Official 2011-2012 NBA Playoffs Thread

[Via]

I don't know what's rumor and what's not, but I'm pretty sure the BUlls would overpay for Harden.

He fits every need they have, and why would he want to play third fiddle to Westbrook and Durant for the better part of his most productive days?

 

[NeoV]

umm..how about winning rings?

If he goes to Chicago, he's going to be 2nd fiddle to Rose anyway

OKC could be looking at 2-4 rings here..think about it

Spurs - this is their last stand, Manu and Duncan aren't getting any younger
Lakers - likely to make some big changes this off-season, Kobe not getting any younger

Other teams in the West - Minn could be interesting over the next few years, Denver has a decent core...Clippers...not sure really

East
Celtics are likely making their last stand...
Heat - still the big 3, Wade staying healthy starting to become a concern..
Bulls - Rose is going to miss all of next season - hard to say what the team looks like the following season
Knicks - eh..

Any other really good teams out there right now? Where Dwight Howard/Deron Williams end up this summer could impact things...

I would not be at all surprised to see OKC/Miami in the finals this year and next

 

[HendrixFan]

I'm thinking the Dwight Howard to the Lakers thing is pretty much the only logical choice for both parties, not that I would be happy to see that happen.

 

[NeoV]

Howard/Hedu for Bynum/Artest...

If I'm Orlando, I'm not sure that's the best I can do, considering the combined IQ of Bynum/Artest is about 5

I hate that we are going to go through the 'where will Dwight Howard end up' crap again as soon as the finals are over

 

[Via]

umm..how about winning rings?

If he goes to Chicago, he's going to be 2nd fiddle to Rose anyway

OKC could be looking at 2-4 rings here..think about it

Spurs - this is their last stand, Manu and Duncan aren't getting any younger
Lakers - likely to make some big changes this off-season, Kobe not getting any younger

Other teams in the West - Minn could be interesting over the next few years, Denver has a decent core...Clippers...not sure really

East
Celtics are likely making their last stand...
Heat - still the big 3, Wade staying healthy starting to become a concern..
Bulls - Rose is going to miss all of next season - hard to say what the team looks like the following season
Knicks - eh..

Any other really good teams out there right now? Where Dwight Howard/Deron Williams end up this summer could impact things...

I would not be at all surprised to see OKC/Miami in the finals this year and next

Well - whatever happens, Harden won't play for 7 mil a year on his next contract, I can guarantee you that.

 

[Via]

DP

 

[dbk]

I still have faith! Come on Spurs!... and.. Come on Celtics!

 

[preslove]

I'm thinking the Dwight Howard to the Lakers thing is pretty much the only logical choice for both parties, not that I would be happy to see that happen.

It ain't going to happen, but San Antonio would be a great place for Howard. Go with a Twin Towers 2.0 for the remainder of Duncan's career, and then Howard becomes the basis for the best franchise in professional sports to build teams around.

 

[vi edit]

I still have faith! Come on Spurs!... and.. Come on Celtics!

Tonights game is going to be very interesting. If Boston wins tonight I think they take it home and win in game 6. If they lose they may stretch it to 7, but they won't win the last one in Miami. They don't travel well, and you can see the minutes starting to add up. Not to say Lebron isn't starting to labor either. Some of his shots are really starting to get flat. Those minutes and defending KG are adding up on him as well.

If Bosh plays tonight, I also expect somebody from Boston to issue a "gut check" so to speak on him early to see how ready he is to come back.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

I'm thinking the Dwight Howard to the Lakers thing is pretty much the only logical choice for both parties, not that I would be happy to see that happen.

Any guess on where DWill lands?

Dragic is an interesting player as well if Dallas can't get DWill?

 

[NeoV]

I think Houston gets rid of Lowry and keeps Dragic

I think Dwill ....hmm..that's hard to say - not sure what keeps him in Brooklyn at this point..somehow I see him ending up in LA, but my guess is the Lakers will look very different next season other than Kobe

 

[Blackjack200]

I think Houston gets rid of Lowry and keeps Dragic

I think Dwill ....hmm..that's hard to say - not sure what keeps him in Brooklyn at this point..somehow I see him ending up in LA, but my guess is the Lakers will look very different next season other than Kobe

The speculation is that Williams and Howard will play together in Brooklyn. This speculation is mostly occuring in New York.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

The speculation is that Williams and Howard will play together in Brooklyn. This speculation is mostly occuring in New York.

That speculation stems from the same people who said LeBron would be playing in New York. Which he does. Twice a year.

 

[vi edit]

Any guess on where DWill lands?

Dragic is an interesting player as well if Dallas can't get DWill?

To me all signs point to Dallas for Williams. It just makes sense. Dallas needs to make a move for some physical big men though. They need more of a rebounding, shot blocking, and post play that isn't an offensive liability. If they could string along with what they have...maybe try and grab Nazr Mohammed or Kenyon Martin for some defense, rebound and enforcement depth then next summer gets interesting....Millsap, David West, and Josh Smith go unrestricted. Williams, Smith (if he stays to the post/paint game and not dumb jumpers) combined with Dirk for another year or two would be fun.

