*NBA THREAD* Abe will be missed (2 Viewers)

[No. 16]

No one thinks the current Bynum > Bosh.

:hijack:So I ended up getting the Zoom V's for father's day. They were out of the Laker whites, and the "championship" model is just too ugly, so I went with the black with the yellow lined white swoosh. I tried the hyperize ones (they only had the Gasol model - also hideously ugly), but the V's felt way better and actually seemed more stable. But they offer zero protection/support if I do somehow manage to roll my ankle.

:/hijack:

I still think if LeBron wants to win soon he should go to Jersey. They've got something none of the other candidate teams can offer - the 2nd best true 5 in the game. Plus they have the money and draft picks to build an excellent starting 5. I wonder if the Avery Johnson thing is a negative.

HarrisTurner

LeBron

Yi Bosh/Stoudamire/Boozer

Lopez

I dont know if that works.

I think that works. The Russian guy has to burn.It doesn't look quite as good if it's:

Harris

Joe Johnson/Ray Allen

LeBron

Cousins/Favors

Lopez

But I think that squad would be a legit title contender.

if they can get Bosh or Boozer, then yea, I like that.How pissed will Cleveland fans be if the Nets get to pair Lebron and Boozer and they win the title? Losing Boozer is really what set the Cavs back IMO.

Boozer is a world class ######## for that one.

 

[tommyGunZ]

No one thinks the current Bynum > Bosh.

:hijack:So I ended up getting the Zoom V's for father's day. They were out of the Laker whites, and the "championship" model is just too ugly, so I went with the black with the yellow lined white swoosh. I tried the hyperize ones (they only had the Gasol model - also hideously ugly), but the V's felt way better and actually seemed more stable. But they offer zero protection/support if I do somehow manage to roll my ankle. :/hijack:

Had a chance to hoop in them? I still haven't ordered mine yet.

 

[Gr00vus]

No one thinks the current Bynum > Bosh.

:hijack:So I ended up getting the Zoom V's for father's day. They were out of the Laker whites, and the "championship" model is just too ugly, so I went with the black with the yellow lined white swoosh. I tried the hyperize ones (they only had the Gasol model - also hideously ugly), but the V's felt way better and actually seemed more stable. But they offer zero protection/support if I do somehow manage to roll my ankle. :/hijack:

Had a chance to hoop in them? I still haven't ordered mine yet.

I picked them out Saturday and "got" them yesterday so I haven't had a chance to hit the court with them yet. But they sure felt nice in the store.

 

[Gr00vus]

A write up about Cousins/Favors workouts with the Nets.

Nets impressed after dual workouts

By Chris Sheridan

ESPN.com

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- While Derrick Favors showed the New Jersey Nets he's able to jump 11 feet, nine inches from a standstill, DeMarcus Cousins displayed something he never really showed off at Kentucky: An outside shot.

With the Nets holding the third pick in Thursday night's NBA draft, those two top prospects held simultaneous workouts Monday at the team's practice facility as the franchise's brain trust wrestled with one central question: Do we go for athleticism over size, or vice versa?

And if size is the choice, is Cousins a player capable of moving over to power forward to play alongside Brook Lopez for the foreseeable future?

"The workout gave us an opportunity to see the full menu of what both guys could do, what they did when they were fresh, what they did when they were a little bit exhausted, so not only seeing what they can do from a skills standpoint but also mentally, when they got a little bit worn down, how both guys responded," said Gregg Polinsky, the Nets' scouting director.

The Nets worked out Syracuse small forward Wes Johnson last week, but new majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov has said acquiring a power forward to complement Lopez is the team's No. 1 player personnel priority in the offseason.

Favors has pretty much been a consensus No. 3 pick in draft previews, but stocks have historically tended to rise and fall dramatically in the final 72 hours before the draft.

And while Favors, the 6-foot-10, 18-year-old Georgia Tech freshman, clearly is the more athletic player, Cousins, a 6-foot-11 freshman, was the superior perimeter player, Polinsky said.

"You got a chance to see Cousins step out and shoot the ball, because during the year -- like he should have been -- he was mostly on the block," Polinsky said. "He shoots it comfortably I think to 20 feet. I don't think that's a struggle for him whatsoever, and he'll probably be able to stretch that as he does it more and gets more repetition. Favors is a guy who's still a work in progress in terms of shooting the ball with that type of range, but probably 15-16 feet he looks pretty comfortable."

