The Official NBA Draft/Offseason Thread

[Hayzoos]

Proof that tall athletic freaks Like Tyrus Thomas aren't always worth gambling on

[peanut butter]

Tall like Tyrus Thomas?

And if its athleticism you want, well....



PEACE

[Tweak Da Leak]

Mullensanity.

[Shade Tree]

"Obviously, we were disappointed we didn't get Dwight, but we pretty much got everything else we wanted to get and then some. Much more," Cuban said. "We never thought we'd be able to get Monta. It turned into a good summer. Now, the key is to get everybody playing together, get everyone healthy, keep them healthy and go."

The Mavs brass sat down and said "We're agreed: go for Dwight Howard because we don't think we're an attractive enough destination for Monta Ellis. " This isn't even lipstick on a pig, this is like a shitty make-up store with some polyester lingerie thrown in.

[naturalborn103]

I bet Dirk leaves next year.

[capable_keL]

The New Orleans Pelicans’ pursuit of free agent Greg Oden is not an empty gesture. In fact, sources close to the situation say the Pelicans could be offering a two-year deal worth more than $3 million annually to ensure they are the team that lands the former number one overall pick.

Oden has long been pegged to join the Miami HEAT; however multi-year, higher dollar offers have Oden and his camp considering alternate situations.

[Hayzoos]

Anybody watching this press conference with Stern? Wasn't listening that closely but I'm pretty sure I heard him say that now if a player steps out of bounds on offense then it is an automatic turnover? Is that right?

[capable_keL]

yup, RIP Bobcats



it was a nice run

[naturalborn103]

Anybody watching this press conference with Stern? Wasn't listening that closely but I'm pretty sure I heard him say that now if a player steps out of bounds on offense then it is an automatic turnover? Is that right?

Players can't stay out of bounds to create space on offense. A lot of teams who lacked good shooters did that. The same thing your dumb ass tried to clown me for when I noticed it start of last year with AD. McGee and the Nuggets probably did it the most.

[Tired & Broke]

yup, RIP Bobcats



it was a nice run

Good riddance, bring back the BUZZ!

[Shade Tree]

I bet Dirk leaves next year.

But he's got a running buddy as good as Wade.

[Reason]

maybe we were too harsh on austin rivers. maybe we needed to let him grow a little from age 19/20...

he looks twice as quick and confident as he was last year

[Gregg Popabitch]

maybe we were too harsh on austin rivers. maybe we needed to let him grow a little from age 19/20...

he looks twice as quick and confident as he was last year

He's on the Redick roids but we also have to remember that this is summer league.

[capable_keL]

Lakers are putting pieces in place

The Los Angeles Lakers have hired Mark Madsen and Larry Lewis as player development coaches.

"Both Mark and Larry bring a high level of credibility to our staff," Mike D’Antoni said in a statement. "Mark has endless energy and is a workaholic. He’s developed players at the college level and I think he’ll do a great job making the jump to the NBA."

"Larry has proven to be a natural at helping develop players for the D-Fenders since transitioning from nearly two decades of playing abroad and in the CBA," D'Antoni continued. "We expect that he will make a great player development coach at the NBA level as well."

Madsen played three seasons for the Lakers and won back-to-back championship in 2001 and 2002.

[naturalborn103]

Well if you want to tank we all know Madsen is the expert on the subject.

[djjeffresh]

[Big Breeze]

[capable_keL]

[capable_keL]

http://www.eurobasket2013.org/en/default.asp

[drobizhek]

http://www.eurobasket2013.org/en/default.asp

You best root for Ex-Yugoslavia countries motherfucker.

[Hayzoos]

Kel pretending to watch Euro League games

[Boris.]

It's eurobasket not euroleague dumbass

[peanut butter]

It's eurobasket not euroleague dumbass

X =




PEACE

[capable_keL]

JULY POWER RANKINGS: WEST'S BEST?


The addition of Dwight Howard should give the Houston Rockets a major boost in the West standings.

There will be three races in each NBA conference this season, and each of them will be highly competitive. The first is at the top, where a handful of teams have loaded up to try to unseat the Miami Heat as champions. Then there's a battle for the last two or three playoff spots in each conference, which figures to be more crowded than usual too. And, yes, there are a couple of teams in each conference fighting primarily to improve their chances in next year's loaded draft lottery.

