2015-2016 NBA

[Zanchief]

Very good question. A lot of strange contracts today.

[Jay]

Bulls going hard after Wade and they just spoke with Rajon Rondo ^_^.

Butler, Wade, Rondo and longshot chance of Dion Waiters who has yet to emerge. Chicago pls.

[Jay]

Harrison Barnes just went to Dallas for $95mil for 4 years. Apparently Mark Cuban didn't watch the Finals.

[Lyion]

Delly has been money all season long, so I'd personally say he's worth it. He came off the bench and did everything Kyrie didn't, i.e. pass the ball, play unselfish, and make the players around him better. Teams hate to play against him. His teammates love him. His problems in the finals were the same problems Mozgov had, in they both weren't good matchups against some of Golden States people. Then again, who is? Golden State remains a scary as hell team. I'd personally love it if they let Klay go and replaced him with Durant.

Harrison Barnes has been very good all year. I'd take him over Derrick Rose anyday. I hate Cuban, but he rarely makes dumb NBA deals. This definitely was not one.

Hi Vonk!

[Zanchief]

Its hard to evaluate these contracts, but just a point to be made, Cuban is not a GM he's an owner. Dallas has thrown many on questionable free agents a number of times.

I'm, more or less, withholding my opinion right now, since Toronto re-signed Demar for a lot more than I would have wanted. This rising cap is just making a lot of deals crazy. Ross was a bad signing last year, and now seems like a bargain.

The reigning two time MVP is making roughly a third of what Mike Conley is making.

[Jay]

WE JUST GOT RONDO! (The Bulls)

[Zanchief]

2008 Rondo? Sweet!

[Jay]

He's been getting better and better since his injury and coming back into form. I think statistically he's not too far from 2008 Rondo. Now we just need Wade and a big guy and we're good to go.

Not only did the Kings lose him, but they let Seth Curry go into unrestricted free agency. Seth has played few minutes but he's a solid rising star. The Kings will be fine though. They picked up Matt Barnes

[Jay]

Warriors season
2014-2015: A New Hope
2015-2016: The Cavaliers Strike Back
2016-2017: Return of the Warrior

GSW are my #2 team but what a bitch move by Durant.

[Zanchief]

Some days I love this league, and some days I hate it.

[Arlos]

Guess I might as well embrace our descent into a Snidely Whiplash style of moustache twirling supervillainhood. Yessss... Feeel the hate flow through you....

[vonkaar]

I've been an NBA fan for almost 25 years. It has always been my favorite sport to watch. I have deeply cared for and followed a terrible, malignant losing team for half of that time. Even as my local football team was the greatest on the planet, even considered one of the best teams of all time, I still preferred my Dallas Mavericks. Over the past few decades, I have made many friendships through the league and attended a few hundred live events.

For the first time in my life, I feel like I'm done with this league. I'm going to pour more of my "fan energy" into the Cowboys. Perhaps I'll rediscover my former love for the NHL. I just can no longer get excited about this big-market super-team top-heavy league. It simply isn't fun anymore.

Nobody I talk to hates Golden State. We don't hate Kevin Durant or his decision. People understand that winning is fun and losing is miserable. What I hate is that being an NBA fan doesn't matter any more. To 26 of the 30 teams, what's the point? This is how I've felt since 2011. Are we supposed to get excited about "making the playoffs?" If I'm in an itty-bitty TV market (New Orleans, #51) , and we got the clear-cut #1 draft pick who, 3 years later, becomes the undisputed most dominant & skilled young player in the league, what am I rooting for? Anthony Davis can't do it by himself against the 3 or 4 super teams. So I might root for the Pelicans and hang Davis posters on my wall, and buy his jerseys, only to see them struggle and lose... MAYBE make the playoffs just to get swept by the #1 super team? What's the point? And we know that Davis will eventually get tired of losing and leave to a bigger market. The rich get richer, etc.

The NFL doesn't have this problem. You could have TV Market 51 (New Orleans) vs TV Market 68 (Green Bay) in the NFC championship and it gets record TV ratings. It creates new generations of fans across the nation for both teams, despite never having been to either city or state. New Orleans vs Green Bay somehow gets 5x better TV ratings than the Jets vs Raiders (TV market 1 vs 6). Parity exists in this league. It left the NBA 20 years ago. Michael Jordan's dominance and the subsequent Bulls' hegemony didn't ruin the NBA in the 90s. We still cheered for one-superstar teams like Indiana (#27) and Cleveland (#18) in the conference finals; or Portland (#24) and Phoenix in the finals. Even the super duo of Shaq & Kobe didn't have the ick like modern super teams... We had the perfect foils in smaller markets like Detroit and San Antonio, even Sacramento.

