uPtoWnNY said:

SeventeenDayze said:

I chalk it up to the people of Ohio having some screws loose. If this would have been any other fan base this wouldn't have happened. The guy's PR team knew how to shape this "Decision 2.0" to make him not look as bad on the surface. But, never in the history of the NBA has a player been to the finals four years in a row and then opted out and left just one year after winning a championship and still having the entire team wanting to come back for the following year?

I understand the first 'Decision'.....the second one makes zero sense. With a retooled Miami team, Lebron is guaranteed trips to the ECF and Finals. He'll make this young Cavs squad a playoff team, but I don't know how far they'll go with so much inexperience. Now if they're able to get Kevin Love, that's a different story. Lebron, Love & Irving is a nice trio.

IMO, there's some behind-the-scenes shit going on that we'll never know about.

Carmelo's back with the Knicks. I'm not happy about that max contract, but whatever. Knicks are still a bottom seed in the east.

[Edited 7/12/14 15:47pm]

Well Uptown, it took us a while but you and I finally agree on something! I don't know if you have been reading the other Lebron thread that was started in General Discussions but I feel like his PR team is really throwing up smoke. The media was prepared to churn this story because they know Fridays are SLOW news days and he didn't want to get outshined by the World Cup finals either. Timing is everything. Chris Bosch apparently outsmarted LeBron as well, so I bet Bosch has even more respect from the Heat fans and ownership for not falling for Lebron's cloak and dagger nonsense.

Can someone remind me if Bosch left whatever team he was with to go with Lebron to Miami?

And you're right, given that the Eastern Conf. these days is WAY weaker than the West, he would have had a relatively easy ride past the other teams and only really getting a challenge from OKC who is still probably a few years off from being a dynasty (if Westbrook stays). I doubt Durant will go to the Lakers, as I have seen some speculate but that's another convo for another day.

Even with that trio that you mentioned, won't there be other contenders in the East that could possible shutdown Cleveland? What do you think about the Pacers? I didn't follow the Pacers this year at all and I'm not sure what their draft pics were like but it seems that they were a good team but just were dominated by the Heat.

I think you're right on the money when you say there are things going on in the background that we'll never know about. It's incomprehensible to leave a team manager of PAT FREAKING RILEY who was the reason for the Lakers dynasty and one of the smartest men in basketball on the planet!! He also left a bigger media market (Miami) and doesn't anyone consider the fact that in Miami, he attracted celebrities to the games which keeps the team in that mix as well? Kinda like the Lakers back in the day. That only helps SEAL his legacy, win or lose.

[Edited 7/12/14 15:56pm]

The Pacers could dominate the east if they can get their heads out of their collective asses and grow a pair. Shit, they were the number 1 seed and STILL couldn't get it done. Mental toughness is not their strong suit. They'd be foolish to let Stepenson go. Yeah, he's a knucklehead, but he's tough. Kid just needs to mature.

Could the Bulls be a top seed? Depends on D-Rose, and who knows about him?

As I said before, the Cavs with Lebron-Love-Irving are a top seed in the east. Without Love, I see them as a 3 or 4.

I like what I saw from the Wizards. Their inexperience and poor execution hurt them in the playoffs, but you expect that from a young team. The Beal-Wall backcourt is legit. They can make some noise the next few years.

Was Lebron ticked at Riley for those strong words? Was he angry ay Mickey Aaronson over losing Mike Miller? Or did he just want to go home?

Whatever....I'm not crying for the Heat. Fuck them, their bandwagon fans AND Pat Riley. Knicks have a long history with them. We still haven't forgiven Pat the Rat for walking out on the Knicks and sending his resignation via fax. And he let that bonehead John Starks shoot us out of the '94 Finals in Game 7. Burns my ass to this day.

uPtoWnNY said:

The Pacers could dominate the east if they can get their heads out of their collective asses and grow a pair. Shit, they were the number 1 seed and STILL couldn't get it done. Mental toughness is not their strong suit. They'd be foolish to let Stepenson go. Yeah, he's a knucklehead, but he's tough. Kid just needs to mature.

Could the Bulls be a top seed? Depends on D-Rose, and who knows about him?

As I said before, the Cavs with Lebron-Love-Irving are a top seed in the east. Without Love, I see them as a 3 or 4.

I like what I saw from the Wizards. Their inexperience and poor execution hurt them in the playoffs, but you expect that from a young team. The Beal-Wall backcourt is legit. They can make some noise the next few years.

Was Lebron ticked at Riley for those strong words? Was he angry ay Mickey Aaronson over losing Mike Miller? Or did he just want to go home?

