NBA Offseason 2013

[Enforcer]

Pistons spend some money and land Josh Smith. http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/94548 ... ources-say

[jon abbey]

does that mean they trade Monroe? how do those two and Smith all co-exist?

[Enforcer]

I don't know, to be honest. They've been targeting him since the end of the season, but what pieces they plan to juggle to make it work, I'm not sure. It does seem like Monroe would be traded but haven't heard anything.

[walto]

I don't like Golden State's moves at all.

[walto]

Oh, I also don't like Josh Smith.

[jon abbey]

I don't like Golden State's moves at all.

Iguodala in, Jack and Landry out, right? seems sideways, I agree.

[Noj]

Simmons is on the money as usual

[Captain Hate]

I guess the right way to look at signing Bynum is that at least it's not taking a flyer on Greg Oden or Jason Collins.

[jon abbey]

actually it seems like a great move by the Cavs without any commitment past this season. plus even if he doesn't play a minute, his hairdos are the most entertaining in the league.

[Captain Hate]

Yeah it's a pretty good contract as far as incentives and team options for the Cavs.

[presquepartout]

and if he doesn't play, then the cavs will be a lottery team again!

[jon abbey]

Knicks sign Artest. they should just go after Stephen Jackson too, why stop here? (I am like 80 percent serious)

[surfer]

Mockup of Warriors new arena right next to the Giants stadium (which is behind this vantage point). I believe this is slated to open in '17 or maybe '18.

[walto]

Can somebody explain tom what Milwaukee is doing? Blatant tank?I mean, I figured they'd dump one of their point guards, but both of them?

[jon abbey]

both of those guys wanted too much money, Jennings told them he wanted the max or to go elsewhere, so there you go. they did add Brandon Knight, OJ Mayo, and Ridnour, so it's not like they have no PGs anymore. giving up Tobias Harris for a Reddick rental looks like an awful move in retrospect, I think they'd probably like to rebuild but their 85 year old owner isn't letting them. here's Chad Ford's take on it (Insider content, so I pasted the whole thing):

=======================================================================================

Additions: O.J. Mayo (FA), Brandon Knight (trade), Giannis Antetokounmpo (draft), Gary Neal (FA), Zaza Pachulia (FA), Carlos Delfino (FA), Luke Ridnour (trade), Slava Kravtsov (trade), Khris Middleton (trade), Miroslav Raduljica (FA), Nate Wolters (draft)

Subtractions: Monta Ellis (Mavericks), Brandon Jennings (Pistons), J.J. Redick (Clippers), Samuel Dalembert (Mavericks), Mike Dunleavy (Bulls), Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (Kings), Drew Gooden, Gustavo Ayon (Hawks), Jim Boylan (coach)

The Bucks continue to be stuck in NBA purgatory -- good enough to eke into the playoffs from time to time, but never good enough to make a leap to contender. Don't blame GM John Hammond. His owner, Herb Kohl, hates the rebuilding process and has given the Bucks marching orders to make the playoffs every year.

What the Bucks need is a star, but the only way they'll get one is through the draft, and their draft position has been too low from year to year to get a real shot at one. That's why Hammond swung for the fences this time around with Antetokounmpo at No. 15. He is one of the rawest prospects to come into the NBA in a decade, but the tools he has are tremendous. He is long and athletic, can shoot and really passes well for a player his size (6-foot-9, 205 pounds). If he ever develops, Antetokounmpo, Larry Sanders and John Henson will be one of the best front lines in the NBA.

The Bucks' biggest move outside of the draft was the trade of Jennings to the Pistons for Knight, Kravtsov and Middleton. Jennings privately told the team he either wanted the max or out of Milwaukee, prompting the Bucks to sign Jeff Teague to an offer sheet, which the Hawks matched. Jennings didn't want to play there and the Bucks didn't really see him as their point guard of the future, so a trade was inevitable.

Knight, his replacement, is a high-character player who can shoot and defend. But the Pistons had serious issues with him as their point guard, and with Mayo locked in at the 2, the Bucks are likely going to have to keep him at the 1. Knight has talent, but trading for him doesn't seem to jibe with some of their other moves, which fit the Bucks' playoff goals.

Mayo isn't the scorer that Ellis is, but he is a better shooter and will offer far better chemistry. Neal isn't quite the shooter that Redick was, but he comes at a fraction of the cost. Pachulia takes the place of Dalembert backing up Sanders. Delfino gives the Bucks some shooting at the 3. Ridnour is insurance at the point. The team also picked up multiple second-round picks in several trades.

At the end of the day, I'm not sure if the Bucks didn't just score a wash this summer. The roster has better character guys on it, but I'm not sure the talent level is considerably higher. If Knight is good enough, the combination of him, Mayo, Ersan Ilyasova, Sanders, Henson, Neal and Delfino should put them in the running for the eighth seed in the East. But like the past few years, they're likely to get routed in the first round.

[walto]

Thanks for that, Jon. My own sense is that they won't make the playoffs with that team.

[jon abbey]

I love Gary Neal, but he will probably look much worse outside of the SA system. I also like Mayo better than Jennings or Ellis, but an undersized 2 is rarely part of a winning strategy.

[Enforcer]

Pistons are unrecognizable after this offseason. Whole new team. Billups back, Rasheed coaching... surreal.

[walto]

How do y'all think rank and file players would fare with a superstar like LeBron as the head of their union?

[jon abbey]

How do y'all think rank and file players would fare with a superstar like LeBron as the head of their union?

they're pretty fucked currently, DeJuan Blair signed for the vet minimum today (admittedly that is still $1.4M), but the latest CBA has even more money going to the top 100 or so players than ever before, and not a lot left for everyone else.