These days... it's just so messed up. The league has a perverted twist to it that favors the absolute top and screws the middle and bottom; with no hope of redress. Why should I cheer for the Grizzlies, Magic, Wizards, Bobcats, Mavericks, Pelicans, Knicks, Nets, Raptors, Pistons, Suns, Nuggets, Kings, Blazers, Timberwolves, Nets, Rockets, 76ers, Falcons, Pacers, or Jazz? What is the point for these fans? Screw it... I'm out.

Finally - To Golden State 'fans'... don't get a big head. Over the past decade, you have the same Finals' record as Boston and Dallas. Only in Dallas can we say we won it without gimping the system and assembling a roster of sellout stars.

[Jay]

I've been an NBA fan for almost 25 years. It has always been my favorite sport to watch. I have deeply cared for and followed a terrible, malignant losing team for half of that time. Even as my local football team was the greatest on the planet, even considered one of the best teams of all time, I still preferred my Dallas Mavericks. Over the past few decades, I have made many friendships through the league and attended a few hundred live events.

For the first time in my life, I feel like I'm done with this league. I'm going to pour more of my "fan energy" into the Cowboys. Perhaps I'll rediscover my former love for the NHL. I just can no longer get excited about this big-market super-team top-heavy league. It simply isn't fun anymore.

Nobody I talk to hates Golden State. We don't hate Kevin Durant or his decision. People understand that winning is fun and losing is miserable. What I hate is that being an NBA fan doesn't matter any more. To 26 of the 30 teams, what's the point? This is how I've felt since 2011. Are we supposed to get excited about "making the playoffs?" If I'm in an itty-bitty TV market (New Orleans, #51) , and we got the clear-cut #1 draft pick who, 3 years later, becomes the undisputed most dominant & skilled young player in the league, what am I rooting for? Anthony Davis can't do it by himself against the 3 or 4 super teams. So I might root for the Pelicans and hang Davis posters on my wall, and buy his jerseys, only to see them struggle and lose... MAYBE make the playoffs just to get swept by the #1 super team? What's the point? And we know that Davis will eventually get tired of losing and leave to a bigger market. The rich get richer, etc.

The NFL doesn't have this problem. You could have TV Market 51 (New Orleans) vs TV Market 68 (Green Bay) in the NFC championship and it gets record TV ratings. It creates new generations of fans across the nation for both teams, despite never having been to either city or state. New Orleans vs Green Bay somehow gets 5x better TV ratings than the Jets vs Raiders (TV market 1 vs 6). Parity exists in this league. It left the NBA 20 years ago. Michael Jordan's dominance and the subsequent Bulls' hegemony didn't ruin the NBA in the 90s. We still cheered for one-superstar teams like Indiana (#27) and Cleveland (#18) in the conference finals; or Portland (#24) and Phoenix in the finals. Even the super duo of Shaq & Kobe didn't have the ick like modern super teams... We had the perfect foils in smaller markets like Detroit and San Antonio, even Sacramento.

These days... it's just so messed up. The league has a perverted twist to it that favors the absolute top and screws the middle and bottom; with no hope of redress. Why should I cheer for the Grizzlies, Magic, Wizards, Bobcats, Mavericks, Pelicans, Knicks, Nets, Raptors, Pistons, Suns, Nuggets, Kings, Blazers, Timberwolves, Nets, Rockets, 76ers, Falcons, Pacers, or Jazz? What is the point for these fans? Screw it... I'm out.

Finally - To Golden State 'fans'... don't get a big head. Over the past decade, you have the same Finals' record as Boston and Dallas. Only in Dallas can we say we won it without gimping the system and assembling a roster of sellout stars.

Pretty sure you meant Hawks over Falcons =P

Here's the thing Vonk. Yes I agree with you to some degree. I hate super teams. That's why I was really rooting for GSW this run. They are a home grown team that emerged to become to a Finals contender over years of adjustments. This year, I dunno. I will always root for Chicago because they are my home team, but if GSW plays against a somehow surging OKC team, I might not be in the Warriors corner this time.

