Topic: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto

[BlackNMild2k1]

LeBron can say whatever he wants about Barkley, but that don't make Barkley's comments wrong.

"Does he not want to compete" in reference to him feeling the need to go from the highest spending team in the NBA, to the by far and away highest spending team in NBA history just to add even more pieces to a team that won the championship just last year.

The whining and crying needs to stop. Lebron is an amazing talent on the court, and seemingly a very competent businessman off the court... But maybe not the best GM. He needs to figure out how to fix his team, but simply trying to buy your way to the promise land isn't very competitive.

Here's a list for comparative reasons

2016-2017 NBA salaries

Rank   Team Salary
1   Cleveland Cavaliers   $128,699,407
2   Los Angeles Clippers   $116,237,542
3   Portland Trail Blazers   $112,823,449
4   Dallas Mavericks   $110,679,908
5   Memphis Grizzlies   $110,537,188
6   Detroit Pistons   $108,967,919
7   San Antonio Spurs   $108,059,787
8   Toronto Raptors   $106,742,969
9   Orlando Magic   $106,296,398
10   Washington Wizards   $103,616,690
11   New York Knicks   $103,614,716
12   Miami Heat   $101,575,441
13   Golden State Warriors   $101,239,340

Who should be arguing to spend more to be competitive probable isn't the already highest spending team that also happens to be the defending champions.
Lebron has talent, he just needs to help develop it.
I hope no other team helps them willingly.

[rygar]

Barkley can't be wrong, but he can't be right either, and that's kind of the point. "Competitiveness" is a subjective designation that's ambiguously defined and can be tightly bound up with notions of masculinity. Barkley is essentially defaming LeBron's character, and has been doing so for a long time. But for what purpose? Pointing out Barkley's hypocrisy is not to refute his position, but to provide evidence that it is not based on principle. So if it's not on principle, then what's the agenda? Well maybe Barkley is literally paid to try to publicly humiliate any athlete the owners, GMs, and existing agents (who have long standing relationships with owners that outlive CBAs and individual client contracts) deem to be too upitty.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Well, here are some words from Cleveland's own Tristan Thompson

"You can't go out there hoping somebody is going to walk through the door. Play with whoever the hell we got right now, and let's win some [expletive] games."

So it would seem that on a level, even his own team agrees with Barkley.
LeBron is whining and crying asking for help.... Um what about the rest of your team... They are standing right there... They can hear you.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/2689443-lebron-james-public-comments-making-life-uncomfortable-for-cleveland-cavaliers.amp.html?client=ms-android-verizon

Help them get better, accept a few potential losses to include them in the lineup for playtime experience. Or ditch some to get some. But quit acting like a spoiled brat that didn't get his way just because your not winning every game. Spend less time in the office with the GM and more time on the court with your 2nd unit and bench.

[rygar]

Yeah, we are are really coming from different places. I wouldn't think of describing what LeBron is doing as acting like a spoiled brat anymore than I would a GM lowballing a contract or trashing a player in arbitration.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Yeah, we are are really coming from different places. I wouldn't think of describing what LeBron is doing as acting like a spoiled brat anymore than I would a GM lowballing a contract or trashing a player in arbitration.

The issue isn't that Lebron wants to find someone else to lead the team while he and Kyrie sit. It's that Lebron more or less signed off on roster and pay, Lebron more or less signed off on who got resigned, and who got let go, Lebron picked Kyle Korver and the got the GM who was already spending more than any other team in NBA History, to spend more to get him. Now Lebron was publicly mad that the GM wouldn't blindly just spend EVEN MORE, potentially dipping into the $100M Luxury tax range to chase even MORE talent. He belittles his team saying that there are only 3 worthy players on the team (Top Heavy!!) and that's why he needs help, and then he literally makes "bitch" moves to the media with all the whining and crying on and off the court.

He comes off as a spoiled brat. and I don't care if the GM promised to "spare no expense" to win championships. But there has to be a reasonable limit, and I think the GM has already surpassed that in an attempt to please GM Lebron.

