NBA Free Agency

[ABQCOWBOY]

Now you are taking Laker apologies to the absurd.

YES, you need a coach when there is free agency going on. That is why EVERY other team has one.
Even when one is fired, one is quickly hired.
What players want to know when they sign is how much, what system and with what teammates.
Coaching very much matters.

You don't recruit Carmelo without a coach man. That's just silly.

The Lakers are ridiculously profitable.
Not paying a coach is POOR business because it costs A LOT of money when they lose.
Winning drives profits. Something good ownerships are very well aware of.

And you know as well as I Lakers fan are NOT equivalent to some other fan base in discussing possible stars.
They are assuming it is a done deal, that it will happen and retweeting images in lakers gear of their new all-star laden lineup.

One of the first pics of Randle is with the Lakers O'Brien trophies... that's be like Dallas shooing Zach Martin with the 5 Lombardis. Crazy.

I think that used to be true. We will see if it still is. Now, when players are making their own deal (AAU Ball), it may be more advantageous to see who the players want to play for and then make a decision based on that. I suspect that this is what the Lakers are trying now. I don't necessarily like this approach but we'll see if it pans out or not. Point being, I think this is a calculated decision on the part of the Lakers to try and land FAs. Time will tell if it turns out to be a good one or not. This version of Bus ownership is clearly not as good as the earlier version so there is that.

Your point about losing is mute IMO. The Lakers were going to lose either way because of the talent base in place. Going forward, that dynamic will change and then your argument has more substance but last year, I don't really agree with it.

I am a Laker fan and I do not think that it's a done deal. I think that either. I have always felt that Chicago and NY were the front runners for Anthony. I felt like the chances of James coming to L.A. were highly unlikely.

Why would it be bad to snap a shot of Randle with O'Brien trophies? I liken this to taking a pic of Dez with 5 Lombardi Trophies. I don't think it's anything other then PR.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

New Orleans is a small market. One of smallest in the NBA.
Hornets are now Pelicans but still in NO.

Miami is a small market and NBA has done fine with Miami, SA, Indy, OKC all winning.

Winning sells. See OKC.
This is a global game and market is really a thing of the last decade.

Celts and Lakers and teams with huge following help drive the game but that's not as much market based as fans are located globally.

The NBA owners as franchise holders of the Hornets did not want to create a superteam anywhere while taking back dregs.
That was the right move for them.

The number of true superstars that have changed teams is still in single digits. And those guys have left LA and other big markets as readily as they have joined them. Once a guy is determined to leave money on the table all bets are off and he can choose wherever he wants to go really.
Duncan could get paid more and play in any city. Same for Dirk. There's a dozen other guys in the same or similar boats.
Each star is his own person and can make his own choice.
The CBA is right to protect home team advantages in salary but that isn't a guarantee they keep the guy.
Maybe the NBA should have supplmental picks for lost free agents like the NFL.

But, has the popularity of the NBA increased or decreased in the last few years? I honestly don't know the answer to that but, I feel as if it has slipped personally.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Now, FA can actually begin. Bosh to Houston? DWade is screwed?

 

[WoodysGirl]

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

So now you figure Anthony lands in either Chicago or stays in N.Y. If N.Y., then Gasol probably heads to N.Y. If Chicago, then where does Pau Gasol go? Does Chicago have the cap to sign Gasol and Anthony? I don't think so. Where could Gasol end up I wonder?

 

[WoodysGirl]

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Sixers are also interested in taking on this contract. Will depend on what Houston is willing to give up in return for taking Lin's contract. His deal is an 8 Mil cap hit but it's actually 15 Mil that any team would have to pay him for next season. The good news is that it's an expiring contract so it would be off the books in 2015.

The question would be, does Houston offer enough for the Lakers to help Houston sign a Bosh, which would likely make them much better in the West?

 

[DFWJC]

Sixers are also interested in taking on this contract. Will depend on what Houston is willing to give up in return for taking Lin's contract. His deal is an 8 Mil cap hit but it's actually 15 Mil that any team would have to pay him for next season. The good news is that it's an expiring contract so it would be off the books in 2015.

The question would be, does Houston offer enough for the Lakers to help Houston sign a Bosh, which would likely make them much better in the West?

I think this is a move to try and keep parsons as well. They can get Bosh, but the Mavs are offering Parsons enough (more than planned) to make it tough for Houston to match.

The James to Cleveland deal was goof Dallas getting Parsons, but obviously that story isn't over yet.

 

[DFWJC]

I read that letter but honestly, the NBA did exactly what they went to War over. They allowed a Small Market team to lose their marquee player to a large market team.