Serge Ibaka goes restricted, but I don't know what sort of cap space OKC will have trying to keep him and Harden. They'll be able to keep one, but probably not both.

 

[NeoV]

In 2 years, how much will Dirk have left in the tank? He already looked worn down this year.

Ibaka and Harden aren't going anywhere, that's just wishful thinking by the rest of the league.

Josh Smith is a wonderful player - this is the first year he's played with offensive common sense - but I do think he's about done waiting for Atlanta to make a major move. he and Dwight Howard played on the same AAU teams growing up - wouldn't be surprised to see them pairing up somewhere.

Kenyon Martin and Nazr Mohammed? I don't think they help Dallas at all - B.Haywood is basically the same player Mohammed is, but with a little more size/strength, and Martin is a shell of what he used to be.

I think Dallas is in trouble - Dirk is aging, J.Terry is old, Kidd is gone and old...Rudy B might be their only interesting young player, and I don't see a lot of teams lining up to make trades with them - they do have a ton of cap room this year - will be interesting to see what they do with it.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Dallas shot themselves in the foot trading Chandler. You clear up some cap space, but you also get swept in the first round of the playoffs. Why does Deron Williams sign on with an old-as-fuck Jason Kidd, an aging Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry and a supporting cast that gets rolled in the regular season and playoffs? One year of growing pains, one year of greatness and then Nowitzki is over the hill, Kidd is gone, and who knows whats going to happen to the rest of the cast... It just doesn't make sense to me. I'm not saying he won't go there, but I don't see the logic behind it.

 

[vi edit]

Dallas has a great coach in Carlisle, a "players" owner in Cuban, and a great home stadium/fan base(Williams is from Texas). Cuban can spend money to get the right pieces in. Actually I just read that Dallas is trying to go after Hibbert is a restricted agent this year. They'll wallet check Indy and see what he's worth. Hibbert isn't Howard, but the kid is definitely and upgrade over Chandler.

Toss in Williams, and even an old Dirk who can hit fade away jumpers in his sleep and that's still a potent combo.

 

[Via]

Ibaka and Harden aren't going anywhere, that's just wishful thinking by the rest of the league.

I still don't get the whole "wishful thinking" thing.

The salary cap is around 58 mil iirc. Westbrook and Durant will earn 31 mil. That leaves 27 mil.

Ibaka and Harden are both 10 mil+ a year players. I think being able to keep both is wishful thinking on your part.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

I still don't get the whole "wishful thinking" thing.

The salary cap is around 58 mil iirc. Westbrook and Durant will earn 31 mil. That leaves 27 mil.

Ibaka and Harden are both 10 mil+ a year players. I think being able to keep both is wishful thinking on your part.

Heck Harden might get a near max deal on his next contract.

 

[Via]

Heck Harden might get a near max deal on his next contract.

As I said in an earlier post: I really think a team like the Bulls would pay that much for him. Another team will make Harden too expensive for OKC to keep.

And Ibaka is worth as much as Chandler imo. He probably could get 14 mil a year from someone.

 

[vi edit]

Heck Harden might get a near max deal on his next contract.

He's good. I don't think he's 14 million a year good. But I said the same thing about Chandler too.

 

[DesiPower]

So I think I just got over the five stages of Kubler-Ross model... But if I still have the feeling that - "it ain't over until the fat lady sings", then did I really finish the five stages? or do I s still have a long way to go?

 

[NeoV]

Again - you can exceed the salary cap - it's not a hard cap. I can see OKC winning at least 1 title in the next 3 seasons, counting this one - selling out every home game - plus all the merchandise and stuff like that - they are going to be in a financial position to keep that team together despite likely having to pay some luxury taxes.

Boston's payroll this year is ~80M.

Harden and Ibaka - along with Westbrook, Perkins, Collison, and Durant - are all under contract for next season and the season after that (so is Eric Maynor, a really solid PG who was hurt all season). Harden and Ibaka are still under their first contracts, so OKC can extend them or re-sign them to longer-term deals. Under the new CBA, they aren't immediately eligible for max-contracts. Harden was picked much higher in the draft than Ibaka was, so his base is much higher.

Even if Ibaka and Harden WANT to leave OKC, they can't do so, on their own, until the 2014/2015 season.

Also - Hibbert is a better offensive player than Chandler, but he's restricted, I can't see Indy letting him go, even with a front-loaded contract.

As for Deron Williams - he'd be a nice fit in Dallas, but I'm still not sold on a core of Deron/Dirk/Marion/B.Haywood.

the other good 'young' team I left out is Memphis btw...

 

[Via]

I thought the year after next they can make a qualifying offer that gives them the right to match any offer Harden or Ibaka recieve. And they'll get some big ones. If they both get 5 year 80+ mil offers (not out of the question) OKC is in a bind.

You know how many bad teams are out there with a ton of cap space?

 

[blamb425]

Bosh is back.