Anybody paying attention to the ridiculous amounts of money being given away? I know the salary cap has gone up big, and will continue to grow, but it just feels so weird to see some of these numbers that really mediocre players are getting.

Now that Kobe is gone I'm thinking I might start paying a little more attention to the Lakers. They did one really good thing yesterday, signing Jordan Clarkson to a 4 yr $50MM deal. Good young player at a reasonable cost. But Mozgov? Good gracious. 4 yrs at $64MM. Rumors are that the third year is an option, but I'm not sure whose option. If team, great. If player, sheesh. Everybody says this is going to look like a decent deal in a couple of years though. I guess I'm just old and don't like things that make me uncomfortable.

Hell, the Lakers are going to have to work just to get to the payroll minimum (90% of cap?). But they're not going to get any decent free agents because they look like a crap organization right now. The Buss kids are not like their dad; Jim in particular appears way out of his depth. Hoping Luke Walton can demonstrate an ability to work the x's and o's with the young kids and NEXT year attract some free agents who like the trend.

All that said, it looks like there are some real scrubs that are going to get huge contracts. Mozgov won't be anywhere near the worst. Hell, Joakim Noah's deal (4 yrs, $70MM) looks worse.

ETA: Another excellent example:

Quote:Zach Lowe @ZachLowe_NBA
Bucks are nearing a 4-year, $38M deal for Matthew Dellavedova, sources tell http://ESPN.com

The money and years of these contracts being tossed out today for some of these players is ridiculous.

(07-01-2016 08:40 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  The money and years of these contracts being tossed out today for some of these players is ridiculous.

Years? Sonny, sit down and lemme tell you the story of Isaiah Thomas and the Knicks.....

Remember 7 year contracts? Juwan Howard, Grant Hill, Penny HArdaway, Allan Houston, Stephon Marbury. Vin Baker, Erick Dampier, Jim McIlvaine....

(07-01-2016 09:34 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(07-01-2016 08:40 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  The money and years of these contracts being tossed out today for some of these players is ridiculous.

Years? Sonny, sit down and lemme tell you the story of Isaiah Thomas and the Knicks.....

Remember 7 year contracts? Juwan Howard, Grant Hill, Penny HArdaway, Allan Houston, Stephon Marbury. Vin Baker, Erick Dampier, Jim McIlvaine....

I wish the NBA allowed longer contracts. It'd give the small market teams some much needed help. If the Thunder could've signed KD to a 10 year deal it would've made the future much clearer and a plan that much easier to craft and follow.

As a Laker fan not at all happy....got out of one bad contract-(Kobe) and now have two bad contacts-(Muzgov/Deng)...

Not against the players...GOD Bless em being able to sign these deals...but NBA management has lost their minds.

(07-01-2016 09:34 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(07-01-2016 08:40 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  The money and years of these contracts being tossed out today for some of these players is ridiculous.

Years? Sonny, sit down and lemme tell you the story of Isaiah Thomas and the Knicks.....

Remember 7 year contracts? Juwan Howard, Grant Hill, Penny HArdaway, Allan Houston, Stephon Marbury. Vin Baker, Erick Dampier, Jim McIlvaine....

Way to overpaid for way to little of a term. I don't get it. If was a long term deal and considered an investment the large money over large years would make sense, But these guys making insane money for a 2-4 deal I just don't get.

Durant is headed to Oakland...Game Over....

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/167598...e-warriors

Can't look too far ahead, but if the Curry/KD Warriors play cohesive basketball and the main pieces stick together after the first year we could be looking at another dynasty team.

Lol, good riddance Durant. Can't wait to see what OKC looks like with Westbrook running the show for a full season.

(07-04-2016 12:24 PM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote:  Lol, good riddance Durant. Can't wait to see what OKC looks like with Westbrook running the show for a full season.

Gotta feeling OKC will trade Westbrook to get something for him

(07-04-2016 12:34 PM)Maize Wrote:  

(07-04-2016 12:24 PM)Blazer4Life14 Wrote:  Lol, good riddance Durant. Can't wait to see what OKC looks like with Westbrook running the show for a full season.

Gotta feeling OKC will trade Westbrook to get something for him

Either that or sign him to a long term contract. I'd like to see what him and Oladipo could together though.

If there's one bright spot in KD going to GS, it's that OKC is the one he left high and dry to do it. Karma...she's a b*tch!!