Washington is expected to select Kentucky point guard John Wall with the first overall pick, and Nets president Rod Thorn told the Star-Ledger of Newark he is convinced Philadelphia will choose Ohio State wing Evan Turner with the No. 2 overall pick. Turner has refused to work out for New Jersey.

So the mystery could begin at No. 3, especially if Cousins convinced new Nets coach Avery Johnson and Thorn that he could be one of the centerpieces of a dual big man unit, with size, bulk and versatility that would be similar, in theory, to what the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers have going with Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol.

"Look, Coach Johnson wants someone who can come in here and play. I think he's got to look at it from what he wants to do, what he wants to run," Polinsky said. "How quickly a guy can fit in will be important, but also you never want to leave a guy on the board who you think down the road can be a really terrific player.

Reporters were not allowed to watch the workout, but the Nets did disclose that Cousins weighed 289 pounds; Favors 246, and Favors reached 11'9" with his fingertips from a standstill and 12 feet with a one-step approach.

"What you get with Cousins is a little more power, what you get with Favors is a little more pop [jumping ability]," Polinsky said. "Both will work."

For his part, Favors said he believed he impressed the Nets with a low-post game he likened to part-Amare Stoudemire, part-Dwight Howard.

"The way the workout was structured, because they didn't go chest-to-chest, we still got a good look and got to see some of the agility, their quickness around the rim, their hand skills, their ability to read double-teams," Polinsky said. "Even though you didn't have 10 guys on the court, you still got enough of a view to make a determination that both these guys know how to play.

"It would have been easier if one guy came in and did very little and you were very disappointed, but we were not disappointed. I think we all walked out of there going 'These are going to be two really fine NBA players going down the road.' "

Chris Sheridan covers the NBA for ESPN.com.

 

[cubd8]

Amare's contract will immediately become an albatross for whichever team is foolish enough to grossly overpay him.

He's not going to get a max contract, is he?unsure

He averaged 23 pts and 9 boards a game. He's also proven in the playoffs. I think he will get a max deal from someone.

I also think he'll get a max deal, but I hope that teams are smart in how many years he gets. I don't have a big problem if some team gives him a max deal on a 3 year deal, but when we get to 5 years, I do worry about him holding up.

He will get max years, max cash. There are too many teams that have freed up cap space for this off-season, they're not going to risk coming away empty-handed to save another year.

I think you're likely to be right.

 

[Bobcat10]

 

[Wu-banger]

A write up about Cousins/Favors workouts with the Nets.

Nets impressed after dual workouts

For his part, Favors said he believed he impressed the Nets with a low-post game he likened to part-Amare Stoudemire, part-Dwight Howard.

".

so he can't shoot but can jump high and dunk hard..???? ......not good.or does this mean Amare's offense and Howards defense..?? that would be great.

time will tell I guess.

 

[saintfool]

A write up about Cousins/Favors workouts with the Nets.

i don't think anyone is surprised that cousins has the talent. it's nice that he has a bit of range but dude should be working in the paint. personally, i think favors gets selected at 1.2 by philly. turner may be a more talented player but he doesn't fit their personnel. collins said something about seeing thad young as starter recently. this is how they'd look, i think...holiday/williams

iggie/green

young/nocioni

brand/favors

speights/hawes

the contracts of iggie and elton pretty much dictate this, i think. if they could move one or both of them then they'd be a much better team.

if favors goes 1.2 then NJ can choose cousins at 1.3 to pair with lopez. turner then falls to minnesota, if no one makes a play to grab him.

 

[Getinthemix]

A write up about Cousins/Favors workouts with the Nets.

i don't think anyone is surprised that cousins has the talent. it's nice that he has a bit of range but dude should be working in the paint. personally, i think favors gets selected at 1.2 by philly. turner may be a more talented player but he doesn't fit their personnel. collins said something about seeing thad young as starter recently. this is how they'd look, i think...holiday/williams

iggie/green

young/nocioni

brand/favors

speights/hawes

the contracts of iggie and elton pretty much dictate this, i think. if they could move one or both of them then they'd be a much better team.

if favors goes 1.2 then NJ can choose cousins at 1.3 to pair with lopez. turner then falls to minnesota, if no one makes a play to grab him.

