Posted by crzymdups:

Posted by djsunyc:

Chicago is clearly in great shape if they make the right moves, but they could just as well wind up first or second round fodder for the next five or six years.

with the patience exhibited by paxson. with the way he's handled free agent situations like crawford and curry, and with the way he supports skiles and benched tim thomas, i don't see any reason to doubt paxson's ability to make chicago better.

He's very conservative. Will he pull the trigger on a risky deal that has down side? Maybe not. And maybe he loses because of that.

Miami would have never gotten Shaq if they didn't pay Lamar Odom $65 million. Detroit never would have won anything if they didn't trade for Sheed, who people all over the league were terrified by. Those are risky moves that a guy like Paxson seems unwilling to pull the trigger on. I could see them playing this summer very conservatively.

Posted by McK1:

Posted by crzymdups:

Posted by fishmike:

Posted by Killa4luv:

Their coach is not a bi-polar diva. And yes they do play tough.

OMG.. Skiles is an ego mental case.. ask Kidd, they couldnt coexist in Pho.
Also Skiles kills guys in the media. He killed Tim Thomas, he killed Sweetney and he killed Curry last year. The difference is everyone on the Bulls plays and practices hard, or they dont get in the game.

and yet Chicago is looking at two straight first round exits, thinking of trading Ben Gordon, regretting overpaying Chandler, looking at Nazr Mohammed as their big free agent signing and holding a high pick in a weak draft.

they're in much better shape than us, obviously, but when I turn on the playoffs, I always realize I don't want to be a team like Chicago or Washington that has no chance to get out of the first round. I mean, once the playoffs REALLY start, if you aren't an elite team or a team with a LeBron seeing how far he can carry you, there's really not much to watch but two weeks of agony. Everyone but San Antonio, Dallas and Detroit has a LOT of work to do.

I mean, Memphis is a GREAT regular season team, but they're looking at their third straight first round sweep loss. Isn't that almost MORE depressing than being at square one? I think it almost would be.

[Edited by - crzymdups on 04-24-2006 1:00 PM]

bull****. when the core of your team are all under 24, winning while young and biding your time is not some great blight.

I agree, the bulls are in great shape, all this is going to do for them is make them better, having a team that young with playoff experience can ONLY be a great thing...

Posted by crzymdups:

Posted by McK1:

guys like Gordon Hinrich Gasol Shane Miller already play like they've been in the league 8 or 9 years.

they are all 24 or under. how do you think they'll look once they actually have been in the league that long.

or does being only 23 or being only in your 4th or 5th year apply to jamal and Curry...or is prime age at 28, 29 only reserved for Steph?

Gordon and Hinrich are very young. Gordon is extremely flawed in that he can't hope to guard an opposing SG. Tyson Chandler, who is making more than Eddy Curry, is a decent defender with no offensive game. He's Camby without the hops and has back problems.

Battier is 28. Mike Miller is 26. Gasol will be 26 in July and has had foot injuries slowing him each of the last two years. Memphis has been out of the first round three straight years and could be headed to Minnesota territory of eight straight years without advancing without major moves. and really, what chips do they have? they lost their chips like Stromile for nothing. if they trade Miller that's a huge chunk of their team. no one will overpay for Battier, as solid as he is.

Chicago is clearly in great shape if they make the right moves, but they could just as well wind up first or second round fodder for the next five or six years. Memphis, they're in okay shape, but if they're doign so well, why are they one of the few teams that would consider adding Marbury? Because their once young core is slowly getting older and they haven't made the next step yet.

I'm just saying, when I look at the NBA playoffs, there are a lot of teams that don't have any more hope of winning a championship in the next ten years than us. The bottom line is, in the NBA if you don't have a premier big man or a huge premier swingman, you have no chance at realistically advancing. Detroit is supposedly a "team without superstars," but Sheed and Ben Wallace are pretty damn close to superstar status.

It's this time of year when Isiah's recklessness at least makes some sort of sense. Were the moves horrible? Yes. But when you don't have a superstar, you kind of have to swing for the fences to try to get one. Curry COULD be a superstar. Sure, it's a flawed philosophy, but staying the course really won't get you much unless you win the lotto in a year where an Oden or Bron or Wade is available. Am I rationalizing? Maybe. But I think it's more depressing to be a Memphis fan right now than to be a Knicks fan.

Posted by tkf:


Gordon is what 23? and Hinrich is 24, they are not that young, these guys are young vets and play like seasoned veterans. Gordon is a smallish SG but he also is a problem for the opposing SG to cover, so to say that he is flawed because he can't guard opposing SG's is not accurate. They also can't guard him either.... The bulls have done a lot of things right, I don't see that changing, they have some good kids, good vets, and a good coach, good GM, good ownership, that makes for a good mix.... They have picks, cap room and good players with good deals, they can trade, with the exception of chandler... The bulls are in great shape....

Posted by McK1:

Posted by crzymdups:



Chicago is clearly in great shape if they make the right moves, but they could just as well wind up first or second round fodder for the next five or six years. Memphis, they're in okay shape, but if they're doign so well, why are they one of the few teams that would consider adding Marbury? Because their once young core is slowly getting older and they haven't made the next step yet.

where have you ever seen that Jerry West is interested in acquiring Marbury?

again why is 28,29 considered prime for Steph but as Memphis core approaches that age its getting old?
And unlike Zeke, West values draft picks and there is no pressure on Fratello to put guys like Warrick in a position to limit success to sell a bull**** rebuild to their fanbase.

as for hopeless Duncan won't be around forever. the West will open up as those guys hit "prime." Hell MJ was 30 or so b/4 he won his first ring.

Jordan had just turned 28 when he won his first. I never said Marbs was in his prime. He has a lot of miles on those knees/ankles. So does Pau with his summer/world schedule. The Grizzlies will not be competing for a championship with this squad.

Amare is 23. He has a chance. Dirk is 26-27. He has a chance. Melo, with the right pieces, has a chance. Kobe, with the right pieces, has a chance. Memphis does not have a chance, so instead of a bullsh!t rebuild, or developing Warrick they are selling the BS idea that they are "competing." Maybe their fans can sleep better at night, but I don't call winning 45-50 games and losing in the first round every year in a league where 16/30 teams make the playoffs competing. If that's what you want, fine. But I want a legit shot.

Posted by crzymdups:

Posted by McK1:

2007 free agent class

Grizz are 10 mill under the cap

http://www.hoopshype.com/salaries/memphis.htm

besides the rooks from 03

Carter Pierce Lewis all have opt-outs.

Gasol and Carter or Gasol and Pierce led squad with guys like Warrick Miller Battier alone sounds like a team that can compete for a title. Factor in smart drafting, savvy use of the mid and hey

Carter Pierce Lewis are all making over $10 million now. They can add a piece, maybe more in the Bobby Simmons range ($9 million a year last summer), but that's still a year away and it's only IF they don't move Eddie Jones and keep their first rounder from this year and next.

funny thing we should talk about the Grizz though, if you're so convinced about them being a great squad, how about this, after the 02-03 season they had a 28-54 record, they had a new coach people said was too old, they had the no.2 pick in the draft which they lost to Detroit through an earlier trade. They had a 23yr old big men who was called soft and only an offensive weapon. their no.4 overall pick was a disappointment and traded. how is that so different from the Knicks?