Merged: Breaking: Wade and Bosh to Miami, LeBron joining Happy Days

[Ed O]

I'm pleased to see these two go to Miami. Without James, the Heat just aren't going to be that good. They're going to be good (55 wins, maybe) but I don't think they're a team that will be blocking other teams' title aspirations for years to come.

As for James: his free agency this summer has been anticipated for years. Franchises have shifted strategies just to have a CHANCE to get him.

Pretending like his decision on where to go is NOT the center of the NBA universe doesn't seem very realistic to me.

Ed O.

 

[Mediocre Man]

the Heat just aren't going to be that good. They're going to be good (55 wins, maybe) but I don't think they're a team that will be blocking other teams' title aspirations for years to come.

So Trailblazers east?

 

[Ed O]

So Trailblazers east?

The Blazers have much more depth and are much younger. The Heat will be two really really good players and pretty much nothing else.

The Heat are also lacking quality at either position of scarcity (PG, center) for the foreseeable future, which I factor into my analysis.

Miami will probably be better than the Blazers this year, but in the long run I prefer Portland's roster.

Ed O.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

The Blazers have much more depth and are much younger. The Heat will be two really really good players and pretty much nothing else.

The Heat are also lacking quality at either position of scarcity (PG, center) for the foreseeable future, which I factor into my analysis.

Ed O.

What if they were able to make the Miller/Okafor trade proposed in the other thread, giving them a starting 5 of Miller/Wade/(min sal SF)/Bosh/Okafor? How would you feel about them then?

 

[Mediocre Man]

The Blazers have much more depth and are much younger. The Heat will be two really really good players and pretty much nothing else.

The Heat are also lacking quality at either position of scarcity (PG, center) for the foreseeable future, which I factor into my analysis.

Miami will probably be better than the Blazers this year, but in the long run I prefer Portland's roster.

Ed O.

Depth doesn't win a championship though. Usually it's the team with the best 2 or 3 players, and Miami's 2 best players are better than our 2 best players. As for PG, they could easily add somoene like Fisher or Ridnour and be fine. Center though is another story. Then again we won games last year with Howard at center? I'm not saying this season, but I think with a decent draft pick or two and a solid MLE guy next summer, they could be really good. But still not contend. That is what scares me about the Blazers. They are good, but just not good enough

 

[huevonkiller]

Depth doesn't win a championship though. Usually it's the team with the best 2 or 3 players, and Miami's 2 best players are better than our 2 best players. As for PG, they could easily add somoene like Fisher or Ridnour and be fine. Center though is another story. Then again we won games last year with Howard at center? I'm not saying this season, but I think with a decent draft pick or two and a solid MLE guy next summer, they could be really good. But still not contend. That is what scares me about the Blazers. They are good, but just not good enough

Celtics-Lakers 2008.

Depends on various factors.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Celtics-Lakers 2008.

Depends on various factors.

How about generally speaking?

Generally speaking, all WNBA players suck, but I know that's probably not 100% true.

 

[huevonkiller]

How about generally speaking?

Generally speaking, all WNBA players suck, but I know that's probably not 100% true.

Just trying to give you hope...

 

[mook]

I'm pleased to see these two go to Miami. Without James, the Heat just aren't going to be that good. They're going to be good (55 wins, maybe) but I don't think they're a team that will be blocking other teams' title aspirations for years to come.

The jury is still out on that. It really depends on the pieces they can get to fill out the roster. Wade and Bosh are certainly good enough to be the top two players on a perennially contending team.

The last one-two punch in the league of this quality was arguably Garnett/Pierce in their first season together. The last time you had a tandem of this quality of players at such a young age was probably Kobe and Shaq (although admittedly they were much better).

Bosh is 26, and Wade is 29 this year. They may not win it all this year, but they have maybe four or five years before the window closes on them (assuming they can't inject a Rondo or Ginobili-like guy somewhere along the way to extend the window). That's a lot of time to add the right pieces to make it work.

 

[mook]

The Heat are also lacking quality at either position of scarcity (PG, center) for the foreseeable future, which I factor into my analysis.

The Celtics seemed pretty thin at those positions to right after acquiring Garnett and Ray Allen.

Miami will probably be better than the Blazers this year, but in the long run I prefer Portland's roster.

Ed O.

I think I prefer Portland for the long-run too. But a lot of my hopes are riding on Oden, which obviously is nothing like a sure thing.

 

[mook]

Also keep in mind--the Lakers have proven over the years that nothing draws good free agents (often at reduced contracts) like warm weather and the chance to play with superstars for a ring.

 

[huevonkiller]

The East is very top heavy though. When the Lakers made their runs, all they had to contend with were the Older Suns and Spurs, and then Nuggets.

 

[Mamba]

I think the Thunder were a big test for the Lakers' and kind of woke them up out of the lull they were in. I don't think they expected that series to go 6.

