2012-13 NBA Regular Season Thread, Feel the Heat

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by stevew

I hate seeing the Maloofs rewarded with an enormous selling price. I gotta think that if they can get the 500m, many other teams will look to sell.

Wonder if someone will buy a crappy market team like Milwaukee or Cleveland and look to move them somewhere. I wonder if Chicago could support another team.

There was some talk when New Orleans was under to move the Hornets to Chicago. Also, the Magic flirted with moving there at one point apparently.

[sterlingice]

Can Chicago support another team? It's hard to break into an already saturated market with an entrenched dominant team. The Mets have never drawn that well nor have the White Sox, despite their longevity.

SI

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Cleveland does well for its market size. The teams that should be moved or contracted are Atlanta and Charlotte.

That is kind of harsh to include Charlotte in that mix. The Hornets lead the league in attendance for the first seven seasons of their existence. George Shinn killed that support. Then, Michael Jordan has done nothing to bring the fans out for the Bobcats.

[sterlingice]

That and, well, have they had any winning seasons as the Bobcats?

SI

[korme]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

That and, well, have they had any winning seasons as the Bobcats?

SI

18-64, 26-56, 33-49, 32-50, 35-47, 44-38 (playoffs!), 34-48, 7-59 (!), currently 9-25.

So yeah.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

The teams that should be moved or contracted are Atlanta and Charlotte.

Can we send the Hawks to Winnipeg?

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Can we send the Hawks to Winnipeg?

Each city gets to do that only once per century. And you wasted yours

SI

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Each city gets to do that only once per century. And you wasted yours

Don't blame the city with that one, it was the idiot ownership group to cut that deal (having never really wanted a hockey team in the first place)

[stevew]

I heard that the Maloof's wanted to sell the team, but want to maintain the controlling interest as well. Apparently this has been settled though, and the knuckleheads will be completely out in a sale.

[lungs]

I'd think Milwaukee would be a candidate to be moved or contracted. Small market/shitty venue.

[Passacaglia]

I'd like to keep all the stuff I sell, too.

[stevew]

I wonder if the "Kings" name will have some value. For example, the "Brooklyn Kings" sounds so much better than the Nets.

[Wolfpack]

Pondered what a move to Seattle may do for divisions in the West and the nearest guess I have is that Phoenix and (neo-)Seattle would flip divisions. That would keep all the remaining California teams and the renewed Pacific Northwest rivalry together. Phoenix loses out a bit by having fewer games with the California teams, but they would pick up some more meetings with Four Corners rivals in Utah and Denver and additional meetings with OKC to make up for it.

[MrBug708]

Potential Kings buyer emerges, would keep team in Sacramento - CBSSports.com

[stevew]

This Lakers collapse would be more hilarious if the Cavs didn't own the ability to swap Miami's pick for LAL's if the Lakers aren't in the lottery. So like, do work Kobe, but only enough to sneak into the playoffs.

[sterlingice]

I mean, there's too much talent there to not make the playoffs, right?

SI

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by stevew

I heard that the Maloof's wanted to sell the team, but want to maintain the controlling interest as well. Apparently this has been settled though, and the knuckleheads will be completely out in a sale.

How is that possible?

[britrock88]

Just sell 49% so we can have a couple hundred mill and our basketball team with decision-making power... duh!

[Young Drachma]

If somehow Sacramento completes the Hail Mary and keeps the team there, I feel like Stern and Company will expand to Seattle for sure. Though 31 teams would be awkward, when you have two dudes willing to pony up $500m, then you need to leverage that.

Too bad Kansas City doesn't have a local owner willing to bring a team to play at Sprint Center or you'd have #32 right there.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

How is that possible?

Probably wanted to create multiple levels of stock and keep a majority of the voting shares.

[stevew]

An odd number of NBA teams works just fine.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

I mean, there's too much talent there to not make the playoffs, right?

SI

They're 15-21. They need to go roughly 31-15 to make the playoffs.

[BishopMVP]

Celtics with Avery Bradley - 6-1, 0 opponents with 100+ points.
Previous 10 games - 3-7, 7 opponents scored 100+.

We could still really use a 2nd big who can defend effectively, but Bradley's perimeter D really covers up Bass and Sullinger's weaknesses there.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by Young Drachma

If somehow Sacramento completes the Hail Mary and keeps the team there, I feel like Stern and Company will expand to Seattle for sure. Though 31 teams would be awkward, when you have two dudes willing to pony up $500m, then you need to leverage that.

