I could see up to 3 new playoff teams in the East for next season. Boston and Milwaukee are likely going to miss the playoffs and I'm 50/50 on Atlanta. The 3 teams that have a chance to replace them are Detroit, Washington, and Cleveland, and I have them in that order in terms of confidence to make the playoffs.
NBA Thread - 2013-14
- Thread starter Big Sexy
- Start date
The_YES_No_Man
YES YES YES!!!!
Cleveland will make the playoffs this year. That team has improved in the Eastern conference where the level of competition has dropped tremendously. Outside of Miami, Chicago, and Indiana, who is left? The Knicks are going to be worse with Carmelo probably thinking about which team he will sign with next and Brooklyn just sold their entire future for a couple of seasons of Garnett and Pierce.
As far as the Western conference, go fuck yourself Flip Saunders. Other than that, I like what the Spurs have done, but man, that Kirilenko trade would have really put this team at another level above the Western conference. The Clippers still don't have an imposing front court, the Grizzlies will fall back down to Earth, and the Thunder...well, Durant told Thunder fans not to worry about his partnership with Jay-Z, but if the Thunder don't improve, which I think will be the case, expect Durant to explore options outside of Oklahoma soon.
Warriors will be good, Rockets will improve but will be 2nd round fodder, and Kawhi Leonard will be an All Star.
The Knicks really isn't that good even with Carmelo and I'm a Knicks fan. I can't believe they resigned JR Smith and didn't go after big name free agents. I just wish Amare would retire he's got nothing anymore he can't shoot worth shit. In order for my Knicks to get better they need to pass the ball around better I know Carmelo is a great shooter but there are others that can shoot too. I wanna see what the new rookie can bring to the table.
The Butcher
ð¶
After being rumored for the last week or so, the Lakers have made it official and amnestied Metta World Peace. World Peace, being a lovable lunatic, tweeted this:
The Butcher
ð¶
Turns out Ron Metta won't be playing hockey, arena football, or going to China. Instead he'll be going to the Knicks.
http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/sto...ace-new-york-knicks-agree-2-years-source-says
http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/sto...ace-new-york-knicks-agree-2-years-source-says
MWP is a solid pickup for cheap, especially considering NY's lack of financial flexibility. It also lets them stay versatile by playing Melo and MWP at forward spots at times, keeping the floor spacing while being able to do an adequate job defensively depending on the opponent. Solid signing, but not a huge game changer or anything
Detroit apparently has a sign and trade deal for Jennings with the Bucks.
Don't know about you guys but the Josh Smith + Jennings free agent signing reminds me of the Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva deal of 09. 2nd tier superstars often perform poorly after getting that lucrative contract. Although in Jennings's case he is still not on the contract he thinks he deserves so he might be playing with a chip on his shoulders.
Heat, Pacers, Knicks, Nets, Bulls should be the top 5 seeds in the East.
The Hawks should still remain in the playoffs which leaves 2 more playoff spot in the East.
I don't know why but I see the Cavs and Wizards finishing in those 2 spots over the Pistons. Raptors are a dark horse in the race for 8th seed too.
Don't know about you guys but the Josh Smith + Jennings free agent signing reminds me of the Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva deal of 09. 2nd tier superstars often perform poorly after getting that lucrative contract. Although in Jennings's case he is still not on the contract he thinks he deserves so he might be playing with a chip on his shoulders.
Heat, Pacers, Knicks, Nets, Bulls should be the top 5 seeds in the East.
The Hawks should still remain in the playoffs which leaves 2 more playoff spot in the East.
I don't know why but I see the Cavs and Wizards finishing in those 2 spots over the Pistons. Raptors are a dark horse in the race for 8th seed too.
LoudClearVoice
Mid-Card Championship Winner
I agree somewhat with the comparison but it's definitely different. The Pistons gave up basically nothing for Jennings (BJ is better than Brandon Knight and the other 2 guys are scrubs). The biggest difference is that they didn't blow their cap on this move. They got Jennings at a "reasonable" rate and 2 years from now, he'll have an expiring contract so if it doesn't work you trade him or if it does work you re-sign him. He's only 23.
With Smith, it's very similar to what you mentioned. A second tier player that is great at times but also bad at times (and he has a bad attitude). He's a guy that really doesn't fit in with the Pistons, IMO.