Whatever....I'm not crying for the Heat. Fuck them, their bandwagon fans AND Pat Riley. Knicks have a long history with them. We still haven't forgiven Pat the Rat for walking out on the Knicks and sending his resignation via fax. And he let that bonehead John Starks shoot us out of the '94 Finals in Game 7. Burns my ass to this day.

Oops, I didn't realize Riley did all of that. Well, you did say before that Knicks management sucked so I guess things really do roll from the top down...What's it going to take for the Knicks to win? The apocalypse? How did they manage to get Phil Jackson in NYC if the team is historically so bad? Some of these decisions, I'll never understand, LOL.

Done deals:

Channing Frye to Orlando

Isiah Thomas to Phoenix

Vince Carter to Memphis

Hot Rumors:

Pau Gasol to Chicago

Trevor Ariza to Houston

The only hope for the Knicks is either switch owners & the front office with San Antonio or James Dolan dropping dead.

Pat Riley left the Knicks,because the writing was on the wall.He couldn't win with that team.After Ewing's missed fingeroll layup against Pacers,he said fuck this team.

uPtoWnNY said:

Done deals:

Channing Frye to Orlando

Isiah Thomas to Phoenix

Vince Carter to Memphis

Hot Rumors:

Pau Gasol to Chicago

Trevor Ariza to Houston

The only hope for the Knicks is either switch owners & the front office with San Antonio or James Dolan dropping dead.

So looks like Parsons going to Mavs.Rockets had an awful offseason,even worse than Miami.

uPtoWnNY said:

Done deals:

Channing Frye to Orlando

Isiah Thomas to Phoenix

Vince Carter to Memphis

Hot Rumors:

Pau Gasol to Chicago

Trevor Ariza to Houston

The only hope for the Knicks is either switch owners & the front office with San Antonio or James Dolan dropping dead.

Gasol chose Bulls over the Spurs,even less money,factoring state income tax.

Have fun Gasol

Thibs will run him into ground by midseason.

D-Rose will suffer another season ending injury before Xmas

It's Chicago.He'll probally get shot on his way to practice

Spainards don't get along with Mexicans.I heard.

[Edited 7/12/14 19:15pm]

Spurs struck out in free agency again.Gotta do it the haaaaaaaard way as usual.Find gems late in the draft,unherald players,scrap heaps(Green 300lb Diaw) or tanking(Duncan Robinson)

Gasol didn't go to OKC-CHECK

They never attract free agents,despite being the best nba franchise last 15 years,no state income tax.Great hall of Fame players,warm weather.I hate to say it about old city,but

SanAntonio=Shithole

uPtoWnNY said:

This Cavs team is more talented than any team Lebron was on in his previous 7 years with Cleveland,especially if they land Kevin Love.

Lebron's replacement in Miami

Loul Deng- 2 years 20 million

Lance Stephenson signed with Charlotte. That's going to hurt Indiana. Lance may be a knucklehead, but he brought toughness to that Pacers team.

Ed Davis to the Lakers.

Rashard Lewis to the Mavs

Rodney Stuckey to the Pacers

Jason Smith to the Knicks

Mike Miller to the Cavs

Hornets and Hawks are looking at Carlos Boozer.

[Edited 7/16/14 20:35pm]

Genuinely shocked that LeBron didn't return to the Heat, but not mad that he went back to Cleveland. Not surprised by anything else that's taken place other than maybe how badly a few teams have done. Still holding out hope for the Warriors getting a deal done with Kevin Love.

I guess, pedantically speaking, it would be getting a deal done with the Timberwolves, but y'all know what I meant.

[Edited 7/18/14 12:22pm]

phunkdaddy said:

TD3 said:

I knew you' would know that message is for you. ' I know you dont't the Brownies"... James? Don't worry your palms, they'll will come out As far as ID comments, what happened during that 2007 NBA finals, was it his arm or something... James excuse for fading away. Same thang happened the first year in Miami but that wasn't an arm excuse that was mental excuse. James has a rep of being a tad soft when he should be the man... James fans always say different but history has shown other wise. Still I have my beer already chilled because it's going to be a crazy good year for NBA ball. James is a BIG reason why.

NBA is the furthest from my mind at this point I'm all in for football. We will see what goes down when the NBA rolls around late October. For the record I wasn't talking about Spurs fans here as much I was the ones on social media. Are you ready for football? I believe the Bears will have a good year as long as Cutler perform well. He has no excuses this year.

The NBA off season provided a lit bit more drama since some high profile players had the option to change teams.

Yeah, its time to chill my Samuel Adams for NFL. As you know, I'm not a big Mr. Cutler's fan, I don't think he was worth the money da Bears paid him. No, Culter doesn't have any excuses but he' only an OK quaterback; the Bears defensive will have to come to play at all times. I think I'll need to pop some more highblood pressure pills to get through the season.