Too bad Kansas City doesn't have a local owner willing to bring a team to play at Sprint Center or you'd have #32 right there.

Name Kansas City the Kings also, like they used to be... then also name the new Seattle market team the Kings.

That'd be awesome.

[CrimsonFox]

HOw about The "Not the Seahawks!"

[Chief Rum]

Clips somehow destroyed the Grizzlies in Memphis without Chris Paul and with Blake only scoring 10. And I mean destroyed, like a 24 point win or something.

The Grizz were missing Gay, but, jeez...

[sterlingice]

I'm curious to see tonight's game as the Rockets are on a 3 game road freefall after winning 5 in a row. Clips at home should be a nice test to see where they are at

SI

[JonInMiddleGA]

Hawks played Chicago as though they've been contracted already. 5 pts in the 2nd quarter, just 20 points at the half, en route to a 97-58 loss.

[korme]

Yep. Bulls set their franchise record for points allowed & Hawks set their Atlanta franchise low (St. Louis Hawks scored 57 once)

[korme]

Glad that was game of the night, NBAtv!

[JonInMiddleGA]

Hawks lose #3 scorer Lou Williams for the season, ACL

Hawks' Lou Williams out for season (updated) | www.ajc.com

[stevew]

They should have drafted Chris Paul instead of Williams

[/avg hawks fan]

[whomario]

Rockets loose their 7th in a row. The race for 7th/8th in the West is shaping up to be a ridiculous roller coaster. Portland on a 5 game loosing streak, Wolves just snapped a 5 game one. Lakers and Mavs still only 5 or so wins out of a playoff spot.

Timberwolves now have to start Stiemsma and Williams, have in their rotation Gelabale, Amundson and some random Center named Chris Johnson (who was key tonight though)
Rubio is sooo damn off with his shot, it´s ridiculous. Hasn´t made a 3 in 12 games and is shooting 22% from the field through 12 games

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by whomario

Rockets loose their 7th in a row. The race for 7th/8th in the West is shaping up to be a ridiculous roller coaster. Portland on a 5 game loosing streak, Wolves just snapped a 5 game one. Lakers and Mavs still only 5 or so wins out of a playoff spot.

Timberwolves now have to start Stiemsma and Williams, have in their rotation Gelabale, Amundson and some random Center named Chris Johnson (who was key tonight though)
Rubio is sooo damn off with his shot, it´s ridiculous. Hasn´t made a 3 in 12 games and is shooting 22% from the field through 12 games

That Kobe, one hell of a leader. If the Lakers miss the playoffs I think they will pay Jackson 30M to come back next season.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sacramento Kings owners reach agreement with Seattle group to buy team, sources say - ESPN

[dawgfan]

If Hansen is really paying $525M for a 65% stake in the Kings - wow. That's just an unbelievable amount of money for a crap franchise. It's not my money, so I don't really care that much, except that if that dollar figure is correct, I guess I worry about this ownership group getting over-extended and if that would end up costing the city because the ownership group defaults on paying for the new arena.

Highly unlikely given that Ballmer is part of the ownership group, but man - that's just a ridiculous amount of inflation in the value of NBA franchises. This should be example #1,956,734 that fans should never, ever feel sorry for owners that claim they're "losing money" on their investment.

[Groundhog]

The "good" news for the Kings franchise IMO is that, while the guys they have on the roster clearly don't work together, they do have some trade value. Cousins would be the first guy I look to move around draft time, and Jason Thompson is the kind of smart PF that could play and perform on any team in the league.

[Bigsmooth]

Really great news for us Supes fans. That roster is terribly constructed, holy crap. Basically need to reboot. I'm all about keeping Boogie Cousins around though as he is such a talent. Maybe Shawn Kemp can take him under his wing and help get his head on straight. Sure Kemp had his troubles but he has more than turned the corner with his life (years ago). Hopefully Evans/Thornton/Brooks/The Jimmer can all be moved...

Anyway, really great to actually start thinking about a roster again!

Also, this:

RT @wojyahoonba: The $525m price is a "valuation" on the total franchise. For 65 percent, Seattle group would pay approximately $340 million

[stevew]

Kevin Johnson should absolutely just let the team go away.

[stevew]

Free preview week on DTV.

