The 2009/2010 NBA Season Thread

[faldor]

All the experts are saying Lebron is going to sign with the Heat, but I just can't see that happening. Bosh fits well into the Pippen/Gasol-sidekick role, and he'll be fine alongside Wade. But I don't see how Wade and Lebron can play on the same team. It just presents too many problems. Both guys need the ball in their hands. And the Heat is Wade's team; if Lebron goes to Miami, Wade will the one who orchestrated it. With the media's love for Lebron, how will Wade feel when Lebron gets all the attention and it's Wade's team? Besides, by signing Lebron, they'll have to fill out their roster with minimum salaries. I'd still take Orlando and Boston over Lebron, Wade and Bosh if they have a bunch of sucky players around them.

And as much as Lebron seems to care about his brand, about being a billion-dollar athlete and having all the sponsorhips and whatnot, I think going to the Heat would hurt him in that area. IMO, the margin between Wade and Lebron is a lot smaller than most people think. I'd rather have Wade, personally. At least he's clutch. But even if the Heat win a championship or two or three, it'll be like Kobe winning with Shaq.

And yet another thing, if Lebron decided on the Heat, why wouldn't they all three announce their decision together? Why does Lebron need his own day (and his own freaking show on primetime!!!). I think he stays in Cleveland or goes to NY. Those are the only two possible options. I actually say he chooses NY. Lebron cares just as much, if not more, about the entertainment and side-show stuff than he does about winning a championship, and in NY he'd be able to take his brand and exposure to all-new heights. Plus with Amare there now, and Carmelo or Tony Parker or someone else next year, they would have a very good team.

Just imagine how much people in Cleveland will hate this guy if he bails on them, though, and spends a whole hour tonight to rub it in their face. The most honorable thing to do would be to stay in Cleveland. But they just haven't been able to make any moves so far to improve their chances of winning a championship.

Well said.  Agree with everything there.

I still think Chicago would be the best choice for Lebron.  Rose, Boozer, Noah.  Pretty good starting blocks for him to join forces with.  I, like you, just can't see how Bosh, Wade, James would work in Miami.  They'd obviously be a formidable Big 3, but I don't see how they wouldn't have the WORST 4-12 in the NBA.  Lebron is going to be in Carmello Anthony's wedding this weekend, if he could convince and assure James that he would come to the Knicks the following year than I guess they could still be in play.

At least he's getting this over with somewhat soon and not letting it drag on and on like Brett Favre.  But this prime time BS is quite ridiculous.

[D]

Agree with Pilferk, a couple experts have leaked it saying he is going to NY


It won't be Cleveland..t hey'd be 3rd or 4th best

Chicago is the BEST place talent wise, but once again.. the whole Jordan thing.. not too good.

I think he will join Amare in NY *I think with Amare talent wise, the Knicks would be on par with Cleveland *Look at Cleveland's roster.. it is pretty terrible on paper.

Cause next year they can get Parker or Carmelo.

so Im goin Knicks but I think he should go to Chicago.

[pilferk]

Agree with Pilferk, a couple experts have leaked it saying he is going to NY


It won't be Cleveland..t hey'd be 3rd or 4th best

Chicago is the BEST place talent wise, but once again.. the whole Jordan thing.. not too good.

I think he will join Amare in NY *I think with Amare talent wise, the Knicks would be on par with Cleveland *Look at Cleveland's roster.. it is pretty terrible on paper.

Cause next year they can get Parker or Carmelo.

so Im goin Knicks but I think he should go to Chicago.

YESTERDAY afternoon, EVERYONE, everywhere, was sure he was going to the Knicks.

This morning, EVERYONE, everywhere, is sure he's going to Miami.

Different sources, different stories.

I contend that none of them really know butkiss. 

[Bodhi]

If Lebron had any heart(which game 5 of last years semi's showed us he doesnt) he would stay in Cleveland and try to win a championship for his hometown.  Michael Jordan never abandoned Chicago and ran to a loaded team with his tail between his legs to win multiple championships, even after Detroit was bitchslapping the Bulls out of the playoffs every year.  If Lebron pulls this Miami stunt he can forget about "the greatest of all time" title, he will never get it.  Not that he would have gotten it anyway, but you get the point.  A move to the Knicks to bring back to life a dead franchise also woudn't be the worst move he could make, I could respect that as well.

