Check my Stats

The draft doesn't give all the teams a change at all. Basketball is a sport where star impact might be bigger than any other, a star can be the difference between lotto and 50 wins. What are the chances you are drafting a star (even a borderline star like a Maggette type) outside of the top 5, maybe 1/10? I think that is pretty generous to be honest. If you aren't drafting in the top 5 you are pretty much lucky if you are getting someone who is a solid starter down the road, that is why I am so pro-tanking. The middle of the road teams have no way of improving when the good role players are re-signed so easily. The Thunder's salary is so low for obvious reasons, not sure why you mention that, when their best players get what they deserve salary-wise, they will easily be over 70M, assuming that the cap didn't change between now and then. And they are probably going to have to give Green up, for this exact reason. The way FA works in the NBA, you are actually better off winning 15 games than 35 games, and it simply should not be that way. I am sick of the gap between good and bad teams, I am sick of the same teams winning yearly. You mention the 76ers, but how about every team in the top 10, besides them, is probably winning around 50 games or more, you don't get a homecourt advantage without hovering around the lux tax, and if you want playoff run, you are going over it, I don't think it should be like that. Unfortunately Stern would prefer the Lakers, the Heat, the Celtics, the Magic, the top stars, continue dominating each year, and I don't blame him. It does ratings, it makes him money, it just sucks for the other half the league that can't, or owners (like the Raptors) just simply won't. If all teams were capped out at the same level, it would put everyone on the same playing field, I think a hard cap of like 65 million would be extremely fair, as long as you give teams an optimum buyout rate and years to comply, so then the Lakers aren't dealing Pau for the same type of trash they gave up for him.

Prince and Hamilton are done, the Pistons are a bunch of misfits thrown together on a team, it doesn't fit, they have no bigs, no one who can defend and no one who can rebound. Give me Pacers over them, Hibbert is getting better each year, I love Hansborough for obvious reasons, they still have Dunleavy who is solid, Granger can put up points in a hurry, just as long as he isn't chucking, and Collison is twice any PG they have had since Tinsley.

If Turiaf, Azubike and Mason Jr. are your best players off the bench, it is going to be tough.

It would be interesting, no one on Miami could really defend CP3 and Dwight and no one on Orlando could really defend Wade or LeBron.

Lol.... it makes sense for far more reasons than it doesn't. It means that small market teams would have an opportunity to compete, it means everyone is on a level financial playing field, it means teams can't hoard their players, it means teams with cap have to use their brains before offering contracts, it means that guys like Amir Johnson and Drew Gooden don't make more than a few million a year. Turning the luxury tax into the hard cap would be fair for everyone, IMO.

yeah LA sucks.

Bosh signed to Miami before LBJ did, it is the primary reason LBJ went there, he was (apparently) recruiting Bosh to Cleveland, that failed, so he went to Miami with Bosh and Wade. And the Heat wouldn't have signed anyone else, Boozer? No, JJ was on Hawks, Amare was to Knicks, they might have gotten a solid role player with the money that is it.

He is going to need to stick jumper consisitently, they are going to need to win 55+ (or more than Thunder), and Kobe is going to have to not dominate. He will be in the discussion though, I think Dwight takes it this year.

Just speculation, and I doubt the number is as low as the NHL's if it does happen, but I think I speak for everyone who isn't a Knick, Magic, Celtic , Laker or Heat fan when I say PLEASE!!

I don't see Kings winning more than 35 games in the West. BTW, Landry is 27, he isn't a future star.

They would be > Orlando?

Wizards would be really best off (long term) if they dealt Arenas and played through Wall's struggles and won around 25 games, add another top 8 pick to the core and move with the youth they have.... there are some good pieces there, except Yi but winning 35 games or just missing the playoffs isn't what this franchise needs right now. You have a potential superstar in Wall, rebuild with him the same way the Thunder did with Durant.

Would they still be a championship contender?

He doesn't need Wade to win a title, he could probably have won a few titles if he joined the Bulls, or maybe even in New York with Amare, but in Miami, he can win so many more (potentially). He probably maybe even could have won a single title, MAYBE even two if he trapped himself in Cleveland for 6 years.... he has made it clear, he isn't interested in one championship, or two, or three, or four (see what I did there).

Golden State.

If they get some depth they should easily be a low seed playoff team.

I want the [expletive]ing numbers not that he is scared, lol Melo probably doesn't even know what date his first game is right now, nevermind what the cap/contracts will look like next year. Not to mention I wasn't even talking to you to begin with, just do me a favor and don't talk to me please, every time you talk to me you make my brain melt. Not to mention I thought i read on the wiretap the other day Melo said 'the money will be there, it is about basketball', or maybe I am just going crazy in my old age. I am well aware the cap is probably going down, but I find it (PERSONAL OPINION BILLIONAIRE I AM NOT AN ESPN EXPERT) very hard to believe it is getting slashed by a third... and if it is we can definitely expect a lockout because no way the players association allows that to happen. I can see a year getting slashed off, but I think we will see a hard cap before we see salaries slashed by that much. Issues like revenue sharing are just are prevalent right now as salaries are.

A lot can change in a year, another early playoff exit and lack of major changes, he could easily change his mind, especially if that other big 3 is set into motion.

Just keep Favors, Melo sucks, can't lead a championship team just like Bosh.

I just asked him for a link, shut the hell up idiot. If he gives me a link then I won't say anything, I just haven't heard all these concrete facts that the salary cap and contracts are going down, only you are and RD seem to have these numbers.

Rockets are going to need Yao to be a force offensively in the 25 minutes he plays or whatever it is, if they want to be taken seriously as a top team in the West at least.... it really is a shame how much injuries have slowed this guy down

I would definitely do everything possible to make him a 5.

Deal him as soon as someone offers expirings.

Washington and Detroit? why?

LOL I watched Shallow Hal last night no joke, then I see this thread.