The NBA thread

[Phoenix Dark]

Sounds like everyone is coming back on the Spurs. I guess Leonard will be the man next season, with Duncan and Ginobli continuing to have their minutes regulated by Pop. IMO Leonard has to work on his ball handling - his drives were ugly as fuck, he got away with walks, etc.

Who are some FAs that they, or any team tbh, might target? Role players, not the Carmelos of the world.

[TakingBackSunday]

Lowry is the biggest PG probably...but there's Robinson, Collison, Sessions, Bradley, Bledsoe, Hinrich, few others

http://en.hispanosnba.com/transactions/nba-free-agents

[etiolate]

I don't know what sort of cap space the Spurs have. There's some older FAs that would fit in well there like Pau Gasol, but I am not sure what direction the Spurs will go. Greg Monroe would fit their system. Guys like Ariza and Isaiah Thomas are upper tier role players, 6th man types. I could see Alan Anderson on the Spurs next year.

[Mandark]

If the Spurs bring back Diaw and Mills, then they'll only really have the mid-level exception to work with.  If they want to bring in someone more expensive they'd probably have to renounced Diaw's rights or ship off a couple of their end-of-bench guys like Corey Joseph without taking anything back.

I think they try to keep the gang together through next year at least and see how it goes from there.  Right now Splitter's the only player signed past 2015.

Miami's interesting because they're probably too old to keep playing the type of basketball, especially on defense, that they've been playing the last few years.  Small lineups with a lot of trapping, double-teaming, and weakside help is harder to pull off with an older roster, and even if it's effective it's a pretty grinding way to go through the regular season.

[benjipwns]

Full WARP Projections
Rank   Name   Pos   From   Win%   WARP
6   Marcus Smart   PG   Oklahoma State   .512   3.6
27   Clint Capela   PF   Switzerland   .497   3.4
19   Jusuf Nurkic   C   Bosnia   .490   3.3
4   Dante Exum   PG   Australia   .468   3.3
42   Nikola Jokic   C   Serbia   .468   3.1
29   Jordan Adams   SG   UCLA   .480   3.0
2   Joel Embiid   C   Kansas   .480   2.9
3   Jabari Parker   F   Duke   .444   2.5
5   Noah Vonleh   PF   Indiana   .430   2.4
76   Javon McCrea   PF   Buffalo   .482   2.2
25   P.J. Hairston   SG   North Carolina   .469   2.0
16   Tyler Ennis   PG   Syracuse   .432   2.0
10   Gary Harris   SG   Michigan State   .428   1.9
21   Jarnell Stokes   PF   Tennessee   .441   1.9
12   Doug McDermott   F   Creighton   .480   1.8
7   Aaron Gordon   PF   Arizona   .396   1.7
8   Julius Randle   PF   Kentucky   .412   1.6
26   Kyle Anderson   SF   UCLA   .442   1.5
24   K.J. McDaniels   SF   Clemson   .445   1.5
55   Khem Birch   P   UNLV   .451   1.5
9   Dario Saric   F   Croatia   .415   1.4
1   Andrew Wiggins   SF   Kansas   .392   1.3

[Momo]

I want to try watching basketball again next season, the last time I watched was when penny hardaway, grant and shaq were together at the Orlando Magic. They were always my fav team, do they still exist?

[etiolate]

Well, the Magic still exist.

[Momo]

I just looked at their lineup, I know no-one. I dont know what I was expecting.

When I used to watch there were players like Payton, Kemp, Stockton, Malone, Ewing, Pippen, Jordan, Rodman, Duncan (boy he's been around long), Shaq, Robinson, Olijowon (fuck i cant spell this), Drexler, Barkley, Miller, Grant Hill (or was Tyrone the good one?), KJ, Magic, Ceballos, Strickland etc, not even counting all the good rookies like Stoudamire, Garnett and the like rising up, what I'm saying is there seemed to be an immense amount of talent, but these days all I hear is Kobe and or Lebron (like after Shaq retired). Is the level and diversity in talent still comparable?