Griz lose when Rudy Gay feels that 1.4 seconds is a lifetime, and gets the game winner off after the buzzer.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

If Hansen is really paying $525M for a 65% stake in the Kings - wow. That's just an unbelievable amount of money for a crap franchise. It's not my money, so I don't really care that much, except that if that dollar figure is correct, I guess I worry about this ownership group getting over-extended and if that would end up costing the city because the ownership group defaults on paying for the new arena.

Highly unlikely given that Ballmer is part of the ownership group, but man - that's just a ridiculous amount of inflation in the value of NBA franchises. This should be example #1,956,734 that fans should never, ever feel sorry for owners that claim they're "losing money" on their investment.

It's $340m, the $525 is the value of the franchise in total. Oh nevermind. Someone already said that.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by stevew

Kevin Johnson should absolutely just let the team go away.

Well he played in the NBA, Sacramento's mayor doesn't have a whole lot of work to do other than be on a bully pulpit for the city (City Manager is the real day-to-day boss) and so I figure that with all of that free time, coupled with his NBA connections AND the fact that it's the only major league team in the city that's likely never to get another one...it's worth the hail marys to maybe get a guaranteed expansion club back there or to force the league's hand to give Seattle one.

Because the real issue is Team Maloof, after all.

[stevew]

Varejao out for the rest of the season with a blood clot. The Cavs played this situation about as poorly as possible.

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

If Hansen is really paying $525M for a 65% stake in the Kings - wow. That's just an unbelievable amount of money for a crap franchise. It's not my money, so I don't really care that much, except that if that dollar figure is correct, I guess I worry about this ownership group getting over-extended and if that would end up costing the city because the ownership group defaults on paying for the new arena.

Highly unlikely given that Ballmer is part of the ownership group, but man - that's just a ridiculous amount of inflation in the value of NBA franchises. This should be example #1,956,734 that fans should never, ever feel sorry for owners that claim they're "losing money" on their investment.

"". Yup - during the various lockouts (NFL and NBA), when people here were carping on the players, its worth reminding them what capital appreciation means.

[stevew]

I never have a problem with paying the stars of the league a ton, but the medium deals for tall/bench players were getting crazy. If they would just reform the rookie caps to pay the good young rookies more, I'd hope we'd end up with less 6 years of Rashard Lewis type deals. Kyrie Irving is getting paid less than Luke Walton this year, for example.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by stevew

Varejao out for the rest of the season with a blood clot. The Cavs played this situation about as poorly as possible.

I think that's a good thing. It means - more losses, more PT for Zeller, more rebounds and minutes for Tristan Thompson who, offense aside, is growing on me.

We end up with a good pick, grab (hopefully) either a good SF or an offensive-minded post player, and next season we're competing for a playoff spot with a maturing, young team.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by stevew

If they would just reform the rookie caps to pay the good young rookies more, I'd hope we'd end up with less 6 years of Rashard Lewis type deals. Kyrie Irving is getting paid less than Luke Walton this year, for example.

Define "good young rookies" in that model though ... that seems to be the tricky part here, doesn't it?

I mean, are you paying for:
a) pure performance?
b) potential?
c) enhanced value due to scarcity at position/playing style?

Here's the rookie scale fwiw ... I guess your issue here is that rookies who perform well are (relatively) underpaid in yrs 2/3/4, but what about the flip side of being stuck paying those who bust? Does your "pay the good young rookies more" model also include pay cuts for those who suck?

FTR, not busting on you, attempting to ask legitimate question(s).

[stevew]

You commit to a 2 year deal when you draft the guy, so if he really sucks you can bounce on that pretty fast. Like in Irving's case, there should clearly be crazy escalators built into his deal since he is one of the best 20 players in the league this year.

I'd like to see the 1-4 year old players get paid more based on performance and minutes. Perhaps scale plus 100% if a player is elite. As far as shitty rookies go, they are paid so little that it's basically 1/4th of league average pay(especially for those drafted outside the top 10)

[miami_fan]

Memphis Grizzlies, Cleveland Cavaliers agree to multiplayer trade, sources say - ESPN

Memphis would send Marreese Speights, Wayne Ellington and Josh Selby to Cleveland for Jon Leuer to slice more than $6 million off their payroll and get under the luxury tax threshold.

The Cavs also get a future first round pick in the deal.

[stevew]

Cavs get Speights and Ellington and a first rounder from Memphis to help the Grizzlies get under the tax limit. No Rudy Gay trade this year it would seem.