[Malcolm]

I think for Lebron it has to be NY,Chicago,Cleveland..and who knows maybe its NJ with Jay-z..but I dont but him going to the Heat what so ever

[w.axl.rose]

oh what to do with my lebron james jersey

[D]

I blame Cleveland

they could've had Amare Stoudemire for JJ Hickson last year and didn't do it. If they get Amare, maybe they end up with both right now instead of nothing.

I think Losing Lebron for NOTHING is worse than anything. I mean, no sign and trade, they get NOTHING

now we will see how great Lebron really is, Cause Cleveland will be lucky to win 20 games without him.

Miami are gonna be fun to watch on my Directv NBA League pass!

[Malcolm]

LEBRON CHOOSES TO JOIN WADE, BOSH WITH MIAMI HEAT

LeBron James wanted to play with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. The only place that could happen was Miami.

Get ready, NBA: A superstar trio is born.

Ending weeks of silence and drama, the two-time MVP said on his ESPN special from Greenwich, Conn. on Thursday night that he's decided to join the Miami Heat and leave the Cleveland Cavaliers after an unsuccessful seven-year quest for the championship he covets.

"I can't say it was always in my plans, because I never thought it was possible," James said. "But the things that the Miami Heat franchise have done, to free up cap space and be able to put themselves in a position this summer to have all three of us, it was hard to turn down. Those are two great players, two of the greatest players that we have in this game today."

Olympic teammates in Beijing, James, Bosh and Wade all helped deliver gold medals.

This time, it'll be about a gold trophy, the NBA championship one -- the one Wade got in 2006, the one that James and Bosh have yet to touch.

"Winning is a huge thing for me," James said.

It's a huge victory for the Heat, who got commitments from Wade and Bosh on Wednesday. That duo, along with James, formed the upper echelon of the most-celebrated free-agent period in league history.

Heat president Pat Riley landed them all, a three-pack of stars to help shape his quest for a dynasty in Miami.

And for Cleveland, a city scorned for generations by some of sports' biggest letdowns, James' long-awaited words represented a defeat perhaps unlike any other.

James is gone. Home sweet home no more.

He said he made the decision Thursday morning and knows it won't go over well in Ohio.

"They can have mixed emotions, of course," James said, adding that Akron will "always be home for me."

His new home -- part-time or otherwise -- wasted no time in beginning the celebration. Horns honked outside the arena and on Miami Beach, where Wade was watching the announcement with members of his inner circle.

"It's going to be crazy," Wade said.

James, Bosh and Wade entered the pros in the same year, the respective Nos. 1, 4 and 5 picks in the 2003 draft. They went their separate ways: James to Cleveland, Bosh to Toronto and Wade to Miami, where he won a championship partnered with centre Shaquille O'Neal in 2006. That year, James, Bosh and Wade all signed matching contracts to make sure they were all unrestricted free agents at the same time.

Season-ticket sales for the Heat's coming 41-game season were suspended Thursday afternoon after the entire supply of available seats were sold out. Not every seat has been released for sale yet and some will be held back for single-game purchases at the 19,600-capacity arena.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Louisville coach Rick Pitino said while attending a tournament of high school stars at Cleveland State University, co-sponsored by James and Nike, one of the 25-year-old's corporate partners.

Believe it.

The Cavaliers, a franchise that was in ruins before winning a lottery drawing and bringing James up Interstate 77 from his Akron home, have had the upper hand -- until now. They were able to offer him more money -- US$30 million more -- than any other team.

This wasn't about money, though.

Wade and Bosh both said they would take fewer dollars to make this happen. And that, combined with what Riley and Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said to James on the recruiting tour, was enough to pull off the stunner.

Because they have overspent while trying to please James and win the first title by any of Cleveland's three pro sports teams since 1964, the Cavs are strapped with a few big contracts that have eaten up salary-cap space and prevented them from making roster moves to improve the team.

They've come close to winning it all with James, who at six foot eight and 260 pounds has the quickness of a point guard and brute force of an NFL defensive lineman.

With the possible exception of Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, James is the NBA's premier player, but his legacy cannot be fulfilled until he wins a championship.

[D]

Lebron makes right decision

http://simplysports.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=opinion&thread=36&page=1

[Eazy E]

Shaq never "won a ring for the King"... maybe he should return to South Beach for the minimum and bring some needed size down low to get his fifth.