While a handful of useful free agents remain unsigned, for the most part we know what teams will look like next season. That makes it time to take a tentative, early look at how each conference shapes up. Today I'll look at the Western Conference, and Thursday Tom Haberstroh will follow up by ranking the East.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (2012-13 finish: 1st place)
There are questions to be answered in Oklahoma City, specifically how the Thunder will replace Kevin Martin's scoring punch off the bench. Is Jeremy Lamb ready to step into that role after winning MVP of the Orlando Pro Summer League? Can Reggie Jackson pitch in after starting in place of Russell Westbrook in last season's playoffs? And might Mike Miller help provide an answer?

Assuming Scott Brooks can figure that out, the Thunder return the rest of a rotation that had the NBA's best point differential last season (+9.2 PPG), making Oklahoma City the slight favorites in the West.

2. San Antonio Spurs (2012-13 finish: 2nd)
The Spurs' offseason has been relatively quiet. They re-signed Manu Ginobili and Tiago Splitter and used their midlevel exception to sign Marco Belinelli as a replacement for Gary Neal and Jeff Pendergraph to be their fifth big man.

The age of Ginobili and star Tim Duncan is certainly a concern. Nevertheless, doubt San Antonio at your peril. The Spurs have proved as much with year after year of consistent success.

3. Houston Rockets (2012-13 finish: 8th)
Having added Dwight Howard -- unquestionably the best center in the league as recently as two years ago -- without surrendering any key pieces, the Rockets are clearly the biggest movers in the West. Howard and James Harden give Houston a core that can compete with anyone.

There are still some issues around the edges, particularly at power forward. Kevin McHale will have to determine whether Omer Asik can play with Howard or if youngsters Terrence Jones and Donatas Motiejunas are ready to step into larger roles. If they prove capable, the Rockets could move even higher.

4. Los Angeles Clippers (2012-13 finish: 4th)
By upgrading their wing rotation -- trading Eric Bledsoe and Caron Butler for J.J. Redick and Jared Dudley -- the Clippers have substantially improved their starting lineup. Signing Darren Collison and bringing back Matt Barnes has also mitigated some of the loss to their second unit. And Doc Rivers for Vinny Del *** could prove a crucial upgrade come playoff time.

Yet the Clippers may not have moved up at all in the West because the other contenders also have loaded up. L.A. can enhance its spot by adding another option up front off the bench to go with Ryan Hollins and Byron Mullens.

5. Memphis Grizzlies (2012-13 finish: 5th)
The biggest change in Memphis is on the sideline, where Dave Joerger was promoted to replace Lionel Hollins. The Grizzlies balanced their frontcourt better by swapping Darrell Arthur for Kosta Koufos, but otherwise bring back last year's rotation with the same strengths (post play, defense) and weaknesses (shooting). Signing Mike Miller could help Memphis space the floor.

6. Golden State Warriors (2012-13 finish: 6th)
Where you stand on the Warriors depends in large part on how much you believe their playoff run will translate. If Andrew Bogut can stay healthy and Golden State's young players maintain their improvement, the Warriors could make it six contenders in the West.

If Bogut misses extended periods and Harrison Barnes plays more like he did during the regular season, adding Andre Iguodala may not be enough improvement for a team that had the conference's eighth-best point differential (+0.9 PPG) and lost two key reserves (Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry) to climb into the top tier.

7. Denver Nuggets (2012-13 finish: 3rd)
While the rest of the West's elite have loaded up, Denver has suffered several key defections, starting with the braintrust of Masai Ujiri and George Karl. The Nuggets will also try to replace Iguodala by committee, and while adding Randy Foye and Nate Robinson beefs up their perimeter shooting, the defense has taken several hits.

Denver is now counting on the duo of Kenneth Faried and JaVale McGee up front, a combo that has struggled to stop opponents. And it's unclear when Danilo Gallinari will return from a torn ACL. So the Nuggets aren't certain to make the playoffs.

8. Minnesota Timberwolves (2012-13 finish: 12th)
The biggest improvement the Timberwolves can make will be better health. After losing more games to injury than any team in the past four years, Minnesota should be at full strength. Rick Adelman also has more shooting at his disposal with the addition of Kevin Martin, though the defense could be weakened.

Assuming the Timberwolves lock up center Nikola Pekovic, a restricted free agent, they'll be at the top of the race to go from the lottery to the playoffs.