So, IMO, the Jennings move was good and the Smith move was so-so. He's not as bad as Charlie V, in any sense of the word, but he's certainly not as good as he thinks he is.
I love the Pistons getting Brandon Jennings and this offseason isn't even remotely similar to what the Pistons did in 2009. In '09 they overpaid two role players who were exposed once they became the focal point of an offense. This year they got two guys who have been the number one or two option on their respective teams and helped lead those teams to the playoffs. Obviously both have their flaws but Detroit got them at less than market value (especially Jennings) and they still have flexibility next offseason to add another piece. Jennings is better then Brandon Knight right now and is also more of a true point guard. I think he will shine under the tutelage of Maurice Cheeks and Chauncey Billups. Plus the front court of Smith, Monroe, and Drummond will be scary good, especially defensively. People are concerned about floor spacing but they have more then enough shooters in Billups, Kyle Singler, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Gigi Datome.
What the Pistons did was certainly interesting and they are going to be one of the teams fighting for the last 2 or 3 playoff spots in the East. That being said, there could be some major issues. They did get Jennings at a good price, but the concerns with shooting are real, especially if Smith plays significant time at the 3 and especially if Josh Smith thinks he can shoot. They certainly don't have more than enough true shooters, as Big Sexy mentions, if you have the four guys you list are two rookies, a guy running on fumes, and Kyle Singler.
Also, for fun, here's Charlie V vs Josh Smith in the season before they cashed in big in free agency. Of course Smoove is a better defender and has had more productive seasons than Charlie at the time, but these numbers have to be concerning as a Pistons fan.
http://www.basketball-reference.com...m=0&p1=villach01&y1=2009&p2=smithjo03&y2=2013
Also, for fun, here's Charlie V vs Josh Smith in the season before they cashed in big in free agency. Of course Smoove is a better defender and has had more productive seasons than Charlie at the time, but these numbers have to be concerning as a Pistons fan.
http://www.basketball-reference.com...m=0&p1=villach01&y1=2009&p2=smithjo03&y2=2013
I think they are paying about the same rate for Jennings as they did for Charlie V. Paying for their production on a bad team. They overpaid for Ben Gordon much like they have overpaid for Josh Smith because they had cap space.
The only difference I see is Smith and Jennings are proven starters in the league while Charlie and Gordon were bench players. So maybe they have another level compared to the 09 signings and when matched with the young decent offensive bigs of Detroit they can produce results consistently.
The only difference I see is Smith and Jennings are proven starters in the league while Charlie and Gordon were bench players. So maybe they have another level compared to the 09 signings and when matched with the young decent offensive bigs of Detroit they can produce results consistently.
I mean there are certainly questions and they aren't going to be championship contenders, but if they weren't going to tank I don't know how they could've done much better than they did. They aren't going to attract any top tier free agents, so they got Josh Smith. Jennings was a good value pickup for them as well. They've assemble some decent assets going forward, which is about all you can do as a team in Detroit's situation
Got to agree with that though. All the top talent have been signed up. They did get the 3rd best player in the free agent market in Josh Smith, though I think they did overpay a tad for him.
Not a season I would choose to push for an 8th seed with multi-year contracts when next year's draft could potentially be a franchise defining one.
Not a season I would choose to push for an 8th seed with multi-year contracts when next year's draft could potentially be a franchise defining one.
LoudClearVoice
Mid-Card Championship Winner
The Pistons will likely be one of the most interesting teams to watch next season with a young team and a strange mix.
The Pistons have positioned themselves pretty well this offseason in making the moves they made. They were able to get Jennings (who despite his flaw, particularly that he plays no defense)who is better than Brandon Knight and is only 23, without having to give up Monroe or more importantly the expiring contracts of Stuckey and Charlie V. SO, they could still make another big move if they choose to move Monroe and/or the expiring contracts OR they can do nothing and have cap space for next offseason. Plus, the Pistons have Andre Drummond who is only 19 with the potential to be a superstar for years to come.
If they plan things right, they could become legitimate contenders quickly.
The Pistons have positioned themselves pretty well this offseason in making the moves they made. They were able to get Jennings (who despite his flaw, particularly that he plays no defense)who is better than Brandon Knight and is only 23, without having to give up Monroe or more importantly the expiring contracts of Stuckey and Charlie V. SO, they could still make another big move if they choose to move Monroe and/or the expiring contracts OR they can do nothing and have cap space for next offseason. Plus, the Pistons have Andre Drummond who is only 19 with the potential to be a superstar for years to come.