Can't believe these guys actually all ended up on the same team!!  I don't blame any of them either, particularly Bosh & Bron, both gave it their all for 7 years and used free agency for what they wanted.  If either the Raps or Cavs presented a more appealing scenario, these guys would have stayed.  As it stands, they chose less money and a chance to play together, they worked hard just for the opportunity.  Bring on the regular season, want to see these guys in action!

[gilee7]

I blame Cleveland

they could've had Amare Stoudemire for JJ Hickson last year and didn't do it. If they get Amare, maybe they end up with both right now instead of nothing.

I think Losing Lebron for NOTHING is worse than anything. I mean, no sign and trade, they get NOTHING

now we will see how great Lebron really is, Cause Cleveland will be lucky to win 20 games without him.

Miami are gonna be fun to watch on my Directv NBA League pass!

You won't need DirecTV NBA League Pass to watch their games. Pretty much every Heat game will now be on national television.

And how can you blame Cleveland? They always did the best they could to make Lebron happy, to try to put players around him to help him succeed. You're right, they didn't get Amare last year, but they still made moves; they brought in Jamison, who is a good player. Cleveland always made an effort to please Lebron; they did what they could.

But it wouldn't have mattered, because Lebron has no heart, no loyalty. Instead of rising to the challenge of bringing a championship to his hometeam, he's shrinking from the pressure, taking the easy way out. Bodhi's right, he can never be compared to the greatest players of all time. I mean, the guy's yet to win anything anyway, so the Jordan comparisons were already ludicrous, but now they've become even more so.

The Miami move makes the least amount of sense. If he wanted to remain loyal, fulfill his promise of winning a championship for the state that loves him most, he would've stayed in Cleveland; instead, he's killed that franchise and spat in their face. If he wanted to guarantee himself championships, he should've gone to Chicago, where he still would've been the clear-cut number one guy, the best player on the team, but he would've also had a great supporting cast around him with Boozer, Noah and Rose. NY even makes sense because Lebron cares so much about his "brand" and in NY he could've taken that to all-new heights, playing in the biggest city and in the most famous arena, and resurrected a dead franchise with a big fanbase.

I know it sounds great on paper to have Lebron, Wade and Bosh, but no matter how great those players are, they need other players around them--- and I just don't see many players that are any good being willing to play for a minimum salary. The big three in Boston worked because all three guys were reaching the end of their careers, all in their 30's, all without a championship. And they complemented each other well because each player has their own unique skill set. But Lebron and Wade are very similar players, both need the ball in their hands. Personally, I think it will turn out to be a disaster. Anything less than multiple championships is a failure, and as good of friends as Wade and Lebron may be now, I think all kinds of problems will arise in the locker room, especially if they struggle. And if they win, how will Wade feel about Lebron getting all the glory when it's Wade's team, when Wade's already won that city a championship, when Wade is the guy who orchestrated this whole thing . . . ?

And by handling this whole situation the way he did, Lebron has made a lot of people hate him. He's turned himself into a villain.

[cotis]

oh what to do with my lebron james jersey

burn it like all of Ohio.


I cannot wait to see The Big 3 vs. Cavs this upcoming season in Cleveland, it's going to be a riot.

[Eazy E]

Don't even know what to say about this:

Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;

As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.

This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his "decision" unlike anything ever "witnessed" in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.

Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.

The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.

There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.

You simply don't deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.

You have given so much and deserve so much more.

In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:

"I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ?KING' WINS ONE"

You can take it to the bank.

If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our "motivation" to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.

Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.

Sorry, but that's simply not how it works.

This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown "chosen one" sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn.  And "who" we would want them to grow-up to become.

But the good news is that this heartless and callous action can only serve as the antidote to the so-called "curse" on Cleveland, Ohio.

The self-declared former "King" will be taking the "curse" with him down south. And until he does "right" by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.

Just watch.

Sleep well, Cleveland.

Tomorrow is a new and much brighter day....

I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:

DELIVERING YOU the championship you have long deserved and is long overdue....

Dan Gilbert

Majority Owner

Cleveland Cavaliers

[D]

What a joke this owner is

He sounds like he was blowing Lebron or something. What a bitch. Get the fuck over it. u surrounded Lebron with shit, used him to make hundreds of millions of dollars... now fuck off.

[w.axl.rose]

i have a feeling ill be cavs vs heat in the first game of the season 

[faldor]

What a joke this owner is

He sounds like he was blowing Lebron or something. What a bitch. Get the fuck over it. u surrounded Lebron with shit, used him to make hundreds of millions of dollars... now fuck off.