9. Portland Trail Blazers (2012-13 finish: 11th)
The Blazers are right on Minnesota's heels after a solid offseason that saw GM Neil Olshey rebuild their bench on the cheap. Only second-year center Meyers Leonard figures to remain in the rotation from last year's historically bad second unit, while Robin Lopez slides in for J.J. Hickson to solidify the starting five.

If rookie C.J. McCollum contributes immediately and Thomas Robinson plays like he did in Las Vegas Summer League -- where he was a terror on the glass -- Portland will return to the playoffs after a one-year absence.

10. Dallas Mavericks (2012-13 finish: 10th)
After two years of patience, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban opened his wallet this summer, paying Jose Calderon, Monta Ellis and Samuel Dalembert a combined $64.5 million. It's not clear that investment made Dallas a better team.

A Calderon-Ellis backcourt presents major defensive issues, and the Mavericks will continue to rely heavily on the aging Dirk Nowitzki. Dallas was a playoff-caliber team after Nowitzki got healthy last season, but again can't afford injury to its star.

11. New Orleans Pelicans (2012-13 finish: 14th)
The Pelicans have improved as much as anyone in the West by adding Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans to their backcourt. That still may not be enough for a playoff run in the Crescent City, given New Orleans finished 18 games behind the eighth seed a year ago.

Better health for Anthony Davis and Eric Gordon also could help close that gap, and if Davis is able to make a leap (and defend opposing centers) in his second season, the Pelicans will be in the mix for the eighth seed.

12. Los Angeles Lakers (2012-13 finish: 7th)
Consider this group the Interim Lakers, because only three players -- Nick Young (player option), Steve Nash and Robert Sacre -- are signed through 2014-15. Kobe Bryant is also part of the Lakers' future; the rest of this group is attempting to make a playoff run before hitting free agency next summer.

With Pau Gasol playing more at center now that Dwight Howard is in Houston, the fit should be better with Mike D'Antoni's system. Still, the Lakers' chances of the eighth seed hinge on Bryant returning on or ahead of schedule and showing few ill effects from last year's ruptured Achilles. That would mean defying the ugly history of Achilles injuries.

13. Utah Jazz (2012-13 finish: 9th)
By letting Randy Foye, Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap and Mo Williams all walk in free agency, Utah effectively swapped its bench for its starters. That group, including talented youngsters Alec Burks, Derrick Favors, Gordon Hayward and Enes Kanter, might have contended for a playoff spot with support from a new veteran second unit.

Instead, the Jazz swallowed dead salary from Golden State to secure two future first-round picks, making it clear that this is a rebuilding season.

14. Sacramento Kings (2012-13 finish: 14th)
The Kings aren't settling for another trip to the lottery. They were active in free agency before landing Carl Landry, who followed coach Mike Malone and owner Vivek Ranadive inland from Golden State to Sacramento.

Greivis Vasquez gives the Kings a setup point guard for the first time since Mike Bibby, and rookie Ben McLemore supplies needed shooting. But the Kings haven't improved enough to consider the playoffs a realistic possibility just yet.

15. Phoenix Suns (2012-13 finish: 15th)
After years of resisting, the Suns finally committed to a rebuild during last season. Dealing for Eric Bledsoe and drafting Alex Len improves the team's talent, which was rated dead last in Insider's most recent Future Power Rankings.

For now, though, Len is coming back from surgery on both ankles and Bledsoe will play with Goran Dragic in the backcourt. Phoenix is the odds-on favorite to finish last in the Western Conference and add another talented prospect to the core in next year's draft.

5-ON-5 | 2013-14 WESTERN CONFERENCE OUTLOOK

The regular season is a few months away, but that doesn't mean it's too early to see who the biggest offseason winners and losers are in the West.

1. Which team will make the biggest jump in the West in 2013-14?

Henry Abbott, ESPN.com: Houston Rockets. I love the moves the Clippers made, and I suspect they'll go farther than the Rockets, but they won 11 more games than Houston last season, and it's tough to improve mightily on 56 wins. So debate the merits of Dwight Howard all you want, but respect the fact that the Rockets got a ton better. Also, shoutout to the Timberwolves, for whom a touch of health could mean everything, and the Hornets, for whom aging is an asset.

