Two small market teams in the finals...

[MickZagger]

Phoenix is not a hard city to recruit NBA fee agents to. I remember when it was a top destination. That did not last long though because of the ownership.
But the weather during the season is very desirable.

Nice weather and low income tax. Suns players are taxed at 4% while Blazers players are taxed at 10%.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Nice weather and low income tax. Suns players are taxed at 4% while Blazers players are taxed at 10%.

Do people really understand how big that price difference is in units of blow jobs?

 

[Stevenson]

Phoenix drafted Ayton and Booker. They traded for Paul.
Milwaukee drafted Giannis (with the 15th pick!) They got Middleton with a sign and trade for Brandon Jennings.

Point being - Smaller (OK?) markets have plenty of ways to create a championship team, despite what our dear leader says. Neither team had to sign an expensive free agent, and no GM got to whine about his lack of options because free agents wouldn't sign there.

I call bullshit on all of Olshey's excuses.

 

[Idog1976]

Phoenix drafted Ayton and Booker. They traded for Paul.
Milwaukee drafted Giannis (with the 15th pick!) They got Middleton with a sign and trade for Brandon Jennings.

Point being - Smaller (OK?) markets have plenty of ways to create a championship team, despite what our dear leader says. Neither team had to sign an expensive free agent, and no GM got to whine about his lack of options because free agents wouldn't sign there.

I call bullshit on all of Olshey's excuses.

I agree. Neil needs to go big this summer (trade CJ and maybe Nurk) or go home, like forever cause YOU'RE FUCKING FIRED NEIL!

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Phoenix drafted Ayton and Booker. They traded for Paul.
Milwaukee drafted Giannis (with the 15th pick!) They got Middleton with a sign and trade for Brandon Jennings.

Point being - Smaller (OK?) markets have plenty of ways to create a championship team, despite what our dear leader says. Neither team had to sign an expensive free agent, and no GM got to whine about his lack of options because free agents wouldn't sign there.

I call bullshit on all of Olshey's excuses.

So, dozens of small market teams have won championships in the last 40 years. Well, actually no. The only one's to do it have had either Tim Duncan or LBJ. In fact, the discrepancy of small market vs big market is so large that LBJ joined a crappy team, just to be in a large market with actual access to free agency.

If Phoenix and Milwaukee are so fucking smart, why have they done so much losing?

Look, if you don't like Olshey, fine - F that guy. But, call bs on his actual bs. Don't let your hate blind you to the statistically obvious realities.

 

[calvin natt]

Every year some team drafts a guy in the teens, or twenties, or even the second round and that player becomes great. Sure, I give the team some** credit, but 99% of the time if that team was picking five spots earlier guess what...they dont take him. If the Bucks had the 1st pick in that draft, do they take Giannis? Fuck no. So props to the Bucks for taking him, but lets not act like they saw this coming. I give GS credit for taking Draymond in the 40's, but hes been all defense, all star, olympian. They should have taken him much earlier if they knew he was that good (and the rest of the NBA). Same with Utah and Mitchell. List goes on and on. The Blazers screwed up Zach Collins, yes. But the "they c0uld have had X and Y and Z" is stupid.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Every year some team drafts a guy in the teens, or twenties, or even the second round and that player becomes great. Sure, I give the team some** credit, but 99% of the time if that team was picking five spots earlier guess what...they dont take him. If the Bucks had the 1st pick in that draft, do they take Giannis? Fuck no. So props to the Bucks for taking him, but lets not act like they saw this coming. I give GS credit for taking Draymond in the 40's, but hes been all defense, all star, olympian. They should have taken him much earlier if they knew he was that good (and the rest of the NBA). Same with Utah and Mitchell. List goes on and on. The Blazers screwed up Zach Collins, yes. But the "they c0uld have had X and Y and Z" is stupid.

Exhale. I've been saying this for YEARS. I'm glad someone else gets it.

 

[calvin natt]

Exhale. I've been saying this for YEARS. I'm glad someone else gets it.

its nauseating. why didnt the spurs trade up 40 spots to grab Manu Ginobili??!!!

 

[Wizard Mentor]

its nauseating. why didnt the spurs trade up 40 spots to grab Manu Ginobili??!!!

All the teams that didn't are idiots!