[etiolate]

Jordan owns the Hornets. Payton works for NBA Tv... sometimes. Kemp has children to feed. Stockton and Malone are fishing like its the playoffs 24/7. Rodman is in North korea. Pippen works for the Bulls while fighting off lawsuits. Hakeem teaches all the young centers that they got no post moves.  Barkley is the NBA's Oprah. Reggie Miller annoys people on broadcasts. Kevin Johnson is a mayor. Magic can't go to Clipper games. Rod Strickland works ofr Kentucky. Shaq owns part of a team and takes up two chairs on TNT.

[Momo]

lol well obviously they are all (Duncan and maybe Stoudamire apart) fat fucks now, I just mean to ask if there are still that many standout players to look out for, or is it like literally Lebron and Kobe now?

[etiolate]

Kobe can barely walk. There's always young talent though.

Guys in their prime are Lebron, Carmelo and Durant. You also have Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Chris Bosh, James Harden, Derrick Rose (when healthy) and Dwight Howard. You have really young guys like Kyrie Irving, Demarcus Cousins, John Wall, Blake Griffin, Steph Curry. Paul George and Anthony Davis.

[Great Rumbler]

lol well obviously they are all (Duncan and maybe Stoudamire apart) fat fucks now, I just mean to ask if there are still that many standout players to look out for, or is it like literally Lebron and Kobe now?

Kobe is in the Jordan on the Wizards phase of his career, no need to bring him into this conversation anymore.

Kobe can barely walk. There's always young talent though.

Guys in their prime are Lebron, Carmelo and Durant. You also have Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Chris Bosh, James Harden, Derrick Rose (when healthy) and Dwight Howard. You have really young guys like Kyrie Irving, Demarcus Cousins, John Wall, Blake Griffin, Steph Curry and Anthony Davis.

DIRK

[etiolate]

Forgot abotu Dirk. He's borderline "legend on his way out" You got Kobe, Nash and Duncan who really are on their last years, and then you got a guy like Dirk who is getting close to that range, You could probably put Wade here, too.

[Momo]

I liked Wizards Jordan, that baseball failure stench, expanded waistline, gassed after 5 minutes look was something that soothed me as a non Bulls fan during all those years he styled on my favorite team lol

[Momo]

Steve Nash still plays? Only South African I ever recall being int he NBA. But Jesus that fucker must be ancient by now

[Stoney Mason]

lol well obviously they are all (Duncan and maybe Stoudamire apart) fat fucks now, I just mean to ask if there are still that many standout players to look out for, or is it like literally Lebron and Kobe now?

There are lots of standout players. But Lebron, Kevin Durant, and a small circle of others will always draw the most media attention because of how good they are and how well marketed they are, and tv exposure.

[Kara]

I liked Wizards Jordan, that baseball failure stench, expanded waistline, gassed after 5 minutes look was something that soothed me as a non Bulls fan during all those years he styled on my favorite team lol

 

e: Steve Nash doesn't really "play" but he gets paid to play regardless. Dude is a straight up thief.

[Great Rumbler]

Steve Nash still plays? Only South African I ever recall being int he NBA. But Jesus that fucker must be ancient by now

He's "playing" on the same team as Kobe.

[etiolate]

Embiid hurt his foot. Cavs will find a way to screw up top pick again.

[Stoney Mason]

[TakingBackSunday]

I personally love them.  Wish there was a pin-stripe version though

[Stoney Mason]

I personally love them.  Wish there was a pin-stripe version though

Without the pinstripe they are not as good as they could be.



If they are going this far they should go all the way.

[benjipwns]

Thompson's father, Mychal, himself a former No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft and now a radio analyst on Los Angeles Lakers broadcasts, said Thursday on ESPN LA 710 AM that the Warriors and Wolves have been discussing a deal in which Golden State would also receive Martin from Minnesota in addition to Love for Klay Thompson, Lee and a future first. The Warriors do not have a first-round in next week's draft.

ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard reported Thursday that the Nuggets are offering Kenneth Faried, Wilson Chandler and the No. 11 pick for Love and Martin, but it remains unclear whether Love would be willing to sign a long-term deal with the Nuggets.