Curtis Harris, Hardwood Paroxysm: Houston Rockets. They seemingly made major strides last season, but they only jumped from ninth place in 2011-12 to eighth place in 2012-13. This upcoming season, with Howard in tow, I expect Houston to compete for the West's third seed.

Aaron McGuire, Gothic Ginobili: New Orleans Pelicans. Monty Williams is one of the league's shrewdest defensive minds. Jrue Holiday is a budding young star. Eric Gordon has to have a healthy season someday. Combine that with a rapidly developing star in Anthony Davis and perfect complementary players in Ryan Anderson and Tyreke Evans? That's a team that could very well shoot from 27 wins to 47 if the chips fall their way.

Ramona Shelburne, ESPN LA: Houston Rockets, who will be doing something horribly wrong if they can't jump from the eighth spot in the West into the top half of the conference after adding Howard during the offseason. But the team I'm most excited to see next year is the Golden State Warriors. I'm not sure they finish all that much higher than last season, but I'm anxious to see how Mark Jackson's crew grows from their deep playoff run this past season.

Royce Young, Daily Thunder: Houston Rockets. It's pretty straightforward: They got Howard, so therefore they will be much better. But their young roster will also be a year improved. It's not just the James Harden-Howard combo, it's the well-rounded depth they have. They were going to take a big step forward whether they got Howard or not.

2. Which team will take the biggest fall in the West in 2013-14?

Abbott: Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe Bryant playing older, still recovering, or not at all. Chris Kaman in place of Howard. It's no secret this team took a major step back.

Harris: Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets won the third-most games (57) in their history last season, only behind their 65- and 60-win campaigns in the mid-1970s ABA. But with the loss of their coach, their GM and a monster wing defender in Andre Iguodala, they're headed for a major collapse. Oh, and Danilo Gallinari will be recovering from a torn ACL. Yikes.

McGuire: Denver Nuggets. Barring a total collapse in forum blue and gold, I'd tab the Nuggets as this year's most head-scratchingly mediocre Western squad. The Nuggets lost their coach, lost their identity, lost their best player, and threw out their starting center. They added naught but flotsam and addressed none of their roster needs. They'll be a far cry from a 60-win juggernaut.

Shelburne: Memphis Grizzlies and Denver Nuggets. I don't like messing with a good thing and that's just what Memphis and Denver did by replacing their head coaches. Both teams won in large part because of the chemistry they were able to develop, and you're taking a huge chance by replacing the man in the middle of it all. This is no knock on Brian Shaw or Dave Joerger, but it's hard to see how either of these teams seamlessly picks up where they left off last season.

Young: Denver Nuggets. Their rise to a Western contender last season was slow, patient and well-paced. But their fall is going to be abrupt and probably a little unsettling. They still have some decent pieces and will be competitive, but this team's a far cry from the 57-win mini-monster from last season.

3. Which team are you most excited to watch in the West in 2013-14?

Abbott: Golden State Warriors. Didn't we all fall in love with that Stephen Curry small-ball attack in last year's playoffs? Mark Jackson's team leads the league in fun-to-watch things like passion and jaw-dropping buckets.

Harris: Los Angeles Lakers. The on-court product won't be much to brag about, unless you've been a fan of the Washington Generals for years. But the Lakers provide the best drama in any circumstance. Will Kobe Bryant return to his old form? Will Steve Nash hold up? How brazenly will Nick Young break the offense? Must-see TV.

McGuire: Los Angeles Clippers. Doc Rivers is a fantastic coach, but this job isn't going to be a cakewalk. He's used to a certain defensive style of team-building with an all-time great manning the middle. He won't have anything remotely close to that in L.A., and it'll be his responsibility to juggle this new challenge with the same aplomb he showed in 2008. Count me intrigued.

Shelburne: Los Angeles Clippers. This offseason has been something of a referendum on the importance of coaching, with nearly half the league -- including a handful of playoff teams -- replacing its coaches and only the Clippers making a bold investment in this area by hiring Rivers. It'll be fascinating to watch the effect he has on Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and the rest of Lob City.

Young: Golden State Warriors. They were already the most fun team in the West, but now they're really truly a Western threat. The addition of Iguodala rounds them out perfectly, and with their sharpshooting backcourt and ability to score in transition the Warriors' games will be can't-miss.

