Real Deal

You always seem to ignore the fact that Kobe, Mitch and Phil all acknowledged that Kobe was never going to leave LA to begin with. Plus, what Kobe did brought two more championships to Los Angeles, not just around his finger. He was all but traded to Chicago, and yet, he wouldn't waive his no-trade clause. He knew he held the cards, and knew he wasn't going to waive that clause to begin with. People didn't like the Decision, but they also didn't like the fact that LeBron left to join two other all-stars (one superstar) that were in the same conference. I can assure you...the whole "can't beat 'em, join 'em" concept would be frowned upon by MANY if Kobe decided to go to Boston in, say, 2009. Something like that would have made Kobe the most hated player in Lakers history, easily...even more than when Shaq bashed the city of LA after his departure. --------- As for the Bynum situation, I won't comment on that, because Kobe shouldn't have said what he did in that parking lot. However, years later, we won two championships without Drew contributing much (Gasol played center for us in 2009, and was playing big minutes at the five in 2010 as well, and Drew was playing hurt throughout the playoff run)...and we now have a big man that is going to get max money, and he really doesn't give a damn where he's at (as he has stated multiple times already, a bank in every city) with a piss-poor attitude, taking cheap shots at players (ex. Barea), etc. With Bynum in a bigger role, we have had two second-round eliminations. LeBron had a right to leave, but his actions (the past two years in Cleveland, and last year in Miami) turned everyone against him. He was a superstar version of Ronny Turiaf, and that doesn't go over very well, especially when you're doing all of that shit on the court, during games, taunting before and after games, etc. The Decision capped it all off, and this premature championship celebration in the summer of 2010 only solidified what people thought of him as a player and as a man. This season, and mostly in the second half and in the playoff run, LeBron changed everything around, and that's probably why he has a championship now.

What are they doing?

My question is, how much money are they giving to Brook Lopez?

Painful. Toronto just gave an offer sheet to the guy the Suns were interested in for Steve Nash. If the Knicks match, they can't trade Fields...and if they don't match, they lose Fields and possibly any chance they have at Nash as well. Well played, Raptors. Well played. EDIT: Beat me to it, BFT. And I had no idea they were giving him that much money. Nevermind. Yikes.

I know. I'm just putting it out there. If Orlando was really, really high on Lopez and Brooks (with a future first and, uh...maybe a re-signed Gerald Green?), then taking on Joe Johnson may not be a big deal to them if they can find a way to get rid of Hedo next summer (he'll take his PO, and will be an expiring) or if they just buy his ass out. I'm trying to make sense of it, that's all. I doubt they will want Johnson or Wallace...no point in it...but it's definitely not impossible for the Nets to land Howard, like Broussard is pointing out.

I'm not going to say Dwight to Brooklyn is impossible. It can be done, even right now...but Orlando would be dumb to accept Joe Johnson. Johnson can't be traded in a package for 60 days or so, but he can be dealt immediately to Orlando, for Howard (which won't happen). In a few months, the Nets can deal Johnson, Lopez and Brooks to the Magic...for Howard and Glen Davis (just throwing names out there for fun, Brooks doesn't have to be included). I never thought Howard would become a free agent and sign with the Nets, anyway. I always figured the Magic would trade him.

No-Show Joe is gone, though! :o

So right now, the Nets' roster looks like this: C - Brook Lopez ($4.19 million) PF - SF - Gerald Wallace ($10 million) SG - Joe Johnson ($19.8 million) PG - BENCH SG - Marshon Brooks ($1.2 million)

So much for Dwight in free agency.

Drew is just an idiot, thinking he should be a primary option and a cornerstone to a championship caliber team. He's going to find out just how wrong he is someday. Now, whether or not that makes him a bit more humble...I can't say, and I won't speculate...but right now, his all-star numbers are far below his own expectations, and I feel he thinks he's more of a Shaq than just some "top center in the league." As long as the Magic won't provide him with a legitimate superstar teammate (one that takes the ball out of his hands, or takes more shots than he does), I have a feeling he'll sign a big paycheck...at least one...before he considers exploring free agency, assuming he is traded to Orlando.