Boston, meanwhile, is a destination that holds some appeal to Love, but the strength of the Celtics' offer is their reported willingness to surrender two first-rounders in Thursday's draft (No. 6 and No. 7) in addition to a veteran such as Jeff Green or a younger player such as Kelly Olynyk and Jared Sullinger. Many rival teams believes Saunders wants players in return for Love who can produce right away.

ESPN.com reported last month that Golden State and Chicago were two destinations that greatly interest Love, who will undeniably have some say in where he winds up because he has the right to become a free agent in July 2015. But sources say that the Bulls appear to more focused on trying to find a way to acquire New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony rather than pursuing Love. Anthony has until Monday to decide whether to opt in or out of the final season on his current Knicks contract valued at $23.3 million.

[Kara]

THE RETURN OF TEAL 

[Beezy]

It's 2014. Fuck pinstripes. The new jerseys look great.

[Momo]

I remember mugsy bogues

[Phoenix Dark]

Joel Embiid has fractured foot

Joel Embiid, who was considered the front-runner to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft, will undergo surgery for a stress fracture in his right foot Friday, his agent confirmed in a statement.

"Joel Embiid suffered a stress fracture to the navicular bone in his right foot," Arn Tellem said Thursday. "He is scheduled to have surgery tomorrow. Joel will be unable to participate in any additional workouts, and will not attend the draft in New York. We will have no further comment until after the surgery."

Tellem told ESPN's Andy Katz earlier Thursday that Embiid suffered the injury sometime over the last few days.

Embiid is not attending the draft because he can't fly for 10 days to two weeks post-surgery, Tellem told Katz. The draft is next Thursday.

Embiid was scheduled to work out for the Milwaukee Bucks, who hold the second overall pick, later this week.

The 7-foot native of Cameroon was already dealing with health questions regarding his back, which forced him to miss the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments.

He worked out earlier this month for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, and sources said he fared well and that the medical testing also came back without much concern.

Embiid also participated in a one-on-none workout in front of NBA teams in Santa Monica, California.

Embiid averaged 11.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks this past season as a freshman at Kansas.

Cleveland could also opt to select Duke freshman Jabari Parker or Kansas wing Andrew Wiggins with the No. 1 overall pick.

http://espn.go.com/nba/draft2014/story/_/id/11107087/joel-embiid-suffers-foot-injury-prior-nba-draft

So who is gonna fuck up their draft next week.

[benjipwns]

Honestly, I'd still take him in the top five. It's a really good draft but he seems like the only one who's upside is superstar level instead of All-Star level.

Then again, I'm not an NBA GM so I don't have to worry about how I'll lose my job in two years because all the pieces I've assembled need four years to come together right.

[Phoenix Dark]

Honestly, I'd still take him in the top five. It's a really good draft but he seems like the only one who's upside is superstar level instead of All-Star level.

Then again, I'm not an NBA GM so I don't have to worry about how I'll lose my job in two years because all the pieces I've assembled need four years to come together right.

Moreso than Parker? Embiid looked really good when he was healthy, and he seemed to have fewer growing pains than Wiggins; when was the last time a team had two players who were top 3 draft prospects? Still the multiple injury issues would convince me to go with Parker or Wiggins. And while he has some health concerns too...I think he'll be fine whereas Emdiid gives me Oden vibes.

I think Julius Randle could be the best or second best player taken in the top 10.

[benjipwns]

For some reason Parker seems like there's a good chance he's the next Glenn Robinson. But I also thought that about Melo so what do I know. He would be my second choice though.

[benjipwns]

For more evidence I don't ever know what I'm talking about:

Joel Embiid, one of the top prospects for next week's NBA draft, had two screws inserted into his foot during surgery Friday morning, and a source told ESPN.com's Andy Katz that he will need four to six months to fully recover.

Embiid's agent, Arn Tellem, said in a statement that the former Kansas star underwent the procedure at Southern California Orthopedic Institute.

The surgeon, Dr. Richard Ferkel, said that Embiid "tolerated the surgery without difficulty" and claimed that the 7-foot center should "be able to return to NBA basketball."

