Umm... what? I don't get this whole hiding thing at all. Seriously. Any joke is hiding?

Anyways, people are trying to have a basketball discussion in here, we've probably ruined it enough. Feel free to explain the hiding thing if you care to, or PM me or something, but otherwise I'm going to do some real hiding in this thread for awhile. I actually enjoy all the interesting b-ball talk that goes on in here (despite having little of value to add due to lack of b-ball knowledge).

Well, as you can see above, I am already participating in all that. Feel free to join in.

Like I said, I enjoy reading the on topic posts, but I have nothing of value to add. I follow the NBA but don't really watch the games anymore, if that makes sense. For some reason the NBA has compelling drama, but the games no longer interest me. It's almost like wrestling in a way.

If the trade is Cavs players X and Y for players A, B, and C on another team, and the Cavs need to add 4 million to make the trade work, it wouldn't suprise me to see Wally get that contract. Especially if the other team needs to dump salary and ends up saving a lot of money in the long haul. So they get Wally for 4, 4.5(500k guaranteed, or whatever the minimum allowed guarantee is) and 5.0(none guaranteed).

I'd assume you know the NBA trading makes zero sense whatsoever.

maybe i have an overinflated sense of Michael Redd's skill-level at this point and he's being horribly overpaid (he was an all-star only what...a couple seasons back?) but even given that it'd clear them a ton of room under the cap where is the incentive for the Bucks to trade him to Cleveland for the pile of horseshit that the poster above mentioned? i'd think they could at least get someone who'd be a #2 scoring option for them and a draft pick for him? instead of all those junky contracts and no real player

Hey, we got Moe Williams for a pile of horseshit and junky contracts.
The Celts got Ray Allen for a pile of horseshit, junky contracts and the 5th pick.

These things happen ;)

Oh agreed, NBA trading in the salary cap era is abysmal and difficult to understand.

Still, I just don't see anyone giving Szczerbiak more money to do anything. Will they work a deal that includes his current deal or same money or whatever to make a deal work? I see that. But last I checked he was already way too massively overpaid on his current contract.

Plus, I don't see the Cavs trading away contracts for long term deals right now, for the simple reason that they have no idea if Lebron will be with them past 2010. If he's staying for sure, they do that sort of deal. But if they don't have him signed, they won't want to take the chance of signing two or three way overpaid players who will sink their roster for years to come after LeBron is gone. They would be in the edge of Knicks' territory then--way over the cap and no ability.

Speaking of which, did I mention the availability of Zach Randolph?

Wasn't Delonte West one of those piles of horseshit? :)

And lets be honest, who would be the best player the Cavs even get if they blocked LeBron tomorrow?

We're easily down to like the high teens to mid 20s on the latest
Bill Simmons Value Chart.

I don't think Marion is washed up - I think Marion is who he really is and that playing for D'Antoni just inflated his stats like it does for just about everyone.

Why would the Cavs want Shaq? Z is a plenty good center - if they need to get by Orlando they need someone who can play the 4 and defend the perimeter.

because Shaq is viewed as the "magical cure" for every team that feels they are just one piece away, even if Shaq isn't the logical piece. It's kind of funny really.

Lakers in 5 games, anyone?

The biggest incentive I could see would be if they wanted to sign Ramon Sessions. If the situation is you can afford to pay both Redd and Sessions then yeah, it doesn't make sense to trade him for little to nothing. But if you're going to lose Sessions unless you don't have to pay Redd anymore then it might be worth it.

I like Redd's game but I don't think he's a star in the league. Poor man's Gilbert Arenas who can't defend and is not athletic enough to create his own shot. My issue with Redd would be long term. He essentially turns into a spot-up shooter in the coming years and nothing else. A good 3rd star on a quality team.

Honestly, if I'm the Bucks, I unload him and his contract if I can. He doesn't really fit Skiles style of play and is not worth his contract in my mind.

Magic in seven.

years?

I believe I also said 5 or 6 at the most. I'm hoping I'm wrong, tho.

SI

I think the Magic can beat the Lakers at Staples, but I dont think they can win two games there. I dont think the Lakers can win two games down in Orlando either, but that probably wont be necessary

It's okay to hope for a sweep, SI! :D

Well, you know that's what I was going for ;)

SI

Good game, so far. Very physical.

Bynum has played well in the opening 6 minutes. He will be key to a Lakers championship.

And Howard goes to the bench

Hell of a start for Jameer Nelson.

Courtney Lee is being exposed as a compelte liability on defense for the Magic.

Word, hes a spark plug he is.

He's generally a good defender, but he's never been matched up with a guy like Kobe in a situation like this, and it shows. In the first Q Kobe could basically post him up and spin baseline at will.

Luke Walton did so, as well.

To be fair, Phil has been saving Walton for three years, for that exact moment

Oh my Kobe

Lebron has to be watching this and wondering would it would be like to have guys like Gasol and Odom for teammates :)

The Magic threes are finally falling in, and it's a close one right now with the game winding down.

Back to back great plays by Lewis and Turkoglu. If the Magic can hold on, I like their chances to take this in 6.

Lakers with the stop and now have a chance to win. Ariza for the win.

Here we go.

Great stop on Kobe!

great block from behind by the big Turk!!

Great defensive play by Turkoglu.

Wow. What a block. All ball, too!

SI

Ariza was wide open Kobe.

Alley-oop to Howard?

So were Odom and Fisher. But come on, like there was any doubt who would shoot it. :)

Even if Turkoglu hadn't blocked that, looks like Howard was right there in front and would have.

SI

I know but damn i wanted my prediction to be right.

:D

HOLY SHIT.

Whew.

Two big misses by Lee in crunch time.

Man, great play but just missed it

SI

Damn Lee two missed layups in the last few minutes...

fuck - courtney lee had it there for the taking!

What a great play if only Lee could have finished.

Great defense by Gasol on that shot.

Odom and Bynum both have 5 fouls each. It could get iffy for the Lakers.