2014 NBA Offseason

[Ateles fusciceps]

Melo is staying in New York. They can pay him roughly $50mil more than Chicago or anyone else. That's a lot of money. I'm sure Melo wants to win a title and would prefer Chicago but he's not giving up that much money. Additionally, there's no way LaLa let's him leave NYC and $50mil behind. This is being blown way out of proportion with media coverage over a non-story. There was never a real scenario in which Melo leaves NY.

LeBron was obviously going to Cleveland. It's the same thing he did in 2010. His team faced adversity and had a bad roster situation, so he ditched them and ran to a team with a stacked roster. And this time he's being paid the maximum on top of it. Another media created news storm over absolutely nothing.

ESPN has become unbearable in recent years.

[alxy8s]

Jazz matched Hayward's offer. He'll stay in Utah.

[IceCap]

I don't know how to feel about this Deadspin piece.

They nailed it. Absolutely nailed it.

I'm all for taking a step back from SPORTS but come on. LeBron screwed up with "the Decision" and this, at least in part, was a means to rectify that. Being overly cynical just to be overly cynical (which is what Deadspin does, being a purely internet-age creation) is such an obviously forced position to take. Just sit back and enjoy the good story for crying out loud.

[The_Admiral]

Deadspin has also specialized in unilaterally defending LeBron from the sort of Average White People they hate, which put them in league with ESPN kind of like how every now and then Antonin Scalia and the ACLU are on the same page. So when people stepped back and said "hey, he did something that wasn't indicative of being a sheltered prick, good for him," they got really upset and started showing pictures of Cavaliers fans burning effigies. You don't get to love him the way we love him!

[Lights Out]

So amongst the insanity is Pau Gasol, who could be a consolation prize for the Rockets, seems to be deciding between the Bulls and the Spurs, having rejected a supposed $20M deal with the Lakers.

I'd be ecstatic if Pau ends up on the Spurs; and even if we don't we'll have the cap room to go after his brother next summer.

Gasol was offered 2 for $23M and 3 for $29M by LAL and rejected both offers.

The Bosh signing is so disappointing. As much as I don't care for the Rockets, I would at least have been intrigued by Bosh, Howard, and Harden. That's not a world-beater line-up on par with the 99-02 Lakers or recent Heat and Spurs teams, but it would at least have been imposing.

The Rockets are one of those teams that's relevant mostly every year, tend to pick up some pretty big-deal free agents, and then flame out in the second round. I guess if you're the crappiest-looking Texas team, you deserve the crappiest luck.

I think that in the last ten days we have found out that "Dork Elvis", Rockets GM Daryl Morey is really an a-hole and his math background is showing as his people skills aren't that great.

Secondly, what is OKC waiting for? Sam Presti isn't really showing much of an effort to do anything. Not only did is Kendrick Perkins still on the roster, Scott Brooks is still the HC.

The twiddling thumb approach by OKC this summer (or last summer for that matter) is starting to seem really...perplexing. Everyone in the West is getting stronger and they're just sitting on their butts (Gasol's a crazy longshot but what ELSE are they doing?).

The thumb-twiddling really isn't that perplexing. Clay Bennett is just cheap. He's not willing to spend the extra $$$ to put his team over the top. He thinks he can just keep riding Durant and Westbrook, but he's in for a surprise when they're still ringless in a few years and both want out.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

I get the Deadspin piece and am on board with its conclusions. Old guys love it when young guys Do The Right Thing, especially if that Right Thing is what they wanted it to be all along and if it involves some sort of sacrifice (like moving from somewhere nice to somewhere horrible). Doubly especially if the young guy is Contrite and Humble. We've had this conversation on this board before. My opinion is the same as it's always been, and I think there's always a racial subtext to these kinds of things we like to pretend isn't there (no one asks, say, Peyton Manning to take a pay cut).

For as much as LeBron returning home is a great story, the Heat also blew it his last season, relied on him to do too much, and are seeing their window close in front of their eyes. Not sure the Cavs are the better situation in the next few years (unless LeBron has some say over personnel), but at least he gets young guys that aren't falling apart.

On a different note, we're heading into year two where the Lakers look like a mess. LeBron said no way, Melo looks like he's moving on, and Pau rejected them as well. I'm not used to a two-year Lakers nadir. Yeah they're have cap space in 2015, but it feels wrong for them to be so listless for so long.

[Lights Out]

I don't know how to feel about this Deadspin piece. It comes off with a Dark Admiral snidy air of "sports is utter bullcrap that can burn for all I care," but it feels forced. I know that sports is basically a garbage enterprise of corporate greed and veiled indentured servitude, but they could've at least waited a few days to let the glow of Seemingly Positive Sports Story fade before they pissed all over it.

I sort of agree with Deadspin, but also sort of disagree. I dislike how focused today's sports media is on optics and self-branding over substance, but I also think LeBron's decision and explanation was more genuine than they're portraying it to be. He's a good guy who felt bad about the mistakes he made and wants to make up for them. Why can't it just be that?

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Deadspin has also specialized in unilaterally defending LeBron from the sort of Average White People they hate, which put them in league with ESPN kind of like how every now and then Antonin Scalia and the ACLU are on the same page. So when people stepped back and said "hey, he did something that wasn't indicative of being a sheltered prick, good for him," they got really upset and started showing pictures of Cavaliers fans burning effigies. You don't get to love him the way we love him!

And of course you post this while I'm talking about racial subtext and Spike Lee.

EDIT: We're all just chasing Hot Takes.

[charger77]

NM.

[Nyk33]

Carmelo is returning to the Knicks.