If they plan things right, they could become legitimate contenders quickly.
The season comparisons from Josh Smith and Charlie V aren't that close. Josh Smith has better numbers across the board and you are undervaluing the defensive difference. Smith is one of the best defenders in the NBA, Charlie V is one of the worst. Bill Simmons wrote something very interesting on Grantland the other day and that is the fact that Josh Smith is the 8th best forward in the entire league and he has also been the best or second best player on 6 straight Atlanta teams that have made the playoffs.
When it comes to their shooters, Chauncey may be old but the one thing that stays with age is a players ability to shoot. And while Luigi Datome is officially an NBA rookie, he is 25 years old and has been playing professionally overseas since 2003. He was the Italian League MVP last year and coincidentally is a former teammate of Brandon Jennings when Jennings played overseas instead of going to college. Shooting and spacing is still a minor issue but not as big as people are making it out to be.
The biggest thing is that this is the best offseason the Pistons could have hoped to have considering CP3 and Dwight Howard were not going to be considering them as an option. They got the third best free agent on the market, a good young point guard who is only going to get better, and they still have plenty of cap room next season to sign close to a max player. They could get as high as the 6 seed this season with them, Washington, Cleveland, and Atlanta likely fighting for the last 3 spots.
When it comes to their shooters, Chauncey may be old but the one thing that stays with age is a players ability to shoot. And while Luigi Datome is officially an NBA rookie, he is 25 years old and has been playing professionally overseas since 2003. He was the Italian League MVP last year and coincidentally is a former teammate of Brandon Jennings when Jennings played overseas instead of going to college. Shooting and spacing is still a minor issue but not as big as people are making it out to be.
The biggest thing is that this is the best offseason the Pistons could have hoped to have considering CP3 and Dwight Howard were not going to be considering them as an option. They got the third best free agent on the market, a good young point guard who is only going to get better, and they still have plenty of cap room next season to sign close to a max player. They could get as high as the 6 seed this season with them, Washington, Cleveland, and Atlanta likely fighting for the last 3 spots.
I leave the forums for a few months, and come back to see people talking about my Pistons?! Color me excited! Im sure someone else has already done this, but I want to analyze all the offseason moves that went into this team.
Draft: Kentavius Caldwell-Pope is the classic Joe Dumars "I'm the smartest guy in the fucking room" draft pick. With everyone in the metro detroit area screaming for Trey Burke he picks this guy. It still upsets me a little. At the time, I broke my phone because of it. But now that I've seen him play at summer league and did some reading, I'm excited to see what he'll do. If he becomes a Kawhi Leonard type player, I think it will have been a good pick.
Tony Mitchell is a guy I'm excited to see. Projected as a lottery pick last season, he decided to come back to school. He got himself a little attitude, fought with coaches, and his production dropped, so his stock dropped. Hopefully he can come off the bench and contribute with the rebounding effort the Pistons are going to have to put up on a nightly basis.
Peyton Siva is a nice pick that late in the draft. He a good playmaker, and a little bastard on defense. I personally have high hopes for him in the future, and I hope they sign him this or next year (if he goes to europe this year).
Josh Smithis a great player, a borderline superstar, and you know what else? He should be real pissed off next season. Last year, Josh Smith was playing for a max-contract. He wanted this summer to be about Dwight Howard and Josh Smith. Instead, it was all about Howard. Alot of people are saying that he only came here for the money. I dont believe that. Detroit was not the only team that wanted to sign Smith. Every team with cap room wanted Smith. But every other team had the mentality of "Ok, if we don't sign Dwight we'll go after Smith." Joe D made it clear at 12:01 on July 1st that Josh Smith was their guy. That speaks volumes. I'm worried about the move to small forward because of his horrid shooting (both % and selection), but his passing and ball handling ability has me excited at the prospect of some Josh Smith/Andre Drummond pick-and-rolls. What is a defense to do with that coming at you? Oh, and slam dunks are exciting too.
Chauncey Billups says he wants to start. I love the guy, I think he can still ball, but he's going to have to work his ass off if he wants a starting roll. I'm excited to see what he's got left in the tank.
