Need a new thread for this, Lebron opts out. Where is he going?

Also, interested to see who you guys think your teams will try to pick up?

http://www.si.com/nba/2014/06/24/cavalie...-nba-draft


Cavs trying to acquire more picks.

I believe LeBron will do one of the following two things:

LeBron will get Wade and Bosh to opt out and re-sign at a reduced rate, and he will do the same. That way Miami has more cap flexibility to upgrade PG, improve bench, etc. I also expect Wade to transition to a more Manu-like role off the bench, so a new starting 2-guard would have to be found.

The other option is LeBron will leave based on not being able to get Wade and Bosh to opt out and reduce their salaries. That way he doesn't look like the bad guy or a mercenary. Wade and Bosh look bad for not sacrificing salary to keep LeBron and improve the team. If he does leave, I don't know where he will go. The summer would get 100x wilder.

Gut feeling is that the first option occurs. Wade and Bosh know that they can't lose LeBron. Miami would drop from annual Finals participant to out in the first round.

Lebron James should sign with the San Antonio Spurs for 1 year for the smallest amount of money possible. He needs to win at least 6 championships to maximize his lifetime income and "go Jordan".

Michael Jordan is worth about a billion dollars. Very little of that was from his NBA salaries. It's estimated he makes about $90 million a year, many years after the end of his playing career. (And $90 million a year is much more than NBA players make per year.)

The less money he takes, the better his team can be (and the more teams he can play for). He'll make up the money he's forgoing (and then some) if he wins 6+ championships.

The Spurs are the best choice for Lebron because:

1) They give him the best chance to win a championship next year. They won it convincingly this year without him.

2) They are a deep, deep team and because of this Lebron's minutes can be managed (this will help extend his career and help him have a better playoff run). Nobody on the Spurs played 30 minutes or more per game during the regular season last year.

3) Texas is an income tax free state. There are are only 5 teams in such states, Spurs, Rockets, Mavs, Magic, and Heat. This is just a bonus because he needs to go wherever wins him a championship.

He should repeat the same process each offseason with the goal of winning at least 6 championships.

I won't even venture to guess whom the Spurs will pursue. They find 'em all over the place. lol As for Lebron, there's no way he's going to San Antonio. Miami's big three made almost as much ($58 million) as the entire Spurs roster this past season ($63 million).

http://www.nba.com/hornets/hornets-uniform-faq

Hornets new jerseys shun the old pinstripes. I think the new ones look just OK, but going back to the old school pinstripes would have been MONEY!

Hornets fans, what do you think of the draft?

I think there are top eight off the board are set in some order, barring someone wanting to draft-and-stash Saric (Wiggins, Parker, Embiid, Randle, Vonleh, Smart, Exum, and Gordon). I'm guessing Charlotte would like to add some shooting with the ninth pick, so I would say probably McDermott or maybe Stauskas.

Do you think you will resign McRoberts? Any other big moves? I think I've heard Charlotte being linked to Afflalo, but so are a lot of other teams.

I'd love to draft Stauskas. I think he is a lot more versatile than McD and gives us a second ball handler which we really, really need.

I really don't want McDermott honestly. Also don't want Affalo, not with #9 anyway. I wouldn't be upset with trading #24 for him though. The guy's 30. I just don't think you give up a top 10 draft pick in a really deep draft for him. Some season, by 9, there is little talent left. Not the case this year.

I'd love to re-sign McRoberts. I think we will.

McRoberts is going to want too much IMO. I say go BPA at 9 and then fill needs at 24 and with the 2nd round pick. Sign Parsons and hopefully a backup PG. Not sure what to do at SG, Henderson is streaky on offense and isn't the defensive lockdown some fans make him. I guess hope MKG makes big strides this year. This team is still another year or two away from contending but could break into the top 4 of the East this year.

(06-25-2014 08:57 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  http://www.nba.com/hornets/hornets-uniform-faq

Hornets new jerseys shun the old pinstripes. I think the new ones look just OK, but going back to the old school pinstripes would have been MONEY!

Just because they didn't have pinstripes this year doesn't mean they won't in the next couple. You forget the NBA is a business.

Rockets trade Omer Asik to Pelicans for 2015 first round pick

(06-25-2014 03:21 PM)jarmzet Wrote:  Lebron James should sign with the San Antonio Spurs for 1 year for the smallest amount of money possible. He needs to win at least 6 championships to maximize his lifetime income and "go Jordan

NO!! I like Lebron and he is among the best regular players, but you completely take him out of his element with a Poppy-style team... (pass up the good shot for the great shot... Lebron is good at making the good shots count).

Not FA related, but the Hornets just unveiled the new court. Looks AWESOME.

http://www.nba.com/hornets/hornets-court-unveiled

Everything about this rebrand has been nailed IMO. The logo, the jerseys, and now the court.

Even the marketing leading up to it. I'm pretty confident we'll sell out the season ticket allotment before the season begins. It's like the NBA is coming to Charlotte for the first time all over again.

(06-26-2014 03:21 AM)DaSaintFan Wrote:  NO!! I like Lebron and he is among the best regular players, but you completely take him out of his element with a Poppy-style team... (pass up the good shot for the great shot... Lebron is good at making the good shots count).

I think he'd be fine. Pop would change how things work to take advantage of James' talents.

James is a team player. He plays defense. He passes when he's double teamed (even at the end of the game and gets criticized for it).

He really needs to try to "go Jordan" and to do that he needs to win 4 more titles.

If he keeps getting to the finals and losing, he'll end up being something like the Buffalo Bills of the NBA. (The two titles are nice, but he lost in the finals 3 other times.)

Afflalo sent to Denver for Fournier and the #56 pick. Good trade for Denver. They are capped out and don't have a lot of ways to improve their roster. On the other side, I would have thought Orlando could have gotten more back. Not a great move for them.

Btw.. I'll admit other than the Spurs, I'm not a fan of the Association, but I'm giving them serious props for "drafting" Isaiah Austin to the "NBA"

How shocking... they went with Hairston. Probably a great draft for them though.

(06-27-2014 01:09 PM)Fatalisk Wrote:  How shocking... they went with Hairston. Probably a great draft for them though.

Most of the analysts have given the Hornets an A or A+ for their draft.

Vonleh may take a few years to develop, but Hairston should contribute from day 1. He has great athleticism and easily has NBA range. Playing with Al Jefferson should give him a lot of open looks from 3.

We have 20 million to play with in free agency as well. Depending on what happens in the free agency market, Charlotte could end up being one of the best teams in the east next year. A lot of moving pieces though, so it is hard to say right now.

and CUSA players get drafted? I haven't looked yet.

no.