4. Which team is the biggest wild card in the West in 2013-14?

Abbott: San Antonio Spurs. Are they the shrewdly coached defending conference champs, whom nobody else in the West has solved? Or are they built on an aging big three who are all wrestling, one way or another, with a need to lighten the load? Manu Ginobili looked clearly past his prime by the NBA Finals, Tim Duncan is approaching retirement, and even Tony Parker had to sit for stretches of Finals crunch time with exhaustion. A title, a first-round exit in a tough conference ... nothing would surprise me.

Harris: Golden State Warriors. Basically discarding none-dimensional Richard Jefferson in exchange for the all-around Andre Iguodala is a huge coupe. If Steph Curry and Andrew Bogut can remain healthy, the Warriors have a shot at upending the improved Clippers for the Pacific Division crown.

McGuire: I'm taking a pass here -- the biggest wild card, as always, is health. For every team. If someone's star tears an ACL in game No. 2, we're looking at a wildly different West. The regular-season standings were dominated by injuries in 2012-13. Next season's standings will be much the same. On paper, these teams are very close. The breaks of the game will separate them for us.

Shelburne: Los Angeles Lakers. I should say the Pelicans, but the Lakers could either royally suck or be a pleasant surprise. Will losing Howard be addition by subtraction? Will Kobe Bryant return in November or February? And if so, will he still be Kobe Bryant? How much does Steve Nash have left? What about Pau Gasol in a contract year? Impossible to know right now, but it'll be riveting to watch.

Young: Minnesota Timberwolves. Their season was completely detonated because of injuries and bad luck, but they're back to good health and rebuilt. They've addressed some needs in free agency, and assuming they can get the Nikola Pekovic situation solved, this could be a top-four team. Really.

5. Which team is the favorite to win the West in 2013-14?

Abbott: Los Angeles Clippers. They have had Chris Paul and athletic bigs for a while. Now they've added real-deal 3-point shooting from good all-around players J.J. Redick and Jared Dudley. I believe 3s are the magic elixir, not only because of the points they create, but also because of what CP3, Griffin and DeAndre Jordan can create together when the defense can't clog the lane. (By the way, can you believe I made it through five questions about the West without mentioning the Thunder? I'll pay for that, no doubt.)

Harris: San Antonio Spurs. I don't think any team should be favored to win the West. Given matchups and good/bad breaks the Rockets, Clippers, Thunder, and Warriors can conceivably win the conference. But after being seconds away from the 2013 title and improving their roster, you have to give the Spurs the deferential nod.

McGuire: San Antonio Spurs. I can't escape the feeling that the Clippers' lack of defensive big men is going to hurt them dearly in a playoff gauntlet expected to feature Tim Duncan, Serge Ibaka, Marc Gasol, and Howard. The Thunder's roster looks a touch weaker than recent years, as well. I'm tempted to pick Golden State, but that's a bridge too far for me. By the slimmest of hairs, I'll give it to the NBA's paragon of consistent contention.

Shelburne: Oklahoma City Thunder. Such a boring choice, I know. But with Russell Westbrook healthy you have to give the nod to last season's regular-season champ again. Losing sixth man Kevin Martin to Minnesota hurts, but Reggie Jackson is due for a breakout year and will help mitigate some of the loss. And Kevin Durant is still miles away from his ceiling as a player.

Young: Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite the appearance that they've done nothing this offseason, it has to be them. Westbrook's injury has caused a lot of lost perspective. With him, they were a 60-win juggernaut that flirted with a historic margin of victory. They're a year older, and a year angrier having wasted a season because of an unlucky break.

[T Rav]

Yung Kel, Can we get the East part of that?

[drobizhek]

It's eurobasket not euroleague dumbass

X =




PEACE

[alpha]

Zach Lowe is bored today.

[peanut butter]

I think the Blazers will be better than the Nuggets next year



PEACE

[an-also]

World Peace To Change Name Again But Not Legally
Jul 25, 2013 8:28 PM EDT

Metta World Peace, formerly known as Ron Artest, will change his name again this season.

"We are going to do do a name change, but I can't tell you what it is," World Peace told an interviewer with ClevverNews.

World Peace will not change his name legally, which means 'World Peace' will be on the back of his uniform with the New York Knicks.

[Hayzoos]

Klay Thompson out there lookin about 30 years old with the goatee