The reality is that the League is stronger when Large Market, high profile teams are good. The league is better when The Celtics and the Lakers of the world are good. You can try to protect small market teams but you can't force players to stay in small markets. Financially, it's not in their best interests, unless you are LJ. Players are going to look at all of their potential financial earnings and make make decisions based on what's in their best interests. You can't make everything exactly equal. Not say that this is what you are recommending but I am pointing out that is just doesn't work. It would be like saying Texas teams can't take advantage of tax advantages in contracts the State of Texas offers as a resident. It would be stupid to try and do that. I just think the NBA did a poor job of regulating the CP3 deal all around. The Clippers deal was better for the Hornets, no question but I'm not sure that it was better for the League. New Orleans is a large market that didn't draw. Now the Hornets are back in a small market. Will be interesting to see how that plays out.

This may be surprising to some, but...
The Clevelandd/Akron and Miami/Ft Lauderdale TV markets are almost identical in size.

Largest markets:

Rank Metropolitan Market Regions / Areas
1New York
2Los Angeles
3Chicago
4Philadelphia
5Dallas-Ft. Worth
6San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose
7Boston
8Atlanta
9Washington, DC
10Houston
11Detroit
12Phoenix
13Tampa-St. Petersburg
14Seattle-Tacoma
15Minneapolis-St. Paul
16Miami-Ft.Lauderdale
17Cleveland-Akron
18Denver
19Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne
20Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto
21St. Louis
22Portland, OR
23Pittsburgh
24Charlotte, NC
25Indianapolis
26Baltimore
27Raleigh-Durham
28San Diego
29Nashville
30Hartford-New Haven
31Kansas City

 

[WoodysGirl]

 

[casmith07]

The Sixers would be stoooopid to take that contract with the chemistry they've got going in the summer league right now.

MCW and Nerlens Noel are going to be great. His defensive plays have been amazing so far.

Get Embiid healthy and it's going to be the old Spurs twin towers situation in Philly, except they're both young. And MCW is a legit point guard.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

What would be ideal for the Lakers is if they could get Lin and Asik plus picks. It would cost the Lakers 30 Million in actual money but only count 16/17 in actual cap space. That would allow the Lakers to acquire a replacement for Gasol, another ball handling Guard, future picks and two expiring contracts for the 2015 season.

 

[WoodysGirl]

 

[Rockport]

So now you figure Anthony lands in either Chicago or stays in N.Y. If N.Y., then Gasol probably heads to N.Y. If Chicago, then where does Pau Gasol go? Does Chicago have the cap to sign Gasol and Anthony? I don't think so. Where could Gasol end up I wonder?

Spurs are a possibility.

 

[WoodysGirl]

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Spurs are a possibility.

They are, as are OKC, but I doubt he seriously considers them unless they can come up with much more money. Gasol likes metropolitan life style. Opera, the theater, crap like that. He gets that in Chicago or N.Y. but not so much in SA or OKC. Money talks though. Heck, if it's really all about money, then the Lakers are the team that has the best chance all around. The question is, would they want to re-sign him or not?

 

[bounce]

They are, as are OKC, but I doubt he seriously considers them unless they can come up with much more money. Gasol likes metropolitan life style. Opera, the theater, crap like that. He gets that in Chicago or N.Y. but not so much in SA or OKC. Money talks though. Heck, if it's really all about money, then the Lakers are the team that has the best chance all around. The question is, would they want to re-sign him or not?

I feel like SA has the best shot of the teams with only the MLE to offer - and they can't go above that, so he'd take a significant paycut to come here. But, he already has two rings - he doesn't need to chase a title. If I had to rank them, I'd put them as 1) Chicago 2) NY 3) SA 4) OKC

 

[bounce]

The Sixers would be stoooopid to take that contract with the chemistry they've got going in the summer league right now.

MCW and Nerlens Noel are going to be great. His defensive plays have been amazing so far.

Get Embiid healthy and it's going to be the old Spurs twin towers situation in Philly, except they're both young. And MCW is a legit point guard.

The problem is, I wouldn't be surprised if Embiid is always plagued with this injury. Big men and foot injuries don't turn out well. Walton, Yao, Ilgauskas all had careers totally derailed by it. Having the injury he has before he's stepped on an NBA floor doesn't bode well.

 

[WoodysGirl]

 

[Rockport]

They are, as are OKC, but I doubt he seriously considers them unless they can come up with much more money. Gasol likes metropolitan life style. Opera, the theater, crap like that. He gets that in Chicago or N.Y. but not so much in SA or OKC. Money talks though. Heck, if it's really all about money, then the Lakers are the team that has the best chance all around. The question is, would they want to re-sign him or not?

Yea, the odds are slim. Even more slim for the Thunder as I heard Gasol doesn't think there's enough cultural diversity in Oklahoma City. You're probably right about going to Chicago or NY.