 

[tykendo]

Every year some team drafts a guy in the teens, or twenties, or even the second round and that player becomes great. Sure, I give the team some** credit, but 99% of the time if that team was picking five spots earlier guess what...they dont take him. If the Bucks had the 1st pick in that draft, do they take Giannis? Fuck no. So props to the Bucks for taking him, but lets not act like they saw this coming. I give GS credit for taking Draymond in the 40's, but hes been all defense, all star, olympian. They should have taken him much earlier if they knew he was that good (and the rest of the NBA). Same with Utah and Mitchell. List goes on and on. The Blazers screwed up Zach Collins, yes. But the "they c0uld have had X and Y and Z" is stupid.

Couldn't have said it any better. The Draft is a crapshoot. You scout, and hope, pray, that you make the right decision. I hear guys call in to Rip City Radio and say the Damian Lillard pick was a no brainer, giving Neil no credit. That they would have made that pick. I call B.S. If you go back in Sportstwo before that draft, many didn't want any part of Dame at pick 6. I watched the combine for the 1st time ever that year, and was blown away by what Dame's skillset was. His intensity was off the charts. The only reason i watched it, was because we had a high pick, and i read the Blazers were high on him. But there were many in here who wanted Dion freakin Waiters. Or any one else. There was a guy in here who called Dame "Fools Gold" Who's the fool now sucka. Neil hasn't hit enough in the draft for sure. He's been decent in the second round( Barton, Trent Jr. ). But either has most of the rest of the NBA. The Lakers, have had to buy their Championships. They were right on Ingram, but they used him, along with Ball & Hart, to get Davis, and gave up on Randall. The Draft is not a precise science. There's a lot of luck involved. Especially with One & Doners.

 

[tykendo]

As good as the Nuggets drafts have looked, they got lucky too. They did their homework on Jokic, sure. But had they known he would turn out to be this good, they would have drafted him in the 1st. Murray, was a high pick. They took a chance on Porter Jr. and drafted him on potential despite the injury history. But they Traded the rights to Donovan Mitchell for Trey Lyles. TREY LYLES. Yikes.

 

[TBpup]

Phoenix drafted Ayton and Booker. They traded for Paul.
Milwaukee drafted Giannis (with the 15th pick!) They got Middleton with a sign and trade for Brandon Jennings.

Point being - Smaller (OK?) markets have plenty of ways to create a championship team, despite what our dear leader says. Neither team had to sign an expensive free agent, and no GM got to whine about his lack of options because free agents wouldn't sign there.

I call bullshit on all of Olshey's excuses.

So....pretty much whenever his lips are moving.

its nauseating. why didnt the spurs trade up 40 spots to grab Manu Ginobili??!!!

Because they didn't need to.

 

[calvin natt]

So....pretty much whenever his lips are moving.



Because they didn't need to.

But if they knew he was a hall of famer there’s no way they are letting the entire nba have a chance at him. Unless you are saying all teams let the Spurs know they aren’t going to take him

 

[tykendo]

That's why it's funny when people comment on how quiet the offseason is. That nothings being done now. Teams for the most part aren't going to put a banner up that says, "Hey, this is our plans", "What do you think?" Plus, the Finals aren't over yet.

 

[blazerkor]

That's why it's funny when people comment on how quiet the offseason is. That nothings being done now. Teams for the most part aren't going to put a banner up that says, "Hey, this is our plans", "What do you think?" Plus, the Finals aren't over yet.

Neil has a history of trading players on draft night, when all of the GMs are talking. So while I won't be in "the sky is falling" mode if he doesn't make a big move on draft night, I do kind of expect that will be when we see some action.

 

[THE HCP]

Neil has a history of trading players on draft night, when all of the GMs are talking. So while I won't be in "the sky is falling" mode if he doesn't make a big move on draft night, I do kind of expect that will be when we see some action.

Why? He said that talent of our roster wasn’t the issue, the coach was. Nothing is going to change.

 

[MickZagger]

Phoenix drafted Ayton and Booker. They traded for Paul.
Milwaukee drafted Giannis (with the 15th pick!) They got Middleton with a sign and trade for Brandon Jennings.

Point being - Smaller (OK?) markets have plenty of ways to create a championship team, despite what our dear leader says. Neither team had to sign an expensive free agent, and no GM got to whine about his lack of options because free agents wouldn't sign there.

I call bullshit on all of Olshey's excuses.