Now, regarding the teams you mentioned. You are right about a lot of them but...

Portland - Their series vs GSW was close despite the 4-1 outcome. 3 of the 4 wins came down to the wire. Dame Lillard and CJ McCollum are a very strongly emerging duo.

Atlanta - Didn't they come into the playoffs last year with the best record in the NBA? Maybe 2nd to GSW?

Houston - That has everything to do with big crybaby Dwight Howard and ballhog traveler James Harden having no chemistry. They could be a threat if they knew what teamwork meant. Also, not sure why but Dwight Howard has the self esteem of a high school white girl with braces.

The Knicks - They've made some moves in the free agency. I'm hoping they become some kind of contender.

I'm hoping that eventually some Davids emerge to take down the goliath teams. I still think basketball is a fun watch but I do agree with you Vonk. I just hope you don't give up on it entirely.

[vonkaar]

Except, GSW's Finals MVP last year and would have been again this year came by way of free agency. Andre turned down better money from Sacramento and a longer contract with Denver to join the superstars. Golden State had lost out on the Dwight Howard "sweepstakes," and immediately set their sites on another big star. And almost every time I look, I see Igoudala referenced as the glue that holds the team together, or the "difference maker" in the championship team.

Yeah, I get what you're saying about all of these other teams. My point remains - does anyone actually think Houston has a shot against San Antonio (Pau!?) or Golden State next year? What Damian Lillard did was absolutely breathtaking. Unbelievable. Portland lost 4 of their 5 starters, and they still came out with a spectacular team. Kick ass. But we all knew that 2nd round was their ceiling. Knicks are not a contender... The Pacers signed some good players, they have a superstar with George and have had a nice off-season. But they won't get past any super team. Twenty years ago, you could be a Pacers fan and look at this off-season with hope. Not now. Basically, 26 teams in the NBA have one hope - to catch lightning in a bottle like Dallas did in 2011. That's it. Maybe three or four teams can realistically look at the rest of the league and think, "yeah we can win this." And they're all chock-full of super stars. Curry/Thompson/Durant/Green/PACHULIA (YEAH BABY) or Parker/Green/Leonard/Aldridge/Duncan/Gasol/Diaw or Irving/Smith/James/Love or ANY team with the sensational Austin Rivers...

Why imagine that one could compete with any of that?

lolz @ Falcons... but hey, that point also stands - wtf would you root for the Falcons? :p

[vonkaar]

also, to the 'surging OKC'

I can't wait to see Westbrook unleashed. Fuck yeah man.

[Jay]

also, to the 'surging OKC'

I can't wait to see Westbrook unleashed. Fuck yeah man.

I would love it if, figuratively, he was just like ok fuck you Durant. I'm going to make this team fucking beast without you and OKC just started lighting everyone up.

[Zanchief]

A few things.

You guys just proved why small market teams don't do well. You just rattled off all the teams with a chance to win and seemed to leave out the team that had the 4th best record last year, made it to the conference finals and has pretty much the same team coming back this year. Why? Because you don't follow them, so they don't matter. A team with the 4th best record in the league was the underdog in every playoff round my the majority of critics. Frank Isola called the Raptors the worst team in the history of the league to get to the conference finals. That's day in day out with this my team. The Knicks pick up a broken down Rose and all of a sudden the media is planning a parade route.

It starts with the fans and the media. They don't give a shit about teams like Toronto. Their players are irrelevant because they don't know who they are. Lowry makes an All-Star team and everyone, including people who get paid to cover the sport, are like who's this guy? The only people who actually know the Raptors are people who bet on the NBA.

Enjoy the Knicks next year, Jay. I'm sure they'll be great. Let's all keep are fingers crossed. Maybe they can pick up Gilbert Arenas to fill out that roster, that will really get them talking on ESPN.

[Arlos]

Except, GSW's Finals MVP last year and would have been again this year came by way of free agency. Andre turned down better money from Sacramento and a longer contract with Denver to join the superstars. Golden State had lost out on the Dwight Howard "sweepstakes," and immediately set their sites on another big star. And almost every time I look, I see Igoudala referenced as the glue that holds the team together, or the "difference maker" in the championship team.