Nope, because if he stays in Orlando (which he won't, but yeah), all things will be forgotten. The worst has yet to come. Once he leaves, and Orlando becomes one of the worst teams in the league, that's when the Magic fans will really start to despise him. But then again, I'm not really sure if they'll hate him as much as Cleveland fans did LeBron.

At this point, the fans are going to hate Dwight even more. I think he opted in to avoid that, but he's so indecisive, he's ruining any chance he has at keeping a clean name in Orlando. He stated he didn't want to follow in Shaq's footsteps, and I think he meant that he didn't want to just up and leave the Magic when they were so close to winning it all (not what was assumed...that he just didn't want to go to LA), yet...it's almost like he doesn't care, anyway.

Uh...maybe if it was Dana Barros. :ohsnap:

I'm starting to think players are just finding excuses to dodge the London Olympics this year.

Multiple people already stated that he would have been dealt to the Lakers for Bynum and Blake, had he not opted in. I read it from Woj and a couple of other guys. Even if that wasn't going to happen, Golden State would have given up the pieces for him, and Orlando was going to trade him by the March deadline, had he not decided to waive his opt-in.

Thanks to BFT for running the show, and Paul for the gift card...and for everyone participating. Congrats ABL.

Hmm...

This had me laughing hard. http://p.twimg.com/AwhBz5MCQAATYzL.jpg

This is ALL on BFT. He should get credit for everything having to do with the Draft Challenge, while all of you get credit for participating.

A little undersized, though...that's the only thing I don't like. However, he plays bigger than he is, just because he's so athletic.

Okay, that is awesome. He's really a steal at 55. I was hoping he would fall all the way to 60...and I can't believe he fell that far. The guys on NBATV ranked him as the biggest steal of the second round. Not saying much, though, but I like this.

I guess I'll go ahead and post my mock in here. 1) NEW ORLEANS HORNETS: Anthony Davis, C, Kentucky 2) CHARLOTTE BOBCATS: Bradley Beal, G, Florida 3) WASHINGTON WIZARDS: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, F, Kentucky 4) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: Thomas Robinson, F, Kansas 5) SACRAMENTO KINGS: Andre Drummond, C, UConn 6) PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS: Damian Lillard, G, Weber State 7) GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: Dion Waiters, G, Syracuse 8) TORONTO RAPTORS: Austin Rivers, G, Duke 9) DETROIT PISTONS: Harrison Barnes, F, North Carolina 10) NEW ORLEANS HORNETS: Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina 11) PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS: Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois 12) HOUSTON ROCKETS: Jeremy Lamb, G, UConn 13) PHOENIX SUNS: Terrence Ross, G, Washington 14) MILWAUKEE BUCKS: Terrence Jones, F, Kentucky 15) PHILADELPHIA 76ERS: John Henson, F, North Carolina 16) HOUSTON ROCKETS: Kendall Marshall, G, North Carolina 17) DALLAS MAVERICKS: Moe Harkless, F, St. John's 18) HOUSTON ROCKETS: Perry Jones III, F, Baylor 19) ORLANDO MAGIC: Jared Sullinger, F, Ohio State 20) DENVER NUGGETS: Marquis Teague, G, Kentucky 21) BOSTON CELTICS: Royce White, F, Iowa State 22) BOSTON CELTICS: Andrew Nicholson, F, St. Bonaventure 23) ATLANTA HAWKS: Quincy Miller, F, Baylor 24) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: Draymond Green, F, Michigan State 25) MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: Tony Wroten, G, Washington 26) INDIANA PACERS: Jeff Taylor, F, Vanderbilt 27) MIAMI HEAT: Festus Ezeli, C, Vanderbilt 28) OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER: Evan Fournier, G, France 29) CHICAGO BULLS: Will Barton, G, Memphis 30) GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: Doron Lamb, G, Kentucky