Luigi "Gigi" "The Italian Stallion" "The Italian Assasin" "Gladiator" "Caeser" "The Godfather" "The Leaning Tower of Threesa" Datome is my new favorite basketball player for reasons that I'm honestly unsure of. I want his jersey, and hisbun that he sports. By the end of the year, everyone will feel the same. I love thiss man.
Brandon Jennings is a lot like how I described Josh Smith. Just replace the names. And you got him for basically nothing, which is always good. If the kid embraces everything that Mo Cheeks and Chauncey have to show him, he'll be the best pg in the NBA. He's not that far off, just meeda a little more restraint.
In closing, the Pistons have solidified the,selves as the team to watch in the league next year. They're exciting, young, and damnit WE WILL NOT TANK! If Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings can buy in, and take better shots, and they all work as a cohesive unit, this team could make some noise. They may even be able to sneak into the 2nd round of the playoffs. But if they don't gel, and things dont go perfectly... it could be a disaster.
Three cheers for way too early optimism! Hip Hip Luigi!
Draft: Kentavius Caldwell-Pope is the classic Joe Dumars "I'm the smartest guy in the fucking room" draft pick. With everyone in the metro detroit area screaming for Trey Burke he picks this guy. It still upsets me a little. At the time, I broke my phone because of it. But now that I've seen him play at summer league and did some reading, I'm excited to see what he'll do. If he becomes a Kawhi Leonard type player, I think it will have been a good pick.
Tony Mitchell is a guy I'm excited to see. Projected as a lottery pick last season, he decided to come back to school. He got himself a little attitude, fought with coaches, and his production dropped, so his stock dropped. Hopefully he can come off the bench and contribute with the rebounding effort the Pistons are going to have to put up on a nightly basis.
Peyton Siva is a nice pick that late in the draft. He a good playmaker, and a little bastard on defense. I personally have high hopes for him in the future, and I hope they sign him this or next year (if he goes to europe this year).
Josh Smithis a great player, a borderline superstar, and you know what else? He should be real pissed off next season. Last year, Josh Smith was playing for a max-contract. He wanted this summer to be about Dwight Howard and Josh Smith. Instead, it was all about Howard. Alot of people are saying that he only came here for the money. I dont believe that. Detroit was not the only team that wanted to sign Smith. Every team with cap room wanted Smith. But every other team had the mentality of "Ok, if we don't sign Dwight we'll go after Smith." Joe D made it clear at 12:01 on July 1st that Josh Smith was their guy. That speaks volumes. I'm worried about the move to small forward because of his horrid shooting (both % and selection), but his passing and ball handling ability has me excited at the prospect of some Josh Smith/Andre Drummond pick-and-rolls. What is a defense to do with that coming at you? Oh, and slam dunks are exciting too.
Chauncey Billups says he wants to start. I love the guy, I think he can still ball, but he's going to have to work his ass off if he wants a starting roll. I'm excited to see what he's got left in the tank.
Luigi "Gigi" "The Italian Stallion" "The Italian Assasin" "Gladiator" "Caeser" "The Godfather" "The Leaning Tower of Threesa" Datome is my new favorite basketball player for reasons that I'm honestly unsure of. I want his jersey, and hisbun that he sports. By the end of the year, everyone will feel the same. I love thiss man.
Brandon Jennings is a lot like how I described Josh Smith. Just replace the names. And you got him for basically nothing, which is always good. If the kid embraces everything that Mo Cheeks and Chauncey have to show him, he'll be the best pg in the NBA. He's not that far off, just meeda a little more restraint.
In closing, the Pistons have solidified the,selves as the team to watch in the league next year. They're exciting, young, and damnit WE WILL NOT TANK! If Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings can buy in, and take better shots, and they all work as a cohesive unit, this team could make some noise. They may even be able to sneak into the 2nd round of the playoffs. But if they don't gel, and things dont go perfectly... it could be a disaster.
Three cheers for way too early optimism! Hip Hip Luigi!
Paul Bunyan's Axe
Occasional Pre-Show
No playoff discussion going on? Who's everyone thinking for the finals this year? I'm personally expecting to see Heat vs. Spurs again, which would be fun to see after how great that series was last year. My favorite team in the playoffs right now would probably be the Warriors. Expecting them to win this series, and probably get bounced next round. Anybody have their favorite team still going here?