Lebron has sufficient talent on his team (they are the defending NBA Champions afterall), they can't just keep swapping out potential for already established "stars". At some point you need to work with what you have and prove that you truly are the best. And buying in Korver has been pretty inefficient so far. I almost wish they would trade for Carmelo at this point, and I hope that doesn't work out so well for them either.


edit: (and because I'm doing all this talking about Lebron, there is no way I can't not bring up the Warriors : )
Oh, and there's "No Rivalry" but every action and reaction he makes is to hopefully get an edge over the Warriors.
While Lebron is out here killing himself trying do it all on his team, meanwhile Curry takes a back seat to allow KD to enter the fold (yeah I know, they added an established All-Star to the developed All-stars already on the team) and the Warriors out here having FUN, and EVERYONE is involved. They make it look so easy, and I know Lebron is jealous of that atmosphere, I mean because who wouldn't be?
GSW is the poster child for what every team wants. They may not all want to be GSW or play GSW's style, but they all want the entire team to be able to come out and fit like another cog in the machine and everyone just out there having fun, playing the game they love, and on top of it all WINNING.

edit: and Barkley responded:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWwa2y6baBQ

[rygar]

Lol! Krushrenda got me. I was confused as to who I was talking to this morning. I even questioned how I could have been so mistaken before signing off last night.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I don't understand that response, unless you are trying to say that the issue to Lebron's problems is something deeper than on the court, in locker room, with front office, and the on air personalities "analysis" of those issues.

Which I'm sure you'll share in your PM, because I'm really curious to know what you think the whole picture is. I only really started actively following NBA games early last year, and would only passively check out highlights here and there for many years prior, so I haven't been following the politics and behind the scene stuff.

But what I do know is that what Barkley said, and what Lebron was specifically responding to, could have been worded better, but wasn't wrong.

Lebrons response may have been full of facts, but didn't actually address anything Barkley said. It was actually kind of a low blow response, that I am aware has been pent up from the many other criticisms from Barkley over the years that he never actually responded to, but as a response here, he might as well have said something about his momma. It was personal and irrelevant to the immediate criticism. BUT Barkley had it coming, and Lebron should have brought that to him probably a long time ago... Or just continue to ignore him.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Christmas came late fellas!!

The Warriors waived Varejao's contract!!!!
I was beginning to think Santa didn't get my letter.

and the reason for the free'd up roster spot, we are pulling a D-League star up for a 10 day contract.
Briante Weber - who was not only the DL January player of the month, but just earlier this week was 1 steal shy of setting a DL record of the 1st ever *Legit* Quadruple Double

*Not a Westbook Triple Double (10+ pts, reb, asst, and turnovers)


that tidbit is all I know about the cat.
Hopefully is as as good/effective as Yogi has been so far for the Mavs. (32pt w/ nine 3's vs Portland)

[Soren]

Varejao was pretty done last season, It was pretty crazy that wasn't even getting minutes with Zaza injured. But then he got minutes on his last game and he quickly showed why he wasn't playing. I feel gutted that he didn't get his ring (even though he should have just taken the one Cleveland offered) but it was obvious he wasn't going to be able to contribute at a high level.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Varejaos last have as a warrior was hard to watch. He absolutely sucked the energy out if the game to the point where I think they started taking commercial breaks while he was in the game just to make things go by quicker.

I'm so happy he is gone. He was not a fit for our team. Hope he saved his money, or joined LeBron's investment club. I doubt another team will be picking him up.

[rygar]

In my head I know Patrick Ewing should be my favorite player, but it's honestly always been Oak. Shame Jim Dolan wasn't in reach. Apparently he got Oakley ejected because Oakley was being critical of Dolan's twenty year reign of error:

John McEnroe looked worried, lol:

[BlackNMild2k1]

He want just ejected, he had him (or he ended up getting) arrested didn't he?

[Shaymin]

He did, but I wonder if there's a jury in the tri-state area that'll convict him.

Also, the Knicks were like "We hope Charles gets help" - is it bad that I'm thinking if he came back with "help" Dolan would flee the country?

[rygar]

You can see the uniform cop was talking to him and Oak was beginning to comply and that's when the security guards start getting all grabby and escalated the situation. I think the tresspass will go away and the assaults are all summary offenses. They gave him a desk appearance ticket which means he has a date to come to court and didn't even process him through the system. I hope this lights a fire under Knicks fans to make it very uncomfortable for Dolan to enjoy those courtside seats.

