It's NBA time

[obzen]

I still don't think it's a lock for the Heat/Lakers, for all we know it could between the Bull/Knicks, Clippers/Spurs in the CFs.

[obzen]

Don't count out the Nuggets and Pacers either -- or the Celtics for that matter.

[obzen]

OR THE MOTHERFUCKING T-WOLVES TRICKS

[HotHamWater]

Holy shit, Harden for K-Mart -- I can't even comprehend.

I don't think Martin will stick around that long in OKC. He only has one year left on his contract, and he doesn't strike me as a Thunder type of player. I can't imagine Sam Presti would pay what Martin would demand to come back. I think Jeremy Lamb and Toronto's draft pick are the pieces that Presti values the most.

[obzen]

Seriously though, it would seem as though OKC management would be okay with the idea of Lakers/Heat for the next two years, possibly.

[TomAz]

That's not necessarily bad for either squad in the long run, but shit, fuck me if that doesn't throw everything off.

Yes it is. This is a godawful trade for OKC and basically concedes the West to LA. is Jerry West the GM in Oklahoma now?

[TomAz]

Hardin would not have been an unrestricted FA next year. They gave up too early. Folding their tents, heading back to Seattle maybe?

[obzen]

*Harden

[obzen]

This is a godawful trade for OKC and basically concedes the West to LA...

Don't jinx it, asshorle.

[Mr. Dylanja]

17 ppg scorer, a lottery pick, two 1st round picks, and a 2nd round pick is a lot of value for a sixth man. Especially considering OKC's recent draft success.

[HotHamWater]

17 ppg scorer, a lottery pick, two 1st round picks, and a 2nd round pick is a lot of value for a sixth man. Especially considering OKC's recent draft success.

Yup. And I think OKC will just let Kevin Martin's contract comes off the books, unless he really surprises me this season. I know he can score, but I don't like how his game might fit in with a team trying to win a title. That means they'll have more money to spend next summer. I also think Jeremy Lamb has a great shot at providing the things Harden provided. He can score, and he's a very good defender.

Even though I like Harden's game in the context of a team like OKC, I don't foresee great things for him as the lead player on a team.

[Mr. Dylanja]

They'll miss his clutch gene.

Is Lamb a good facilitator?

It'll be interesting to see how K-Mart fits in, he's always been the primary scorer on shitty teams. On OKC I think he'll assume the sixth man role and Sefolosha will continue to start. His number could/should go up going against second string defenders.

A lot of people thought Perry Jones should've been a lottery pick as well. I think the Thunder's front office is doing a great job.

[lehorne]

he shat himself in the playoffs and got gif'd by Artest

[vulcandeathgrip]

I think this is a better trade for OKC than Houston. They get a look at how Martin fits ( as an off the bench scorer and not much else really ) and Lamb seems to have the goods to be a great fit for this team ( and puts little pressure on the cap for the duration of his rookie deal ) the draft picks may be okay but Presti will use them well regardless of where they fall.

Houston don't seem to have much of a defined plan. Harden likely will demand the max to stay and with the ballooning of Lin & Asik's back loaded contracts they will have little flexibility down the track. Even if they sign Harden they look to be mediocre for a while yet.

The happiest people about this deal should be Suns fans and management.

*and with regard to Lamb being a facilitator - with Maynor back he won't have to handle to ball as much as Harden did last year.

[TomAz]

The happiest people about this deal should be Suns fans and management.

??? As a Suns fan, why should I be happy about this? I wanted to Suns to sign Harden as a FA next year.

[vulcandeathgrip]

??? As a Suns fan, why should I be happy about this? I wanted to Suns to sign Harden as a FA next year.

He hasn't signed with Houston has he ? Don't you think you will have a better chance to sign him from Houston than OKC ? I sure do.

[obzen]

Still can't believe this happened, lul.

[TomAz]

He hasn't signed with Houston has he ? Don't you think you will have a better chance to sign him from Houston than OKC ? I sure do.

I read he had signed a 4 year max extension with Houston. Otherwise I would agree with you, yes.

[vulcandeathgrip]

I read he had signed a 4 year max extension with Houston. Otherwise I would agree with you, yes.

Oh really ? I haven't seem that, all reports I have seen say stuff like "Houston are hoping he signs a max deal" It would seem a massive risk by the rockets to trade for him without any assurances but they have been pretty open to "renting" a player and hoping he stays. I kind of hope he ends up in Phoenix, I have a soft spot for them & they would be fun to watch.

[TomAz]

Well, I think I read more into it than is fact right now.. I guess he has not signed but everyone is expecting him to..