In this scenario why in the world would NJ take Cousins over Turner?

 

[saintfool]

A write up about Cousins/Favors workouts with the Nets.

i don't think anyone is surprised that cousins has the talent. it's nice that he has a bit of range but dude should be working in the paint. personally, i think favors gets selected at 1.2 by philly. turner may be a more talented player but he doesn't fit their personnel. collins said something about seeing thad young as starter recently. this is how they'd look, i think...holiday/williams

iggie/green

young/nocioni

brand/favors

speights/hawes

the contracts of iggie and elton pretty much dictate this, i think. if they could move one or both of them then they'd be a much better team.

if favors goes 1.2 then NJ can choose cousins at 1.3 to pair with lopez. turner then falls to minnesota, if no one makes a play to grab him.

In this scenario why in the world would NJ take Cousins over Turner?

because they want/need someone to pair with lopez. Yi's game is largely away from the basket. lopez needs help in the paint. they can more easily acquire a shooter via free agency.

 

[Pat Patriot]

A write up about Cousins/Favors workouts with the Nets.

i don't think anyone is surprised that cousins has the talent. it's nice that he has a bit of range but dude should be working in the paint. personally, i think favors gets selected at 1.2 by philly. turner may be a more talented player but he doesn't fit their personnel. collins said something about seeing thad young as starter recently. this is how they'd look, i think...holiday/williams

iggie/green

young/nocioni

brand/favors

speights/hawes

the contracts of iggie and elton pretty much dictate this, i think. if they could move one or both of them then they'd be a much better team.

if favors goes 1.2 then NJ can choose cousins at 1.3 to pair with lopez. turner then falls to minnesota, if no one makes a play to grab him.

In this scenario why in the world would NJ take Cousins over Turner?

because they want/need someone to pair with lopez. Yi's game is largely away from the basket. lopez needs help in the paint. they can more easily acquire a shooter via free agency.

Is Cousins quick enough to play power forward?

 

[Getinthemix]

A write up about Cousins/Favors workouts with the Nets.

i don't think anyone is surprised that cousins has the talent. it's nice that he has a bit of range but dude should be working in the paint. personally, i think favors gets selected at 1.2 by philly. turner may be a more talented player but he doesn't fit their personnel. collins said something about seeing thad young as starter recently. this is how they'd look, i think...holiday/williams

iggie/green

young/nocioni

brand/favors

speights/hawes

the contracts of iggie and elton pretty much dictate this, i think. if they could move one or both of them then they'd be a much better team.

if favors goes 1.2 then NJ can choose cousins at 1.3 to pair with lopez. turner then falls to minnesota, if no one makes a play to grab him.

In this scenario why in the world would NJ take Cousins over Turner?

because they want/need someone to pair with lopez. Yi's game is largely away from the basket. lopez needs help in the paint. they can more easily acquire a shooter via free agency.

Is Cousins quick enough to play power forward?

And it is not like the Nets have a plethora of talent at the 2. There are also more upper echelon 4's available in FA this year than 2's.

 

[Celph Titled]

Warriors have apparently been offered crappy expiring contracts (Bell and Gadzuric) for Maggette.

 

[Abraham]

Grizz and TWolves apparently trading first round picks.

 

[Celph Titled]

Grizz and TWolves apparently trading first round picks.

If true, hat's probably a good indication that NJ is set on Wesley Johnson at #3.

 

[Masked Vigilante]

There are rumors brewing that Chris Paul might be on the trading block on draft night. Nets are apparently willing to give up anyone on their roster (except Lopez) plus the #3 pick.

 

[Abraham]

There are rumors brewing that Chris Paul might be on the trading block on draft night. Nets are apparently willing to give up anyone on their roster (except Lopez) plus the #3 pick.

Why would New Orleans trade Paul?

 

[Getinthemix]

Grizz and TWolves apparently trading first round picks.

The 25 and 28 for the 16. Not their early picks

 

[Masked Vigilante]

There are rumors brewing that Chris Paul might be on the trading block on draft night. Nets are apparently willing to give up anyone on their roster (except Lopez) plus the #3 pick.