[Soren]

I do enjoy Knicks PR seizing the opportunity to stoke the flames on something other than their putrid on-court product.

[BlackNMild2k1]

anyone see Lebron's "no contact missed dunk Bellyflop seal slide begging for a foul" during their loss to OKC tonight!?

OMG LOL.
cash me inna minit, imma find it ousside this forum right quick.
look for a edit


edit:

and broadcast on National Television.

[Soren]

http://screengrabber.deadspin.com/friendship-1792264563

You gotta love Enes Kanter jawing and acting like a total heel manager as Westbrook returns to the bench for a timeout, down 18 points.

The Warriors have publicly humiliated the Thunder in all 3 meetings this season. Durant has scored 39, 40 and 34 in the 3 meetings and I can't get enough of it because OKC still acts like they're on equal footing.

And just for good measure, an eff you three pointer if there's ever been one.

[BlackNMild2k1]

http://screengrabber.deadspin.com/friendship-1792264563

You gotta love Enes Kanter jawing and acting like a total heel manager as Westbrook returns to the bench for a timeout, down 18 points.

The Warriors have publicly humiliated the Thunder in all 3 meetings this season. Durant has scored 39, 40 and 34 in the 3 meetings and I can't get enough of it because OKC still acts like they're on equal footing.

And just for good measure, an eff you three pointer if there's ever been one.

I remember telling Kanter to go sit his dumb ass down before another chair breaks his other hand.

And Roberson had the nerve to talk **** to KD after GOAL TENDING his layup LOL.
what a bunch of losers. Acting like he blocked the shot and had something to talk about.

Lucky Dray already got too many techs and extra lucky Zsasz Pachulia wasn't in the game tonite. I was really hoping this would be his return game, so Westbrook could attempt to make good on his promise to get revenge.

Maybe next time. We got one more against them on their home court this season - March 20th.
I'm hoping we absolutely blow them the **** out next time around.

Steph was close to a triple double and so was Draymond this game.
hopefully next time around they can both hit that, KD can go off and some sort of new record gets set (most 3's by a team in a single game?).

[nickmitch]

anyone see Lebron's "no contact missed dunk Bellyflop seal slide begging for a foul" during their loss to OKC tonight!?

OMG LOL.
cash me inna minit, imma find it ousside this forum right quick.
look for a edit


edit:

and broadcast on National Television.

As funny as LeBron missing a dunk and riding the court like a Slip 'n Slide is, those camera people sit way too close to the court.  It's worse in the playoffs, but it still bugs me how close people get.  It just doesn't look safe.

[BlackNMild2k1]

As funny as LeBron missing a dunk and riding the court like a Slip 'n Slide is, those camera people sit way too close to the court.  It's worse in the playoffs, but it still bugs me how close people get.  It just doesn't look safe.

This I agree with. players are running in to them far too often for the league to not see it as a safety concern... but all the stadiums are already build, and those front row ticket prices are way too nice to give them to the press and other such camera people.

[nickmitch]

The worst is during the finals when people are literally sitting on the freaking court.  And then commentators complain when players aren't "trying as hard as they used to".

[Soren]

Last night was just -chef's kiss- beautiful. Specially JaVale and that final fast break dunk...

[BlackNMild2k1]

Last night was just -chef's kiss- beautiful. Specially JaVale and that final fast break dunk...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCYF3xbL1pQ

the video has been removed, but outside of Curry's missed 3, that whole run was a thing of beauty.
capping it off with the lob that McGee turned into a THUNDEROUS dunk was just icing on top of the Cupcake.

what was it, like 28-4 run, and for most of it, Sac didn't score a basket for almost 5 minutes. It was just a soul crushing run. reminded me of last season for a moment. Hope we see more of that intensity consistently after the All-Star break, and ALL through the payoff AND Finals.

[Adrock]

During these uncertain times, it's reassuring that the Sacramento Kings are still a terrible organization run by people who have no idea what a basketball is.

[Soren]

Value Divac is so bad. Anyone with rudimentary knowledge of Franchise Mode in 2k17 can probably do a better job as GM than him.

I feel bad for Buddy Hield. Dude's career is probably in the toilet now all because Vivek Ranadive has some insane, unrealistic expectations of him.