Harden will become a restricted free agent next summer if Houston doesn't sign him to an extension by Wednesday, but sources told ESPN.com's Marc Stein late Saturday the Rockets intend to sign the swingman to the max contract extension he was seeking from the Thunder before Wednesday's midnight deadline.

[HotHamWater]

It'll be interesting to see how K-Mart fits in, he's always been the primary scorer on shitty teams. On OKC I think he'll assume the sixth man role and Sefolosha will continue to start. His number could/should go up going against second string defenders.

A lot of people thought Perry Jones should've been a lottery pick as well. I think the Thunder's front office is doing a great job.

I think I have a bias against shooting guards like Kevin Martin. They are a dime a dozen, and seem to think they're better than they actually are. Just because you can score, that doesn't mean you have a winning game. I lump Martin in with guys like Brandon Jennings, Monta Ellis, Nick Young, Marcus Thornton, etc. Dime a dozen. And he doesn't play defense real well. I think he'll generate a little offense off the bench next season, and Presti will probably be done with him after that.

I think you're right about the Thunder's front office, overall. Presti clearly knows what he's doing. I don't think Perry Jones will work out in OKC, for a lot of reasons, but it was probably worth the risk where they got him.

I think this is a better trade for OKC than Houston. They get a look at how Martin fits ( as an off the bench scorer and not much else really ) and Lamb seems to have the goods to be a great fit for this team ( and puts little pressure on the cap for the duration of his rookie deal ) the draft picks may be okay but Presti will use them well regardless of where they fall.

Houston don't seem to have much of a defined plan. Harden likely will demand the max to stay and with the ballooning of Lin & Asik's back loaded contracts they will have little flexibility down the track. Even if they sign Harden they look to be mediocre for a while yet.

The happiest people about this deal should be Suns fans and management.

*and with regard to Lamb being a facilitator - with Maynor back he won't have to handle to ball as much as Harden did last year.

Very good post. I hope you'll contribute to this thread during the season.

Lamb isn't the best facilitator, but you're right that Maynor being back will negate some of that. I think Lamb could develop into a great defender, and a very reliable scorer. I think he showed at UConn that he's comfortable playing next to a star, which Kemba Walker was in college, and doing the little things that the star can't or won't. He was a bit miscast as the lead guy at UConn last year, though that was a toxic situation in general. I think a veteran team with stars is perfect for Lamb. It will bring out the best in him.

[Mr. Dylanja]

West
1. Clippers
2. Thunder
3. Mavericks
4. Lakers
5. Spurs
6. Grizzlies
7. Denver
8. Suns

East
1. Heat
2. Celtics
3. Pacers
4. Nets
5. 76ers
6. Knicks
7. Bucks
8. Hawks

[bemerritt]

Here we go lake show!

[buddy]

The Clippers number one? Flip lakers and clip.

[Mr. Dylanja]

I'll take youth and depth over age and lack of depth for an 82 game season.

[GuyInTucson]

Kyrie with 29 points. Waiters with a better debut than I expected him to have. Varejao with 23 boards. Tristan Thompson with a double-double. Double digit win for the Cavs. Good way to start. I'll be able to get a better idea of how decent the Cavs are when they play a team with actual NBA talent.

[HotHamWater]

Kyrie with 29 points. Waiters with a better debut than I expected him to have. Varejao with 23 boards. Tristan Thompson with a double-double. Double digit win for the Cavs. Good way to start. I'll be able to get a better idea of how decent the Cavs are when they play a team with actual NBA talent.

Hehe, I was going to be a dick and say congrats on winning a competitive game at home against a bad team missing its best player. But I won't say that. Instead, I'll say that Kyrie looked predictably impressive, and Waiters did show me something. A win is always a nice way to start.

[HotHamWater]

And it might be a bad sign for your team that Luke Walton is getting minutes, let alone 12 minutes, in a regular-season game.

[GuyInTucson]

Hehe, I was going to be a dick and say congrats on winning a competitive game at home against a bad team missing its best player. But I won't say that. Instead, I'll say that Kyrie looked predictably impressive, and Waiters did show me something. A win is always a nice way to start.

They were actually kicking the Wizards' ass for most of the game and let them creep back in late in the third when the backups were on the floor. When the starters came back in, the lead increased again. The bench will have to perform much better when they start playing teams that are even remotely decent.

[GuyInTucson]

And it might be a bad sign for your team that Luke Walton is getting minutes, let alone 12 minutes, in a regular-season game.

He wouldn't see the court if I were the coach, even on that roster.