Why would New Orleans trade Paul?

Team is apparently interested in cutting costs as they change ownership

 

[Yo Mama]

Source: Wolves, Grizzlies near trade

ESPN.com news services

The Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves are close to swapping first-round draft picks, a source with direct knowledge of the situation tells ESPN.com's Andy Katz.

The Grizzlies would send their 25th and 28th overall picks to Minnesota for the Timberwolves' 16th pick.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Why would Minnesota want more late 1st round picks?

 

[saintfool]

Is Cousins quick enough to play power forward?

he did play in Calipari's up-tempo system at UK. that said, there are some concerns about his weight. dude has a silly 16% body-fat percentage apparently at the nba combine.

 

[saintfool]

Source: Wolves, Grizzlies near trade

ESPN.com news services

The Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves are close to swapping first-round draft picks, a source with direct knowledge of the situation tells ESPN.com's Andy Katz.

The Grizzlies would send their 25th and 28th overall picks to Minnesota for the Timberwolves' 16th pick.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Why would Minnesota want more late 1st round picks?

because they are seriously deprived of talent...?

 

[Abraham]

There are rumors brewing that Chris Paul might be on the trading block on draft night. Nets are apparently willing to give up anyone on their roster (except Lopez) plus the #3 pick.

Why would New Orleans trade Paul?

Team is apparently interested in cutting costs as they change ownership

That isn't what that article says at all.

 

[JMon348]

Would the Nets still pick Johnson if Turner was there?

 

[tommyGunZ]

There are rumors brewing that Chris Paul might be on the trading block on draft night. Nets are apparently willing to give up anyone on their roster (except Lopez) plus the #3 pick.

Why would New Orleans trade Paul?

I doubt a Paul trade will happen, but Collison was awesome last year.

 

[JMon348]

Blazers turned down a Batum for the 4th pick from the Wolves?

WOW!

 

[saintfool]

Would the Nets still pick Johnson if Turner was there?

east coast bias, clearly.

 

[Getinthemix]

Blazers turned down a Batum for the 4th pick from the Wolves?WOW!

Link?

 

[Celph Titled]

Would the Nets still pick Johnson if Turner was there?

No, but from everything I've read, Wall and Turner are a near-lock to go 1-2.

 

[Cliff Clavin]

Blazers turned down a Batum for the 4th pick from the Wolves?WOW!

Link?

 

[Bobcat10]

It's not on Hoopshype....

 

[Yo Mama]

Blazers turned down a Batum for the 4th pick from the Wolves?WOW!

Link?

I'm not good with links, but it is in the latest Chad Ford mock on ESPN under the comments on the Blazers' projectd pick in the 1st.

 

[JMon348]

Chad Ford Twitter:

http://twitter.com/chadfordinsider

Sources: The Blazers rejected the Wolves' offer of the No. 4 pick for Batum a couple of weeks ago. http://es.pn/dqkTEf

 

[Bob Loblaw]

Any chance of Ellison getting the keys from Cohan before Thursday?

 

[saintfool]

Would the Nets still pick Johnson if Turner was there?

No, but from everything I've read, Wall and Turner are a near-lock to go 1-2.

oh well. i don't think the nets will mind favors at all...

 

[Celph Titled]

Any chance of Ellison getting the keys from Cohan before Thursday?

Very doubtful. It's worrisome, though, that Cohan/Reilly could do damage as lame ducks.

 

[Balance]

Hearing rumors here that the Spurs are looking to give up Parker or Hill to get into the top 10... Indiana perhaps.

 

[saintfool]

Hearing rumors here that the Spurs are looking to give up Parker or Hill to get into the top 10... Indiana perhaps.

eh.i wouldn't be entirely surprised by them moving either player. Pop is such a realist that moving a vital player would fall under the category of "necessary evil". moving hill for a lottery pick would be horsetrading at its finest. moving parker would leave a pretty big hole at PG. hill has played the PG for SA but he's not prepared for starting PG duties going forward.

 

[Bobcat10]

What does Portland want with Mo Williams?