Yeah, I get what you're saying about all of these other teams. My point remains - does anyone actually think Houston has a shot against San Antonio (Pau!?) or Golden State next year? What Damian Lillard did was absolutely breathtaking. Unbelievable. Portland lost 4 of their 5 starters, and they still came out with a spectacular team. Kick ass. But we all knew that 2nd round was their ceiling. Knicks are not a contender... The Pacers signed some good players, they have a superstar with George and have had a nice off-season. But they won't get past any super team. Twenty years ago, you could be a Pacers fan and look at this off-season with hope. Not now. Basically, 26 teams in the NBA have one hope - to catch lightning in a bottle like Dallas did in 2011. That's it. Maybe three or four teams can realistically look at the rest of the league and think, "yeah we can win this." And they're all chock-full of super stars. Curry/Thompson/Durant/Green/PACHULIA (YEAH BABY) or Parker/Green/Leonard/Aldridge/Duncan/Gasol/Diaw or Irving/Smith/James/Love or ANY team with the sensational Austin Rivers...

Why imagine that one could compete with any of that?

lolz @ Falcons... but hey, that point also stands - wtf would you root for the Falcons? :p

To be fair about Andre, when he came to the Warriors they were hardly a superstar team, and hadn't won anything. At the time he joined, they were barely a year or two out from the disastrous Cohan ownership, and they were in that "make the playoffs but aren't actually a serious contender" category at best. So yes, he was a free agent, but he was hardly coming to an in-place superstar team.

PS. You know my eternal wish for the Cowpatties, right? That they finish 7-9 every year, for maximal existential despair. No winning or even 500 record, so losing season every year. BUT, not losing so badly as to get a top-10 draft pick, so they are forever stuck in agonizing mediocrity...

[vonkaar]

well you've gotten that wish for the Cowboys granted for the better part of 20 years. so... yeah. fucking hell

Also, screw you I watch Toronto. Our NBA bromance has made me quietly follow them for over a decade. Plus, Dwayne Casey is my boo. I'll follow any team he or Terry Stotts coaches; 2011 alumni forever.
Also also - Toronto is the 4th biggest TV market in the NBA (ahead of Dallas/Fort Worth). So I never lump them with the 'small market' crowd.

[Zanchief]

You should, because they rank dead last in TV revenue since Canada has a separate TV deal that is minuscule in comparison. Toronto gets next to no coverage in the US.

[Jay]

Butler, Wade, Rondo, Lopez, Taj (or Terrence Ross?).

Pretty solid. I'm excited to see what they can do. Who knows, maybe they upset Cleveland.

[Zanchief]

I'm assuming you're being sarcastic?

[Snero]

the whole super team this really does leave a bad taste in my mouth, especially with the fact that it's such an easy fix. Get rid of the individual max, and bam no team could afford more than 1 or 2 superstars (unless they're really willing to take massive pay cuts to play together).

p.s. bulls spacing is going to be just horrific. I think you need to start mirotic just to had somebody on the court that has the ability to shoot.

[Jay]

the whole super team this really does leave a bad taste in my mouth, especially with the fact that it's such an easy fix. Get rid of the individual max, and bam no team could afford more than 1 or 2 superstars (unless they're really willing to take massive pay cuts to play together).

p.s. bulls spacing is going to be just horrific. I think you need to start mirotic just to had somebody on the court that has the ability to shoot.

Zan, as a Chicago fan we have the ability to suspend all reality in favor of our teams so that we can represent longshots as if they were inevitable.

That being said, yes with DWade's shooting as of late we're gonna have a hard time with the outside shot. Will Rondo be good enough to get people the looks they need? Who knows. Maybe Wade just had the yips or didn't give a shit during his last season in Miami.

That being said we're winning the Finals. Fuck superteams.

[Arlos]

the whole super team this really does leave a bad taste in my mouth, especially with the fact that it's such an easy fix. Get rid of the individual max, and bam no team could afford more than 1 or 2 superstars (unless they're really willing to take massive pay cuts to play together).

p.s. bulls spacing is going to be just horrific. I think you need to start mirotic just to had somebody on the court that has the ability to shoot.

Zan, as a Chicago fan we have the ability to suspend all reality in favor of our teams so that we can represent longshots as if they were inevitable.

That being said, yes with DWade's shooting as of late we're gonna have a hard time with the outside shot. Will Rondo be good enough to get people the looks they need? Who knows. Maybe Wade just had the yips or didn't give a shit during his last season in Miami.

That being said we're winning the Finals. Fuck superteams.

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