Lebron James Opts Out...and comedy ensues

[cml750]

But the discussion, if I am understanding it, is to sign both. Not just sign one. A lot of teams can sign just 1 but not both.

They are not going after both of them. They would have to trade Harden to do that.

17 Million won't even match what each of these player individually opted out of. I think you need to be thinking about somewhere around 25 for each but IDK.

Not saying this is what you think, just saying I don't understand that mentality.

Lebron's max contract starts at a little over $20 million for the first season and while Melo's is around $22.5 million for the first season. The Rocket's have other plans to clear the cap room to sign one of them outright. they only have to be under the cap at the time they sign one of them. They can go over the cap to resign their own players like Chandler Parsons but it will put them in the luxury tax.

Here is a link to the max contracts they can sign. http://www.hoopsrumors.com/2013/10/maximum-contract-scenarios-carmelo-lebron.html

 

[casmith07]

Kevin Durant:

“I don’t think it’s fair,” Durant told a small group of local reporters. “I don’t think anything that you guys criticize LeBron [about] is fair. He switched teams; he’s not the first guy to do it. He decided to opt out; he’s not the first guy to do it. Sometimes a lot of people criticize him a little bit too much for doing normal things, doing stuff that everybody has done. [Even] Tim Duncan went into free agency before. He got courted by quite a few teams. We’ll see what happens with me, but everybody’s done the same thing. He’s not the first.”

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Kevin Durant:

“I don’t think it’s fair,” Durant told a small group of local reporters. “I don’t think anything that you guys criticize LeBron [about] is fair. He switched teams; he’s not the first guy to do it. He decided to opt out; he’s not the first guy to do it. Sometimes a lot of people criticize him a little bit too much for doing normal things, doing stuff that everybody has done. [Even] Tim Duncan went into free agency before. He got courted by quite a few teams. We’ll see what happens with me, but everybody’s done the same thing. He’s not the first.”

He's right. I mean, it's cool to stay with one team but things happen. Look at Ware.

 

[StevenOtero]

This is reality now.

Any thoughts on if he stays after the draft?

 

[MC KAos]

Translation: "I hate LeBron irrationally."

You're putting words in my mouth, since I've stated the complete opposite of this. I don't hate him, I just don't like him, and it's not irrational, the decision and the pep rally are perfectly valid reasons for not being his biggest fan.

 

[MC KAos]

The problem is you weren't arguing close to max. You said, he was playing AT max salary.

Specifically, here is what Timmy made in their championship years. Only ONE is even close to being considered a max salary.

1998-99 San Antonio Spurs NBA $3,413,000
2002-03 San Antonio Spurs NBA $12,072,500
2004-05 San Antonio Spurs NBA $14,260,641
2006-07 San Antonio Spurs NBA $17,429,672

And I leave you with this for future reference: http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/duncati01.html#salaries::none

Those were max salaries back then, the salary cap and in turn the max salaries were much lower 10 years ago

 

[Manwiththeplan]

He stays. Maybe the big 3 opt out and they all take less, so they can add a center, but I think Miami sends out roughly the same team + napier. Heard a deal for Kyle Lowery is in the works, but cap wise, I'm not sure how that happens.

 

[65fastback2plus2]

Bob and weave. Bob and weave.



You mean the 2010 "decision" that was created entirely to raise money for charity and eventually raised and donated over $2.5 million to various boys and girls clubs? Including $500,000 in computers and $500,000 in sporting gear? And the one that donated money to 59 clubs across the country? And the one that donated $110,000 to a club to build them a new fitness center and give them 15 new computers? And the one that donated $60,000 to repair a leaky roof of a boys club gymnasium or the one that installed new bleachers and a new floor to another club for the price tag of $70,000.

Is that the "self-serving" decision you're talking about, or is there another one I'm not thinking about?

Look, the execution of that idea sucked, but the premise behind it was created solely to raise money for charities.

If you want to hate Lebron James because you hate him, fine - that's your prerogative - but trying to project him as a bad, selfish person is coming up with points that are totally baseless and have absolutely no foundation - and the only one who can't see that here is you.

So, again, I ask - do you have any actual examples of him being selfish, or just the the same baseless ones?

how much did making fun of dirk raise for the kids?

oh right. zero.

 

[burmafrd]

Have not really been a NBA fan since the 80's. when Magic and Bird were gone that pretty much was it for having a real interest.

Now I am a casual fan. As such the hate for Lebron is hilarious; especially when they claim they don't.