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/11207201/carmelo-anthony-new-york-knicks-negotiating-deal-chicago-bulls-out

[alxy8s]

5yrs/$120M?! Melo took less than he could have!

[rams80]

Jazz matched Hayward's offer. He'll stay in Utah.

What will Rich Cho, basketball genius^TM do now?

[The_Admiral]

I think there's always a racial subtext to these kinds of things we like to pretend isn't there (no one asks, say, Peyton Manning to take a pay cut).

Bullsh-t. Drop in on any NHL conversation where fans are sweating the ramifications of superstar contracts on a hard salary cap. Or does that not count because of that hard cap no other league has and also because the league's stars are predominantly white? Wasn't Tom Brady pressured to take a pay cut to keep the mid-2000s Patriots intact?

[Lee Noire]

I think there's always a racial subtext to these kinds of things we like to pretend isn't there (no one asks, say, Peyton Manning to take a pay cut).

Bullsh-t. Drop in on any NHL conversation where fans are sweating the ramifications of superstar contracts on a hard salary cap. Or does that not count because of that hard cap no other league has and also because the league's stars are predominantly white? Wasn't Tom Brady pressured to take a pay cut to keep the mid-2000s Patriots intact?

Pressured? I don't know about that, but he sure as hell was praised for it and it's stupid. It changes the narrative. In no other place other than sports(sans baseball maybe) do we actively encourage the best turn down what they are worth. That's partially why I hate LBJ going back to CLE. Gilbert was one of the main cats trying to take money out his pocket during the CBA stuff.

[charger77]

I think there's always a racial subtext to these kinds of things we like to pretend isn't there (no one asks, say, Peyton Manning to take a pay cut).

Bullsh-t. Drop in on any NHL conversation where fans are sweating the ramifications of superstar contracts on a hard salary cap. Or does that not count because of that hard cap no other league has and also because the league's stars are predominantly white? Wasn't Tom Brady pressured to take a pay cut to keep the mid-2000s Patriots intact?

I was just about to mention the discussion in the NHL tread about people saying they wanted Toews and Kane to take less so the Hawks can afford to keep their talent down the road.

[The_Admiral]

Pressured? I don't know about that, but he sure as hell was praised for it and it's stupid. It changes the narrative. In no other place other than sports(sans baseball maybe) do we actively encourage the best turn down what they are worth. That's partially why I hate LBJ going back to CLE. Gilbert was one of the main cats trying to take money out his pocket during the CBA stuff.

Okay, but then Micky Arison did take money out of LeBron's pocket when he gloriously took a pay cut to play with his friends.

The upshot to this whole thing is that now as then, LeBron is just doing whatever he feels like doing, except one way fit the Young Black Men Taking Over narrative that some people here seem to fetishize while the other fits the Maturing Hero narrative that other people fetishize.

[C's]

I'm all for taking a step back from SPORTS but come on. LeBron screwed up with "the Decision" and this, at least in part, was a means to rectify that. Being overly cynical just to be overly cynical (which is what Deadspin does, being a purely internet-age creation) is such an obviously forced position to take. Just sit back and enjoy the good story for crying out loud.

Can't speak for Deadspin but cynicism comes pretty naturally to me. If The Letter didn't come off as a steaming load of PR crap to you then I don't know what to say.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

I think there's always a racial subtext to these kinds of things we like to pretend isn't there (no one asks, say, Peyton Manning to take a pay cut).

Bullsh-t. Drop in on any NHL conversation where fans are sweating the ramifications of superstar contracts on a hard salary cap. Or does that not count because of that hard cap no other league has and also because the league's stars are predominantly white? Wasn't Tom Brady pressured to take a pay cut to keep the mid-2000s Patriots intact?

Come on. The NHL exists in a completely separate part of the national consciousness than the NBA or NFL, for a variety of reasons -- including 1. way more people watch basketball and football than hockey and 2. there is a racial component to those sports you can't ignore because you think you're above that conversation. Perhaps Tom Brady is good one example in a decade -- in the NBA, there are numerous every year. In the last year alone, there have been calls for Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony and more to take less than they're worth for the benefits of their teams and their teams owners. That's bull :censored:, and it happens constantly.

[IceCap]

I'm all for taking a step back from SPORTS but come on. LeBron screwed up with "the Decision" and this, at least in part, was a means to rectify that. Being overly cynical just to be overly cynical (which is what Deadspin does, being a purely internet-age creation) is such an obviously forced position to take. Just sit back and enjoy the good story for crying out loud.

Can't speak for Deadspin but cynicism comes pretty naturally to me. If The Letter didn't come off as a steaming load of PR crap to you then I don't know what to say.

"The Letter." Clever.

[The_Admiral]

In the last year alone, there have been calls for Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony and more to take less than they're worth for the benefits of their teams and their teams owners. That's bull , and it happens constantly.

Because people, even in the NBA where we're supposed to just stand back and behold greatness wherever it may be, want their teams to win, and huge salaries in salary-capped leagues make it harder for teams to win. Why should fans be vilified for wanting an elite player to make $25 million a year instead of $28 million a year? because he's a black guy? What does anyone do with that much money? There are the distasteful people who want to keep the amateur lie alive in college, and then there's mere quibbling over the seventh figure in an eight-figure salary. I don't think the latter is as sinister and racist as you're making it out to be.

None of us sit around saying that CEOs should make a really obscene amount of money rather than a moderately obscene amount of money. In fact, most people by now would say that the most highly compensated among us should take a haircut for the good of the businesses they oversee. Sony executives have notably done so in the face of Japan's economic downturn, taking a shame-based approach over a blame-based approach.