"Two screws were inserted into the navicular bone in Joel Embiid's right foot," Ferkel said in the statement released by Tellem. "The surgery went very well and I'm confident that after appropriate healing he will be able to return to NBA Basketball. Joel tolerated the surgery without difficulty and will begin his rehabilitation in the near future."

[Stoney Mason]

For some reason Parker seems like there's a good chance he's the next Glenn Robinson. But I also thought that about Melo so what do I know. He would be my second choice though.

I don't really follow college bball anymore so all these guys are new to me.

NBA Comparison: Carmelo Anthony
Strengths: Parker is on another level from his peers, skill wise ... Very strong, bulky forward with elite level face up game for his age ... An underrated athlete; Parker plays a smooth, if not overpowering brand of ball, and is more likely to muscle through opponents than blow by them ... Possesses very good hands ... Shows the ability to grasp nuances of the game ... Has a passion for basketball, and this comes out in his play ... A la Paul Pierce, is especially good at step back jumper, and can do it in both directions ... Creates a ton of separation with his step back ... Can go to work in the post, especially against smaller and weaker defenders ... Will likely be developed as a small forward in the NBA, where he will immediately become one of the largest and strongest at this position ... Work ethic is phenomenal ... Really wants to be a leader; wants to be great ... Even in high school, practiced with the focus of a pro ... Has been a winner every step of the way of his career; won four straight Illinois State Titles in high school ... Can create for teammates thanks to his high basketball IQ and overall play making ability ... Commands so much attention from opposing defenses that teammates will find themselves with more opportunities to receive the ball in a position to score with him on the floor ... Can finish with both hands around the hoop ... Solid, but not great ability to knock down the NBA 3-ball ... Had some impressive dunks in his freshman season at Duke, which proved that he does possess the hops and explosiveness that he often does not get credit for ... Also showed surprising body control and ball handling, weaving through defenders for finishes at the rim in the open floor ...

Weaknesses: Defense and position are the two biggest questions with Parker ... Some wonder whether he is quick enough to guard on the perimeter, or if he is long enough to defend the post ... Has been given the "tweener" label that no draft prospect wants associated with his name ... Appears to carry some extra "baby fat" ... Somewhat slow release on the jumper, and it has a hitch; may need to tweak release to improve scoring opportunities against athletic defenders who match his size ... Can he expand his range to be a reliable 3-point shooter? ... Was asked to play in the post defensively for Duke, which may lead to an even bigger learning curve for Parker as he improves his understanding of how to guard wings in the NBA ... Not a particularly crafty defender; surprising given how intelligent an offensive player he is ...

Notes: A Mormon, and has not yet done a Mormon mission ... Had considered delaying his college career to do the mission, but obviously opted to play ball ... Some conspiracy theorists wonder if he gets drafted by a team that he does not want to play for, whether he threatens to hold out on signing a contract and instead go on a mission. But this is definitely more speculative than a likely scenario at this point ... Did not participate in the 2014 Draft Combine, given that he is already a consensus top 3 pick ... Is an elite talent, and has been considered as such since his early high-school days ... USBWA National Freshman of the Year award winner for his stellar 2013-14 campaign as a Duke Blue Devil ... Had a successful freshman season at Duke, although the team disappointed in the NCAA Tournament, losing to 14 seed Mercer in the first round ...