He didn't exactly surround him with "shit" in Cleveland.  I agree their roster was far from imposing 2-12, BUT, they did/do have some good role players and Mo Williams was an all star when they acquired him.  Antawn Jamison was a coveted guy around the trade deadline last year.  Kobe Bryant would have embraced the challenge and taken that team further, if not all the way.  Lebron has chosen the easy way out.  I can't blame him.  I didn't think he'd return to Cleveland because it was low on the list as far as winning goes.  I would've respected him more though if he went to Chicago or even NY. 

It's strange.  I mean, on the one side it seems like a feel good story.  Wade, James, and Bosh are all boys and are all driven to win.  They could've made more money elsewhere.  But for some reason, this just doesn't seem right.  Maybe it's because James is leaving his hometown.  I wonder if he'd have the same backlash if he had played his first 7 years with the Sacramento Kings or some other team.  This is what the NBA has turned into though I guess.  And I feel a little hypocritical because the Celtics drew up the blueprint for this.  But that was different, like gilee pointed out.  3 guys who were nearing the end of the line who were desperate to win.  And at least they did it through trades and gave up something of value to get both KG and Allen.  Miami just BOUGHT Bosh and Wade.  It just doesn't seem right.

And if I have to hear one more time about "how much each of these guys sacrificed".  Give me a break!  It's not like they agreed to play for the league minimum or anything.  Terms haven't been disclosed yet, but I'm sure they'll all be making upwards of 100 million dollars over the length of their deals.  I only wish I could make a sacrifice like that.

[D]

The same Kobe Bryant who shot 6-24 in game 7?

Kobe has a STACKED TEAM

would u trade Ron Artest for anybody on Cleveland? NO
Would u trade Pau Gasol for anybody on Cleveland? NO
Would u trade Lamar Odom for anybody on Cleveland? NO
Would u trade Andrew Bynum for anybody on Cleveland? NO

so lets cut the bullshit here. Kobe has MAJOR help. How did Kobe do before they stole Pau Gasol? 1st rd exits.



U will see dude. If Kobe missed the entire season. LA still win 45 games and either make 8th seed or narrowly miss the playoffs.

Wait till u see Cleveland next season without Lebron. they will go from 66 wins down to probably 20.

there is your difference.



Miami sent Michael Beasley to Minnesota in a salary dump for a 2nd rd pick

Miami signed Mike Miller and there are talks of Shaq coming back to Miami.

[CheapJon]

i  kinda hoped that it would be the knicks..  it'll be interresting to see the heat this season, i think miami have retired #23 for jordan what number will he pick?

[faldor]

The same Kobe Bryant who shot 6-24 in game 7?

Kobe has a STACKED TEAM

would u trade Ron Artest for anybody on Cleveland? NO
Would u trade Pau Gasol for anybody on Cleveland? NO
Would u trade Lamar Odom for anybody on Cleveland? NO
Would u trade Andrew Bynum for anybody on Cleveland? NO

so lets cut the bullshit here. Kobe has MAJOR help. How did Kobe do before they stole Pau Gasol? 1st rd exits.



U will see dude. If Kobe missed the entire season. LA still win 45 games and either make 8th seed or narrowly miss the playoffs.

Wait till u see Cleveland next season without Lebron. they will go from 66 wins down to probably 20.

there is your difference.



Miami sent Michael Beasley to Minnesota in a salary dump for a 2nd rd pick

Miami signed Mike Miller and there are talks of Shaq coming back to Miami.

I never said Kobe didn't have major help or a good supporting cast.  I just said he'd do more with that Cleveland squad than Lebron did because he is clearly a better player and leader.  I don't think it's even close.  And I HATE Kobe.  But he's the best player in the NBA, hands down.

I know the playoffs are a different animal, but Lebron's cast was good enough to compile the best record in the NBA for 2 years straight and he couldn't even lead his team to the finals.  This year getting knocked out in the 2nd round. 

[faldor]

i  kinda hoped that it would be the knicks..  it'll be interresting to see the heat this season, i think miami have retired #23 for jordan what number will he pick?

Lebron changed his number to 6 a few years back out of respect to Jordan, saying the number should be retired across the NBA.  I think Mario Chalmers has #6 right now, but I think he'll gladly give it to Lebron for a monetary value.