(07-05-2016 12:19 AM)DefCONNOne Wrote:  If there's one bright spot in KD going to GS, it's that OKC is the one he left high and dry to do it. Karma...she's a b*tch!!

...not sure what you mean. Unless you're posting from Seattle?

Good, Texas was going broke

http://www.hookem.com/2016/07/05/kevin-d...s-help-ut/


How Kevin Durant signing with the Warriors could earn UT money

Posted July 5th, 2016

Amanda O'Donnell American-Statesman Staff

aodonnell@statesman.com

It’s not just good news for Warriors fans. It turns out ex-Longhorn Kevin Durant’s decision to sign with the San Francisco team may in turn prove very fruitful for the University of Texas.

READ: Texas ready to dress up its athletic apparel contract

As Forbes reports, the school signed a $250 million joint apparel deal with Nike and Durant last year that’ll benefit from the star forward’s new colors. The co-branding deal awards UT royalties and was established after Durant “reached record levels in recent years compared to other pro athletes in Nike’s portfolio.” Durant’s jersey was the No. 5 most sold this past season, and, as one might guess, Silicon Valley serves a larger market than Oklahoma City. On top of that, Durant will be joining the NBA’s No. 1 team. Oklahoma was seventh.

Whether the jersey’s burnt orange, blue and orange or yellow and blue, Durant fans are buying. And the Horns are cashing in.

(07-05-2016 12:32 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(07-05-2016 12:19 AM)DefCONNOne Wrote:  If there's one bright spot in KD going to GS, it's that OKC is the one he left high and dry to do it. Karma...she's a b*tch!!

...not sure what you mean. Unless you're posting from Seattle?

I'm from CT and my fav team is the Celtics, but no one (and I do mean NO ONE) should feel sorry in any way for OKC. The owner, with the blessing of fmr-Commissioner Stern, screwed over Seattle in a very underhanded way and any bad thing(s) that happens to OKC is just karma getting her licks in.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/167919...ty-thunder

A interesting read on Durant.

(07-05-2016 07:17 PM)DefCONNOne Wrote:  I'm from CT and my fav team is the Celtics, but no one (and I do mean NO ONE) should feel sorry in any way for OKC. The owner, with the blessing of fmr-Commissioner Stern, screwed over Seattle in a very underhanded way and any bad thing(s) that happens to OKC is just karma getting her licks in.

The owner maybe. But it's not like the city itself did it, or their fans.

(07-07-2016 05:53 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  

(07-05-2016 07:17 PM)DefCONNOne Wrote:  I'm from CT and my fav team is the Celtics, but no one (and I do mean NO ONE) should feel sorry in any way for OKC. The owner, with the blessing of fmr-Commissioner Stern, screwed over Seattle in a very underhanded way and any bad thing(s) that happens to OKC is just karma getting her licks in.

The owner maybe. But it's not like the city itself did it, or their fans.

I probably should've specified the Thunder and not the city.

(07-02-2016 12:04 PM)Maize Wrote:  As a Laker fan not at all happy....got out of one bad contract-(Kobe) and now have two bad contacts-(Muzgov/Deng)...

Not against the players...GOD Bless em being able to sign these deals...but NBA management has lost their minds.

You can't blame the management. The NBA has a spending floor. The NBAPA also rejected a smoothing period for the increase as well. So they had to give the money out. ESPN/Turner are the real culprits.

(07-07-2016 07:33 PM)DefCONNOne Wrote:  

(07-07-2016 05:53 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  

(07-05-2016 07:17 PM)DefCONNOne Wrote:  I'm from CT and my fav team is the Celtics, but no one (and I do mean NO ONE) should feel sorry in any way for OKC. The owner, with the blessing of fmr-Commissioner Stern, screwed over Seattle in a very underhanded way and any bad thing(s) that happens to OKC is just karma getting her licks in.

The owner maybe. But it's not like the city itself did it, or their fans.

I probably should've specified the Thunder and not the city.

Yeah, the ones to "blame" are the Thunder owners, and Stern, and maybe others who worked with them to take the team away.

Fans are not at fault, but if any of them start to feel to sorry for themselves, or if they overreact (as the OKC mayor did) and say Durant "betrayed" them, then they should put it in perspective by looking at this photo of Kevin Durant from his rookie season in the NBA.