Drew Wolin 6/14/14

Strengths: First and foremost, Parker is already a good physical specimen for either forward position, and has just about all of the size he’ll need to be an NBA wing at nearly 6’9 240 … Plays strong, and has more than adequate length … Very fluid with good athleticism, showing exceptional body control and pretty good speed and leaping ability … More explosive than he appears at 1st glance … Lived up to his lofty expectations after a highly touted HS career … Already has a great arsenal of moves in his repertoire on offense … Has an NBA ready step back jumper and is tough for most matchups to pressure as a ball-handler … Is a threat to slash in either direction … Is able to shoot or drive effectively from the triple threat … Puts the ball on the floor, can score with his feet set, and shows good confidence as a scorer … Mid-range game is pretty polished … Great 1st step, and when operating facing the basket this is where the Carmelo Anthony comparisons are most evident … Not overly aggressive, and generally plays well off his instincts … Has shown the ability to pull down a defensive rebound and go coast to coast for either a finish at the rim or go to the line … Good finisher, and has the ability to finish above the rim with power around trees … Does a good job drawing contact, and is not at all prone to shying away from physical play … Is a long strider, and can change directions well for his size as a ball-handler … Looks like he has the necessary tools to develop into a primary scorer at the next level, and the mentality to handle that responsibility … Has some natural shot-making ability that all of the high level NBA scorers possess, and has shown he can really light up the scoreboard in bunches … Has a nice post game for a guy that is being projected to be primarily a wing player … Has good footwork and already understands how to get a wide base to take advantage of smaller defenders … Quick feet, and gets angles on defenses when operating around the hoop … His turnaround jumper is strong … Makes an impact on the glass, and was a terrific offensive rebounder last season at Duke … Aware of his surroundings, and doesn’t get caught falling asleep much when shots goes up on either end … Pretty smart, and can make plays on both ends by using his physical tools and his instincts … Makes timely steals and blocks, and is always to be accounted for on offense because of his ability to make intriguing momentum-shifting plays … Can’t really be considered a selfish player, does look to get teammates involved when he draws extra attention … Seems to be by all accounts a high character person, and a very focused competitor who has strong leadership potential … Comes off a guy who likes to lead by example, but is fairly vocal too even when he isn’t having his best game … His ability to contribute at the level he did on a talented roster and elite level program like Duke as a true Fr. is definitely extremely encouraging, and he won’t turn 20 until late in his rookie season … Has the ability to play some PF too, and his versatility as a scorer with his size makes him a big mismatch at the next level … Plenty of ability to get better, a scary proposition for a guy with his skills ...

Weaknesses: Defense is the area of his game that has drawn the greatest amount of criticism. Does not exhibit the same level of intensity and effort on that end, and how much of that was due to playing center or staying out of foul trouble is open to debate ... Given his size, there are some concerns about him being in between the SF and PF positions at the next level … Also, will need to find a weight that will allow him to maximize his athleticism … Not really a defined or “tight-skinned” specimen physically, and probably carried slightly more weight than he should’ve last season … Appears to be a guy that will always have to work a little harder to keep his weight in check, and his body toned. And any extended injuries could cause him more trouble weight wise than the average prospect. But he seems up to the task ... Not a sharp team defender yet, and still needs to improve his knowledge of where to be on this side of the ball … Makes fundamental errors, and can look lost when defending the pick and roll game, and was at times exposed for this against quality opponents who spaced the floor on offense last season ... Needs to work on improving his lateral speed and defensive technique … Effort overall on defense needs improvement as well … Sometimes settles for more difficult looks than he should, and doesn’t always look to get to the rim as much as he should … Can make tough shots, but does shoot more contested jumpers than he has to … Sometimes tries to be too aggressive, especially when his team was trailing … Not quite an overly explosive athlete, and can struggle at times to finish above taller defenders when he can’t get a clean drive past the initial defense … Has high level talent, but needs to polish his skills and do a better job with his shot selection to really reach his potential as a player ...

Overall: Parker is considered by most as a wing prospect but may actually project even stronger as a stretch 4 ... Parker had an outstanding Freshman season at Duke, and really has some of the best skills of any prospect in this draft … He is a fantastic talent on the offensive side of the ball with the kind of mentality needed to be a franchise player at the next level … Has the potentially to be a more well rounded Melo and without any of the negative selfishness or lack of team focus that Melo has long been criiticized for ... His game and leadership should allow him to make an impact at the next level the second he takes the floor, and he already has the physical tools of an NBA player despite his youth … Seems like the type of person and competitor that any organization would want, and is extremely mature by all accounts … Can play either forward position effectively, and will be a tough matchup on a nightly basis at the next level … He will need to improve his defensive skills and his overall awareness, but he has strong instincts and the smarts to continue to improve … Parker is a virtual lock to be a top 3 selection in the 2014 NBA Draft ...