 

[hasoos]

In other breaking news, the Miami Heat are going to field a team of 5 with no bench because they have no more money to sign players..................

Just kidding.

They will probably wait to sign Wade until they fill out their cap space first so they can go over to sign him.

 

[Sheldon Shape]

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baske...ouncement-in-greenwich-conn-1.2086121?p=&qr=1

LeBron is making his statement from Connecticut. He's going to NY people.

 

[Ed O]

The Celtics seemed pretty thin at those positions to right after acquiring Garnett and Ray Allen.

That's true. They also had Paul Pierce. We've seen that positions of scarcity don't matter exclusively, but the Celtics had three very good players while the Heat only have two. That's quite a difference.

I think I prefer Portland for the long-run too. But a lot of my hopes are riding on Oden, which obviously is nothing like a sure thing.

I don't think that Miami's making a bad move here... I just am not afraid of them (without LeBron) the same way I would have been if Bosh and James had gone to Chicago.

Ed O.

 

[Mamba]

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baske...ouncement-in-greenwich-conn-1.2086121?p=&qr=1

LeBron is making his statement from Connecticut. He's going to NY people.

Not necessarily true...ESPN has their headquarters in Connecticut.

 

[Masbee]

In other breaking news, the Miami Heat are going to field a team of 5 with no bench because they have no more money to sign players..................

Just kidding.

They will probably wait to sign Wade until they fill out their cap space first so they can go over to sign him.

That is not allowed under the CBA.

They can only use whatever cap space they have on unrestricted free agents - and that includes Wade. And they cannot go over that number.

After they run out of cap space they can only sign players to minimum salary contracts. They won't even have an MLE to use.

 

[Masbee]

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baske...ouncement-in-greenwich-conn-1.2086121?p=&qr=1

LeBron is making his statement from Connecticut. He's going to NY people.

Because ESPN is in CT, that means he goes to a different state?

That makes sense how?

 

[mook]

I don't think that Miami's making a bad move here... I just am not afraid of them (without LeBron) the same way I would have been if Bosh and James had gone to Chicago.

Ed O.

No argument there. I'm pretty much afraid of whatever LeBron does that puts him next to a top 20 player.

Man, the Easter Conference is going to be a damned dogfight among the elite teams next year.

 

[huevonkiller]

In other breaking news, the Miami Heat are going to field a team of 5 with no bench because they have no more money to sign players..................

Just kidding.

They will probably wait to sign Wade until they fill out their cap space first so they can go over to sign him.

Cap holds prevent them from doing that.

Same reason why the Knicks have to renounce Birds Rights for Lee, in order to Sign Amare and another Max guy.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Not necessarily true...ESPN has their headquarters in Connecticut.

Because ESPN is in CT, that means he goes to a different state?

That makes sense how?

He's making the announcement from Greenwich, CT, which is 70 miles from ESPN's headquarters in Bristol, but is right on the CT/NY border, less than 30 miles from MSG.

 

[Chocolove]

Miami will probably be better than the Blazers this year, but in the long run I prefer Portland's roster.

Ed O.

How long is the "long run"? 4-5 years? because if it is, I don't think the Blazers' long run is that much better than the Heat's. The Blazers' two best guys are already hitting their primes, it's not like Roy and Aldridge are still really young players that can still develop into really dominant players. The Blazers do have Oden and Batum but Oden is injury prone, so until he shows he can hold up for an entire season I wouldn't put too much faith in him. Batum is a nice player but I don't think he's gonna be a #1 type guy The Heat's young guys going forward aren't exactly terrible. I don't know if the Raps/Heat are going to do a sign and trade but assuming they don't The heat still have Mario Chalmers, Michael Beasley, and Toronto's unprotected first round pick. Without Bosh Toronto is guaranteed to suck so that pick should be a good one. So it's basically Oden/Batum vs Chalmers/Beasley/and potentially a high 1st round pick. It's not that uneven.

 

[Masbee]

He's making the announcement from Greenwich, CT, which is 70 miles from ESPN's headquarters in Bristol, but is right on the CT/NY border, less than 30 miles from MSG.

Which means shit to the rest of the country.

Which means shit to Madison Square Garden.

If LeBron is into PR, there is NO pr value to announcing a move to basketball mecca, by making that announcement in the place New Yorkers get their car insurance and fresh summer produce from.

"Bob, I am here in a tomato patch where LeBron is flanked by dozens of insurance agents, so he can make an important announcement about basketball..."

 

[Ed O]

How long is the "long run"? 4-5 years?

In three years the Blazers' core will be the same age as Wade. I consider the long run to be, then, at least three years past Miami's window.

Ed O.

 

[Denny Crane]

Re: Breaking: Wade and Bosh to Miami, LeBron joining Happy Days

Seriously, we could have played HCP and gotten better production.

Doubtful. They guy has to ask us what music to put in his productions.