I completely forgot Middleton played with the Pistons

 

[MickZagger]

Couldn't have said it any better. The Draft is a crapshoot. You scout, and hope, pray, that you make the right decision. I hear guys call in to Rip City Radio and say the Damian Lillard pick was a no brainer, giving Neil no credit. That they would have made that pick. I call B.S. If you go back in Sportstwo before that draft, many didn't want any part of Dame at pick 6. I watched the combine for the 1st time ever that year, and was blown away by what Dame's skillset was. His intensity was off the charts. The only reason i watched it, was because we had a high pick, and i read the Blazers were high on him. But there were many in here who wanted Dion freakin Waiters. Or any one else. There was a guy in here who called Dame "Fools Gold" Who's the fool now sucka. Neil hasn't hit enough in the draft for sure. He's been decent in the second round( Barton, Trent Jr. ). But either has most of the rest of the NBA. The Lakers, have had to buy their Championships. They were right on Ingram, but they used him, along with Ball & Hart, to get Davis, and gave up on Randall. The Draft is not a precise science. There's a lot of luck involved. Especially with One & Doners.

You can go back on past threads and see I was the biggest Lillard fan boy during that draft. I even spent a lot of time making some super cool thread trying to convince people.

Moral of the story:

I’m smart as fuck

 

[Tince]

Why? He said that talent of our roster wasn’t the issue, the coach was. Nothing is going to change.

You're taking Olshey at his word?

 

[MickZagger]

I’m rooting for the Suns. Not for Chris Paul but this guy;

https://www.si.com/nba/2017/04/06/monty-williams-wife-ingrid-family-tragedy-spurs-thunder-pelicans

 

[tykendo]

You can go back on past threads and see I was the biggest Lillard fan boy during that draft. I even spent a lot of time making some super cool thread trying to convince people.

Moral of the story:

I’m smart as fuck

Cool. I was excited about the pick. More than any since Drexler. But it was because of what i saw, and his interviews. Dude looked to be the real deal, and he bypassed that BIGTIME!! Dame has given me more great moments as a Blazers fan than any other player. I love the Man. He's Family. He's rip city. Fan since '77.

 

[blazerkor]

Why? He said that talent of our roster wasn’t the issue, the coach was. Nothing is going to change.

That was his message out front, to throw Stotts under a bus but he then (maybe just to placate Dame) went on to say that it was important to get Dame help and that the team didn't have a second star on it. That was all in that same interview. So while he said it wasn't the roster's fault he did point out that the roster is lacking.

 

[Tince]

That was his message out front, to throw Stotts under a bus but he then (maybe just to placate Dame) went on to say that it was important to get Dame help and that the team didn't have a second star on it. That was all in that same interview. So while he said it wasn't the roster's fault he did point out that the roster is lacking.

 

[TheHobbit]

Small market teams are almost impossible to build. Congrats to the 2 teams small market teams that made it through an injury riddled playoffs.

If anyone doesn't realize this obvious truth, they know very little about free agency.

This would have been a good year for Portland to pounce, if Neil had been able to build a good roster. He failed though. The roster he built is not good.

 

[Natebishop3]

For me it's not so much about their market size, but more so the fact that both these teams took big swings to improve their teams around their star players.

Bucks traded for Holiday.

Suns traded for Paul.

Blazers traded for RoCo and Kanter.

 

[STOMP]

Nice weather and low income tax. Suns players are taxed at 4% while Blazers players are taxed at 10%.

Lol, 112 degrees projected today and holding throughout the week. Weather is the reason I wouldn't ever consider living in Arizona

STOMP

 

[Phatguysrule]

Lol, 112 degrees projected today and holding throughout the week. Weather is the reason I wouldn't ever consider living in Arizona

STOMP

The extra millions of dollars not taxed by AZ pays for a lot of climate control...

 

[Pinwheel1]

Lol, 112 degrees projected today and holding throughout the week. Weather is the reason I wouldn't ever consider living in Arizona

STOMP

Yeah, July-September is bad. But other than September they aren't there during those unbearable hot months. The season is pretty pleasant.
The rich free agents have multiple homes.

 

[calvin natt]

Lol, 112 degrees projected today and holding throughout the week. Weather is the reason I wouldn't ever consider living in Arizona

STOMP

Basketball players literally are in their cities the perfect time for being a Phoenix Sun. All winter and spring. It’s the anti Portland. We wish all players knew what it was like here Summer into Fall, but that’s when they are gone. They show up when it gets bad.

 

[STOMP]

Yeah, July-September is bad. But other than September they aren't there during those unbearable hot months. The season is pretty pleasant.
The rich free agents have multiple homes.

June averages 104 degrees in Phoenix, not sure how thats okay let alone pleasant & of course things are trending in the wrong way. You are correct that well off players can afford to have multiple homes but uprooting your young family each year to escape probably isn't every Mom or kid's first choice.

STOMP