Jorrye Nixon 5/28/14

Strengths: Ultra-skilled forward with an innate, natural ability to play basketball ... Remarkably advanced basketball IQ for a player his age ... Already possesses many of the intangible qualities that NBA teams covet ... Strong competitor that plays hard on both ends of the floor. Rarely fails to "show up" for games ... Moves around the court well with or without the ball ... Good overall shot-selection ... Hard worker, who appears to respect the game ... Has good size for a small forward (measured recently at 6'8.5" in shoes), and still has some time to grow ... Appears to have a wingspan of 7'0" or close to it ... He makes up for his lack of elite athleticism by being an aggressive athlete that takes advantage of any opportunities the defense gives to him ... Has shown the ability to rise up and emphatically dunk over the top of the defense ... Footspeed is fairly average, but he’s still a very fluid runner, particularly in the open court ... Knows how to take advantage of "sleeping" defenders, showing great activity off the ball with an understanding of back-cuts and spotting-up from the corner ... Is a pure shooter that displays a soft touch out to the NBA three-point line ... Has the size, touch and footwork to become a very capable player in the post, which would make him a big-time mismatch threat from the wing position ... Capable in the mid-range with a rapidly improving pull-up jumper that is already extremely difficult to defend ... Dangerous when taking players off the dribble ... Uses hesitations, fakes and crossovers to throw his defender off balance ... Combines a refined offensive awareness with an unselfish nature to always find his teammates when they are open ... Solid defender that works hard to bother his man ... Has the length and instincts to make an impact on the glass as well ... High-character player and a member of the LDS church ... Still very young and has a lot of room to improve ... Likely the top high school player in the country and has superstar potential ...

Weaknesses: While Parker is a good all-around athlete, he won't be much of a stand-out as far as the NBA is concerned ... His first-step lacks the explosion of some of the other elite-level prospects he's often compared to, and he won't be labeled by many as a "high flyer" either ... If he works hard on his strength and conditioning, he should be able to maximize his potential athletically as he grows into his height, but even for a player with a reputation like Parker, this is still an “if” ... Parker's outside shot can be inconsistent, though at only 16 years of age, this is a common issue, and can be rectified with practice and experience ... He's drawn comparisons to players like Paul Pierce and Carmelo Anthony, and those kinds of expectations can weigh heavily on younger players ...

Overall: Jabari Parker is an extremely intriguing NBA prospect ... He displays a rare versatility and polish for a player as young as he is along with the potential to get a lot better with time ... While it is awfully early to start making predictions on the 2014 draft, Parker (if eligible) is my favorite for the first overall pick ...

http://www.nbadraft.net/players/jabari-parker

[TakingBackSunday]

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/11119636/carmelo-anthony-new-york-knicks-opt-contract



Hope he goes to the Bulls.  Get some fucking real competition in the East.

Also, lol at Phil Jackson.  Who the fuck do you have now

[Momo]

Right, so I'll just resume my Magic fandom where I left off, I get the feeling this isnt the best idea and the Magic will be shit, but eh I'm only going to follow one team's games and goddamit I dont know any better!

[Stoney Mason]

http://espn.go.com/nba/draft2014/story/_/id/11119553/former-baylor-star-isaiah-austin-career-ending-medical-condition

Very unfortunate.

[Takuan]

Jabari Parker looks like a slower Michael Beasley to me, except he has THE POWER OF JESUS on his side. Interesting prospect, has potential to be quite good.

http://espn.go.com/nba/draft2014/story/_/id/11119553/former-baylor-star-isaiah-austin-career-ending-medical-condition

Very unfortunate.

That fucking sucks. He's blind in one eye, too.

GOD IS GRATE

[benjipwns]

A week ago, Joel Embiid looked like a lock to be the No. 1 pick in the draft. News of a stress fracture in his right foot sent the Cavs spinning. Now the Cavs are wrestling between three options: draft Jabari Parker, draft Andrew Wiggins or trade the pick.

Sources close to the Cavs told ESPN.com this weekend that the team is now leaning toward taking Parker with the No. 1 pick. However, it's far from a lock. Parker came in to work out on Friday in front of the Cavs' front office and ownership. Parker wasn't great. He was a bit heavy (he weighed in at 255 pounds), didn't shoot the ball well and got winded at times. Furthermore, two different sources told ESPN.com that Parker seemed a bit indifferent. One source said he thought Parker "tanked" the workout.