 

[cubd8]

Chad Ford Twitter:

http://twitter.com/chadfordinsider

Sources: The Blazers rejected the Wolves' offer of the No. 4 pick for Batum a couple of weeks ago. http://es.pn/dqkTEf

What am I missing about Batum? Is he a a better player than I think (sort of average, a rotation guy?)?

 

[cubd8]

Source: Wolves, Grizzlies near tradeESPN.com news servicesThe Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves are close to swapping first-round draft picks, a source with direct knowledge of the situation tells ESPN.com's Andy Katz.The Grizzlies would send their 25th and 28th overall picks to Minnesota for the Timberwolves' 16th pick. -------------------------------------------------------------------Why would Minnesota want more late 1st round picks?

Miami may sell their #18 pick for cash as well.

 

[Britney Spears]

What does Portland want with Mo Williams?

I think Cleveland would be thrilled to get rid of him, wouldn't they?

 

[Yenrub]

Would the Nets still pick Johnson if Turner was there?

No, but from everything I've read, Wall and Turner are a near-lock to go 1-2.

oh well. i don't think the nets will mind favors at all...

The Nets seem to love FavorsI wouldn't mind seeing Lopez and Cousins playing side by side

 

[cubd8]

What does Portland want with Mo Williams?

I think Cleveland would be thrilled to get rid of him, wouldn't they?

I think Cleveland would move him because they realize, even if they keep James, that there have to be changes to get this team over the hump. I know there were rumors about Calderon heading back to the Cavs in some deal. They would obviously have to find a legitimate NBA point guard to step in or at least another scoring guard who can help handle the ball. I'm not sure why Portland needs him. Would he start over Andre Miller? Would they trade Miller?

 

[Pat Patriot]

Would the Nets still pick Johnson if Turner was there?

No, but from everything I've read, Wall and Turner are a near-lock to go 1-2.

oh well. i don't think the nets will mind favors at all...

The Nets seem to love FavorsI wouldn't mind seeing Lopez and Cousins playing side by side

Still wondering whether Lopez and Cousins can play together.

 

[Britney Spears]

What does Portland want with Mo Williams?

I think Cleveland would be thrilled to get rid of him, wouldn't they?

I think Cleveland would move him because they realize, even if they keep James, that there have to be changes to get this team over the hump. I know there were rumors about Calderon heading back to the Cavs in some deal. They would obviously have to find a legitimate NBA point guard to step in or at least another scoring guard who can help handle the ball. I'm not sure why Portland needs him. Would he start over Andre Miller? Would they trade Miller?

It feels like everyone is going to change teams this offseason.

 

[Cliff Clavin]

What does Portland want with Mo Williams?

I think Cleveland would be thrilled to get rid of him, wouldn't they?

I think Cleveland would move him because they realize, even if they keep James, that there have to be changes to get this team over the hump. I know there were rumors about Calderon heading back to the Cavs in some deal. They would obviously have to find a legitimate NBA point guard to step in or at least another scoring guard who can help handle the ball. I'm not sure why Portland needs him. Would he start over Andre Miller? Would they trade Miller?

What was the rumor?Calderon to CLE - Mo to POR - Camby to TOR?

 

[sjslacker]

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpag...id=617&sn=t

The Milwaukee Bucks reportedly acquired swingman Corey Maggette on Tuesday in exchange for Charlie Bell and Dan Gadzuric, who will go to the Warriors.

As W's fan....YES!!!!!!!!!!! Good riddance Corey, you freakin ball hog!

 

[Celph Titled]

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpag...id=617&sn=t

The Milwaukee Bucks reportedly acquired swingman Corey Maggette on Tuesday in exchange for Charlie Bell and Dan Gadzuric, who will go to the Warriors.

As W's fan....YES!!!!!!!!!!! Good riddance Corey, you freakin ball hog!

Maggette is great at scoring/getting to the line, but he's always a ? on defense, and he doesn't exactly buy in to the team concept on offense.Overall, I like this. There are better ways to spend $10M.

 

[timschochet]

OK, I didn't see very much college basketball last year, but over the weekend I watched highlights of John Wall and Evan Turner on NBA TV. Both of them look like interesting prospects, but to me Turner looked like he has a better chance to be a pro star. What am I missing here? Why is Wall such an automatic #1?