 

[Aggie87]

Kevin Durant:

“I don’t think it’s fair,” Durant told a small group of local reporters. “I don’t think anything that you guys criticize LeBron [about] is fair. He switched teams; he’s not the first guy to do it. He decided to opt out; he’s not the first guy to do it. Sometimes a lot of people criticize him a little bit too much for doing normal things, doing stuff that everybody has done. [Even] Tim Duncan went into free agency before. He got courted by quite a few teams. We’ll see what happens with me, but everybody’s done the same thing. He’s not the first.”

I don't think James has ever been criticized for switching teams. That's never been the point for anyone that got annoyed by "The Decision" and the "Not 1, Not 2, etc" displays, in my estimation.

 

[CATCH17]

Have not really been a NBA fan since the 80's. when Magic and Bird were gone that pretty much was it for having a real interest.

Now I am a casual fan. As such the hate for Lebron is hilarious; especially when they claim they don't.

I just keep telling myself the NBA ended the night that Dirk held up the NBA Championship.

 

[bounce]

how much did making fun of dirk raise for the kids?

oh right. zero.

That's an excellent contribution. Because teasing someone is the exact same thing as being selfish and "me first."

You know these guys all talk crap to each other on the court all the time, right? Do you get offended for all the players, or just Dirk?

 

[65fastback2plus2]

That's an excellent contribution. Because teasing someone is the exact same thing as being selfish and "me first."

You know these guys all talk crap to each other on the court all the time, right? Do you get offended for all the players, or just Dirk?

They were on the court? Do I need to provide the video for you to reanalyze?

Second...taunting is far different on the court vs. making fun of someone for being sick off the court.

 

[bounce]

They were on the court? Do I need to provide the video for you to reanalyze?

Second...taunting is far different on the court vs. making fun of someone for being sick off the court.

I know the video you're speaking of. Immature? Sure. Does that stuff happen frequently? On the court, yes. Off the court, probably.

Is it worth being (still) pissed over? In my opinion, no, but apparently yours differs. I'd say Dirk had the last laugh.

 

[Rockport]

Kevin Durant:

“I don’t think it’s fair,” Durant told a small group of local reporters. “I don’t think anything that you guys criticize LeBron [about] is fair. He switched teams; he’s not the first guy to do it. He decided to opt out; he’s not the first guy to do it. Sometimes a lot of people criticize him a little bit too much for doing normal things, doing stuff that everybody has done. [Even] Tim Duncan went into free agency before. He got courted by quite a few teams. We’ll see what happens with me, but everybody’s done the same thing. He’s not the first.”

People don't dislike him for switching teams. People dislike him because of his grand standing, his self declaration as King, his KingJames twitter handle, i.e. his focus on himself. That's what upsets people who were raised not to focus on yourself but instead be humble.

 

[Jenky]

Haha, his KingJames twitter handle.

LeBron got that moniker when he was a 16 year old kid. He was promoted & annointed way before the NBA folks. Wake up and smell the play-doh.

 

[joseephuss]

People don't dislike him for switching teams. People dislike him because of his grand standing, his self declaration as King, his KingJames twitter handle, i.e. his focus on himself. That's what upsets people who were raised not to focus on yourself but instead be humble.

Sounds more like jealousy than dislike. I guess Dez is one of your least favorite Cowboys players.

 

[Szczepanik]

You'll never get anyone who covers basketball for a living to say at any point in his NBA career, Birdman was highly skilled. It's really laughable to even suggest that a guy who gets by on grit and energy, who started 10 career games in 12 NBA season is highly skilled. If you want to argue Ray Allen, fine whatever. He does one thing well at this point in his career, but it is something that takes a certain amount of skill, but Birdman has never been a highly skilled player.

This is where you are 100 % incorrect. Anyone who covers basketball for a living would say that the vast majority of players in the NBA are all highly skilled. That is why they are professional basketball players buddy. I never said he was elite, but he was underrated in Denver at the time and as a role player for the heat is... highly skilled.

 

[Rockport]

Sounds more like jealousy than dislike. I guess Dez is one of your least favorite Cowboys players.

This is the stupidest post I've read in a long time. Go troll somewhere else.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Haha, his KingJames twitter handle.

LeBron got that moniker when he was a 16 year old kid. He was promoted & annointed way before the NBA folks. Wake up and smell the play-doh.

Come on, this is getting ridiculous. James got the handle, "King James" in High School and it was given to him by a local Media Person because he won 3 Mr. Basketball Awards in the State of Ohio.

I don't care if he got it from the Press, from Nike, the NBA, from his Mom, woke up one day and named himself or if Santa Claus brought it to him for his 14th Birthday. The fact of the matter is that like it or not, he is the King at this point in the NBA and pretty much in sports period. You can complain till the cows come home but that's how it is.

Does it really matter?