Why? A source says he strongly prefers to play in Milwaukee. The Cavs appear to be aware of this. "Jabari wasn't himself," one source said. "It was clear we weren't his first option."

Meanwhile, Wiggins came in and nailed his workout on Wednesday. He shot the ball well, showed off tremendous athleticism and had a good interview. In fact, Wiggins was emphatic that he wants to be the No. 1 pick and wants to play for the Cavs.

So why is Parker ahead of Wiggins?

From what I can gather, while there are disagreements in the front office, Cavs GM David Griffin feels that Parker fits a more immediate need at the 3. Parker also is the most NBA-ready. They feel that whether he wants to play there or not, those hesitations will disappear when he arrives. They have a new front office and a new coach, who the Cavs believe can actually help them build the sort of culture they want. Parker's workout on Friday did create doubt, especially among ownership, but so far it looks like they are still leaning toward Parker.

The third option, a trade, is also on the table. The Cavs received intriguing offers from the Sixers, Magic and Jazz late last week. Each is offering its own high lottery pick plus a veteran. The Cavs could theoretically get either of Thaddeus Young, Arron Afflalo or Derrick Favors and still have a top-5 pick in the draft. It would make it much easier to draft Embiid if you knew you got additional value in the form of a veteran who can help now.

Also:

The Cleveland Cavaliers have lured Tyronn Lue away from the Los Angeles Clippers to join new coach David Blatt's staff by making him one of the NBA's highest paid assistant coaches, sources told ESPN.com.

Lue, who has been an assistant with the Boston Celtics and Clippers with Doc Rivers over the past five seasons, will make about $1 million per season to work with the Cavs young guards Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters, sources said. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has been aggressive in spending on coaches over the last several years. Mike Brown was fired one year into a five-year contract worth $20 million in May and Blatt signed a three-year, $10 million deal with a team option for a fourth season.

The Cavs interviewed Lue twice and he was a finalist for the head coaching job before the team decided to hire Blatt last week after his 20-year coaching career in Europe and the Middle East.

[etiolate]

Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay will exercise his $19.3 million contract option for the 2014-15 season, but has tabled extension talks until later this summer, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/rudy-gay-to-exercise--19-3-million-contract-option-173427123.html

So Gay will be back. I think Isaiah Thomas's situation will be decided by what happens with the Kings draft pick and what he gets offered once FA opens up.

[Mandark]

What are the odds they let Thomas walk?  Ownership wants to win sooner rather than later and they'll have no cap room even if he leaves, so they couldn't replace him in free agency.  Unless they get something back in a sign-and-trade (not sure if the new CBA has introduced any weird rules for that), and I'd be surprised if any other teams would make a prohibitively expensive offer to him.

[etiolate]

There's a good chance Thomas will be gone if they draft a PG or trade the draft pick for a PG, but I doubt they'd let him walk without anything in return. I believe they can still do a sign and trade, as they did that last year with Tyreke when he was a RFA. His contract was so small not resigning him wouldn't really free up cap space.

I agree that he won't get any cost prohibitive offers. There's too much talent/competition at PG for IT to get overpaid. It's just a matter of whether he's okay with being a 6th man or if he'll be angry if they get a different sort of PG to be the starter. Of course, they still have Ray MacCallum which they're high on and who showed signs of being a solid backup at the least.

[ToxicAdam]

I think the safest move for the Cavs is to take Wiggins.

Trading down and getting a veteran is tempting, but I have trouble trusting numbers on guys who play for annually shitty teams. Seen too many Cavs dudes that play awesome when the team is 20-40 and playing for nothing.

[T-Short]

LeBron opting out

http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miamiheat/story/_/id/11127329/lebron-james-opt-contract-miami-heat

[TakingBackSunday]

well shit 

[Human Snorenado]

Please God let him sign with the Lakers. I want to see how Awesome-o would deal with that.

[ToxicAdam]

He's going to follow in the footsteps of his idol and start playing for a AAA baseball team.

