angling for a trade. BUT I like what they did this offseason (more on what I like below). I am not against better cap management...more and more teams are being wiser about their contracts. But if you're a young team trying to develop a core and build something, the current CBA makes that extra difficult. LA should be quiet and see what takes shape this year and next...could be something there. Maybe more good will come with FO being forced to be smarter and coaches being forced to streamline their systems more efficiently...but as a fan of team that could be in Portland situation after this year, I don't like it.
2. Teams that intrigue me
Cavs: Young, top player in Kyrie, plenty of cap space when it will matter most, made a reasonable gamble in Bynum, weak East. The 2011 draft is still a bummer to me. Still would have taken Jonas over TT. And in the hindsight world, sure would be nice to have Klay Thompson or Kawhi Leonard instead. I have cooled on my displeasure with the Waiters pick as that draft year looks awful. Though Harrison Barnes at SF would be nice right now. In fact, the Cavs could have been the Warriors...Irving-Klay-Barnes....sigh....now I'm sad. Indifferent about Bennett. Shitty draft to land number one pick. Wait and see but overall, like it that the Cavs will be a league-pass kind of intrigue this year.
Warriors: Whats not to love. I love their roster. I love Iggy on that team. It may be hard to keep core intact but this year and next will be lots of fun. They took a gamble that I think is paying off in Bogut. Lee is a double-double guy and then all the shooters. Sigh. I may have to go to few GSW games this year.
Bulls: I'm intrigued to see Rose back. Will he be the same, is he a shell of former self? The lineup of Rose-Butler-Deng-Gibson-Noah will be a +/- nightmare for everyone else. Gibson-Noah is + heaven while Boozer is nothing but - on the floor. Hope Thibs does Boozer in this year. I would like to see full-strength Bulls take on what I think will be a weaker Heat team (minus LBJ being other-worldly).
Portland: Portland quietly made some interesting moves. Adding Wright, Lopez and even Thomas Robinson, not to mention some scorers from the draft in McCollum and Crabbe to go along with Lillard, Matthews, Batum and LA. A LA-Lopez front court seems like a really nice fit. Intrigued to see how they come together.
3. Teams that meh me
Rockets: Harden and Howard are goofballs. Never going to have the fortitude to win anything. I do think Howard will be fine in that offense. I know some have taken shots because Howard complained about the Lakers offense last year. But I believe that complaint had less to do with the actual offense more to do with Kobe, the Lakers, D'Antoni. I still don't much interest in the Rockets.
Nets: In the book of what not to do is the Brooklyn Nets. I'm so confused. Jason Kidd is the HC. Stupid money and old players all over that roster. A weird Russian owner. In some ways it's fascinating but basketball-wise I'm not interested in middler-team from the East p, wrought with issues. But they will, along with the Rockets, will be force fed to us this year.
Wizards: I know that there is some buzz around them like around the Cavs but I just can't get behind a team led by Wall. Kyrie > Wall in terms of alpha.
Anyway, this tl;dr as it is.
Looking forward to the year ahead.