But srs, he's going to re-sign in Miami for very player-friendly deal (one where he can bolt at any time). That's what he has valued the most is flexibility.





 

[benjipwns]

[Stoney Mason]

Interesting... While obviously he can still resign I wonder if he is planning to do something more unpredictable.

[TakingBackSunday]

I still don't think he wants to leave Miami.  Dude just played in four straight Finals with that team.  He loves the city and the culture.  Dude is at the top of his game.  I think he's playing the money game so the team can bring on someone like Lowry.

[Beezy]

He's not leaving. Where would he go, Cleveland? Let's be serious.

[Stoney Mason]

I still don't think he wants to leave Miami.  Dude just played in four straight Finals with that team.  He loves the city and the culture.  Dude is at the top of his game.  I think he's playing the money game so the team can bring on someone like Lowry.

While I think that is the more likely case, I'm curious to see if we see the same stories from Bosh and Wade in the upcoming days because all three of them would most likely need to rework their deals. Not just Lebron.

[TakingBackSunday]

Wade should just take the vet minimum and start practicing his 3 point shot.

[Phoenix Dark]

How is this breaking news? He was always going to opt out, it gives him the best options. He can resign with a smaller deal to help the team ala Duncan, or join another team.

Wade is the more interesting case. If he opts out I see no reason for the Heat to bring him back.

[Momo]

LeBron is good yeah? Lets hope he signs for the Magic so I can have something interesting to watch

[Stoney Mason]

How is this breaking news?

News is when a thing happens. Not just how shocking it is.

[Stoney Mason]

While I still think its unlikely for what its worth the Cleveland situation is pretty intriguing. Imagine Lebron with a squad of Kyrie Irving, and whatever top pick Cleveland lands on now. That is a team set for now and the future. Versus Miami who is seemingly a team of the past.

Lebron would also take no pr hit for returning to Cleveland not that I necessarily think he cares about the PR part of the equation. I just kinda feel like Lebron hates that owner though after comic sans-gate.

[Stoney Mason]

 

LeBron is good yeah? Lets hope he signs for the Magic so I can have something interesting to watch

Unless you are from Florida or the orlando area, I'm not sure why you would pick the magic to follow. They are wretched. They will be still be wretched next season. I mean I know fandom isn't just about rooting for the top teams and such but there are better bad teams to follow if you are looking for entertainment.

[etiolate]

The crowdsourcing thing was smarter than I thought it would be. It's not just a bunch of fans, but rather stat nerds working on their masters providing graphs and analysis. (aka free work for the company)

It's still a bunch of PR.

[etiolate]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11130490/detroit-pistons-sacramento-kings-discussing-josh-smith-trade

I don't like Smith's contract because his game depends on Athleticism that will decline towards the end of the contract, but I do see how he fits the Kings if Rondo is indeed involved as well.

[TakingBackSunday]

I don't like Josh Smith's contract because I don't like Josh Smith.  Forget the money situation.  Dude fucking blows

[Stoney Mason]

Just two days before the NBA draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers are split on whether to take Jabari Parker or Andrew Wiggins with the top overall pick, multiple sources told ESPN.com.

"They are torn," one source close to the situation told ESPN.com. "They met for three hours, and all they talked about was those two guys."

Added another industry source: "They haven't come to a decision yet."

For the past few days, the Cavaliers, according to sources, have been leaning toward selecting Parker. The 6-8 forward averaged 19.1 points and 8.7 rebounds as a freshman at Duke last season. He would address some of Cleveland's most pressing needs: shooting, basketball smarts and toughness.

However, Parker's workout on Friday in Cleveland was a disappointment, according to multiple sources. Parker weighed in at 254 pounds with 11 percent body fat, more than 10 pounds above his playing weight at Duke. Sources say the workout was so bad that he appeared disinterested at times. One source even went as far as to say that Parker appeared to be "tanking" the workout.

"He was bad," one source told ESPN.com. "He was huffing and puffing early in the workout."

http://espn.go.com/nba/draft2014/story/_/id/11127401/cleveland-cavaliers-torn-draft-first